The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-05
By DresO Pearson

whispering messages which Stettinius passed on to Secretary Byrnes, sprring the latter to be tougher with Russia.
 stettinius ever anxious to be helpfui passed on the messages, but Byrnes kept his own counsel NOTE-For 100 years there has been intense rivalry between the Russian and the British Em- pires When the Czar built the Trans-Sberian Rail- road to Vadivostok to get outlet on the Pacific Britain formed her Anglo-Japanese Alliance to block the Russians. When the Car pushed down toward Turkey to get an outlet through the Dardanelles Britain fought the Crimean war on Turkeys side When the Czar wanted an outlet to the sea througi the Gulf of Persia the British negotiated an alliance with Persia (now Iran). And after the last war Churchill, then British War Minister, sent Allied troops into Archangel and Siberia. Chief difference between staln and the Czar IS that stalin now has powerful political weapon which appeals to under nourished masses in western Europe and to a very small minority In the United States.
 While OPAs new Administrator, Paul Porter, was busy trying to appease farm and cotton belt Con- gressmen the other day, he nearly had his mair political prop knocked from under him.
 The AFL, CIO and Railroad BrotherhQod served notice that they were about to withdraw thei advisory staffs from the OPA. Since labor is nov oPA'S staunchest packer, this would have been death blow
 What most people don't realize is that the AFIs, CLO. and the Railroad Brotherhoods maintain staff of about 20 cost-oliving advisers which works alongside the OPA. They represent the largest plocK of American consumers.
 However, without consulting these consumer rep resentatives, Porter put through some highly import ant price increases on meat canned 9oods Iresh /frult, crude oil and bread.
 As a result, the AFL, CIO and Brotherhood members got together and decided to recommend to their chiefs that their staffs be withdrawn from the OPA.
 But when Jack Thornton, chairman of the GIG Cost-of Living Committee, reported this to GIG Chief Phil Murray, Murray picked up the phone ano called Paul Porter. The latter was flabbergasted. urged that the consumer advisers remain and prom ised that they would not be by-passed in the future For the time being they are remaining.
 NOTE-What labor doesn't altogether realize is that wage increases for unions bound to result in higher living cost-.for them well as white collar workers For instance, Washington, D. C., milk drivers have served strike notice for April 25 If their increased wage demands are met the price of milk will 90 up for everyone in that area. Meanwhile, every wage increase in the city tends to draw labor off the farm or else increase wages on the farm which means higher cost of producing food It all goes round in circles.
 Tip to former Ambassador Carlton Hayes, now head of the American Historical Society: Read Wind in the Olive Trees, published by Boni and Gaer for an outstanding account of the history Of the Franco dictatorship in Spain This book tells the history which so great a historian as yourself must have been aware of during your period as Am baSsador to Madrid, It Is written by Abel Penn whom your office insisted OWI recall from Spain and whom your office nearly had fired after he returned to Washington, The book will make interesting reading, Mir Ex-Ambassador,