The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-09-13


 What most people do not know is that Senator Lundeen, rabid pro-German isolationist, was un- der investigation at the time of his death. A G-man, Depart ment of Justice attorney, and an FBI secretary were on the plane with him, and all were killed. The Department of Justice probably. will deny that they were shadow ing the Minnesota senator, but the fact is that at least one of them definitely was.
 Supiscion had been directed in Senator Lundeens direction after many mysterious visits to his of- flee on the part of George Sylves- ter Viereck, famous German propagandist and reputedly a cousin of the Kaiser. Viereck pulp nshe6 ''The Fatherland" during the World. War, has since re- ceived fees for public relations work for Berlin, and is a self avowed friend of Adolf Hitler's Germany"
 Viereck frequently came to Lun- deems office to inquire if cer- speeches had been inserted in the Congressional Record. These speeches presumably had been written by Viereck himself or at least inspired. In fact, speeches written for the Senator by his research assistants, among them Miss Izetta Robb, frequently were changed in order to give them a pro-dictatorship slant.
 Viereck bought frequent gifts
 of candy to the Lundeen stem
 Ographers, but eventually they
 got suspicious and reported the mysterious gOings and comings of
 NaZi sympathizers to the Lun-
 deem office. They also reported
 the presence on the Lundeen off,
 flee force of New York Ger
 man girl whose German hus-
 band travelled in South America. MYSTERIOUS CRASH
 Lundeen was one of the isola- tionist bloc in the United States Senate, and his speeches followed the line of the fifth columnists in the sense that they were bit- terly anti-British and vigorously against American preparedness. Justice Department agents were attempting to find out the ex- tent to which Berlin was difin- ;tely hooked Up with any mem berS of this congressional bloc when Lundeen's plane crashed.
 As to the cause of the crash, air experts continue to be mys- tified. The plane struck ridge in a thunderstorm, but at an unorthodox angle and at an ex- cessive speed with throttles wide open, seemingly out of control. It was over terrain where a n emergency landing would have been possible, and the pilot had reported everything OK only ten minutes earlier. Pennsylvania Central had never had a crash before in its entire history.
 Whether certain foreign agents figured that they were about to
 be exposed, whether G-men on the plane tangled with Lundeen in flight, or whether it was an act of God and the weather may
 never be known. But some of Lundeen's office force can tell a lot of things about Fifth Column activities. in the United States Congress.
 NEW FARM SECRETARY
 The little group that witnessed 1t Is still chuckllng over the slapstick comedy at the swearing in of Claude Wickard as new sec- retary of Agriculture.
 The fun began when the Presi- dent was unable to find Wick ards commission of office. He rummaged through his crowded desk and ia tho drawers. But no luck. Finally he dispatched Chief Clerk, Rudolph Eoggter to make Q search of tho executive offices.
 Five minutes later Forster re. turned, clutching the missing document. Roosevelt prepared to proceed with the cereniony--but c new hitch developed. No one present was empowered to swear ln Wickard.
 WheFeupon the President threw tip his hands ill mock dIsniay,
 sH can't administer the cath" ha anll. lllin only lha Rraallanl.