Evening star., 1945-01-19
House Democrat Asks
For Facts in Case Of
Col. RooseveIt's S Dog
81 the Associated Press.

bTslhe Associated Press
The muzzle was on today in
the mystery of who assigned Col
Elliott Roosevelt's dog an air.
plane priority ahead of three
Servicemen, but Representative
Miller, Democrat, of California
had hopes of getting the facts.
Mr.. Miller stepped into the case
because one of the servicemen af-
fected is a constituent, Seaman Leon
LIE Roy of Antioch, Calf.
The Congress member asked
Secretary of War Stimson for a
complete report" on why the serv-
icemen with &C. priorities) had to
get off an Air Transport Command
cargo plane to make way for high
priority freight while the dog with
an "a priority was flown on.
AT ATC headquarters, report
er's questions as to, who asked the
priority, who assigned it, and so on.
drew only, mo comment"
Practice Is Unusual.
Maj. Gen. Harold L. George of
the ATC had said after a prelim-
mary investigation that AN error. of
judgement" had been made, an error
that won't happen again. His aides
said the ATC did not intend to dis
cuss the matter further. A War De-
partment spokesman added it was
not customary to carry pets on
Army cargo planes,
Seaman LIE Roy, who has been
serving overseas, was on his way
home to his fathers funeral when
he and the other two men were
bumped off" the plane at Memphis,
January H.
The dog an English mastiff named
Blaze, was the gift of the Presi-
dents second son to his bride,
Actress Faye Emerson of Hollywood
The actress said yesterday that if
newspaper stories of the priority in
Cident were true, it was most un-
fortunate"
When Mrs. Roosevelt reached
Washington today for tomorrow's
inauguration ceremonies, she had
no further comment on the dog.
Eliiott's wife was accompanied by
her 5-year-old son by her first mar
riage, William Wallace Crawford,
jr. Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt drove
to the railroad station to meet her
daughter-in-law, but remained in
her car while chauffeur brought
the actress, her son and baggage
from the train.
Col. Roosevelt said in London that
he knew nothing about shipping
the dog by air" from Washington to
Hollywood. Presidential Secretary
Stephen T. Early said that neitherl
Elliott nor any one else. connected
with the White House was respon-
sible for the priority arrangement |
Mr. Early called it all 'regrettable |
combination of errors"
Mentioned in House.
Speaker Rayburn had to bang his
gavel to end laughing and applause
from House galleries yesterday fol-
lowing remarks by Representative
Hoffman, Republican, of Michigan
about the dog incident.
Mr.. Hoffman also suggested that
Fala, the Presidents dog, might
become r involved In marital
triangle.
He referred to one newspaper
story (which quoted the Presidents
wife as saying Fala and another
canine had been on a honeymoon"
and to the second about Col Roose-
Velt's dog.
Perhaps Elliotts dog may become
another angle in a triangle" for
Fala, Mr.. Hoffman told the House.
After reading a letter from an
unidentified serviceman overseas
complaining about long duty abroad,
Mr. Hoffman brought up the sub
ject of the Roosevelt dogs.
:. Texan Questions Act.
L wonder what he would think |
If he knew that three men who |
might have been his buddies were
put off a plane because Col Roose-
velts dog was aboard" Mr.. Hoffman |
said
In Austin, Tex, 1t. Gov. John Lee
Smith sent telegram to President |
Roosevelt asking whether dogs have |
higher priority rating than SOL |
dierS and sailors who are fighting |
to preserve human liberty, or do
the dogs possess such higher rating |
only when they happen to belong
to persons related to you?"
The Texas official, who has fire.
quently criticized administration |
policies, particularly in regard to
labor, released copies of his tele-
gram in which he said he asked the
questions Ito determine the truth