The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-02-12

This vote, which transferred the
bill from the Education and
Labor Committee to the Military
Affairs Committee, saw the Pres
ident appealing to Republican
leaders - Senators McNary,
Bridges, Lodge--to defeat his old
New Deal friends It saw him fall
ing back on Old Deal Democrats
who have bitterly attacked him.
Byrd Of Virginia, Reynolds Of
North Carolina, Tydings Of Mary
land--to get their support.
And the men Roosevelt slapped
down in this vote were those who
had gone down the line for him
when the going was really tough
So on labor legislation, on l1eutral-
ity revision, on social reform men
like Pepper Of Florida, Thomas Of
Utah, Kilgore OF West Virginia,
Murray Of Montana, Truman Of
Missouri. .,,.. 4,
The vote left q lot Of sour faces
in the Senate and may mean
gradual new lineup. For some
New Dealers now declare they are
finished with the rubber stamp"
act. ,,1' d.
BRASS HAT IRE N+
Here Is the inside story Of what
happened. The War Mobilization
Bill had been carefully prepared
by some Of the Presidents best
friends. They held months Of
hearings, wrote the bill after dill
gent, painstaking study. It set up
machinery to referee the chronic
battling between the Army, Navy,
Maritime Commission and Mr..
letters as to whether critical
materials would 60 to airplanes,
rubber factories, escort vessels,
etc.
In settling this battle, the bill
proposed to take away some pro-
duction powers from the Army
and Navy, put them in the hands
Of q civilian umpire. This aroused
terrific brass hat ire.
So the Afmy-Navy lobby got
into full swing. And two weeks
ago, young Republican Senator
Lodge Of Massachusetts, whom
the President tried to defeat,
told q closed door session Of the
Military Affairs Committee how
certain high-up army-navy Of
officials had appealed TO him.
They had asked him to try to
have the War Mobilization Bill
referred to the Military Affairs
Committee where It could be
bottled up.
Ordinarily the bill would be
referred to the Senate Education
and Labor Committee, which had
heard witnesses before, and knew
the story. But Lodge said Army
Navy officials were afraid the
Education and Labor Committee
would report the bill favorahly,
then 1t would reach the Senate
and might pass.
THOMAS BLOWS UP
Hearing this, mild-mannered
Senator Ebert Thomas OF Utah
interrupted angrily. Thomas is
ranking member of the Military
Affairs Committee, also chairman
Of the Education and Labor Com
mittee.
an other words" he said to
Lodge, "they told you that the :"
bill must be transferred to this
committee, and taken out Of my
hands, so IL can be crushed?"
Lodge made no attempt to deny
this. Senator Happy" Chandler
Of Kentucky broke in to say that
Economic Stabilizer James Byrnes,
was manipulating against the Bill
backstage, and had telephoned
Chandler.
There was so much commotion
In the next few minutes that
those present can't remember all
the details. But for the first time
In his l0-year career In the SEN
ate, placid Senator Thomas blew
up. He began with some sui
phurous comments on the execu.
tive branch Of government "die-
taling" TO Congress ana end
cd with o scorching philippe
on the blunders Of Army and
Navy procurement officials In