The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-19


 PM has been riding the shirt off anyone who ever succumbed to the wiles of Mussolini and received from him a Fascist decoration. Especially PM has zen riding Generoso Pope, Italian-born New York newspaper publisher, now ardently anti-Mussolini, because he once accepted decoration Il Duce and once gave .ne Fas- cist salute before the grave of the Unknown Italian soldier.
 What the editors of PM ap- parently don't know is that their own financial godfather and pub fisher, Marshall Field, himself, also received Fascist decoration from Mussolini.
 MT. Field bears the title Com mendatOre," and so far as any published records show, he has not returned the decoration to Il Duce.
 Marshal Field went even fur ther and was elected president of the America society on January 27, 1880, when Mussolini was in his heyday and when the Italy America society was conSid- cred by many as an adjunct of faSciSm.
 On Nov. 24, 1881, he was also re- ported by New York newspapers, as being present at special din- CT in honor of Count Dino Grandi, Mussolini's foreign minister and ambassador to London.
 On Jan. 26, 1882, Field was re- elected president of the Italy America society. After this term expired, he was elected a mem Der of the executive committee in 1884.
 Even as late as April 21, 1887, after Mussolini had mortified the civilized world with his rape of defenseless Abyssinia, had torn down the peace machinery of the League, and was pouring arms into Spain to support Fascist dictator, Marshal Field con- tinued to consort with Italian Fas- cists in New York. On that dete, he was reported in attendance at a dinner dance in honor of Italian Ambassador Suvich given by the Italy America society.
 Yet Marshal Fields newspa- per now pounds away almost daily at everyone who ever re- ceived Fascist decoration.
 NOTE: Real fact is that Gen. eroso Pope went to Rome in 1887 at the request of Rabbi Stephen s. Wise to try to dissuade Mus solini from his campaign against the Jews. While there he was invited to lay wreath on the tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and that was the occasion of PMS picture of him giving the Fascist salute.
 JOHN l.. LEWIS
 DESERTS WILLKIE
 One of the historic political speeches of the 1940 campaign came when John L. Lewis deserted Roosevelt for Willkic.
 John L. had been one of Roosc- velt'S most powerful supporters, had contributed more than $25O,- 900 to his first political campaign, had voted the United Mine Work CTS for him almost to man. He had received from Roosevelt in return the famous section ( of the MIRA giving workers the abso- lute right of collective bargain ing. He had secured RooseVelt's blessing for the Guffey coal act, for the National Labor Relations Board and a dozen other benefits for labor.
 So a lot of people could not be- lieve, until John L. Lewis actually went on the air, that he would desert his old friend Roosevelt.
 However, Lewis even risked be- ing deserted by his union-as Its members did desert hiin--on elec- ton day-by coming out for Will kie.
 NOW JOHN L. LEWIS Is about to execute another switch. Talk ing to prominent newspaperman the other day, he proclaimed him. self vigorously against his old friend Willkie.
 Gov. Tom Dewey of New York, he indicated, was the man the Republicans should nominate for President.
 SLICK TACTICS
 Here is how Chicago Tribune reporter sprung the news leak that the OPA would not lift the ban on eastern pleasure driving, though decreasing the mileage ra- ton of the middle west.
 x-Congressman McKeough, OPA regional administrator in Chicago, had announced that he