The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-05-04
in his bitter personal vendetta against Murray.
 MODEST DIPLOMAT

05o4lAob AAAAAo
 MODEST DIPLOMAT
 Adolph Berle, nimble- -tongued Assistant Secretary of State, ob- served mysteriously to several press friends:
 "Have you got your eye on the
 presidential candidate for 1944?"
 "Wh0's that?" asked the news
 men.
 "It will be the next governor of
 New York;" replied Berle. Then,
 after a pause, he added, You
 know, some have suggested me-" MAJOR ROOSEVELT
 There is an interesting inside story behind Elliott Roosevelt's promotion tc be a major in the Air Corps.
 Two years ago, when he was made a captain, Elliot probably took the toughest beating which public opinion has given any young man in this country for years. It was in the middle of the presidential campaign. Buttons were circulated, reading: "I want to be a captain too" Songs, vau- deville quips, wisecracks were on everyone's tongue regarding the second son of the President. When he went down the street in Day ton, Ohio, where he was stationed, people whistled and taunted him, so that life was almost unbearable.
 Since then, almost no one has heard of Elliott. But in the in-
 terim he has guided planes to Iceland twice under hazardous conditions when not all planes were getting there. He has work ed hard, kept out of the lime light, taken no time off, and dOne the work of an officer above the rank of captain.
 So about two months ago his name came up for promotion. The recommendations of'his immediate superior officers were excellent. They proposed that he be made a major.
 But when this recommendation came to the office of Col. Trubee Davison, Hooyer's Assistant Sec- retary of War and a staunch Re- publican campaigner, it was block ed. Whether Trubee Dayison per- sonally stopped it is not known. But there is no question that someone in his office did.
 Roosevelt appointed Republi- can DayisOn to an important personnel job in the Air Corps, so his office has tO pass on pro- motions. And there EIliOtt's promotion rested, until finally regular army officers blasted 1t out.
 BROKE NAVAL CONFERENCE
 Twelve years ago one of the au- thors of this column was called before the Senate Naval Affairs Committee to testify regarding ef- forts of the shipbuildlng-nayy to break up the Geneva Naval Conference of l927-called by Coolidge to limit cruisers, destroy CTS and submarines.
 During the testimony 1t was brought out that Admiral Joseph M. Reeves (then Q captain) had coperated with the lobby, which sought to prevent limitation Of nayies.
 4 lot of time has passed since theR, and iD retrospect we sOme- times wonder whether there was not quite q bit tO De said for Ad- miral Reeves. If the Geneva Naval Conference ef l027 had succeeded, the United States probably would not have had the impetus for hEGlldlng the cruisers nov being used against the Japanese. Ner wonla Che
 British have had some 0e the cruisers they arc using teddy.
 Anyway, whether right or wrong Admiral Reeves is a tough, hard hitting, far-slghted officer who during some forty years has done a good lob for the navy, and it would be better # it had more like him.
 WAR FLASHES
 The Army soon will pass the 800 mark on generals. There ire now over ae0 general officers on active