Evening star., 1938-04-13
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS
BY FREDERIC WILLIAM VILE

It looks as II Santa Claus is going to
be the New Deals chief reliance in the
1888 congressional campaign. President
Roosevelt may throw some light on the
subject by implication. If not admission
when he fireside-chats about recovery
and relief over the radio tomorrow nignt.
1t was al Smith who wisecracked, as
long ago as 1884, that nobody ever
shoots Santa Claus" The former idol
Of the sidewalks of New York meant
that no matter how much the admins
tration might be disliked or mistrusted
on other scores, Its lavish bounty with
taxpayers money is campaign argu-
ment hard to beat. The elections of
1884 and 1896 proved that AL was about
right. It's perhaps invidious to suggest
that F. D. RS proposal to hand out an
other $4,000, 100000 or $4,000, ,O0O, 900 for
public works, relief, and loans to busi-
ness men. large and small, has an eye
to the ballot box. But money talks and
evidently the strategists of the New Deal
and Democratic political managers in
general. viewing with appropriate alarm
the ravages Of depression, beware the
ides Of November and intend to let
Treasury funds talk plentifully between
now and then.
$3.50
1t would be far safer to write history
than prophesy about the fate of these
new pump printing plans in Congress.
Senate forces, under the leadership of
hard hitters like Byrd of Virginia and
Bailey of North Carolina and possibly
Vice President Garner, are prepared to
do battle to the finish against the pub
lic-debt-be- e-damned brigade. Many signs
indicate that the administration has
just as tough fight on its hands, over
its scheme to spend Its way out Of de-
preston, as it had with the attempts to
pack the Supreme Court apd reorganize
the Government on one-man-rule lines.
The Presidents impending broadcast is
expected to signal his own readiness to
make war to the knife for the panaceas
which he and his sky's-the- limit advisers
believe unavoidable If the U. s. A. is not
to drift from depression into disaster.
His old slogan, Il don't propose to let
the country down." may again be Mr..
Roosevelts watchword.
With Republican prospects suddenly
brighter than at any time In 10 years,
the woods are rapidly filling with would
be G. o. P. 1910 white hopes. With sew
eral counties still to be heard from and
the line forming on the right, no fewer
than 18 possibilities" already dot the
elephantine landscape. In alphabetical
order, the list reads like this: Gov. Aiken
of Vermont, Senator Borah of Idaho,
Senator Bridges of New Hampshire, Dis
trict Attorney Dewey OF New York, DR..
Glenn Frank of Wisconsin, Publisher
Gannett of New York, former Gov. Hoff-
man OF New Jersey, former President
Hoover Of California, Publisher Knox Of
Illinois, Mayor La Guardia of New York,
former Gov. Landon Of Kansas, Senator
Lodge Of Massachusetts,, Senator McNary
Of Oregon, Senator Nye of North Da-
kota, Supreme Court Justice Roberts Of
Pennsylvania, Representative Smell of
New York, Supreme Court Justice Stone
Of New York and Senator Vandenberg
of Michigan.
Bugs on numerology may, or may not,
see significance in the fact that today's
roster Of Democratic presidential po-
tentialities also counts up 18. Here they
are in alphabetical precedence: Senator
Barkley Of Kentucky. Senator Byrd Of
Virginia, Senator Clark of Missouri, Gov.
Earle of Pennsylvania, Postmaster Gen.
eral Farley Of New York. Vice President
oazner of TsxaA Secretary 0ordell Hull