Evening star., 1934-04-18
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM WJLE

President Roosevelt faces a stern
test Of political leadership in the at
tempt to secure enactment of his de-
sired legislative program in time for
early adjournment of Congress. It is
highly probable he will have to WELD
the big stick to accomplish his pur-
pose. Battle must be done on two
fronts-on one. to get the legislation
he wants; and on the other, to pre-
vent the kind he doesn't want Both
the Stock Exchange regulation and
reciprocal tariff bills conjure up pros
poets of grim conflict Proposed
amendment of the securities law also
bristles with controversy. Smooth
sailing Is by no means assured for the
tax bill As If these propositions did
not suggest friction enough, there is
the bogey Of silver legislation looming
over the situation, together with the
strongly-backed House fight for the
Mcleod bill to pay off depositors of
closed banks.
Although Roosevelt control of Con-
gresS is by no means what 1t was in
the early days, when F. D. r. was
monarch of all he surveyed, the ad-
ministration still counts upon the
Presidents popularity with the coun-
try at large to drum up necessary
support on all major occasions. The
most powerful White House asset in the
present emergency is the imminence
of the congressional elections Every
member of the Democratic majority
aspiring to reelection will campaign
on his devotion to the Roosevelt re-
covery program. Many strayed from
the fold on the veto of the independ-
ent Offices bill. but by good behavior
in the closing days of the session they
can chalk up record OF loyalty that
will rebound to their advantage in
their contests for self-perpetuation
Mr.. Roosevelt relishes the kind of
embattled situation that now con-
fronts him. He is no stranger to it.
Many time and oft, as Governor,
he had a balky New York State Legis-
lature on his hands and tanned 1t. 1t
was on such occasions that F. D. r.
acquired the habit of taking his
causes directly to the people by radio.
with the result that the recalcitrant
Albany brethren heard promptly from
the folks back home and usually came
around. Mr.. Roosevelt has not re-
sorted to the air during any conflict
with Congress, but insiders are con-
fident he will not shrink from doing
so during the next few days or weeks
If he Thinks it useful.
y X X 4
"Forty-Two Years in the White
House" by the late Irwin H. Qke)
Hoover, will be published in book form
In the Fall, following its recent ap-
pearance serially in a weekly periodi-
cal. The narrative of the man who
was chief usher at the Executive Man.
sion continuously from the admini-
stration of Benjamin Harrison up to
and including the advent of Frank
lin D. Roosevelt has been compiled
from his diaries and private corre-
spondence.
Washingtonians who knew Tied"
Mariner at the State Department
were always loath to believe he COM
mitted the blazing indiscretions attri-
buted to him in the now exploded
"I love the French better than
Americans" interview. Mariner is the
typical career diplomat-the last word
in poise and reserve and non-com-
initial, almost to the point of taci-
turnity. After getting his Ph. D.
at Harvard, he became an instructor
in English there. Mariner acted as
Secretary MELONS right-hand man
during the 1881 negotiations with
France over the Hoover moratorium
and in 1882 was State Department
representative with the American