The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-24

less than he asked. Gautier had to abide by this decision, but he had one consolation. -e
 As the operator of a local ice plant, he looked forward to @ brisk business supplying the ten- ants of the housing project with ice. But this hope was short- lived. Gautier learned that elec- trio refrigerators would be in- stalled in the new houses. /
 The Navy had baked him on the land deal, but now Gautier hotfooted to Washington and told his tale of woe to Congressman Co!mer. Colmer took his consti- tuent's plea to the Navy, de- manding that the refrigerators be eliminated. But the Navy re- fused to be press,ired. ...... No FrillS ..'., ...
 It looked as If Gautier once more was out of luck. But just then the $150 ,0OO,000 housing bill reached the Rules committee -. of which Colmer is & member.
 The bill contained a provision for refrlgerators and ranges sini- lar to those to be installed in the Pascagoula project. Colmer saw his chance. With a furry of press statements he denounced such appliances as "frills', and demanded that they be barred in loW-cost dwelli10s
 For ten days the battle ragged over the issue. Meanwhile Col- mer, realizing that even if the ban were approved 1t still wouldn't take care oi. his iceman constituent, since there was no way of making the provision re- troactive, did a little horsetrad- ing with Defense Housing Co., ordinator Charles Palmer.
 Palmer, to expedite the urgent
 bill, finally agreed to request"
 the Navy to cancel the Pas Cagoula refrigerators. With this
 assurance, C0lmer un-gagged
 the hill in the Rules committee
 and 1t was passed by the House
 next day. ar..t -...l.h
 NOTE-While they won this battle, Gautier and Colmer may yet loose the war. The Pasca. gould project will be completed in Q few weeks, and Navy hous- ing officials intend to install re- frigerators--regardles of Palmer unless ordered otherwise in writing by Secretary Frank Knox. It now remains to be seen wheth- CT Colmer can pressure Knox in- to axing the refrigerators Gau- tier doesn't want.
 MERRY-GO.ROUND
 State Department mail clerks eyed with deep suspicion an en- velope addressed to Secretary Hull bearing in one corner a red derby with mysterious lettering underneath. It turned out to be an invitation to Hull from the University of Wisconsin chapter of the Sigma Delta Chi Journal istic fraternity to attend an an- nual gridiron banquet .. Wayne Coy, able young lieutenant of Federal Security Administrator Paul McNutt, Is being considered for. promotion to a vacancy on the White House secretarial staff. =. Interesting observation on the defense program in the monthly economic report of the National City Bank of New York: "Con- sidering what has been done, 1t is remarkable that disturbances of business up to this time, through government controls or otherwise, have been not so many, but so few, ;. all without devel- opment of major shortages or re- strictions. dangerous disturbances of commodity prices, or signifi- cant rise in the cost of living"
 State Department Linen
 The State Department attempt to purge Ogden Hammond, Jr., on the alleged charge that he mimicked the President, has re- vealed a series of hitherto iin- disclosed purges inside the career service.
 Young Ogden Hammond is .
 unique individual. Ills father
 was appointed by Coolidge as
 Ambassador tO Spain, and later
 was one Of the most ardent
 American supporters of General
 Franco. Young Hamm0nd's
 sister is Countess Robert. whose
 husband. an Italian diplomat.
 was found en route from New Orleans Co Mexico City last