The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-07

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 At that time, the British wanted to buy the destroyers outright a cash deal. The President vetoed this on the ground that there was no legal way for him to sell the ships for cash, even though they would be of indirect help to the United States by bolstering the resistance of the British Navy
 The President was urged to make the sale by such friends as Cordell Hull, Supreme Court Jus tices Frankfurter and Murphy, Senator Jimmy Byrnes and Sev- eral others. However, he stood firm that the ships could not be sold outright.
 Later, the idea of trading the destroyers for island bases was conceived. This the President felt was all right provided the Justice Department considered it legal. So he hurriedly called Attorney General Jackson back from vaca- ton and asked him to study the matter carefully.
 Also the President suggested
 that Wendell Willkie might be
 sounded out in advance regard
 ing the deal, so that it would
 become a football of campaign
 politics.
 Accordingly, several friends of Roosevelt's got in touch with friends of Willkie's, including John Hanes, ex-Under Secretary of the Treasury; William Allen White; and Lew Douglas, former Direc- tor of the Budget. However, they made no progress, and Willkie at one time kicked over the traces and issued public. statement that he would express his views only to the President personally, and only if the President asked for them.
 WilIkie would not say that
 he disapproved of the destroyer
 transfer. In fact, he indicated
 that he approved it. But he was
 absolutely firm that he would
 not commit himself in advance,
 especially in the Elwood accept
 ance speech, in which his friends
 wanted him to include specific
 reference to destrOyers.
 The furtherest he would go was to put 8 statement in his Elwood speech emphasizing the import ance of the British navy to Ameri- can defense.
 REPUBLICAN ADVICE
 By this time Roosevelt's emis- saries also had sounded out con- gressional leaders, including Re- publicans and isolationistS. and the advice they received was in- teresting. Both groups were unani- nous that the President should arrange the destroyer-British island deal himself. and not ask the approval of Congress.
 They gave two reasons for this: (l) that the proposal never would pass Congress in time to give any help to the British; (2) that a congressional debate would put many of them on the spot, per- haps force them to vote against the plan.
 Even Senator Wheeler of Montana. vigorous isolatiOnist, advised along these lines.
 Meanwhile the Justice Depart ment was digging into the ques- ton of Roosevelt's right to make the transfer. And behind the scenes, it was aided by @ promin- ent Republican and former Solici- tor General, Judge Thomas Day Thatcher; also by Dean Acheson, former Under Secretary of the Treasury. They helped to dig up the precedent of the Louisiana Purchase.
 Thus the stage finally was set and ready for the announce. mept of last Tuesday.
 NOTE - Despite the fact that Republican leaders in both House and Senate davlsed Roosevelt not to ask for congressional approval, Willkie Issued Q statement eriticlE- ing Roosevelt for not submitting the matter to Congress.
 NORRIS REUNION
 It's Iioi miles from Washing. ton to e quiet lake at Waupaea, Wis, and iiDi miles back again, which Ig A lot Of miles for Allys enc to motor for a class reunion. But it didn't dapnt 70syeaP old George Morris, NebrASkA's grand old Senator,
 Aeoolnpanied by hls Aonslnsiaw Sack Robinson, wh0 did the drlvs the, Norris left tho Capital On ThnFsaay nnd Wah back ln his