Show National Whirligig it iI By Ray Tucker WASHINGTON Washington's handling of railroad pay problems can easily upset F FD D s R s 's 1944 plans in so far as his reelection will dep depend nd on the support of organized workers Here is the tangled tale of pressure high-pressure tactics The latest crisis was precipitated by Economic Economic Economic Eco- Eco Stabilizer Fred M. M Vinson He set aside an cent 8 boost granted to 15 unions by a a. railway emergency board acting under the railway labor act Fear that the award might violate the little steel formula which was adopted to block John L L. L Lewis' Lewis demands motivated moti moti- his intervention Economically it is conceivable that the shop craftsmen's resentful and restless attitude could inspire a a. critical up tie-up of the nations nation's transportation trans trans- potation system although few here believe the situation will be permitted to reach that stage Several groups however are preparing strike ballots and will at least repudiate their pledges not to quit their jobs Politically the squabble might open the way for John Ls L.'s triumphant return to the American American American Ameri Ameri- can Federation of Labor in plenty of time to become become become be be- come the dominant figure in that organization before next years year's campaign President Roosevelt dreads and opposes such sucha a a. finale to his partisan-labor partisan maneuvering because be- be because because be be- cause he knows that the haired bushy boy would try t to swing the A F L against him in any term fourth-term try The background of the current controversy began on January 17 1942 when John L. L L proposed proposed pro pro- posed resumption of peace conferences with the A F L and the C CIO CIA IO The astute mine leader advanced this offer only two days after after an an impartial wide nation-wide poll showed that 71 Tl per per cent of the nations nation's organized working men wanted a reconciliation President Summons Green and Murray Roosevelt Pro-Roosevelt leaders like Philip Murray and William Green were immediately summoned to the White House To sidetrack Lewis F D R urged them to set up a a. joint advisory board to counsel him on labor matters They complied forthwith but this agency never functioned effectively effectively ef ef- ef- ef and has been virtually scrapped When John L. L demanded unity Mr Green named a a. discussion committee subsequent to several several several sev sev- eral consultations with the president It is understood understood un un- that the president again warned against a a. reunion on the ground that the Welshman was wasa a a. congenital troublemaker Anyway Mr Green selected a a. group which might have been chosen by Mr Roosevelt wit to-wit Daniel J J. J Tobin teamsters' teamsters president and a wool the administration man He has headed new deal blocs campaigning for F D R in the last three presidential contests Matthew who favors an immediate return return re re- re- re turn of the bituminous workers He is regarded as a a. reactionary Republican George M. M M Harrison Hamson of the railway clerks A quiet forceful fellow he has not taken sides openly but is supposed to lean toward Mr Roosevelt But George has several pending long-pending wage claims before the national war labor board Unless Unless Un Un- less they are disposed of more expeditiously and generously than were others dispatched by Mr Vinson Mr Harrison may cast his vote for welcoming welcoming welcoming wel wel- coming the presidential foe back into the fold The dilemma also depicts how Intimately questions of political and economic import are interwoven even in wartime although they would not necessarily be so if the key actor in the drama w were were re not seeking an encore Roosevelt Solves Oil Problem In Balkans Mass bombing of the oil fields in Rumania Rumania Ru Ru- u- u mania furnishes a a. backdrop to the petroleum deals we are now making with England These drillings provide Hitler with at t least st third one-third of his needs The amount assumes even more strategic importance in view of the fact that this liquid is mixed with synthetic fuel in fairly large proportions Allied military men therefore listed the destruction of these re resources resources resources re- re sources high on their war calendar once we could obtain aerial supremacy in that area But that scheme had a a. definite disadvantage When and If we attack der fuehrer through his Balkan back yard yard and and that day may not be distant the distant the united nations will require vast reserves reserves reserves re re- re- re serves or wells near the scene of opera operations ons Devastation of the installations installation would eliminate the nearest and most voluminous supply sup sup- ply F D R solved both problems problem with one stroke He agreed that the assault must be undertaken at this critical period especially as a. Italy draws much of her oil from this vicinity To meet theother the theother theother other difficulty he instructed t e lend-lease lend administration administration administration ad ad- ministration to begin shipment of refinery ment to the middle east cast so that when the offensive offensive offen offen- sive starts In that sector we can hump Dump from the British pipe lines In Iran and Iraq Iran Plenty of petroleum exists there but facilities for converting converting con con- crude into a form fonn suitable for planes ships and tanks tank are lacking The problem of the United States after the war will wUl not h M be What can I sell but What must mut mu t I not sell America must buy back goods to the volume of her exports There are a number number num num- ber bar of basic bulc exports which rank Ions long before motor ears Cotton tobacco wheat and meat Lord Perry British auto aut manufacturing magnate Congressmen get et more more out of the tobb lobbyist 1st than he gets ets out of them I. I for one like to know what he I. I is after aUer and nail nall it down Representative five tive Hatton Summers of Texas h |