The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-06

And while Finland is a long way off, and ostensibly there is little connection between them, actually the manner in which Fiu- land had stalled off Moscow was causing loss of prestige in the Balkans. In other words, Ru- mania was wondering whether Russia really meant business, and whether she in turn, couldn't out maneuver Stalin just as Finland seemed to be doing.
 This loss of prestige was what finally induced Stalin to act, ac- cording to intelligence reports coming out of Moscow. Appar- ently, he figured that 1t was bet- ter to make such vigorous ex- ample of Finland that Rumania and other Balkan objectives would yield without war.
 One group in the Soviet inner circle wanted to wait until Com munist agitation inside Finland was SO active that the country could be shaken into the Russian lap like a ripe plum, without e struggle. This policy was being pursued. But Stalin got impatient and decided that the Balkan pro- gram would have to be speeded up.
 FINNISH NOTES
 Reason the Swedes, despite neighborly distress, don't do some- thing to help Finland, is fear of Germany. Hitler long has had his eyes on Sweden's famous iron mines, and would like nothing bet- ter than an excuse to move in on them.
 The British, as usual. were wrong about Russia. Up until the last minute they were convinced Stalin would not move in on Fin. land. Our State Department. rely ing upon British information, thought so too.
 GOVERNMENT ECONOMY
 Earnest, economy -minded Henry Morgenthau insists that all menl- bers of his Treasury Department use his Coast Guard radio in sending government telegrams. However, Henry's economy on q recent SPA telegram will cost the government just about S2o00'000.
 All this happened when Roose- welt removed the quotas on sugar, thereby increasing the tariff from ninety cents to $1.50. The announcement was carefully timed for late in the afternoon, when all customs offices would be closed, so no one could rush sugar through some unlnfOrned customs house at the old 90 cent tariff.
 By next morning. the Treasury figured, all sugar importers and all customs houses would know Of the tariff increase, and 1t would be applied uniformly. However, Secretary Morgenthau's economy upset this plan. For the tele- gram from Washington to New York, sent by Coast Guard radio on the afternoon of Sept. Ii did not reach the Customs House in New York until around noon on Sept. 12.
 The Coast Guard now planes naval radio for the delay. The Navy handles all Coast Guard messages and apparently the Navy didn't think the message urgent, SO put a lot of routine naval mes- sages ahead of 1t. Anyway, the telegram took about 16 hours get- ting to New York.
 Meanwhile the Collector of Customs in New York, having read about the tariff increase in the papers, frantically await. ed the telegram.
 FINALLY, at about 10:30, he telephoned Washington and had the telegram read to him. How ever, regulations make customs of- fees await the receipt of tele- graphic orders before raising the tariff, so although the telegram was read over the phone at 10:30, 1t was not actually received in.New York until 12:54 noon Sept. 12. So 1t was at exactly 12:54 that the tariff was increased from 90 cents to $i.50.
 Meanwhile sugar dealers were dumping sugar In New York at the old tariff rate of 90 cents. And they dumped so much be- fore l2:54 noon that the gov- ernment lost around S2,0o0,000. CAPITAL CHAFF