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Show k J)S$ DREW PBAR2DN ' A- - 1 'TT '1 n I a. m. t fl Editor's Note While Drew Pearson Is on vacation, the Washington Merry-Go-Round is being written by his old partner. part-ner. Kobert S. Allen,) Political Kettle Boils ' I kHE long-simmering political ket-tie ket-tie has reached the boiling point. On the national stage, the cooking started when Harry Truman and Thomas Dewey formally squared off before Labor Day audiences. Simultaneously, Simul-taneously, a number of equally exciting ex-citing and significant state contests were joined. To the smart politicoes, these local battles are second in importance only to the "big top" melee. For the politicoes poli-ticoes know that what happens in these state arenas will profoundly affect not only the national contest but also the shape of things afterward. after-ward. The control of consress, of powerful pow-erful organizations in key states, and, in the event Mr. Truman loses, of the national Democratic machinery, are at stake in these tests. Intensifying the concern of the political po-litical generalissimos are two factors: fac-tors: The great body of "undecided" voters, manifest in every important poll; and the spectacular upset of Memphis Boss Crump by crusading Rep Estes Kefauver. To the professional profes-sional politicoes, these two items spell uncertainty. Anything can happen. hap-pen. The general public is itchy and new and fresher-sounding voices have a strong appeal. Rank Surprise High-ranking officers are in for a surprise when the report of the advisory commission on service serv-ice pay is published. The commission will recommend recom-mend increases for enlisted men and junior officers, but none for the top grades. In fact, they actually ac-tually may face a pay cut in the recommended elimination of tax deductions and certain allowances. allow-ances. A previous committee of generals gen-erals and admirals had recommended recom-mended pay boosts for all ranks, with the top echelons getting the biggest increases. Defense Secretary Secre-tary Forrestal didn't even bother both-er to send this report to congress. con-gress. Instead he appointed the civilian commission to make a new study. Shipping Ban Violated The U. S. still is shipping vital war material to countries behind the iron curtain. And these shipments still are being be-ing made with approval of the commerce com-merce department's office of international inter-national trade. This is the agency that formerly was headed by William Wil-liam Remington, leading figure in the Russian "spy" disclosures of the house un-American activities committee. This astounding trade still Is going on despite the administration's administra-tion's announced policy of banning ban-ning it, despite the warlike aggressions ag-gressions and provocations of Russia and also despite the world-wide furor over the congressional con-gressional revelations and their attending fantastic ramifications. ramifica-tions. This column definitely has established es-tablished the following facts regarding re-garding the continued export of war potentials to Communist-ruled countries: coun-tries: The OIT has secretly issued a license li-cense for export of a large quantity quan-tity of ball bearings and steel balls (for the manufacture of bearings) to Czechoslovakia. This license was issued to the Overseas Mercantile company, N. Y. Satellite Czechoslovakia is today one of Russia's major munitions producers. The great Skoda plant has been converted entirely to military mil-itary output. Further, ball bearings are a key essential in the making of war goods. Two of the most costly air force raids into Germany during the recent war were . for the purpose pur-pose of knocking out ball-bearing plants. .An official of the Overseas Mercantile Mer-cantile company admitted that the ball bearings being shipped to Czechoslovakia could be used in war preparations. . Eye Poppers in Budget Preliminary budget estimates submitted by the army and navy for next year are eye-poppers. The two services are asking for approximately five billion dollars more than the 16 billion dollars congress voted them this year. The navy wants more than 11 billion dollars and the army more thar 10 billion dollars. .This stupendous 21 billion dollar dol-lar total does not include air force estimates. They are still to come and are sure to be not less than 7 billion dollars. The 1949 budget is already in preparation. It will be submitted to the new congress in January by President Truman, whether he is re-elected or not. If they win, G.O P. leaders privately are planning to demand a voice in prcparatioc of the budget. |