Evening star., 1935-02-06

Politicians will have their eyes
peeled in the direction of next weeks
Lincoln day dinner of the National
| Republican Club in New York, at
which Herbert Hoover will make his
first appearance in political life since
his defeat for reelection. 1t is not
planned that the former President
shall make speech" He will
merely respond informally to greet
ings," but some kind Of keynote ut
terance is expected from the man who
is still titular leader Of his party
The scheduled speakers will be two
G. o. P. white hopes, Gov. Hoffman
of New Jersey and DR.. Glenn Frank,
president of the University OF Wis
consin. Both booms and policies may
emerge from the dinner. Recently, in
Topeka, at the annual celebration OF
Kansas day, three Republicans were
honored who rank as 1896 possibili-
ties-Gov. Landon Of Kansas, Col
Frank Knox, Chicago newspaper pub
Usher, and former Secretary Of War
Hurley of Oklahoma-and Virginia
The Republican stable at this writing
contains, in addition to the dark
horses hereinbefore mentioned. Sen
ators Vandenburg of Michigan and
McNary of Oregon, Gov. Winant
of New Hampshire. Representatives
Wadsworth and Smell and Ogden L.
Mills of New York, and others honor
ably, but not so conspicuously. men
toned.
Il II
President Roosevelt certainly has a
high opinion of the digestive Ca
pacity of the Seventy-fourth Con-
gress. Not even in the dizzy days at
the dawn of the New Deal did he
give Capitol Hill so much to masti-
cate at one gulp. The merest tabu-
lation of matters and measures
awaiting consideration is stagger-
ing. 1t includes. just to name the
principal items, the $4,880, 100000
work relief bill, economic security,
Transportation and aviation, national
resources, renewal and revision OF
N. r. A. and new powers for the
Federal Reserve Board. In addition,
Congress Is wrestling with the budget.
the bonus, the munitions inquiry and
foreign trade expansion. Presently
House and Senate may be immersed
in vital monetary legislation. de-
pendent upon the Supreme Courts
decision in the gold cases. Altogether,
members describe the bewildering sit
uation as a 10 or IL ring circus.
Those who sit on several committees
dealing with different major sub
| jects find it almost impossible to
do justice to any one of them. The
! fear is widespread that the conse-
quence will be a mass of hurry-up
| legislation which, under less hectic
circumstances, would receive much
more mature consideration.
X X X X
At least one important appointment
to be made by President Roosevelt Is
outside the scope of the patronage
spoilsmen. It's the Craftsmanship OF
the American Red Cross, recently va
Gated by the passing of John Barton
Payne. The post is purely honorary
and without emoluments of any kind
which explains why no merely de-
| serving Democrats are lobbying fol
| 1t. The practice is for the President
of the United States, when chair
man requires to be chosen, to consult
with the National Red Cross Central
Committee, on which he is repre-
sented by five men. speaking. reSpec-
lively, for the State, Treasury, War
Navy and Justice Departments. 1t is
possible that Judge Payne's successor
| ,,,o =, ha eaIaotod from u,ithiy, fho oyict
ing staff. The names of Vice Chair
men James L. Fieser, Ernest p. Bick-
nell and James K. McClintock have
been mentioned in this connection
There is no need for hurrying up the
appointment of a chairman, because
the Red Cross is a going concern
with a functioning organization ready
to clear for action on the pressing o1
. . button.