The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-01-11

Washington, Jan. 11-Presi- dent Roosevelt and his New Deal shipping board commissioners have been put in an embarras- sing position by some of his best friends.
 The friends are Kermit Roose- welt, the presidents cousin, and Vincent Astor, on whose yacht the president likes to go fishing. Both are directors of the Inter- national Mercantile Marine, which has just signed an agree ment with the Munson Steam- ship Line taking over its Pan- American Line to South America.
 The story is somewhat in- yolvcd and dates back to trouble between the shipping board and the MunsOn line. The latter pur- chased four government vessels for it's Pan-Amcrican route, still owes the government $2,25O, 900 and Is SSOO,OOO in arrears in pay ing instalmcnts.
 This delinquency is despite the fact that the Pan-American line gets $1,250,000 annually from the government on a mail con- tract.
 Because of this delinquency, the shipping board has insisted that the Munson line reorganiZe, cut down it's capital structure, reduce top-heavy salaries. Con- vcrsations to this end have taken place since Christmas.
 THE LOW DOWN
 Last week, however, Kermit Roosevelt suddenly appeared in Washington with an agreement secretly negotiated between the International Mercantile Marine and the Munson line. It provided for the purchase of Munsons Pan-American line for $5OO,O ,OOO. provided the I. M. M. got the governments s1,250,0O0 mail contract.
 This latter is what embarrasses the New Deal shipping board.
 Mail contracts are supposed to be awarded by public bids. Sew eraI other firms would like to bid on this contract. It is the second best awarded by the government. The Pan-American line has been making n profit of $25O.OOO on 1t.
 Also the International Mercan- tile Marine already owes several millions to the government. Fur thermore some of it's vessels operate under the Union Jack.
 So despite the visit of Kermit Roosevelt, the shipping board has opposed the deal.
 CROONER
 "'Well, how did you like it?" asked a colleague of Mrs Flor ence Kahn, San Francisco's witty congresswoman. follow ing Roosevelt's applause-inspir- ing message to congress.
 "Very well, indeed" was the reply. But I had a feeling that almost any moment he would burst out singing, Come along little doggies, come along-to the last roundup
 ON THE GRIDDLE
 Friends of organized labor in congress are arranging to put the national labor board on the griddle. The tentative plan is to hail the board before the house labor committee and subject it to a critical cross examination.
 Head of the committee is Massachusetts Representative Bill Connery, one-time vaudeville hoofer and devoted labOrite. Union organizations in all parts of the country have flooded Con- nery with complaints against the board, charging it with endless procrastination and indccision in dealing with defiant employers.
 As a result of these protests, Connery has a long lst of specific instances where labor charges it suffered losses at the hand of 8 government agency established to protect it's interests. He plans to, demand a detailed explanation from the board on each case, and to do so at public hearings under 0 fioodlight of publicity. TOO LATE
 A group of students stormed the White House recently to pro- test against compulsory mili- tary training in American schools and colleges. They were particu- larly vehement against the R. o. T. c.
 Through the lobby of the exec. utive offices they went, finally were ushered into the glum pres ence of little Louey Howe. con- fidential secretary to Roosevelt and past master in dealing with delegations. Louey looked out through his cadaverous eyes, listened carefully, even @ bit sympathetically.
 The boys told their story, handed in petition, went home. LOuey sighed, picked up the pe-