Evening star., 1942-02-09
Blocked CLANCY
New York Job,
La Guardia Says
Move to Strip o. c. D.
OF Morale Work
Grows in Congress

While a move to strip the Office
Of Civilian Defense of authority
to direct morale-building activi-
ties developed in Congress, May
or La Guardia revealed in New
York today that he had blocked
the assignment of Mayris Cha
ney, Philadelphia dancer and
friend of Mrs. Franklin D. Roose-
welt, to the o. c. D. Morale Divi-
sion in New York City last De-
cember.
The Mayor, who also is o. c. D.
director, told newspapermen 1t was
substantially correct" that he had
failed to approve the assignment
of Miss Chaney at a salary of $12.70
a day. He gave no reason.
Mr.. La Guardia also revealed to-
day that he will relinquish his post
as national director of civilian de-
fense some time this week.
The New York Mayors statement
came as the House resumed debate
on a $100, 900 900 o. C. D. appropria-
ton fund, which has aroused q
storm of controversy over the posts
given Miss CLANCY and Melvyn
Douglas.
Round Up Democrats.
Administration leaders, apparently
fearful Of the potentialities of the
opposition to o. c. D. 'frills, worked
overtime last night to round up all
missing Democrats to combat the
move to take morale building from
the organization.
Senator Taft, Republican, of Ohio,
said there seemed little doubt that
if the House failed to circum-
scribe the o. c. D. powers a strong
effort would be made in the Senate
to do so.
IT think the o. c. D. ought
to be limited in its activities to
the promotion of purely defense
preparations" Senator Taft told
reporters. Il don't believe there is
any crying need to build up the
morale of the American people, but
if there is, it ought to be handled
by some other agency that doesn't
have such big primary job to do"
He suggested the Once of Facts
and Figures, headed by Archibald
MacLeiSh.
Mail Floods Congress.
Representative Faddis, Democrat,
of Pennsylvania, said the Douglas
CLANCY controversy inspired an un-
usual flood of mail to members Of
Congress over the week end. He
predicted the opinions expressed
might influence greatly the vote on
a motion by Representative Taber,
Republican, Of New York, to send
the bill back to the Appropriations
Committee for revision. Represen-
tative Faddis favors the motion.
Mr.. Douglas was both criticized
and defended In the House just
before it took up the o. c. D. ap-
preparation.
1t was a case of Ford versus Ford.
Representative Leland Ford, Re-
publican, of California. criticized
Mr.. Douglas. Representative Thomas
F. Ford. Democrat, of California. de-
Tended him.
'Melvyn Douglas. commenting on
my attack on him." declared Mr..
Leland Ford, said that I don't know
my district, and the people in 1t,
and that it was a dangerous thing
for a member of Congress to do.
Says Douglas Opposed Him.
Mr.. Leland Ford said that Mr..
Douglas name originally was Hes
selberg.
Il know my district well enough
to know who the subversive inter-
ests In it are I know 1t we'll
enough not to tie up with them,
either as supporter, directly or
indirectly. or as a fellow traveller.
I know Douglas record.
MY campaign was predicated on
a fight against the subversive in
terests. Mr.. Douglas and his group
opposed me. The result was, I re-
ceived $4,000 votes out of 1879 900,
beating my opponent by $4,000.
which gave me the largest majority
of any man in Congress. Does Mr..
Douglas charge these 192, 900 people
with not Knowing what was going
on in that district?
Talks of Guard Appointment.
These are not only my own criti-
cisms, but they come from the whole
State of California. Evidence:
"In May. 1910, when his appoint
ment as lieutenant colonel in the
California National Guard was up,
the Assembly of our State Legisla-
ture. in their closing resolution, de-
plored and protested the commits
sioning of Douglas, as did an Army
intelligence officer at the Presidio
in San Francisco. Assemblyman
Cannon said, Douglas for years has
been associated with radicals
The chairman of the Americana
zation Committee of the American
Legion states that Douglas refused
to read the Declaration of Inde-
pendence in radio program,
America Marches On because the
Communist party was charged with
being un-American and dangerous.
They refused to change the pro-
gram and an attache of the studio
read the Declaration of Independ-
ence. The American Legion re-
fused to make any compromise and
refused to cease to expose the Com
munist party.
Draw your own conclusions about
Douglas"
Representative Thomas r. Ford
said: THE attacks on Melvyn
Douglas have shocked members of
this House who know him to be q
liberal and enlightened man, who
is giving freely of his time and in
terest to the underprivileged."
Was Congressional Target.