The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1942-09-24
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9
FLIGHT
Liquor Interests Behind
Effort 10 Tie Up Soldiers
Legion Convention Asked
10 Act on Liquor Problem
JeFfers Appointment as
Rubber Car Stir, PoIifieos
ny RAY TUCKER

ny RAY TUCKER
WASHINGTON = The nationa
convention of the American Legior
at Kansas City was asked To adopt
. resolution designed TO discourag.
the drys from attempting To enact
local or federal prohibition statute,
until the millions now in uniform
and those facing mobilization ar,
disbanded at the close of the con-
1ict In other words. yesterday
veterans viii be given a chance &c
save their fighting sons from be-
ing hornswoEgled the same way
many Of them think they were dur.
ting the First World war.
Powerful liquor interests are be-
hind this novel scheme for preserv-
Ing the alcoholic status quo. They
have been disturbed by the numer-
Gus losses they have sustained in
local option contests. The feature
which worries them most is that
they were defeated IN sections
where they expected to win easily.
They attribute the prohibitionists
successes to the exodus of thou
sands of young men into the armed
services and into industries in other
sections Of the country. They be-
1leve that this class of voters would
have lined up with the .'wets" and
saved the day. So they insist that
there be q moratorium on these
ballot box tests until the tempo
ranly disfranchised can register
their sentiment.
For the last few months. or ever
eince the anti-liquor trend became
noticeable. tho organized distillers
have sent men on the road to coun-
tersct this movement. They have
persuaded many neighhorhood
Legion posts to protest against
any wartime stampede by the
white ribboners. and their resolv-
ings have been submitted to the
Legionnaires.
Appointment of William NJ. JEFF
fers m rubber car has provoked
widespread political and editorial
murmuring. With speedy solution
of this critical problem so vital,
even White House friends think
that a man with detailed and tech
nica1 knowledge Of the subject
should have been named. The
Union Pacific head. with charac-
teristic frankness, has admitted
that he must start from scratch.
But the Nebraskan has plenty
of defenders. They point out that
the president has not been partic-
ularly fortunate when he selected
men from n specific industry to
handle questions connected with
their own corporations. Some have
apparently preferred to place the
national welfare second to their
own selfish interests. while others
had cardboard. cuhhyhole minds.
LETTERS reputation and accom-
plishments are a guarantee of his
ability. and his very freshness of
approach may prove an asset.
And, as a successful railroader. he
will enforce discipline in his staff,
he knows organization and he has
demonstrated his ability To COM
mand loyalty. II Is ALSO noted that
he will have no difficulty in sur
rounding himself with technicians
from the u. s. bureau of standards,
the department of agriculture and
commerce and other government
agencies.
Together with the drafting of c.
r. Wilson of General Electric. the
letters selection suggests that
Roosevelt may abandon certain
prejudices which have kept some
of the nations ahlest leaders from
contributing to the war effort. II
In expected that more great con-
Germs will lose their presidents.
production managers and board
chairmen, even though they have
been known as anti-New Dealers
in the past In short. Washington
Ia getting scared over the conflicts
progress to date.
Some Washington wiseacres sus-
pect that Justice Frank Murphy's
army career may have been a pre-
liminary training for a tenure as
secretary Of war in place of Henry
l. Stimson. Recently. the veteran
statesman celebrated his 18th
birthday. Lately he has shown
acme strain under his tremendous
burdens despite his many excellent
accomplishment on the job.
Besides serving with troops IN
camps. Observation-Disclosures Colonel
Murphy has been delivering nu-
rnerous speeches 10 civilians and
soldiers throughout the country.
II looks as II he were being given
. build-up for something and he is
still a great fsvorite around the
White House. There is the further
fact that while governor general
Of the Philippines he made deep
study Of Far Eastern problems.
On the other hand, the memory
Of his rather inept performance as
governor Of Michigan and U. S.
attorney general might block his
path TO the war department.
FDR's friends are split in two on
the question Of placing him in
charge Of our military effort
The Truman committee has
launched the most thoroughgoing
investigation of Washington lobby
lists since the famous Caraway in