The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-10-02

On July 26 the President set up a licensing system on exports of high-test aviation gasoline. Aimed chiefly at Japan, this move has been effective as far as it goes. It has stopped the flow of top U. S. aviation fuel to Nippon csc war planes.
 But through a loophoe as big as a barn door, Japan has been able, despite this supposedly embargo, to obtain all the U. s. gas it needs for the bombers that are raining death and destruc- tion on helpless Chinese cities and villages. This loophole is the little-noticed provision that limits the embargo only to a certain super-grade of gas-87 octane and over.
 This type of fuel is essential
 for modern aerial warfare. With out it planes are not able to at
 tain the great speeds necessary
 in dog fights and raids such as
 take place night and day over
 Britain.
 But Japan Is not up against that kind of battling It's bombers and fighter planes face no aerial op- position. They can do just as well on lower octane fuel. Their job is no different than an or dinary transport planes. They haul out a load of bombs, dump it and fly back.
 And 50, with high octane gas barred, the Japs have been using what they could get - and have continued their ruthless bomb ing without Interruption.
 The story is told in the follow ing unpublished government fig ures. In the month after the imposition of the so-called em- bargo, Japan imported from the United States 187,026 barrels of lower grade gasoline, or more than 20 per cent of all such exports during that period.
 Military experts say that Jap anese planes, if necessary, can use ordinary motor fuels as long as they are not required to operate at very high speeds.
 SCRAP AUTHOR
 Real instigator of the airtight scrap embargo was not the War, Navy or State Department. It was a civilian-Defense Commissioner Leon Henderson.
 AI.A fINa IAo v.on 0n- incided with European and Far Eastern developments, its original motivation was not diplomatic but economic.
 On August 30, Henderson sent the President memorandum strongly urging complete em- barg0 on exports of all grades of iron and steel scrap" He advised this on two grounds: Q) to meet the rapidly mounting demands of the defense program; (2) to com- bat a -rocketing of prices.
 Roosevelt agreed with Tender son on his arguments, "but held up action in order not to offend Japan.
 Aware that the Axis was secretly pressuring Tokyo to enter an al- lance, the President purposely allowed Japan to obtain several hundred tens of scrap in the hope of warding off a Nazi-Jap tie-up. Not until it became clear that this appeasement policy was futile, did he turn to Henderson's pro- posal and crack down on scrap iron shipments.
 FRANKFURTER'S NEW
 CHILDREN
 For 21 years Justice Felix Frank furter and his wife, the former Marion Denman, have led a very happy but childless married life. When F,rankfurter taught at the Harvard law school his home was the meeting place of students. And as Q Supreme Court Justice in Washington, young people still come to his home. But the Frank furters have no children of their own.
 Now, however, they are taking three refugee children into their home. They are the grandchil- dren of Gilbert Murray. famous English writer and scholar.
 The children are aged 3, lI and l2--considerably younger than the young government attorneys whom the FTnnkfurters are ae- customed to entertaining. AXIS STRATEGY
 The new strategy of the Axis powers is i0 concentrate against British forces in tho MediteF- Fanean during the winter months when gales lash ille shores Of tilo unllcf Kingdom. Mediterranean