Evening star., 1937-08-11
PRESIDENT SILENT
IN NHARMONY VOWS
Roosevelt Makes No Appeal
for Unity-Misses Dinner.
lauds Barley.
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
Pledges of party harmony echoed
among Senate Democrats today, but
the voice of President Roosevelt was
missing from the chorus.
The President, because of pressure
of other things" did not attend the
Harmony dinner held at the Raleigh
Hotel last night by the Democratic
Senators. recently split over legisla-
tive issues.
He paid tribute to the honor guest
Senator Barkley of Kentucky, new
majority leader-in a note which said
In part:
He has two great gifts for which
he ought to be thankful and for which
We are truly grateful--a sense of per-
spectlve and a sense of humor
which enables him to distinguish be-
tween the ridiculous and the serious. -
Publicly there was no comment on
the Presidents failure to attend or to
make a general appeal for party har-
mony in his message. Some of those
who fought his court bill, however
speculated privately about its possible
significance
Dove Is Motif.
Among those present was Senator
Copeland of New York, who on Mon
day accused the President of destroy
ing party harmony and of seeking
reprisals against those who fought
his court program.
There was no mention of these mum
dane things at the dinner. held amid
music and merriment. A live pigeon,
symbolizing dove of peace f1ut-
tered about the banquet hall Spun
sugar doves nestled on the ice cream,
and the piece de resistance was squab
The most significant development
OF the evening, some of the guests
said, was a remark by Barkley that
as leader he would speak frankly in
conveying the views of the Senate to
the President and vice versa.
He told his colleagues he would try
to harmonic the two governmental
branches in working out legislative
problems.
Tribute to Rarkley.
Some of the Senators also attached
significance to a speech by Senator
Lewis OF Illinois, party whip in which
he warned them of efforts afoot in
the name of democracy that may be
the destruction of democracy"
Lewis told reporters afterWard he
hn
tlngulshed leader in his generosity and
faith Is being ever imposed upon by
certain elements in politics who did not
have the courage to be Republicans nor
the sense to be Democrats" He did
not identify the certain elements"
Vice President Garner, who long has
been working for party harmony, pre-
sided. There were nearly, a dozen
speeches, including some by Senators
Harrison of Mississippi, defeated can
didate for leader; Glass of VIRGINIA
Smith of South Carolina and Wheeler
of Montana, who have been con-
spicuous IN opposing various adminis-
tration measures.
The Presidents letter paid high
trlDute 10 BdrkleV.
The letter addressed to Vice Presi-
dent Garner as Dear Jack" said
The quality of mans friendship
Is always safe barometer of his char
ecter and in the case of Alben Barkley
this is particularly true And it is as
an old friend that l write this note;
that I embrace the opportunity to add
my testimony to the words of his other
old friends and colleagues who will
speak tonight in token of their appre-
citation and affection for this man.
'Alben is not only a political friend,
but is friend in very real and very
deep personal sense. Our associations
cover long and delightful years. We
have Travelled together; we have barn
stormed together: we have known the
exultation of victory and we have been
together in times of mutual commits
Grafton.
Marvellous Restraint.
Il know that every one present this
evening will agree with me that Alben
Barkley is grtatly distinguished for the
ilc OotS llOU dy, dS we'll dS lOI
the things he does say. Whether he
was born that way or has acquired
this marvellous restraint through years
of self-discipline, do not know But
do know that it is q great asset
He has two great gifts for which
he ought to be thankful and for which
we are truly gratefLl-a sense of per-
spective whereby little things are not
unduly magnified and the larger things
of life are not minimized, and sense
OF humor which enables him to dis
tinguish between the ridiculous and
the serious.
ANY man who, when the discussion
Of some picayune subject wakes serious
and acrimonious, can rise in his place
and sing Wagon Wheels is a positive
genius. He knows by sound instinct
that on occasion party harmony is
aided and abetted by close harmony"