Evening star., 1935-09-02

As labor throughout the country this
year holds its annual observance OF
Labor day, it can point to the session
of Congress which adjourned one week
ago as having passed more legislation
of a broad. constructive character Tor
the benefit Of the worker and his family
than any other session during the hall
century or more since the Labor day
idea originated. In spite OF the TACT
that labor did not gain all 1t sought
and will seek to have further measures
adopted next year. nevertheless the So
cial security act, the national labor re-
lations act and the railway pension act
to mention the most important-con-
stituted great advances from labor's side
of the national economy. So sweeping
and fundamental in its scope was one
Of these, the social security act, that
President Roosevelt in signing the bill
declared that If the recent session had
done nothing more it would be regarded
as historic for all time" No other Labor
day has been able to boast Of so much
favorable legislation.
X r II
Issues and individuals, these two will
claim equal attention in the great Amer
ican political arena from now until
after the elections next year. Many OF
the issues are already defined to some
extent and have been the subject Of
debate in connection with legislation
adopted or proposed during the session
of Congress just closed. There will be
further analysis and clariflcation OF
these issues, however, before the plat
forms Of the national parties are adopted
next Summer. A majority of them will
be domestic in character. relating to
problems that affect the United States
alone; but others, such as the question
of neutrality, will be Of international
interest. Along with the issues involved
in the campaign, the question OF in
dividuals and their attitude on these
issues will receive equally careful atten-
ton.
Finishing interior touches are being
rapidly put on the palatial building OF
the Supreme Court of the United States,
and when that august body meets in its
new home" it will be in surroundings
more imposing and stately than those
of any other judicial body in the world.
Not because of this, however, will the
eyes OF the Nation-of the world, in
fact-be focused on this tribunal in the
near future, but because of weighty de-
cisions, far-reaching in their slgnlh-
canoe, which it is expected to render
affecting the question Of constitutional
ity of vital economic measures.
\ \ X
International questions occupied the
center of the stage in Washington dur
ing the past few days, the spotlight be-
ing turned particularly on Ethiopia and
the Soviet Union. Eager correspondents
thronged to the State Department, seek
ing to learn the attitude of this Govern
ment regarding the vast oil and mineral
concession which Emperor Halle SelaSsie
was reported to have given to an Amer
ican-chartered company. With almost
equal zeal they waited to ascertain the
nature of the reply the State Depart
ment would make to the Soviet refusal
to admit its responsibility for the acts
Of the Communist International, as this
involved interference in the internal af-
fairs of the United States.
II n II
Incident to the coming trip of a con-
gressional group to the Philippines to
witness the installation in November
of the new government there, friends
here of the late President Taft re.
called his famous trip to the islands 80
years ago. In this connection they