Evening star., 1937-09-17
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Americans are afflicted with notori-
ously short memories even in the case
of a major political stencil like the Black
Klan exposure. Other front-page stuff
comes along, and frequently the sensa-
ton of yesterday and today is tomo--
rows forgotten story. Administra tions
and politicians always bank heavily on
this trait in the national character. 1t
has enabled more than one of them to
get away with murder. Already the
Black bungle is the subject of lively
speculation on this score. The point is
that it would be the most useful pos
sible water on the Roosevelt mill if the
Nation, true to form, should suddenly
divert its attention to something else
which would sidetrack, if not obliterate,
the malodorous affair Such develop
ment as the United States involvement
in the Far East would ideally serve that
purpose. This is only by way of illustra-
ton. 1t doesn't mean even remotely to
suggest that anything so Machiavellian
is in Washington's mind But no one
within gunshot of the White House these
dizzy days is in the slightest doubt that
F. D. r. would give this years whole
Hyde Park farm crop if the country
WOuld OlSl DIS dIlO
completely as possible the ugliest, IL not
the most scandalous, incident yet to
blight the New Deal.
4
During the airmail investigation Of
1884, which gave Hugo Black his first op-
portunity to win the coveted laurels Of
the late Senator Walsh of Montana,
former Postmaster General Walter F..
Brown testified before the committee that
Jim Farley had branded the Alabaman
"a publicity hound" Later explanations
more or less smoothed things over, but,
despite Sunny Jim's denial, the epithet
stuck. In the opinion of many observers
OF Blacks inquisitorial tactics, including
the search of Western Union Telegraph
files, the Democratic national chairmau's S
characterization of the ex-Birmingham
Police Court judges weakness was not
unjustifed. The Supreme Courts raw
recruit is sure enough getting his I'LL of
printers ink just now, even while COM
porting himself at London in a manner
reminiscent of Dickens artful dodger.
\ X X
Kleiglights on the KIan Kourt Klep-
isode: Wonder what Kluxer, who VOWS
to distrust and despise any but white
Protestant Christian Americans" thinks
about sitting alongside Associate JUS
tices Butler "a Catholic, Brandels and
Cardozo Jews and Sutherland "a born
Englishman)? Revenge, as Francis
Bacon said, being "a kind of wild justice"
friends of former Assistant Commerce
Secretary William P. MacCracken, lr.,
who was the shining mark of the Black
committees inquiry, are not shedding
many tears over the discontinue of the
man whom they always considered the
architect-in-chief of "Bills" troubles
Klan stories are again to the fore.
Capitol Hill recalls classic attributed
to Tom Heflin champion spinner of
Dixie yarns. The Klan was parading
through an Alabama town, which was
festooned in its honor. Across the pfln-
cipal store front banner was strung,
reading: We're 200 per cent Ameri-
cans" Later the grand kleagle called
to thank the merchant for his unusual
welcome. But say, brother he said
We're only 100 per cent Americans.
Whaddya mean you're 200 per cent?"
Replied the tradesman: Partner, it's
thlsaway. hate Catholics, Jews, Negroes
and Ku Klux Klansmen!""
Among the various ways in which he's
spreading Uncle Sans gospel among our
British cousins, Ambassador Robert w.
Bingham loses no opportunity to sing