Evening star., 1937-09-29
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

manship of the Federal Communica-
tions Commission, with an order to clean
house, recalls that the North Carolinian
gained national fame in 1928 as a
Hoovercrat. Along with former Senator
Furnifold M. Simmons McNinch left
old-time Democratic moorings to bolt
Al Smith on the liquor issue. This cir
cumstance, plus his record as a crusader
at the bar on behalf Of the under
privileged, brought the Charlotte lawyer
to Hoover's attention and to the Power
Commission in 1880. He became its New
Deal chairman in 1888. Gov. Roosevelt
had observed McNinch's work from Al
bany and ever since coming to the
White House the President has de-
pended upon him heavily in connection
with power policy. Everybody familiar
with the Carolinian's record, tempera-
ment ands economic ideals expects the
dust to fly when the McNinch broom
begins sweeping at F. c. C.
X
Believe it or not, there's C. I. o.
within the innermost sanctums of the
State Department. 1t isn't branch of
John L. Lewis Committee for Industrial
Organization. Secretary Hull's c. l. o.
stands for Current Information Office" 4"
over which Michael j. McDermott, to the
continuous advantage and satisfaction of
the Washington newspaper fraternity,
has presided for the past ten years.
Everywhere in local international cir
cles the. decision of Prince Chichibu,
brother of the Emperor of Japan, not to
visit the United States, which he had
intended to do about this time. is as
cribed to the unfriendly atmosphere
which he would have encountered here.
His imperial highness planned the same
sort of extensive tour of America he
recently made through Europe. A weeks
sojourn in Washington, whence he took
his wife. the former Friends School girl
Setsu Matsudaira, was on the program
The Chichibus, after landing at Mon
treal, decided to proceed straightaway
to Japan across Canada. Their only
stop-over on our soil was q look at
Niagara Falls
"Hull In 1910" is the latest Democratic
presidential boom. 1t was launched this
week at Nashville, on the Secretary OF
States native heath, by Karl A. Crowley,
solicitor of the Post Office Department.
Addressing convention of postal super
visors Crowley, himself Tennesseean,
described the premier of the cabinet as
the balance wheel and right hand of
PRESIDENT Roosevelt" and said the min
lister of Uncle Sans foreign affairs is
the logical heir to the White House.
Mr. Crowley evidently agrees with the
wisecracker who observed that "the
ship Of state has sound Hull" If the
U. S. A. manages to stay out of war,
many think Cordell Hull will have
genuine claim on Democratic favor and
the Nations gratitude.
%* X
State Department budget officers have
just had their annual day in court be-
fore the Bureau of the Budget. Con-
sidering the critical interests intrusted
to it's care, particularly at this juncture,
our Department Of Peace" is far and
away the country's lowest-cost executive
investment. Its budget runs to $4,000
600. about one-third the cost of battle
ship Only $14,50O,000 is allocated to
the foreign service proper-$2, 500 900 for
the department and $12,000,000 for the
field. Income from passport, visa and
consuler fees is roundly $4,000, 900. Rev.
enue in 1936-37 was 100000 more than
the year before. After 1t gets by Budget
Director Bell and President Roosevelt,
States expense account goes to the sub
committee Of the House Appropriations
Committee. headed by Representative