The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1940-02-15

official ENJOYS, and some &C
Here is a description of one con-
fidential peace overture in which
the President was interested, which
also throws light on the Roose-
welt row with John L. Lewis.
Roosevelt row with John l.. Lewis.
In late September, about three
weeks after war broke, w. r. Da-
Wis, the international oil man, was
visiting with John L. Lewis and
Walter Jones of Pittsburgh in the
latter's apartment, and told of
various conversations he had had
with Hitler.
Davis had been selling Mexi-
can oil to Germany, was init
mate with high-placed Nazis, and
told Of their ideas for perman-
ent European peace.
II think the President ought
to know about this" remarked
John L. Lewis, and went into
an anterOoln where he called
the President. He had no diff
ficulty getting him, and said:
INF. President, there's a man
here think you ought to see.
He's got some important ideas
ON the war;"
So Roosevelt made an appoint
ment.
BRITISH SECRET SERVICE
When Davis arrived at the
White House he was introduced
to Adolf Berle, assistant. secretary
of state, and noticed, during his
conversation with Roosevelt, that
Berle was busy taking notes.
- This caused Davis to protest:
81 thought this was to be con-
fidential conversation between
you and me-"
ooh, Adolf's all right" and the
President brushed the protest
aside.
In the end, Roosevelt suggested
that Davis fly back to Germany,
get any concrete peace proposals
which Hitler might have, and re-
port back.
So Davis caught the Clipper for
Portugal. The first step was Ber-
muda, where a plainclothes man
tapped him on the shoulder and
said: "C0me along with me. I'D
like to talk to yOu."
He turned out to be q member
of the British secret service, who
warned Davis to 60 back TO the
United States or else his pass
port would be lifted. He seemed
to know all about the Davis peace
trip. However, Davis raised such
a fuss that he was. finally al
lowed to proceed - though not
until after the Clipper had been
kept "a hours in Bermuda watt
ing for him.
From that point on, the British
did everything possible to handi-
cap Davis, even canceling his pas
sage from Portugal so that he had
to take a plane to Morocco and
thence on to Germany. But at
last Davis got to Berlin, inter-
viewed the highest NaI leaders,
and flew back to the United
States, arriving in late October.
with him he carried several
long. closely written pages in Ger
man, giving the ideas ON which
Hitler was willing to discuss peace.
AMERICAN DETECTIVES
Davis took an apartment in the
Mayflower and began to translate
the document. Then, suddenly he
discovered two men sitting outside
his door. They were G-men.
At this point Walter Jones, close
friend OF Davis, went to the man
agement to complain. There he
discovered that not merely two G.
men, but five were in the hotel.
and that they had trailed Davis
from the moment he registered.
Apparently the British secret SER
vice and the Justice Department
were working closely together
and neither for peace.
so John L. Lewis phoned Berle
{ to complain at the manner in
which man who had undertake
EN- confidential mission, at the
request Of the President was be-
ing bounded by detectives. Berle
invited him to come down to the
state Department.
NO." replied Lewis, II won't
come down to your office ana
talk with all those microphOnes
!. around. TN come out to your
home."
So Lewis visited Berle at his
palatial mansion, and talked to
him on the front porch.
A day OF 50 later, Davis pre-
scented the German peace plan
orally to Berle for transmission
to the President. Present also wag