The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-02-01

y okayed by the new super-defense agency, Office of Production Man. agement.
 Biggest argument was over the prohibition of conveys. Republi- can floor leaders Charles Me- Nary and Joe Martin insisted on such an amendment. Roosevelt argued that 1t would be trneces- sary and meaningless.
 "The neutrality act prohibits
 American vessels from entering
 restricted war zones," he pointed
 out in effect, land have no
 desire to repeal the neutrality
 act. However, if you must put
 this window dressing in the bill,
 I won't try to stop it"
 The other amendment, spon- sored by isolationist Rep. Hamil- ton Fish of New York, would re- ouire the Office of Production Management to approve the loan or. lease of all war supplies to Britain. And the President flatly put his foot down when Joe Mar tin suggested that it be included in the bill.
 Roosevelt contendeA that it would retard speedy execution Of the lend-lease program when speed is the very essence of our attempts to help Great Britain" Also he argued that 1t would bur- den the OPM with extraneous problems at a time when all its efforts were needed to increase production. Martin finally agreed to substitute, namely that the President consult with the Army Chief of Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations.
 That's perfectly satisfactory
 to me-" was Roosevelt's reaction.
 "I would naturally do that any
 way"
 HULL TALKS
 When Secretary of State Hull in secret session before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he emphasized the be- lief that the fall of Britain would have grave and immediate reper- cusSiones in South America.
 He warned that local Nazi-F'as- cist parties would attempt to seize power in at least half a doz- en countries, probably resulting in civil war which Hitler would ex- ploit to the limit. And where totalitarian regimes did succeed in gaining foothold, Hull point ed out that Hitler would imme- diately establish bases for military operation to strike at other parts of Latin America and the United States.
 Hull mentioned no names and
 was not pressed for any. In
 fact, the two isolationist war
 riors present, Nye of North Da-
 kota and Clark of Missouri,
 handled him with kid gloves
 throughout the proceedings.
 Hull was primed to meet their attack head-on, but they didn't give him chance to work out on them. Both senators were re- spectful and circumspect in their questioning.
 FDR BIRTHDAY CAKE
 Last year when the AFL Bakery and Confectionery Workers Union made its annual presentation of a huge birthday cake to President Roosevelt, the truck conveying 1t to the White House hit rut in the snow and the elaborate cake was so damaged that 1t had to be sent back for repairs.
 This year 1t was not the cake but the President who "broke down." He had been put to bed with cold when AFL President Bill Green plus confectionery union officials called ct the White House with the 6-foot, 300 pound cake. So the presentation had to be postponed until next day. when Roosevelt returned to his desk.
 "fts your best job yet" he compiimented ftaiian-born Ole. ment Maggia, c Washington ba. ker who makes the cake every year, Plucklng off two candy leaves, he began Co fnuneh them.
 Green followed the presentation with the announcement that this year, as usual, every AFL inter. national union would contribute q alAaable check Co the Presis dents Birthday Ball lnfantile par. alysls fund. This brought from Roosevelt . piece of information