| Show I r A A. w C d F wi t Gale r By DREW PEARSON r and ROBERT ALLEN WASHINGTON Amiable little Harry Woodring has won von the New Deal record at sidestepping sidestepping side side- J stepping a resignation tion from the cabi cabi- net But the time may soon come comet t hen he will get theL the L substitute job which Ik r he wants The last time Roosevelt approached approached ap ap- ap Harr Harry Y with the idea that he might want to Joe Kennedy trade rade his present job of secretary of war to become an ambassador Woodring replied No uNo not that job Mr President I dont don't want to go to Rome But I would be interested in going to the court of St St. James James' The President pointed out that that post was not open Yes I know that sa said id Mr I Woodring but you and I know that Joe Joseph P. P Kennedy now ambassador ambassador am am- to Great Britain never stays long at any anyone one job Hell He'll be leaving there soon And meanwhile I dont don't mind waiting Whereupon Mr Ro Roosevelt's sevelt's genial genial ge gee nial and tenacious secretary of war got up p and departed leaving the President half amused half flabbergasted flab flab- Volatile Ambassador Kennedy For the President knew that Harry Harry Harry Har Har- ry Woodring was right Joe Kennedy does not remain too long at any anyone one job In fact just a few weeks after this conversation took place Secretary Secretary Secretary Secre Secre- tary Woodring almost got the very wish he had expressed For after the appointment of Sumner Sumner Sumner Sum Sum- ner Welles Velles as peace envoy to Europe Europe Europe Eu Eu- rope the British announced that all their files would be placed at the disposal of Mr Welles he could read everything they had nothing would be kept secret This set off the fireworks Now just where does that put me roared the explosive Ambassador Ambassador Ambas Ambas- Kennedy m. om while on vacation in the United S States tat e s Y You 0 u would think think I had ad J L f just I been pouring i ii hr tea over there instead in in- in- in i jq v stead of working g r f. f my head off If If x the they think the they F need a special ti am ambassador over oer i It there to get et all o ji i ith th the e B British t IS h secrets se se- 4 ml t- t te crets I failed to J U i ge get t th they ey can w F. F count me out This was what Harry Woodring Ken Kennedy n e d y remarked remarked remarked re re- re- re marked to some of his friends And he did almost as well when he talked to the President Roosevelt however calmed him down said that he was indispensable in Lon Lon- don So Woodring will not get the job of ambassador to St. St James' James at least not yet Note Real Note Real fact is that Ambassador I dor Kennedy does have access to I British secrets In fact Chamberlain Chamberlain Chamber Chamber- lain is extremely frank with him and the general consensus in the Roosevelt administration is that the United States seldom has been more I capably represented in London Roosevelt is most anxious that Kennedy continue 1 SOCIAL SECURITY VAGARIES If congress would take time out from its political antics to examine the hundreds of letters pouring into the social security board it would uncover some extraordinary facts about the touted much old-age old pension pension pension pen pen- sion system It would learn for example that while the complicated social security ty law is barring tens of thousands of needy oldsters from pensions it itis itis itis is also putting a premium on deception deception deception de de- de- de and dishonest pensions TI The e system requires that aged persons should have earned 50 in wages in half the quarters since January 1937 before they can receive receive receive re re- re- re a pension Since most workers workers workers work work- ers near 65 have been unemployed and cannot get work they are automatically automatically auto auto- precluded from pensions in other words from the very purpose purpose purpose pur pur- pose for which the law was passed But while honest oldsters are left out in the cold smart or crooked ones find no trouble in getting pen pen- By the simple process of having havinga a relative or friend give them a fictitious fictitious fictitious fic fic- job they make themselves eligible for an annuity Here is one case of this kind which came to the attention of f the board An oldster went to a friendly friend friend- ly employer and on the promise to pay the required taxes got the employer employer employer em em- to certify him as a worker 1 For a total payment of 9 since 1937 he thus became eligible on January 1 for a 15 a month pension for the remainder of his life Another case was that of a retired retired re re- i. i tired millionaire living in Florida who was put on the payroll of the family firm as a vice president and will vail soon begin drawing a monthly pension of over 60 |
