The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-09-23


 Almost no one knows 1t out side the inner circle, but it was Morgenthau who finally got statement in writing from the President saying that, with Hitler about to launch the biggest attack in history, supplies to Russia must come first. This was around March 10 of this year.
 Prior to that time, supplies to Russia had gone in driblets. Aus tralia was pressing its demands. Britain needed supplies for Egypt, India, the Dutch East <Indies. China needed bombers. Russia had been solemnly promised muni- tions, but except in infinitesimal quantities they were not shipped.
 Everyone agreed that if Rus- sia was able to hold this sum- mer, Hitler was we'll on the way to defeat. But even so, Russia did not get the munitions.
 So finally, Morgenthau put the matter flatly before the Presi- dent and got a statement from him in writing. Incidentally, the President, through some whim. wrote his chit on an old piece of paper with the heading "As- sistant Secretary of the Navy" He had kept it for 9 years. ever since the days of Woodrow Wilson.
 Morgenthau then got the chit photostated and sent 1t around to the war chiefs. When Donald Nelson demurred over sending large supplies to Russia, Nor genthau simply said: Well, here it Is in writing"
 So beginning at that time, sup plies really left for Russia.
 NOTE: The nation can also thank Morgenthau for being more farsighted than anyone else in the cabinet about building planes for France and England. When a French pilot cracked up in Cali fornia, Morgenthau was banned severely on>the Senate floor and the Senate Military Affairs Com !. mittee proposed an investigation. Harry Woodring, then Secretary of War, also vigorously opposed Morgenthau.
 However, these purchases by the French and British got U. s. air plane factories fooled up and ready for mass production. Morgenthau even went to Indianapolis and paid surprise visit on the Ali son company, to SC why its mo- tor production was so slow.
 NEW RUBBER CHAR
 Inside fact is thatt he President offered Chester Davis, former Administrator, the job of be- ing rubber czar before he offered it to Union Pacific's William M. Jeffers. But Davis, now head of the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis, has not been in good health and asked to be excused.
 Faced with the necessity of getting a good man immediately
 (the appointment had been promised for Sept. IA Averell Hartman, chairman cni chief stOckhOIdef of the Union Pa- cIfic, ordered Jeffers to Wash ingtOn. He arrived on Sept. IS without any lnkling of what was in store for him, was given thirty minutes to consider the matter, and accepted. tPerhaps with his boss ordering him to Washington, he had t0.)
 Cabinet members arc chalking up the Jeffers appointment as one more score for Harry Hop- klns, and point out that the old friendship between Harry and AverelI Hartman is certainly bearing fruit. The play on Jef- fers was Hartman to Hopkins to Roosevelt.
 Behind both the Chester Davis choice and Jeffery final selection was the deslre 10 appease the farm belt, still snartlng over the veto of rubber from eraln alcohol. nut it SC happens that jeffers though living in Nebraska, has Oil in his background, The Union Pacific hos lts own oll fields,
 flhe controversy 0f making gVlibeF eul Of ell eF gFnln ai. echel NiII eentlaae.
 SHOOTING IN ALASKA
 Major General @imen Bolivar