The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-27
Walter WincheII
In MezC York

tonight arranged by Nelson Rookie
feller's co-ordinators," / said, "and
I haven't any clothesl"
Don't worry about IT," \said
ARISE, an Italiap-Ame who
replaced German at the Copaca-
bana-Palace Hotel, Rio, when Brazil
declared war. ''You once scolded
me at the Rainbow Room, and now
this is my chance to get even" /.
Artsse outfitted me In his most ex-
pensive white linen suit and black
tie, and If he could have seen the
result - Lucius Beebe would have
swooned from sheer envy /.
ARISE is the Copacabana's head
waiter.
The Rockefeller Co Ordinators
there (and they are doing to splen-
did job for us alb gathered q large
group Of Brazilian citizens and their
wives, Brazilian newspaper publish
ers and editors, Allan Coogan Of the
United Press and other American
newspaper reporters, Holland Me-
Combs Of Time and Life, and the
editor Of Rios smart magazine e.
la Vanity Fair) which Is named
"Sombra", meaning hadow She
Is Ben Hecht's lovely daughter, Ed
wilma, married to Carioca11 she met
at the Brazilian Pavilion during the
Worlds Fair. He's q good friend
Of our country, this chap, and does
much to cement the good will pro-
NOTED by our accredited represent
tatives, such as Ambassador Jeffer-
son Caffrey, Brent Friele and Dick
Hipplehauser. The last mentioned
are Rockefeller's representatives.
1T was at this affair that some Of
the leading Brazilian citizens let
their hair down and talked turkey
would YOU" most Of them said
in preface, "be interested in some
frank criticism Of your country?"
why, Of course" wa the reply
I reminded them that I was
merely a sailor, under orders, and
could not speak for my country.
And If there was criticism why
wasn't 1t offered to the proper auth
critics?
"We've done that" said one Of
them, "but you're going back some
day, aren't you? If you really want
to serve your country and ours
then do what you can to put 1t be-
fore the right people. It Is i'm
portant that they know about 1t
soon. We are all happy with the
Americans sent here - but the
'man-in -the-street' is concerned
about your businessmen. They
drove us to deal with Germany and
Italy-by their indifference-and
now that we are in the war to-
gether - they make many promises.
But what assurance have we that
when the war ends we won't be
treated like smallpox again and
forced to deal with our present enc
mies?"
So sincere were these critics I
persuaded them to jot down all
their complaints, so that they
wouldn't be misquoted All these
papers have been turned over to
the proper authorities, including my
superiors why" asked an edi-
tor, "don't we get stories about your
heroes down here? We get tiresome
communicates, that is all. We read
about your wonderful heroes IN
Readers Digest months later, or
Life, Time, Look and Newsweek. We
know the U. s. Is producing weapons
and food and so forth - but that
doesn't excite our people - the way
heroic tales excite them. The Bril-
fish and Russians send us stories Of
their heroes every day. And why
not tell them back home to do
something about U. s. radio pro-
grams? They come in so badly with
such static and interference-We
have to dial them out"
I checked that one and 1t makes
you sizzle I found myself turn
ing off San Francisco and other
U. s. programs - for BIC in Lon
don Cor Rome and Berlin) simply
to stop the deafening static -. The
timing Is pretty bad, also After
IS minutes Of spot news from Lon
don-on comes San Francisco with
five minutes Of practically the same
stuff "Why is this?" asked
a radio executive Every simple"
was the answer, "your country won't
okay a powerful enough transmitter.
Mr.. Hitler reaches us with 64i!l"