The Daily Alaska empire Newspaper, April 24, 1940, Page 1

THE DAILY ALASKA EMPIRE VOL. LV., NO. 8396. JUNEAU, ALASKA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1940. “ALL THE NEWS ALL THE TIME” MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS PRICE TEN CENTS ALLIES BEAT OFF ATTACK OF GERMANS Scores U.S. Looks Toward the East OVER 200 LOSE LIFE INBLAZE Flames Roar Through | Dance Hall - Victims Trapped in Exit BODIES ARE PILED UP LIKE CORDWOOD Death Cauébe Suffoca- tion-Majority Range in Age from 15 to 16 BULLETIN—JACKSON, Miss. Aprii 24—Red Cross officials anncunced this afternoon that the death tell at Nachez is offic- ially placed at 247. A plea is made for aid to all Red Cross chapters in big cities throughout the south. Seventy five persons injured in the fire are being aided. NATCHEZ, Miss., April 24.—In one of the most horrible fires in the his- tory of the state, at least 212 negro men and women were burned to death here late flames, racing through decoration of dry Spanish moss, trapped them in the only exit of a dance hall. Ccroner R. E. Smith and Sheriff Hyde Jenkins expressed belief that a score or more now in hospitals | might die. There were about 300 dancers in the building which was sheathed with corrugated iron, had no side doors and had the windows bearded up to keep out gatecrashers. The coroner said that the bodies “were piled up like cordwood, skin was peeling from their faces, blood | oozed from their mouths and the flesh was broken. Most of them died from suffocation. The majority of them were about fifteen or sixteen years age and there were as many men as women.” Cause of Fire Ernest Wright, elevator operator, who went to the dance hall to meet his wife after getting off duty, believes a cigarette caused the fire. Wright said he saw two girls/ come out of the women’s rest room in front of the hall, near the one entrance, and heard one say: “Now you did it. You set the place on fire.” Wright said he did not seeany- thing for about one minute—then he saw a blinding sheet of flame burst out. OTHER BAD FIRES Other fires in which the loss of life has been high were the Iro- quois Theater fire in Chicago when 575 met death, and the burn- ing of the steamship General Slo- cum, at New York when 458 lost their lives. Stop Ship To Search For Nazis Dulch Vessel Hoves fo af Command of British Cruiser Off Java SAMARAND, Java, April 24—A British cruiser today stopped the Netherlands passenger vessel Olden- varnevelt four miles off the coast. The Cruisers officers inspected the papers and checked the passenger list to ascertain if any Germans were aboard. After the inspection, the ship was permitted to proceed. ——e——— RODEN RETURNING Henry Roden, who went south re- cently, is returning to Juneau aboard the steamer Tongass which sailed last night when | onial empire in the South Seas. States’ Philippine Islands. 0 200 400 6 MILES NAVAL 8ASES @) = AIR BASES The United States has proclaimed to the world a “hands-off” policy for The Netherlands East Indies, the rich and strategically vital col- Secretary of State Cordell Hull took cognizance of Japan's expressed concern for the future of the islands should the European war engulf The Netherlands in issuing a state- ment setting forth the United States’ position in the matter. As he issued his proncuncement, British and French forces in the Far East were making ready for any eventuality—including the chance of a Japanese attempt to seize the islands. Netherlands East Indies (horizontal shading) and Japan and the ter- ritory it dominates or occupies (obligue shading) are shown in map. Between Japan's empjre and The Netherlands’ islands are the United Coincident with the crisis in the Far East, the United States Navy renewed its advocacy of a major air and submarine base at Guam. The Japanese Navy, in the event it de- cided to attempt to occupy The Netherlands East Indies, would face trouble from several strong British and French bases, notably Bri- tain’s new “Gibraltar” at Singapore. The relative positons of The SEA LOSSES INWARFARE GIVEN OUT German DNB Make Claims Which Are Disputed by British Officials BERLIN, April 24—The German News Agency DNB lists 57 British Naval units put out of action, 29 by sinkings or fire since the beginning of the Scandinavian campaign. LONDON ANSWERS LONDON, April 24.—In answering the claim made by the DNB, the British War Ministry acknowledges Great Britain has lost only eighteen war craft, including submarines, for the entire war. The statement says only three des- troyers, one submarine and one trawler have Scandinavian warfare. Cruiser and two destroyers have re- turned to their bases because of damage sustained In the Scandina- vian conflict. .- SANFORD RETURNS, HOSPITAL been sunk in the| It is admitted that one British| INVASION OF SWEDEN BY GERMANY NOW FORECAST; ALLIES ARE TO COUNTERACT (By Associated Press) Growing fears of German invasion of Sweden are expressed in Paris where it is officially reported that German troops with munitions are embarking at German-Baltic ports opposite Sweden. The French War Ministry’s spokes- man issued a statement called the embarkations as “evidence of a menace” to Sweden. The spokesman said German icebreakers, accompan- ied by transports give evidence that | operations are plauaned in the north Baltic. The Allied Supreme Council, at a meeting in Paris yesterday, drafted plans to counteract any such plans | for an invasion of Sweden. French Premier Reynaud called a special meeting of his Cabinet to place the plans into effect. ——————— Pacific Fleet Bucking Gales HONOLULU, April 24—The heavy weather, regular gales, the United States Navy has been bucking dur- ing its annual fleet maneuvers has sent three destroyers to Pearl Harbor for repairs, it was learned today. Naval officers would not comment but it was learned from unimpeach- able sources that the U, S. S. Ben- ham has arrived, already suffering from cracked plates due to weather and is at present undergoing repairs. ~—————— Guffey s Leading in DemoRace! New Deal Supporter Has Good Margin for 1 Nomination PHILADELPHIA, April 24.—Sen- | ator Joseph F. Guffy, strong New Deal supporter, holds a steadily wid= ’ening lead in the Democratic nom- [ ination in the Senate primary which |also gave Roosevelt a heavy test vote. Unofficial returns from 7,075 of 8105 precincts give Guffy 350,481, and Walter Jones, Pittsburgh oil man, who was supported by State Democratic Chairman Lawrence and other leaders, 271454, ¥ The count from 4,740 precincts give | Roosevelt, whose name was entered | by the Democratic State Committee, |417141 votes with only scattered | write-in votes including 52 for Garn- er. | Dewey, with 8430 votes, | Republicans. Over the state, as a whole, the Republicans, with half million reg- 1istered, polled a heavier total in the ‘swte contests. e Chinese (Capfure led the 'Retake Honan Province Capital from Japan- ese Forces CHUNGKING, April 24. — The Chinese Central News Agency re- ports that Kaifeng, in Honan Pro- vince, has been recaptured from the Japanese forces. | Kaifeng is the first Provincial Capital City reverting to Chinese hands since the war began on July 7, 1937. Chinese military circles however said they have no official confirma- tion of the agency’s claim, which al- so reported that Hwaiyand, 80 miles south of Kaifeng, has also been re- taken from the Japanese. Ketchikan - Mill Again Oggraling- Peaceful A'g reement [s| Reached Between Em- ployer and Union KETCHIKAN, ‘Alaska, April 24— Everything is peaceful again around the Ketchikan Spruce Mills and the workers again at their old positions as operations were resumed this morning following the walkout last Saturday over minor difficulties. A settlement was quickly reached last night between E. J. Daly, mill owner, and the union and both sides are fully satisfied. larf Given His Release CINCINNATI, Ohio, April 24— Lynn Lary, utility infielder, has been | 2 (ities. Germans Display Latest Destru | e |3 P st The German military unveils its latest weapons of destruction to the American public in these pictures. The sleek, twin-engined bomber (top), is a product of Prof. Willi Messe: suit ships. The plane is manned by a crew of four and is armed with light and heavy machine guns, The entire mechanism of these huge railroad-guns (bottom), including loading, is mechanical, giving excep- SABOTAGE ORDERED T0 GET " OUT, NAZI CRAFT SUSPECTED, " compy auicity U. S. BASE;Five German Minesweep- | ers Instructed to Leave Senfry Challenges Intruder| Swedish Waters at Door of Hangar at | STOCKHOLM, April 24, — The i Swedish Government has ordered Ouanhco five German minesweepers to leave | Swedish waters, ctive Weapons FIGHTING FIERCE AT - TRONDHEIM \Counter Movements Re- | pulsed by British-Lines Are Reestablished AIRDROME AT SYLT UNDER BOMBARDMENT |Nazis Assert Southern Nor- | way Under Control of Reich Forces | | LONDON, April 24—The British War Office announces that troops around Trondheim have beaten off strong German counter attacks “aft- er severe sharp fighting.” The Allied lines have been rees- | tablished westward. Jhe German airdrome at Sylt has been subjected to “almost a continu- | ous bombardment” for one hour and i | forty minutes. Other areas have been “successful- ly bombed,” reports the British Air | ministry. | About 20 “enemy aircraft have been destroyed in an airdrome near Stravanger,” is the declaration Tale this afternoon by the Air Mmlistry here. REICH CONTROL CLAIMS BERLIN, April 24.—German auth- orities announced this afternoon that all Southern Norway between Oslo and Stavanger are now under ntrol of the German army and the Reich's air and sea forces lLave taken a heavy toll from the i que well air aft have been destroyed Three British planes are said to have been shot down southeast of Stavanger in an attempt to bomb | that port during a reconnaisance | flight. | German .planes have discovered |1arge units of the British fleet ap- proaching Narvik, apparently plan- ning more extensive troop landings. rschmitt, previously famed for pur- LARGE NAVY NOW URGED " BY PITIMAN NARWEGIANS DEFY NAZI EDICT STOCKHOLM, April 24. — Out- breaks of guerilla fighting around Oslo are reported to be handicap- ping the German invaders while the Nazi invaders are locked in bitter | struggle with the British, French |and Norwegian regulars on three | major fronts, in the vicinity. of Lille | hamar-Rena, 80 miles north of Oslo, Imperative that Fleet Be where sishting is the bitterest, aiso Built fo Defend West- | swedish newspaper correspondents ern Hemisphere {at Oslo said the rattle of machine |gun fire is heard frequently in the |suburbs as the Norwegians, defying |the Nazi edict providing the death His condition having become worse since he came home from the hospit- al last week, Tom Sanford returned | to St. Ann’s for further trea'.menti WATSON TO TRAVEL Harry G. Watson, former Sec- retary to the Governor, plans a from Seattle last night. on Monday. trip to Fairbanks next week, |given his unconditional release by the St. Louis Cardinals. He came to the Cardinals on waivers from the Brooklyn Dodgers last year. QUANTICO, Va., April 24—Ci- vilians report that a sentry ot i Marine Base here. was :shot and wounded yesterday morning when he challenged an intruder who was holding a blow torch near an airplane door. Sabotage is sus- pected. The incident was reported to the FBI and it is said an - investiga- tion is being made but officials are making no comment although they discounted rumors that the intruder might have been seeking a secret bomb sight. Officials said the planes berthed in the hangar lack such sights, CITY BUYS OWN DUMP, TAX SALE IONIA, Mich., April 24—The city of Ionia recently bought its own city dump for non-payment of taxes. The property, included among other parcels offered at a sale of tax de- linquent land, was discovered to be owned by two citizens. The latter had paid no taxes for fifteen years, believing the city owned the property. The city thought it owned the property, too. 8o, to make sure, City Clerk Raymond Coon bid in the dump. According to an official report, the | was complied with immed- | order iately. (Col.Robins ~ InSerious Condition TAMPA, Florida, April 24. — Col. Raymond Robins, widely known so- cial economist and who is reported to have made a fortune in the gold rush days to the north and Klon- dike, is in a serious condition as the result of an emergency appen- dectomy on Monday. His. appendix was ruptured. The attending physician says Col. Robins passed a “fairly good night.” B BOUND FOR KODIAK Joe Tyler is a passenger on the | Alaska for Kodiak where he will be employed on the air base con- struction there. e ,————— Since President Lincoln signed the Homestead Act, about 275,000~ | 000 acres of Federal land have been transferred to settlers., WASHINGTON, April 24—Chair- man Key Pittman of the Senate Foreign Relation Committee, is re-| gistering support for a bigger navy,| declared today that it is imperative for the United States to build a fleet capable of defending the western| hemisphere alone if necessary. i Senator Pittmnn told reporters he‘ thought this country should not de-| depend on the existence of the Brit-| ish fleet to maintain the Monroe | Doctrine. Neither, he said,’ should | the United States ever be placed in| a position where she would have to go to the aid of England or France to protect her own interests as in the last war. A A navy the size necessary ‘to de-| fend this country alone would con- siderably exceed the one contemplat- | ed under the pending bill which is| proposing an 11% increase in its| strength and on which action is ex- | pected by the Naval Committee next week : The House has already approved of the bill | S e H. C. Dunlop, broker, left aboard the Alaska for Seward from where he will go to the Interior as far| as Fairbanks. - General John J. Pershing’s first penalty for possesion of weapons, harrassed the Germans. RUSSIA IS erish In Horrible Night Holocaust ASKED FOR TRADE PACT Great Britain_Seeks Pro- posals Buf Based on Cerfain Objectives LONDON, April 24—The British Government today informed the House of Commons that Russia has been invited to put forward a con- crete trade agreement, the proposals to recognize, however, Great Bri- tain’s objectives of encircling Ger- many with an air-tight blockade. i il MISS ZERNOV LEAVES Miss Nina Zernov, who has been military service was as a second cngaged in evangelist work in Ju- lieutenant of cavalry in the Ari- 1eau is a passenger aboard = the 1886, (ard. v zona Indian campaign in 1665 aud Alaska enroute to Seldovia via Sew-.