The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-06-25

Wneimeu py sheer Welgnt oI ma- terlal,
 RED TAPE.ITIS
 While most of the $7,000 100000 lend-lease money has been allo- cated, some $500000,000 earmark- ed for new ornaments plants is still lying around idle. And close to ( billion of other defense ap- propriations for new plants also is twiddling its thumbs while Army supply brasshats and OPM chiefs, enmeshed In coils of red tape, are stalling around.
 It takes from eight to fifteen months to erect these plants, 50 this delay in getting construction started means Q serious criinp in the defense program.
 Chiefly to blame are Army supply brasshats, who are lnade- quate to handle the tcolossat task thrust on them, but so jealous of their bureaucratic powers that they won't lot anyone else tackle 1t. OPM heads are chaimplng at the precious time being wasted, hut lack authority to override tho Army and haven't the gumption to raise \ row.
 NOTE - The Army is formu- lating 0 new appropriation bill for itself of around $s,0oo,o0ooo This additional money is wanted to pro- vide equipment for an army of B. 100000, double the present size MERRY.GO.ROUND
 Creation of e new defense agency to handle jurisd!ctional problems between civil and mill tary aviation Is being considered by the President, strongly urged by Representative Jack Nichols of Oklahoma, chairman of the House committee Investigating rec cent airline disasters. Nichols fav- ors federal control over all navig. able air space , . Delegates to the Townsendite convention in Buffalo next month will hear the two leading senatorial spokesmen- on foreign policy--Senator Claude Pepper, interventionist champion, and Senator Burt Wheeler, iso. lationist Employes of the British Purchasing Mission leaving the elevator at their offices are confronted with this sign: "The existence of the British Empire depends on YOUR effort. Chins up-There VIII Always be an England" Since checking booths were installed at Capitol en. frances, police daily turn up some fresh oddity. Last week sea cap- tain's wife, accompanied by six wide-eyed youngsters, left a large bundle of sailors hardtack bis- cult.
 WILL DAVIS
 The country doesn't like strikes any more than 1t likes war, but the war has brought out many men of stature, and the strikes have brought out William H. Davis, new chairman of the Na- tional Defense Mediation Board.
 Actually Davis is no "war baby." but veteran who has been work ing at labor mediation for many years. Still 1t was settlement of the Allis-C Chalmers strike that first won him national attention.
 By profession Davis is a patent lawyer, with ofilces in New York City. On the very next day after the Allis- Chalmers triumph, he appeared before the U. S. Supreme Court, his hair no more unruly than usual, to argue a patent case. He makes his living from big money firms, but he has a strong liberal viewpoint toward labor.
 When a committee of Con- gress asked him what he thought of q bill to outlaw strikes, he said, ''When you pass
 compulsory legislation, you
 make the working man . slave, and there is no use producing
 defense materials for . nation of slaves"
 There are a lot of odd pieces in Davis life. He was born in Ban- gor, Me, schooled in Washington, b. O., is Q member of New York's swanky Downtown Athletic Club, a labor sympathizer, founder of the Grand Central Art Galleries, father-in-law of Argentine diplo- mat Alonzo Irigoyen, and careless with his clothes.
 One phrase-maker says Davis has ethe face of c kindly bull- dog." Anther Hthe face of Q tired trombone player" Not many faces