The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-10


Admiral Leahy Is one of the
most trusted defense advisers
around the President. The two
men are close personal friends, and
when Leahy was Chief of Naval
Operations he virtually ran the
Navy Department. Several weeks
ago, therefore, Roosevelt called
Leahy back from Puerto Rico and
conferred with him about taking
over the job of National Defense
Coordinator.
Leahy was much interested, but
said that If he was to succeed at
this important Job he wanted free
rein to do two things. One was
to increase hours Of labor without
necessarily increasing wages. In
other words, the Wage-Hour act
and the Walsh Healy act, two Of
the hardest-fought New Deal la
Dor reforms, were to be suspended.
Admiral Leahy pointed to the
experience Of the Blum govern
ment, which did not rearm for
the reason that French labor in
sisted on continuing the 40-hour
week and other management re-
strictions.
The admiral also referred to
the fact that Hitler was paying
virtual slave wages, working men
all sorts Of hours, and he made
the point that no nation could
compete with Hitler IL IL main
tanned too high q wage scale. II
would bankrupt the United
States, he said and labor should
be patriotic enough to contribute
halliday q week, or some addi-
tional extra hours toward ma
tional defense.
The President fatty opposed
this. He said that his labor re-
forms had been attained only af-
ter a long struggle and they could
not be surrendered. He also said
that labor was always asked to
sacrifice in emergencies, and that
this time employers could do some
Of the sacrificing.
MILITARY DEADWOOD
The second point Admiral Leahy
made was that If he became Ma
tional Defense Coordinator he
wanted the right to Dust or trans.
fer about half the admirals in the
Navy. He seemed to feel that the
Navy was loaded down with dead
wood, and needed a thorough
house-cleaning. He even named
a few admirals whom he would
include in that house-cleaning.
Furthermore, Leahy voiced similar
sentiments about some Of the
gone-to-seed officers in the War
Department.
The President, however, did not
concur in this. He was definitely
cool to the idea. He had several
other conversations with Admiral
Leahy but made no further men
ton Of making him National De-
Tense Coordinator. Finally he
proposed:
"Bill, you 90 out to the Gov
ernors' Conference and talk to
them on national defense. And
then think you'd better 60 back
70 Puerto Rico. There's an inn
portant job to be done down
there, and this situation seems
to be gettinga long all right. II
we need you, well send for you"
Since then Admiral Leahy has
had various other conferences with
Roosevelt on national defense, and
continues to be one Of his closest
advisers. Though he has gone
back TO Puerto Rico, he will re-
turn to Washington again soon.
But In regard to labor, his views
do not prevail at the White House
McNARY's CAMPAIGN
Senator Charles McNary OF Ore
son knows Just what kind of q
campaign he Is going TO make
as COP candidate for vice presl-
dent. and no one Is going 10 make
him operate differently.
No back-slapper, bahy-klsser or
glad-hander. he has quietly but
firmly decided that these practices
are out. sI'lI choose my eWn wesp.
ems" says MeNary with Q boyish
smile.
The senator does not intend to
make an extensive speaking cam.
paign. He u going 70 leave that
V the head Of the ticket.