National Affairs: Fisherman & Wife

All that the country heard last week from its President-elect, fishing in the Bahamas, was brief, light-hearted radiograms flashed from Vincent Astor's Nourmahal to Miami. Sample: "We are anchored off Andros Island and have good fishing. [New York's Justice Frederic] Kernochan fought a 15-round draw with a shark. Both escaped. All well. Having wonderful trip." A Secret Service man was recovering from sunburn. Mr. Roosevelt had lost a "fish as big as a whale." Commodore Astor was the "perfect host."

With her husband momentarily out of the picture, the long-legged, smiling dynamo that is Mrs. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was given his place in the nation's headlines. Two thousand eminent men and women gave her a banquet at Manhattan's Waldorf-Astoria. Intended as a tribute to an able woman who had achieved a career in her own right, it had the effect of retorting to criticism of her behavior as First Lady-elect: too much spotlight, too little dignity.

¶For Pond's Extract Co. Mrs. Roosevelt broadcast her next-to-next-to-last commercial program. In a soft voice that can make trivial things sound important she discussed Washington society and all the "charming and interesting" people to be met there.

¶With her mother going off the air Feb. 24, Anna Roosevelt Dall last week put herself on the commercial radio market. Her agent advertised: "Mrs. Dall has a charming voice and a most engaging personality. She is willing to appear on any commercial program sponsoring a product consistent with her public position."

¶In 30 minutes at Arnold Constable & Co.'s Fifth Avenue department store, Mrs. Roosevelt bought the dress she will wear at her husband's inaugural—a grey-blue velvet, ankle-length, with long puffed sleeves and a stand-up collar. She will also wear dark blue kid shoes, low-heeled for a long day on the feet.

¶Mrs. Roosevelt prepared her first three White House menus—500 for luncheon March 4. 1,000 for tea, 75 (all Roosevelt relatives) for buffet supper.

Meanwhile in Washington, President-elect Roosevelt's political friends in the House disclosed sensational plans for making him a fiscal dictator over the Government. Speaker Garner stood sponsor for legislation which would authorize the new President not only to abolish and consolidate all executive departments but also to control the public purse by reducing or suspending appropriations fixed by law and by cutting Federal salaries at will—all to help balance the Budget. Declared the Speaker: "I'm ready to go the limit and the limit is the Constitution."

But many in the House were less willing to put President Roosevelt above the lawmaking power of Congress. Gibed Republican Leader Snell: "We'd better abolish Congress and go home." So loud grew the cries of dissent that Speaker Garner, a good retreater, decided to put his dictatorship plan over until the next session.