The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-08-14

toward the door before Early's secre- tary could finish saying "all right" Early seemed bit nervous too as he faced them from across his desk. He fingered an unlighted pipe and he kept putting on and taking oil his glasses. A mimeographed text was on the desk.
 T want to talk to you a few minutes first" Early began.
 He cautioned that what he was about to announce must not be made public in any form until 9 a. m. That was necessary to coin- eide with the release of identical announcements in London. He suggested the newsmen might wait in his office until and then dash to their telephones.
 "Or would you rather take them now and go to youl offices on the solemn promise that not single word will be made public until pre- cisely g o'clock?' he asked.
 The reporters qnickly agreed on the second proposal at 8:39 and Early distributed the mimeographed statement.
 There is plenty of time," Early admonished eager grabbers. Don't rush."
 No Attention Paid
 Nobody paid much attention to that suggestion.
 By 9:05 a. m. the White House was almost as deserted as 1t hac been during the days since August q when MT. Roosevelt started the flshing trip that became nine day mystery thriller.
 If this had been the wars worst kept secret" in London, as some dis patches quipped, it was the "beSt kept" in Washington.
 London advices suggested that newSpapermen there had been able to learn in advance a good deal more than the censorS permitted them to tell.
 For days, observers had been able only to make guesSes from a smat- tering of known facts-the disap- pearance from London of Churchill and U. s. lend-lease administrator Harry L. Hopkins; the disappear ance from Washington of key men; the ambiguity of the messages from the presidents yacht Potomac.
 Some of the highest officials were known to have brumbled to col leagues that they, like the public had been left in the dark as to where the president was and what he was doing.
 Congressional figures tended tc doubt, almost to the last, that any thing unusual was afoot.
 The House voted to take itself . holiday, beginning this weekend and lasting until September 18. The Senate arranged for somewhat shorter breathing spell. Speaker Sam Rayburn leaves the city to- morrow and Democratic Leader John W. Mccormack plannedw te go home to Boston Saturday. Nov there may or may not be change in Congressional schedules.
 Unusual From Start
 MT. RooSevelt'S criise was unuSua from the start. When he sailed from New London. Conn, at dusk August 3-with three aides compris. ing his official party-the Potomac was classed as navy vessel anc navy rules of censorship regarding its movements were invoked.
 Correspondents who usually go tt sea with the president were advised to go to Boston and wait with th' presidents special train, which stoot by. They waited and feared noth' ing.
 The explanation for the news bar was that this was going to be { ''newsless" trip; that the presiden hoped to get some undisturbed rest Brief dispatches would be sent tt the navy here relating progress O the cruise.
 The president had been at sea of the New England coast only tw, days when the rumors began witl disclosure that Churchill and Hop &ins apparently had left London Hopkins just previously had re turned from Moscow.