The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-06-18

a last-ditch defender of Gen. Frank Hines, whom Bradley suc- ceeds as Veterans Adninistra- tor AS Chairman of Veterans Legislation, Rankin can make Bradleys job tough or easy.
 So. at the start of the meeting, Bradley. who bossed the combat strategy of the entire Western Front, stood shifting from one foot to the other. He has been in the habit of giving orders to 5000, 900 men, includings Generals Simpson, Hodges and Patch. He was the only man who could keep Patton in his place. Yet he looked ill at ease and embarrassed.
 You may sit down. General"
 Rankin finally said, with a mag
 unanimous gesture.
 That's pretty good" snorted Republican Pat Kearney of New
 York. That's the first time I
 ever saw a Congressman telling
 four-star general you may sit down."
 .NOTE-Kearney's crack would not have been made month ago. Rankin hitherto ruled his Com mittee with an iron hand. But since he was reversed in his at- tempt to force PMS Albert Deutsch to reveal the sources of criticism of the Veterans Admin istration, Rankin has lost his grip.
 SECRET SERVICE SHIFT
 Behind the sudden transfer of the twelve Secret Service men who guarded the life of Presi- dent Roosevelt was a long fam fly feud with their chief, Frank J. Wilson. Wilson. vino bosses the entire Secret Service. never got along with Mike Reilly, who merely bossed the White House Secret Service detail.
 Reilly was Wilson's subordin- ate. But Reilly was a White House pet, and Wilson couldn't touch him. As long as Roosevelt was in office, he couldn't be fired or transferred. He basked under FDR's benign protection.
 So, two months after Roosevelt passed away. Wilson abruptly busted the twelve men who had guarded FDR in Teheran, at Yalta, in Mexico, during the hec- tic campaign of last November, and through almost every nook and corner of the LISA. Truman wasn't consulted.
 The twelve had joined the Army Reserve early in the war because they were of draft age, so once they were relieved from White House duty, they auto matically went on active duty as privates in Uncle Sam's Army.
 All the twelve are over 30 most of them around 35. Most had turned down earlier chances at commissions. However, they're in the Army now.
 Another man out of luck when Roosevelt died is Sgt. Monty Snyder who had driven FDR for 16 years-four years in Albany and 12 years in Washington. Snyder also was a Roosevelt pet, but he didn't get along with Col Raymond Daley, in charge of White House transportation. So the other day. Daley reduced him to the rank of private and sent him back to the ranks.
 TOUGH GERMAN PEACE?
 A shroud of mystery still hangs over the tough-peace-for-Ger many directive which President Truman okayed several weeks ago.
 At that time he gave his ap- proval for its publication. So did Assistant Secretary of State Will Clayton. It was President Truman's conviction that the American public was entitled to know exactly what U. S. policy toward conquered Germany was to be.
 Perhaps even more important. it was felt by the hard-peace group that publication of the document would tie the hands of the soft-peace crowd. Particu- larly. it would let every U. S. doughboy serving in the Army of Occupation know how the White House felt about a tough peace.