The Washington times., 1938-02-19

Nazi seizure Paul MallOB
In Austria was that Britain'S
part was not made clear. There
must have been a good connec-
ton that day. They noted Brit
ain seemed far less excited by
the news than did France. Also,
they recalled the Hitler and
MussoIini wooing of Chamber
lin which preceded the break.
No one would hazard reliable
opinions until hearing Hitler's
speech Sunday, but the evidence
seemed to indicate the inclusion
of a Vienna joint in the Berlin
Rome Tokyo axis had been in
the making a long time.
It was recalled that nine
months ago after the Schu-
schnigg-Ciano conversations, an
italian correspondent wrote that
Austria had agreed with Hitler
to accept two Nazis in the cabi-
net.
AS Italian newsmen write
what the government tells them,
it appears probable the only
thing sudden about the seizure
was the time of it to offset Mr..
Hitler's troubles at home with
the army.
DEST description of the NRA
ID was given by Robert H.
jackson, occasional presidential
mouthpieee, in testimony on the
Justice Department supply bill
before the House Appropriations
subcommittee the other day.
Mr.. jackson apparently was
speaking from the non-presiden-
tial side of his mouth when ne
said:
1T would say that MIRA, to
some extent, let them do on the
table what they had been doing
under the table before"
MIR. MoRGENTHAU believes
W1 when he sees. On tiptoe
he quietly used his own investi-
eating staff to check up on the
recent insistent WPA demand
for more money. His men re-
ported back the WPA demand
was legitimate, the money was
needed quickly. The budget
balancing Treasury Secretary
thereupon changed his position,
swung into leadership to get the
extra $250,000.000.
TNHERE seems to be still an
i other reason why Adolph
Berle, the LaGuardia financial
adviser, was made Assistant
State Secretary.
From deep within the depart
Hnent comes word-and this may
be the controlling reason for
the unusual appointment OF a
financial brain-truster to a diplo-
matte post-that Mr.. Berle was
selected not because he knows
Mayor LaGuardia, but because
he knows Spanish.
It seems his experience in the
Taussig molasses business and
as adviser to- Mr.. Hull at the
Buenos Aires Conference, has
made him an ideal diplomat to
handle the crowding of Ameri-
can interest by Mussolini and
Hitler in Latin-America.
You may find Assistant State
Secretary Welles devoting less
time to his Latin-American divi-
sion and more to European af-
fairs shortly.
Gtalian and German papers,
please copyo
DICKERING is going on back
~ stage between, the Commu-
nicationS Commission an d
AT&T over a further reduction
in long-distance rates. Commis-
sioner Walker is handling the
Government end Of the dealing
and appears to be using his
much-discussed 1,000-page report
on the company as crowbar.
How much will come of it Is
not yet guesSable as the COM
pany made a $4,000, 900 cut
last year.
Also there appears to be some
question whether Walker has a
majority on the commission in
favor of some of the legislation
recommended in his report
proposing to break up buying
practices of AT6ET among other
minor things).
THE LID is supposed to have
L been lifted again on the
Tennessee Valley Pandora Au-
thority in a personal letter sent
recently to a Congressman by
Chairman Arthur Morgan.
Mr.. Morgan reported that he,
as chairman Of the board Of
IVA, had about as much au-
thority as the office boy. Not
only were all his motions voted
down by his two adversaries in
the board, but future genera
tions probably will never know
he made any motions. because
he cannot even get second for
them.
The chairman also has de-