The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-05

There is still powerful pro- Franco clique in the State De- parttnent, but the less biased boys believe they never can live down their present reputation unless they rectify their mistake on Spain.
 Another important factor is that Catholic sentiment has changed 50 drastieally. Some vigorous pro- Franco Catholics now are either silent or against him.
 One evidence of this was the renornination of Rep. Jerry O'Con- nell of Montana. O'Connell comes from district which is TO per cent Catholic. His opponents, in- spired by Burt Wheeler, rang all the changes on his sympathy for Loyalist Spain. They even called him the Congressman from Bar celona" because of his trip to Spain last year.
 Despite all this, he came through the primary with flying colors.
 Another sign of changed sem timent is the Catholic magazine "Comrnonweal" which now urges Catholcs to keep absolutely aloof from the Spansh conflict.
 Finally, the dispute between Mussolini and the Pope, over Fascist racial theories, plus the fact that Mussolini has been Franco's chief packer, has veered Catholic opinion away from the Spanish Insurgents.
 All this could not help but have an effect upon the President. Last spring Catholic sentiment, the summer primaries and Cordell Hull's recalcitrance shied him away from lifting the embargo. He agreed that he had the power to lift it without authorization from Congress, but he didn't want to buck both his State De- partment and Catholic opposition.
 Now word comes from the Presi- dents advisers that he is much more open minded.
 Red Hunters
 Rep. Martin Dies of Texas, chairman of the House committee investigating American activi- ties, ran into unexpected chari- ness when he secretly proposed to San Francisco police that they dig up some Reos and radical labor leaders for him to put on the gridd1e.
 Dies has been rounding up a list of investigation prospects by making quiet inquiries of various police officials for good headline material.
 In Southern California, he got excellent undercover police cooper ation. Captain Red" Hines of the Los Angeles Red squad" rec commended a number of likely wit nesses. But Frank Lucey, head of the San Francisco Red squad", refused to do any stooging.
 You tell us who you want put | on the pan," Dies agent told Lu- cey, land we'll subpoena them."
 "Oh, no you don't" retnrted Lucey; "you do your own dirty work. We are police, not stool pigeons. We are putting the finger on no one. If you want the names of Reds and labor leaders with which to put on a headline circus you go to the Chamber of Commerce and In- dustrial Association. They have . big list of people they don't like."
 No Icicles
 One of the last things Joe Ken nedy did before resigning as chair man of the Maritime Commission to become Ambassador to Great Britain was to quarrel with Sec- retary Frances Perkins over the governments labor policy toward Seamen.
 Kennedy wanted to establish a system of compulsory arbitration modelled after that in the railroad industry. Miss Perkins contend ed the marine labor relations were not yet ready for such step.
 The two New Deal big-guns ex- changed some sharp words over the issue = which incidentally, Miss Perkins won when Congress, under pressure of the maritime unions, turned down Kennedy's plan.
 In view of this background, Washington newsmen were much amused when Miss Perkins told them that while in London recent ly she had tea-d and dined with Kennedy.
 "Bet a defresting machine was needed to keep the icicles off the tea cups" a reporter grinned.
 Miss Perkins insisted that every thing was very friendly.
 Well. did you ask Ambassador Kennedy how he liked his new job?" asked another newsf1ian.
 "0h, mo-" said Miss Perkins suavely, but we all know that whatever task MT. Kennedy un-