Summaries of Telephone Conversations

PR SUMMARY Washington, D. C. June 26, 1945 9:40pm AL to PRICHARD. AL asked if that was not good about the Russian play that they got. There is going to be a kick-back on it as LEO CROWLEY ad libbed about what the chief of the staff told him. At the meeting over at the Russian Protocol Commission today General YORK and the rest were furious at LEO for pinning the whole thing on them. AL continued that LEO is not going to have a friend in town. PRICHARD stated that he understands that they knocked OSCAR out. AL said that he believes that PRICHARD has a chance to do something in the Senate about this bill which is almost sure to go to conference. PRICHARD said that he thinks it is a petty thing for a judge to get mixed up in. AL does not mean that PRICHARD should do it but he thinks that HAROLD SMITH should do it. PRICHARD mentioned that he (HAROLD SMITH) would not be able to "stop a cracker wagon. " PRICHARD continued that they all think that it is for OSCAR. He told people that he was going to be appointed. One of the persons that he told was HERB ELLIS- TON (Phon.). AL asked who was responsible for the leak to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. PRICHARD did not know and denied that it was him. He said that he did not know HARRY. AL stated that he had tried to reach PRICHARD to advise that he knew that the story was a fake because he was afraid that somebody would think that the lid was off and that it was time to talk. AL continued that when he got the story, he had someone call the AP and have the AP guy call LEO. LEO said that he had always thought of resigning when he got over the appropriations and so on but that there was no more truth to this story than to the general back- ground that he wanted to get out. LEO added that there is also a story that another AP guy had talked to CROWLEY who said that he was going to resign but 15 minutes later he called up and said to kill the story. PRICHARD said that he had not heard it. AL stated that the story came from NEWMAN in PRICHARD'S office. PRICHARD said that NEWMAN did not get the story from him but from STEIN who does not know anything. AL mentioned that LEO told his publicity man that he plans to stay with the thing, he plans to see the appropriations through, that he is going to get (unintelligible) Bank through, and that he is going to wind up lend lease. AL continued that he has not been in on today's negoti- ations, but LEO did not even get to see CANNON. LEO took OSCAR up with him. PRICHARD stated that the whole thing is messed up and there is going to be some repercussions to it. AL advised that BRAND (Phon.), the minister who took ED SMITH'S place, called him up and asked how he is going to tell