Evening star., 1937-09-13
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Apropos the Federal Bureau of Investi-
cation inquiry into Nazi activities in
the United States, it develops that
Hitlerite propaganda on our soil has
more than once been the object of in
formal representations to Germany.
Their purpose was to make it clear to
Der Fuehrer's people that Nazi propa-
ganda is fully as repugnant to this
country as Communist intrigues are.
Washington received the impression from
Berlin that cultural maneuvers over
here would be curbed, but the zeal and
aggressiveness of the goose-steppers and
swastika-faunters have increased from
year to year. 1t is one Of the main pur-
poses of our Government to determine
exactly to what extent these Na1 mani
festations are directed or encouraged
from Germany, as well as to establish
whether the participants are violating
their oaths of allegiance to the United
States. The State and Justice Depart
ments presumably will take such steps
as F. B. I. findings warrant.
Attendance of United States Charge
d'Affaires Gilbert at the Nazi jamboree
in Nuremberg was authorized against
the advice of Ambassador Dodd, who
does not believe American officials any
where should by their presence counte-
nance demonstrations in which all de-
mocracies are attacked as "anarchies." :"
There have been certain episodes in
American history of somewhat similar
character. In 1911 President James
Madison was attacked at Boston public
meeting in which a foreign diplomat
participated. Secretary of State James
Monroe thereupon handed the envoy his
passports and he was asked to leave
the United States The other classic case
is that of Sir Lionel Sackville- West, the
British Ambassador at Washington, who
received his walking papers from Grover
Cleveland in 1888 for having blundered
into the American presidential cam
palgn of that year. Ambassador Dodd
has maintained the position that it is
not the duty of American representatives
abroad to take part in party or partisan
demonstrations. The Madison and Cleve-
land precedents, DR.. Dodd's friends think,
strongly sustain his attitude.
X X X
Uncle Sans native born children are
not going to have the sesquicentennial
OF the Constitution of the United States
all to themselves. At least one group of
citizens of foreign extraction-the Polish
National Alliance-plans to celebrate the
historic event. It's festivities will con-
slSt of banquet, concert and dance in
Washington on Monday, October IL, with
speakers OF national prominence supply
ing oratorical fireworks. Poland looks
upon Woodrow Wilson as the architect
IN chief of its own constitutional struc-
ture and independence. A statue of
the World War President occupies a
prominent place in Warsaw Col. Ed
ward M. House is another of the Poles
adopted national heroes.
X * <
Reinstatement of Franklin Mott Gum
ther in the foreign service, through his
recent appointment as Minister to
Rumania, calls attention to the cir
cumstsnce that President Roosevelt, a
flrm believer in career diplomacy, has
IN no instance displaced foreign serv-
Ice ofncer to make way for political
appolntee. Various career men, especially
during the recent cyclonic State Depart
ment shake-up, have been shifted to
other posts but none, it is said, has
been 'purged" in favor of merely de-
serving New Dealer Mr.. Gunther.
formerly Minister to Egypt and Ecuador.
- one OF distinguished quartet drafted
nack to the active list after temporary