The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-12

Washington, April i2--cIaude
Augustus swanson r. a grand
old man and the navy loves him.
Under him the navy-from ad-
mirals TO gobs---has been hap
pier than at any time II can
remember. And yet Claude Au-
gustus IL not really secretary OF
the navy.
Actually that Office rests with
the Roosevelt family, being d.
vided almost equally between the
Roosevelt In the White House
and his cousin, Colonel Henry
Latrobc Roosevelt, assistant sec
rotary of the navy.
1t is a complete harmonious
relationship.
EVERYBODY HAPPY
The admirals are happy, the
RooscveIts are happy, and even
Claude Augustus Ia happy. Hav-
Ing served the dominion of
Virginia for 80 years In the SEN
ate and house of Representatives,
having voted consistently for
bigger and better Davics. and
now being II years old and not
In the best OF health, nothing
plcases Swanson more than
rounding out his four decades
OF public service as head of tho
one branch of tho government
In which he is passionatcly de-
voted.
Swanson is a big navy man,
and Harry Roosevelt IN an even
WI Teatl
most OF their recent predecessors,
they are fortunate enough to be
In office at a time when they
can realize their dreams.
ONE OF THEM
With Franklin Roosevelt In tho
White House, nothing IL too good
for the navy. This policy is in
spircd both by sentiment and by
far eastern policy; and the result
is that Harry Roosevelt has q
pipeline to the White House at
any time, and doesn't hesitate to
use 1t.
The navy loves Swanson, but
has confidence in Roosevelt.
"Tbis man." the admirals say,
"is not "a politician. lie IL DEM
Ocrat only because his cousin n
"a democrat. lie has no political
sense. lie IL chiefly an ex-lnaFine
officer who has the hest interest
of the navy Mt heart"
The hdmirals do not say much
about 1t, but there was time
when Harry Roosevelt did not
get along 10 well with the navy.
That was when he was a. young
ster mt Annapolis. He had eye
trouble and funked out In his
second year. Like 80 many other
Naval Academy boys, who funk
out, he Immediately enlisted In
the Marine corps.
There he served for FL years,
being honorably discharged with
the rank of colonel shortly after
the World war.
The ways OF Harry Roosevelt
largely are those learned on u
bnttlcship. He is rough, encr-
getic, artistically tatOOed, spends
his evenings with sea-gOing peo-
pie. The men afioat know he's
their friend and that they can
bank on him.
ShE hNmAAthLS KEY
The imam who In most admin
istratiOns would run the navy is
Admiral William II. STANDBY,
chief OF naval operations. That
he docs not In due first to the
fact that 1t is run for him by the
Rooscyelts, and second to the
fact Standley Is no whirlwind.
An honest, plodding officer,
STANDBY lacks vision and imag-
inntion. A strict disciplinarian Il
man who plays no favorites, he
has the navy better In hand
than his predecessor, Admiral
Pratt. But he lacks Pratt's In
telligence and strategy. Funda-
mentally STANDBY is simple
sailor.
Part of his success in charge
of operations IL due to his as
sistant, Rear Admiral j. X.
Tausstg. Born in Germany, Tnus-
sig has notable record to his
credit, has more personality
than STANDBY, and supplies the
political touch to anotherwise
unpoIitical bureau.
Probably the most up-nnd-
coming man In the navy depart.
mcnt IL Rear Admiral Samuel
w. Bryant, chief of war plans.
Young and intelligent, Bryant Ia
considered an inevitable future
chief Of naval operations.
ANOTHER RIVAL
Another young admiral who
rivals him IL Arthur j. Hepburn,
great friend of Admiral Pratt's.
Because Of Pratt's unpopularity.
Hepburn suffered accordingly.
Pratt has elevated Hepburn to
high rank. but when Pratt re-
tired Hepburn was sidetracked.
Just before his retirement,
Pratt wrote a letter to President
Roosevelt listing three men who
he said were qualified to succeed
him In the important post of
saUa1 AnApattAna Iftpaf an Aha