Evening star., 1936-01-06
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

of Landon and Knox, not to mention
Hoover, Vandenberg. Dickinson and
others, abandoning the shrinking violet
roles they've hitherto enacted and avow-
ing their purposes more or less openly.
As matter of fact. it is well understood
that a good deal of spade work among
So-called key men" has already been
done on behalf of certain candidates. in
different sections of the country. BY the
time State preferential primaries start
in March, formal campaigns on behalf
of outstanding Republican favorites will
be in full blast. With the Cleveland
convention barely five months away. the
race remains a wide-open free-for-all,
with Borah and Landon out in front at
the moment. Meantime, there's grow
ing consensus that the prize, as at Chi
cago in 1920, is going to dark horse,
after leading entries like Borah, Landon
and Knox have run their course. Wash
ington political observers incline more
and more to the view that the likeliest
heir to convention deadlock is Senator
Vandenberg of Michigan.
Nobody is receiving a more cordial
greeting from congressional colleagues
at the outset of the session than Senator
James Couzens, Republican, of Michi-
gan. He resumes duty on Capitol Hill in
completely restored health after his
severe siege in hospital last year, appar-
emily rejuvenated by the experience and
in 100 per cent trim to enter upon his
forthcoming campaign for fourth term
in the Senate.
There was bit of snappy repartee in
the crowded corridors of the Capitol the
other night after Mr.. RooSevelt's speech.
A throng was besieging one of the ele-
vators on the gallery floor of the House.
Finally, a guard announced: Nobody
can go down until the President gets
out" Whereupon an obvious Roosevelt
ian enthusiast chirped up: Good heav-
ems! Do we have to hang around here
until 1s41?"
Four Democrats in the California con-
gressional delegation are entitled to Car
negie Medals for heroism. They're the
only ones among the States 20 House
members who haven't nailed Townsend
plan colors to their masts. The quartet
with claims to the red badge Of courage
consists of Representatives Frank H.
Buck, Clarence r. Lea, Charles j. Golden
and John r. Dockweiler. To be against
the $200-a month old-age pension scheme
anywhere on the coast ranks nowadays
as a bid for membership in the political
suicide club.
xx
According to John d. Rhodes OF the
Senate,s staff of official shorthand re-
porterS, the disappearance OF Huey Long
did not remove the only speaker accus-
toned to fill the Senate section OF the
Congressional Record in breathless style.
Mr. Rhodes says Senator Bone, Demo-
crat, of Washington is verbal speedster
who takes reporters over the hurdles at
an average of 200 words q minute.
Others who crate at clips Of anywhere
from i75 to $50 words are Senators
Steiwer of Oregon, Clark Of Missouri,
Barkley of Kentucky, Tydings of Mary
land, Lewis of Illinois and Borah of
Idaho. johnson of California OCCASION
ally goes in for phrase making that puts
the shorthanders on their mettle.
y II Il
Although recent presidential proceed.
ings In the House were broadcast over
seas by short wave, it's doubtful If much
of Europe heard Mr.. Roosevelt speak.
because it was anywhere from to 4
o'clock next morning, Old World time.
when he held forth. If Toxic listened
in, 1t picked him up, Japanese time,
about II o'clock Saturday forenoon.
Copyright. 193o)