The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-11-15

private talks with the Presi
 But last weeks Cabinet session over the transfer of ships to Panama registry was just the op- posite. It was one of the most important meetings held recently.
 Roosevelt talked for one hour about the maritime problem cre- ated by the Neutrality Act and gave various reasons for permit ting the United States Lines to transfer eight of its old merchant vessels to the Panama flag.
 But when he finished. every member of the Cabinet was against him. Attorney General Murphy was vigorously opposed. So also were Harold Ickes and Jim Far ley. But the man who talked the longest against the transfer was Cordell Hull. He was consistently and emphatically of the opinion that the ship transfer would befa violation of the spirit of the Neu- trality Act.
 Confronted with this unani- nous opposition, the President to the Judgment of his Cabinet. The ship transfer plan was put on the shelf.
 HULL's VICTORY
 Cabinet members who partici- pated in the debate considered the decision an important victory for Secretary of State Hull.
 For in the hot, behind-the- scenes battle over ships, Roose- welt was torn between two pow erful groups. On one side was the high-pressure urging of Ad- miral Emory Land, chairman of the Maritime Commission (and Lindbergh's cousin), who was backed by potent shipping lobby. Also important was the Presi- dents own personal sympathy for any move to keep American ships afloat.
 On the other side was Hull the entire Cabinet and also most of the congressional leaders. Just before the Cabinet met, Speak
 CT Bankhead lunched with Roosevelt and told him that re- Eardless of the legality of the ship transfer, the country was sure to consider the plan a violation of the Neutrality Act at least in spirit.
 NOTE-The Maritime Commis- sion, although lowing to the cabi- net, still maintains that the ship transfer is perfectly legal and may trot outt he plan again. AMBASSADOR sTEINHARDT
 U. s. Ambassador Laurence Steinhardt is getting a big hand, even from some of the career boys who don't like him. for the forth- right job he is doing at Mos- COW.
 Steinhardt has one quality so necessary in Russia he won't take No for an answer. He is indefatigable, talks back to Molc- toff and Potemkin, and doesn't believe in the Oriental policy of delay.
 He Is shadOwed almost every. where he goes In Moscow. and any Russian who becomes in- timate with him is also shad0wed. This constant suP- veillance of his ambassador has considerably irritated Roosevelt and has contributed in part to the strained relations with Rus sia.
 However, the State Department, none too enthusiastic over Sein- hardt at first, is anxious to keep him on the job.
 NOTE-Steinhar is the nephew of Sam Untermeyer, famous New York attorney and supporter of the President. Both he and Steinhardt were heavy contribu- tors to the Roosevelt campaign. NO LABOR PEACE
 Inside reason why there was no White House statement following the Green-Lewis conferences with the President was the fact that there was nothing to say. Neither labor leader made any promises.
 Green declared the AFL was willing to resume peace negotia-- tions. but frankly said he didn't think they would get anywhere He contended that Lewis didn't want peace and would never egree to terms.
 Lewis was equally skeptical of further parleys. He declared the CTO was ready tomorrow to re- turn to the AFL fold. provided