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Unstated was the danger to the bauxite, but it could be guessed. Next door lies Vichy-ruled French Guiana, near by run Axis airlines. A small force of Axis fili busters might be organized who in a quick raid might wreck the bauxite mines. It is also possible that the Dutch officials on the spot wanted U.S. intervention. Most of them have relatives in occupied Holland against whom Nazi pressure could be brought to have bauxite production sabotaged. With the U.S. in charge, nothing can be gained by Nazi persecution of the officials' kin.
South With a Smile. The President had more to smile about at home, too, than in many a long week. He had not been forced to send soldiers to guard the coal mines. He might not have scalped John L. Lewis, but the miners were back at work, and that was the important thing. And John Lewis could hardly again threaten the defense program on such a scale. For one thing, he had succeeded in mining up anti-strike legislation in Congress. The President had given the clearest of green lights to strike-repressive legislation, of whatever kind the Congress saw fit to pass. The probability was that organized labor would have to win its 1942 victories at the council table, instead of on the picket line.
The President had also signed the repealer to Sections II, III and VI of the Neutrality Act. Congressional isolationists had been temporarily reduced to beefing about naval secrecy—which was a beef any man could make. Two outstanding isolationists, Senators Robert A. Taft of Ohio and Guy Gillette of Iowa, announced formally that they would support the President's foreign policy—with only one reservation—as long as that course was covered by Congressional enactments. Henceforth Patriots Taft and Gillette will not be obstructionists, although they reserved their principles.
The President still had headaches ahead —particularly Vichyfrance, Japan and inflation. But the way was clearing. He could head south for the smell of Southern pines, the annual turkey-slashing for the Warm Springs children, the annual pool-splashing for himself, with a higher heart than at any time in 1941.
*Zon (sun), moen (moon), forko (fork), spoen (spoon), pleti (plate), sidom (sit down), fadom (fall down), babei (by-&-by), closibei (close by), farawei (far away). Koersoe means fever, since fevers were the curse of the land; haiwatra means tears (eye-water); dediskin is a corpse.