Evening star., 1935-11-29
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

think that Chief Justice Hughes ought
to be drafted by the Republicans. Init
mate friends of the three judges are per-
suaded that none Of them at this time
could be tempted to step down from the
politics.
New Jersey Democrats who should be
in position to know doubt whether there
is anything to current gossip that Mayor
Frank Hague of Jersey City is to succeed
Jim Farley as Postmaster General when
the Democratic National Committee
chairman retireS to concentrate his ener-
gies on the presidential campaign. The
Hudson County boss, who rolled up
big Democratic majority in his princi-
pality on November while the rest of
Jersey was going Republican, is now an
ardent New Dealer, but before Chicago"
in 1882 he was an aggressive AL Smith
man, and remained so out of favor with
the Roosevelt regime at Washington that
until Senator A. Harry Moore arrived
on the scene this year Jersey Democrats
were getting slim patronage pickings.
Frank G. Walker and Joseph P. Kennedy
remain out in the front Of speculation
CNCL OllC OoO S11CC POA WA4SA Az AZ
quires to be filled.
Described as q friendly critic" Of
President Roosevelt, a Hudson River
neighbor named Howland Spencer has
bought country weekly newspaper, the
Highland Post, for the purpose, as he
announces, of permitting myself free
expression of my ideas" Mr.. Spencer
owns q 1,000-acre estate on the west
shore of the Hudson, opposite Hyde Park.
Last year he and F. D. r. were engaged
in a good-natured controversy as to
which estate is entitled to be known as
Krum Elbow, the Spencer property or the
Presidents ancestral place on the east
ern side of the river.
- ~
Former Senator Smith w. Brookhart,
Republican Progressive of Iowa, is en-
titled to the distinction Of opening the
1886 mud-slinging campaign with his gipe
at Gov. Landon of Kansas as "the Stand
ard Oil candidate for President" The
Topeka Coolidge" catalogues himself as
"an oil producer since 1912" He has
amaSSed a moderate fortune in the in
dustry but has always been regarded as
an independent operator, without en-
tangling alliances with the interests"
A hint that New Dealers sooner or later
may pour heavy political fire into the
Interests" oil and otherwise, is seen in
the attack on Republican National Chair
man Fletcher's gold diggers just launched
by Assistant Secretary of Labor Edward
F. McGrady. Mr.. McGrady, accusing
certain big industrial elements Of self
ish" opposition to the social security
program, points out that both the earn
ings and security prices Of many OF the
big corporations represented on the new
G. o. p. Finance Committee have risen
steadily and heavily under the New Deal
recovery program.
Recurring rumors. Of cabinet changes
occasionally concern the Department Of
Labor If, for any reason, Secretary
Frances Perkins should retire from the
executive household speculation now re-
wolves around the possibility that John
L. Lewis, president of the United Mine
Workers of America, might be offered her
place. Though once upon a time ticketed
as Republican, the sturdy leader Of the
miners has been a strong supporter Of
the New Deal. Because Of Lewis hostili-
ties with President Green, 1t would seem
highly improbable that the adn1inistra-
ton at this witching hour would risk