The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1936-12-17
SEEN
HEARD
around the
NATIONAL
CAPITAL
By Carter Field ~
By Carter Field i

Washington.-1t just so happens
that not a single political prediction
ever made to Washington newspaper
men-in the memory of the oldest
of them-by Senator James Hamil-
ton Lewis has ever gone sour. The
remarkable political record of Lew
is, who was a representative in con-
gress from Washington when the
Spanish war was declared, and who
has now been elected to his third
term in the senate from the nor
mally Republican state of Illinois,
would indicate some political judy
ment. His uncanny predictions
prove it.
Twenty years ago, when the Su-
prerne court ruled the Mann white
slave act constitutional but pointed
out the grotesque absurdity Of its
wording, many thought the act
would be amended. Lewis predict
ed then that not only would the act
never be amended, but that the re-
porter questioning him would never
live to see an amendment even in
troduced He is right SO far.
But now the Illinois senator pre-
diets that no constitutional amend
ment will be proposed to the states
by this session of congress, and
also predicts the cutting Of federal
expenditures sufficiently, in time, to
balance the budget.
incidentally, he did not predict
the defeat of the St. Lawrence sea-
way treaty, should it be submitted
again, but he left little doubt that
he would continue to oppose it. APP
parently Chicago continues more in
terested in the drainage canal get
ting all the-water from Lake Michi-
gan desired than in any dream of
becoming a world port.
| But the big surprise, to many OBJ
servers, is the prediction that no
constitutional amendment will be
submitted. The senator believes that
business itself is taking care OF the
problem that MIRA attacked. He
limited, therefore, that a revival Of
MIRA by the government would be
unnecessary.
Without constitutional amend
ment, however, most lawyers be-
| lieve the objects involved in adj
ministration policy with respect tt
control of hours and wages are UNI
attainable, SO far as the federal gov
eminent is concerned.
Seek NRA Substitute
It is pointed out that no mere
packing" Of the Supreme court
would be sufficient to bring about
a favorable decision on ANYTHING go
ing far enough to attain the objec'
tives. The decision Of the high court
/ in the MIRA case was unanimous
Which means that even Justices
Louis D. Brandeis and Benjamin N
Cardozo concurred. 1t Is not with
in the realm of possibility, many
lawyers think, that justices more
liberal" than these two could b.
appointed, and confirmed, as JUS
tees of the Supreme court.
| All of which is highly interesting
in view Of the present rush for pc
sition and credit in the drive to ge
something to substitute for NRA
| Notably, for example, the meeting
called by George l.. Berry. Notabl,
the maneuverings of Hugh S. John
son and Donald r. Richberg. Not
ably the fortnight declarations 0
most labor leaders, from William
Green and John L. Lewis down.
| The interesting point here is tina
Senator Lewis knows about all thes'
moves, realizes the pressure behint
them, and the personal ambitions Q
these individuals. Nevertheless tn
once pink whiskered soothsaye
opines that no constitutional amend
ment will even be submitted
Senator Lewis does not disclose al
his reasoning His comment tina
business is doing the same thing
for itself is not sufficient and h
knows it perfectly well. But he ais
knows that the vote that re-electe
Franklin D. Roosevelt was not nee
essarily vote for NRA or for an
other detail. He knows that Roose
welt would have won an overWheln
ing endorsement If he had declare
that he did not want MIRA bach
And he knows that there are variou
ways of killing geese.
Hoover the Leader
Herbert Hoover may conside
himself the real leader oflthe r,
publican party. He is its only Twin
ex-President., Governor ALI M. Lar
don may feel that he is entitled
be regarded as head of the G.. 0.
until the next national Republica
convention. He still has the STAN
of approval of its last session. 81
! the fact is that any rivalry betwee
the two is merely grist for the mil
of James A. Farley and Charl,
. Nicholson.
: 1t is perfectly true that the tv
. men do not like each other. The
meetings during the campaign we
strained and uncomfortable affair
!. Amusing stories have been told
: the time when the newspaper m,
!. at Topeka gave dinner for Cove
nor T,andon and Hoover appear,