Show NEWS BEHIND THE NEWS Written for or The Telegram By Ray Tucker WASHINGTON The new secretaries of war and navy Stimson and Knox are still Roosevelt prisoners of war in so far as the Republicans are concerned Their political status Is one of suspended animation and their eventual fate will be determined only by the elections election's elections election's elections election's elec elec- tion's outcome National Chairman John D D. M. M Hamilton read them out of the party at Philadelphia but he had no power of excommunication His impulsive action did not set well with the delegates Governor Governor Governor Gov Gov- Harold Stassen of Minnesota Minnesota Minnesota Minne Minne- sota read them back in again and his tolerant spirit evoked applause applause applause ap ap- ap- ap from the c convention o n v e n t i o n audience Wendell L L. Willkie however has told friends that he will not keep them on if he at attains attains attains at- at the White House He expressed expressed expressed ex ex- ex- ex pressed no resentment or impatience impatience impatience tience with their acceptance of posts under a Democratic dent He gave the impression that if he became commander- commander in-chief in he would want his own subalterns Discussion of f their future prospects pros pros- pests may maybe be only a tempest Ina in ina a a political teapot It is understood understood understood under under- stood that they agreed to serve only until the end of Mr Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roosevelt's Roose Roose- velt's present term The shipment of German prisoners prisoners prisoners pris pris- from Britain to Canada furnishes a on London's desperate fear of a murderous attack on the isles by Hitler's planes and submarines It suggests suggests suggests sug sug- that the British are aware that der fuehrer has certain surprises surprises surprises sur sur- up his military sleeve The primary reason for this amazing confession of dread is the prospect that parachute troops might drop into internment internment intern intern- ment camps arm the prisoners and fight their way out That would give them a strategic foothold foothold foothold foot foot- hold in many sections of the country Another reason reason reason-a reason reason-ac- ac according cording to confidential cables received here here is is that the captured captured cap cap captured Germans can be put to useful useful useful use use- ful work overseas whereas British British British Brit Brit- ish factories and arsenals may maybe maybe maybe be destroyed or crippled in future raids The third explanation for the move is largely psychological London wants to prove to Canada Canada Canada Can Can- ada that the British have captured captured captured cap cap- thousands of Germans Itis It Itis Itis is hoped that the spectacle will stimulate recruiting and promote greater enthusiasm than the crown colony has shown in re recent recent recent re- re cent weeks Private and economists anticipate a sharp rise in living costs within the next few months despite the maintenance of comparatively comparatively comparatively com com- stable levels since the wars war's outbreak New dealers are fearful that it may come come before election and thereby endanger the Democrats' Democrats chance of vic vic- tory Chief cause is the tax bill al already already already al- al ready in effect and the presidents president's presidents president's presidents president's dents dent's unexpected request for a steeply g graduated r a d u a ate t e d excess profits tax They will have a psychological effect upon the themen themen themen men who fix the prices The first thing a manufacturer or businessman businessman businessman busi busi- does is to figure what his taxes will be and he writes off that amount in figuring the charge he must ask of the con con- suming public Prices are slowly rising and he must also take that factor into consideration So the cost of necessities and luxuries luxuries luxuries lux lux- uries f for r fall and winter may soar Foreign buying of foodstuffs may also boost the C. C of L. L The British are buying lard canned milk and other concentrated products here meats in Canada and South America in anticipation tion of a Hitler onslaught Eventually Eventually Eventually Even Even- these purchases together with Red Cross buying will shoot up the price of these and allied articles The Democratic insiders are re revamping revamping revamping re- re vamping their political publicity up set-up in anticipation of a whirlwind whirlwind whirlwind whirl whirl- wind attack by Wendell L. L Willkie Willkie Willkie Will Will- kie Franklyn Waltman Jr and Russell Davenport They dont don't believe that the outfit which helped to blast Herbert Herbert Herbert Her Her- bert Hoover out of the White WhiteHouse WhiteHouse WhiteHouse House will measure up in this campaign Charley Michelson is now in his middle seventies lie Ie doesn't possess the spark which flamed against Mr Hoover eight years ago Moreover Charley was never an ardent new dealer he was closer to Garner and Farley than he was to the dent So the job of baiting Willkie in the headlines may fall to Lowell Mellett former Scripps- Scripps Howard editor and now head of the office of government reports He has staffed government departments departments de de- with newspaper experts ex- ex x- x devoted to the new deal and they will probably take over when the going gets hot Attempt to arrange a conference conference conference confer confer- ence between Roosevelt and Willkie probably will collapse The only reason for such a meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing would be a foreign crisis of such magnitude that they must g get t together and make a joint declaration on American aims F. F D. D R. R has said that he would welcome a talk with the Republican Republican Republican lican candidate but he has issued no invitation Willkie responded informally by noting that You dont don't force your way into the White House So the next move is up to the president Copyright 1940 McClure Syndicate |