Evening Star Newspaper, May 14, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Partly cloudy and continued warm, oc- casional showers tonight and tomorrow; cooler tomorrow night; lowest tonight about 66. Temperatures today—Highest, 89, at 2 pm.; lowest, 64, at 5:15 a.m. From the United States Wea: Bureau Tt ot N{l‘ddcllfll on Pl‘m:'l-fl ey Late New York Markets, Page 16. 88th YEAR. No. 35,077. 3 ] : E ‘WITH SUNDAY ‘MORNING EDITION || WASHINGTON, 'D." C, TUESDAY, @ at MAY 14, 1940 —FORTY-SIX PAGES. y *ram fmi to Mome Within the Hour’ Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. (?) Means Associated Press, okokok THREE CENTS. GERMANS DRIVE INTO FRANCE TO SEDAN: RESISTANCE BROKEN, DUTCH CHIEF ADMITS Allies Take Stand Along Meuse; 6,000 Nazi Planes Aid Attack First Major Battle{ Developing Along 80-Mile Front By the Associated Press. PARIS, May 14—The French city of Sedan, in the fortfied zone, 10 miles below the Belgian border, “probably has been taken” by the Germans, a French military spokes- man conceded today as the fiercest battle of the war developed along the Meuse River. Thousands of allied tanks, ar- mored cars and airplanes engaged the German attackers from Liege, in Belgium, to Sedan. (A French military spokesman said this afternoon the “greater part” of the Dutch seaport city of Rotterdam is in flames and the . situation growing increas- ingly grave.) The “battle of the Meuse” already was being called “the greatest bat- tle of all times in all countries.” French dispatches estimated that the Germans were using from 6,000 to 7,000 airplanes on the Belgian front, with Liege being subjected to incessant bombing since midnight. The high command earlier had acknowledged that the Germans, gaining momentum in their sweep through Southeastern Belgium, had crossed France's northern border. Its communique disclosed that the German advance was part of a push which carried the Nazis to the Meuse on an 80-mile front from Sedan north through the Belgian town of Namur to Liege, key point in Belgium's eastern defenses. Charles Morice, military commen- tator of the newspaper Petit Parisien, said in his daily review that the four cities of Liege, Namur, Dinant and Sedan “seem to be attained by the enemy.” Heavy fighting started last night and continued today along the Meuse line, to which French and Belgian troops fell back on strong positions in a strategic withdrawal. 2,000 Tanks in Clash. At least 2,000 tanks on the two sides have clashed in combat. Thou- sands of warplanes, both bombers and fighters, are in the battle. Ar- tillery has been brought up on both sides. | In Belgium the line extends rough- | ly from Liege through Namur and Dinant to Sedan. Along the French-Belgian fron- tier another battle zone is formed on the salient from Sedan through Montmedy and Longwy clear to the Moselle -River. The French reported repulse of 8 German assault at Longwy—in- side the French frontier near the Jjunction of the Belgian and Lux- borders—after bitter street fighting. The French still are hold- ing the town, a spokesman said. Two Nazi attacks in force in the Forbach-Saar sector, east of Longwy, also were reported turned back. German patrols were said to have been driven off near Wissembourg, at the eastern end of the 100-mile front stretching from the Moselle to the Rhine. Liege Forts Believed Holding. French military sources said the Belgian forts at Liege—with the ex- ception of one which already has fallen to the Germans—were still holding out. Northwest of Liege a battle between mechanized units was reported continuing near Tirle- mont. i Earlier the French had reported that they had defeated the Ger- mans in a great battle of mechan- 1zed forces in the Belgian Ardennes and estimated they had shot down 400 German planes in the last three and one-half days of fighting. ‘The German campaign, military sources said, combined terrific air attacks on both the front lines and allied troop concentrations at the rear, direct thrusts from tanks and mof ed divisions and heavy artil- lery barrages. ‘The Belgian command opened its lines after the first shock to allow passage of French troops into the battle zone where the fighting was the heaviest. French tanks moved against the German mechanized forces while *“armored cavalry” deployed on the flanks “Real Struggle” to Come. French and British pilots at- tacked German railway yards and airports. German pilots bombed French and Belgian airdromes, while Nazi parachutists, instructed (See PARIS, Page A-3.) Belyian Cabinet Decides To Stay in Brussels . By the Associated Press. BRUSSELS, May 14—Belgium’s cabinet, with air raid sirens scream- ing through the city and anti-air- craft batteries in action, declared today it would remain in the capi- tal—the goal of a German Army driving westward from the Liege area. All men from 16 to 35 years old who belong to the last group of re- cruitable reserves were called to arms. 3 The Belgian high command ac- knowledged that its advance forces were “compelled to retire” during the night, although they resisted enemy attacks “energetically.” By the Associated Press. BULLETIN. LONDON, May 14.—A broadcast heard in London tonight identified by the announcer as coming from the Dutch radio quoted the Dutch Army commander, Gen. Henri Gerard Winkelman, as declaring “Our resistance has been broken by.overwhelming power.” (The Associated Press has no direct report on this from Amsterdam.) The broadcast said that Rotterdam and Utrecht, second and fourth cities of the Netherlands, had sur- rendered. THE ADVANCE OF THE NAZI ARMIES—Am'l.mdM“ the conceded extent of the German drive into Belgium and France. Paris admitted today that Sedan, 10 miles within her border, probably was in the hands of the Germans, The map above shows the latest advances in relation to the Little ot Line, where the French are prepared to make their.most Hétermined stand. The allies today were retiring slowly with i higviest fighting in the Ardennes Mountains. Especially violent was the battle raging around the town of Longwy, east of Sedan. —A. P. Wirephoto, revised by Sudduth. In Amsterdam Area As Defense Measure Army Falls Back To Main Defenses On Water Line By the Associated Press. AMSTERDAM, May 14—Huge petroleum stores in Amsterdam were set afire today by the Dutch as a defense measure, it was officially announced, as the Dutch Army de- fending Western Holland fell back to its main water defense lirfe. ‘The Mayor of Amsterdam broad- cast a message to the citizens of the Dutch capital assuring them there was no reason for anxiety as the fires in the® harbor district were started by the military authorities as a precautionary measure. ‘The principal conflagrations were at petroleum storage places in the western part of the harbor and the Battafsche petroleum depot across the harbor from the central part of the city. Thrust Reported Repulsed. The Dutch high command re- ported that a German thrust at the huge 16-mile dam across the Zuider Zee, which holds back the North Sea from the Ijsselmeer, had been repulsed. A communique said the attack on the dam was preceded by ar- tillery fire for an hour. The high command report also said German planes attacked ships of the Netherlands Navy yesterday along the coast of the North Hol- land Province. Five planes which came over the Dutch naval base at Den Helder were shot down yesterday. Earlier today the high command announced the Dutch Army had (See AMSTERDAM, Page A-4.) Italy Signs for Fair On Tentative Basis By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 14—Ttaly today inserted a clause permitting it to cancel its contract with the New York World’s Fair in the event of “International developments.” Vice Admiral Giuseppe Cantu, Itallan commissioner to the fair, signed the agreement after the clause was inserted, but said: . “I do not believe conditions will arise which will interfere.” Some of the Italian exhibits will not arrive for several weeks. Yugoslavs Sound Greeks BELGRADE, Yugoslavia, May 14 (#).—Yugoslavia was reported re- Hably tonight to have sounded out T2 L den B Greeks it Lk . Dutch Fire Oil Stores |Situation Is Serious In Netherlands, British Admit English Now Fighting In Belgian Lines East of Brussels By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 14—A military source said today that the Ger- mans were smashing through South- ern Holland with strong attacks which make the situation there “extremely serious” for the allies. Warning strongly against over- optimism about the Lowlands cam- paign, this source said that in Bel- glum British troops now were co- operating with Belglans in cover- ing Brussels. He added that a great battle was del\sreloping in the area east of Brus- sel “It will be a few days yet,” this source said, “before we can .esti- mate the position” in this phase of the war. The German attack was described as to the west rather than to the south, and observers here expressed the view that the smash at -Sedan—which the Germans reached today—is part against Belgium, rather than beginning of a blow adainst Maginot Line. British sources said that there was ‘no confirmation” of a real attack on the Maginot Line, The military source asserted that it is regarded in London as “likely” that Liege itself is isolated. But he added: “We believe that (8ee LONDON, Page A-4) The War at a By the Associated Press. E i it m ! Invaders Pierce Water Line to Drive Wedge By LOUIS P. LOCHNER, Associated Press Foreign Correspondent. + BERLIN, May 14—The Belgian and Dutch Armies have been sep- arated by a powerful German wedge, DNB, official German news agency, reported today from the western front. It sald that French and British forces were unable to reach the Dutch armies to help them and that the Dutch, therefore, either must surrender or be annihilated. The German tactics, DNB de- clared, has rendered unimportant Belgium's Albert Canal position, which was conceived as a strong defense line between the North Sed at Antwerp and Liege, near the German frontier—in other words, from the Scheldt River to the Meuse. In Belglum, DNB said, the allies were thrown back at the Gette River, about 15 miles east of Lou- vain, which is 18 miles east of Brussels. The Germans were re- ported pursuing the British, French and Belgian troops toward Louvain and Wavre, on the Dyle River. troops crogsed into France today. the fifth day of the Naz blitzkrief through the Lowlands, and the Nazi high command de- clared they also had smashed through key defenses in Belgium and the Netherlands. Today’s communique claimed these Successes: Prance: “The Prench-Luxembourg and French. border up to the point merwch..rl’ leville has beep reached nearly everywhere and crossed in many places. of ' : in our plercing of the Line southeastward of Amersfoort and Brrecnt 7 ot croope e pomrods * our troops * * * pierced through as far as Rotterdam.” Belgium: “The City of Liege is in German hands. In the region south of the line from Liege to Namur our troops left the Ardennes (mountains) be- hind and vanguards reached the Meuse between Namur and Givet.” (Both French and rBitish mili- tary sources dispute the German claims to Liege. They say the only fort in the Liege defenses captured by the Germans is Eben Emael, 10 miles to the north.) Tank Battle Near Namur, A heavy tank battle was fought north of Namur, with the Germans attacking allied tanks after Nazi bombing. (The French claimed vic- tory in the battle and called German losses . “tremendous.”) The penetration of French soil, the high command said, was made “under the protection of contin- uously attacking German fighting Stukas (dive bombers) and destroyer-plane units.” o Apparently the Germans had ad- vanced in some spots at a rate of 40 to 60 miles a day despite solid Belgian resistance backed up now by increasing French strength. The crossing of the Meuse carried the Germans into the region of Se- dan, where Emperor Napoleon III was captured in 1870 in a climax of the Franco-Prussian War and which was held by Kaiser Wilhelm’s from 1014 to the closing days of the ‘World War. tegically, to DNB, is the advance tm south into the center defense system—the so-called ‘“Fortress of Holland” around Rotterdam. Such Dutch detachments as realize that the French and English are unable to reach them on time are weakening in their defense, DNB asserted, while those which are iso- lated continue to fight bitterly. Quick German units Wwhich established contact with units (See BERLIN, Page A-3) Glance Phillips Reporfed Warning Americans To Leave Ifaly Secretary Hull Refuses Comment On Situation war might spread to that country, Mr. Hull said he would rather not 80 into that question at present. Latest State Department esti- mates list 19,561 American citizens as residents of Italy last January 1. Italy also has been, since the Ger- man mvu&mf Norway and Den- mark, the p: ipal avenue of evacu- ation of Americans from the scene of war in Northern Europe. Secretary Hull's cautious state- ment at his press conference today indicated increased fears that Italy might jump into the war in the near future. Ten days ago, when the British fleet in the Mediterranean was strengthened and tension was at fever heat in tiat area, Under- secretary of State Welles said this Government, was giving no consid- eration whatever at that time to warning Americans out of Italy. Mr. Hull indicated that Ambassa- dor Phillips was acting on his own initiative under standing instruc- tions and not on any new orders from Washington in notifying Amer- icans in Italy that they should leave that country now unless it was ab- solutely necessary to remain. New British Minister 0f Labor Peps Up Workers By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 14—With the ap- pointment of Ermest Bevin, trade union leader, as Minister of Labor, Britain’s powerful trade unions an- nounced today that labor is putting all its energy into a. drive to turn out :munitions. ‘The Laborite Herald reported the After Belfast Bombings B7 the Associated Press. ' BELPAST, Northern Ireland, May 14—Large forces of police were mmwwnm after a series bomb ttributed to ‘the outlawed Irish Republican Army, shattered the store fronts of four newspaper ven- Police linked the blasts with an New High Temperature In Prospect Here Today A new record high temperature for the year was in prospect for Washington this afternoon. The mercury was continuing te rise after reaching 85 at noon. High mark for 1940 to date is 865 degrees, registered yesterday. Partly cloudy and continued warm, with occasional showers to- night and tomorrow, followed by cooler weather tomorrow night, was the Weather Bureau’s prediction. Moderate winds, mostly southwest, will prevail, and a low of about 68 will be reached tonight, the fore- caster added. Stocks Swept Down; Prices Collapse on Grain Market War Shares Plunge $2 to $9; Du Pont Off $15 at One Time By the Assoctated Press. NEW YORK, May 14.—War stocks crashed with other securities in Wall Street today in the heaviest selling of the year, attributed by brokers to the sweep of the German forces across the Low Countries. Losses widened on a late selling wave following a collapse in grain prices at Chicago. Du Pont, rated a “war baby” in recent months, was off $15 at one time. Bethlehem. General Motors, Amer- ican Telephone, Union Carbide, Sears-Roebuck, United States Steel, Douglas Aircraft and Chrysler showed declines of about $2 to $9 in late dealings. As wheat plunged and “war” stocks dropped, brokerage circles in- dulged in gossip about a “short war’ at the rate the Nazl advance was proceeding. S0 heavy were the dealings the stock exchange ticket was unable to kéep up with the market at times. v Corporate bonds and most com- modities fell with stocks. Cotton futures dropped around $2 a bale. Better See It Now Than Later! U. §. Backs Proposal Americas Profest Nazi Invasion Action to Be Based on Resolution Adopted At Panama By GABRNETT D. HORNER. ‘The United States today approved a Uruguyan proposal for a joint pro- test by the 21 American republics against Gérmany’s invasion of Bel- Luxembourg and last October, branding the invasion of weaker nations as “unjustifiable” and pledging themselves to protest against any warlike acts violating “the dictates of justice.” Uruguay invoked the resolution to call for consultation “concerning the possibilities of a joint declara- tion” regarding “the attack on sov- ereignty and violation of neutrality” suffered by the Low Countries. This Government has informed Uruguay and the Foreign Minister of Panama, through whom the pro- posal was transmitted, that it “will be glad to join in such a declara- tion,” the State Department an- nounced. Rights of Neutrality Cited. In calling for the joint protest Foreign Minister Alberto Guani said his country had learned of the latest Nazi invasions with “keen emotion.” “Respect for the rights of neu- trality,” he added, “is an inter- national principle which should -be firmly maintained whatever the cir- cumstances may be in which the belligerents find themselves.” The State Department announced full agreement with the proposed declaration submitted by Mr. Guani but withheld publication of the text pending its approval by all the other governments concerned. Agreement of all the Americas on the declaration will be sought by consultation through regular » The nature of the declaration was indicated in the resolution adopted by the 21 American republics in the conference at Panama last fall, in which they declared: “One, that they reaffitm their | faith in the principles of Christian eivilization and. their confidence, outside the realm of morality; “Three, that they reject all meth- ods for the solution of controversies between nations based on force, on Parley Maps Defense Plan Roosevelt Message Expected to Be Ready Thursday By JOHN C. HENRY, An administration program for an immediate start on expansion of the Nation's defenses was agreed on in +|broad provision at a White House conference today in which Presie dent Roosevelt and his depart- mental advisers participated. Including three cabinet officers, the group met with the Chief Ex- ecutive for more than an hour. As they emerged one of the con- ferees told reporters that agree- ment had been reached among all the defense interests and depart- ments involved. With only a few details remaining to be checked on the downtown end of the problem, the President plan- ned this afternoon to see four con« gressional leaders who will be in charge of the program at the Cap- itol. It was indicated the special message which Mr. Roosevelt plans to submit to Congress on the ques- tion will be ready by Thursday. Earlier in the day, it was indi- cated authoratively at the White House that the question of how to finance an expanded defense pro- gram will be left strictly to cone gressional judgment. Summoned for the first of today’s discussions were Secretary of the Treasury Morgenthau, Secretary of War ,Woodring, Secretary of the Navy Edison, Assistant Secretary of War Johnson, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Compton, Gen. George C. Marshall, chief of staff of the Army; Admiral Harold R. Stark, chief of naval operations, and Chairman Hinckley of the Civil Aeronautics Authority. Later, the President planned to | see Chairman Sheppard of the Sen- ate Military Affairs Committee, Chairman Walsh of the Senate Naval Affairs Committee and Chairmen quently has been mentioned as the sum likely to figure in the added defense measures, the White House has not vet given any positive in- dication of how accurate such an estimate may be. Almost wholly responsible for the complications involved in financing any extensive new program is the fact that the public debt already is close to $43,000,000,000 and is due to reach the $45,000,000000 statuatory limit early in the next fiscal year. The addition of any substantial ex- penditure to those already budgeted would, of course, upset this narrowly balanced fiscal situation. While there has been talk of de- ferring an actual solution until the next session of Congress by putting the new program on an authoriza- tion basis only, with funds to be provided later, Stephen T. Early, secretary to the President, implied in a press conference today that the President would ask that funds actuaily be made available right away, with Congress to choose at the same time between imposing a special defense tax or raising the debt limit. Have Two Choices. “I think you may safely assume,” he said, “that the President, without any attempt to pass the buck, will leave the question of financing na- tional defense up to Congress. They apparently nave two choices. “Pirst, a national defense tax., It is getting late in the session,” Hp added with possible significance at this point, “and there is increasing sentiment to adjourn Congress early in June, “Second, there could be an in- crease of the debt limit.” Mr. Early’s statemnet of the al- ternatives facing Congress was pri- ceded by the following remarks: - “The feeling here is that if thers is & four-alarm fire up the strest and the wind is sweeping it in the direction of your home, the issue at once becomes a protection of your home. . i “If you have not got the money to buy the materials necessary, you scarcely have time to go to the bank fo negotiate for capital. What you want to do is to keep the fire from reaching your house.” Chairman Vinson yesterday de- clared himself in favor of a special national defense tax or a diversion o{h funds already appropriated for other k Talk Centers on Johnson Act.