The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-04-13

No other clues were lett re- garding Leon Fraser's suicide. It was one of the mysteries of the banking world. But in Wash ington, certain facts were known about Fraser's work as head of the Bank of International Settle ments and his contacts with the Germans just as Hitler was build ing up his power.
 For five years, 1890 to 1885, Fraser was the handspring and finally head of the Bank. In 1884, he presided at the Ger man Foreign Debt Conference at the Reichsbank in Berlin. where the Dawes Plan and the Young Plan were secretly junked. This marked the end of attempts to collect German obligations. It wiped the slate clean for Germany financially.
 Later in the same year, Fraser met again with German bankers, and in 1885 he conferred with Hitler and received a gift from the grateful Nazi government. And when he retired from the. Bank of International Settlements that year, the NaZis gave him another gift-a large antique silver plate.
 Two other Governments also gave Fraser presents when he re- tired-Japan and Italy. Aside from these three Axis partners, 1t was considered significant that none of the other 26 countries on the Banks board gave Fraser a farewell token.
 HITLER FOOLED HIM
 Fraser kept up his correspno- dance with Hitler's Finance Min ister, Hjalmar Schacht, until 194l, two years after the European war started. Commenting on his visit with Hitler, Fraser recently said: "I confess that he is Che one man who completely fooled me-"
 Fraser also held a small amount of German Government bonds and some securities nj the Dresd- ner Bank, Siemens and Halshe and Deutsche Erdel.
 A vigorous opponent of the Breton Woods Agreement. Fra ser was scheduled for rchear- in before a Congressional Com mittee soon, where several Con-
 gressman planned to crOss-ex- anime him on his earlier history
 in forgiving Maxi war Obliga- tions. Their contention is that Breton Woods is aimed to cure some of the international money
 machinationS which went on secretary in Berlin and Basic in
 which Fraser participated.
 Whether this had anything to dc with Fraser's mental depression and his mysterious suicide may never be known. But it is known that a lot of well meaning bank CTS also were fooled by Hitler.
 Leon Fraser was one of those contagious personalities everybody liked, and this is written only ir the hopes that other soft peace disciples may not repeat his dis. astrous mistake of the last decade ALARM CLOCK FLANAGAN
 Democratic Chairman Bob Han negan, tired of listening to stuffed shirt speakers at late Democratic dinners, sent his secrtaary out to buy an alarm clock before to. nights Jefferson Day dinner.
 He has allotted every speak
 CT a certain amount of time.
 and will set off the alarm when they excel their quota. Han- negan bets that the dinner will be over by II F. M.- or else.
 NOTE-At the Electors dinnel in January. Senator Tom Con nally got up at Il P. M., de livered a 3O-minute major foreigI policy address, while 1000 peopl' twisted in their seats waiting t' hear Bob Hope.
 CAPITAL CHAFF
 Censorship of newspaper com ment on the possibility of wa between Russia and Japan wa ordered by the State Department Byron Price,s Office of Censor ship had nothing to do with except carry cut instructions This is the first time news com nlent has been barred on th relations between two colntrie Icy Henderson, able U. 8. Min 'iStsr to 1faa is returning [