Evening star., 1936-11-30
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

ington as to whether one of the concrete
steps to be taken at Buenos Aires will
be the adoption Of a neutrality program
which would include an embargo on
supplying war materials to belligerent
powers outside Of the Western Hemi-
sphere. A highly placed observer who
hopes for action to that end says Presi-
dent Roosevelt would be immortal if
he were to secure resolution reading
simply that "the Americas will not
participate in a non-American war
either by men or materials" This would
prevent shipments from North. South or
Central America Of cotton, oil, copper.
wheat, meat, sugar, coffee, iron prod
ucts and tin. Without them" opines
the authority in question, war would
be fist fight. especially If RuSSis,
which controls the rest of those neceS-
stiles. adhered to the inter american
program"
Among those who greeted President
Roosevelt at Rio de Janeiro last week
were the heads of the United States
naval and military missions, which are
assisting Brazil to moderniZe her ma
tional defense establishment -,espec-
lively, Capt c. C. Gill, U. s. N, and
Gen. Rodney H. Smith, U. S. A. An
agreement has just been signed to
continue the military mission for an
other two years. 1t consists of four
officers, who are experimenting the de-
velopment of the Brazilian coast artil-
lery service.
william Green, just elected to his thir-
teenth annual term as president of the
American Federation of Labor, is rapidly
approaching the record tenure so long
held by the late Samuel Gompers. Frank
Morrison, reelected A. F. Of L. secretary,
is also accumulating a proud array OF
service stripes. He was elected secre-
tary in 1897, antedating Green's presi-
dency by 27 years. Mr.. Green is native
Ohioan and miner by trade. Mr.. Nor
rison was born in Canada and carries
Typographical Union card. President
Green's triumphant reelection at this
embattled juncture of the labor move
ment is thought to strengthen his hands
in the bitter strife with John L. Lewis
in the craft VS.. industrial union i'm
broglio. The United Mine Workers
chieftain is the only labor leader who
has ever been held capable Of dethron-
lQk NITetu III GIlS SOAA-
mand.
II n
Miss Agnes MacPhail, last nights
Washington Town Hall speaker, VINO
discussed Canadian American relations,
was first elected to the Dominion House
of Commons in 1921. She remains the
only woman ever to win seat in the
Ottawa Parliament, although it was
once expected she would blaze a trail
for extensive participation of her sex in
that body. Country school teacher by
origin, Miss MacPhail has consistently
refused to align herself with any political
party, winning reelection on successive
occasions as an uncompromising inde-
pendent In 1929 she was appointed one
of Canada's three delegates to the League
of Nations and was eventually assigned
to the Geneva Disarmament Commits
sion. In Canada Miss MacPhail has
been active in prison reform, the peace
movement and in the field OF old-age
pensions. 1t was once said of her that
the lone woman member Of the House
packed more meat into her 40-minute
time limit than the leaders OF the great
parties did in speeches lasting hours.
(copyright, 1850