The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-05-26

It will be recalled that, last win- ter, the President stated in a press conference that the Russian Am basador had been to see him re- garding plans for turning over one-third of the Italian fleet to Russia under the Italian armistice terms.
 This conversation, in turn, dated back to last summer when Premier Stalin was complaining privately that he had not been consulted in advance regarding the first provisional armistice terms with Italy lat which time, incidentally, this correspondent got himself in the middle of some hot words re- garding the State Departments at- titude toward Russia).
 Later, at Teheran, the subject of the Italian fleet came up be- tween Stalin, Roosevelt and Chur- chill, at which time Churchill de- n1urred against giving Russia one thir of the Italian fleet and, in- stead, proposed that the United States and Great Britain give Russia some of their vessels.
 ChurchiII's idea was that the Italian fleet, for some time operating under the British, in the Mediterranean, should be kept as a unit, since he felt it was performing an important mission in policing the Mediter- ranean against Axis submarines. Presumably also, the British Ad-
 miralty was not unaware of the
 fact that the Italian Navy, re-
 gently built, contains some of
 the fastest and most modern
 vessels in Europe.
 However, the whole question was postponed for future discus sions after Teheran, and this was how the Russian Ambassador hap pened to take up the matter at the White House.
 QUESTIONS OF U. s. CRUISERS
 Recently, reports have cropped out that some of the U. s. cruis- CTS of the Omaha class alreday have gone to Russia. Omaha-class cruisers, built around 1920. are T. 000-ton vessels carrying 6-inch guns. Since they are all over twenty years old. they are out of date according to strict naval standards, though in excellent shape for convoy or patrol duty.
 One of these cruisers. the Mem phis, brought Lindbergh back ot the United States after his his- toric flight across the Atlantic in 1927. They were the rnainstay of the U. s. cruiser fleet in the l920's, but since have been par italy outmoded by i0.000-ton cruisers carrying 8-inch guns.
 Senator Langer's inquiry into the question of whether the execu- this matter is based largely on tive branch of the goyernmen thas the right to dispose of these cruis- CTS without consulting Congress. He does not seek to pess Judg- ment on the military strategy in- volyed.
 COP POLITICS
 The Office of War once In- formation has filed a strong pros test with the House Appropria$ tions Committee regarding the ac- tIVities of the committees rank ing Republican member. Rep. John Taber of New York.
 Congressman Taber, long a bait- CT of OWI, recently visited the New York ofiiee of the OWI. ae- companied by man he intro dueed as lone Of my staff. He demanded that he be shown high. ly confidential files and reports on foreign propaganda operatoins.
 Because MF. TabeF is one Of
 the most powerful politicians in
 Congress and is in . position t0 wieid the meat-axe on 0WI ap-
 pFepEiatlens considered by his
 committee, OWI officials felt compelled C seeede te his de.
 mand. They opened np their
 secret waF files to the Cen.
 gFessman and the man he said
 was a member 0f his staff.
 However. t laterd developed that the man who accompanied TabeT was not an assistant Of Taber's and never has been, ae.