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Show Merry-Co-Round By DREW PEARSON and ROBERT S. ALLEN WASHINGTON Congressmen who legislated legislat-ed against another Morro Castle tragedy last year by requiring passenger ships to install automatic sprinkler systems, did not reckon with Uncle Dan Roper. His commerce department has quietly given one of the largest ship companies in the country wholesale exemption from the full operation of this supposedly, mandatory act. The firm is the Dollar line. Its entire fleet of 19 "president" vessels is given special privileges. Instead of enforcing the sprinkler rule specified speci-fied by congress, the department of commerce is permitting the substitution of "fire stops in certain overhead spaces." A "fire stop" is a fireproof fire-proof cleat in walls, floors and ceilings. Its purpose pur-pose is to prevent a sweep of flames. Substitution Substi-tution of "fire stops" for sprinklers will save the Dollar line close to $200,000. Furthermore, the commerce department gave the Dollar line an extcntion of time to install the cheaper substitute guards even though the law became effective October 1. 'Row boat' Johnson Directly responsible for these extraordinary concessions is Assistant Secretary J. M. (Row-boat) (Row-boat) Johnson. The nickname was given Johnson after he admitted to a congressional committee that his knowledge of maritime affairs was limited to rowboats. Prior to being appointed by Roper, . Johnson had been a state highway commissioner. commis-sioner. The loophole used by Johnson to give the Dollar line its wholesale exemption is a provision pro-vision in the law allowing exceptions to be made "in the case of a particular vessel." How Johnson reconciled this specific language with his action is not known. In granting his sweeping order, Johnson brushed aside a vigorous protest by Commander R. S. Field, new head of the bureau of marine inspection. The retired naval officer, a personal friend of the president, urged that the Dollar ships be tied up until the line complied with the law. Johnson not only overruled him, but ordered him to snswer no questions about the matter. When questioned about it he fidgeted, finally fi-nally said he could not make a statement "which might embarrass the Dollar line" until he had secured the approval of the "heads of the department." Secret of Tragedy There were two tragic errors in the life of Ted Marriner, late consul general in Syria, both contributing to his recent murder. One of them is well known: The fact that Marrmcr already had granted a passport visa to the Armenian who killed him. The letter went astray, and considering himself wronged, the Armenian shot Marriner. The other error is not known. It caused Mar-riner's Mar-riner's trsnsfer to Syria three years ago. Marriner was then counselor of the American embassy in Paris. Newly appointed to handle press relations was "Kippy'f Tuck, affable, socially-minded career man. One day he brought to Marriner a young French marquis who was endeavoring to break into journalism. The marquis had an enterprising and socially prominent mother. She had asked Tuck as a special favor to arrange an interview for her son. It would help him, she said, to secure a permanent job with his paper, Intransigeant, Tuck, always eager where socially-important people are concerned, obliged. A few days later Intransigeant published an astounding interview. Using direct quotes, it attributed to Marriner this statement: "I understand the French better than my own compatriots. You see, I like the French better than Americans ..." t Marriner explained that he wss misquoted in the first place, had given no permission for an interview in the second place. But it did no good. The statement was played up in American newspapers, caused outbursts of indignation on Capitol HilL An order came to the state department from the White House disciplining and transferring Marriner. The order was written in the president's presi-dent's own handwriting. Marriner went to Syria and his death. (Copyright, 1937, for The Telegram) - |