Evening star., 1935-12-15
BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.

BY ROBERT CRAWFORD.
There are wars and rumors OF war
and there was once a potato war, but
its was not a drop in the bucket or
bug in the patch to what the Secre-
tary of Agriculture has had to suffer
since he reached for that hot potato
and the Congress let him down on the
Job. No ready appropriation to help
him out Perhaps his one hope Is
that the controller general OF the
United States, who holds Uncle sam $
purse strings. will relent a bit and
come to his assistance, until some
time in January when the Supreme
Court Is expected to give its opinion
on the legality of the A. A. A.
Not so Mrs. Robert Low Bacon, wife
of the member of Congress from the
fashionable and exclusive Old West
bury, Long Island district, who with
Mrs. George Horace Lorimer OF Phlla-
delphia, Mrs Ellen French Wander
bilt Fitz Simons, Newport society
leader, and several other members OF
the League of Republican Women,
has decided that neither Secre-
tary Wallace, nor any other Demo-
crat can dictate to her what she shall
and shall not plant in her garden;
so she has announced that she in
tends to plant a crop Of potatoes on
her front lawn at 1901 F street, right
Under the nose of Secretary of the
Agriculture, and just across the
street from the Secretary of the In
terror, Mr.. Ickes. If she needs it,
maybe the latter will loosen up bit
ard let her have some of the P. W. A.
funds to assist her in handling her
crop.
Mrs. Bacon occupies the old-faSh-
Toned red-brick house that was long
the home of the late Chief Justice
Fuller of the United States Supreme
Court. A sunny house looking to the
south, with big rooms and garden
at the side Unless, however, a part
OF the brick wall surrounding the
garden is removed or Mrs. Bacon
plants her potatoes on the Govern
ment parking in front and at the east
side of her house. the SECRETARY VIII
not be able to see the fruits of her
labor.
Potato Crop Also
Planned at Newport.
And along comes Mrs. Fttz Sim
mons, a member of the Republican
National Committee from New York,
joins the ranks of millionaire potato
growers and announces that she, too,
will plough up her million dollar
front lawn and beflower it with the
lowly spud. 1t is not known what
effect the salt air of Newport will
have on the potato crop, but at any
rate gardeners say it will be a good
fertilizer and that every few years
1t is we'll to change the planting.
NeWport's smart set is all a-twitter
over the excitement and no telling
how many will follow Mrs. Fftz Sim
mons venture. One thing that Sen
ator Borah will agree with any mo-
nopolist is that nowhere in the
United States can potatoes be raised
such as his beloved Idaho produces
those great, big, luscious, mealy tuberS.
Mrs. George Horace Lorirner OF the
City of Brotherly Love and president
of the Republican Women there
served notice at the swanky, grande-
dame luncheon the Republican ladies
gave the other day that she, too, in
tended to plant potatoes. and ulu-
minated her remarks at the feast by
very ably attacking the Agricultural
Adjustment Administration - we'll,
much water has flowed under the
bridge since the luncheon and the
Supreme Court daily accelerates its
speed. After all, the ladies may not
need to plow up their lawns. The
late President Wilson pastured sheep
on the front lawn of the White House
during the World War. The sheep
added to the picturesqueneS of the
landscape-but almost ruined the
grass.
In truth, that Conserve the Republic
luncheon was one of the most beau
tiful public luncheons given in Wash
ington this Winter. Mrs. William
Fitch Kelley, president of the District
League of Republican Women, was
toastmistress, and a good one. She
never gets fused and is direct, cour-
teous and happy in presenting the
speakers. Gold was the predominant
note that day. Small yellow chrys-
anthemums were the decorations and
the white elephant Just above Mrs.