The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1940-12-27
Nf1ialyyaa1aa,
Washington, d. @.
DONOvAN'S REAL GOAL rs
GREECE


DONOvAN'S REAL GOAL is
GREECE
Inside fact regarding the present
mystery trip of Col. William Dono-
van to Europe is that his real des-
tination is Greece.
En- route, however, he viii stop
in North Africa where he win see
his old World war friend, Marshal
Weygand, now controlling the large
French army IN Africa.
If this powerful force took the field
on the side of the British, the
Italians, already in precarious po-
sition as a result Of their defeats In
Greece, would be finished. This
would release British naval forces
for desperately needed convoy work
in the Atlantic.
Also it would have repercussions
in the Far East, where the Japanese
military have been greedily cycling
the rich Dutch East Indies and Indo-
China. With the British supreme in
the Mediterranean and their big feet
available for operations elsewhere,
Japan would think twice before at
tempting any new grabs.
On the Greek front, Donovan will
make survey similar to that which
he made in England last spring.
In England last spring, Donovan
made thorough survey of invasion
defenses, military intelligence and
the royal air force. He spent week
in the field with the British army
and made several flights with the
Raj. Various U. S. army, air
corps and navy observers are now
attached to the British forces as
the result of Donovan's trip; also he
established close intelligence ties on
Axis espionage and fifth column OPP
creations.
On his previous British mission,
Donovan travelled as the personal
representative of Navy Secretary
Knox.
PRE-ADJOURNMENT JUNKET
On November 10, when the house
defeated a motion to adjourn until
January, members righteously de-
clared that congress should remain
on the job in these grave days Of
emergency.
But today a dozen members Of
the house are enjoying a cushy
junket to Panama, at the expense
of the government. And with one
exception, everyone of the group
voted to stay on the job.
On December S, fortnight after
so voting, they quietly sailed from
New York on the S. S. Panama,
which is owned by the government.
They will spend two weeks cruising
and three days in Panama.
Several are members of the mill
tary affairs committee and might
have some legitimate reason for
making defense inspection" but
the war department says it knows
nothing about the junket.
LONGEST SPEECH
Tom Dewey got thrill and a
chuckle from his luncheon at the
Capitol with Floor Leader Joe Mar
tin and other house Republicans.
The thrill was an invitation to be
the principal speaker at the G. o. P.
Lincoln day dinner, which the am
bilious district attorney accepted.
The chuckle was evoked by a sto-
ry about the longest political
speech on record which gangling,
curly-haired Rep. John M. Robson
of Kentucky, member of the Lin
coin day committee, said he made
when he first ran for congress in
1918.
One hot July night during the
campaign Robson addressed big
crowd in county courthouse and
was amazed by the enthusiastic re-
ception. Cheers rent the air with
every sentence and there was vo-
ciferous more, more" when he
tried to conclude after an hour.
AS he was leaving with the local
sheriff, Robson boasted: ''These
people sure were enthusiastic. It
looks like this county is in the bag"
Don't set too much store by the
way them fellers carried on, Jack"
confided the sheriff. Nobody there
(hic) was sober but you" $50
WHAT BRITONS READ
WPA's library service made an
interesting discovery in a survey to
ascertain what the people of war
strafed Britain are reading these
days.
One fact uncovered was that the
long, dreary hours Of blackout, with
no outside recreation, have greatly
revived interest in household arts
and handioraft. Books on these sub
jects are at premium. Also, the
classics are in heavy demand, with
Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens and
Kipling as the favorites.
But the one subject in which Brit
ons are most interested is the
author of their affection. The most
widely read book in England. .ac-