Evening star., 1934-02-07
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Efforts are afoot to persuade Herbert
Hoover to make public address on
the new state Of the Union while he
IS in the East on private business. II
time allowed, it was thought he might
appropriately speak on Lncoln's birth
day, as he did year ago, and in the
same ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS the rock
ribbed Republican Union League Club
Of New York City. His friends feel
that Nationwide hook-up should be
part Of the scheme, in order that Mr..
Hoover,s views may be heard by the
whole country. Since leaving office,
the former president has resolutely
refused every sort Of importantly to
discuss national affairs. Speeches, in
terviews, radio talks, magazine articles,
have all been turned down at Palo
Alto. Mr.. Hoover has conferred with
countless close friends and former
political associates and carried on
voluminous correspondence. But every
thing said or written was "of the
record" It's doubtful whether the
Californian thinks the time has yet
come when he could usefuly unburden
himself. The eve of this years con-
gressional elections may be the hour
when Republican leaders can convince
him Of the appropriateness Of a clarion
message to party faithful.
* ~
Charles Summer Lobingier, professor
of comparative law in the National
University at Washington and former
United States Judge in China and the
Philippines, is the author Of a mono
graph just published as Senate doc
ument entitled, "Obsolete Features OF
Our Federal Constitution" namely
the electoral college. the method OF
amendment and the presidential
blanket" veto. Judge Lobmgier's s
work was carried out in cooperation
with three Senators-Q), Norris, Re
publican Progressive, of Nebraska, who
proposes the abolition Of the electoral
college and the substitution OF pro-
portional representation; ca. Pope,
Democrat, of Idaho, who would sub
stitute for article S Of the Constitu-
tion 9 method Of amendment by pop
ular ratification, together with initia-
ton OF amendments by the people Of
the several States, and 90, McCar-
ran, Democrat, Of Nevada, who advo-
Gates an amendment authorizing the
President to veto obnoxious items IN
appropriation bills and other fiscal
measures without rejecting the meas
ures altogether.
4 ~
In Representative Edith Nourse
Rogers, Republican, of Massachusetts,,
the United States foreign service has
a friend at court. Mrs. Rogers In
terest in Americans on duty abroad
springs from the fact that the author
Of the Rogers law, which seeks to
make the diplomatic and consular
service q merit and career branch OF
the Government, was her late hus-
band, whose seat the lady from Lowell
now occupies. Mrs. Rogers, who
sometimes calls herself Congressman"
Rogers, is working hard to induce the
House to compensate members Of the
foreign service for the heavy loss they
suffer nowadays, when they cash pay
checks In deprecated foreign curren-
cies.
+ X + X
No one has detected the slightest
sign of cold feet In Senator Royal s.
Copeland of New York, as a result Of
the disclosure that Roosevelt admins
tration influence may be thrown be-
hind some rival for the physician
sateman's toga. Senator Copeland's
vote-getting qualities are famed. He