The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-17

NOTE - The Defense Contract Service estimates that 50 per cent of the machine tools in the coun- try are either idle or working less than eight hours a day.
 MELLON ART GALLERY
 Both the building and contents of the Mellon financed National Art Gallery, which opens formally in the Capital today (Monday) have been the target of heated criticism by architects and artists.
 Some have derisively described the Greco-Roman structure as a "mausoleum"; others have cast doubt on the authenticity of cer- tain of the prized old master pieces. It is alleged that two of the Rubens and one Van Dyke were not actually painted by them. but by pupils.
 Brilliant, witty Ned Bruce, who as head of the Federal Fine Arts Section has done more than any man in U. 6. history to promote art in the country, has tended to his own knitting. But the other day, when friend asked him for his opinion of the $50,000 Mellon collection. Bruce replied with quiet smile, Tts perfectly Duv- een".
 NOTE - The late Lord Joseph Duveen, noted British art dealer, sold the late Secretary of the Treasury most of the masterpieces of his collection.
 MERRY.GO-ROUND
 That $l-a-day wage increase asked by the United Mine Work CTS was a compromise forced on John L. Lewis. Looking for trouble, he wanted to demand $2 a day, but other UNIV leaders. at the secret policy meeting last Monday night, voted him down. .. Banner headline in the latest issue of the Townsend Weekly Is causing a lot Of laughs on Capi- tol Hill: Founder Calm in Face of Victory. The old-age pension scheme of "F0undcr" Townsend has no more chance of being en- acted than of jumping over the moon .. Two factors were chief ly responsible for the smashing defeat in the House of the pro- posal to investigate the defense program. One was the widespread unpopularity of its sponsor, Rep resentative Gene Cox, raspy little Georgian: the other was the ora torical haymakers swung by Rep resentative Ewing Thomson Of Texas, one of the most respected members in the chamber, and square shooting Representative Charles Plumley, Vermont Repub- lican.
 ARMY MORALS
 Genial Mark McCloskey, the Federal Security agency's recrea- ton expert, has the soldiers moral lapse figured down to one crucial hour. This hour is the one during which he waits for a bus or train to take him back to camp.
 McCloskey, whose job 1t is to worry about such things and work with the Army and Navy, has doped out that If time drags heavily during that hour of wait ing the soldier may make for honky- -tonks-and who's to blame him?
 "The smart things to d0," Me- ClOskey says, "is to brighten up the terminals. Give the boys place to shoot pool, get some good chow at low prices, and read new magazines. Some pretty waitresses for the boys to kid won't hurt any either"
 He doesn't think tour through the museum of art or a brisk walk do much to combat tempta- ton. Instead he'd like to see every town near a camp organize an onest-to-goodness information bureau for the men.
 "Tf the boys want to go to
 dance, get a date, visit with some patriotic family, or see . ball game. the community ought
 to arrange it for thesn," con- tends McCloskey.
 He beams when he mentions the 200 girls at the Tom Houston peanut factory at Columbus, Ga. who volunteered to act as hos tesses for soldiers ct dances and social events. So far as he's con- cerned, that will do more for