The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1942-12-03
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Washington, d. C.
NOT ONLY A FIGHTER,
BUT ALSO A DIPLOMAT
Gen. Dwight Eisenhower has lot
of tough jobs in Africa, and one of
them, which doesn't get into the
headlines, is to be the diplomatic
negotiator among high French off,
Gals.
Among other things, he has been
very adroit in handling General Gil
raud, who escaped from France
dressed as an old. woman and who
now is in command of French forces
in North Africa.
Actually, General Giraud expect
ed to be commander of all forces in
North Africa, both French and
American. He is one of the highest
generals in the French army, and
before France fell, would have re-
placed General Gamelin as chief of
staff had he not been taken prison.
er. Therefore, since he outranks
Eisenhower and has had much more
varied experience, it is not unnat-
ural that Giraud should aspire to
be commander-in-chief of the en-
tire North African operation, includ-
ing the U. S. army.
Eisenhower, however, has a
charming personality, a broad grin,
a smattering of French, and had
little trouble in handling General Gil
raud.
Another complication was the fact
that Giraud hates Admiral Darlan.
Yet Darlan, as member of the
cabinet, outranks him. In addition,
there is General Nogues, another
top-ranking officer. So it has been
worked out that Nogues commands
the French civil population, Giraud
the French army, and Darlan the
French fleet.
SIDETRACKED PLANES
When Wendell Willkie conferred
with Stain in Moscow, the Russian
leader was critical of the British for
sidetracking American lend lease
goods in Scotland and substituting
for them inferior British war sup
plies.
The inside story of this can now be
told.
Last summer, shipment of Aira-
cobras was en- route to Russia from
the United States and the convoy
stopped to refuel in the British Isles.
At that time, General Eisenhower,
preparing for the second front in
Africa, asked that these fast fighting
planes be given to him instead of
being sent on to Russia.
General Eisenhower was so in
sistent that he finally went to Prime
Minister Churchill personally, who
finally agreed that the Airacobras
be sidetracked for use on the forth
coming African front. .....
OVERRIDING ROOSEVELT
More and more it looks as if Fer
dinand Eberstadt, the Wall Street
broker, is becoming the most pow
erful man in the War Production
board and one of the most powerful
in the government. It hasn't leaked
out yet, but recently he managed
to overrule the vice president of the
United States, the undersecretary of
state, and Lend-Lease Administra-
tor Ed Stettinius.
Some time ago, Eberstadt ap-
pointed as chief of WPB export pri-
critics, Major Tom Armstrong, of
Standard Oil of New Jersey, who
had operated in various Latin Amer
lean countries. Armstrong had been
vigorous in bucking the development
of Latin American government
owned oil companies, and the Latin
Americans don't like him. There
fore, they squawked when they
heard he would now sit in their all
important priorities position where
he could decide whether they could,
or could not, receive oil equipment
to develop their government-owned
industries in competition with Stand
ard and private companies.
Undersecretary of State Welles
agreed with the Latin Americans,
and protested to the President. So
did Vice President Wallace of the
BEW, and also Stettinius, who buys
lend-lease oil equipment for Latin
American governments.
AS a result of these protests,
Roosevelt ordered Donald Nelson to
dismiss Major Armstrong. Howev-
er, Eberstadt in effect has over
ruled the President. He insisted that
Armstrong remain. And he is still
on the job.
CAPITAL CHAFF
q Mrs. Roosevelt, looking from an
airplane on the new marble struc.
ture known as the Jefferson Me.
mortal, remarked, 81 doubt if JEFF.
ferson would have liked to see mon.
ey spent that way"
q There are already 225,000 appli.
cations on file for commissions from
civilian life.
q Except for a few rare specialists
the only route to a commission now.
adays is to get into the army as g
private, then attend an officer can
,, didates school.
, q Not to be stalled by lack of gaso
line, one sightseeing company ir
, Washington has hired and repaintec
! an old two-horse ten-passenger wag
on, which drives around the capita
9 as Victory Sightseeing.
!, !, q Warning that the war department
. will dispense no more "cellophane
!. commissions, Secretary Stimsor
says it does no good for applicant:
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