The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-05-06

ana the senator CuCClLlB CE' shimmering whitewash for Whenever Senator Copeland saw an unsavory situation about to break before his committee, he sidestepped with an alacrity as- founding for his age. He glossed over the rows between the air lines and the Bureau of Air Com- merce. He shut his eyes to inc ternal politics running rife within the Bureau.
 Most important of all, he steered clear of implications of wire-pul- ing by members of the Roosevelt family, and by Amelia Earhart, close friend of Mrs. Roosevelt.
 Shortly after the Roosevelt ad- ministration came into office, Croyl Hunter, president of North west Airways, Inc, endeavored to get Q government appropriation for air aids, lights, etc., along the route travelled by his planes from St. Paul to Seattle. Equipping the 1,504 miles of this route would cost about $l,2o0,000.
 Elliott Roosevelt
 Elliott Roosevelt was friend of Hunters, and some evidence came before the committee that Elliott was associated with him. One let- ter apologiZed for the mention of EIliott'B name as Q director of Northwest Airways and explained that 1t was meant to be Robert Donner, at that time Elliott's brother -in-law (through his first wife, Elizabeth Donner Roose- velt.)
 Hunter also wrote letters to Anna Roosevelt DalI, addressed "Dear Anna" and expressing tho hope that she impress on her father the importance of avla. ton. There was no evidence that either Anna or Elliott did use their influence, although Sena- tor Copeland never permitted an opportunity to find out one way or the other.
 Amelia Earhart began to figure in the picture on March 20, 1883, when Q letter was written to MT. Hunter by Col. Lewis Fl. Brittin, vice-president of Northwest Air- ways and its representative in Washington. Brittin later served ten days for contempt of the sen- ate during Senator Blacks air mail iaVeRtiRation,
 Eugene Vidal
 Writing to Hunter, President of Northwest AirWays, Brittin said:
 Amelia Earhart had lunch last week at the White House and I think 1t is quite possible meeting can be arranged where we would have an oppOr. tunity to lay our problem tpre- sumabIy cquipplng the North. west routc) directly before the new administration, and if we can, lay out . proposal that will be looked upon with favor. Ap- Darently Eugene Vidal is slated for the Department of Com. merce job although it has not yet been officially confirmed"
 Eugene Vidal, now director Of the Bureau of Air Commerce, was general manager of the Ludington Line between New York and Washington in the early days Of airmail and made Amelia Ear hart his Vice-president.
 On April i7, Colonel Brittin again wrote to Hunter: Am just in receipt of Q letter from George Putnam (husband of Amelia Ear hart) saying that they are spend- ing the night of the goth ct the White House and will be n Wash- ington on the 2ist."
 Busy Amelia
 Again on June 20, George Palmer Putnam himself wrote to Hunter apparently taking credit for the appointment of Eugene Vidal as director of the Air Bureau and indicating that his wife could help Northeast Airways further. He said.
 "Sunday we wanted to talk to you on the phone because we had right interesting news from Washington. I am vcnturing this note to ask if there k any chance of your being East soon. There are things we would a little bit rather not write about.
 "TaiIiDE conversation. perhaps A. E. or ] can have . chat with you on the phone. AS perhaps you know, Eugene Vidal has landed in Washington. There's been quite an internal mlxup. Out of it . very Satisfa ctOry situation has emerged. He be- comes director of air regula tlons, which as you know. Is the branch covering licensing new lines, new ships and all that sort of thing. It is the crucial position and what was wanted .....
 "ln the meantime, with the appointment (of Vidal out of the way, A. E. Is in the clear # you still contemplate definite plans of expansion, and if you still want her association be- lieve something can be arranged mutually advantageous. That Is entlrIy up to you. Aside from that feel that if you arc gO- ing ahead, now Is the time to get busy with 8 definite plan. also rather imagine you will want to begin working toward