OCR Text |
Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS I Written for The Teleorem j R t jl only unknown factor. In either 1 event it will mean a war to the finish, and the death of any plan for peace along the Roosevelt formula. So the president mingles the threat of Increased aid to the allies with promises of a new kind of peace if der fuehrer or the German people will harken to him. That Is the novel twist which American foreign policy has taken. Harold L. Ickes' discharge of Bureau of Mines Director Finch shocked even the professional new dealers, and they are not easily discommoded. It smacked of the petUneas and partisanship which the secretary of Interior condemns so sulphuroualy when he detects It In his political enemies. en-emies. The bureau of mines, like the bureau of standards, is supposed to be a scientific, fact-finding ' agency, not a policy-making body. It is not part of Its assignment assign-ment to frame recommendations to fit the Ickeaian philosophy, as he Insists It should. It fulfilled its exact function when, without consulting Mr. Ickes, It advised the sale of helium to Herr Hitler the cabinet member's chief Indictment In-dictment of the Finch regime.' Moreover, Mr. Ickes has not suggested sug-gested the disciplining of Cordell Hull, although the latter likewise like-wise favored the transaction. Fact Is that the real reason tor Mr. Ickes' rancor was the mining men's opposition to his pending bill vesting cxarist control of the oil Industry in the department of interior. The Ickes charge that a few "bureaucrats" ran the bureau amused Insiders here. For Harold, Har-old, to the dismay of many new dealers, promoted Washington's No. 1 bureaucrat E. K. Burlaw from a clerkship to the post of assistant secretary of the interior. in-terior. And under Mr. Burlew's management the department haa become such a bureaucracy that it makes the Kremlin look like a free love colony. Senator Joe Guffey recently stormed the White House to pro-teest pro-teest against the proposed appointment ap-pointment of Herbert F. Goodrich Good-rich as a federal judge In the Third (Joe's) district. Attorney General Murphy had recommended recom-mended Mr. Goodrich, who is dean of the law school of Pennsylvania Penn-sylvania university, whereas Joe was backing an old time favorite. As he entered the executive offices of-fices with a grim look on his face, the senator said: "I'll sink or swim with my man!" Figuring he might have to swim, the White House photographers photogra-phers hurriedly obtained a life preserver from the S. S. Columbus, Colum-bus, the self-scuttled German merchantman. They figured that a snap of Joe with the life belt around his neck would make an excellent "action picture." But the not too good-natured Penq-sylvanian Penq-sylvanian refused to oblige. Copyright, 1940. McClure Syndicate WASHINGTON President Roosevelt's closest advisers on foreign affairs are quietly working work-ing out a formula for European peace which the administration administra-tion will advance at the proper time. Meanwhile, it will make cautious attempts to win worldwide world-wide support for the idea along the lines indicated in the president's presi-dent's message to congress. The underlying theory contemplates contem-plates a federation of the European Eu-ropean states, with the possible exception of soviet Russia. F. D. R.'s experts foresee no hope of an enduring peace if it Is negotiated ne-gotiated In accord with the principles prin-ciples which liquidated the World war. Nor can they picture a permanently contented Europe If the conflict results in a patchwork restoration of the nations Poland, Czecho - Slovakia Slo-vakia and Austria destroyed by ' the dictators. Only a free union of social, economic and political politi-cal Interests, in their opinion, can guarantee a good peace and a solid front against the menace . of communism. F. D. R.'s private spokesmen Insist that the United States will undertake no responsibility or commitments In connection with such an International establishment. establish-ment. But In their off-the-record momenta they admit that It will require revolutionary revision re-vision of our trade and monetary policies If It is to succeed. No European federation could long survive without access on the most favorable terms to our markets mar-kets and our almost monopolistic control of the world's gold supply. sup-ply. In the long run. Uncle Sam would finance and underwrite the proposed reorganization of a bankrupt continent President Roosevelt's preoccupation preoc-cupation with peace possibilities springs from our diplomatic scouts' reports that the war will take a decisive turn within the next few months. During that period F. D. R. Intends to cast every ounce of American prestige pres-tige and pressure behind moves for a peaceful settlement even If It necessitates a virtual ultimatum ulti-matum that the United States will not permit the allies to lose. Germany's stocks of essential materials are running low, according ac-cording to our best information, although not so low as wishful thinkers would like to believe. But the British blockade by land and sea Is slowly strangling the relch, and iu position will grow worse rather than better. Hitler's Hit-ler's people are living an abnormal abnor-mal life because of lack of proper foods, blackouts, the dav-by-day atraln. So are the British and French, though to a leas severe degree. The boredom and the bizarre existence are destroying morale as seriously as battles and bombings would. British and French resources are steadily dwindling, too. ' Therefore. H Is figured that Hitler will try to bresk through before May 15 at the latest probably by March 15. Whether he will make the attempt by way of Holland and the Netherlands, or through the Balkans, is the |