Evening star., 1936-12-14
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE,

It couldn't possibly have been Charley
Nicholson who arranged it that way,
because the Democratic publicity boss
has been on . flying tour over the Carib-
bean and the Canal Zone, but from the
New Deal limelight standpoint things
couldn't have turned out better than to
have the British constitutional crisis
boil up and simmer down while Presi-
dent Roosevelt was out Of the country.
BY the time r. D. r. returns this week,
the Edward-SimpSon affair will be pretty
much. If not altogether, OF American
front pages. All over Washington,
they're clubbing this coincidence more
Roosevelt luck" At any rate, the press
deck is nicely cleared for the President
at the very moment most useful for his
purposes. Congress will convene right
after the turn Of the year, and national
interest, 50 long riveted on London, can
once again be concentrated on Washing
ton. The country will thus be able to
listen undistractedly to whatever Mr..
Roosevelt cares to impart regarding the
budget, work relief, the Governments
future attitude toward business, taxa
ton and other issues soon to be Of cur
rent and burning importance.
There's much curiosity Is to how the
Latin American countries. which In vir-
tually all cases. except Brazil and Haiti,
are Of Spanish origin, are lined up in
the bloody war now raging to q finish
at Madrid. In washington quarters
competent to know, it is stated that the
masses in the other American republics
almost universally sympathize with the
Spanish Loyalist regime. Many of their
governments, on the other hand. are
said to favor Gen. Franco and the
Fascists, and hope that the rebellion will
succeed. One or two Of the smaller
states beyond the Rio Grande are UNDER
stood to be in mood to recognize the
rebels. Pro-FaScist sentiment in Gen.
trail and South America Is thought
mainly to be the result Of the stream of
German and Italian propaganda con-
stantly reaching this side of the Atlantic
by short-wave radio. Many Of the broad
casts glorifying the authoritarian idea
are saturated with subtle suggestions
that what the Latin nations should
avoid above all Is anything that would
make the United States too dominating
an influence in the Western Hemisphere.
Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin,
laurel-crowned hero Of the battle be-
tween crown and Parliament, Is well re-
membered at washington from his visit
here Is years ago this Winter, when he
headed the British debt-funding mission.
It's now Baldwin's Job to consider how
and when John Bull should approach
anew the problem of settling his debt to
Uncle Sam, which this week stands ut
$500, ,0O0, 900 in arrears. Although Mr..
Baldwin in 1928, functioning rs chancel-
lor Of the exchequer, obtained from the
United States . deal regarded in this
country as making substantial conces-
sions. he was subjected to violent criti-
cism for not bringing home far more
generous bacon. While the British are
ready to resume debt discussion. it
seems probable that Prime Minister
Baldwin, recalling the panning he suf-
fered on the previous occasion, will hesi-
tate to accept any revisionary plan that
fails to accord Britain conspicuously
liberal treatment.
I. Washington war-debt authorities read
significance into the appointment Of
Georges Bonnet as French Ambassador
to the United States. Is the early sue
oessor Of NJ de h Boulaye. n. Bonnet
Is . former French minister Of nnancs.
Despite his name pronounced Bonnay)
he isn't expected to talk Through his hat