Evening Star Newspaper, May 9, 1940, Page 3

Plane Firm fo Show Puncture-Proof Fuel Tanks Holes Made by Bullets Resealed Effectively, Officials Assert By ROBERT BRUSKIN, Star Staff Correspondent. MIDDLE RIVER, Md., May 9.— One American answer to the leak- proof fuel tanks of belligerent war- planes, which have returned to safety despite bullet holes that would have downed an Army or Navy plane, will be demonstrated Y. The Glenn L. Martin Co., bomber manufacturers, arranged the public tests immediately after its announce- ent of the perfection of a self-seal- ng tank whieh prevents the escape of gasoline through bullet punctures end minimizes the possibility of fire. Company officials predicted it -was more efficient than any developed in Germany, France or Great Britain. The tests were arranged in “an- ticipation of future needs” a week after Maj. Gen. H. H. Arnold, chief of the Army Air Corps, listed punc- ture-proof tanks as a “must” for fu- ture warplanes. Senator Lodge, Re- publican, of Massachusetts declared that by European standards, Amer- ican planes were “obsolete.” Holes Sealed Instantly. Developed in the Martin labora- tories from the leak retarding Mereng Cell, a synthetic rubber tank which was used in Martin bombers exported to the French and Chinese, the new fuel tanks “seal the holes instantly, permitting airplanes not only to return safely, but to continue action immediately,” the company announced. An official of the firm disclosed that in previous tests 12 bullets from & .30 and .50 caliber machine-gun had been fired intm a small tank and “no more than a drop of gasoline was lost.” Tracer bullets failed to fire the tank contents, he said, since the puncture was sealed instantly and oxygen was kept out. The com- pany, however, does not claim it to be fireproof. Made of limp synthetic rubber of & closely guarded composition, the tank resembles the inner tube of a tire in that it can be stuffed into any open space and is easily re- movable for patching. Unlike metal tanks it is free from corrosion, is not susceptible to vibration failure normal in metal tanks, is lighter in weight and has & greater capacity, & spokesman said. Arranged for Nev/smen. ‘The tests will begin about 3 o'clock this afternoon on the Martin prov- ing ground where Lester P. Barlow, an employe, demonstrated last March 26 the power of a new ex- plosive, a liquid oxygen-carbon mix- ture called Glmite. Although the demonstration was arranged for | newsmen, several representatives of the Army and Navy were expected to | attend. An ordinery metal fuel tank will be punctured with bullets from a 30 and 50 caliber machine gun and probably set afire by tracer bullets as a prelude to the test on the self- sealing tank. The same number of bullets then will be fired into a sec- tion of the newly developed tank. ‘The new tank is the outgrowth of one developed by Germany. The allies were reported to have learned first of its manufacturing process when a Dornier bomber was shot down in Northern England last January. It was rumored that a sec- tion of the tank was brought to this country. The Nazi fuel tank was made of a fibrous material, crude rubber, treated rubber and was in-| cased in leather. As bullets pene- trated the tank, the rubber oozed into the holes and closed them. Returned with 60 Punctures. The British quickly adopted the plan, and one of their war planes| was repcrted to have returned safe- 1y to its base with 60 or more bullet punctures in an emergency tank with only 20 out of 100 gallons lost. A Chinese pilot, flying a Martin bomber equipped with a Mereng Cell, was said by the company to have returned safely from a raid against Japanese with 19 bullet holes in a gas tank. Experiments have been conduct- ed on self-sealing tanks at the Army's Wright Field, in Ohio, and new deliveries to the Army are re- ported to have been equipped with such a tank. Details of the tank are confidential, but it was said the Army tank, like those abroad, de- pends on raw rubber to close bullet punctures. The Army tests were begun years ago, an official said, but “the de- velopment of the project at that time had not progressed to a point” where it was satisfactory, and the tests were stopped. They were re- sumed before the start of the Euro- pean war and before public dis- closure that belligerent planes were equipped with leak-proof tanks. Chamberlain (Continued From First Page.) mentary holiday at this critical time, Mr. Chamberlain said the power already had been given the Speaker of the House to summon Parliament before May 21 if, on the advice of the government, he felt it necessary. Speculation Conflicting. Speculation on what Mr. Cham- berlain would do was conflicting. Bome informed politicians expected him to tender his resignation to King George VI who then would ask him to form a new government. This would dissolve the cabinet and enable the Prime Minister to start afresh, avoiding the task of per- sonally dismissing ministers. Some saw indications that Mr. Chamberlain again would invite the Labor opposition to join a coalition government. . The dipiomatic correspondent of the authoritative Press Association said that “even among many of those who voted against the gov- ernment the general opinion now is that the Prime Minister will cer- tainly not relinquish his office at this stage.” Reconstruction Doubted. Speculation that Mr. Chamberlain would retain his office succeeded a CHARGED WITH $20,000,000 FRAUD—Howard C. Hopson as he testified in 1935 before the Senate Lobby Committee. He “was questioned on his profits from the Associated Gas & Electric System. He was indicted in New York to- day on a charge of fraud. (Story on Page A-1.) —A. P. Photo. feeling widely held earlier in the day that he was likely to resign at onge. Sources who had inclined to that view said the only alternative to im- mediate resignation was drastic re- construction—and they did not be- lieve it possible for him to achieve the latter. Commenting on the governmental situation, the political correspondent of the well-informed Star said it was “generally expected” that Mr. Cham- berlain would see King George, tell him he was unable to reconstitute | his ministry and to advise the King to ask Lord Halifax or Winston Churchill to form a new govern- ment. The Star said it was “possible” that Mr. Chamberlain would suggest that Mr. Attlee, as head of the next largest party, Labor, might be asked to form a cabinet, but added that it was “doubtful” that Mr. Attlee could succeed in the present state of the parties. About 100 of Mr. Chamberlain’s sympathizers were gathered in Downing street this morning when he left No. 10 for Commons. They cheered the Prime Minister and he smiled and raised his hat in reply. Cabinet Changes Urged by Tories. Tory backers of the Prime Min- ister, shaken by the swing of public opinion against his war leadership and the narrowness of last night's | vote of confidence, entreated him to rebuild his cabinet quickly lest he | be compelled to resign. Actually, the vote was on a motien for adjournment. A group of Con- servative critics of the government moved, however, to advance the date for reconvening to May 14.° Mr. Chamberlain made the question one of confidence when Laborites de- manded a division. In political circles the belief was held today that Mr. Chamberlain would invite Laborites and Liberals to join in a coalition government. The Labor party is expected to consider the question of taking part in the government at its convention Monday. Churchill Credited. Pugnacious Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, who gave a pledge of loyalty when he entered the cabinet last fall, was credited with saving the Chamber- lain government from a worse show- ing by accepting “full responsibility” for the decision against attempting to force Trondheim Fjord with Brit- ish warships during the ill-starred allied campaign in Central Norway. Members of Parliament, whipped to fever pitch by the biting attack of Lloyd George, who demanded that Mr. Chamberlain quit, cooled slight- ly when Mr. Churchill told them solemnly that Germany’s numerical superiority in airplanes caused the allied setback in Norway. Mr. Churchill's oratory failed, however, to quell a storm of boos and shouts of “Resign!” which came from opposition stands when the 71-year-old Chamberlain, tired and pale, stalked from Commons. Mr. Churchill himself drew the wrath of Labor members during an angry exchange in which he called & heckler a “skuller.” The explanation made by Mr. Churchill of the decision against a frontal naval move on Trondheim failed to satisfy Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes, who charged on the first day of debate that the government, showing “shocking in- epitude” in the war, failed to make proper use of warships in the Nor- wegian campaign. Sir Roger voted with 43 other Con- servative members of Parliament against the government. Avoided Churchill Debate. Mr. Churchill told the House that if the Trondheim naval attack had been made Sir. Roger would bave been chosen to lead it. Sir Roger, who had put on his ad- miral’s uniform and pinned all his ‘World War medals on his chest at his wife’s suggestion so he could catch the speaker’s eye to make a speech Tuesday night, explained to newspapermen that he was not “nimble” enough to tackle Mr. Churchill in the final debate. Government critics were declaring —eee o © P SIX—EIGHT—TOIP!DOC H. J. BROWN PONTIAC, Inc. Direct Factory Dealers Rosslyn. Va. (Just Acress Key Bridge) A BETTER DEAL ON See the Dogwood in 'SPRING VALLEY ond the Silver Star Home of The utilities head, flanked by two nurses, as he left the Federal Courthouse in New York May 3 after refusing to testify before a grand jury about the system’s affairs—A. P. Photo. today that Mr. Chamberlain’s 81 majority amounted to nothing less than a vote of no confidence. One hundred and thirty-four of the 615 members of the House were absent or abstained from voting. The two-day debate, which brought drama and excitement such as Westminster had not seen in years, was climaxed night by Mr. Churchill’s defense of the govern- ment. His speech had a solemn tone, unexpected from the ordinarily buoyant first lord. He warned ominously that at no time in the last war was Britain in such peril as today, but he declared that the British now have the Narvik airport and “we now fight for Narvik.” Congress (Continued From First Page.) South Carolina, said several Sen- ators had advised him that they did not fully understand the Presi- dent’s plan, which also would shift the Weather Bureau from the Agri- culture to the Commerce ment. "~ i L7 First Rejections = .7 Yesterday’s was the first Vote to reject a reorganization order since Congress, in the spring of 1939, granted the President broad powers to revamp the executive branch of the Government. Seventy-seven Democrats joined 153 Republicans and two Progressives to roll up the total of 232 disapproving votes. Senate Republicans were expected to give Senator McCarran solid support, and leaders on both sides conceded that the vote on imme- diate consideration would be close. Senator McCarran said that every Senate poll he had taken showed a majority in his favor, but adminis- tration leaders predicted they would win by & narrow margin. Senator McCarran temporarily blocked Senate confirmation yester- day ot J. Monroe Johnson’s nomina- tion to be a member of the Inter- state Commerce Commission. The Nevada Senator said he had nothing to say regarding his action, but it was recalled that Mr. Johnson once helped draft aviation policies when BERLITZ 6-!.1 Year—French, Spanish Italian, Ger- The” Berits’ Mothodomavalable selr’ ot the BERLITZ SCHOOL OF LANGUAGES, 1115 Conn Ave. (at L) National L] THERE IS A BERLITZ SCHOOL IN EVi —_LEADING_CITY OF THE WORLD _ RUG Beaury Our Duty €LsanEd AND STORED // Mr.Pyle wa.3337 SANITARY CARPET & RUG-CLEANING €O. 106 INDIANA AVE. ANAMAS CLEANED—BLEACHED 'KE| BACHRACH 733 11th St. N.W. LEARN TO DANCE BEFORE VACATION W. C. & A.'N. MILLER DEVELOPMENT CO. 1119 17¢h Se. N.YI. p 5 44“ <> Fred S. Burroughs, vice president of the Associated Gas & Electric Co., pictured at hearing of the Securities and Exchange Commission last year. He was indicted today with Mr. Hopson. —Harris-Ewing Photo. these were controlled by the Com- merce Department. President Roosevelt has indicated that he would appoint Robert Hinck- ley, now chairman of the C. A. A, to Mr. Johnson's present post as As- sistant Secretary of Commerce. This move was interpreted in Congress as designed to show that Mr. Hinckley still would be in a position to direct aeronautics policies. In order to act on Senator Mc- Carran’s motion to take up the re- organization plan the Senate decided to lay aside temporarily legislation to stop Treasury purchases of for- eign silver. A vote on that measure may not be reached this week. when you miles off Bankhead and Byrnes Boomed as Roosevelt Running Male ‘Favorite Sens’ Pushed - Forward for Place On Third-Term Ticket By JO! C. HENRY, ¥ With some 350 convention votes either instructed or openly favorable to a third term nomination for President Roosevelt, efforts to snare the vice presidential spot on' the Democratic ticket for “favorite sons” were being intensified today. Already mentioned with increasing frequency, Senator Byrnes of South Cérolina was given an added public pat on the back yesterday by Gov. B. R. Maybank of that State, in Washington on business. “We are going to do everything we can to get Senator Byrnes the nomination,” the Governor told the Associated Press. “The South Caro- lina Democratic Convention next Wednesday will instruct its 16 na- tional convention delegates to vote for President Roosevelt for President and Senator Byrnes for Vice Presi- dent.” Colleagues of the South Carolinian in the Senate previously had dis- cussed his qualifications for the vice presidency, placing them high enough to ‘warrant the Democratic party in ignoring its practice of avoiding candidates from the South on grounds that that section is safe for their ticket in any event. Bankhead Is Favored. Another call for Southern recog- nition came from the direction of Alabama as Senator Hill, predicting the President’s renomination by acclamation, expressed the hope that Speaker Bankhead would be chosen for second place on the ticket. The Speaker has at his dis- posal the 22 convention votes of his State but he has made it clear that he is not a presidential candidate if Mr. Roosevelt chooses to run. Meanwhile, not from the South, but actively a favorite son of Indi- ana, Federal Security: Administrator Paul V. McNutt was making a whirl- wind tour of the West while his friends let it be known that he would gladly accept second place on a ticket with Mr. Roosevelt. On leave of absence while attending to his political fortunes, Mr. McNutt likewise has made it clear he is a presidential candidate only in the event Mr. Roosevelt is out of the picture. As the Roosevelt bandwagon gathered momentum three State Democratic groups called at the White House yesterday with various degrees of pro-third term leanings. Most positive was a Georgia dele- gation headed by Gov. E. D. Rivers, bearing a positively worded third- term resolution signed by all of the State’s convention delegation—rep- resenting 24 votes. Calling also was a North Carolina group, concerned first with extend- |ing an invitation to the President to do some deep sea fishing off their coast, but expressing the opinion on the side that their convention of next Wednesday will assure Mr. Roosevelt of 26 more convention ballots. Wallace Also Mentioned. And third was an Iowa delegation asking presidential approval of a slate instructed for Secretary of °| Agriculture Wallace, a favorite son who already is personally on record in support of a third term for Mr. Roosevelt. Furthermore, Senator Herring, one of the Iowa visitors, forecast that the State convention on Saturday would make clear to SPECIAL DOMESTIC RUGS WASHED & SHAM- OLD ESTABLISHED FIRM BEST VALUE FOR YOUR MONI 5.0.S.RUG WASHING SERVICE| [J2409 18 st N.w. 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One of the group said a recent canvass of Michigan Democratic leaders had shown about 90 per cent in favor of & third term for Mr. Roosevelt. For primary and convention selec- tions already made, the Associated Press gives the following box score on delegates to the national conven- tions of both parties: to President Roosevelt, 117; semi- pladged (by preferential primary vote) to Mr. Roosevelt, 230; pledged to James A. Farley, 38%; pledged to William B. Bankhead, 22; pledged to John N. Garner, 5; unpledged, 67%. Republican (1,000 votes)—Pledged to Thomas E. Dewey, 32; semi- pledged (by preferential primary vote) to Mr. Dewey, 46; pledged to Hanford MacNider, 22; pledged to Senator Capper of Kansas, 18; pledged to Senator Taft of Ohio, 2; unpledged, 450. Smith Fights Third Term. All was not strictly harmonious among South Carolina Democrats, however; as Senator Smith, col- league of Senator Byrnes, an- nounced that he will decline a post as delegate to the national conven- tion if his State group is instructed to support the third-term move- ment. Victor over New Deal purge efforts in 1938, Senator Smith is a delegate to his State convention of next Wednesday and has promised to air his anti-Roosevelt views at that time. On the Republican side, leaders from 14 States met here yesterday with National Chairman John Ham- ilton to discuss a “streamlining” of their campaign efforts. Edwin F. Jaeckle, New York chairman, told reporters that Mr. Dewey is on the high road, “doing What is good for KIDNEY TROUBLE? ANSWER—For over 30 ears many physicians BT ot YALLEY WATER from Hot Springs, Ark. alkalinity Phone for bookiet, ME. 1062. MOUNTAIN VALLEY From HOT-SPRINGS, ARK. MINERAL WATER 1405 K 8t N.W. CLEANED and Stored Insurance! 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