Evening star., 1938-04-18
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE.

Behind the scenes OF purely domestic
strife over pump-priming and taxation,
a diplomatic battle royal is raging at
Washington over the question OF lifting
the embargo on arms for Spain It's
been in progress for several weeks.
Unable, as it appears, to make any dent
on the State Department and the White
House through the regular channel OF
Ambassador de los Rios. the distracted
Loyalist government seems to have de-
cided to employ highly placed American
politico-legal talent to bring pressure
on the administration. To that end,
according to circumstantial reports just
published for private circulation, Spain
drafted the services of two prominent
Washington lawyers. At first 1t engaged
a formerly potent figure in the New
Deal and later retired Democratic
Ambassador So far. even the earnest
efforts OF. these influential advocates have
not availed to bulge President Roosevelt
and Secretary Hull from the position
consistently maintained throughout the
Spanish conflict-a cast-iron embargo on
war supplies to either belligerent. The
Loyalists yearn to have the American
prohibition lifted, not only because 1t
would permit shipments from the United
States, but because, it's believed, Great
Britain and France might be induced
by our example to remove their bans on
munitions for Madrid and Barcelona.
Eleven college professors, students.
teachers and journalists have just joined
in public appeal to the Washington
Government Immediately to grant the
Spanish request. Such action" the
petitioners assert, 'is essential not only
to save the democracies of Europe, but
to protect our own democracy and to
safeguard us from imminent Fascist
assault on democracy in Mexico and
South America" Commodore l.. E. o.
Charlton, formerly British Air Attache
at Washington, an eyewitness observer
of the Spanish war, has just sent this
word to American Loyalist sympathizers
Because of the overwhelming superiority
Of up-to-date war material placed at
Frances disposal by the totalitarian
states, he has been able to break down
Republican resistance on the Catalonian
front in an endeavor to separate that
province from the rest of Loyalist Spain
But the struggle is by no means over.
The time is now ripe for a counter at
tdCk NY tIle ptOple dAAly, SlllCc lIlSuI =
gent Communications are unduly ex-
tended and their forces disorganized
after so much open fighting. There is
still possibility that the tide will turn
again in favor of the republic if the
leadership is wise. There is no i'm
minent danger of debacle, and during
the ensuing months great deal may
happen to change the outside COM
plexion of affairs"
Mrs Roosevelt, without wish or sane
tion on her part, finds her name
occasionally announced in a manner
indicating TO the uninformed that the
Presidents wife is a Lucy Stoner"
Advance notices, and even programs of
meetings at which the First Lady is to
speak, frequently describe her as MRS.
Eleanor Roosevelt" She prefers being
called Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt"
not having been emancipated into the
habit of scorning to use the name of
the man she married. The Secretary
Of Labor, Frances Perkins. who is Mrs.
Paul Caldwell Wilson, is Lucy Stoner."
Overseas Writers, Washington's select