The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-10-15

Chief wire-pullers in this tug of-war have been Axis agents, many of them working through pro-Axis Chileans and Argentines. They anticipated that President Rios trip would lead definitely to a Chilean break with the Axis, leaving Argentina as the one country still on diplomatic speak ing terms with Germany, Japan, and Italy.
 Until the last two or three weeks President Rios did not take a very active interest in foreign affairs; saw everything through the prejudiced eyes of his foreign minister, Barros Jarpa, a strong isolationist.
 But the other day. young Nell son Rockefeller, head of the Gull tural Committee for Latin Amer ica, called upon President Rios and gave him a first hand picture of the American attitude toward the war ara toward those coun- tries which did not cooperate toward winning the war.
 HARMFUL GOSSIP SPREAD
 Immediately after the Rockefel- Ter visit all kinds of gossip spread along the diplomatic grapevine as to how the young millionaire had bull-dozed the President of Chile, threatening him with dire consequences if he did not break with the Axis. Chief spreader of this gossip was Foreign Min ister Barros Jarpa, who reported that President Rios was so unified with Rockefeller that he virtually had decided to cancel his trip.
 This story, however. seems to have been generously smeared with the Axis propaganda brush. Actually, Rockefeller's talk y,as frank and friendly. He point ed out thatt he United States naturally would cooperate with those who cooperated with her. But he made no threats.
 Furthermore, President Rios seemed to appreciate his frank ness. He had never received a very clear picture of the situa- tion through the somewhat dis torted vision of his Foreign Min- ister, and he wrote a letter to a friend expressing his apprecia- of the Rockefeller visit.
 However, the backstage wire pulling to keep President Rios
 kA MEA a$ Roosevelt continues.
 When Sumner Welles last week in Boston said that Argentina and Chile had permitted" secret information to leak to the Axis, the anti-American bloc in Chile bounced upon this was alacrity. Twisting the Spanish translation of "permitter" to mean ''active collaboration" they used this word as their chief weapon to persuade Rios to postpone his trip.
 It is believed that Rios will come to Washington later, but not until after 8 diplomatic breathing spell.
 REPUBLICAN NTCKELS
 Time was when the Republican party depended on handful of money kings to fill its coffers. But that day is gone.
 Frank Gannett. new vice presi- dent of the Republican National Committee, is planning nation wide radio appeal to American farmers and laborers for nickels. dimes and quarters for the COP war chest in the current Congres- Sional campaign.
 Connect will dig into his own pocket to pay for time on a net work of stations to carry the broadcast.
 In his appeal for funds, Gan nett will charge that the New Deal has let farmers and laborers down, is now leading the nation toward a dictatorship.
 STRANDED U. s. SEAhEEN
 At almost the identical moment the President was plnning on the chest of young Edwin P. Cheney of Yeadon, Pa, the first pis- tinguished Service Medal for her0- ism awarded fo . merchant sea~