Evening star., 1937-04-05
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

sundry, domestic and foreign. seems to
leave the President more or less un-
rufned. His serenity does not mean, of
course, that he Is not adequately con-
cerned over these various trials and
tribulations. 1t rather reflects afresh
his worry proof temperament and his
apparent disinclination to aggravate
the situation by any public expression OF
undue anxiety or alarm. The chief
executive probably was the most sur
prised man in the country that his
economic dissertation In words Of one
syllable" on price spirals. as he dubbed
it, should have blown the lid of the
Ivered quite casually In response to an
eleventh-hour press conference question.
Norman Thomas. national Socialist
leader, has just sailed for his f1rst trip
to Europe in almost 80 years. In the
course of it he plans to tour Russia and
commune with Soviet government Off
cials on world problems, even though
he had some difficulty In getting Mos
cows permission to enter the country.
A passport visa was at first refused Mr..
Thomas by the U. s. s. R. because
of his membership in the North Amer
lean committee for defense of Leon
Trotzky. eMled former Bolshevist poten-
tate. Thomas says he is neither Com
munist nor Trotzkyite, and, while
friendly to the Soviet, don't believe
have to take it on blind faith that
everything done in Russia is done by
God"
willie" J. Collins. superintendent Of
the Senate press gallery, has just COM
pleted % years of service in that potent
branch of the Capitol. He began his
career in 1909, in charge of the press
room OF the Senate Office Building. After
serving in the gallery successfully under
Col. Edwin A. Halsey, now secretary OF
the Senate, and James D. Preston. now
assistant administrative secretary OF
the National Archives, Collins took
Preston's place as superintendent six
years ago. He says the greatest change
he has seen In his time is the increase
in the number OF Washington's women
writer's When he first entered the gall
lery, the late Mrs. George F. Richards,
veteran representative of a group OF
New England papers, was the only &C
credited newswoman on the Hill. Today
there are 80 women in the gallery. The
total membership Of correspondents has
grown from 172 in 1909 to $40 in 1887.
DAISY" Harriman's appointment as
minister to Norway will temporarily re-
move from the Washington scene the
vivid personality who has presided for
nearly 20 years over one OF the Capitals
few genuine political salons Her
famous Sunday night supper parties
periodically brought together for in
formal, though always animated, dis
cussion high government ofncials, con-
gressional and political leaders OF all
party compilations, foreign diplomats,
newspaper correspondents and distin-
guished visitors from abroad. Free and
frank round-table debate, on national
and international topics, brilliantly led
by the vivacious hostess herself, was the
invariable rule Her admirers are conf
dent that the author of Prom Pinafores
to Politics" will give an eminent account
of herself in diplomacy. Before her Sc
lection for the Norwegian post. Mrs.
Hartman had been mentioned for the
ministership to the Irish Free State and
also for District Of Columbia commls-
sionership.
(Copyrisht 1o37)