The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1945-05-01

ing, War-Weary naJlOnS.
This is now vigorously denied
by the folks in Los Angeles. T'he4i
city, say my friends of the Angels,
has accomplished much more in
spring miracles. If the United
Nations had held their Conference
in Los Angeles instead of San
Francisco, 1 am informed, THY
would have wrapped up the peace
of the world in a neat bundle
decorated with Hollywood SITS
and been ready to go home long
ago.
Such conflicting views, with ar
dent arguments on both sides,
constituted a tough dilemma for
a columnist. Anyway, this
much is definite: 1t did pour
rain in San Francisco the day
the Conference opened.
CORRECTION - Last month
this column stated that the Army
was supplying quick-release para
chutes to pilots flying in active
combat, though it had not been
able to supply them for training
purposes in the U. S. A. This
statement was based on the Of.
ficial assurance of the War De-
partment in Washington.
However, a letter received FROM
the pilot of a Bog, whose joo
it is to bomb Tokyo, states: y
did not know that there were
quick release types being issued.
Ours is a triple-release type and
unsafe if it becomes necessary TO
release oneself quickly" The
pilot added that he wanted tC
get some of the quick-release
parachute harness described in
this column.
NOTE: 1t has now been two
years minus Two months since
Brig. Gen. Newton LongfelloW OF
the Eighth Air Force in London.
first asked the War Department
to supply the quick release para
chute. The War Department
waited three months before order
ing even one, and nine months
before ordering any quantity APP
parently it is still moving at
snail's pace. The old triple-re-
lease harness unbuckles with cum
bersome sloWness, making it very
difficult for man in the water
in tree or being dragged over
the ground by high wind TO get
loose from his parachute.
CORRECTION--After the death
Of Franklin Roosevelt, this column
published an intimate story Of the
late Presidents first column pub
liShed an intimate story of the
late Presidents first politica lvic-
tory as told by him to this Writc-
namely. his defeat of BLUE
Eyed Billy" Sheehan, nominated
for the U. S. Senate by Tammany
Hall and the Ryan Traction in
terests. Mr.. John F. Kllleen
former editor of the New York
Democrat, now writes that the
name of Albany's political boss
who opposed F. D. r., was not
''Pinkie" McCabe, as published by
me, but "Packy" McCabe. MI.
Killeen also supplies the follow
ing additional interesting infor-
nation regarding F. D. RS first
Dig POLITICAL victory:
Charlie Murphy (whom Roose-
welt indirectly defeated in the
Sheehan senatorial fighD was
then at the zenith of his power
as leader of Tammany Hall. So
Murphy tried to clip the wings OF
this new F. D. R. leadership which
had given Tammany its first de-
feat in the statewide control %
the Democratic party.
Hence the grapevine in Tam
many clubhouses began gossip
ing that young Roosevelt was anti.
Irish, anti-Catholic, etc., and there
was much Tammany Jeering Wien
Leader Murphy substituted James
Aloyisious O'Gorman instead OF
Sheehan for senator. The Dude
from Hyde Park wouldn't take
Sheehan' sneered the fammany
boys, so Murphy gave him o..
German to swallow. Now he's on
spot and done for
But Immediately, F. D. R. an
nounced that O'Gorman sele,-
ton was great and lined up his
followers for O'Gorman, who thus
became U. S. Senator.
"Since that time, concluded Mr..
Killeen, mo one ever questioned
Roosevelt as to his tolerance OF
race, color or creed, and Murphy