Evening Star Newspaper, April 22, 1940, Page 2

Destroyer Officer Describes Dramatic Battle af Narvik Hardy's Survivors Given Aid Ashore After Ship Was Sent Aground Here is presented the story of one of the gallant naval actions of history—the Narvik epic of H. M. S. Hardy and the destroyer flotilla, of which she was the leader. It is the story of the sinking of three German de- stroyers, the silencing of the Narvik forts, the blowing up of the pier and the destruction of seven German iron ore ships in Narvik Harbor as told by Petty Officer Ernest Neal, gunner’s mate of the Hardy. By ERNEST NEAL, Gunner's Mate, H. M. S. Hardy, LONDON, April 22 (NANA).— At dawn, cold bitter, scarcely a fort- night ago we set out as an escort vessel. Our work had been proceed- ing for some days before we first tasted blood. That was April 9 when on patrol to keep neutrals safe from our mine fields. We were outside the southern tip Narvik Fjord. Sud- denly out 'of the blinding snowstorm came the Scharnhorst, accompanied by another cruiser of the Hipper class. We cleared for action and then we saw the Renown, a splen- did and heartening sight, in hot pursuit of the enemy. At 4:10 a.m. that morning we en- gaged the Scharnhorst and an un- jdentified cruiser, playing our part alongside the Renown, in weather that was so0 rough that eventually we had to drop out of action with all our accompanying destroyers. But not before we had had a chance to blaze away at both enemy ships. They were thrilling moments while they lasted. The Scharnhorst straddled us with bricks (navy slang for shells) and it took some pretty | splendid navigation to get out of | that spot. The Renown was firing | away and it was possible to see her | ghells hitting the Scharnhorst. One‘ particular salvo from the Renown | “put paid” to one of Scharnhorst's rear guns which had been particu- larly devastating. There was a huge splash and flash of color and the gun that had just fired four salvos in succession packed up so far as we were concerned. Germans Ran for Cover. | I can tell you that before very long the Germans did not like it a little bit and ran for cover of the snowstorm. As they went our attack centered on the Hipper cruiser. The Scharnhorst must have had several hits, for a great deal of wreckage came floating past us— kitbags, lifebelts and paravanes—all of German origin, which probably were blown out of the ship by the Renown's guns. The Renown had & dud shell through her above water line, but it was the German | who panicked to get away in the| blinding snowstorm. With the dud | through her, probably a 1,300-pound | shell, the Renown fought on until visibility beat her. It was down to 850 yards and poor at that. Just| after this we lost contact with the enemy. They were nearer to the center of the snowstorm than was our vessel and the storm made a screen-into which the Scharnhorsy and the cruiser dodged. There was nothing to it but to eontinue our work of patroling and this we did until 11 am. It was| then we heard by wireless from the | Glowworm that she had engaged | two enemy destroyers and that an unknown cruiser was on her star- board bow. We waited for further news, but none came. Her wireiess must have been shot away imme- diately after sending out the earlier message. We left our position soon | afterward. | The moment had come for Capt. | R. F. Warburton Lee to send the| now historic signal, “We are going | info action.” It was signaled te the Admiralty and was his decision to attack Narvik. Well, we welcomed the time for action. Up to the previous day we had not fired an angry shot, and though the average age of the men was little more than 20, they were all keen as mustard when the signal ‘was posted after a conference in the captain’s cabin. The torpedo lieu- tenant went to the mess deck and called the men together to tell them | of the decision to attack. Prepared for Invasion. There was a busy day ahead of us, preparing for the invasion of Narvik, | and the land batteries and condi-| tions would be similar on each of the five destroyers in the flotilla. Each destroyer was to land 29 men in a platoon making an expedition- ary force of 150. They were served out with ammunition, iron rations and full equipment and as the main weapon would probably be their Lewis guns these were prepared, too. With the last detail arranged, we entered the fjord and after travers- ing only a short distance we picked up a Norwegian pilot who spoke very good English, We asked him what the strength of the Germans was up the fjord and he replied, “I would not go up there unless I had three times your force.” Decision depended on the captain whether we should attack now. He was all for it and his men were with him to a man when the notice was posted. The next problem was the mines we expected to find blocking our way through the fjord. Warburton Lee decided that if we entered it at high tide we would have foot clearance over mines, and at high tide our navigator, Lt. Comdr. Gor- don Smith, took us off without the aid of the pilot. We were told to be off for action stations at 1 o'clock next morning, the 10th, and we took up our stations as the fotilla crept up the fjord in darkness. There was again a blinding snow- storm. We just missed an ice floe, and altogether it was a remarkable feat to navigate us up. Tea was handed around to the men around the guns, with a little rum to keep them warm, and at 4:10 am. we were right up to Narvik. Nazi Destroyer Torpedoed. ‘The first vessel we saw was British and we decided not to touch her. We slewed around to face the harbor and shore batteries, which were tucked away to the north side of the fjord and we fired torpedoes from the starboard at a German de- stroyer and the first absolutely blew it up. It must have hit the maga- zine, for there was a terrific explo- Dr.H.C.Coe Dies; Gynecologist Led in Birth Control Fight One of Foremost in Field; Helped Found Medical Reserve Or. Henry Clarke Coe, 84, gynecologist, pioneer birth-control advocate and one of the organizers of the Medical Reserve Corps of the Army, died yesterday after a long illness at his home, the Clifton Terrace Apartments. Dr. Coe had made his home in ‘Washington since 1930, having spent the greater part of his life in New York City. He was born in Cincin- nati February 21, 1856, the son of Erastus Pease and Mary Ross Coe. He graduated from Yale University in 1878 and was class poet. After graduating with the degrees of A. B. and A, M, he attended the Harvard Medical School, receiving his M. D. in 1881. The following year he at- tended the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University. In 1883 he married Sarah Werden of Pittsfield, Mass, and went aboard for post-graduate study at Oxford. Mrs. Coe, who was well known as an author, lecturer and club- woman, died here in 1936. Was Prolific Writer. In London, Dr. Coe received the degrees of Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians, and in 1884 became a member (he was later made a fellow) of the Royal College of Surgeons. After additional study in Vienna, Leipzig and Edinburgh, he returned to the United States in 1886 and took up the practice of surgery in New York City. During his medical career of more than four decades, he became one of the fortmost obstetri- cians and gynecologists of his day. A prolific writer, Dr. Coe was the author of “Clinical Gynecology,” nu- merous medical monologues and sci- entific papers, and was a member of the staffs of several medical publi- cations besides contributing articles and stories to several literary maga- zines, His home in New York City be- came at the turn of the century a gathering place for notables of the medical, musical and literary worlds. Advocated Birth Control. Early in the 1900s Dr. Coe be- came one of the first eminent phy- sicians to advocate scientific birth control among the poor and was often embroiled with political and religious groups. | In 1914 he joined forces with Gen. Leonard Wood, who was then putting forth the doctrine of na-| tional preparedness. Dr. Coe helped organize a trained reserve of medi- cal men to supplement the Army's regular Medical Corps in time of war, He accepted a commission in the newly formed Medical Reserve Corps and in 1917 was advanced to the rank of major and sent to England with an early contingent of the American Expeditionary Force, His active duty in France en- tailed being second in command of the first base hospital for Ameri- can troops there. After the armi- stice he was promoted to colonel and put in command of base camps THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D.. C, MONDAY, APRIL 22, 1940. DR. HENRY CLARKE COE. —Star Staff Photo. . at embarkation points in the south of France. Dr. Coe returned to the United States in 1919 and resumed private practice. Disability incurred in line of duty, however, occasioned his retirement within a few years and he came to live in Washington. His war decorations included the Croix de Guerre, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Order of the Purple Heart. Dr. Coe was the oldest living mem- ber and dean of the Medical Reserve Corps of the Army. He was a mem-~ ber of the Society of Colonial Wars, the Mayflower Society. the Sons of the Revolution, the Society of the ‘War of 1812, the Military Order of the World War, the Disabled Emer- | gency Officers’ Association, the Med- | ical Reserve Association, the Asso- ciation of Military Surgeons and was a member and past commander of Caduccus Post of the American Legion. Funeral Rites Tomorrow. Professional and scientific organ- |izations in which he held member- ship included the New York State | Medical Association, the New York County Medical Association, the New York Clinical Society, the West End | Medical Society, tne Obstretical Club, the American Therapeutic So- ciety, the Harvard Medical Society, the Washington Obstetrical Society and others. | He was a fellow of the Edinburgh | | Obstetrical Society, & fellow of the | New York State Society, a mmw} of the New York Academy of Medi- cine, a fellow and former governor | of the American College of Surgeons | and a past president general of the | American Gynecological Society. His clubs included the Yale,| Fencers and Army and Navy of New | York and Washington. | Surviving are two sons, Arthur| | Paul Coe of Washington and For- | dyce Barker Coe of Greenwich,| | Conn., and three grandchildren. | Funeral services will be held at |2 pm. tomorrow at the Episcopalf Church of the Epiphany. Burial with full military honors will be in Arlington National Cemetery. | ishment, their destroyers commenced to blaze away into the skies, be- cause they thought themselves so secure that an attack could only o from aircraft. I won't say we There were no | ‘were. not grateful. planes at all. Well, we put the nearest German merchantman to the bottom straight- | away and were followed in line by | the Hunter, Hostile, Hotspur and Havoc. With the Germans blazing | away into the skies, we made short work of them, sinking all three de- stroyers and at least seven mer- chantmen. Fortunately, at the first sound of battle, the captain of the | German destroyer that was holding 200 British merchant seamen on board ordered them to be released | and put into boats. They were told to make themselves scarce till after the battle and I must say they had nothing but praise for that skipper. As we manned the guns we were slipping about in snow and had to use ashes from the galley to keep our foothold. Then some of the ashes got into our guns with the ammunition, and I had to get all the salt in the galley to improve matters by melting snow which was icing the breeches of the guns al- most as we fired. We had sunk all ships and the pler when Warburton Lee decided to go around again. As we slewed three Nazi destroyers came from a creek on the south side of the fjord and then came some cruisers which we mistook for Birmingham and Penelope. We signaled a challenge and got shells in reply. Carrying on, we were straddled between them, so we did all we could by putting up & smoke screen which screened our four remaining destroyers. Got Salvo of Shells. Unprotected ourselves, we got a salvo of shells, and the first one hit the gunnery transmitting sta- tion, killing two men. One died as we got him ashore after we had run aground. It had been his job, an important one, to ring the gong. As he lay dying his last words were, “I can't reach the fire gong.” He died by the side of his skipper. I had to take over three guns for- ward. As I got there No. 2 gun was blown up, killing four out of crew of seven. I then went forward to No. 1 gun and as I did a shell hit there, killing one man. The same shell gave me splinters in my leg. Gun crew kept in action all the time, one man short. I went below for treatment of my splintered legs, but there were so many being attended to I smacked some bandage on and came up again. No. 1 gun would not bear and I found No. 3 was the same as No. 2. Nos. 4 and 5 were still blazing away, but our plight was hopeless. A shell wiped out the bridge, the wheelhouse starboard whaler and severed the main steam- pipe. Capt. Warburton Lee was not killed outright, though he was mortally wounded, Lt. Clark, gun- nery officer, and Lt. Cross, signal officer, were killed whilst Navigator Lt. Comdr. Gordon Smith was in- Jured, knocked unconscious, and the only man who appeared to be alive on the bridge was Paymaster Lt. Stanning, who had an injured foot. At the wheel Chief Petty Officer Heal, the coxswain, was killed out- right. As he fell dead a boy of 20, Able Seaman Smale, jumped to the wheel. Stanning, thinking himself the only man alive, intended to ram one slon and fireworks display as her ammunition went off. The Germans were token com- Pletely by surprise and, to our aston- A of the enemy ships and gave the order to Smale. There was steam for the engines or steering motor, and the wheel had \ locked to port, so for over a mile | we carried on the way we had on the | ship. We were going at “practically full speed, over 30 knots, when a shell hit us and we made for the beach, sticking fast in mud. We wanted to fight, but could do | nothing indeed. The after guns con- | tinued firing after we grounded. We | struck shore very gently. It was about then that the Hunter was hit. She had lost our smoke screen | as we slewed to the beach and a salvo got her. She sank. Only then did we get orders to abandon ship. Our second in com- mand, Lt. Comdr. Mansell, who had | | been below, issued the order. Lt.| Heppell, who became the hero of | the Hardy for his exploits, trained our last torpedo to sea and fired it. but I am afraid it went wide because of our position in shallow water. We had to swim 50 yards in ice- | cold water to get to shore, and I| was preparing to leave when I saw & movement on the bridge, where Paymaster Stanning had been. He called for help and I sent four men up to put a life belt on him and float him ashore. He died on the beach. ‘We got the captain ashore after the surgeon, who had been hit himself, had been up on the bridge to give him morphia. The surgeon swam with him in water as we floated him in a life belt and as he lay on the beach his last words were, "Swim,| lads, swim.” | We had been fighting two hours when at 6:15 am. we abandoned ship. I was finally leaving and was, in fact, going over the side when I saw the navigator whom we had thought dead struggling from the| bridge. Later I brought a party back for him. When I did leave I was pretty weak. I shinned down a rope. The cold water revived me and I just made the beach. Plain to see in the snow was & trail of blood and I fol- lowed it to a Norwegian wooden house occupied by & woman and her young daughter. 100 Crammed Into House. When I got there 100 men werg crammed into house. It was an astounding sight. Then the men took off their clothing and while it was being dried, an alarm came that a strong force of Germans were on the way to trap us. Ne one knows where the alarm came from. It is a mystery. We were wearing bits of carpet, cur- tains, sheets, women’s clothing and even women'’s underwear, but we had to leave, I shall never forget the generosity of those two women. They stripped every stitch of clothing from their own backs save their outside dresses so we might have something to pro- tect us from the terrible cold after our icy swim. So it was with all we met. Girls gave us their stockings, even their corsets, to help us on our way. We had lost our boots when we went over side, so those whose feet were frostbitten had to meke impromptu sandals out of life belts, So we got to Ballenger on the other side of the bay, where we were joined by 50 of the merchant- men who had escaped when the attack opened. They forced their tea upon us and gave us hot soup, little Nor- wegian girls looking like angels as they waited on us. Our boys did not wish to take tea because it is so expensive there and asked for coffee, but tea they had to have. On Thursday after a night's sieep Lt. Heppell tried to find out if Trondheim was in French or Ger- man hands. He got through and was told the French were thers. A Eventual U. . War Taussig Asserts Naval Officer Voices Own View in Testimony At Senate Hearing By the Associated Press. Rear Admiral Joseph K. Taussig, former assistant chief of naval oper- ations, said today the trend of de- velopments in the Far East might eventually force the United States into war against Japan. Asserting he was expressing only his own viewpoint, Admiral Taussig told the Senate Naval Committee, “We would be warranted in using economic and financial means and, if necessary, using force, to pre- serve the integrity of China,” Japan’s promises in international relations “are worthless,” the offi- cer declared, adding that “Japan is seeking to impose her culture on the world by force.” He sald that even if she con- quered China, Japan would still lack such essential raw materials as oil, rubber and tin, and that she might seek to expand “in the Netherlands Indies and the Philip- pines.” Stable China Declared Needed. Testifying on the naval expansion bill, Admiral Taussig continued: “The Far Eastern situation defi- nitely threatens our national inter- est. We need a stable, independent China. * * * I don't see how we can escape being forced into an eventual war by the present trend of developments in the Far East.” But, Admiral Taussig asserted, “we should not be placed in the position of having to carry on a single- handed war against Japan. He sug- gested that Great Britain, France and the Netherlands should give as- sistance. He added: “It should be a naval war. We can’t invade Japan and Japan can't invade the United States. But Japan would try to invade the| Philippines.” | Admiral Taussig suggested con- | struction of an “impregnable” naval base in the Philippines and contin- ued building of battleships. He said agreements might be madé with the | British, French and Dutch by which | American naval vessels could use | their bases in the Pacific. | Laughter Follows Reply. | Senator Johnson, Republican, of | California remarked that “you have | offered us a tremendous program” and the committee room rang with laughter when Admiral Taussig re- plied inadvertently: “I'm just try- ing to keep us out of peace, Sena- tor.” . The witness hastily added that he was seeking to keep the United States out of war. Senator Johnson asked wiether Great Britain would take a firm | stand against Japan if her own | interest were affected and Admiral ‘Taussig responded: | “If it's their vital interest—that's the word they go on.” Fear of Minor Flood Here Fades as Rivers Recede ‘Washington’s first sunshine in four days brought spring back today, as muddy waters of the Potomac and nearby rivers began to recede diminishing threats of a minor flood. Save for a short half hour last Thursday, residents of the Capital | had seen no sunsiine since April 16 | —the day that marked the opening | of the major league baseball sea- | son here. The official weather forecast for today was “fair and continued cold, ! sents the same sort of thing—put- | country cannot “safely be indiffer- | world.” with lowest about 36 degrees to- night; tomorrow fair and somewhat | warmer.” | Potomac River gauges at the foot of Wisconsin avenue had fallen to & 43 foot high this morning from a 47 mark yesterday. All readings, Weather Bureau officiais pointed out, were safely below the flood stage of 7 feet. The Leiter gauge, six miles above Key Bridge on the Potomac, showed & slowly-diminishing crest, it was said, after a high of 11.2 feet early today. ‘The same reassuring conditions were reported for streams in nearby Maryland and Virginia. Malcolm Davis Bringing Henpecked Frog to Zoo The Washington Zoo soon can boast about “boarding” the most henpecked creature in the world— a frog. He comes from the aristocratic family of the Rhinoderma Darwini frog branch, a South American group. He's 50 henpecked that he has to carry his wife’s eggs around in his mouth until they are hatched. This specimen is in a collection of Antarctic and South American fauna gathered by Malcolm Davis, bird curator of the'Zoo. Mr. Davis, who went south’ with the Byrd Expedition, and his frog will arrive in New York City tomor- row on the liner Santa Maria. Next came a warning from Nor- wegian authorities to destroy every- thing that showed we were British sailors and we were fitted out with a ski kit to disguise us as Nor- wegians, We burnt everything. Hardy Blown Up. In the meantime Heppell and & couple ratings had returned to the Hardy and blown it up. All papers were destroyed and the captain’s safe was blown to atoms. He was a grand leader. ‘Then the Warspite arrived with destroyers. They fairly bombed Narvik and sank six destroyers while we watched from shore. Hep- pell then tried to get into touch with them but he failed until he found & motor boat from one of sunken German destroyers, In this, accompanied by two rat- ings, he set off for the Warspite and with a lamp signaled they were the Hardy’s survivors. The Warspite thought three men were the only survivors and they dressed ship and cheered as a little boat came along- side. It was not very long then before we were all aboard British warships once more with a party of 120 Ger- mans, who had given themselves up when they saw their last six destroy- drs sink. | We kept them in & warm shed for fi:e night with no clothes on so they not escape. They were from e score of German ships that sleep with our beloved Hardy at bottom of Narvik Fjord, - |U.S.May Be Forced to Aid Allies Directly by ‘42, With Japan Possible, | Two Columnists Predict in Daring Book Roosevelt Himself May Have Inspired 104-Page Work The United States may have to decide by 1942 whether to aid the allies “by methods no longer short of war” or take the consequences of a German victory in Europe, two ‘Washington columnists warn in & daring book published today. They assert that defeat for Eng- land and France would force this country to “treble our Navy, rad- ically alter our economic system” and then “bid farewell to the his- toric freedom for which the found- ers of this Republic toiled and fought.” Pointing out that the *“ultimate decision must rest wholly with pub- lic opinion,” the authors, Joseph Alsop and Robert Kintner, write gravely that “if our history has a lesson it is that in these times one must pray, above all things, that public opinion will be wise and well informed.” Their book, entitled “American White Paper,” apparently is an ef- fort to provide a basis for intelli- gent formation of public opinion by explaining dramatically and in clear language the problems arising from the war for this Government and present administration policy to- ward them. Hand of Roosevelt Seen. Readers of the 104-page “experi- ment in contemporary history,” as the authors describe their work, were quick to point out that it gave the appearance of having been in- spired by President Roosevelt him- self. Indications were it would stimulate heated debate over foreign policy, in line with the President’s frequent statements that Americans should think more seriously about the implications of war develop- ments for this country. Senator Austin, Republican, of | Vermont is quoted as once telling | Mr. Roosevelt that “I think we should indicate our purpose to sup- | port the democracies and legislate | with that in mind,” to which the| President is said to have replied: “I am glad to hear you say that, | but I can't say it myself.” Some chservers believed the Alsop | and Kintner book as & whole repre- ting war problems before the coun- | try in a manner the President be- | lieves they should be, but could not | afford to do himself, | The intimate detail with which 1t | describes confidential discussions be- tween Mr. Roosevelt, Secretary of State Hull, Undersecretary Sumner | Welles, Assistant Secretary A. A.| Berle, jr., and other officials, quot ing many salty remarks attributed | to them, indicates the authors had | nlccess to reliable “inside” informa- tion. They quote from Mr. Berle's pri- vate diary and reproduce a facsimile of Mr. Roosevelt's penciled draft of his proclamation of a limited na- tional emergency last September. Mr. Alsop and Mr. Kintner are experienced Washington corre- spondents who write the widely syndicated column, “Capital Pa- rade,” which appears daily in The Star. Cables Shape Foreign Policy. In their book they describe vividly how foreign policy is shaped to meet developments as reported in cables from American diplomats abroad, and argue forcibly for the administration viewpoint that this ent to the fate of the rest of the “Senators who do not read the cables may be isolationists,” they write, “but the men who see the cables coming in” cannot because the cables “too grimly suggest” that what threatens the community of nations “threatens us.” The writers sum up the present administration policy toward the European war as based on the fol- lowing principles: “1. Only by disarmament and an opening of trade can the world re- turn to common sense. “2. Neutrals are parties at in- terest in a modern war and par- ticularly in the post-war settlement. “3, While no political commit- ments may be made outside the Western Hemisphere economic com- mitments, looking toward a stable world economy, are both permissible and necessary. “4. Since victorious dictatorships would not conceivably join in dis- armament and an opening of trade, the democracies are to be aided by ‘methods short of war.’ “5. Whatever happens we won't send troops abroad.” “Chary” of Wilsonian Promises. Attributing the fifth statement to{ President Roosevelt, the authors speculate that if the allies should be seriously threatened with defeat and American economic aid not be enough to save them, the President’s mind would not be clesed to “as- sisting the democracies with our Navy and air force.” “He has been significantly chary of loose Wilsonian promises” they point out, “declaring only that an American Army would not be sent to Europe and expressing only the hope and belief that we would re- main at peace.” Conceding" that “any one of ¢a hundred new elements” might make their forecasts worthless, Mr. Alsop and Mr. Kintner analyze possible American reaction to “the three great alternatives the future now holds out.” In brief their state- ments of the alternatives and pos- sible courses of action for this coun- try are: 1. Allied victory without “our ac- tive aid,” on which present Amer- ican policy obviously is “a heavy bet.” Presumably the United States would attempt-to influence a peace settlement based on disarmament and an opening of trade, refuse any long-term political commitments outside this hemisphere, but help refinance the war-weakened nations. 2. A prolonged stalemate in the war. The United States might lead other neutral nations in an effort to secure a negotiated peace, intensify- ing efforts to “transform the West- ern Hemisphere into a political and economic unity” . and make the Americas “islands of peace and trade in a disordered world.” 3. Serious threat of German vic- tory. The present American policy makers “wguld certainly prefer” to give the allies needed economic aid. If this should not be enough, “one suspects” that the President “in giving hig personal answer ¢ * * would choose the more daring part” of aiding the allies by “methinds no longer short of war,” but without L | embargo repeal because: JOSEPH ALSOP. A ROBERT KINTNER. sending an expeditionary force to Europe. The authors emphasize that pub- lic opinion would control the course | of action in face of the third al- ternative more than any other and warn that “the square question 1s extremely likely to present itself, at least, in economic form.” They point out that according to English and French estimates their assets for buying materials here will be exhausted with two years or two years and a half. Unless the | war ends before then, the writers| add, “we shall have to choose be- tween giving the allies credit, sup- plies, or gold, and taking the con- sequences of a German victory.” Outright gifts of goods or gold to buy them would be rnore practical than loans in the view of present American policy makers, they re- port. Fundamentals of the administra- tion policy were decided upon in| broad outline in a series of quiet talks between the President, Secre- | tary Hull and Mr. Welles during the fall of 1938, the book relates, when, “after Munich,” they recognized that a world war “obviously im- pended and even our two protecting oceans could not isolate us from its after-effects.” ‘There was the realization, it con- | tinues, that: “At best, the war would prob- ably be followed by world-wide eco- nomic chaos, with cruel attendant| strains on our economy. | “At worst the new states typified | by Germany would triumph, becom- ing the dominant world powers and placing the American democracy in | what Berle once described as ‘th unfortunate position of an old-fash- loned general store in a town full of hard-bitten chains.’ “To the President, Hull and Welles our interest seemed clear. | ‘We must prevent war if possible and | if war proved inevitable we must do | our best to assure victory for the: democracies.” 1 Decided on Embargo Repeal. One thing reported decided upon | then was repeal of the arms em- bargo, which Secretary Hull is said | to have been convinced would have cut the chances of war in half by serving notice to Hitler that Amer- ican war materials would be avail- able to England and France. The book gives a vivid account of ensuing administration efforts to repeal the embargo before war broke out—efforts that did not suc- | ceed until last November, two months too late. In giving an intimate description of a White House meeting with Senate leaders last summer the au- thors quote Mr. Roosevelt as re- | capitulating his repeated efforts in behalf of peace and urging prompt “Now I have fired my last shot | I think I ought to have another round in my belt.” | They also quote Secretary Hull as | telling Senators privately that he regarded “repeal of the embargo as | the greatest step we can take to guard the country’s interests, both to keep the peace and in the event of war,” and once declaring: “Why, dammit, these nations have told us again and again what they mean to do. Hitler intends to make himself the colossus of Europe, while Japan places her heel or Asia. If they succeed, we will have to trans- act our business with the rest of the world through Tokio and Berlin, “We know all this, and yet we re- tain this embargo, which directly encourages Hitler, makes war more likely, and threatens our own peace and safety. Back home we call peo- ple who do that kind of thing just plain chuckle-headed.” Hull Predicted War. At the White House meeting which resulted in failure of the President and Secretary of State to convince the Senate leaders that repeal of the arms embargo should not be delayed, Mr. Hull was quoted as predicting flatly that war would come before the end of last summer unless repeal was voted. The Alsop and Kintner book gives the following account of a dramatic interchange said to have occurred then between Secretary Hull and the late Senator Borah, leader of the isolationists: “‘No one can tell what may hap- pen,’ Borah said, interrupting Hull. ‘But my feeling and belief is that we are not going to have a Wwar. Germany isn’t ready for it.’ “‘I wish the Senator would come down to my office and read the cables;’ Hull answered, with a sort of sad patience. ‘I'm sure he would come to the conclusion that there’s far more danger of war than he thinks.’ “‘So far as the reports in your de- partment are concerned, I wouldn'’t be bound by them, countered Borah firmly. ‘I have my own sources of information which I have provided for myself, and on several occasions I've found them more re- liable than the State Department.’ “Such was the crucial exchange, which sould stand for many years as a symbol of the results of divided responsibility in the formation of foreign policy * * * Tears act- ually came to Hull's eyes.” Bullitt Warned of Soviet Pact. As an example of the accuracy of State Department information the book reveals that Ambassador Bullitt had warned as long ago as 1934 of the possibility of a Russo- German pact, which surprised the rest of the world last August 21. The department was informed of the imminence of the pact during | Musketry at Presideo, Calif. the President before dawn last Sep- tember 1. Mr. Bullitt informed him of the German invasion of Poland. Then the President is quoted as saying, “Well, Bill, it's come at last. God help us all.” Gen. . W. MillerDies; Indian Fighter Saw 46 Years of Service Cited for Bravery; Commanded School Of Musketry Brig. Gen. Samuel Warren Miller, 83, U. S. A, retired, Indian fighter and veteran of 46 years’ service, died yesterday at his home, 1661 Crescent place NW. He had been ill several months. Gen. Miller was born in Hunt-| ington, Pa., and was graduated from West Point in 1879. He took part | in several Indian campaigns in the early 1880's and was decorated for bravery in operations against the Sioux in Montana. He became an expert on Indian tactics and was able to converse in sign language. Commandant of School. After service in the Spanish- American War and the Philippine insurrection, Gen. Miller was made ommandant of the School of While on duty there he devised a self- | registering aerial target. In 1913 he was sent to Europe to study at musketry schools there. He was official observer for the United States at the German maneuvers at Breslau in September of that year. Appointed brigadier general in August, 1917, he commanded the 160th Depot Brigade and the 85th Division at Camp Custer. Battle Creek, Mich., during the World War. He retired February 10, 1921. In 1881 Gen. Miller married Martha Cornelia Carmon of Hunt- ingdon, who died in 1924. He later married Mrs. Albert Mills, the former Alada Thurston Paddock, who died in 1929, List of Survivors. Surviving are two daughters, Mrs. Robert G. Kirkwood of Champaign, 111, and Mrs. F. G. von Kummer of Tarrytown, N. Y.; six grandchildren and one great-grandchild. Funeral services will be held at 2 pm. tomorrow at the Fort Myer Chapel. Burial with full military honors will be in Arlington National | Cemetery. Congress in Brief Senate: Considers routine bills. Banking Committee hearing on proposed trust regulation: 10:30 am. Monopoly Committee resumes hearings on technological unemploy- ment; 10:30 am. Naval Committee studies 11 per | cent fleet expansion bill; 10:30 am. | House: Routine business. Appropriations Subcommittee con- siders relief bill; 10 a.m. | communication with continues | investment | Heavy Tides Lash New England Coast In Storm’s Wake Part of Northeast Areq Covered by Snow Blan But Flood Fears Pass By the Associated Press. BOSTON, April 22—Imn tides inundated Eastern New land coastal communities tq causing thousands of dollars’ da] to homes and shore roads wake of the week-end northeas| gale which left a snow blanket much of the area and cut of the nq eastern section of Maine. Fears that the storm would rivers in the six States to meng levels abated as the prospec| continuing cold weather and flurries prompted Weather Bi experts to forecast “no immu flood danger.” | Although the gale spilled as 1 {as 5 to 10 inches of snow in northerly sections, the Weather,| |reau foresaw only “a little | run-off in the Connecticut and rimack River Valleys.” Precipitation was described “light” at the headwaters of rivers. Body of Child Found. At the height of the storm, a body of a 5-months-old girl washed ashore at Nantasket on the South Shore. Police b an investigation. | The angry seas and wind alsq complished what man never been able to do—move the masted schooner Nancy, shifting quarter of a mile along Nant Beach. She was driven asho a similar storm on Februar 1927, Shipping was forced to halt a. howling northeaster, which wa corded at 838 miles an hour at M| Washington, N. H., churned ug shore. Visibility was reduced to zero by the driving snow and Telephone Lines Down. A 50-mile-an-heur wind heavy, wet snow toppled mere 100 poles carryving telephone |leading to Eastport and Quoddy Head, Me., isolating | persons in those communities. | Tides so high that they spl3 | surf over the 114-foot Minot's |in Boston Harbor and spray| |feet at Deer Island endang waterfront cottages at Hull Natasket in greater Boston a Hampton Beach, N. H., and Poj | Beach, Me. | Ohio Rivermen Believe ‘Worst of Flood Is Over | By the Associated Press. MARIETTA, Ohio, April crest 9 feet above flood stag] places rolled down the Ohio | today, but the rain-gorged rive ceded north of Marietta. Rivermen generally agreed | worst is over.” Hund:eds of fa driven from lowland homes up returned to ¢lean up. Tributary floods apparently py | most costly. Highway engineers| mated damage to roads in Souf} Ohio at $1,000,000. Two drow were reported in West Virginia swollen streams in Northern claimed the lives of two childr| Marietta merchants w( | throughout the night moving s to safety as the river rose a f | of a foot an hour toward an afg | pated mid-morning crest of 45 |9 above flood stage. Marietta | lege and public schools were ¢ | The crest was expected to Huntington, W. Va., some 100 downstream tonight, but obse] said the river probably would: more than 5 feet above the 50| | flood stage there. Cincinnati looked for a 59| crest while Louisville, Ky.. preyj fcr a top of 36 feet about Thur; Cincinnati’s flood stage is 52 The stage there at midnight 55.15 feet. Water was 3 feet a | flood stage of 28 feet at Louisv One of the hardest hit town: Point Pleasant, W. Va., tradit flood viciim. Seven feet of swirled through the main streef] night. Pomeroy and Portsmg ©Ohio, were isolated. Weather Repo rt (Furnished by the United States Weather Bureau.) District of Columbia—Fair and -continued cold, with lowest 36 degrees tonight; tomorrow fair; s west winds. omewhat warmer; diminishing ni Maryland—Fair with light frost tonight; tomorrow fair; som warmer. Virginia—Fair with light frost tonight; tomorrow falr; some warmer, West Virginia—Fair with light somewhat warmer. Weather Conditions Last 24 Hours. The Atlantic storm covers a wide area and was centered this morning about lati- tude 41° N. and longitude 65° W. with lowest pressure approximately 985" milli- bars (29.09 inches). It is apparently mov- ing slowly east-northeastward accompanied by strong winds and gales over a wide area. Another disturbance is moving slowly east- ward over_the Southern Plains. Abilene, Tex., 1000.7 millibars (29.55 inches.) sure is rising over the Nort) Rocky_ Mountain millibars e extends from the Upper Great Lakes re: gion southward over the east Gulf States Houghton,_Mich.. 1018.0 millibars (:30.06 inches). 'Rains and snows have continued in" the North Atlantic States during the past 24 hours. Showers have occurred also in the Northern Plains and the north- ern portion of the Middle Plains. Tem- peratures have risen slightly in the Middie and Lower Mississippl Valley, but cold weather continues in the North Atlantic States. Report for Last 48 Hours. ‘Temperature. Baro. saturday— rees, 4pm (From noon yesterday to noon today.) Highest, 48, noon today. Year ago. 63. Lowest, 43. 1 a.m. today. Year ago, 49. Record Temperatures This Year. s 75, on April 4 » 7. on January 20. Humidity for Last 24 H (From noon yesterday to noos ) flsnest. 85 per cent. at noon yesterday. west, 41 per cent at noon today. River Report. Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers muddy at Harpers Ferry: Potomac very muddy at Great Falls today. Tide Tables. 8. (Purnishe ited States Coast and ? Brodeils aitvers pe the first part of August, when nego- | Low tiations were going on. The book opens with a vivid ac- count of the telephone call from William C. Bullitt, American Am- bassador to France, that awakened n, Mly" un, tomorrow Moon, today _- Automobile oné-half hour « S Ji Bt rost tonight; tomorrow mostly cig Precipitation. Monthily precipitation in inches apital (current month to,du F : tober November December Abilene Albany Atlanta Atlantic C. 2 Baltimore Birm'gham Bismarck . Boston ‘Buffalo 2! Charleston Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland . Columbia Davenport _ Denver Des Moines Detroit 2 El Paso Galveston__ Helena Huron 2 Indian'polis Jack'ville Kansas C. i L. Angeles ! 2919,58019, 9152 233355333 nDS DNl DD EREEEEIER S 0.04 FOREIGN STATIONS. B Temperature, We (Noon. ich time. today.) Horta' (Fayaiss aares . S8 - TR %flrnm observations.) 'uerto Rico- gg ba Canal 7 { J