Evening star., 1936-04-22
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

fyou were to roll into one the relation
ships of Mark Hanna to William McKin-
ley, of T. r. to William Howard Taft of
Col. House to Woodrow Wilson, of Harry
Daugherty to Warren Harding and of
Frank Stearns to Calvin Coolidge, you
would not begin to approximate the
caliber of Damon and Pythias comrade-
ship that united Louis McHenry Howe
and Franklin D. Roosevelt. Modern
American political history probably has
known no friendship quite as devoted or
effective as theirs, or one based on
foundation of greater mutual affection
and confidence. In very real sense, the
little colonel was F. D. RS stop" and
go" signalman. The President hardened
to Howes counsel for two reasons-drst,
because it was invariably and thoroughly
unselfish, and, secondly because it was
uncommonly sound and shrewd. A ring
side observer of the game of politics,
local, State and national, for a quarter
of a century, Howe came to possess an
almost unerring Judgment OF public men
and affairs and an intuitive capacity
for doing the wise thing at the right
time. 1t is not in the books that Mr..
Roosevelt without exception acted on
Howes advice. but there is nothing on
record indicating that it was ever ignored
on a major occasion. When the history
of the past year of the New Deal is
written, it is bound to be chronicled that
there were missteps which would not
have been made if the canny colonel
had been on the job.
When President Roosevelt visits Gov.
Gen. Lord Tweedsmuir this Summer he
will turn up at Ottawa in the capacity
not only of distinguished tourist from
the United States, but as a part-time
resident, householder and taxpayer OF
Canada. The ancestral Roosevelt estate
on Campobello Island is within Dominion
Communicating situated in Charlotte
County, in the maritime Province of New
Brunswick. On his first Summer vaca-
tion away from the White House three
years ago the Chief Executive revisited
Campobello which, while within Cana
dian territorial waters. is not far distant
from the northernmoSt coast OF New
England and the rockbound shores OF
Maine. 1t is possible the President may
proceed to Ottawa from Campobello, or
perhaps return to the island for brief
sojourn following his visit to LORD
Tweedsmuir. Mr. Roosevelt was ac-
customed to spend much time there in
his youth.
Should Mussolini accomplish his OBJ
jective of taking possession Of "all Ethio-
pia" and either annex it to 1saly or
convert it into puppet state, on the
Manchukuo model, II Duce is probably
headed sooner or later for a diplomatic
run-in with the United States and other
foreign powers on the question OF recog-
milton of territory acquired by force.
Diplomats regard it certain that the
Washington Government would with
hold acknowledgment of any pseudo
independent regime set up at Addls
Ababa, basing its attitude on the Stim-
son doctrine" proclaimed here after the
Japanese occupation of Manchukuo ana
later formally adopted by the League
of Nations. Practically without excep-
ton, other countries for four years have
refused recognition Of Manchukuo on
the ground of its illegitimate origin. 1t
is believed that the world at large. Tor
similar reasons, would declare and main
tain an international boycott OF an
Italianized Ethiopia.
Day by day 1t looks more and more as
if the Dutch will have it their own way
in the 1886 American presidential CAM
paign. That is to say, the three names
now most conspicuous Ia both the Demo.