Show BAs I. I R W WR R gF rEN CROQUET CLIQUE AND FRANCO LOAN The WASHINGTON The Inside story of ot how the career boys nearly put over the credit to Fas Fas- Fascist Fascist Fascist cist Spain indicates the strength of state the croquet clique inside the department This is the group which plays croquet almost every evening with Cordell Hull and is equivalent to the Cliveden set In England As a matter of ot fact it ft was a part patt of ot the old Cliveden clique Lord clique Lord Halifax and Sir Samuel Samu l who Hoare-who who started the idea of helping General Franco Sir Samuel bare Hoare is now British ambassador to Spain and it was he who sold the idea to Ameri Amen American can Ambassador Weddell long fa famous fa- fa famous famous' for his ability to follow rather than lead Lord Halifax and Hoare apparent apparent- apparently ly Jy thought it would be smart poll poli politics poli- poli politics tics to get the United States to lend lenda a hundred million dollars to Spain in which case Britain might YIn win YIna a afew afew few months of Spanish neutrality and certainly could not lose since lose since only American money would be In In- invested vested L n I i So Ambassador Am Weddell had sev- sev several sev several eral talks with General Franco and later sold the idea to some of his friends In the state department no no- notably notably notably tably Assistant Secretary Breckin Breckin- Breckinridge I ridge Long and James Dunn Jim Jim- Jimmy Jimmy my Dunn adviser on political rela rela- relations relations relations today has become becom one of the most Important figures in the state department For he is Cordell Hulls Hull's chief chic croquet partner In fact tact it is ison ison ison on Jimmy Dunns Dunn's lawn that hat many of ot the croquet matches take place So Jimmy Dunn sold the idea of the e Spanish credit to his croquet partner and for tor a time it looked as asif asif asif if Mr Hull would put it ft across It was at this point that Under Secre Secre- Secretary Secretary Secretary tary of ot State Sumner Welles stepped into the picture He communicated direct dire t to the Ule President who at that time was away on his Caribbean cruise Roosevelt agreed with Welles that thatto thatto to throw a hundred million dollars into the lap of ot Fascist Spain would be extremely unwise However a compromise finally was worked out largely for the purpose of saving Mr Hulls Hull's feelings since he had already gone rather far out on a limb in favor of ot the Spanish credits Therefore the Red Cross will send senda a certain amount of ot food and medi medi- medical medical medical cal supplies to Spain How much this will be remains to be seen but the croquet clique cUque will see that it itIs itis Itis Is enough to keep Franco in power despite the rising tide of discontent among the Spanish people e HIGHWAY HITCHES BITCHES One major item of the new de de- defense defense de- de defense budget to be submitted to con can congress congre gre gress s in January is a system of superhighways super linking key Indus Indus- Industrial industrial Industrial trial centers The plan calls for forthe forthe forthe the greatest road ro d building program in the history of ot the country Elimination of transportation bottlenecks bot bot- bottlenecks bottlenecks such as prevailed during the World war is one goal also the problem of at conflicting con state high high- highway highway way laws which are a serious im im- impediment impediment im- im impediment pediment to defense For instance the war department entered into a contract with a truck line last summer to transport small arms and ammunition from Chicago to Sparta Wis where maneuvers were being held It was a rush or or- order order order der but was held up because the trucks didn't conform to Wisconsin limitations In another case build build- building building building ing materials for an urgently need need- needed needed needed ed powder plant in Indiana were de delayed bayed because of highway statutes In an effort to unravel the maze of state traffic rules the interdepartmental interdepartmental committee on interstate trade barriers has surveyed stat stat- utes Thirty-nine Thirty state legislatures meet in January and defense authorities au au- authorities authorities plan a vigorous drive to persuade them to remove these de- de defense de de- defense defense obstacles The highway re re- report report re- re report port has already been sent to the legislative heads of ot Kentucky Lou Lou- Louisiana Louisiana Louisiana Mississippi Nebraska New Jersey New York Rhode Island South Carolina and Virginia Federal officials want the states to solve the problem themselves but if they dont don't congressional action will be sought under the constitutional constitutional constitutional prohibition against interstate commerce barriers Such a move doubtless will stir up the hot opposition opposition opposition tion of ot railroads who favor the ex ex- existing existing fisting system as an aid in fighting truck competition MAIL BAG L. L K St. St Louis Senator Louis Senator Clarks Clark's isolationist views are completely consistent and sincere doubtless go go- going going going ing back to similar views os held by his father the celebrated Champ Clark Senator Clark always has been an ardent opponent of war He had a distinguished record in the thelast thelast thelast last war J. J H. H Muncie Secretary Ind-Secretary Ind Secretary of Labor Perkins is not foreign born she was T born in Boston Mass April 10 1882 S ROUND MERRY-GO-ROUND In speaking Spanish Henry Wallace Wal Wai- Wailace lace has difficulty with the word words meaning Swiss and Swede Re Re- Result Result sult suit is he sometimes refers to his hiE Swiss law brother as a Swede Everybody Ev who enters Justice JustiC Murphys Murphy's chambers in the Supreme court is fa asked by his bis secretary tc sign a guest book a. f h S. S |