Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-03-21
No. | Man
In War Effort
Is Hopkins
u. S. Errors Believed Due
TO His Position
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

vidual in the pretzel-like form
OF our war control is Mr.. Harry
Hopkins. His official position is
not conspicuous but his influence
is all-pervading.
This is obvious in the Off
hand remarks Of the chief actors
in either our military or our
productive effort, and frequently
on the political side, when con-
fronted with great question
for decision.
I'll have to see Harry about
that" or Let me get Hopkins
reaction"
The man is physically weak
and sickly. In such time as he
does not spend in hospitals he
lives al the White House A fiery
and determined will-power and a
devoted heart drives an almost
shattered body TO incredible
extremes OF effort.
IT RECALLS historical paral-
l. lels of the past and two or
three in this administration. But
the parallels are not perfect.
Cardinal Richelieu simply was
the government, of France as
WoolSey was of England. But
they were greedy, money-mad
men intent primarily on their
own interests.
Such Hopkins is not. He is a
personal idolator OF Franklin
Roosevelt and a social worker so
elorified as almost TO be Sod
cialist
lie believes in making Amer.
lea over by squandering its
wealth.
He has already spent more OF
the peoples money sthan any
human being who ever lived, and
he is in a position now Ia spend
!, more and do IL more quickly.
In the political aspect Of this
activity he has been ruthless and
not too frank. AS his unsuccess.
full efforts 10 deny political Use
OF WPA money charged by the
super-reporter Tom Stokes
showed upon investigation By a
congressional committee.
But nobody ever even suS-
pected that a nickel Of these bill
lions stuck 10 his fingers. He Is
as poor as a church mouse.
TIVE parallels in this admins
Il tratl0n have been LOUIS
Howe. and. 10 an extent. Tommy
! Corcoran. Louis was actuated
solely by an even greater personal
devotion and submerslon of self,
But he was 50 far more prac-
teal that death was a national
loss.
Another outstanding apparent
parallel was Colonel House with
4 Woodrow Wilson. But the colo
/ mel was a Richelieu reincarnated.
His plottings at Versailles are
/ supposed 10 have wrecked the
League Of Nations.
The men parted abruptly and
the time was 10 come when the
little circle Of White House in
Inmates pronounced the Texans
title CD and name together as
one word Colone1ouse.
Harry Hopkins will never he
charged with any such lack OF
devotion but his strange posi-
tion-his Intimacy and influence
with supreme authority - ara
now far greater. although someN
what Of the same nature. as
Colonel Houses was then.
IT HARDLY needs TO be said
Il that this kind of unofficial
assistant presidency is bad busi-
ness.
Nobody ever elected Mr.. Hop
kinS TO any office. He has no
public responsibility notwith-
standing that he has second 10
the greatest public authority in
the nation.
He is no better fitted 10 have
the greatest, If not the control
ling voice in selecting chieftains.
such as Mr.. Donald Nelson. than
he is TO dictate the distribution
of munitions as between our DUN
forces and those of the rest Of
the MONA woodland he is
not fitted by training or expert
ence for either decision.
MANY OF the delays. false
WI starts, bad selections Of
leaders and subsequent blunder-
ings in getting our production
machinery attuned for war over
the past two and a half years
are attributable directly to Mr..
Hopkins and his palace janis
SARA of men OF similar mind.
1t does little good TO shift the
same bishops. rocks, knights
and pieces around on the chess
board il their slogan of action
still remains:
'I'll have to see what II. Fl.
thinks about that first"
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u -----
The average age of white
J. mothers at the time OF their
first birth is % years, while