Evening star., 1938-01-19
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC VILLIAM WILE

During the World War. shortly after
Senator Tom Connally entered Congress
as member of the House, the leader
of the fight against the anti-lynching
bill visited England. Those were the
black-and-tan days in Ireland, when
everybody of Gaelic name who landed on
John Bulls shores was a bit suspect,
and all alien arrivals had to declare the
possession Of firearms. A typical Texan,
Tom carried SiX-ShOOter, and before
he could leave the ship at Liverpool he
was officially relieved of his artillery A
few months later when this observer
happened to be returning from London
newspaper duty for vacation in the
United States, the American Consul
General in London. to whose keeping
the British authorities had intrusted
Connallys gun. asked the writer to con-
voy it to its rightful owner in Wash
ington. Said observer hadn't thought
of Connally's shooting-iron again until
the Senator was encountered at the
Capitol this week. when 1t looked for
moment as If the weapon might sud-
denly be unlimbered. What threatened
to produce state Of war was an inno-
cent question about how long the anti
lynching filibuSter might last. "Whad-
daya mean, filibuster?" quoth Connally.
Thereupon 1t was more or less gently
pointed out that the matter which has
occupied the Senate's time for fort
night is strictly legitimate debate of gen.
uine public interest.
~ +
AS a matter of fact, there's much to
justify that claim. Although the frank
purpose of Connally and his battalion of
y, Sr% %>% %I,rr,o, ~ Nto hill
have, with few exceptions, not strained
their vocal cords on extraneOuS subjects.
They have, in other words, not been
killing, for arbitrary delay purposes.
Unquestionably, the debate has been of
vast educational value to Congress and
the country. 1t has given thousands of
people a clearer insight into the prob
lens of the South, with all their social.
economic, racial and political angles.
Senators such as Connally. Bailey, Nc
Kellar and Ellender produced factual
material hitherto either unknown to or
inadequately understood by people re-
mote from Dixie. So, while the tech
nique and effect of the anti-lynching
talkfest are that Of dog-in-the manager
filibuster of tradition, the Nation in truth
is getting an Illuminating and useful les
son on a subject involving not only q
serious national issue, but vital con-
stitutional question-States' rights.
Washingtons midwinter colony of dis
tinguished strangers includes DR.. and
Mrs. Charles A. Beard, authors of the
Rise of American Civilization" En-
gagged in writing the third volume of that
standard work, begun in 1927, they have
established their temporary domicile
here, to take advantage of the Capitals
unrivaled library facilities, as well as
what they call ANY Illuminating hints
available of the record" As DR.. Beard
says, mot all of history Is in the official
documents" The Hoosier historian and
his wife are watching Far Eastern events
with special interest because of their
residence in Japan in 1929. DR.. Beard
represented the Institute Of Municipal
Research at Toxic, and later was adviser
to V1scount Goto, Japanese minister Of
home affairs after the 1923 earthquake.
Apropos Washington's recent attempt to
draw Emperor Hirohito into the Panay
incident, DR.. Beard recalls how his sug-
gestion that plans for reconstruction of
Toxic should be submitted to the throne
evoked japanese official amazement and
CONSERVATION. because, it was pointed
out, the Son OF Heaven could under no
circumstances be involved In anything
mundane!
r
Brand newest under the political sun
Is the hint that the coming out Of Knox
ana hoover Tor modified Republican
tar1n policy may promote Cordell Hull
bipartisan candidacy for President in
!s4O. Recent formation of . bipartisan
committee 70 apport the reaneocai