The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-02-09

This dinner was given by Sec retary of the Navy Knox for the five flying Senators" who toured the various battlefronts last sum- mer. One of the five, Russell of Georgia, was missing, but the others - Democrats - Happy" Chandler of Kentucky and Jim Mead of New York, and Republi- cans Brewster of Maine and Lodge of Massachusetts were present, together with about 20 admirals.
 The dinner probably cost around ten dollars a plate and was reported by those present to have been just about as ornate as that given for the Hary Hop kinSes.
 Some of the world-touring sena- tors had been bit critical of the Navy, and apparently Secretary Knox wanted to put them in 8 friendlier frame of mind. Also, he wanted the assembled Admir- als to get the benefit of their views and to hear first hand what the Senators thought about the Navy'S various operations.
 To that end, he called on each Senator for a speech, somewhat in the manner that the Russians call on their distinguished guests at banquetS.
 CHANDLER ATTACKS BRITISH
 All went well until Happy" Chandler spoke. His remarks did not make the Secretary of the Navy very happy, for he waxed vehement against the British, maintaining that they were run- ming the war TOT their own bene- fit, regardless of the interests of their allies.
 After Chandler and the other Senators had finished, Secretary Knox rose and automatically tried to pour oil on the troubled wa ters. He pointed out that we and the British were fighting the war together, that it didn't pay to criticize the British, and that doubtless the British could find some faults with us at times.
 Senator Chandler sat on Knox's right and, during his speech, kept talking in stage whis- pers about the British. Finally, when Knox had finished, Chand- dler rose and made a few final remarks, even more critical.
 Knox, a good newspaper pub- fisher but not the best public speaker in the world, continued to be diplomatic, but needed help So he called on Vice Admiral Fred Horne.
 Admiral Horne," he said, "Will now pronounce the bene- dictiOn."
 Admiral Horne was brief but not too helpful. He did not criticize any allies, but said:
 I'm for an American policy, first, last and foremost" RAY CHAPTERS AIR TRIPS
 A lot of people thought that Ray Clapper enjoyed all of the many airplane trips he took across the Atlantic and Pacific - but he didn't.
 knew he didn't, because he and I were together on a very modest flight over Mexico some months before Pearl Harbor. When Ray became air sick, he bor- rowed some air pills from my wife and joked about it, but it was obvious that he hated tray- cling by air. So when I read of Rays flying over Rome or North Africa, always remembered that short trip to Mexico and thought how he must be suffering.
 And now, what brave citizen has been lost to journalism and to the worldl
 FOURTH TERM HINT
 Rep. Adolph Sabath of Illinois, white-haired Dean" of the House. got significant earful on the fourth-term riddle in a heart- heart talk with the President the other day. Roosevelt brought up the subject himself and, while he made no direct admission that he would accept another nomination, he indicated that he was think ing 1t over.
 His remarks were prompted by 8 confidential revelation that Sa- bath, chairman of the important Rules Committee, was considering retiring from Congress after this term.
 ''I am getting to be a pretty old man, MT. President" Sabath said. q will be 7S years old i'm April and have served in Con- gress SS years. That is long time, and my wife thinks I am entitled to few years rest be- fore I pass along"