Evening star., 1935-02-04
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Breakdown of trade and debt nego-
tiations with the Soviet, despite the
fanfare which accompanied recogni-
ton in November, 1888. Is the latest
| in a series Of ill-starred international
ventures which have dogged the foot
| steps Of the New Deal They began
with the futile London Economic Con-
ference The Senate rejected the st.
| Lawrence Waterway treaty. Then
came the failure Of war-debt negotia-
tions. This was followed by the abor-
tive NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. naval
conversations. Last week saw the
collapse of the World Court proposal.
The reciprocal tariff treaty program
to date has produced only the pacts
with Cuba and Brazil. Evaporation
of the Cuban revolutionary crisis with
out American Intervention. with even
| tual abrogation of the Platt amend
ment, can properly be put down as
! an American diplomatic success. So
can Secretary Hull's conciliatory In
f1uence in the Pan-American Confer
tions fortune has not smiled generously
upon Roosevelt foreign policy.
There Is some talk in Congress
about revocation of Soviet recogni-
ton in consequence Of the fiasco over
debts and trade, but nothing is likely
| to come of it. House and Senate
might "resolute" on the subject, but
it's a matter exclusively within
| executive Jurisdiction, and neither the
White House nor the State Depart
ment indicates that any such step Is
| in contemplation. Although the peo-
| pie of this country understood that
Mr.. Litvinof definitely pledged the
Soviet to adjust American debts and
| claims as the price Of recognition.
| nothing but an agreement to discuss
those questions was actually noni-
| mated In the bond Discussions enSued,
| got nowhere, and there matters ap-
parently rest. They seem simply to
range the Soviet Union alongside our
| other European debtors who rank as
| defaulters on the Treasury books.
Private trade between our exporters
and the Soviet will continue Just as
1t did before recognition, but Gov
eminent credits and loans to Moscow
are on the prohibited list until Stain
| e. Co. come to terms with WASH
ington.
There's a diverting tale kicking
around Capitol Hill about a certain
eminent New Dealer who sought to
propagandize Speaker Byrns on one OF
the important administration projects
now awaiting legislative action. The
N. DIS particular object was to secure
the reference Of the proposition to a
special committee. Urgings to that
end even went the length OF sugges-
tions who would be the right kind
of people to put on the committee
The beetle -browed Tennessean Il
said to have hit the ceiling Of the
Speakers office when the proposal was
submitted to him, and, after recover
ing consciousness, he proceeded tc
announce in homespun terms that the
measure In question would blank well
60 to the standing committee where
It belonged and where 1t Is now un-
dergoing rigid scrutiny.
i
ANYBODY hereabouts who cares to bel
his shirt on a fairly sure thing is
advised to place 1t on proposition
that is about as lead-pipe q cinch as
anything in politics can be-namely
that President Roosevelt does not
dream of sacrificing either Secretary
Ickes or Postmaster General Farley
Tn the variepated wolves now growing
at their respective heels and howline
for their Punishment. The sense OF
loyalty and gratitude which F. D. r
feels toward Farley, who SO trium-
phantly engineered his candidacy fol
the presidency from start to finish, Il
well known to everybody in the Roose-
welt inner circle. As for Ickes
Honest Harolds" rugged direction oi
the vast affairs intrusted to his care
Is regarded q one Of the administra-
tion's prides and joys. At the White
House there's apparently . disposition