Evening star., 1934-04-23
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Legislatively, there's nothing new
even under the new deal sun. II
a messenger from Mars were to air
plane into Washington any time dur
ing the next few weeks he could be ex-
cused for thinking he'd landed here
during the gay late nineties, instead
of AID. 1884. With Congress i'm
mersed in discussion Of tariff and sill
yer, as it will be from now on, the
Capitol will reverberate with the same
sort Of debate that echoed through
its marble halls in the days when
Mckinley and Bryan were national
idols and their respective isms were
about all there was to American
politics. The stage Is set for hot
and protracted debate on both issues
especially in the Senate. The bill
to authorize President Roosevelt to
negotiate reciprocal tariff treaties is
headed for fierce attack by uncom-
promising constitutionalists like Sem
ator Borah, who will not lack sup
port even among old-lfne Democrats
who are ordinarily stalwart admin
iStrationistS. Republicans, tradi-
tionally sensitive about the tariff, are
girding for a last-ditch fight for
preservation Of the prerogative of
Congress to be its sole arbiter. Sen
ate si1verites, under the militant lead
ership Of Wheeler Of Montana, are
prepared to fight for reconciliation
of the white metal in the firm con-
fidence that victory, so nearly within
their grasp on previous occasions
can not and will not be denied them
this time.
Frank c. Walker. executive secretary
of the National Emergency Council,
will be commencement orator at his
alma mater, the University of Notre
Dame, on June 3. Mr.. Walker re-
ceived his LII. B. with the Notre
Dame class of 1909. Another distin-
guished Washingtonian who will ap-
pear on the same program is the Most
Rev. Amleto Giovanni Cicognani,
apostolic delegate to the United States.
4 X \ X
According to recent probate of his
estate, the late Representative Ernest
R. Ackerman of New Jersey'left a for
tune of roundly $1,500.000, which in
cluded one of the largest and most
valuable collections of postage stamps
in the world. The collection, estimated
to be worth roundly $215,000. was be-
uueathed Jointly to Mr.. Ackerman's
widow and his brother.
Federal officials interested In the
problem Of the $750, ,000, 900 Of German
commercial debts owed In this country
expect to have opportunity within
few days to discuss them with Leon
Fraser, the American president of the
Bank for International Settlements at
Berne, who has Just arrived from Eu-
rope. Mr.. Fraser presided over the
meeting Of international financiers
with whom DR.. Schacht, president OF
the German Reichsbank, was recently
in conference at Berne. The United
States Is Germany's principal COM
mercial debt creditor.
= ~
When Mayor La Guardia Of New
York the other day received the dele
cation of 125 Texas boosters now
touring the East he went out of his
way to pay a handsome tribute to his
old colleague in the House, Repre-
sentative Thomas L. Blanton. "a lot
of people may not like Blanton." said
his honor of Manhattan. land he may
irritate sometimes, but there is nc
more useful member Of Congress.
The mayor, continuing the distribu-
ton Of bouquets, added: "And there Il