The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-11-04

some tifne-ai1d With mixed
 Theoretically U. s. ofticIals are inclined to agree with the British that perhaps some news should Dc withheld from the American press. On the other hand, those who url- derstand American public opinion realize that President Roosevelt has 6 fer different problem from that of the British In educating public opinion. Britain is in the war and the public has been ace customed to war for two years. The American public, however, is a long way yet from entering the war, and demands tho facts gather than any twisting or withholding of the facts.
 Furthermore, there Is a group
 inside the Army and Navy which
 demands more facts for theni- SeIves regarding the British mil.
 itary position. They believe the
 British have been too 0ptim. isGlc, and that American Snills
 tary Strategists should have all
 the British facts, disagreeable aS
 they may be, in order to cope
 with them.
 one very vigorous member of this school IS Admiral Ernest J. King commander of the Atlantic Fleet. Admiral King is running one of the most efficient sections of the U. s. Navy, the conveys across the North Atlantic, but he believes in looking the facts in the faee-even though disagree able.
 ADMIRAL KING WINS OUT
 Several days ago King had reason to differ with Admiral William standley, retired, who went to Russia as adviser to Aver. eli Hartman. Standley, after stopping also in London, came back with an enthusiastic 00-page report glowing with RusSos British ability to hold out.
 When Admiral King heard Of this he went to the White House and registered an emphatic pro- test against the "Pollyailna stun" He told the President that he did not trust Admiral Gtandiey's re- port and wanted to send his own observer to the Mediterranean to look over the British situation.
 Admiral King can be . tough
 GaIker, and he did not mince
 words with Roosevelt. He In.
 timated that the President
 might remove hlsn # he wished,
 but that he (Klng) had to know
 what the U. s. fleet faced in
 te Atlantic. So the President gave him permission to send . one of his own Atlantic fleet
 officers to look over the British
 situation.
 What King and other Army. Navy coininanuers are chiefly worried about ts the British posi-. ton. in the Near East. Here nor. ale Is reported at low ebb: troops gre still poorly equipped.
 All, of which may Do highly ex- aggerated. But U. g. Army and Navy Strategistg want to know - without any DFitiSh censorship. HONEY FTTZ"
 one man who has no trouble getting in to see the President, even in these hectic days, is John Y. Fitzgerald, 7esyear-old ex. mayor of Boston, fAther.iTi-lAw of ex-Anibassador Joe Kennedy, and still . potent figure in Mas sachusettS politics. Among his yaiyriadS of friends from coast to coast, he Is known aS Honey Fits" sYt the President calls him "dTampa" and ie fond Of him for two reasons.
 Fitzgerald was the first candI. date the President supported tn . political campaign. This was back iii Ie0B, when Roosevelt was Q student ct Harvard and "GFans pss was running for the first Of three terms in tho House Of Rep7 Tesentatltes. 7Ie was the only New EngIand Democrat in Con" gFeAs from 1ee6 to ie0e. The Pfesldent proudly claims 6 lot of credit for this.
 Other reason for Fltzgeralds ainv at tlie White House is 6 iilt- ing tenor voice, which the Presis dent hugely adlnifes. Every time the hpfy Dobt0riaii calls, tho Pg66ldefiE demands to hear kis atAlm aMsaa.N wskEgegaid needs no