Evening star., 1937-06-02
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC UILLI4N WIFE,

Politicians wonder whether Franklin
Delano Roosevelt is now victim of
those adversities which traditionally
overtake a President of the United
States in his second term. Usually they
don't bob up thus early in the return
engagement In F. D. RS case, cur
rent events, especially his Supreme Court
woes, indicate that the second-term jinX
is already making itself felt with
vengeance. Anti i-administrationists, with
whom the wish is, of course, father to
the thought, are convinced that the
slump in Rooseveltian fortunes has only
just begun-that their progress down
the toboggan, in Congress and in the
country at large, will be cumulative from
now on. To realization that White
House stock nearly everywhere has fallen
among the folks back home is attributed
the readiness Of both Senators and
Representatives to exhibit spirit of
independence unknown hitherto during
the New Deal. A year ago there was
hardly Democratic candidate for Con-
gress who dared to risk the reputation
Of being anti-Rooseyelt. AS things are
going to be against the President may
by 1888 become almost as much of an
asset as clinging to his coattails was in
the campaigns of '32. "a and '36.
Talk persists, despite lack OF any
White House intimation to justify it,
that the high command knows the jig is
up on the six-justice court enlargement
scheme and that the measure may never
be brought to a vote The reasons al
legged for this prospect are twofold-first,
q nc &C
the bill, and, secondly, that Roosevelt
leaders are aware that the opposition,
if necessary, is prepared to filibuster
till the crack of doom. Meantime, there's
no doubt that certain friendly elements
desirous Of preserving the President from
the embarrassment Of defeat are moving
heaven and earth to bring about an
acceptable compromise. Many authori-
ties are persuaded that II additional
retirements from the high bench were
to ensue at relatively early date-a
possibility insistently reported-Mr.
Roosevelt would jump at the chance to
proclaim that his liberalization objective
had been practically attained and that
legislation looking to that end could
now be quietly laid away In lavender
without loss of face.
After more than 48 hours of alarm
and anxiety, Washington officials whose
bailiwick is the international situation
have survived the jitters caused by the
German-Spanish bombardment crisis.
There's now pretty definite feeling
that the storm will blow over without
leaving another European war in its
wake. Uncle Sans representatives at
all the capitals involved in the latest
unpleasantness have stressed America S
eagerness to see things quiet down be-
fore they drift from bad to worse and
end in catastrophe. That was the bur-
den of Secretary Hull's urgent repre-
sentations to the German and Spanish
Ambassadors Also, 1t may be taken for
granted, all concerned lover there" have
been emphatically reminded that the
United States does not intend to be
entangled in their scraps and squabbles.
incidentally, there's lively speculation in
Washington international quarters as to
the underlying object of Germany's
action in shelling Almeria. Some diplo-
mats opine that Hitler relished the op-
portunity to distract the German peo-
pies attention from internal conditions,
like the Nazi war on the churches, by
creating a foreign diversion" That's
an ancient ruse of Old World govern
ments in times of domestic turmoil.
X
Presumably in tribute to his gallant
leadership in the fight to preserve an
independent judiciary, Senator Burton
K. Wheeler, Democrat, Of Montana Is
In his home State this week to receive