, 1935-09-23
WASHINGTON
BY Ray Tucker

Gt9n1AG 04F41AAA@N1
have been staging a furious battle
for propaganda position behind the
scenes In Washington The strug-
gle revolved around the French
governments application for use
OF one OF four transatlantic phone
channels now allotted TO Great Bri-
tain under a contract with A. 7. g. 7.
French made application 10 the
state department early this year and
IL was referred to the communica-
tons commission which grants
channel licenAt For months the ap-
plicat!cn was pigeon-holed. Then
Jesse Straus, our ambassador 70
Paris. asked friends 70 see II they
could speed up action. They did.
But Immediately "A. IT. AZ II. off,
Gals entered a protest. They insist
ed that the four 24-hour-a-day
channels were needed for trans
Atlantic service between this coun-
try and London. Even though the
four channels were used only seven
hours a day. as against q maximum
OF hours which totalled ninety-six
they refused to withdraw their OBJ
jections.
Cleared - Then 1t developed that
Great Britain was quietly sponsor
Inc the resistance TO the French
governments application. London
did not want to surrender her con-
troll OF transatlantic communica-
ton by the medium Of telephone and
radio.
A few weeks ago Great Britain I'll
ed q formal protest against granting
OF the request by the communica-
tons commission. But suddenly she
withdrew her opposition and now II
Is understood that France Is about
10 sign a contract for one channel
with the A. II. a. T. Here's where
international diplomatic considera-
lions come in. Great Britain back
ed down when the Italo-Ethiopian
crisis made IL necessary that London
have the support Of France at Ge-
ueva. AS against an ally IN q pos
sible European var the Empires
statesmen were too wise 10 scrap over
q telephone connection
In war or peace a hookup with
France may prove advantageous 70
the United States via London and
World War all cable news reached
the United States via Condor and
London censorship. IL Is suspected
that business and financial deals =
even the treasury's - transacted
over the phone are known TO London
listeners under present conditions
III another World War comes the
radio-telephone viii be used as free
IN as the cables. So a connection
via Paris may mean bigger and bet
ter and less British news.
Censored - When you see q
Special Agent &c your favorite
motion picture theatre you VIII DC
looking al a fairly accurate portray
al OF how the treasury's crack
agents toppled AL Capone from q
ranEster throne TO a lonely cell on
Alcatraz Island.
Unlike the d Of ]. the treasury
officials did not court Hollywood
historians. They consented TO CO.
operate with the flicker writer's only
after great urging. They laughed az
the first Manuscript because It was
too m~eiodramatic and gushy. al
though not nearly SO melodramatic
as the actual story - still untold.
But a picture made along new lines
seemed 70 satisfy Secretary Morgen-
than when he saw 1t at q private
rf.ow4v.r &c NTncnfrrf0n.
Mr.. Morgenthau protested against
one iurid line, however. The pic
ture showed the chief Of the treas
ury agents 80 the crack Elmer Trey
-as he set his men on the trail OF
ChicaFo's underworld. Shoot 10
kill" said Irey's counterpart. "Cut
that line" said Morgenthau. I'VE
ret 'em without killing them Inc
line went out.
Strategy - White House aides are
quietly chuckling az the amnuni-
ton which circum tances and his
enemies are furnishing MI. Roose-
welt for 1885.
-Four OF the presidents pet Ideas
were NRA, AAA. iva. and PWA-
NRA was designed to stabilize in
dustry Just as AAA was expected 70
stabilize and benefit agriculture.
Twas role was 70 revivify the Ten
nessee Basin with cheap electricity
which would light homes and at
tract industry. PWA was to provide a
reservoir Of public projects and pub
lie spending which would stimulate
heavy industry when ordinary de-
mands slackened. 1t was 70 become
A permanent financial stabilizer.
What has happened: The supreme
court thwarted NRA's benefits The
drought prevented a true test OF
AAA The courts have also hinder
ed the full operation OF iva and
therefore its profits. Unemploy-
ment needs. IN Mr.. Roosevelt's opin-
ion. made boondoggling preferable
10 PwA's more substantial projects
Thus, in 1885, Mr.. Roosevelt may