The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-09-30

~ How wrong he was regard
ing aluminium; ~ How right he
was regarding rubber; and (S)
His close association with the
Russians.
The platinum haired young U.
s. Steel executive was the man
who took the word Of the Alum
mum Corporation that 1t could
supply ample aluminium and re-
fused to okay more factory ia
cilities at a time when Leon Hen
derson, Bob Nathn and other
planners were warning, wringing
their hands, and yelling that we
must prepare to produce more
aluminium.
Learning his lesson from alum
mum, Stettinius later got out In
front and on rubber he was the
man who constantly needed Jesse
Jones for nearly two years, urg.
ing that we begin building syn
thetic rubber plants - all to no
avail. Jesse would not listen.
Stettinlus' experience with the
Russians was what influenced
his appointment a. Undersecre-
tary Of State. II began when
Lend-Lease was o pltlful driblet
trlckling through TO the Red
army. The Russians, promised
mountains, but given mole-hills,
were distressed. They could
not understand the red tame,
the delays.
Once Gen. Golikov, first head
Of the Russian Lend-Lease mis-
sion in washington, went to the
White House and, speaking
through an interpreter, said that
II Stain had ordered q thing done
and then found 1t didn't get done
for three weeks, the men respon-
Stble for the delay would be kicked
out. Later, Gen. Golikov, dis
gusted, went back to Russia, Is
winning victories as commander Of
the Bryansk front.
RUSSIANS PUZZLED
What the Russians couldn't I'M
derstand was that the United
States, the most industrialized ma.
ton In the world, the wealthiest,
and one Of the biggest, had only
q few tanks, only O few guns,
very little ammunition.
They did not realize that the
U. 8. A., o firm believer In peace,
actually maintained, until o short
time before Pearl Harbor, one Of
the smallest armies in the world.
So, for a while the Russians ac-
tually thought we were holding
out on them.
Gradually, however, Ed Stet-
tlnlus dispelled this idea. He
really went 20 bat. The Rus
slams have seen him hold up q
convoy while he picked up the
long distance phone and per-
suaded factories to rush GER
tain Russian goods. Stettinius
would never accept "N0".
Stettinius brought order and
efficiency to Lend-Lease. 81
multaneously the Russians brought
their bests experts to the U. s.
A. And their mission probably
functions more efficiently even
than the British. They know
what they want, ask for 1t. and
aren't satisfied until they get 1t.
They never discuss politics, re-
gard their political system as diff
ferent from ours, and don't want
them mixed. They stick entirely
to technical discussions.
So they believe In Etettinius,
and his actions as Undersecre-
tary Of State should have Rus
sian confidence.
NOTE: Although Stettinius has
turned out to be q courageous,
Woodworking, successful govern
ment administrator, his success
as a U. s. Steel executive was
largely mythical. He inherited
this job because of his fathers
prominence, and U. s. Steel was
rather glad to see him patriotic
ally promoted upstairs to work
for his country.
ARMY'S FAvORITE FOODS
Since the Truman Committees
investigation Of food waste in the
Army the Quartermaster Corps
has been as frugal as Dutch
housewife. Elaborate studies
have been made OF what the SOL
diers eat and what they leave on
the plate. with the idea Of cut