The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1943-01-11
How Tacoma Boy Won
Rear Admiral Stripes
Made Hi With Stain
At Willkis Dinner
Use Tenkers for Grape
Juice; Can't Haul Oil
See Concentration Camp
For John Bsrleyeorn
BY RAY TUCKER

WASHINGTON - Newly ere
ated Rear Admiral Jack" Harlan
Duncan probably owes his promo
ton to the fact that his frank
speech made hit with Joseph
Stain at the dinner the Soviet
leader gave to Wendell Willkie in
Moscow. Jacks friends are call
ing him the vodka admiral"
At the close of the 30-courss
banquet the Russian premier rose
and announced, Now l want TO
offer a toast to the men who are
not permitted TO talk, or drink
toasts. 1 refer to the members
of my Gay-Pay-Od and the
American naval and military in
telligenee. 1t is their hard, quiet,
patient work which will make
possible a United Nations VIC
tory"
The guests began TO leave the
table, figuring the affair had
ended, when Admiral Duncan,
then a captain and naval attache
at our embassy. replied in effect,
"You toast the intelligence serv-
ices, but why don't you do some
thing about us? have been here
for several months and haven't
seen a thing yet. ! want a look
at your Baltic and Black Sea
fleets and your naval establish
ments."
Admiral Ambassador William
H. STANDBY stood by Mortified.
while Mr.. Willkie roared with
laughter. Stain left the head
place and steered directly for the
brash young American, who was
born in Ozark, Missouri, but now
lives in Tacoma, Washington.
"Youngster," the Communist
chieftain said, II like you. 1 like
your nerve. You pick up my
Commissar Of Naval Affairs at
nine o'clock tomorrow morning
and then come to the Kremlin."
When Capt. Harlan arrived at
the subordinate office, the Of
ficial was in full dress and wor-
ried stiff. He figured that he was
to be denoted, purged or execut-
ed. He had not seen the big boss
for more than a year. But the
iron man in the citadel was all
smiles when the two showed up.
Never mind about my Baltic
and Black Sea fleets" he began.
Il have something more import
ant to reveal to you. Commissar,
take Captain Duncan down into
the vault and show him the blue
prints of that supersubmarine
the Germans are building at
Kiel."
Admiral Duncan's detailed re-
port with enclosure of plans was
the first word Washington had
of the supposedly revolutionary
submersible that Hitler is maxi
ing. So about two weeks ago the
1918 Annapolis graduate was
given his big stripes-an unusual
honor for a man Of his age.
Continued use of key trans
portation facilities by wine and
beer interests has precipitated
severe criticism among admins
tration insiders and on Capitol
Hill. For some reason Joseph B.
Eastman Jr. has been unable to
check the grape magnates or the
big brewers.
Regardless of the shortage of
oil and gasoline on the Atlantic
seaboard. several hundred tank
cars which could carry more i'm
portant commodities arrive in
this area weekly with full car
goes Of the fermented stuff.
Huge vehicles loaded with bar
rels and cases clog the roads
hauling liquor from production to
consumption centers. Freight
cars from such cities as st. Louis
and Milwaukee scoot around the
country to distant points, all
though almost every community
makes It's own. Critics argue
that-as will eventually be ne
cessary in the handling Of food
local drinkers should be re-
quired to depend upon neighbor-
hood suds.
Prohibitionists have seized on
this issue to renew demands for
nationwide dryness. II is not a
question of white ribbonism at
all-merely common sense
problem of revising methods of
distribution. But unless these
and similar evils connected with
the trade are remedied quickly
John Barleycorn may be sent TO
a concentration camp.
When Wendell Willkie visited
Chungking, the populace gave
him an Oriental welcome climax
ed by CIVIC dinner at which the
mayor was host. II had only
twenty-four as against Stains
thirty courses, but it was a bang
up feed
Before the last dish was served
the municipal podesta rose, bow
ed toward the distinguished guest
and remarked, Now we viii have
q real America delicacy - ice
cream We have only a small
stock on hand. but it is yours.
We placed a prohibition on its
use a month ago because we sus-
pected II caused q cholera cpl
dsmic. but we have lifted the ban
II your honor, Mr.. Willkie."