The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-11-06
Washington
Merry-Go-
Round
BY DREW PEARSON and
ROBERT S. ALLEN.

XXTASHINGTON. Nov. s.-The
w opening of air routes across
the Pacific has put the United
States into a secret race TO soidify
claims to certain strategic atolls.
There was day when no nation
would lift finger to claim these
pin-points on the bosom of the Pa
cific. They were considered useless.
Now. however. they form vital STEP
ping-stones for air transport 10
China and Australasia. Various
government agencies have begun
series of quiet maneuvers to annex
them definitely for the United
States.
Three of the most strategic islands
are Baker, Rowland and Jarvis,
which can be reached if you turn
left at Hawaii and proceed due
south toward New Zealand. They
will be vital to any air mail service
between San Francisco and Aus
tralia.
There is some question about
their sovereignty and SO, not long
ago, a United States Coast Guard
vessel anchored offshore On it was
w. T. Miller of the Bureau of Air
Commerce. He had first gone to
Honolulu, where he picked u native
boys from one of the best schools,
four to live on each of the coveted
islands for four months.
Officially they are to take daily
weather observations. Actually they
are there to fulfill the international
principle that possession is nine
points of the law.
GONE of the boners pulled by
~ Marvin Mcintyre along the
route of the presidential train last
month are just beginning to catch
up with him.
Most notorious. of course. was his
telegram to Gov. Ruby Laffoon Of
Kentucky. asking him to invite
Lieut.. Gov. Albert B. Chandler.
LaffoonS bitter enemy, to board
the Roosevelt train.
But Mcintyre failed to invite
Laffoon, with the result that the
latter wired back that the President
could invite Chandler himself.
A subsequent incident at Santa
Ana, Cal, has now leaked back to
Washington.
The Presidential train stopped at
Santa Ana, where the chief ex-
ecutive and Mrs. Roosevelt were &C
corded an enthusiastic reception.
Two and a half hours later, after
the train had arrived in San Diego,
Mcintyre sent the following tel
egram to the Santa Ana Journal.
which had invited Roosevelt to stop
in its city:
Regret change in plans from
motor to train trip precluded &C
ceptance your cordial invitation"
Note-McIntyre was on the train
when it stopped in Santa Ana.
HERBERT HOOVER and VIII
l. L liam E. Borah are miles apart
on economic philosophy, social is
sues and by personal antipathy.
But they have one thing in COM
mon. AS Republican presidential
possibilities, both are anathema to
the inner coterie of party rulers.
The G.. o. P. leaders are against
Hoover because they consider him
liability, fear that if he should
snatch the nomination, Republican
chances of defeating Roosevelt in
1886 would go glimmering.
Borah is disliked because of his
liberal views. Privately, the party
chieftains concede that he would
offer the strongest threat to Roose-
welt. But they can't swallow mis-
ideas.
So, behind the scenes, they are
exerting every effort to ak both him
and Hoover. Both men are fully
aware of this and in his own way,
each is fighting back.
DORAH will head the Idaho dele.
- cation to the national conven-
ton. This will give him the privi-
lege Of the floor and chance to
attempt a stampede of the dele
gates to his banner.
Hoover is trying to boom public
support over the heads of the hostile
leaders. This is the explanation be-
hind his Oakland (Cal0 speech last
month and his forthcoming address
in New York City.
His strategy is to build himself
up as the leading conservative
champion against the New Deal. His
theory is that big contributors hos
tile to the Administration will force
the G. o. P. king-makers to give
him the nomination.
The winter and spring months
will tell the story of this plans sue
cess or failure.
Copyright. 1885, by United Feature
Syndicate. 1nc.D