The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-05-09

It IS plan to use the vast net work of the French Marquesa Islands in the South Pacific as American commercial airplane bases between Australia, South America and the United States.
 Whether this country will of- fer to buy some of the islands outright possibly for cancella- tion of debts) or whether a leasing proposition will be
 worked out with the French, is not known. The negotiation still
 Is In a nebulous state.
 All the State Department actu- ally wants is the right to estab- fish regular landing bases in the French islands, although the pur- chase of some of them might be feasible. Two factors are behind the proposal:
 l. The underhanded tactics of the British in occupying the Phoenix group farther to the east when they knew the United States wanted these as air bases. The British have now raised the Union Jack or put men on the most important islands.
 2. The Marquesa Islands, own- ed by France, are nearer South America, and therefore may be more strategically placed as a crossroads for air traffic between South America and Australia, also between South America and China, and again between the United States and Australia. Mid-Pacific Crossroads
 In other words. the Marquesa Islands would be a sort of cross roads in mid-Pacific, where the air traveller would change planes for Tokyo, Shanghai, Sidney, Auck- land, San Francisco. Santiago or Lima.
 At present, of course, air traf- fic between South America, the Orient and Australasia would not be voluminous, but the time may come when 1t would be extremely important.
 Most important member of the Marquesa group is Tahiti, one of the most beautiful spots in the South Pacific.
 The islands are of no commer- cial or economic importance to the French, and the latter are expected to be much more CO., operative than the British in working out an air deal with the United States.
 New Deal Primaries
 White House generalissimos are not shouting 1t from the house. tops, but they have drastically revised their campaign strategy as a result of Senator Claude Peppers smashing victory.
 Before the Florida primary some of the New Dealers were worried and in favor of comprom- ise or pussy-footing. Now, how ever. you can expect them to take off the wraps and jump into fu- ture primaries.
 First candidates slated for New Deal boosts are:
 l. State Senator Henry Hess of Oregon, who is running against Governor Charles Martin. A high Administration official is about to give Martin resounding ora torical spanking.
 2. Representative Otha Wearin of Iowa, 35-year-old New Dealer, who is after the conservative scalp of Senator Guy Gillette. Secretary Wallace, who has a se- were case of presidentitis, has been trying to boost Gillette, but Roosevelt,s support for Wearin will be made very clear to Corn State voters before the June 6 primary.
 Other New Deal favorites scheduled for public endorsements in one form or another are:
 Senator Alben Barkley, for whom the President has promised to make speech in Paducah, Ky. the Senate leaders nome town.
 Governor Olin Johnston of South Carolina, who is running against the ineffable Senator Cotton Ed" Smith.
 Senator Fred Brown of New Hampshire, who has said very It. tic in his six years in office but has a 100 per cent Roosevelt vot- ing record.
 Senator Magill of Kansas, who will have no trouble being renom- mated but faces the toughest kind of battle to be reelected.
 Peacemaker Hughes
 Charles Evans Hughes prob ably done more to pacify Latin American disputes than anyone else in the U.S.A., but last week he turned down the job of arbitrating between two of South Americas foremost countries Chile and Argentina.
 As Secretary of State, Hughes, patched up numerous peace