Evening star., 1937-10-11
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Reactions reaching White House and
State Department indicate preponder-
ance Of popular support for President
Roosevelt's move to de-isolate the United
States from world affairs. Sentiment is
by no means unanimous. The extensive
peace-at-any price element is dis
gruntled and alarmed. The old League
of Nations irreconcilables think Uncle
Sam has been sold down the Geneva
river Still others withhold approval of
the Chicago speech because they believe
it was calculated indiscretion-a red
herring deliberately planned and plotted
to cover up the Black and Klan scandal.
Many are persuaded that F. D. r. did
not think things through and was
guilty of temperamental impulsiveness.
Final judgment among all these varying
schools of thought and criticism is likely
to be withheld until the adminiStra-
tons policy is clarified The decision
not to invite the nine-power conference
to meet in Washington is acclaimed on
all hands. WaShington's determina-
ton not to go off half-cocked on
Japanese trade boycott also-me with
general approval. That old standby of
Wilsonian watchful wait
ing"-comes pretty near to symbolizing
the Rooseveltian attitude amid the en-
circling gloom We're not at war yet,
by a long shot.
Either Mr.. Roosevelt is a Lon Chaney
in the arts of expression or the trials
and tribulations besetting him at home
and abroad are rolling off his broad
back like water from the proverbial
ducks. Boarding the lions of the press
at his first White House conference since
his expedition to the wide open spaces,
the President cut the figure of a man
without a woe or worry in the world.
His cigarette was tilted at the accus-
toned debonair angle, his store of wise
cracks was on tap, his smile as wide and
his laughter as gay as If such places as
China and Spain didn't exist or as if
things like the Wall Street crash. spe-
cial session of Congress or the Nations
lingering resentment of the Black ap-
pointment had never been heard of. It
would be a mistake to think the Presi-
dent isn't concerned and deeply con-
cerned, over the problems confronting
and confounding him. The explanation
is that he is blessed with a shock proof
personality. He simply doesn't wear his
heart or his sleeve.
When the Senate House delegation to
the Interparliamentary Union meeting
in Europe passed through Paris in
August, Senator Barkley and his col
leagues, who included Senators La
Toilette and Adams, were entertained
at the Chantilly villa Of Ambassador
Bill Bullitt, now in Washington on leave
There they happened to encounter as
a conquest the Presidents mother, Mrs.
James Roosevelt. Saw your big boy
in Washington just before I left" said
Senator Adams of Colorado to the
Gracious Lady" Quoth the fond first
mother of the land How is the dear
boy?" Adams replied: ''Well, he didn't
want to sign my bill (the sugar act of
1880, but we talked him into It," Then,
smilingly calculated Mrs. Roosevelt:
why do you gentlemen make matters
so difficult for my dear son? He has his
hands so full and always tries so hard
to do the right thing!"
\ X
With rare timelinesz, the October
American Foreign Service Journal,
mouthpiece of the State Department,
features an article entitled Silk and
Ships" by G. c. Merrill, vice consul at
Yokohama. It deals with Nippon's vital
dependence on her silk trade with the
United States and describes the service
Of fast Japanese Diesel freighters which
race across tbs Pacific ct 10 knots, laden