Evening star., 1934-01-03
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC HILLI4N VILE.

Washington is itself again. Congress
Is back on the job 1t came In like
lamb. VIII it go out like lion? That's
the question everybody is asking, as
House and Senate swing into action for
the second year of the new deal and
prepare to bring 1t under hard boiled
scrutiny. While It is evident that the
administration IS getting away to a
harmonious start. there's by no means
any assurance that the spirit of BROTH
erly love will endure until the end Of
the session. Despite present indica-
tions, hardly anybody looks for that
unqueStioning compliance with ROoSe-
Welt proposals which distinguished the
dizzy days OF the emergency session,
though no one thinks the President
can or will be finally denied on any
major proposition. The personal de-
livery Of his message to Congress today
was considered a ShreWd stroke of pO-
litical strategy. Silver and veterans
legislation will be the bittereSt bones
of contention. 1t was the veterans
eIeventh-hOur attack on the economy
act that wrecked the first Roosevelt
honeymoon. The issue viii soon plague
the administration again. Members Of
Congress report strong backbone SEN
timent in favor Of restoring some OF
the benefits Of which the service men
were deprived. The StitfeSt kind Of a
fight on their behalf is in prospect.
Their demands involve as much as
100000 or S10O000000 Of the $400,-
100000 cut which they took.
~
George n. Peek has submitted to
President Roosevelt his recommends
tions for creation of a Federal Trade
Administration. The late A. A. A. eX-
ecutiye finds that the principal need is
coordination of facilities now scattered
harum-scarum through several eXecu-
tive departments and the adoption OF
more systematic procedure for making
world markets bigger and better for
Yankee business Based on his expert
ence as q manufa cturer, Mr.. Peek be-
IieveS too little attention Is given to the
credit risks involved for the United
States in export trade. The Depart
ments of State, the Treasury, Commerce,
Labor and Agriculture are an inter-
ested, directly or indirectly, in foreign
trade. Hitherto they have padded their
own respective canoes in that domain,
without much attempt at teamwork. To
link I'D these various Federal agencies
Mr.. Peek considers fundamental to the
establishment Of Foreign Trade Ad-
ministration.
OF the 80 senatorial seats to be filled
at this Years election, IT are now held
BY Republicans, IA by Democrats and
one by the lone Farm-Labor sentinel,
ShipStead of Minnesota. The Demo-
Gratis. several of whose seats in question
ere in the safe and solid South, not
only expect to hold all their present
possessions throughout the country, but
to gain three or four places now occu-
pied by Republicans, especially IN
States which went democratic III 1882.
Particular interest centers in the fate OF
three Republican progresSlveS- S-John-
son of California. Cutting of New Mex
leo and La Toilette of Wisconsin. HaV-
ing supported Roosevelt for President.
there have been suggestions they Woulo
be rewarded with democratic backing In
| 1884. But as it has just been announced
that the boiling trio Is not to be de-
prived of G. o. P. support, this may
result in democratic candidates being
pitted against them as usual. The
democrats have not yet chosen 1884
senatorial campaign chairman. The
triumphant 1882 campaign was man
aged by Claude A. Swanson of Virginia
now Secretary of the Navy. One OF
the phenomena of this years situation
is that two Senators, instead of one,
will be elected, respectively, in Tennes-
see, Montana and New Mexico, be-
cause in each case one Of the incum-
bents is filling term to which he was
appointed to fill q vacancy.
X x x
Only a few of the Senators who aspire
10 perpetuate themselves expect prl-
mary fights for denomination. Among
the Republicans, Senator Reed of
Pennsylvania may find himself op-
posed by Gov. Clifford Pinchot. while
among the Democrats Senator Con-
nally of Texas may have to battle
Representative Joseph w. Bailey, Jr.
Neither of these rival candidates. is
certaintv, but there have been hints OF
them for some time. Senatorial cld-
timers who must face the guns in No