The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-19

House secretaries, folloWin inference severely criticizes OPM and War Department handling Of defense contracts.
 Mellett found that little busi- ness generally is bitterly disguSted with the whole defense adninis- tratlon, Is convinced that 1t Is being run by big business and cor- poratlon lawyers, and is up in arms politically abotu the matter. Mellett warns that the Adminis- tHation had better do something about the situation and do 1t fast or 1t will be just too bad in next years crucial congressional elec- tons.
 A long list of specific grievances are detailed in the report: Little first excluded from defense orders in favor Of big competitors, even though there was no difference in their prices. Endless un-aroundS from OPM and Army brasshats because the little business men had no "'in" with the big shots. Small manufacturers put out of bust. ness by the priority system which enables big concerns with defense contracts to hog supplies of raw materials.
 NEellett also implies that the
 Division of Contract Disthlbus
 tlom, established several months
 ago to help little business, has
 SO far accomplished very little
 in the way of results. Small
 huslneHs is still out in the cold
 when it comes to getting an
 equitable share of defense work. The gist of the report is an old story to the President. For months others have been telling the same thing, although not so comprehensively and effectively. The creation of SPAB and the Contract Distribution Division was an effort to remedy the situation. But these agencies are manned with the same type of executives who have been running the de- fense program from the start big business men.
 There isn't one little business
 man among them.
 LONE REFUGE
 In fact. in all of Washington there. is only one place where a little business man is function ing in behalf of small business.
 That is in the Justice Depart ment, where trust-busting Assist ant Attorney General Thurman Arnold has set up Small bllsi- ness Section and installed as It's head a genuine little business man.
 He is Guy H0Icomb, strap
 ping, tWO,klsted Atlanta. filling station. operator, who has never had . public Job before, hates Fedtape, and loves nothing better than to ,tangle with bRaashat whe is pushing around . little Sel0W. as. >
 Operating from a cubby-hole office, with only 8 secretary as his. assistant, and without fan- fare and hoopla, Hoicomb in the month he has been functioping already has chalked up an impress sive record as Q defender of little business men. He has got them contracts, supplies, and entry to official. doors previously closed.
 If you are a little business man and are having defense trou- bles, Holconnb is the one man in Washington tell them to. He may not be able to help you. but he'll certainly try. There will be no complaint on that score. ONE TIME DIERs
 Fred c. Orslnger. popuar direc- tor of the Commerce Departments Aquarium, was regaling slght- seers on the high mortality rate |, of his finny charges.
 s.Rish are . mighty peer In- surMmce risk" he explained, aes- peeimlIy Che rare ones. went e New York recently and brought back Q plnl-taiIed eeuth American catflsh, the only enc im the United States. It died seen after arriving in Washington due Co the temper neure change 0r too much rough h&ndling en tiae way down.
 sThen, there were those two man-eating piranhas we. had here ia the AuuarlurHa,n continued Or singer, warming to his aubiect. rOne Of the danged things almost hlt ny flneer oEf. Maybe that's