Evening star., 1934-12-05

Although the White House officially
is keeping its hands off the speaker
ship fight, it has the deepest concern
In the outcome and is watching de-
velopments with an eagle eye. The
administration is punctiliouSly playing
no favorites, ostensibly hoping only
that the best man wins. What makes
it delicate for the President to take
sides is that all Of the candidates
Byrns of Tennessee, Rayburn OF Texas,
Bankhead of Alabama and the rest
are his friends, and he shrinks from
ANYTHING that would create conditions
that might later rise up to imperil
Roosevelt policies. From the New
Deal standpoint, harmonious or
eanization of the House-the floor
leadership as we'll as the identity OF
the man on the rostrum-is Of para
mount Importance There is no
anxiety over the Senate situation,
which is we'll in hand and relatively
easy to keep in hand, but with the
unwieldy Democratic majority in the
House it's a different story. Much
depends on those at the controls.
That's why F. D. R. and everybody
around him are watching events with
vigilance, not unmixed with anxiety.
Another American Ambassador now
home on leave Is Hugh S. Gibson, re-
Gently arrived from Brazil on his
first leave since President Roosevelt
sent him to Rio de Janeiro in May,
1888. Distinguished career diplomat
and intimate friend of Herbert
Hoover, Mr.. Gibson is one Of the few
foreign service officers Of ambassador
ial rank taken over from the former
regime. As we shall soon be discuss
ing tariff matters with the Amazon
republic, progress toward reciprocal
treaty is likely to be made as the re-
suit of Mr.. Gibson's personal report
to Secretary Hull. We are also in
terested in Japanese immigration in
Brazil, a live issue there ever since
Nippon, to its dislike, was placed on
a quota basis somewhat on American
lines. There has been considerable
influx of Japanese into Brazil and
Toxic encourages such migration. The
new Japanese Ambassador at Rio,
Setsu Sawada, Is we'll remembered in
Washington as one-time counselor Of
embassy here.
+ +
Mrs. Calvin Coolidge has let init
mate friends know that she has not
the remotest intention of acquiring
home in Washington, as circumstan-
TALLY rumored from time to time. It
has frequently been suggested to the
former First Lady that she should
leave Northampton, where she leads
more or less secluded life, and settle
down here among legion of friends.
But the gracious Grace seems deter
mined not to join the local circle of
one-time White House mistresses, now
confined to Mrs. Taft and Mrs. Wilson.
In his highly informative Hoover
OF the Record" just from the press,
Theodore G. Joslin, the former Presi-
dents secretary, lifts the veil on Hoover
activities in the Lindbergh case. Word
reached the White House that Mrs.
Lindberg would appreciate it If the
President would publicly appeal for
the return of her child in the course
Of a broadcast on unemployment relief
on the evening of Sunday, March 6,
1882. Mr.. Hoover agreed without
hesitation to do so. That very night
came word from Col. Lindbergh that
as IAN important development" was
anticipated, it would be best if the
appeal were not made. This is what
Mr.. Hoover intended to say: Mrs.
Lindbergh has asked me to request
the return Of her baby boy. 1t Is
request no man would refuse. If any
one within the sound of my voice
knows where that baby is, I ask that
they Immediately communicate with
the proper authorities, and If they do
not, may God have mercy on their
souls!"