The Southern Jewish Weekly

AROUND THE TOWN

The White House The President cancelled his press conference immediately after releasing the budget message . . . if he answered all the questions about a budget, the conference would still be going on . . . It's strange, how the presidential nicknames change . . . People used to call him F. D. R. . . then a year or so ago it was the vogue to say Franky D. . . . now the people in Washington just say Prexy . . .

Tip on the third term: A White House policeman told me, "Things ain't going to be the same after Mr. Roosevelt goes," at the same time shaking his head sadly. (Ed. note: Frank errs here.)

Politics The organizations are beginning to roll, now, the publicity staffs are being assembled and the bandwagons are being fitted with new chassis.

Only Secretary of State Hull hasn't got a machine ready . . . the strange thing is, every Democratic candidate privately admits that anything they do will only count for about 20 percent in the fight for the nomination . . . what Prexy does will count for 80.

More Politics—Insiders say now that Prexy didn't drop a hint on that important question at the Jackson day dinner. he won't say a word until the convention—and that then he's likely to deliver a ringing message, forswearing a third term (providing an independent liberal is nominated).

If the President chooses not to run, he will become the most powerful "elder statesman" since George Washington!

The State Department A man who understands Jewish problems, George Messersmith, has been shifted from the post of Assistant Secretary to Ambassador to Cuba . . . The refugee problems have vexed the Cuban government, and Ambassador Messersmith, who understands the work of the Intergovernmental Committee, will help them straighten things out . . . Two State Department officials, Robert Pell and Stephen Morris, will be in the Dominican Republic to oversee the signing of the contract for refugee settlement there.

The Congress Martin Dies is still "resting" down in Texas, and it's reported his health isn't so good . . . He hasn't a chance of obtaining funds to continue the committee investigating un-American Activities until he returns, and possibly not then . . . The Administration believes the committee has outlived its usefulness, and that its work can be carried on by more competent investigators in the Justice Department.

The Court—In Frank Murphy, the Supreme Court gets a great and true friend of tolerance in religion who is almost certainly slated, so great is his stature, one day to be Chief Justice . . .

Thumbnail description of Murphy, heard from a hard-boiled reporter after his final press conference: "The man is just plain good."