The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-08-15
|Meny-GO-ROund

PARIS-(By Wireless)-The best thing that has happened to the American Army in Europe is the arrival of the wives U. s. troops-which, by the way have been doing magnificent job wherever I've seen them-have been given new lease on life by the arrival of their wives.
 It's great sight to Army husbands waiting for their better halves to arrive at railroad station It's amusing inspiring, pathetic all at once But most of all it's inspiring.
 Men who have faced all sorts of danger in battle stand the station platform nervous perspiring and anxious. They carry little bouquets of flowers. The train is late The flowers wilt. It doesn't make any difference They haven't their families for two three perhaps even four, years and they're not quite sure what is going to happen. Then, finally, the train arrives. The band plays Kiss Me Once and Kiss Me Twice and Kiss Me Once Again" The re- united couples need no encouragement.
 When the first trainload of wives arrived at Bremerhaven and took the long, slow trip down them at every station. The train was late and some times the ladies didn't arrive at their different des
 nations until long after midnight but the serenaders stayed up just the same and the wives woke up and out, cold cream and al to receive the musical salutes and flowers.
 The arrival of American Army wives in Europe has strengthened up troop morals more than any other factor Profanity at Army sports contests shed overnight. Fewer frauleins living in Army quarters. Chaplains say that if the American wives don't make any miSsteps themselves they have great effect upon the entire American Army in Europe.
 NOTE-American wives have one gripe-the off, cial designation given them by the Army: Depend ent Wives" or ID W.s" Leland Stowe observes this is better than being called Displaced Wives" or Damned Women" Chats a joke, ladies3 It has been widely publicized in the press that the giant airplane carrier Franklin D. Roosevelt with accompanying ships is making goodwill visit to Portugal. However, another matter concident with the visit has not been publcized The Portuguese government has recently turned down cold the American request that we lease the Azores Air Base which built during the war. For some time negotiations for a permanent base have underway but after considerable hesitation the Portuguese finally gave Us flat no. Diplomats consider it more than significant that the giant carrier FDR. should parade little muscle in Lisbon.
 NOTE-The British who have long-term treaty relations with Portugal could let us have the air bases if they chose
 Prime Minister Attlee had a tough time in Paris while Foreign Minister Ernest Beyin sick He never could quite tell what Bevin had agreed to in the previous secret conversations of the Big A." One day while Secretary of State Byrnes conferring with group of Americans at the Hotel Maurice, he called to the phone three times in one hour Finally Byrnes apoogSed. That Prime Minister Attee' he explained He is comforting with our people and the British and French and they keep referring to agreements we made at the Big 4 meetings with Ernie Bevin
 "Attlee keeps calling me to find out if Bevn really made the deals they refer to-" Paris isn't the only place where diplomatic sparks