Evening star., 1937-07-02
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC VILLIAM WIFE

On none of the four other Independ-
ence days which Franklin d. Roosevelt
has spent in the White House has the
Spirit OF TO- famed so f1ercely in DO
ltlcal Washington as on this Fourth of
July. Never before has the President
faced SO determined and widespread a
brand of revolt against administration
domination. The founding fathers who
fomented and fought the Colonial revo-
luton find something of a counterpart
in the men who are wagng todays con-
greSsional revolution against centraliZa-
ton OF government in the executive
branch. The attack on the Supreme
Court bill is the immediate and over
towering symbol of the struggle, but
those two other projects near and dear
to the Rooseveltian heart-wages and
hours legislation and Government re-
rganiZation-arouse hostility every whit
as bitter as the judiciary reform scheme
has generated Jefferson Island may
have minimized the volume and inten-
sity of anti-adminiStration sentiment in
spots, but the vaunted get-together by
no means abolished the resentment and
belligerency with which the atmosphere
of Capitol Hill is so heavily charged
Old-timers have difficulty in recalling
situation SO loaded with high explosive
Therell be hot time in the old town
this Summer, in more ways than one.
X
Mr.. Roosevelt is so resourceful a COM
batat when political fighting is rough
that it would be rash to foreshadow for
him as crushing defeat on the labor
and reorganization bills as unquestion-
ably stares him in the face on court
packing. At the moment, there's prob
ably a majority in both houses for the
wages and hour measure, as we'll as for
the less controversial provisions OF the
Government reform proposition, such as
the one giving the President six new
administrative aSSiStantS-men with "a
passion for anonymity" as he. dubs
them. But the opposition to each of
these projects is not yet fully crystallized.
Both have given way in public interest
to the Supreme Court strife. When the
time comes, each proposal is sure to be
hammered hard from many sides. The
idea Of clothing a .fiveman board with
super-N r. A. power will be sternly re-
sisted. So will the reorganization plans
to give the White House supreme au-
thority over expenditure and curb indie
pendent agencies like the Federal Trade
Commission.
Rear Admiral Percy w. Foote, U. S N,
retired, has just been appointed commits
sioner of the new Pennsylvania motor
police organization by Gov. Earle at an
$500 salary. A native North Caro-
linian and 1901 Annapolis graduate.
Foote was retired in June, 1885, with
the rank of rear admiral after IS years
OF service in varied capacities at sea
and ashore. He was awarded the Dis
tinguished Service Medal for "excep-
tionally meritorious service in duty of
grave responsibility" as commander of
the transport President Lincoln when
that vessel was sunk by an enemy sub
marine in May, 1918 After the war.
Foote became aide to Secretary Josephus
Daniels and later commanded the cruiser
Salem. the battleship Arkansas and
destroyer division. The admiral Is par
ticularly we'll remembered in Washing
ton from the time of his service at the
Navy Yard here. The new chief OF Penn
States motor constabulary was active,
as Tar Heel. in promoting the recent
banquet tribute rendered to Gov. Earle
by SouthernerS resident in the National
Capital. His home is at Drexel Hill. Pa.
This being the season when the Nation
is celebrating the revolt triumphantly
waged on these shores to vindicate the
principle that taxation without repre-
sentation Is tyranny" mely interest