Summaries of Telephone Conversations

Washington, D. C. CO SUMMARY August 31, 1945 8:00 AM CORCORAN to Room 871 at the Mayflower to LEO CROWLEY (F.E.A.). CORCORAN said that (WILLIAM) CLAYTON (State Department) saw T. V. SOONG yesterday before the latter left for China. SOONG told CORCORAN that CLAYTON told him that China was all cut off from Import-Export Bank help; that everything was going to Europe. CROWLEY said that he planned to see CLAYTON at 9:30 A.M. and would see the President this afternoon. CROWLEY said, "Things are shot to hell around here." 9:42 AM CORCORAN for GEORGE KILLIOM at Democratic National Committee. Not in. CORCORAN then called KILLIOM's secretary and asked if he could lunch with KILLIOM. She says that he has an engagement but he can if KILLIOM breaks the other. Secretary said that KILLIOM was talking to some other people at present but she will have him call CORCORAN. 10:10 AM CORCORAN to Secretary of the Interior HAROLD ICKES. I - Hello. C - TOM, sir. I - Well, you are all right on what you told me yesterday. A certain man called me up today--told me that he had come to the conclusion after studying this question while I was away, that there was a good deal of a point (T. C. laughs) and that apparently it's their intention to refile by the fifteenth. C - Well, you've got to be lawfully careful now that it's refiled right-- that technically the right defendant, the right issues, and that the issue is broad enough. I - It ought to be against the estate (or state), oughtn't it? C - That's right. I know exactly--HUGH COX who was the Assistant Solicitor General over there, the fellow who was fighting on the other side, who is now with (STUART) SYMINGTON (Surplus Property Board), who has thought about this thing more than anyone else, has very definite ideas as to what the right action from your point of view ought to be. I'll try to get that and bring it to you. But, I'm terribly amused. I - Thank God, eh? Isn't it funny? C - Oh God. That letter you sent the Attorney General did the job, you see. They began to cease to like to have themselves made guinea pigs. I - Why, yeah. That's exactly what happened. They were being used, and hadn't realized it. C - That's right. I - Well now, what do you think of the appointment of the gentleman to help liquidate the war agencies? C - Who was that? I - Oh, what's his name, the back-slapper here, (GEORGE E.) ALLEN. C - Well, he's the real power behind the throne now. I - Oh God. That's disturbing. C - It's so, though. I - What? C - He's the real power behind (ROBERT) HANNEGAN (Postmaster General).