Evening star., 1935-05-19
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.


The embattled farmers at Lexing-
ton were not more in earnest and de-
termined than the 1000 men from all
parts of the Union who descended on
Washington last week to voice at first
hand their sentiments relative to the
farm relief program. 1t was a les
son in history in the making to watch
them and listen to their side remarks.
The majority of them had not before
visited the Federal Capital and they
were anxious to 60 places and see
things, and find out what their Gov
ernment was doing and why their rep
resentatives up on the Hill worked so
hard to get there.
And oh, boy. those elegant quarters
of the members of the Senate and
House in the Office buildings were a
revelation to them. Turkish baths,
barber shops and gymnasiums; the
Department of Agriculture with its
marble halls where Secretary Wallace,
sometime a dirt farmer like them
selves, holds forth: the new Depart
ment of Labor Building with all its
splendor, just next door to Postmaster
General Farley's magnificent walnut
corridor. Constitution Hall, where the
Daughters of the American Revolu-
ton hold their spirited meetings never
resounded with such vociferous cheer
ing as the farmers gave Secretary
Wallace. Now and then a rebel yell
from a Texan or Georgian enlivened
the meeting.
Suzanne Silvercruys- -Farnam, the
Belgian sculptor so well known and
liked socially in Washington, would
have found among the farmers what
she calls the American look" which
she has been so anxious to capture as
a type. Mr.. Sam H. Harris, the the
atrical producer, and Bishop William
T. Manning of New York, of whom she
made busts, did not have it, neither
Mr.. Herbert Hoover nor the great or
chestra conductor, Mr.. Walter DAM
rosch; all these different types COM
bined did not give her that something
which she called the American look. >
It's Just too bad she could not have got
ten a composite photograph of that
army of honest-to-goodness farmers
that marched through the streets last
Tuesday. The Anglo-SaXon and Scotch
types prevailed, but the Scandina-
Wan countenance from the Far West
ern States was there in large numbers.
Anchors aweigh: President RooSe-
velt, the distinguished skipper and
sailor. will be up and betimes on Sat-
urday next and down at Annapolis to
see his husky young son and name
sake, Franklin. jr., pull an oar In the
Harvard Naval Academy boat races.
Fair Harvard, don't be too cockey,
for the Middies are having a power
full run of luck since they rolled those
West Point "Keedets" in the mud at
Philadelphia last Fall. But that was
not enough, so in March, when the
Naval Academy and West Point were
having that shooting match for the
championship, the naval rifle team
chalked Up a 1.418-to-l $40 triumph
over those same "Keedets" and won the
Middle Atlantic Intercollegiate League
championship with a perfect record
of seven straight victories. The blood
of his seafaring ancestors will not
down, so the President will doubtless
find it a bit trying to give hand
to his alma mater and at the same
time to the future admirals of the
Navy.
He has recently given White House
sanction TO plans for mooring Amer
ica's most historic warships perman-
emily at Washington. What an in
L. -
r. ladies who are so strong on ma
tional defense to see Old IronsideS-
the Constitution-the Olympia and
the Constellation riding at anchor in
the historic Potomac River near the
Naval Hospital. There would, how
ever, always be some doubt about
the frigate Constitution being brought
away from Boston, the place of its
birth. The Bostonians have a real
affection for the old and gallant tub
Those were glorious Seafaring days
when she was built.
The saying that hobbies are con-
ducive to a well-balanced mind and
a contented disposition must be true
in the case of President Roosevelt,
for he is able to turn from the har-
RAISING affairs Of state to his stamp
collection, or his ship models, or his
beloved Currier & Ives prints, of
which he has perhaps the largest and
finest collection in the country In
fact, it is said that there are only
two lacking in his collection.
In the collection of paintings by
Washington artists in Jelleff's store
is charming flreside scene in oil
by Paula MacWhite. Washingtonians
may not know the gifted artist by
that name, for she is Mrs. Michael
MacWhite, wife of the Minister from
the Irish Free State, who has taken
q lively interest in this showing of
home talent, and when asked sent
some of her canvases to the different
shops. She has done some pleasing
pictures. scenes in Rock Greek Park
and other places about the Capital.
Most Of her pictures are, however,
Irish scenes, and she appears to be
particularly partial to the rural and
village life of her own country.
The picture just mentioned is
called "Conomara Cottage" and is
one Of those homely scenes with a
touch of brightness and life that ap-
peals to the Irish temperament and
at the same time depicts the intro
spective and sentimental side of the
people of the Emerald Isle. The
figure of a woman in profile. knitting,
seated before an open fireplace with
Its blazing peat fire and primitive
cooking utensils; a doing cat on the
hearth and in the shadowy depths of
an adjoining room the figure of a
girl at work, creates that feeling of
contentment that brings to mind
Thomas Moore's lines: %" If
there's peace to be found in the world,