Peace at Sea

ONE WHIRL--Sydney S. Baron--Lowell Publishing Co. ($1).

Connally of Texas had the floor. "Mr. President," he cried, "the war in Europe is over, suh." Everyone cheered like mad. It had been over for two months already, but it was great to have someone say so officially. The New York Daily News promptly warned its readers that soon all elections would be suspended. Radio Commentator Kaltenborn began to think up phrases for the unseen millions; Commentator Arthur Hale prepared some confidential sidelights. Roosevelt appointed Hull and Byrnes as U.S. delegates to the peace conference. He also appointed Willkie--just before Willkie was to be nominated for President. It made Willkie mad: he had hoped to win votes by promising, if elected, to send Roosevelt to Europe for four years.

The conference, held on a battleship in mid-Atlantic, was called The Temporary Commission for the Organization of a Permanent World League of Cooperating Sovereign Nations Dedicated to the Preservation of International Peace, Prosperity and Happiness. Churchill was furious because the name wasn't in Basic English, but he turned up just the same. So did Badoglio, Umberto, Petain, Giraud and Franco. Seven newspaper and radio men were allowed to cover the conference--from a launch alongside the battleship.

At home everyone was on pins & needles. The papers were filled with accounts of the murder by a tri-sexualist of his wife, his boy friend and himself. Eleanor Roosevelt said we must have faith. Mayor LaGuardia urged New Yorkers not to panic. Arthur Krock wrote a story based on a report from a high official who could not be quoted. When the President was finally asked just what was cooking, he said everyone must be patient.

All this and heaven too comes straight off the lunatic fringe--in the shape of a not unpartisan, 132-page booklet, written at high blood pressure by a Washington public-relations man. It is fiendishly illustrated by German-born George Grosz, fervently dedicated to those who are going to make the peace.

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