The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-06

Roosevelt bluntly declared that Dies had hampered the FBI by releasing premature publicity on- subversive agents whose operations were fully known, but who were being secretly kept under surveil- lance in order to ascertain their tie-ups and higher-ups. He cited three specific instances given him by the FBI.
 q didn't call you here to cen- sure you, Martin" the President said in effect, "but to consult you on how to get better re- suits in what you are doing. You say you want better cooperation between your committee and the FBL Fine, but you can't get it by sniping at the FBI. That will have to stOp-and stop right right now"
 Another point Roosevelt stressed was that Dies shotgun press methods had unjustly cast sus- picion on innocent persons. The President mentioned particularly the case of the League for Peace and Democracy, whose mailing list was published by the Dies last year with a big fanfare of publicity.
 DIES SIDE
 Dies vigorously defended this and tossed several I-told-yOu- sos" back at Roosevelt.
 It wasn't our fault if anyone got singed by the publication of those names," Dies argued. "The committee exposed the League as Communist front long before, and those fellows had plenty of time to have their names taken off the rolls. If they didn't it was their fault.
 Also I might add that we were chiefly responsible for driv- ing the League to cover. You never hear of it any more, and no one doubts any longer that it was controlled by the Reds.
 And, incidentally, we made the same charge against the CIO. I told you in our confer ence two years ago that John L. Lewis was working with the Communists. Now it's an estab-
 lished fact that at least ten CIO unions with whom Lewis has been cheek-by- -jOwl are niSt-cOntrOlled."
 The President admitted that Dies had him there, also that the Investigating committe has done some excellent york;. But at the same time, Roosevelt insist ed, Dies has been an obstructive influence by interfering with the FBI through giving too much publicity to your activities"
 Well, the FBI has never gone out of it's way to cooperate with us," rebutted Dies. We've al- ways turned over our files to them, but every time we ask to see an FBI file, they refuse"
 In the end, Dies agreed to ex- ercise more care and to confer with Attorney General Bob Jack son on a plan to avoid future conflicts. "In the future," he said, If a conflict arises and the FBI is watching a spy or sabOteur, I can promise you that we won't interfere"
 NOTE - Dies has one White supporter. Toward the end of the conference, General "Pa" Watson, the Presidents hefty appointment secretary, strolled in and several times interjected, Hes right, MF. President, he's right" Right or wrong, Roosevelt took no chances on subsequent controversy as to what was said. A stenographer took notes of the entire discussion, a very unusual procedure. DIPLOMATIC CHAFF
 G. Henry-Haye, new French am- bassador, will leave Washington soon for consultations" with Vichy. It is not likely that he will come back. As former Mayor of Versailles, Have was popular with Americans in Paris, but never with Americans in the United States Irony of diplomatic fate is that when Mussolini marched into Albania, the U. s. State Department actually con- doned it. Instead of registering a protest as in the case of other occupied countries, the State De- come automatic with him. He had learned what it means to find ones Itfo lar 1r.nfVaar tt