Evening star., 1933-07-21

native Of Indiana, has gone to Cali
fornia to join his son. Col. Thayer,
longtime political crony and protege
Of Jim Watson, is greatly interested in
gold mining. and has returned TO the
State Of the Forty miners in search Of
the elusive and still precious metal. re-
gardless OF the fact that the United
States and lot OF other countries have
deserted the gold standard.
As the Roosevelt recovery program
develops there are increasing demands
for copies OF the comprehensive review
Of the achievements Of the adminiStra-
ton to date. which Senator Joe T..
Robinson, Democratic majority leader,
delivered in the Senate on June Is.
The address Is entitled Democratic
Platform Pledges and Their Fulfill
ment-Legislation of the Special Ses-
sion, Seventy Third Congress The
address is available as public docu-
ment, marked mot printed at Govern
ment expense"
A battle royal Is being waged In cur
rent legal periodicals over the effect of
gold-coin clauses in bonds issued prior
to the recent emergency legislation.
Although the validity and enforce
ability of contracts for gold payment
have been sustained by many cases in
this country" says q recent author,
"the question cannot NOW apparently
be regarded as authoritatively settled
because of changes In legislation and
conditions. Both Interpretation and
enforceability may conceivably be af-
fected by these changes" Most people
don't know that in decision shortly
after the Civil War, the United States
Supreme Court held that legal tender
payment in satisfaction Of debt pay
able in gold and silver coin was in
sufficient, and ruled that the legal
tender act did not apply to contracts
made payable expressly In gold and
silver. "A contract to pay g. certain
number OF dollars in gold coin." says
the court, "s in legal import nothing
else than an agreement to deliver
certain weight Of standard gold. to be
ascertained by a count of coins. each
Of which Is certified to contain def
mite proportion of weight and fineness.
On the other hand. advocates OF the
gold embargo rely in part upon de-
cision rendered October n, 1892. by
the English Chancery Division. In which
suit was brought upon Q British bono
expressly payable in standard gold
coin. The holder of the bond claimed
it was payable In gold bullion or ltS
equivalent, but the High Court Of
Chancery ruled that the obligation was
satisfied by rendering money. IN any
form established as British legal
tender,
While Vice President Garner has
Stunned many of the honors and privi-
leges that 60 with his high office. ne
has accepted better seat at the cabinet
table In the White House executive off-
ces than any of his predecessors had.
This refers to the chair which he oc-
cupies at cabinet sessions. In place OF
an old wooden armchair used by Vice
Presidents Coolidge, Dawes and Curtis
during their "by courtesy" attendance
at cabinets. there has been assigned to
Vice President Garner q luxurious
high-back leather chair similar to those
warmed by members Of the cabinet.
Thus the Texan becomes the first Of
the misunderstanding Vice Presidents
to have q chair with q name plate In q
conspicuous place on its back. Texas
vets 50 far have waited in vain TOR
Garner to take the repeal stump Like
Ole. Man River don't say nuf0n ;;
he just keeps fishin' along.
X xx *
Representative Theodore A. Peyser,
Democrat. of New York City. who sue
ceeded former Congressw0man Ruin
Pratt in the House, achieved q record
for Q new member ipt1he late session by
getting his name nsC,thed to m I'M