The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-04-10

American delegation which jour-
neyed abroad. All other ques-
tons are subordinate TO those Of
war and peace in the presidents
mind.
The presidents more recent
policical moves, however, mysu-
fy both his friends and his enc
mics. They can discern no per-
sistent pattern in the cloth out
of which he is apparently striv-
ing to weave a Democratic VIC
tory next November and con-
tinuation of the New Deal
policies.
Roosevelt makes no secret OF
his personal preference for At
torney General Jackson, and yet
he advances Hull as a more
likely winner in convention and
in the election. Nevertheless, he
doesn't raise finger to silence
the third-termers, in fact APP
pears to encourage them. So far
his attitude is fairly under
standable, but he program he
privately expressed to a New
England senator a few days ago
does not accord with any of
these schemes. F. d. r. sent
for this consistent democratic
winner, who halls from a pro-
Farley state, and outlined his
views for several hours. 1t was
obvious that he wanted his ideas
relayed to Capitol Hill, and they
were.
IF I had my way" said the
president, Il would put the
names of all our candidates in
a drawer right now. l would
put 'em all in-Farley, McNutt.
Ickes, everybody who has been
mentioned. Then l would lock
that drawer, and not open it
until the convention meets" In
that way, F. D. r. seemed TO
believe, pre-convention squabbles
and differences could be avoided.
His proposal indicates his grow
ing concern that the party is
falling apart over his policies
and his third-term activities. The
presidential strategy rang no
bells in the politicoos' hearts.
Swell idea," growled a Garner
lite, but he would hold the KEY"
A slick joker which has escaped
congressional notice lies behind
the scheme to afford the allies
priority in the purchase of planes
and engines. While the details
are carefully guarded, the ~
revealed provision enables Great
Britain and France to evade the
original requirement that they
finance all costs of physical ex-
pansion. Here is how it was
worked with respect to a Mid
western plant which turns out
engines that power our fastest
planes:
The u. S. first ordered 400
engines from this factory, nee
essitating a vast increase in
facilities. The corporation ex-
pressed reluctance to embark OH
on such a perilous venture. but
agreed to build after it received
an order for 800 motors from the
French Government, making
1,200 in all. Washington, how
ever, refused to approve the
French deal on the ground that
it would be giving away military
secrets to a foreign nation.
When the company still in
sisted that it would be inviting
economic ruin if it strained it.
self for a mere 400-order. the
administration relented and
agreed to permit the manufac-
ture and export of the engines
to France. 1t marked a COM
plete reversal of the much-ad-
vertised plan under which the
Allies would bear the full cost
of industrial growth, and thus
soften the effects of deflstion
when war buying ends. 1t is
understood the same policy will
apply to the billion-dollar pur-
chase of planes; the reasons for
revision are economic rather
than military; it permits the
Allies to invest more cash in
actual weapons. 1t explains.
perhaps, why Secretary Morgen-
THAI shuns any public discussion
OF amortization provisions of
the war contracts.