The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-10-02
Washington
Merry-Go-
Round
By DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT y. ALLEN

WASHINGTON. Oct 2-Ex-
w President Herbert Hoover has
not advertised the fact, but he prob
ably knows more about the mineral
wealth Of Ethiopia than any other
man in the United States.
More than a decade ago. HOover's
mining firm was given an order by
the then Emperor Of Ethiopia to
make a survey Of the country's
mineral wealth
The company's engineers spent
three years in the work. finally re-
ported that the reputed fabulous
wealth of the country was mere
myth. Ethiopia. they found. was
almost destitute of any important
minerals.
Speaking to a friend the other
Gay in Palo Alto, Mr.. Hoover said:
"N1ussolini will take Ethiopia all
right, but he will be vastly disap-
pointed"
CERIOUS business did not occupy
y all the time of the Republican
Executive Committee at last weeks
meeting.
The G. o. P chiefs did a lot of
reminiscing. One of the most
humorous incidents recalled was
the way in which the late jim
Burke. PENNSYLVANIA leader. stopped
George De B. Keim of New jersey
from reading a long dreary docu-
ment at the 1882 convention.
As secretary of the national
committee it was Keim's duty to
read the formal call converting the
nominating convention. The call is
lengthy paper listing the states.
the number of delegates and other
official information. Usual pro-
cedure is to read only the first and
last paragraphs.
But this was Keim's first perform
ance and with national radio
hookup he proposed making the
most of his opportunity.
While the sweltering delegates
idgeted and twisted in their seats
he read on and on Finally. it be-
Gd1llC LOO ltAklNll III DNtA
He leaped from his chair, rushed
over to the band and had it strike
up a lively tune. Then. before the
startled Keim knew what was hap
pening. Burke grabbed the call from
his hands, ran pencil through all
but the last paragraph and handed
it back to him.
He said: You've had your
nickel's worth, George. Sign off
with those lines"
TT was the hand of Big Jim Farley.
i whose eyes are glued hard on
the 1886 campaign, that really
picked the five-man board to adj
minister the Guffey Little MIRA"
soft-coal act
Roosevelt first asked Labor Secre-
tary Perkins and Interior Secretary
Ickes for suggestions. Each sub
mitted lists made up chiefly of
economists and experts
But when it came to a showdown.
these names were ignored. Big
Jim's recommendations carried the
day.
One significant Farley nomination
was George E. Acret, California
attorney. The Pacific Coast state
produces no coal, and Acret knows
little about the industry. But he
is lieutenant of Upton Sinclair.
generalissimo of the EPIC faction.
with whom Jim recently made
peace.
Politics also ruled in the selection
of Walter H Maloney. a rising
member of Boss Tom Pendergast's
all-powerful Kansas City machine.
Pendergast was anti-Roosevelt in
the 1882 convention. 1t is safe
bet that the chunky little politico
will be on the band-wagon in 1886.
OF the other three board men,
~ bers. c. E. Smith of Fair
mont, Va, was picked by Senator
Nicely; Charles F. Hosford of Pitts
burgh by Senator Joe Guffey. and
Percy Tetlow of Cleveland by John
II. LCNlot llCdQ VI b14C OlllbCQ NllliC
Workers. Guffey and Nicely spon-
sored the act which Lewis had ad-
vocated since 1923.
The scrappy miners chief almost
missed out in getting a man of his
choice on the board.
When he received no request for
recommendations he got FESTIVE. be-
gan to make inquiries. He was re-
ferred to Dr. Isador Lubin, chief Of
the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
whom Miss Perkins had delegated
to get up her list. Lubin welcomed
Lewis cordially and the two con-
ferred on names.
Later, Lewis got the tip that Far
ley was the real coal ruler. Jim
readily acknowledged Lewis claim,
and gave him the choice Of one
member.
Copyright. 1885 by United Feature
Syndicate, IncJ