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Show trim riaiiiTt m-nii 1ST Washington, D. C. NAZI LAKE Tell-tale signs accumulate that the next big Hitler drive is to make the Mediterranean an Axis lake. The most obvious, of course, is Hitler's unconcealed plan to launch submarine subma-rine and bombing raids against Suez from his new base at Salonika and from the Greek islands. Secret plans for closing the other end of the Mediterranean have been evident for some time along the Spanish border, where big guns are ready to be rushed against Gibraltar. Gibral-tar. Most significant of these preparations, prepara-tions, however, has not leaked out. It shows how extensive are Hitler's ambitions around the Mediterranean. Mediterrane-an. For some weeks now, Nazis have been busy dismantling the airplanes air-planes of General Weygand in North Africa. Every morning the French wake up to And a magneto missing from one machine, a carburetor from another. Gradually, the essential essen-tial parts of this air fleet have evaporated. evap-orated. Hitler is taking no chances on letting let-ting what remains of the French air force get into British hands. There now seems to be little question ques-tion that Hitler plans to take over French possessions in North Africa, together with French naval bases, as soon as the time is ripe. Note U. S. military observers believe be-lieve the Mediterranean will be ripe first, next Russia. That is the way the Hitler time-table looks today. IRISH ARMS The visit to Washington of Irish Defense Minister Frank Aiken, on an arms purchasing mission, was no boon to congressmen of Irish descent de-scent who voted against lend-lease. He has pointedly avoided them, and instead gone out of his way to hobnob with the members of congress con-gress who supported the bill particularly par-ticularly House Democratic Leader John McCormack, who sponsored the measure, and Rep. Jim Mc-Granery Mc-Granery of Pennsylvania. The tall, genial Irish minister has been eloquent in praise of British courage and President Roosevelt's policy of making the United States the "arsenal of democracy." He wants to draw on that arsenal to arm Ireland against the Nazi menace. men-ace. The Irish are as adamant as ever, Aiken says, against turning over their urgently desired bases to the British. But he points out that Ireland Ire-land is Britain's "breadbasket," having provided one-third of its food, considerable clothing, and other necessities ne-cessities since the war began. Ireland proposes to mobilize an army to battle off any Nazi attacks, if the necessary equipment can be obtained from Britain and the United Unit-ed States. Britain has agreed to furnish fur-nish some, and Aiken hopes to get the rest here. He says he has "several "sev-eral hundred million dollars" to spend for anti-aircraft guns, tanks, rifles, ammunition; also for wheat and food. Note Ireland has an army of 250,-000 250,-000 volunteers, but only 25,000 are properly equipped and garrisoned. Most of the men are local "security guards," who train only once a week. LEND-LEASE KINGTIN Kingpin in directing the lend-lease program is Harry Hopkins, gaunt intimate of the President. Living and working in the White House, Hopkins is Roosevelt's personal per-sonal spokesman on all lend-lease matters and holds all the reins. No move is made without his knowledge and approval. In inner circles Hopkins Hop-kins is referred to as lend-lease "coordinator," "co-ordinator," but actually he is the boss-man for the President. Hopkins' chief assistant is Maj. Gen. James H. Burns, one of the army's procurement aces. The test in passing on allied requests re-quests for supplies is whether they will also be useful for our own defense. de-fense. The government's policy is to provide all equipment and materials ma-terials possible, but not to disrupt our own defense program. An example of the emphasis on standardization of the armament of the U. S. and Britain was a recent request for 37-mm. shells. It was turned down because 75 mm. is the caliber of the guns now chiefly in use in our army. Production of 37 millimeter shells would have required re-quired extensive retooling, only to turn out ammunition of no value to us. The actual placing of lend-lease orders is being handled through three offices; munitions by the navy's na-vy's bureau of supplies and accounts and by the bureau of ships; and army supplies by Under Secretary of War Robert Patterson. MERRY-GO-ROUND Braintruster Tom Corcoran, in private law practice since last November, No-vember, will return to government office but not as a braintruster. He will be entrusted with a key administrative admin-istrative job as assistant secretary of the navy for air. Socialite Jimmy Cromwell, former U. S. minister to Canada and defeated de-feated Democratic candidate for the senate in New Jersey, is quietly plugging himself as successor to Philippine high commissioner Francis Fran-cis Sayr |