The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-01-06

JUL
 His official job is Undersecre- tary of the Interior, (congression- al back-slapping is only unof- ficiaD, and the reason he wants to leave it is a row with Secre- tary of the Interior Ickes.
 This row was SO scorching that for time the two men didn't speak. West was called on the carpet because of his Investigation of alleged wire-tapping. It was reported that he had accused his colleague, E. K. Burlew, newly ap- pointed First Assistant Secretary of the Interior, of tapping the wires of high Interior Department officials.
 Ickes called this a lie. When he gets going, Ickes has the wickedest tongue in Washington. He can swear General Hugh Johnson completely under the table. After he finished with Charles West, the latter moved the official parking place for his car-which was next to IckeS'- so there would be no danger of meeting his boss.
 Also he indicated that he would exit from the Interior Department as soon as he could find the right job.
 Job Hunt
 First job West examined was that of c. F. Hosford, chairman of the Bituminous Coal Commis- sion. Hosford is retiring shortly, and the President is anxious to find a good man to head this commission, which has been one of the most sloppily organized in the government.
 However, no two commissioners can serve from the same state, and Ohio (West's home state) al- ready is represented by Commis- sioner Tetlow.
 Latest report is that West is now in line for 8 job on the Maritime Commission, from which Joe Kennedy is resigning. Only difficulty here is that the President wants to keep Char ley as his chief messenger boy on Capitol Hill, therefore doesn't want him to take a job that will work him too hard. And the Maritime Commission requires plenty of work.
 West Is sure to be one of the six new White House secretaries, if and when Congress authorizes them. But until then he very much needs a new official title and salary. For the atmosphere around the Interior Department is awfully frigid.
 Wallace'S Nudes
 Secretary Wallace always has been bit sensitive about the huge painting which greets the visitor trudging up the main stairway of his Department ot Agriculture.
 Depicting semi-nude men and women lornging around a beau- tiful field, the portrait did not quite suit Henry's slightly puritan ical tastes. Also he didn't want the farmers to think that he was spending the taxpayers money on that sort of thing, So he tackled a little brass plate on the paint ing making clear that its pur- chase was undertaken by Andrew w. Mellon.
 Under the portrait also is this Latin inscription: 70 fortunatos minimum, sua si bona norint, agri- c0laS."
 During recent press conference which touched upon certain farm ills, someone asked the Secretary for translation of the inscrip- tion.
 "The farmers would stop belly aching" shot back Wallace, If they knew how happy they were."
 NOTE-Correct translation of the Latin is: 70 farmers all too happy, if they knew their own blessings"
 Another Try?
 Justice Department authorities are secretly considering another antitrust indictment move against the Big Three Motor com- panies-Ford, Chrysler and Gen. eral Motors.
 Their last effort was abruptly terminated in Milwaukee several weeks ago by Judge Ferdinand A. Geiger, who dismissed grand jury over the vehement protests of Special Prosecutor Hardy just as it was about to vote indict- mentS.
 Geiger threw out the case on the ground that the Justice De- partment secretly had attempted an out-of- court "consent decree" settlement with the three motor companies. Immediately Attorney General Cummings called Geiger's unprecedented action unfair, biased and unjudicial" and asked