Evening star., 1937-10-01
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Mr.. Justice Black-then plain Hugo
Lafayette Black. newly incubated junior
United States Senator from Alabama
personally told Democratic colleagues IL
years ago that he was not member of
the Ku Klux Kla1. The occasion was
during the Winter of 1867, immedi-
ately following his election to the Sem
ate. Although he was a rookie and
aspiring to honors not generally avail
able to flrst-termers, Blacks invincible
ambitions impelled him to seek the COW
eted post of secretary of the Democratic
caucus, representing the Senate minority
Of the period. One of Blacks confreres
has just informed this observer that he
personally cross-examined the Ala
baman as to his membership in the
hooded order and warned him that if
the freshman we're knight of the in
visible empire, the elder Senator, as well
as other Democrats, would not support
his caucus candidacy. Black thereupon
categorically denied he was Klansman.
The Birmingham lawyer admitted he
had gladly accepted Klux support in his
primary and election campaigns, ex-
planning, according to the writer's in
formant, that in doing so he only fol-
iOWCu dll OlQ OPdlioll CuSlOIl dIIlOIlk
Southern Democrats then in Congress
and in high State office throughout
Dixie. incidentally. Justice Black still
technically holds the Office of caucus
secretary. He functioned as such in
July, when the Democrats elected Dear
Alben" Barkley majority leader.
Washington newspaper men and
women, proud OF their cordial and con-
f1dential relations with public men, re-
sent Blacks sluf that he couldn't talk
to the press without danger of misquo-
tation or incomplete reporting. To-
nights radio star must be babe in the
political woods and far greener in the
arts of publicity than his Senate record
shows him to be, if he doesn't know
that either his merest murmur about
the Ku Klux Klan or a statement of
congressional verbosity would be splurged
across the front page of every paper in
America. The coyest flower in the his
tory of the Nations judiciary is about
to spill the beans-some kind of beans
over the wave lengths. A Capital scribe,
famed for his epigrammatic thrusts,
deposes and says that the press was so
anxious for a word from the sphinx
that at would print in 72-point type
anything he had to say, even If 1t were
true!'
Coincident with announcement of
Germany's plans to build an imposing
new Washington Embassy, the State
Department has tackled the long delayed
matter of new American Embassy in
Berlin. In 1881, during the mission of
Ambassador Sackett. the United States
purchased one of the finest buildings
and sites in the Reich capital for head
quarters there. Ever since the battle
of Waterloo, the property has been
known as the Bluecher Palace, having
been presented to the celebrated Prus-
sian field marshal as a reward for his
victory over Napoleon. Uncle Sam paid
81 ZOO, 900 for the building and lot, which
are situated in commanding position
on Pariser Platz at the head of Unter
den Linden, directly overlooking Bran
denburg Gate, Berlin's Arc de Triomphe.
Shortly after title passed to our Govern
ment, the place caught fire mysteriously.
resulting in damage which made 1t un-
inhabitable. The building has remained
in that state. for nearly seven years.
Some time ago the Hitler regime, several
of whose important ministries adjoin
the property, made us trading offer
for it. The Germans proffered three