Evening star., 1936-06-17
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

Answer to the question as to whether
Congress would pack up its troubles
in its old kit bag" and adjourn by Satur-
day night has kept political observers
here in much the position of one trying
to find the solution of a certain problem
by plucking the petals Of daisy, with
will" one moment and will not" the
next. The only sure thing about the
situation during the period of doubt
and uncertainty was that there was no
desire on the part of Congress to re-
turn to Washington after the Democratic
National Convention in Philadelphia for
what might easily prove to be an indefi-
mite period of legislative grinding. And
so, with very definite aim in view,
it was known that q determined effort
would be made to speed up the tempo
of the legislative mills by laSt-minute
pressure from the White House, If neces-
Sary-so that there could be q final
adjournment by the end of the week.
If Congress were simply to recess over
the Philadelphia convention, it might
be mid-August before 1t could be brought
to q close.
Political "straws" viii be watched from
UOH OI1 Will OIL CNC4 -141C4 Cdo44AS uCSLCC
of interest to see which way the winds
are blowing, and from these the long
distance political forecasters will attempt
to predict what the presidential weather
in November will be- The decision
finally reached by "Al" Smith, for in
stance, as to whether he will attend
the Philadelphia convention is such a
straw" because it may mean the veer-
ira %f 9th vx1k.r In
fuence with a certain group of voters
might have an important bearing on
the outcome in their various districts.
Similarly the announcements from time
to time of other prominent individuals
as to their attitude toward the respective
candidates and the planks of the two
platforms will be analyzed carefully at
political headquarters in an effort to
determine the political trends in the
different States and sections Of the
country.
Continuing conflict between the Ickes
and Hopkins schools of thought as to
whether the greater economic benefit is
derived from long-term projects through
the general impetus given thereby to
industry by factory and plant production
and employment, or from work in which
most of the money expended goes directly
to the workers on the job, is emphasized
in an analysis just presented to Public
Works Administrator Ickes of expendi-
lures for the various types of materials
required for P. w. A. construction. This
report reveals that the amount spent
up to March IS, 1896, for production,
fabrication and transportation of ma
terialS placed in such construction prof.
ects totaled SLIT, ,082 ,608 According to
types of material the highest expendi-
ture, amounting to $339, ,781 ,873, was for
stone, clay and glass products; with iron
and steel ranking next, followed by ma
chinery, not including transportation
equipment; then, in the order named,
transportation equipment, forest prod
ucts, chemicals, non-ferrous metals and
textiles.
Contact not only with all parts of
the United States but with foreign coun-
tries as to activities affecting 'gainfully
employed women" is maintained by the
Womens Bureau of the United States
Department of Labor The June sum-
mary of these reports received by the
bureau from all parts of the world in
cludes one of q recent congress Of the
French National Federation of Salaried
Employees Unions, which Ia SUMMARY.
ing the results says that "the congress
considered that It was false to attribute