The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1938-09-26

CzechoSlovakia.
Real fact was that Carr was be-
ing pensioned, HIS colleagues
wanted him out OF the way,
thought he was too old, picked
out CEecfoslovakla as q good safe
place where he could make no
diplomatic hlunders.
Carr had worked his way up
from the lowly rank Of clerk. He
began 46 years ago, became chief
clerk, chief Of the consular bu.
reau, finally assistant secretary OF
state. He had charge Of all adj
ministrative details Of the con-
suiar service, handled American
embassy buildings, their equip
Inent, clerks--all Of the drudgery
Of diplomacy with none Of Us
glamour.
After IS years OF routine, the
state Department o couple OF
years ago decided that Carr had
passed his usefulness and picked
out O nice quiet berth for him
Czechoslovakia.
Diplomatic Jealousy y
And having picked that berth,
almost every red-blooded diplomat
In the service has suddenly be.
come envious Of Carr, would like
to trade places with him. Hugh
Wilson, ambassador TO Germany,
and O much younger man than
Carr, flew to Prague TO give adj
vice. Carr was polite, but indi-
Gated that he could run his own
legation.
Prior to that, Mott dunter,
famous scion OF the Qunther fur
family. and minister TO Rumania,
telegraphed Cerr that he was or.
irving on guch-and-such date
and asked Carr TO arrange O din
ner for him with President Benes.
He said he wanted 10 report on
Czechoslovak conditions.
0unther arrived as scheduled.
Carr arranged the dinner as sched-
aled. But he did not invite the
PRECEDENT OF Czechoslovakia. He
we,j3med dunther Is Q personal
guest, but made Il clear that he,
Wilbur Carr, American minister
TO Czechoslovakia, was quite capa-
bic Of reporting on oil matters
pertaining 10 Czechoslovakia.
Minister Gunther, lrlsed and
irrltatcd, sent q special report
70 President Roosevelt com.
planning that Minister Carr had
failed 70 cooperate. Roosevelt
referred IL 20 the State Depart.
ment and the State Department
did nothing.
Meanwhile Minister Carr has
dug o bombproof cellar In the
American Legation and IL having
the time Of his life. He doesn't az
ell mind his retirement.
Divine Diplomacy
Wise-cracks heard around the
State Department after the
French and British lot down the
Czechs:
"The Allies giveth and One
Allies taketh away"
Yale Game
The President did not stay I'D,
% did the White House stan, to
follow the count In the close Fay.
O'Connor primary battle In New
York city, but he asked for the
returns Immediately upon awak.
ening next morning. Told that Fay
had licked O'Connor for the
Democratic nomination, Roose-
welt, grinning, remarked:
"Wsll, we may have lost the
schedule, but We won the Yale
game"
More than most people knew,
the O'Connor purge" was the
Yale-Harvard football game for
Roosevelt--the most important OF
the season. In the FIRST place, per.
sonal prestige was at stake per-
haps more than In any other race
because 1t took place In Roose-
yelt'B own state, and because
there was q bitter personal vendetta
between the two men.
Also, O'Connor was the bot.
tlc-neck Of ell legislation IN The
House Of Representatives. 81.
ting % chairman Of the ali-im.
portant Rules Committee, he
could bottle up legislation fav.
cred BY the New Deal or push
out 70 the floor Of the House
bills which the Administration
opposed. This he did time and
time again 70 Reosevelt's dis.
comfiture.
Even II o'Connor, by some fluke,
should win on the Republican
ticket, he would be on the vital
Rules Committee For he would
have 10 begin ct the very bottom
Of the Congressional ladder as Q
rookie Republican, with nothing
10 cheer him but linimportant