Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-10-28
SomerveII
Tramps on
Sore Toes
Nelson and McNutt Feel u
Wrath Of General
BY PAUL MALLON


important toes which happen to
be sensitive, those of War
Production Director Donald Mel
son and Manpowerer Paul
McNutt.
II seems that General Somer-
Wells old tangle with Mr.. Mel
son on the distribution of war
materials, and the various in
tricacies of unresolved conflict
ing powers between the war
department and WPB, has been
followed by a tangle with Mr..
McNutt over the manpower
draft policies.
AS a matter of fact, Mr.. Nc
Mutt was none too assertive in
his appearance before the Sen
at committee on the manpower
problem. Very significantly, he
said that he would only present
report to the President. and
broadly suggested that he did !
not propose to speak for the
administration.
His strong views for an arbi-
trary draft have never been APP
proved by any other authority
in the government, and there
is every indication that Mr..
Roosevelt will recommend an
other course, In which case both
General Somervell and Mr.. Nc
Mutt might find their current
argument purely academic.
General Somervell Is an old
associate of Harry Hopkins FROM
WPA days in New York, butt
Mr.. Hopkins has not been seen
around up front much lately.
Mr.. McNutt is the most
prominent, II not the only, presi-
Dental candidate for 1914 yet
in the field. as far as the front
pages are concerned.
Thus, the fate of two Of the
most prominent personalities OF
the administration are involved
in the Presidents impending
decision on the critical man
power problem.
THE Japs seem to be playing
l. some kind of new Oriental
fan-tan with the Toxic propa-
ganda lately. To turn up pub
licly with eight prisoners from
the Doolittle raid. seven months
after they were captured. seemed
a strange circumstance In itself.
but to announce that these men
had confessed they had orders to
bomb non-military detectives:
such as schools, churches and
hospitals, is an absurdity which
even the japanese cannot ex-
pect any one to believe.
Some uniformed civilians
might believe these various
stories put out by both sides.
blatantly and continuously. by
Hitler and the Japs. that
churches. schools, hospitals and
such are being savagely de-
stroyed by us and the British.
But, any thinking person can
see that no one carries a bomb
into enemy territory at great
effort and expense TO waste II
on such inconsequential tmili-
tarily) detectives.
Such detectives may be hit
occasionally when they are near
railroad tracks, shipyards or oil
refineries. But when they are
hit. IL is a very inefficient and
foolish mistake of the pilot. He
is Just not doing the job he
was sent TO do.
This is the silliest OF all Axis
propaganda lines, obvious fiction
which they only expect the very:
very stupid to believe, and
hardly worth the trouble OF put
ting il out. The only mystery
is why Toxic chose TO use 1t at
this time.
The whole affair suggests the
Japanese people are uneasy at
the lack of favorable war news
in the past few months, and that
Toxic Is forced to resort TO
digging out of the past. and
fiavoring it with fairy tales Tor
home consumption.
THE average Washington guess
Il is that the Republicans will
gain 20 to % seats in the House
this fall and five in the Sen
ate. That probably represents
a consensus among congressional
and political leaders.
The Dunn survey, which IS
restricted among business people.
predicts a Republican gain OF
80 TO 33 seats. but 81 are
needed for a Republican ma
jority.
No one, therefore, seems 10
be predicting Republican
House as yet. except a few Re
publican leaders who have got
ten together with their pencils
and worked out the possibility
that they might win by a ma
jority of 10 but most expect
about Is seats will be gained,
not enough to give a Republican
majority. 49,,
Some were, q little afraid
from one aspect they might win
as control would place upon
them a responsibility apt to be
onerous.
Uncertainty is involved iri
even the best political guesses
in this particular election, as
no one knows how many voters
will show I'M at the polls.