The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-21

Ills Commerce Department has quietly given one of the largest ship companies in the country wholesale exemption from the full operation of this supposedly mai1- dakory act The firm Is the Dollar Line. Its entire fleet of 10 "Pres- ident" vessels B given special privileges. Instead of enforcing the sprink- Tor rule specified by Congress, the Department of Commerce is per- mitting the substitution of fire, stops In certain overhead spaces" A fire stop" is a flreproof cleat in walls, floors and ceilings. Its purpose Is to prevent Q sweep of flames. Substitution of fire stops" for sprinklers will save the Dollar Line close to S200,00O.
 Furthermore, tho Commerce Department gave the Dollar Line on extentlon of time to Install the cheaper substitute guards-eYen though the law became efiectiVe Oetopor l,
 "ROWbOat" Johnson
 Directly responsible for these extraordinary concessions Rs AS. sistant Secretary J. M. GROW. b0at") Johnson.
 Tho nickname was given John. son after he admitted to con' Rressional committee that hiS knowledge of maritime affairs was limited to rowhoats, Prior to De" Ing appointed by Roper, Johnson had been c state highway com- missioner,
 The l0ophole used by Johnson tO give the Dollar Line itS wholesale exemption is . pFovi- sion ln the law allowing exeep- liens to be made lin the ease of c partleular vessel" How Johnson rec0nclled thls specific language with his action Is not known.
 In granting his sweeping order, Johnson brushed aside c vigorous protest by Commander R. 6. Field, new head of the Bureau Of Marine Inspection,
 The retired naval ofAeer, . per- aenal friend Of the President, urged that the Dollar ships DO tied Up until tho line compiled with tho law. Johnson not only oVerruled him, but ordered him to answer no questions about the matter.
 When questioned about it he fldgeted, finally said he could not make c statement (which might ombArrass the Dollar Line" until he had secured the approval of tho "hcads of the Departments" Black on Payroll
 The Democratic National Com. mlttec recently filed on iteiniEed account of It's expenses showing that on March 10 of this year It paid A0i.30 for railroad fare Tor Hugo Black for c trip to Detroit. Again, on March 20, the Comniits tee paid t46,7O for a trip by Black to Cleveland and return.
 Black was pFOpagandixing for the Administration on the Fe' fern Of the Supreme Court, 70 which later ho was appointed
 The new Justice was . relative 'ly modest spender, however. on his Detroit trip he spent only si2 for food, hotel bills, etc" whereas Senator Tom ConnAily of Texas, who bitterly opposed tho Presi' dents Court plan, spent e79.02 for "taxis, tips, and miscellaneous expenses" These were incurred during the campaign last year, but Connaliy failed to collect until res gently, Secret of Tragedy
 There were two tragic errors in the ilfo of Ted Mariner, late Consul General in Syria, both contributing to his recent murder
 One of them Is well knowni the fNst that Mariner already had granted c passport visa to the Armenian who killed him. Tine letter went astFay, and con' sideTlng himself wFonged, the Armenian shot Mariner.
 The other error Is not known. It caused Mariners transfer to Syria three years SEQ,
 Mariner was then counselor of the American Embassy in Paris Newly appointed to handIe press relations Was "Kippy" Tuck, affable, socially minded career man. One day he brought to Mariner . young French marquis who was en' dsayoring to break into jour- naIlsm.
 The marquis had an enterprise ing and socially prominent Encths. or. She had asked Tuck as 6 aV1Aeiai faVnF t0 AFFafiRA Afi iiiteFs