THE 
National Capital 
Events of Interest from the Seat of 
Government | 
By J. E. Jones 
The Breeze Burean 
Washington, Feb. 12, 1914 
DIPLoMATIC CLOUDS. 
The most sensitive people on the 
face of the globe are the Japanese, 
and it is known to a few Washing- 
ton statesmen who have shared the 
confidence of the President that Mr. 
Wilson regards the Japanese ques- 
tion as one of the most serious 
clouds on the diplomatic horizon, 
Japan is no longer an object of terror 
to the American government, but it 
has assumed an attitude of an of- 
fended nation, because of the restric- 
tions placed upon its citizens by 
America. No end of explanation 
appears to convince the Japanese 
that the federal government is not 
supposed to regulate the legislation 
cf its separate states. Congress has 
bent its knee to the will of President 
Wilson, just as it did to the demands 
of former presidents Taft and Roose- 
velt, in the refusal to pass legislation 
offensive to the government of Japan. 
The question was forced upon the 
House of Representatives by the ir- 
migration bill, to which Congressmen 
Hake and Hayes of California at- 
tempted to add amendments exclud- 
ing Asiatics fron our shores. Con- 
gress appears determined to uphold 
i.s regularly constituted representa- 
t‘ves, and the Republican leader, Mr. 
Mann, hag stated this position very 
clearly, in these words: ‘‘While I do 
not have the greatest pride in the pre- 
sent State Department, I feel that in 
conducting our relations with foreign 
countries [ am bound to rely, in the 
first instance, at least, upon the State 
Department.” To a careful observer 
this appears a clear definition of 
Washington sentiment; inasmuch as 
the most positive foes of the Admin- 
istration have adhered exactly to this 
policy in all foregin matters, includ- 
ing our attitude toward Mexico, In 
this situation there have been more 
reasons for outbreaks of differences 
than have occurred in relation to any 
of our other foreign relations, This is 
because of geographical conditions; 
inasmuch as three of the states of 
our Union border upon Mexico. 
These states have six Senators and 
thirteen Representatives, with con- 
stituents continually supplying them 
with antidotes for the relief of Mex- 
ico, and our own people on the 
border. 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
“Domestic Forck” AND “DOMESTIC 
COUNSEL.” 
The action of President Wilson in 
lifting the embargo on arms is far 
more significant than the mere act 
of “feeding” guns and ammunition 
to the Mexicans. It establishes in a 
measure the policy of the American 
government which, while reserving 
its good offices for the benefit of our 
troubled neighbors, has recognized 
the fact that a mere change of per- 
sonel of officials at Mexico City is 
not likely to accomplish much. ‘The 
United States government has practi- 
cally determined that “civil war 
carried to its bitter conclusion” is the 
solution of the Mexican problem, and 
that before Mexico can resume her 
full international responsibility that 
it must feel the full consequences of 
“domestic force’ which in time must 
be succeeded by “domestic counsel.” 
Every friendly suggestion on the part 
of the United States or other powers 
has been repudiated by the country 
to the southwest. Washington has 
decided to let Mexico fight it out. 
NEUTRALITY FOR THE PHILIPPINES. 
The independence of the Philip- 
pines may still be a cherished hope, 
and the Overman resolution, if it 
should succeed, is intended to ease 
the way, ‘This resolution provides 
that the neutrality of the Philip- 
pines, in the event of any war “be- 
tween nations of the earth,’ is to 
be provided for by treaties. The re- 
solution declares as a matter of policy 
that the Philippines should be inde- 
pendent as soon as it is possible to 
confer such independence on them in 
justice to themselves and honor to 
the United States. It is likewise 
provided in the resolution that the 
President be authorized to negotiate 
with England, France, Germany, 
Russia, Spain, Japan, and Italy and 
gain this consent to this utopian dip- 
lomatic scheme. 
Tur RusstAaN AMBASSADORSHIP. 
The third chapter in the inconsis- 
tencies of our government represen- 
tation at the court of St. Petersburg 
has been written by the Ohio dele- 
gation, Chapter Number 1 was the 
selection of ex-Governor Curtis 
Guild of Massachusetts by President 
Taft. He served for a year or two, 
during which time his sole act of dis- 
tinction was in a gaudy display of 
tailoring and millinery at one of the 
Czar’s functions. The second part 
of the program was the Pindell affair, 
resulting in the resignation of the 
Illinois editor, after he had been con- 
firmed by the Senate; thus terminat- 
ing a series of very unsavory events 
decidedly to the credit of Mr, Pindell 
but very much to the disadvantage 
of others who were associated ofhi- 
cially in his selection, The third and 
last chapter is the declaration in fa- 
vor of Representative Sharp for the 
Russian post, and the urging of his 
candidacy for the reason “that he is 
a wealthy manufacturer and able to 
attend the expenses that usually 
attach to so important a post.” ‘This 
reason has been urged in behalf of 
the Post candidacy in authoritative 
Washington papers; whereat one 
must be pardoned the suggestion that 
it, is about time for a little official up- 
lift to be applied to the ambassador- 
ship to the court of St. Petersburg. 
CANNON WRITING BIoGRAPHY. 
One of the most spectacular 
characters in public life is “Uncle 
Joe” Cannon, of Illinois, who drops 
into Washington every little while to 
“do just a few errands.” However, 
it is suspected he hungers for the 
House of Representatives, where he 
was one of its principal figures for so 
many years, The old warhorse is 
still as game as ever, and expects to 
make a race for his former seat at the 
next election. Mr, Cannon is writ-— 
ing a book, telling of his career. ~ 
“Twenty Years in Congress” by 
James G. Blain will be a mild docu- 
ment in comparison to the Cannon 
book, providing the “old scout’ tells 
half he knows. 
THE SHACKLEFORD Roap BI. 
Considerable interest attaches to 
the Shackleford bill extending gov- 
ernment aid to country highways. 
Under the Shackleford bill each state 
would receive a proportionate share - 
of $25,000,000 voted by the govern- 
ment, based upon the ratio of the 
population of the state to the com- 
bined population of all the states. 
This money is voted by Congress to 
be expended on a plan approved by 
representatives of the states, and the 
Secretary of Agriculture, The ob- 
jections being raised to the bill are 
mainly that the expenditures are 
more than likely to be made with 
slight consideration and without pro- 
per scientific investigation. 
Dr. B. E. Fernow, dean of the for- 
est school of the University of To- 
ronto, and Bristow Adams, of the U. 
S. forest service, have just been elec- 
ted president and secretary, respec- 
tively, of the society of American 
foresters, the only organization of 
foresters in the western hemisphere. 
AMERICANS WHo Go To CANnaDaA. 
To penetrate the Washington un- 
derstanding is sometimes a slow pro- 
