Show NEWS BEH BEHIND I ND THE HE NEWS 1 4 Written for The Telegram e By Ray Tucker WASHINGTON WASHINGTON-T The h e British seizure and sinking of a major portion of the French fleet may mark the decisive turning point of the European war Our foreign foreign foreign for for- eign experts regard it as Hitler's first serious setback They can hardly restrain themselves from exhibiting undiplomatic jubilation jubilation jubilation tion over the naval coup at Oran and elsewhere With a tragic sense of humor Washington officialdom comments comments com com- ments Britain now has a half half- Nelson remember Trafalgar on onder onder onder der fuehrer Far more important important important tant to us than its effect on the continental conflict it may mean that Uncle Sam will be given time to prepare for a possible invasion militarily and indus indus- It should have a deep Influence on neutrals neutrals even even on Italy and Russia and Japan The restraint which il ll duces duce's com comp commanders manders menders showed is regarded here as significant It suggests that Mussolini may fear that in lining up with Hitler he is backing a loser in the long run Hitler's fleet never very powerful powerful powerful pow pow- erful has been destroyed according according according ac ac- cording to our navys navy's inside info But had he taken over the French ships their union with Italian naval forces and vessels he has under construction would have placed him on an equality with Great Britain Then had he wiped the seas of the British fleet and had Japan pitched in against us the United States would have faced real trouble The household of the French embassy here has no sympathy for the policies of the Petain government Although owing nominal fealty to the faction faction faction fac fac- tion which made peace with Hitler Hitler Hitler Hit Hit- ler they believe that France should fight on They line up with the De group which has repudiated the Petain Laval Petain-Laval- Laval Laval- Bonnet faction of appeasers The split presents some embarrassment embarrassment embarrassment em em- to the Roosevelt administration The presidents president's sympathies naturally lie with the theDe theDe theDe De crowd Secretary Hull has declined to say which faction faction faction fac fac- tion he will eventually nize But his very refusal to discuss the question indicates his preference he would like to strengthen the Hitler anti-Hitler forces by recognizing De rather than the peace-making peace Petain The White House never did like the Laval Bonnet Laval Bonne t clique So Mr Roosevelt may deliver another blow for Britain by acknowledging ing the De committee committee- that's all aUlt it is is-as is as the going government government government gov gov- of France Madame Perkins may not know it but she is being given the same treatment F. F D. D R. R administered administered administered admin admin- to Harry Woodring before be- be before before be be- fore the latter was bluntly asked to resign The new dealers from the president down wish she would take the hint and quit They figure that she will be a a heavy drag on the Democrats inthe in inthe inthe the coming campaign whether Mr Roosevelt runs or not Her office has been stripped of all its power and prerogatives The N L R B handles labor disputes disputes disputes dis dis- which were once settled by her mediators The naturalization naturalization nat nat- and immigration service service service ice has been shifted to justice Dr Isador Lubin labor statistics chief and the ablest man in the department has been devoting all his his' time to the antimonopoly committee Colonel Phil Fleming wage wage hours hours administrator administrator administrator ad ad- has discovered that Miss Perkins is extremely unpopular unpopular unpopular un un- popular on Capitol Hill Hlll So he is playing a lone game and trying to disassociate himself from her Its It's a rather cruel perform perform- ance once and Miss Perkins is heart heart- broken F. F D D. R. R could call her herin herin herin in and ask her to quit but he is too soft-hearted soft for that What he is doing is to kill her with gentle unkindness Wendell Willkie's nomination as Republican presidential candidate candidate candidate can can- has combined with the prospect of increasing war orders to give the Democrats a leg up in the coming campaign The Willkie choice resulted ina in ina ina a boost in Wall Street levels levels so so much so that politico-financial politico insiders tried to restrain the upward upward up up- ward movement for fear it might react unfavorably against him But it also gave confidence to the people that no matter which major party wins there will be bea a strong and experienced man in inthe inthe inthe the White House for the next four years As a result the popular popular pop pop- ular fear and uncertainty have tended to disappear All the business and industrial indexes are looking up Although most of the new spirit of optimism may be due to to the Willkie nomination it is a apolitical apolitical political axiom that the party in power benefits from improved economic conditions And if the country is s in the midst of a baby boom during October and the first week in November the Democrats will claim the credit for it Although 90 per cent of the members of congress dislike the idea it is probable that a compulsory compulsory compulsory com com- military training bill will willbe willbe willbe be passed at this session certainly certainly certainly at the one which opens after election next January Capitol Hill mail reveals considerable considerable considerable con con- sympathy for such a system though no enthusiasm Here is the best summary of the letters which fathers and mothers of eligible trainees are sending to their senators and representatives tives fives We dont don't like the thought of America becoming a militaristic nation But If our boys have togo to togo togo go to war we want them to go goas goas goas as hardened and trained soldiers because they will have a better chance of coming back alive Copyright 1940 McClure Syndicate |