The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-05-23
Observations
Eric Johnston Has
Chance to be COP.
Cabinet Member
BY Helen Essary

ny Hclcn EseaFJ
Latest tentative addition to the
blue ribbon cabinet yIctory-conh-
dent Republicans are picking in
these hectic. preconyention cam
paign days is young Eric Johnston.
thrice-elected president OF the
United States Chamber OF Com.
merCe.
Naturally enough COP states.
men are talking Johnston up as
Secretary OF Commerce in what
they are confident will be the ma
tional administration OF Thomas Z.
Dewey. now governor OF New York.
Johnston is bound for Russia.
one Of the purposes OF his visit is
10 background himself on Soviet
postwar economic plans. Thus
tn ambitious Official from the
state Of Washington is preparing
himself for any role he may be call
ed upon 10 play in a Republican
regime and he is regarded
as certain 10 play a key role.
His friends are certain he would
welcome the cabinet appointment.
Johnston, OF course, has been men
toned as a dark horse" candi.
date for president IL the Dewey
bandwagon should strike an unex-
pected rut and run of the victory
road.
Political observers point to the
fact that Johnston lifted tbs Cham.
Der from disrepute with organized
labor 10 position OF respect Dor.
dering on trust-which is a long
jump upward from the Chamber.
once damned by unions through
out America.
ALTHOUGH NOTHING HAS
BEEN SAID about II as yet. hints
nevertheless are being dropped
that the international conference
to draw up a postwar currency
sterilization plan may be postpon.
ed until after the November cleo
tons.
Treasurer Secretary Henry Nor
genthau, Jr., announced a short
time ago that experts OF more
than 80 nations, including the
United States, Great Britain, Rus
sio, China and Canada, had agreed
TO a set OF principles on which
the plan would be based. He said
the conference probably would be
called withiL the immediate future.
But-nothing more has been
said about the matter and Treasury
offlctals have their lips buttoned.
In response 10 question. they simp-
In response TO questions. they simp-
conference will be called.
Vague hints are being tossed
around that II may be delayed be-
cause the national conventions are
almost at hand and elections are
not so many months away.
Major reason for the delay
President Roosevelt's promise to
appoint members OF Congress to
the United States delegation Some
members who would be named have
their minds on reelection cam
paigns.
WALLS FROM NIGHT CLUB
OWNERS are laundering down the
halls OF Congress these days in pro-
test against the 80 per cent cabaret
tax
With legislation in the hopper al
ready TO lower the tax by 10 per
cent, there is a better than fair
possibility the House Ways and
Means Committee will yield to the
growing pressure and start one OF
the bills through Congress.
However, Representative Robert
Doughton ID OF North Carolina,
committee chairman. has staunch-
ly opposed any reduction in the
levy. To Doughton. whose back
cabarets as North Carolina pine,
the contention that a 80 per cent
tax was too high simply had no
merit at all.
But Doughton has yielded some
what to the pressure and asked the
Treasury for report on It's eX-
perience with the tax since 1t
went into effect April /.
ne hADlO l-NDJ > II Is pre-
dieting a big boom in FM-trequen-
cy Notwithstanding after
the war. 1t is estimated that some
FIVE million FM receiving sets will
be on the market within a year
after hostilities end.
Right now there are about 500,-
900 FIN sets in public hands and
only half a dozen FIN stations
operating.
Evidence OF the boom in the IN
FAINT radio method is the fact that
the Federal Communications Com.
mission has 40 applications for FM
operating stations on hand-with
more due when peace-time arrives.
CLEVELAND-AP- Birkett L.
Williams. regional Office OF Price
II