The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-26

The letter was offered by Joe
Lieb, who says that he organized
the first Roosevelt for President
club in 1882, and now claims that
he was the organizer of the first
Macarthur for President club.
The reasons why this column de-
cided against publication were:
First, it seemed inconceivable
that Hopkins would write letter
of that kind, since all his con-
versation and efforts have been to
promote FDR, for fourth term,
not Willkie; Second, the letter
was a copy and looked phony on
the surface; third, it was offered
by man active in trying to smear
Willkie by making it appear that
he was secretly linked up with
Hopkins and the White House.
This is one of the chief tao
tics of old guard Republicans as
far as this columniSt has been
able to determine. However,
there is absolutely no secret deal
between Roosevelt and Willkie.
Their relationship is one of mu-
tual respect, but no cordial adj
miration.
The President appreciated Will
kie's public cooperation with him
on foreign policy, but he has
never been enthusiastic over Will
kie's unofficial ambassadorial
trips to various parts of the world.
perhaps because they tended to
crowd him, FDR, from the lime
light. And when the President
learned that Willkie had an invi-
tation from the Australian gov
eminent to visit that country, he
is reported to nave stepped in
with the hint to the Australian
government that Mrs. Roosevelt
take the trip instead.
Some time before this, the
President had offered Willkie
the job of Civilian Defense Di-
rector, which Willkie refused
partly because he didn't think
he should accept any post in the
Roosevelt Administration, partly
because he felt that the Civilian
Defense job was an almost hope
less one, which could not be
Strengthened out easily and
which would only hurt him pO-
litically. WILKES friends sus-
pected the President Of having
Interior political motives in Of
fering him this job.
But while the President doesn't
relish too much political strength
on WILKES part, it can be said
that he is most anxious that Will
kie continue his bipartisan sup
port Of his foreign policies. There
fore, when Marquis Childs pub
lished magazine article detailing
various wisecracks which the
President purportedly had made
about Willkie, the President took
the trouble to write Willkie long
letter, taking up the points in the
article one by one, and carefully
refuting each one of them. 1t was
the kind Of letter you write to a
man whose respect you consider
important and want to keep.
SOFTENING CASUALTY
MESSAGES
The War Department has re-
ceived many letters recently from
ministers and private families,
suggesting that, instead of send
ing casualty messages by telegram
to bereaved families, they be sent
to committe Of pastors in each
community, one Of whom would
then deliver the message and
seek to soften the blow of the
tragic news.
So far. however, the War De-
partment has taken the position
that 1t should continue delivery of
the casualty messages by Western
Union messenger boy. Army Of
ficials argue that delivery by d
clergyman would cause confusion
and delay, and that a clergyman
might not be available at the
time, or he might lack proper and
immediate transportation.
Also. the Army argues that a
casualty message has high prior
ity which means that its trans
mission is expedited, and this
might be offset by delay at the
receiving end If the message had
to live, not as a son of earth, but