Evening star., 1937-10-08
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

ferred with his advisers In Washington.
Presumably these advisers include his
own official family and leaders in Con-
gress. He returned to Washington this
morning.
A special session of Congress, In the
light of the Presidents Chicago speech
in which he virtually pledged the
aid OF the United States to other peace
loving nations to bring about and MAIN
tain world peace, will find this coun-
try's foreign relations q major subject
for consideration. The Presidents pro-
nouncement is far step from the atti-
tude OF the isolationists who have been
dominant since the defeat of American
entry into the League of Nations, and
later. the declination to adhere to the
World Court. 1t has very different
ring from that OF the neutrality acts,
put through Congress and designed to
help maintain the aloofness of this Ma
ton from world affairs.
The President has not yet given def
mite character to his suggestion that
quarantine" be raised against those
nations which are aggressors in the
wars" which are now progressing in
the Far East and In Europe. The details
OF any such agreement are still nebul-
Gus. The declaration of the President,
however, that il America is to remain
at peace. it must take its part in pre-
venting world conflict has struck a re-
sponsive chord. In the first instance,
which is perhaps the most important
from a practical point OF view, the
foreign relations OF this country are in
the hands OF the Chief Executive.
Senator BOrah OF Idaho, 4 leader In
the light to prevent American entry into
the League OF Nations, who has been
dubbed an tsolationist par excellence,
sees in any cooperation with China
entry OF the United States into war.
he praises President ROosevelt's determ-
lnation to keep this Nation out of war.
But II any attempt Is made by the ad-
mlnlStratlon to associate this Govern
ment with other governments in
quarantine" against Japan, the Idaho
Senator may be heard FROM The same
is true II an effort is made to deal with
the nations which have been meddling
IN the Spanish civil war, so called. A
conference, under the terms Of the nine
power treaty, Borah believes. would have
been more effective If it had been called
before denouncing Japan as an aggres-
Sor nation.
Senator Nye of North Dakota. another
1SolatiQniSt and determined supporter
OF neutrality" takes a gloomy view of
the situation. 1t is his opinion that the
country is fast drifting into war. and that
the Roosevelt policies and the Presidents
failure to invoke the neutrality law are
responsible.
Beyond the shadow of doubt, unless
Japan shows herself willing to confer
With the other signatories to the. nine
power treaty, pledging Chinas integrity.
and expresses definite hope of peaceful
settlement, the whole foreign policy will
be discussed in the halls of Congress.
Backers of the Presidents suggestion
OF concerted action against Japan ex-
press confidence that such action will
be effective, and that the surest way to
Keep this country out of war is by firm
action now toward Japan. This is the
view Of Senator Pittman, chairman of
the Foreign Relations Committee.
+
The Presidents speech on foreign
relations. war and peace, has turned
public attention for the moment from
the case OF Associate Justice Black OF
the Supreme Court. But this Black
matter may come to the fore again with
renewed fire if special session OF Con-
gress opens soon. The President. who
remained aloof from press conferences
on his recent Western trip. said at Hvde
Park that he had not yet seen Justice
HACK SlnPa RlQpv
The President did not say in so manv
words that he would have no further
comment upon the Black-Klan row. but
ne lntimated as much. That there will
be demand that the President express
nimsei1, however. IN the light of Justice
Blacks admission that he was once a
member of the Ku Klux Klan. seems
pretty plain. With the President back
IN washington. it is to be expected that
justice Black will have an opportunity
to talk with him before long.
special session Of Congress is
called. the legislators will be expected
to deal primarily with farm legislation
crop control-and with the wages and
hours bill. both of which begged down
IN the final windup of the last session.
The President probably will want to
know from Chairman Jones of the House
Committee on Agriculture and from
Chairman Smith of the Senate Com
mlttee, whether farm bill can be ready
soon after the opening OF a special ses-
sion. The wages and hours bill. which
was sponsored in the Senate by the now
Associate Justice Black of the Supreme
Court and In the House by the late
Representative Connery of Massachu-
setts. has been whipped into shape in
congressional committees already It
probably will be given still further con-
sideration before being actually brought
to the floor of either house. The meas
ure Will meet strong resistance from some
quarters.
What will be the attitude of those
Democrats who broke with the Presi-
dent over the court bill and other
matters during the last session of Con-
gress. in the event a special session is
called? The President ignored some of
them in his recent Western trip. He
made references to those who give "lip
service" to the New Deal and also to
doubling ThomaSes" Will thev now
60 along with the administration in its
demands for the prompt passage of the
crop control bill, the wages and hours
Dill, the Government reorganization bill?
VIII they fold up and stay inside the
reservation, after having seen Roose-
velt's triumphal trip across the Con-
tinent, and after the New York and
Massachusetts elections? Or will thew
norcict IN ho Ind