The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-21

ment race which might plunge thu world into war,
 "SOme day I'll show you Che letter." Roosevelt told Pope. Tt was the first year I was In the White House and just as Mus. sOllnl was beginning Co prepare for war with Ethiopia two years later. If MussOllnl had taken my advlCe and kept away from his war machine and Hitler, Italy would not Dc in the tragic situa- ton she ls today"
 The President also asked Pope many detailed questions about various sections behind the lines in Italy, especially in regard to how the Italian population in these areas would receive Afneri- can troops, and what cooperation they would give in rising Up against the NazlS.
 II don't think I can tell you much about it," Pope finally TO.
 piled, after several Of these questions. "Y0u see, | Iese Italy when was only eight years old. But how do you know oil about
 these Italian towns and VI. lages?"
 The President replied that when he was c boy his father had taks en him to Italy to live for c while and he had learned to read Italian and oven speak it . bit. The President approved c proposal to permit Americans of Italian do. scent to send Christmas packages to their friends and relatives in Italy, and also told Pope about the progress of other relief meas ures, including the dispatch of several Shiploads Of food and sup. plies for Italy.
 WAGNER FIGHTS
 FOR HIS POST
 Side-tracked by the heat and name.cGliing Gt the Presidential campiagn, one of the most i'm. portant senatorial races in the nation has been lost sight of. It is the valiant uphill battle Of Senator Robert Wagner, father of more social legislation than any other man in American history, to keep his seat.
 Most significant of all k the failure of the liberal New York City American Federation of La- Dor to give any hearty support to the man who authored and pushed through the senate the Magma Charta of American Lac Dor.
 Inside reason for this Is Che fact that the CIO was first in going to bat for Wagner with Q strong endorsement. Following this, the local New York AFL played cagey, indicated that Wagner was the CIO candidate. This was not true of AFL Presi- dent Bill Green, who gave Wag- ned . hearty endorsement.
 But in New York, where votes count, 1t made no difference that Wagner had benefited all Labor with his Social Security Act, his Stun Clearance and Low-Rent Housing Act, his Employment Ext change Act, his Home Owners Loan Corporation Act, his Rail- road Retirement Act, his Home Financing Act, and his National Labor Relations Act. It also made no difference that his COP op- ponent, Curran, had no Labor rec ord to speak Of. Despite this, local New York AFL leaders, sore at the CTO, have actually been aloof. After 17 years in Congress, Wagner was not at all enthusi- astic about running again. But like another Grand old Man of the Senate, the late George Norris of Nebraska, he was persuaded and cajoled into 1t. So far he has spent most of his time campaign ing for the President. unselfishly paying little attention to his own race.
 Then suddenly he woke up to find that much of the Irish vote was leaving him for COP Cam didate Curran. New Wagner
 has taken off the gloves and
 has begun battling i'm real earnest. Other AFL leaders outside New York city are bOll- ing mad, have wired in their support from all over the state.
 It will be a battle which his senatorial colleagues will watch carefully. They are wondering a Dickens. But everybody can make