Evening Star Newspaper, May 16, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Cloudy and slightly cooler; lowest to- night about 52; tomorrow mostly cloudy and cool; gentle shifting winds, Tem- peratures today—Highest, 64, at 2 pm.; lowest, 58, at 4 am. From the United S(ates Wea: Bu Teport. Full details on Pl“::’A—ZF'“ Closing N. Y. Markets—Sales, Page 22. 88th YEAR. No. 35,079. he: WASHINGTON, D. C, THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1940 —FIFTY-SIX PAGES. benin WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. (P Means Associated Press. e ok Xk THREE CENTS. PRESIDENT ASKS $1,182,000,000 FOR ARMS Thousands of Pl Violent Belgian Battle Rages; Nazis Attack AlongWhole Line; Massed Aircraft Raid . Invaders Driving Deeper at Three River Points BULLETIN. PARIS (#).—The French gen- eral in immediate command of the Sedan sector advised head- quarters tonight that his forces were “complete masters of the situation” and would regain full control of their front within one ‘week. WITH THE BRITISH EX- PEDITIONARY FORCE IN FRANCE (#).—Hand - to - hand fighting of the fiercest kind swept through the sun-splashed streets of Louvain this morning as picked troops counter-attacked three times to throw out Ger- mans who had gained a foothold in the eastern fringe of the town. By the Associated Press. PARIS, May 16.—Thousands of warplanes and tanks clashed in an unprecedented battle of movement along the Meuse front today, involv- ing a situation so serious and con- fused that the high command with- held all but the barest details. A general melee ensued on the 50-mile line from Namur south to Sedan in Northern France— scene of the fiercest German at- tacks — with armored units from either side cutting loose from * their infantry and plunging boldly forward to strike the enemy from the rear. A War Ministry ‘spokesman said the Germans were meeting power- ful resistance as they pushed deeper into Belgium .at three different points on the west bank of the Meuse, where they crossed yester- v day. Fighting on Two Lines. Fighting was general after a ‘week’s operations on two great lines. One runs roughly from Antwerp to the region east of Louvain and to Gembloux, then to Givet, near Mezieres, and on to Sedan in France. The second line runs from Sedan through Montmedy and Longwy and along the Franco-German border to the Vosges. In this area the fight- ing was characterized principally by artillery duels between opposing fortifications. In the Sedan region itself the French claimed the Germans were blocked in an attempt to deepen a pocket they drove into Northern France yesterday. French infantry clung to new po- sitions after counterattacks which = the War Ministry said had driven back across the river the Germans who had punched a 10-mile salient into French territory south of Sedan day before yesterday. Plane Downed Near Paris. In the Paris area French pursuit planes shot down one of a group of enemy reconnaissance planes this morning. Nine alerts (air raid alarms) kept Nancy awake all night. An undis- closed number of persons were killed and wounded by German bombs. (The French censorship de- leted four words from this dispatch following the word “alerts.” Nancy is south of Sedan, 40 miles from the French-Belgian border. Six alarms were sounded during the night in the region of Lille, just inside the French border 60 miles west of Brussels, and two in the area of Le Havre, French channel port, this morning. It was not dis- closed immediately whether any bombs were dropped. The war office spokesman ac- knowledged that the German Army, following up advantages gained after crossing the Meuse between Sedan and Namur, continued to push forward in the face of strong allied opposition. However, north of Namur, along the Belgian defense line, he said the French had thrown back nu- merous Nazi attacks. The spokesman said the enemy, flinging armored shock troops far ahead of the main body in the 50- mile region between Sedan and Namur, was striking at the rear of *the French forces in an effort to cut them off. A great battle is (See PARIS, Page A-4) Reich Embassy Staff Detained at Border B the Associated Press. PARIS, May 16—The German etaine] e mintany soard by under milit order of the mhct:ry government today at the frontier opposite the Bwiss town of Vallorbe. The staff was en route to Switzer- land, but will not be permitted to proceed until the Belgian Embassy staff is safely out of Germany, | GUIDE FOR READERS Page, Amusements, | Obituary ...A-13 €-4-5| Ra War at Glance By the Associated Press. The main battle line in West- ern Europe in the seventh day since Germany’s Lowland in- vasion extended today over a 110-mile front from near Ant- werp, 28 miles north of Brussels, southward to Sedan, in France, on the fringe of the famed Maginot Line. Allied reports indicated a great battle is in progress along the Meuse over a 50-mile area be- tween Namur and Sedan, the lower half of the main battle line. In one sector there, the Ger- mans dented the allied lines near Sedan; allied advices today said French troops are holding fast on the east side of that dent, but on the west side the situation “is obscure and fluid.” In the upper half of the main battle line action was reported proceeding, but details were lack- ing. Forces there are arrayed along a front stretching from east of Antwerp on south to east of Louvain, 15 miles east of Brus- sels, and thence to Namur. East of the battle line, forts of Namur and Liege were reported still resisting. To the north, all of the Nether- lands has capitulated except the province of Zeeland. Northwest of Antwerp heavy fighting was reported today. Below Sedan the front runs southeast in the vicinity of France's border with Belgium, German - conquered Luxembourg and Germany. The German high command reported its forces closed In yesterday toward the Maginot Line along the German- French border west of Saarlau- tern, almost 100 miles southeast of Sedan and near Lauterburg, near the Rhine, 150 miles south- east of Sedan. Biggest Bomb Attack Loosed by British Against Germany Big Offensive Launched Against Nazi Road and Rail Communications By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 16.—The Royal Air Force has unleashed its greatest bombing attack on military objec- tives in Germany east of the Rhine and has thrown its power into the Belgian fighting with extensive at- tacks on Nazi troop concentrations and communication:lines. “Many tons of bombs” were re- leased in “attacks that lasted throughout the night,” the Air Min- istry declared. The R. A. F. operation east of the Rhine was called “a big offensive against the enemy’s road and rail communications which are support- ing his forces in their invasion of the Low Countries and Luxembourg.” Fires broke out and heavy explo- sions resulted, it was said. Allied war communiques declared that Germany’s big push through the Low Countries was being slowed down by the stiffening resistance of land and air forces. Text of Communique. The Air Ministry communique said: “The Royal Air Force last night carried out east of the Rhine a big offensive against the enemy’s road and rail communications which are supporting his forces in their in- vasion of the Low Countries and Luxembourg. “The attacks lasted throughout the night and many tons of bombs were released. Road and rail com- munications were attacked at many points, fires broke out and heavy explosions wefe caused. “This was the heaviest attack yet made by the Royal Air Force during the war.” The thrust apparently was a fol- lowup for a blasting attack by 150 warplanes during yesterday when German lines converging on the Meuse River at Sedan, France, were the target. That fleet was said then to have been the largest of any massed by the allies for a single raid and, ac- cording to the Air Ministry, it helped halt the German drive in the Meuse- Sedan sector. ' Fortresses Holding Out. The great Belgian fortresses of Liege and Namur, although ap- parently isolated, still are holding out, a British military commentator said today. The Dutch are still fighting in Zeeland, the little southwestern corner of thélr country, he asserted. ‘They destroyed practically all the fuel oil at Amsterdam and Rot- terdam before capitulating, he said, to keep it from falling into Ger- man hands. This is his picture of today’s war sltuation in the Low Countries and Northern France: The Germans are held on the (See LONDON, Page A-8) ; As s Germany Allies Declared Taking Stand On Dyle Line BULLETIN. BERLIN, May 16 (#).—Author- itative military sources said to- night that the French had opened fire with long-range ar- tillery on the “open” German city of Restatt, west of Stuttgart and near the French frontier. In re- taliation, they said, the German Army has opened fire on the French city of Hagenau, 16 miles north of Strasbourg. By PRESTON GROVER, Associated Press Foreign Correspondent. BERLIN, May 16.—German forces attacked heavily today along a 110- mile front from Antwerp to Sedan in the seventh day of the sustained drive which already has netted them all of the Netherlands except the province of Zeeland, half of Bel- gium and a small section of France. The high command reported the allies yesterday “accepted the fight” in the Antwerp fortifications north- east of Brussels and along the Dyle defense line from there south through Central Belgium to Namur. Southwest of Namur, 50 miles from.Sedan, the high command said “our divisions expanded their suc- cesses” by crossing the Meuse and “again defeating French armored French Attacks Repelled. French counterattacks south of Sedan, it said, were repelled while the Germans pressed the attack to- ward the Maginot Line itself farther to the southwest to take into their hands more of the strip between the rivel fortified lines. Thus, the high command said, “between the Meselle and the Rhine we advanced our positions west of Saarlautern (nearly 100 miles south- east of Sedan) and near Lauter- burg.” Lauterburg, near the Rhine, is about 150 miles airline southeast of Sedan. The German press reported the German flag waved over the citadel of Longwy, France, and the city has been occupied—but there was no confirmation from German head- quarters. Longwy is at the northern end of the main Maginot Line, which in this region gives way to;the “Little Maginot Line” facing Belgium. Hand-in-hand with the furious fighting on the ground, German air forces saw htavy action. The high command reported it broke up enemy troop concentrations and de- stroyed tanks while losing only 18 planes compared to “definitely- established total losses of the oppo- nents” yesterday of 98 planes. It declared two destroyers and three merchantmen were sunk by (See BERLIN, Page A-4) Former Kaiser Unharmed In Refreat at Doorn By the Associated Prezs. BERLIN, May 16.—Former Kaiser Wilhelm II is safe and unharmed at Doorn, his Netherlands refuge since his flight in the last days of the World War, his family here has been informed. Gen. Wilhelm von Dommes, ad- ministrator of the Hohenzollern family’s properties, who was per- mitted by the German high com- mand to motor into conquered Holland, reported he found the 81- year-old ex-monarch planning to remain at his retreat. The German Army, marching in the direction of Utrecht, made a detour s0 as not to involve Doorn in possible action. Because of the difficulties of com- munication, Von Dommes could send only the briefest message re- garding the aged monarch, hence details were unknown to the family. Administration headquarters voiced the opinion that Dutch police guards, hitherto quartered in an outer en- trance building to the estate, prob- bably had to give way to German sentinels, Barlow Bomb By ROBERT BRUSKIN, Star Staft t. ABERDEEN PROVING GROUNDS, Md., May 16.—Angered by a mixup in arrangements that caused his bomb to “evaporate, Lester P. Barlow today walked out on a congressional committee sit- ting: wet and bedraggled among goats, but was persuaded to return by a Senator and a general and ex- plain why he could not detonate his super-explosive. ‘The test of his liquid-oxygen car- bon 1,000-pound bomb was post- poped tentatively until next Satur- day morning by Senators and Representatives who for a time threatened to hold Mr. Barlow in CAN | SELL You SOME INSURANCE TO-DAY ? anes and Tanks Clash Alon No Sales Resistance Nazis Fire on Anne Morgan Rescuing French Civilians Sister of Financier Escapes injury; One Ambulance Seized By the Associated Press. PARIS, May 18—Miss Anne Morgan, sister of J. P. Morgan, re- ported from Northern France today she had undergone terrific German aerial bombings with her co-workers while seeking to rescue French civilians from war dangers. Neither she nor any of her party of her Priends of France Committee was hurt, she said, but the bombard- ments forced suspension of rescue work and Prench authorities ordered her unit to return to Paris. By long-distance telephone, she related that one American am- bulance, laden with wounded, was captured by the Germans during the removal of civilians by the American volunteers’ ambulance or- ganization working in conjunction with her committee. ‘The driver, Louis Wehrley of Berne, Ind., escaped before Ger- man troopers surrounded his ve- hicle. The Friends of France Commit- tee has been removing civilians Americans Warned To Leave Southern, Western Europe Spread of War, Possibly Involving Italy, Is Believed Indicated By GARNETT D. HORNER. Americans throughout Western and Southern Europe were being warned today to get out imme- diately unless they are willing to risk their lives in further spread of the war. Meanwhile, it was revealed that President Roosevelt had sent an- other communication to Premier Mussolini of Italy in an effort to prevent the spread of the European war. Stephen Early, White House press secretary, told reporters “this com- munication that went out was one of a series” and was not “within itself any new, separate appeal.” Rome dispatches said Ambassador William Phillips in Rome had trans- mitted the President’s views to Foreign Office officials for com- munication to Mussolini, the Asso- ciated Press reported, The warning to Americans abroad MISS ANNE MORGAN. from the Prench Ardennes depart- ment, Miss Morgan said 10 ab- bulances and 20 cars were forced to cover in the woods to escape German planes. They returned to a (See AMERICANS, Page A-3) Vandenberg Declares U. S. Should Avoid All War Not on lfs Shores Suggests Joint Defense Committee in Wooing Michigan Delegation By the Associated Press. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.,, May 16. —Senator Vandenberg of Michigan, standing before delegates to the State Republican Convention, ex- pected to indorse him for the party’s presidential nomination, declared today his availability for the office and pleaded that the Nation remain aloof from any war that did not come to fts shores. The text of his keynoéte speech made no mention of Thomas E. Dewey, another Michigan native son who is seeking the nomination. Referring to the forthcoming Re- publican National Convention, Sen- ator Vandenberg declared: “I could not do less than to place myself and my experience at the disposal of my party in respect to any labor which might fall to my lot.” He added a promise to support (See WARNING, Page A-3) " (See VANDENBERG, Page A-3) Evaporates; Legislators ‘The the edge of the proving grounds for the test, ended their trip in a hap- pier mood and all shook hands with Mr. Barlow, although agreeing they were “the goats.” The Barlow bomb was to have been detonated at 9 am. It con- were about to land. At- tained 700 pounds of liquid oxygen, | ing which evaporates quickly. Mr. Bar- low said he had scoured four cities to obtain that amount. However, about 8:45 am. he was|the out in six radial lines from the bomb, which was suspended on & post 30 feet in the air. Mr. Barlow apparently did not understand the get-ready signal which was given when the proving ground airport notified him the mmm"a‘-cw ' 'i1':mmuulmwumfllmlmnmmm......._ 1 i : A Solemnity Marks Joint Session to Hear President Rain and Grave Faces Deepen Gloom as He Asks Defense Funds By the Associated Press. marked President Joint session of Congress today to ask a huge additional defense pro- gram in view of the turn of events in Europe. The solemnity was heightened by the rainy day and the grave expres- sions of a fringe of people who ringed the blocked-off Capitol grounds as Mr. Roosevelt entered at 12:48 pm. Grim-faced police and Secret Service men formed a cordon around the Capitol through which no one could pass without credentials. In- side, additional guards were sta- tiol;ll:d in corridors and galleries. gs on Capital plaza dejectedly in the drizzle. S The President went immediately to Speaker Bankhead’s private office where, with several members of his cabinet, he awaited appoint- ment of the special reception com- mittee. The cabinet members with him included Secretaries Hull, ‘Woodring, Morgenthau and Attor- ney General Jackson. Secret Service men maintained the strictest guard of the corridors adjacent to the Speaker’s office. Members of the Senate filed solemnly into the House chamber, to muffied applause. Members stood at their seats, conversing quietly. Galleries were filled, but special admission restrictions prevented crowding. The President, dressed in a blue pin-stripe business suit, was accom- panied by Brig. Gen. Edwin M. ‘Watson, secretary and military aide, l:\: Capt. Daniel J. Callaghan, naval aide. In a second car were Mrs. Roose- velt, Miss Malvina Thompson, her secretyry, and several others of her office staff. Many members wore poppy bout- toniers distributed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, remindful of this country’s participation in by-gone conflicts. % The Senate chaplain, the Rev. Ze Barney Phillips, and the House chaplain, - the Rev. James Shera Montgomery, sat together in the well of the chamber. ¥ Italians Leaving Turkey By the Associated Press. ISTANBUL, May 16—An exodus of Italian nationals from Turkey is under way. Italian employes in factories and on ships gave notice of their immediate departure. Goats’ He dashed into his car back over a road despite tests of the Army officers. About miles up the road he met the con. gressional delegation approaching in sutomobiles from the airport. In the lead car were Senator compelled He jumped out and ap- the car. where he ex- g 50-Mile Meuse Front 50,000-Plane Output Per Year Is Held Out As the Desired Goal Fund Is to Modernize and Equip Bigger U. S. Forces And Increase Production By JOHN C. HENRY. President Roosevelt asked Congress today for an immediate ap- propriation of $896,000,000 for a supplementary defense program. In addition, he asked legislative authorization.for defense contracts for another $286,000,000. Totaling $1,182,000,000, this sum would bring to $3,276,000,000 the Nation’s outlay for defense in the fiscal year beginning July 1. Appearing in person before a joint session of the House and Senate, the Chief Executive proposed that the immediate appro- priation be broken down to give the Army $546,000,000, to give the Navy and Marine Corps $250,000,000 and to place at disposal of the President for national security and defense emergencies $100,- 000,000. President’s Message The tert of the special defense message which President Roose- velt personally delivered to Con- gress today: These are ominous days—days whose swift and shocking de- velopments force every neutral niation to look to its defenses in the light of new factors. The brutal force of modern offensive war has been loosed in all its tion, incredibly swift and deadly, have been developed; and those who wield them are ruthless and daring. No old defense is so strong that it requires no further strengthening and no attack is so unlikely or impossible that it may be ignored. Let us examine, without self- deception, the dangers which confront us. Let us measure our strength and our defense without self-delusion. ‘The clear fact is that the Amer- ican people must recast their thinking about national protec- tion. Motorized armies can now sweep through enemy territories at the rate of 200 miles a day. Parachute troops are dropped from airplanes in large numbers behind enemy lines. Troops are landed from planes in open flelds, on wide highways, and at local civil airports. We have seen the treacherous use of the “fifth column” by which persons supposed to be peaceful visitors were actually a part of an enemy unit of occu- tories and munition works hun- dreds of miles behind the lines, (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.) Landis Queries Di Maggio; Payments fo Gould Denied By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, May 16.—Joe Di Mag- glo, $35,000-a-year outfield star of the New York Yankees, appeared to- day before Baseball Commission Kenesaw M. Landis to give his ver- sion of reports that he was paying Joe Gould, New York fight manager, and James J. Braddock, former heavyweight boxing champion, a percentage of his baseball salary. “I spent only a short time with the commissioner,” Di Maggio said, “and there-is nothing to say except that he did ask me about the Brad- dock and Gould reports, which I de- nied as completely untrue.” Asked whether Commissioner Lan- dis had instructed him to say noth- ing about the conference, Di Maggio sajd: “Well, he sort of indicated that much.” ‘When asked whether the case was “closed,” Commissioner Landis said: “Please don't infer one way or the other—don't infer that there's some- thing to it or that there isn’t any- which brought Judge Landis into the picture had Di Mag- Gould 12 per cent of salary and Gould, in Pennsylvania Session Expected to End Today By the Associated Press. HARRISBURG, Pa., May 16.—En- actment of Gov. Arthur H. James’ For the authorizations, Mr. Roosevelt suggested that the Army, Navy and Marine Corps be permitted to make contract obli- gations in the sum of $186,000,~ 000. He further asked that the President be permitted to make contract obligations for the re- maining $100,000,000 in author- izations. “Our ideal” Mr. Roosevelt told the solemn legislators, “our objective is still peace—peace at home and peace abroad. Nevertheless, we stand ready not only to spend mil- lions- for defense, but to give our service and even our lives for the maintenance of our American lib- erties.” Four Purposes of Fund. In explanation of his request for the immediate appropriations, the President gave the following “four primary purposes’ First, to s essential equip- ment for “a larger and thoroughly rounded out by out army. Second, to replace or modernize all old Army and Navy equipment. Third, to increase production fa- cilities of defense equipment. require the ability to turn out quickly infinitely greater supplies,” he said. Fourth, to put on a 24-hour basis all new and existing Army and Navy contracts. Referring to his request that an immediate appropriation of $100,- 000,000 and an authorization of another $100,000000 be placed at his own disposal, Mr. Roosevelt said it is his belief that the two funds “will be used principally for the in- crease of production of airplanes, anti-aircraft guns and the training of additional personnel for the ‘weapons.” “And may I say,” the President spoke slowly in a departure from his prepared text, “that I hope there will be speed in giving me the ap- propriations.” Mr. Roosevelt made no mention of how the proposed new expendi- tures should be financed. A spe- cial defense tax or raising the stat- utory Federal debt limit to permit new borrowing have been discussed in other quarters, but the President told & press conference Tuesday that he considered the financing problem a minor one. Possibility of Attack. Leading up to his detailed figures, the President spoke grimly of the manner in which total war has come 10 other parts of the world. Pointed- ly, he emphasized the lightning rapidity with which aggression can be launched and reminded the Con- gress that aerial warfare brings the continental United States within only a few hours of possible enemy Jumping-off places. Specifically, he mentioned the closeness by air .of Greenland, of the Azores, of Ber- muda, of the outer West Indies, of Western Africa and of the islands of the Southern Pacific. “Surely,” he challenged, “the de- velopments of the past few weeks have made it clear to all of our citizens that the possibility of attack on vital American zones ought to make it essential that we have the physical, the ready ability to meet those attacks and to prevent them from reaching their objectives. “This means military implements —not on paper—which are ready and available * * * it means also “Ne Impregnable Fortifications.” “We have had the lesson before that were not ready and were unable to get ready found themselves over- run by the enemy. So-called im- wern.lnhll fortifications no longer _“linu than ever,” Mr. Roosevelt (See ROOSEVELT, Page A-10) key - 00| Nats and Indians Idle; in position for final action at today's sesslon. Eleven of the bills went direct to Spokesmen for agree meo‘\fldmdunhht. Adjournment as scheduled would the entire program in Rain in Cleveland