Summaries of Telephone Conversations

Washington, D. C. CO SUMMARY August 23, 1945 4:50 PM "NAT" SHEINMAN (New York City) for JACK NASON. Latter said that the priority is in the works and the former will probably receive it by Saturday of this week. Former says that one of the yarn companies has "flown off the handle" and now wants a letter sent to the W.P.B. saying we are not taking action against them. Latter said he would write CLEMENS and say that if we get our priorities we will take care of our customers. Former reads a letter he is going to send the discontented yarn company. NASON will receive a copy of this letter for file and approval before it is officially mailed. SHEINMAN says there is a "guy" in Washington by the name of JOE or JOHN HAMILTON who claims he can/get any priority in the W.P.B. SHEINMAN says that HAMILTON sent one of his representatives up to our offices and said that he could get any priority from W.P.B. we wanted. SHEINMAN said the fellow was told that CORCORAN was handling it and the fellow said he knew all about it and further that someone high up in KRUG's or TRUMAN's office had said that if SHEINMAN took CORCORAN off the case, the W.P.B. would grant the priority in 24 hours. NASON said he would immediately investigate the matter and the charge. 6:00 PM ELLIOT JANEWAY in New York City to TOM CORCORAN. ELLIOT said that he had talked with PEGGY CORCORAN last night before TOM got in. TOM said PEGGY gave him the message about the ICKES offer from FIELDING but that he (TOM) did not quite understand all of it. Again, ELLIOT explained to TOM his conversation with FIELDING of the American Labor Party yesterday (previously reported in yesterday's log). TOM said of course ICKES today was announced as "staying on" but that despite this TOM felt "the old man" would love to have the offer. ELLIOT said as far as dollars and cents payment is concerned for ICKES, he (ELLIOT) has explained to FIELDING that they could not expect ICKES to be dependent upon a political organization for his living. He said that everyone assumes ICKES is a "very rich man" whereas in fact he is not. FIELDING said ICKES would be at liberty to practice law, write and speak on the side in addition to his PAC duties. ELLIOT explained that FIELDING said: "If Mrs. ROOSEVELT puts it where she makes a 100 thousand" then it would be all right for ICKES to do the same. TOM said, "Well, he couldn't do it on that basis." ELLIOT thinks maybe it should be on the basis of $20,000 and a liberal expense account. TOM said to make it $25,000 and he "would talk business with you." ELLIOT asked TOM if he remembered what the Amalgamated (Clothing Workers) did for HILLMAN. He said that when HILLMAN came to Washington the Union paid all his expenses, paid for his apartment at the Wardman and the Union didn't squeak about it, paid for maintaining his family and SIDNEY didn't have to pay any tax on it. ELLIOT said he was going to the headquarters after he left TOM and he met FIELDING coming out and ELLIOT said, "Congratulations" and FIELDING said, "Why?" ELLIOT said, "Your man has just beaten these guys and indicated that they're giving you guys a formula now for getting what you want.' He said, "What do you mean?" I said: "TRUMAN is trying to find out which side of his ass HAROLD wants kissed." But, I said, "You guys let me down, you let the old man down." He said, "What do you mean?" I said: "That offer hasn't