The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1946-02-21
By DreVC Pearson

mornlns Dol. Otis X. sadtlcr took The message 10
Colonel smith, then Secretary TO the General starr
and rlght.hand man To- General Marshal But smith
was unrcceptlve 10 giving any further warnings 10
Pearl Harbor. n he had taken the initatiVe-and
American ambassador must have ihitatve-the
whole story Of the Pacific war might have been all
ferent
Despite this Colonel Smith got quick promotions
until he ended up as lieutenant general and chief OF
staff 10 General Eisenhower As such, he had an IN
teresting experience with Gen Frank McSherry re-
gardmg Nazl gold which indicates the nigh and LOFTY
interests of our souvenlr-collecting new envoy to
Russia. -.
After the u s. Army discovered the Nad gold
loot at the bottom Of an abandoned salt nine uener
al smith came TO inspect It. The gold was under Gen.
Frank Mcsherry, formerly Paul McNutts assistant
as war Manpower Commissioner, who, IN turn, mao
put the gold under It. Col Henry Cragon, Formerly
chief of the Currency Section for Belgium and Lux
As Mcshery and smith surveyed The Nazi gold
at the bottom Of the mine, Colonel cragon descended
stop that fellow from coming down here" Smith
commanded McSherry.
smith proposed that few Of the U. S. $40 gold
pieces be appropriated for Allied souvenirs, explain.
ing that they would make nice medals to be given
to British. American and Russian hign-command
Officers
I'm fact" he added, well give one to McSherry."
McSherry replied that the colonel IN charge
was responsible and that he should not be left hold
ing the bag he offered TO sign receipt Tor some
At this smith exploded you don't trust me-
McSherry, and I've got to have men around VINO
trust me-"
Mcsherry tried to pacify Smith, but Beetle kept
excaiming that his subordinate did not trust him
McSherry never saw Smith again. Shortly alter
ward Brig Gen. Clarence Adcock was transferred
from the Sixth Army group to relieve McSherry ano
the latter was given the mental job Of handling
German labor under the American Military Govern
ment.
Today General McSherry sits in q big office
in Berlin one of the best qualified Officers in Ger
many, doing relatively little.
Senator Claude Pepper of Florida the CUES;
OF honor at very hush-hush dinner the other day,
given by his friend Senator Jim Murray of Montana
All the guests were sworn to strict secrecy, and no
reporters were admitted. The dinner billed
an opportunity for Claude to tell colleagues about
his three months OF travel In Europe.
Peppers report lasted about an hour and on the
whole was entertaining. However, it was complete
bust for those who had already read his articles
for North American Newspaper Alliance since he
repeated much Of what he had already written
apparently the supposition that Senator's either
do not cannot read.
However Pepper told how he and General Esen-
hover had stood in the reviewers stand with Stain
while he reviewed the parade in honor OF benin
I. was the first time Americans had occupied such
places of honor.
The significant part Of the story however. was
that. when Stain about to depart he was care
fu to step 10 the members OF the Polltbur'
and punctilously shake hands with each OF them
Pepper said that f. reminded him OF the President
Of the United States carefully shaking hands with
the leaders OF Congress after reading message to
Congress.