The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1941-04-04
rNa1ihaaa
Washington, d. G.
DONOVAN HAS GLOOMY
rs REPORT


ing the Near East, brought a de-
cidedly gloomy report back to WASH
ington.
Donovan told Secretary Of the
Navy Knox and Secretary of War
Stimson, the two Republican men,
bers of the cabinet who were large
ly responsible for sending him, that
British chances were anything but
rosy in the Balkans. The Greeks,
he found, were riding the crest of
the wave but were successful more
because of their superhuman
bravery and the weaknesses of the
Italians than because of their real
military strength. Against strong,
well-equipped foe, such as the Ger
mans, it would be different story.
The Turkish army, Donovan also
reported, is poorly equipped when it
comes to modern weapons of war
and is worried over Russia.
In North Africa he found that Cen
eral Weygand was not disposed to
act independently of Vichy, and the
French in general seemed despond-
ent, fioundering in their policy and
completely lacking in leadership.
DEFENSE PRICE POLICEMAN
With the OPM rushing production
and the 11-man mediation board
handling labor problems, Roosevelt
wants third unit to ride herd on
prices.
Head of the new agency will be
Leon Henderson, New Deal veteran
whose experience as a hard-boiled
price policeman dates to MIRA days.
Also, as price controller Of the old
defense commission, Henderson
knows the defense picture thorough
1y, already has several big scalps to
his credit. It was his forceful
crack-downing that tunbled the
soaring prices of lumber and scrap;
also put lid on secondhand ma
chinery price furries.
Roosevelt said nothing about It
publicly; but privately he did lot
of talking about the new price con-
troll unit before he departed on his
vacation cruise. The gradual up
ward price trend, as a result of the
expanding priority list, has worried
him considerably, and the last thing
he wants is q high-cost-of-living
problem.
WIDOW FOR CONGRESS
A very beautiful widow, plus a
tragic airplane accident near Allan
ia, Ga, is causing political trouble
in Maryland which may have roper
cussions in the axis capitals of Ber-
lin, Tokyo and Rome.
The situation results from the
death of young Congressman Viii
liam Byron, Democrat, in the recent
Atlanta airplane crash, which mean
an early by-election to fill his Mary
land seat in the house Of represen-
tatives.
Mrs. Byron aspires to take the
road Of many another congressional
widow and 60 to congress. How
ever, this section Of Maryland is
normally Republican, and Mrs. By
ron, beautiful as she is, would have
q hard time defeating fortnight
Republican.
Therefore, Democratic leaders are
doing their best to persuade her to
bow out Of the congressional race
In favor Of the much stronger Pres
ton Lane, Democratic National Com
mitteeman from Maryland. They
know that the first election contest
occurring after passage Of the lease
lend bill viii be watched throughout
the world as q sign Of Roosevelt's
popular strength and whether the
country Is with him on foreign pol
icy.
The fact that Maryland, rela-
lively conservative state, doesn't
care for women In high political
places, would cut no ice in the prop
uganda factories Of Rome, Tokyo
and Berlin.
ALUMINIUM SHORTAGE
The housewives pots and pans
aren't the only items hit by the
shortage in aluminium shortage
which certain defense officials de-
MED for months, but finally admit
ted when the OPM put the metal on
the priority list. The deficiency ID
creating some other serious indus
trial problems. Here Ii one illus-
'tration:
A big bus manufacturer working
on an order for some 40-passenger
vehicles suddenly found himself I'M
able to get the sheet aluminium he
needed. He complained to the OPM
and was advised to use steel as q
substitute. But this, he found, would
SO increase the weight Of his buses
as to bar them from the roads Of
several states.
Therefore he must either reduce
the size Of his buses or prevail ON
the states to raise their highway
load limits to permit heavier
MERRY-GO-ROUND
The houses leading aviation en-
thusiast, World war flyer Mel Mas
-