| Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS By Ray Tucker Telegrams Telegram's Washington Columnist W V A ASH S H I Canadian Canadian companies' companies ability and eagerness eagerness eagerness eager eager- ness to supply aluminum to certain certain certain tain selected American firms constitute a serious anomaly in view of the fact that priorities on this metal are driving well- well established domestic and non- non defense corporations out of busi busi- ness It has become a matter of some moment and probably will be the subject of a congressional congressional congressional investigation When William S. S Knudsen was questioned behind closed doors about this ironic situation by bythe bythe bythe the senate appropriations committee committee committee com com- he declared that it did not exist In a recent column this writer said that it was the Aluminum Company of Canada wh which ch was selling to American purchasers Some American firms subsequently tried to obtain obtain obtain ob- ob ob ob- tain aluminum from this corporation corporation corporation cor cor- and were turned down Canadas Canada's ALCOA says it has none of the metal to spare Several members of congress are now investigating the problem problem problem lem in some detail Some of their corporate constituents want to know Canada in the war still can sell selI the metal while the nonbelligerent United States permits small firms to go to the wall and throw men out of work because of shortages of this key product In view of this congressional excitement the following excerpts excerpts excerpts ex ex- ex- ex are clearly pertinent They are taken from letters written by the chief executive of ofa ofa a Canadian aluminum company to the purchasing agent of an American firm We have to hand your order order order or or- der for pounds Manilla- Manilla Foil for which not only I but the Canadian government also wish to thank you It was rather a coincidence that I should return from Ottawa this morning with the intention of writing you at the request of the government to inquire if you would as a special favor to us and them continue with the order you have placed and if possible increase same The reason the government are so desirous of continuing this business is that we here are in utmost need of the American American American Ameri Ameri- can exchange and this is one oJ of the best means of obtaining it Once again therefore I want to take this opportunity of thanking you for your order not only for myself but also on behalf behalf behalf be- be be be- half of the Canadian govern govern- ment Here is an even more revealing revealing revealing reveal reveal- ing excerpt from another letter letter letter let let- ter dated February 11 1941 which the president of this Canadian Canadian Ca Ca- nadian company wrote to the chief of the American corporation corporation corporation corpora corpora- tion who was becoming worried because of forecasts t that hat h hato a t O 0 P M would impose priorities on aluminum in the United States The letter was written only a few days before the aluminum priority decree was promulgated at Washington After to fill a new order order order or- or or or- der for aluminum foil the tile Canadian Canadian Canadian Ca Ca- nadian writes to his American customer as follows The Canadian government consider that the American exchange ex- ex exchange exchange ex ex- change that we receive from you is so important to the war effort that they have decided as we advised you in the past to allow us to continue to supply supply supply sup sup- ply you with as much alum aluminum num foil as you desire We thought that we had made that clear to you in our previous letters In so far as the local trade is concerned we are already supplying supplying supplying sup sup- plying them with composition foil as a substitute for aluminum aluminum aluminum num which is proving very sat sat- Your Mr the American firms firm's purchasing agent therefore is under a misapprehension misapprehension misapprehension mis mis- apprehension regarding supplies for your good selves We may have informed him that we were running the last of our aluminum aluminum aluminum num for the local trade Looking forward to your future orders and once again assuring you rou of our appreciation for the same we are Sincerely yours The names of the individuals and companies involved have been elided for obvious reasons but the he elisions do not nate the central fact and lesson les les- son son It should also be recalled that aluminum interests here in Canada and even abroad are metallic cousins Colonel William J. J Donovan the military emissary of the White House in Africa Turkey and the Balkans admits privately privately privately that he is a bit pessimistic tic about eventual British victory victory vic vic- victory tory in the out all-out clash with Herr Hitler Donovan thinks that the British British British Brit Brit- ish relied too heavily on their sand flank in northern Africa Having experienced the dangers and difficulties of the desert terrain in their drive against Mussolini's easily conquerable forces in that area the British commanders in Libya thought that their panzer opponents plus Italian remnants would be stalemated by the sands Unfortunately Unfortunately Unfortunately Un Un- fortunately the British were outsmarted Der fuehrer's staff chiefs have shown Teutonic thoroughness thorough thorough- ness in each of their different campaigns They have invented invent invent- ed a technique for each con con- quest For many months the commanders have been training troops to fight in sandy or mountainous terrain Africa or Greece The technicians have devised new and special weapons weapons weapons ons for both the European and African battlefields The federal bureau of investigation investigation investigation wants to take over the building which now houses all the officials and departments of the District of Columbia War activities have caused the F FBI B I to outgrow its present quarters on the fifth floor of the department of justice build build- ing FBI F B I agents totaled only a few years ago and and prohibition led congress to increase the number to about Under the impact of war and the fear of industrial sabotage the total has reached almost 2000 Appointment as an F FBI B I agent or official has become a prized political possession It outranks outranks outranks out out- ranks as all congressional mailbags mailbags mailbags mail- mail bags indicate selection to WestPoint West WestPoint WestPoint Point or Annapolis That may explain why Hollywood has been asked officially to headline headline headline head head- line the army and navy in forthcoming films instead of the FBI Copyright 1 41 McClure Syndicate |
