Evening star., 1945-02-16
Mr.. FIynn's S Journey
Stirs Some Queries
Writer Wonders What Business
Called New Yorker to Moscow
BY David Laurence

BY David Laurence
What was Edward Flynn, the polit-
ical boss from New York City and for
mer Democratic national chairman,
doing on the trip which President
Roosevelt took to see Premier Stain and
Prime Minister Churchill?
Oficial information given out here
states that Mr.. Flynn did not partici-
pate in any of the conferences, but that
he was taken along as member of the
Presidents party when Mr.. Roosevelt
learned that the Bronx leader was PLAN
ming a trip to Moscow.
What kind of trip does anybody
take to Moscow these days? Certainly
1t isn't pleasure trip because the days
OF sightseeing have not yet been re-
sumed. 1t must be either official busi-
ness or private business. The announce
ment which says that Mr. Roosevelt
just took Mr.. Flynn along when he
heard of the latter's plan to make a
trip would seem to indicate that it
wasn't official business, but some private
errand.
Why were accommodations given, per-
haps on American warships or on trans
port planes, to a private citizen who had
no official connection with either the
military or diplomatic business of the
American Government? In time of war
especially 1t Is not customary to allow
private citizens to ride on warships or
in military planes unless their missions
are related in some way to the prosecu-
ton of the war.
Did He Thumb a Ride?
The announcement about Mr.. Flynn
reads in such casual fashion as to imply
that persons are making private trips
to Moscow right along these days and
that all Mr.. Flynn did was, in effect,
to thumb re to Moscow because
the President wal -oing his way.
1t is a strange, 'ng that arrange
ments were made H. W Mr.. Flynn
to go to Moscow W.. nbassador
Hartman after the so,o>--. the
Crimea. If Mr.. Flynn is bent on a.
business errand, he has certainly re-
ceived card of introduction of inesti-
mable value which should stand him
in good stead at Moscow.
1t also seems strange that the Russian
government grants entry to Mr.. Flynn
while committee of three editors from
the American Society of Newspaper
Editors. which merely would like to as
certain the Russian point of view on the
exchange OF news in the postwar world,
doesn't apparently have such good luck.
The committee was last reported to be
In the south of Europe not far from the
| Black Sea area. 1t would have been a
magnificent gesture If the President
could have taken the three editors along
to the Crimea or If Ambassador Harri-
man could have taken them to Moscow,
along with Mr.. Flynn.
Press Influence Evaluated.
But unfortunately, American infiu-
ence where one Of the -four freedoms
is concerned is not too persuasive now
adays, and perhaps it would have of
Tended Marshal Stain at this time for
Mr.. Roosevelt to have mentioned free
dom of the press" even for the postwar
| era.
~ oPpoACAtiy was uluCH edSler 10 ar
range prompt access and a warm well
come for Mr.. Flynn. But what is his
business there? Some observers here
abouts have suggested that maybe he is
going to help the Russians with the
conduct of some of those free elee-
tions" that are to be arranged for the
| people of the liberated areas in the
vicinity of Russia. Maybe Mr. Flynn
has quasi-oficial mission-to attempt
to reconcile the Russian government
with the viewpoint of the Catholic
hierarchy, which somehow still insists
that there isn't such thing as freedom
OF worship" in Russia. If so, maybe he
merited all the special facilities given
him.
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