Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-12-16
NEWS ~
BEHIND
The News
BY Paul
MaIIon

w Painting, hot-bfeathed, the
HawkshawS on the Senate cleo
tons subcommittee rushed for
ward 10 investigate the new
Sparks book contentious that
Wendell Wlllkie used more than
campaign oratory, IN fact cam
paign mazuma. TO get nominated
AZ Philadclphia--only 10 decide
rather suddenly 10 postpone its
appetite for the facts until
after the first of the year, not
any special date OF the new
year. Just sometime then
When after the first of the
year comes. there IS more than
an even chance that the COM
mitteemen Will decide IT is then
too near spring.
Indeed if they get up enough
Cumption to seek money from
the Senate. for investigating
they are likely 10 come 10 a
timely end from lack Of funds.
NOR. truth be known the IN
Il tertwInIng wires Of politics,
IN which they already arc en-
tangled. have discouraged them
an and caused great shaking of
the knees among Now Dealers,
Republicans. lSolationlstS Demo-
Gratis.
They are all looking for the
fellow who thought up the idea
of a Senate investigation In the
first place.
He is Senator LANCER, the
North Dakota Republican, whose
primary interest in promoting
the charges Of the book seems
to have centered on the phase
duplicating Harry Hopkins, the
Presidents constant companion.
The book presents a letter
supposed 10 have been written
last August by Hopkins to a
Texan, DR.. Umphry Lee, presi-
dent of Southern Methodist Uni
verSity, implying the White
House could handle Willkle, or
was conniving with him, and
apparently urging DR., Lee TO
run against Senator Connolly
(this all being Mr. Sparks in
depreciation of vague language.
LANCER thought he could eN-
pose a secret connection between
the White House and Willkie.
DET elections committee chair
I'D man Green literally drooled
at the opportunity 70 appoint
a strong New Dealing SUBJ
committee, which presumably
would protect Hopkins and
go after Wink e and the
charges that big Republican
money flowed like Morgen-
thau's at the nominating con-
vention. that some of his people
bought the Arizona delegation
for $4,000. an obviously eX-
orbitant sum when compared
with Arizonas insignificant six
delegates.
OF the two minority Republic
cans on the committee, even the
idea of whitewaShing Willkie
paled
Vermonts Austin is pro-Will-
kie. and New Hampshire 6
Bridges is anti-but-careful on
the same subject, yet both have
been privately suggesting they
are not particularly interested
in going on.
To make these reticenccS even
more unanimous from Demo-
cratic standpoint the inner po-
liticos have heard that the Hop
kinS letter was furnished 70
Sparks by Democrats interested
in getting Harry Hopkins out Of
the White House and the orig
inal of the letter is even now in
the hands of that unnamed adj
miniStration official.
IF THE investigation develops
Il this supposition. it will eX-
pose a fight against Hopkins
within the Presidents own Of
fetal family.
On the other hand, the charge
has been made by an interna-
tionaliSt columniSt that the
book is really isolationist propa-
ganda. written by isolationist
Senator Gerald Nye instead Of
its profeSSed author c. Nelson
Sparks. former mayor Of Akron
and campaign manager of Can
nett in 1910
The truth about that seems
10 be that Nye'S secretary,
Gerald Movius. a well known
writer who hits the Saturday
Evening Post two or three
times a year, was known 10
atA