The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-03-30

Of heavy stuff on top. Accord.
ingly, they asked the War Ship.
ping Administration 10 take tho
redelivery Of the ship, retroactive
~, meaning that the Navy wanted
10 cancel out their error and let
the VISA take over.
But $4,000 had already been
spent by the Navy In their abor-
tive conversion operations, War
Shipping accordingly suggested
that the Navy might find some
find some other use for the YES
sci In the form 10 which Il had
been reduced. But the Navy,
after studying this for q week or
two, said they had no use for the
ship.
BECOMES TROoP.SIIIP
Negotiations between VISA and
War Department thereupon
brought forth en- agreement 70
convert the ship stu further and
make her q troop ship.
Believe II or not, II required
SS60,000 TO restore the ship 70 q
condition suitable for the begin
ming Of the Army's conversion op.
erations. On top OF this came
the cost Of converting her 70 0
troop ship. namely 10000. These
two figures, plus the Navy's con-
version figure OF $4,000, made q
grand total Of $i,4O0000, which
approximates what the ship was
worth when built ten years ago.
Principal fault seems TO lilo
with the Navy, whihc could have
calculated the stability Of the yes
sci before spending any money on
conversion. But after the blow
torches had started their deadly
work, II was frightfully expensive
business to get her into shape for
anybody else's use. One observer
who saw the ship said:
"She could mot have been
wrecked more u she had been
hit BY o German torpedo"
VISA officials come TO the de-
Tense Of the Navy, however, say.
ing:"This Ii part Of the waste OF
war"
PAY BEFORE PATRIOTISM
War Production Board officials
tell OF O heavy snow.and.sleet
storm that blanketed Seattle and
left the Boeing Aircraft plant
snow.bound, unable TO operate for
two days. BY the end OF the week
roads had been opened, and Boo.
Ing broadcast q back.to.work coll.
Men came ito the gates Of the
plant, but stopped there. And
they declined to 60 further until
they could be assured Of receiving
time-and-a-half pay for weekend
work.
But you haven't put In forty
hours this week." officials re"
tortcd.
The men stood their ground,
however, and Boeing officials tele-
phoned washington for advice
They talked with Madame Per.
kIns who ruled that nothing should
be allowed to interfere with pro:
duction and that the men should
be paid.
MERRY-GO.ROUND
British soldiers are now care
full how they pick UP binoculars,
clothing or personal property LETT
behind by the NaziS IN North
Africa. They have learned that
secret miles bloody traps" -
are concealed in them >. Most
despicable Nad trick has been 70
hire BOBBY traps on the bodies OF
dead British soldiers so that the
burial squads may be blown TO
bits u. 8. Department chiefs
have asked for the deferment OF
very few government workers, but
local draft boards, acting on their
own, have deferred O TREMENDOUS
number simply because they
worked for the government Z.
The diplomatic ENJOYS OF Hon
duras, Costa RIGA, Salvador, duat:
emala, and Nicaragua soon will
soon become ambassadors extra
ordinary instead Of ministers pleni.
potentiary. This would give al
Good Neighbor diplomats the rank
Of ambassador except Hat ana
the Dominican Republic; would
also place them ahead OF AUSTRALIA
Canada and New Zealand ..
John Eeinbeck, author Of "0rapes
OF wrath" and "TOFtills" Fiat
Is looking for q war front assign
ment Figures for accidents on
the home front continue to be al"
most as tragic as war casualties.
New Dearborn Of the National
safety Council says that 5000
Americans were killed and $780,