Evening star., 1936-03-23
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

the widespread belief that because of the
depression stigma the Californian would
be by long odds the easiest man for Mr..
Roosevelt to beat. The Chiefs" admirers
claim it's much to early to consider
him out Of the picture.
X x
Soon after the President returns from
the South, prospectively during the sec
ond week of April, he will make two
speecheS-one at Baltimore and the other
at New York-which are expected to be
definitely political in character and
formally launch his campaign for re-
election. A denomination campaign is,
of course, unnecessary, because the Phil
adelphia convention will partake wholly
of the character of a Roosevelt and
Garner ratification love feast. If Con-
gress should still be in a jam over the
tax and relief bills, which is we'll within
the realm of probability, it's considered
possible that F. D. R. may find It expedi-
ent 70 deliver, in addition 10 his two
political speeches, a flreSide broadcast,
dealing with the legislative situation. In
this connection. Capitol Hill recalls the
Presidents return from one OF his earliest
Southern fishing vacations, when he con-
veyed to a welcoming delegation from
House and Senate the idea that he had
come back in fighting trim.
X 4
That the President will still have Con-
gresS on his hands when he returns to
Washington is as certain as it is that
Congress will at that time still have its
hands full Not even the most optimistic
estimate nowadays foreshadows adjour-
ment before May 1, while plenty Of
authorities are willing to gamble that
it will be much nearer June before the
curtain is rung down. The goal which
House and Senate party leaders have set
themselves is q getaway well before the
national conventions aSSemble-the Re-
publicanS at Cleveland on June 9, and the
Democrats at Philadelphia on June %.
Nobody thinks there's much danger of
interference with that program.
n
Former Representative Edgar How
ard, picturesque Nebraska Democrat,
who was defeated for reelection to the
House in 1884, aSpires to regain his old
job as Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska,
the post he held from 1917 to 1919. The
longtime associate of William Jennings
Bryan announces that he will be a
candidate for the lieutenant governor
ship in the Democratic primary on April
Il. Should he be elected in November,
he would preside over NebraSkas f1rst
unicameral Zone house, Legislature.
Meantime, Howard is editing his old
newspaper, the Daily Telegram, at CO.
lumbus, Nebr, and enthusiastically sup
porting President Roosevelt'S idea OF
keeping George w. Norris, Republican
progressive. in the United States Senate
for life.
We have arrived at the quadrennial
period when there's an epidemic Of presi-
Dental campaign biographies. Recent ap-
pearance of a 'life" of Col. Frank Knox
will be followed early in April by volume
entitled "Borah of Idaho" Undoubtedly
the story of Alfred M. Landon, beginning
with his boyhood in Mercer County,
Pa, is Just around the corner. It may
enlighten the country as to the Gov
ernor's views on variety of questions
regarding which friends of other G.. o. p.
candidates assert the Topekan is main
tanning an oppressive and inappropriate
silence.