Show J I. I i He Can Cant Can't t Sleep If It Off ff 1 LL STILL BE V HERE WHEN YOU WAKE WAK U UP BUDDY t 1 1 1 T Tz AX z 1 d. d y r r J Jp p Y YS S w G ter b w J fY W Washington as h- h Ington M Round Merry erry- erry G 0 R oun d By Pearson earson Drew i WASHINGTON H Here Her e r e is what happened behind the scenes last week in the coal mine negotiations negotiations negotiations which made John L. L Lewis so boiling mad Charles ONeill O'Neill representing the northern coal operators flatly refused to make any counterproposals to the United Mine Workers' Workers demand for a 2 a day increase Lewis had proposed proposed proposed pro pro- posed that even if the coal operators operators operators opera opera- tors couldn't meet those demands demands demands de de- de- de mands they should offer something something something some some- thing and then by continued negotiations it might be possible to find a basis for agreement Offer us something even if its only 2 cents a day increase pleaded the big miner so well we'll have something to negotiate on No were we're standing pat re replied replied replied re- re plied ONeill knowing he had President Roosevelt behind him also wanting to get the dispute before the war labor board We will agree to no wage increase All right will you offer counterproposals to some of our other demands not involving money Lewis persisted This met with another turndown turndown turndown turn turn- down from ONeill O'Neill who had in insisted insisted insisted in- in almost from the start of conciliation talks in New York that the mine dispute be turned over to the war labor board And he knew that any counterproposal counterproposal counterproposal counter counter- proposal by him would delay reference reference reference ref ref- ref ref- to the board Well If that's the way you feel about it you know our position don tion exploded Lewis If we dont don't have a new contract when the day 30 extension expires on April 30 we wont won't be trespassing on your property Since publication of the recent Round Merry-Go-Round report regarding regarding regarding regard regard- ing U U. S. S Treasury-Thomas Treasury J. J Watson tax difficulties I have been informed that Mr Watson paid the treasury's additional tax assessments of around in 1940 and that his present claim against the treasury for a refund will not be pressed Mr Watson lodged this claim claimon on advice of tax counsel only because because because be be- cause of precedents set by the tax court which indicated the original tax returns were cor cor- He has informed me however however however how how- ever that at a time like this the last thing he would want to todo todo todo do is press a tax claim against his government with which he may sometimes disagree but which his long public record shows he will alwa always s defend and support In fairness to Mr Watson I think t the these h e s e additional facts should be known The war department has just received a protest from several forthright members of congress who demand a complete investigation investigation investigation gation of charges made in this column that the army is discriminating discriminating discriminating dis dis- dis- dis criminating a against officer candidates candidates candidates can can- who served with Loyalist Loyal Loyal- forces during the Spanish civil war The protest signed by Representatives Representatives Representatives Rep Rep- Clare Boothe Luce Republican of Connecticut John Coffee and Warren Magnuson of Washington Chet Holifield of California all Democrats reads in part Reports which have been given to us and which we have no reason to question re reveal reveal reveal re- re veal that not a single soldier in the foregoing group Loyalist Loyal Loyal- vets who attended officer candidate schools has b been bee e e n granted his commission Military experts regard the civil war in Spain as the opening round of the present tragic conflict conflict conflict con con- in which we are I now en en- It is inconceivable that the United States army would now penalize any young man who voluntarily fought under the colors of the Spanish Loyalist flag against the axis by refusing refusing refusing refus refus- ing him the right to become an officer in the American army Certainly the protesting congressmen continue t this h his i s country in its greatest crisis will not deny these young men another chance to pit their strength and intelligence against those same axis forces in other areas where our soldiers are now fighting under the American flag Behind the scenes the Truman Truman Truman Tru Tru- man committee is sharply critical critical critical crit crit- ical of the war shipping administration administration administration admin admin- for failing to crack crackdown crackdown crackdown down on big ship owners who have not expedited shipping to our fighting forces The Truman committee now has before it some sensational testimony by members of the thedo C CIO do 10 National Maritime union about a near mutiny on a merchant merchant merchant mer mer- chant ship owned by the Grace Lines in September of last year Union officials have informed the committee that this ship loaded with munitions and supplies supplies supplies sup sup- plies for an American force in inthe inthe inthe the New Hebrides islands was laid up at an island port for 51 days without unloading When crew members went to the captain and volunteered their services free to assist native native native na na- na- na tive longshoremen in unloading the ship the captain told them to mind their own business It was not until c crew r e w members held a secret meeting and andi i formed a committee to demand immediate action by the captain captain captain cap cap- l tain that he agreed to the unloading unloading unloading un un- loading of the ship |