The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-10-19
Washington
Merry-Go-
Round
BY DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT 5. ALLEN

XxTASHINGTON, Oct. ia
w head-on collision over neu-
trality legislation is brewing behind
the scenes. The present law expires
Feb %. Meanwhile the State De-
partment is at work on oil, TO be
offered as the Administration
measure. which would give the
President wide discretionary power.
On the other hand, Senators Nye,
Bone and Clark, authors of the
original neutrality proposals, plan to
renew their demand for a law man
datorily banning munitions. loans
and war materials of all kinds to
foreign belligerentS. .. Floyd Dell,
widely known novelist. is the latest
addition to the WPA's writers di-
vision. If Chairman Henry
Fletcher has his way the meeting
of the Republican National Com
mittee. tentatively scheduled for
early December. Will not be held in
Washington. Fletcher favors Mid
western city. first because 1t is more
centrally located. second because the
atmosphere of the capital is too
tainty. the Federal Trade Commits
sion finally has been supplied with
funds TO start the Senate-ordered
nationwide probe OF food prices. An
appropriation Of $4,000 to make the
survey was contemplated, but Huey
Longs fllibuster of the deficiency
bill prevented the grant. After ev-
eral months of searching the Bud
get Bureau found a way to make
$4,000 available to the ETC, which
will suffice until Congress meets.
| TINE inner circle is buZzing with
i a report that Madam Secre-
tary Perkins soon may retire from
! the Cabinet. Her absence from
Washington for nearly two months
is lending strong color to the
whisper. Reports are that Miss
Perkins is being tempted with the
Job of heading a nationally known
college, However, the rumor should
be taken with grain Of salt, Miss
Perkins is attached ardently to her
job and proud Of her high official
eminence. Employees Of the
Works Progress Administration have
been instructed never to refer to
the Mclean mansion, recently
rented for Office space by Harry
Hopkins. Instead, they must use
1900 Eye Street" Even verbal use
of Mclean mansion" is frowned on.
A drive to line up the lawyers
of the country against the Admin
istration has been quietly launched
by the Liberty League. The entire
membership of the American Bar
Association is being circularized
with application blanks to join the
Leagues committee of lawyers
which handed down" an unofficial
opinion holding the Wagner labor
disputes act unconstitutional. -. A
snappy long distance telephone call
from the Federal Alcohol Admin
istration the other day caused an
Eastern brewery hastily to withdraw
full-page advertisement that
carried a picture of the President
and the line: Mr.. President, We
thank you"
DAN ROPERs Department. OF
~ Commerce is staging high
pressure sales act in the interest OF
United States aircraft manu-
facturers. BY inviting South Ameri-
! can aviation officials to Washing
ton, then allowing private COM
panies to take them over the ma
tons airways, the idea of United
States superiority in aircraft is be
ing driven home. The act was
timed to beat Europe to this new
market. French, German and
Italian companies are to try to~sell
their aeronautical stuff at confer
ence in Lima, Peru, next month.
1t is no figure of speech 10
say that william Warner Durbin IS
the New Deals master of money
magic. AS registrar of the Treas
ury, he handles government securi-
ties But in spare time he is an
amateur magician, taking money
out Of the air and making it vanish
again He is president of the Inter
national Brotherhood Of Magicians.
-. Homer Price Rainey, New
Deals latest brain truster. was a
professional ball player before he
became president of Bucknell- Uni
versity. Since quitting the Texas
League Rainey has gone in for ten
mis- and vocal virtuosity. Booked
for a part in The Messiah" he
sang Justify through an hours re-
hearsal, directly after having cleaned
up the Bucknell tennis champion
ship. In Washington he will be
another adviser on youth. Re
volt against Californias sales tax
was staged by her would-be Gov
ernor the other day.
Copyright 1885. by United Feature
Syndicate. 1ncJ
NJ