Evening star., 1934-11-07
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Now that election day has come
and gone and the world is made
safe for the Democrats for another
two years. the Nation viii turn its
attention to the next excitement in
proSpect-the holiday season. New
Dealers, ever on the scent for evi-
dence of recovery, are jubilant over
the advance survey of business pros
poets Just completed by the National
Retail Dry Goods Association. On
the basis of its findings, impending
Christmas shopping seems destined
to break all records for the past flve
years and approach the all-time high.
1t Is estimated that retail stores
throughout the country. directly af-
fected by Christmas trade. will en-
ploy 1877 900 extra workers during
November and 354. 900 in December.
totaling SAL 900 OF additional per-
Sonnel, to meet the needs Of Gus
toners during the heaviest buying
period of the year. New retail wages
aggregating at least $4,000. 900 will
be paid in connection with the 1884
holiday boom.
Campaigns for major legislation by
the Seventy-fourth Congress are due
to set in forthwith. now that its
complexion is definitely established.
One Of the earliest drives will be for
the soldiers bonus. With Represent
ative Wright Patman, Democrat, OF
Texas proSpectively in charge in the
House, and possibly Senator Pat Nc
Carran, Democrat, of Nevada taking
the lead In the Senate, enactment
of a bill is to be sought at the first
feasible moment Advocates are con-
fident it will be passed easily in the
House, and almost as readily in the
Senate. But they are far from SAN
guine the bonus could be repassed
over a Roosevelt veto. The thought
is that by the time newcomers to
Congress are acclimated to Capitol
Hill and have learned the wisdom
of following party leadership II they
want to get anywhere-or anything
ro-administration front will be
perfected that will make it exceed
ingly difficult to override the Execu-
tive will. The American Legion will
not expend all its ammunition on the
bonus. 1t is deeply interested in
adoption of a universal draft law ap-
plicable to capital and labor. as well
as manpower, in war time.
Along with the bonus and the 30
hour week, unemployment insurance
will be promptly to the fore in Con-
gress, in pursuance of recommenda-
tions in the Presidents message. To
pave the way for informed discussion,
the Associated Dry Goods Corp, q
Nationwide group of merchants, has
lust sent out 5000 queStlonnalres de-
signed to elicit all shades of opinion.
Representative David ]. Lewis, DEM
ocrat, of Maryland, Is expected to be
prominent in promoting Roosevelt So
.cial legislation, including unemploy-
ment insurance and old-age pensions.
He is former chairman of the House
Labor Committee, and was conspic-
uous in the fights for the Adamson
eight-hour law, the Clayton anti
trust act and the national child labor
law. A lawyer by profession, Lewis
began life as a coal miner. After
appointment by President Wilson in
1917, he served eight years on the
United States Tariff Commission.
X
Moscow Ambassador "Bill" Bullitt
will shortly reach Washington on holi-
day leave and for protracted confer
ence with the President and Secretary
Hull on Soviet American relations
He planned TO visit China and Japan
en- route to the United States, so he'll
be able to supply comprehensive pic
ture of the Far Eastern situation,
again tense in several directions. AM
basador Bullitt will be in this country
while Minister johnson is still here
from China, giving the administration
unique opportunity for q check-up on
Oriental affairs. Ambassador Breck-