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Show Washington Comment Highlights of the Washington new scene include: .- 1. The general conviction that though Justice Black in his own words during his radio speech as- '. sured the country that -"when this j statement is ended, my discussion I of the question is closed", rc-per-' cussions will continue to harass j the new deal on three distinct i counts: first, the heavy damage ! the affair has done to the presi-j presi-j dent's personal political prestige; I second, its destruction of any lingering chance of tampering with the supreme court, either by enlarging en-larging it or curtailing its power; and third, its alienation' of the electorate represented by 25,000,-000 25,000,-000 Catholics, 5,000,000 Jews, and 12.000,000 Negroes: 2. A vigorous launching of the new Republican political technique, i which opponents insist is borrowed from Democrats. At any rate, G. O. P. leaders are doing what the Democrats did in those rather hopeless dark years when they were out of power: they're launching launch-ing a between-elections campaign from party headquarters occupying two full floors of a building across Lafayette square from the WThite house and indications are they won't let up for a minute until, when, or if, the presidential election elec-tion of. 1940 is in the bag. John Hamilton has arranged a series of meetings with party leaders from all sections and is himself constantly con-stantly on the go, visiting states in which he thinks such visits will bring political advantage to the party. The purpose is to see that when campaign time comes along the party is equipped with an organization that is efficient and ready for battle. 3. An amusing vindication of the enormous department of commerce building sponsored by former President Hoover, at which Mr. Roosevelt poked a good bit of fun at the beginning of his first administration. ad-ministration. The commerce building build-ing has been a life-saver for the multitudinous new deaj agencies that hadnt a roof over their heads or a "welcome" mat in the whole city of Washington. It has housed all the bright young men heading bright young agencies to promote the more abundant life. The now-defunct N, R. A. was sprawled all over its mammoth floors where tourists without road maps are said to be lost for days on end. Two of the latest important impor-tant organizations to find hearth room in the commerce building are the United States Maritime commission and Mr. Biggers' unemployment un-employment census. i 4. The latest presidential boom, "Hull in 1940", which started dovn j in Tennessee, the native hearth of j our secretary of state, but was bound to be heard over the nation in due time, especially if Secretary Hull succeeds in keeping us out of war. Apropos of the state department, depart-ment, it has the lowest budget of the nation's executive department. Its budget, according to recent accounting, ac-counting, runs to $19,000,000, about one-third the cost of a battleship. Only $14,500,000 is allocated to the fereign service proper $2,500,000 for the department and $12,000,-( $12,000,-( Continued oh last page) Washington Comment (Continued from first page.) HOI) for the field. Income from passport visa and consular fees is around $.1,000,000. Revenue in l'.):;i;-37 was around $700,000 more than the year before. The state department's expense account has to be passed on by Budget Director Direc-tor Hell, the president, and the subcommittee sub-committee of the house appropriations appropria-tions committee, headed by Representative Repre-sentative McMillan of South Carolina. Caro-lina. 5. A renovated White house is to m-cct the return of President and Mrs. Roosevelt from the west. During their absence, the east room lias had its first coat of ivory paint in 10 years; the 1S,!00 pieces of glass in its three magnificent magni-ficent chandeliers have been polished polish-ed by four men who required one full day to dust each one; damask and drapes have been cleaned or replaced at a cost of $1,000 and $11,000 worth of macadam drive has Ix-on inslallod through the south grounds. |