Evening star., 1934-09-07
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

President Roosevelt's two prospec-
tive speaking engagements in Vir-
ginia-to dedicate a veterans hos
pital at Roanoke on October 19 and
to accept q degree from William and
Mary College at Williamsburg the
next day-may be utilized for impor-
tant campaign utterances on the eve
of election. The expectation Is that
r. D. r. will choose either those oc-
caSions or his favorite medium Of q
fireside broadcast from the White
House to submit the administrators
case to the country just before vot-
erS troop to the polls. ShreWd poll
tician that he Is, Mr.. Roosevelt is
certain not TO repeat the immortal
blunder of Woodrow Wilson in 1918
and ask for the election OF an out
right Democratic Congress. Yet, be-
cause Of the Presidents immense per-
sonal popularity. every Democratic
candidate for either House or Senate
Graves q ringing eleventh-hour pro-
nunciamento from him, designed to
inspire support for the party ticket.
What Is generally looked for from
Mr.. Roosevelt is vote-making resume
of the New Deal to date, with fore
cast of further relief and recovery
plans and an outline Of his social
security" program.
Herbert Hoovers closest friends In
Washington are persuaded that no
semblance of an attempt at politl-
cal comeback is to be discerned in
the former Presidents current "Chal-
lenge to Liberty" magazine article and
Forthcoming book. THE Chiefs"
devotees point out that he is still the
titular leader Of the Republican party
and entitled to be consulted about its
plans, but they are certain in their
own minds that Mr.. Hoover has re-
nounced all further ambition for pub
lie office and Is irrevocably deter
mined, as well as fully resigned, to
remain a high private in the rear
rank. All this, of course, does not
foreclose the possibility that, If suf-
ficiently urged, the sage of Palo Alto
might under special circumstances,
not of his own making. be induced
to consider another presidential NOM
ination. But at this writing those in
position to know his mental processes
are willing to bet 100 to / that Moth
ing is farther from Herbert Hoover's
thought than q third race for the
White House.
Hampson Gary, Texas Democrat
and former diplomat, who Is chairman
of the broadcasting division of the
new Federal Communications Com
mission, has promptly won his spurs
throughout the radio world because
of his recent Nationwide broadcast
in defense of the freedom of the air
and his incidental explosion Of the
myth that something in the nature
Of Government censorship Is in the
wind. Both Republican and Demo-
cratic champions of free speech have
taken occasion to let Commissioner
Gary know that he struck exactly the
right note at the right time. Among
those who complimented him is
Senator Borah, Republican progress
sive, of Idaho. During the past few
weeks Mr.. Gary has served as acting
chairman Of the Communications
Commission. Though a tenderfoot In
the domain Of radio, he has quickly
mastered the important ins and outs
of the industry and confesses a lively
enthusiasm for all and sundry asso-
ciated with the wave lengths.
II n Ax
Upton sinclair's debut before the
National Press Club this weak was Q