Evening Star Newspaper, May 17, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Fair, continued cool tonight and tomor= row; lowest tonight about 43; gentle westerly winds. Temperatures today— Highest, 66, at 12:30 p.m.; lowest, 51, at 5 am.; 65 at 2 pm. o the QR Sl R Bien v Late New York Markets, Page 20. — 88th YEAR. No. 35,080. he Foening Star WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1940—FIFTY-FOUR PAGES. Spearhead Halted, French Say; U. S. Envoy Stays at Brussels; Allies Are Routed, Nazis Claim Invaders’ Pocket Reaches Rethel, East of Paris By the Associated Press. PARIS, May 17—Adolf Hitler's swift armored units have driven 30 miles into France to a battlefield about 100 miles northeast of Paris, but French military spokesmen in- sisted today they considered the situation still “in hand.” Three great battles are raging— one in the German bulge toward Paris in the Rethel region south- west of Sedan, another south of Sedan, and the third in Belgium. where the Germans are thrusting toward Brussels, with Louvain, 16 miles east of the Belgian capital, the main scene of conflict. Declare “Pocket” Surrounded. The French high command ad- mitted that German mechanized units had reached the region north of Rethel, 100 miles from Paris, but a military spokesman said the “pocket” formed by this drive was being surrounded by French mechanized forces. The French spokesman said the Rethel “pocket” ran from near Se- dan, its northeastern end, to the neighborhood of Rethel, 30 miles southwest, and then back to the Sambre River, its northwestern ex- tremity. The point where the outline of the “pocket” joined the Sambre was not given, but the river runs east- ward through part of France and into Belgium, where it joins the Meuse River at Namur. Military authorities reported sev- eral air bombings of outlying districts of Nancy. today, but said casualties were slight. In the 24 hours up to early evening, 22 air raid alarms were sounded in the Nancy region. Battle Speetacular. A spectacular battle continued through its third day in Northern France, where the French said that at least for the moment they had halted the German drive toward Paris. It was a battle of swiftly attacking columns of tanks and armored cars and the mass use of aviation, with no tendency yet to settle into the World War style of fixed lines. The Germans, after see-saw fight- ing that lasted throughout last night, launched a new attack at dawn today. Simultaneously, they attacked the British and Belgian lines north of the Sambre. (Here six words were censored.) Fight ‘Extremely Violent. Meanwhile a War Ministry spokesman said fighting south of Sedan was “extremely violent” dur- ing the night, with villages chang- ing hands as many as five or six times. In view of the grave developments British Prime Minister Churchill flew to Paris from London yesterday, accompanied by military experts, for an urgent conference with French leaders. French Premier Reynaud, Gener- alissimo Maurce Gustave Gamelin, commander in chief of the British and French forces; Mr. Churchill, French National Defense Minister Daladier and others were together for hours formulating campaign plans, It was not a formal session of the Supreme War Council, though it brought together its principal mem- bers. Heartened by Roosevelt. President Roosevelt’s special mes- sage to Congress on national de- fense, in which among other things he asked Congress not to take any action which would hamper or de- lay delivery of American-made planes to foreign nations which have ordered them or may order them, came at a time when the allies are hard pressed and had what the press and public comment (See PARIS, Page A-7.) Stocks and Staples Sag Sharply on War News By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 17.—Nervous selling again swept through securi- ties and commodity markets today as Wall and La Salle Streets watched the developments in Europe. Stocks tumbled $1 to over $7 be- Jow yesterday’s final prices, in many instances more than canceling the rise coincident to President Roose- velt’s armament message. ‘Wheat tumbled about 4 cents a bushel, cotton lost as much as 50 cents a bale and rubber and hides retreated about a cent a pound. In the late stock exchange deal- ings Douglas Aircraft was off more than 87, compared with yesterday’s rise of $6.50. Bethlehem Steel and Du Pont lost $6, and issues down about $4 to $5 included U. S. Steel, Martin, Lockheed, Westtinghouse and Chrysler. Italians Mock - British Fleet ROME, May 17 (®—~Two new anti-allied posters appeared on walls today—one a mock obituary notice for the British fleet. The other reminded Italians of the “Ttalianity” of Prench Corsica. ‘ L3 War Bulletins BERLIN, May 17 ®). The German high com- mand announced that German troops marched into Brussels tonight. PARIS, May 17 (®).— Gen. Maurice Gustave Gamelin, the allied com- mander in chief, tonight ordered his troops to “die on the spot” rather than cede any further ground to the German invaders. BERLIN, May 17 AP.—German troops tonight were reported “deep in Northern France”—one source said without confirma- tion they were within 76 miles of Paris. LONDON (AP.).— Allied troops were re- ported tonight to have fallen back along' the 115-mile front . from Antwerp to Sedan and the British public was warned that the mili- tary situation is “ex- tremely grave.” Maginot Line Breach Is 62 Miles Wide, Germans Declare Northeastern Front of Namur Fortress Taken, Berlin Asserts By LOUIS P. LOCHNER, Associated Press Foreign Correspondent. BERLIN, May 17.—The German high command announced today that “south of Maubeuge (North- ern France) the Maginot Line was broken through on a width of 100 kilometers (62 miles)” and the Dyle position, protecting Brussels, has been pierced. The Maginot section mentioned is part of its northwestern exten- sion, or “Little Maginot Line.” “The northeastern front of Na- mur fortress was taken,” declared the command communique, de- scribing a great battle from Ant- werp to Carignan, south of Sedan. The communique follows: . “In the battle between Antwerp and Namur, the Dyle position was pierced south of Wavre (20 miles southeast of Brussels). “The northeastern front of Na- mur fortress was taken. “South of Maubeuge the Maginot Line was broken through on a width of 100 kilometers up to Carignan, southeast of Sedan. “French armored forces which (See BERLIN, Page A-3.) The War at a By the Associated Press. Germany’s lightning mechan- ized troops smashed to a point about 100 miles from Paris tp- day, the French high command admitted. Paris itself was placed -under rigid military control. Authorized German sources re- ported Nazi sledge-hammer blows had pierced France’s Little Magi- not Line “in a manner even Ger- man optimists believed impos- sible.” The Belgian government, threatened with devastating Nazi bombardments unless Brussels ceased to be used as a military center, fled to Ostend. Allied forces were described by the Germans as “in retreat every- : where” on the 115-mile Meuse River front from Antwerp, Bel- gium, to historic Sedan, France— scene of France’s crushing defeat and surrender in said swift-striking Nazi armored units advanced 30 miles into Prance to the environs of Rethel, just 100 miles northeast of the capital. A French War Ministry spokes- ® Defenders Admit Withdrawals on Front in Belgium By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 17—The Belgian government is now at Ostend, on Belgium’s North Sea coast, having moved there yesterday from Brus- sels, Reuters (British news agency) reported today. . A Havas (French) news agency dispatch from Ostend said United States Ambassador John Cudahy, with some other neutral diplomats, had remained at Brussels, the cap- ital. The Italian Ambassador, thd Counsellor of the Spanish Em- bassy and the papal nuncio still are at Brussels. The Argentine and Pe- ruvian Legations moved with the government, said Havas. Communique From Ostend. The first indication that Belgium's government had left the capital came when Reuters and Havas is- sued a Belgian communique date- lined “Ostend.” Later Havas, apparently to cover up the government’s moving, cor- rected this dateline to read “Brus- sels.” The dispatches do not men- tion the whereabouts of King Leo- pold, who assumed command of the armies on the first day of the Ger- man invasion. Today’s Belgian war communigque admitted allied withdrawals in Bel- gium, but said the Belgian Army “remains intact and its morale is high.” Situstion Termed Reassuring. the communique that “the situation is reassuring” and wiined agairst nervousness. The communique text follows: “In relation to the operations by the allied forces and in close co- operation with those forces, the Bel- gian forces have moved to new posi- tions calmly and in good order. “Despite the numerous and diffi- cult combats which many units have had to engage in since the start of " (See LONDON, Page A-8) Nazi Warning fo Brussels Given fo U. S. Attache By the Associated Press. BERLIN, May 17.—Alexander Kirk. United States Chadge d'Af- faires, was summoned to the Foreign Office yesterday and informed why Germany no longer regards Brussels as an open town. It was left to the American Government’s discretion whether to pass the information on to the Belgian government. It was understood the Belgian capital's immunity from German bombing attacks expires today un- less the city is stripped of its char- acter as a fortified town to the sat- isfaction of the German high com- mand. German scouting planes, Mr. Kirk was told, established the fact that there were large army concentra- tions within the capital, that rail- way stations were jammed with war materials, and that cannons were mounted in parks and public squares. On Wednesday night the high command issued a communique stating that the Belgian govern- ment’s declaration of May 10 that Brussels is an open city “does not correspond to the facts.” It warned that “in case the Bel- gian government really is in earnest to save the city of Brussels the hor- rors of war, all military transports and marching through the town must cease immediately and the building of defenses must be sus- pended immediately.” Glance man said, however, that the Ger- man thrust had been bottled up by French mechanized columns supported by planes. ° All-night fighting, officially de- scribed as “extremely violent,” raged south of Sedan. Villages changed hands as many as five or six times. Exultantly the. Germans re- Dyle River, which protects Brus- sels, the capital of Belgium. 3. The capture of 12,000 allied prisoners in the Sedan battle 4. Preliminary pation of Zeeland, the tiny island ‘WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION L2 n Government 200-Mile Line of Refugee Cars Winds From Belgium to France Rich and Poor Mingle in Common Flight From Bombs Raining Methodically on Cities By M. W. FODOR, Chicago Dally News Foreign Correspondent. BEHIND ALLIED LINES, North- east France, May 17 (By Radio).— I hlv: wn:fiwd '}hc gallant small nation under Heinkels—as many as 100 at & time —while 40 miles away, in the region of the Albert Canal, 2,000 German bombers pounded Belgium’s urmy. Belgium’s army was determined to withstand the worst shocks of mo- torized troops, but the aerial bomb- ardment was so fierce that at last, without sufficient aerial support, the Hoover Indorses Roosevelt Program For U. S. Defense He Suggests Production Be Put in Hands of Tried Leaders From Industry By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 17—Herbert Hoover, who was succeeded in the ‘White House by President Roose- velt, today cast aside all partisan considerations and wholeheartedly indorsed Mr. Roosevelt’s billion- dollar defense program. “The President is right,” he said in commenting on the message the President read before Congress yes- terday, “that our defense armament should be revised in the light of ex- perience from this war. “There can be no partisanship \r.\pon the principle of national de- ense.” He recommended that production be placed in the hands of a staff of tried leaders chosen from actual industrial production. Special Fund Not Mentioned. ‘While Mr. Hoover did not men- tlon directly the President’s recom- mendation. that he (Roosevelt) be intrusted with the expenditure of some of the defense funds, he did say: “The jobs should be directed * * * by men who have come to the top through production experience on a large scale. * * * The entire ex- penditure of these vast sums of money should be intrusted to such men, both for eficiency and free- Belgians had to yield. Likewise, five days later, in the Namur-Givet sector, though fighting fiercely, against overwhelming odds and in face of ceaseless aerial pounding, which only the most superior troops might withstand, the Belgians were again forced 0 give way. But the Germans were not satis- fled to employ air methods only against the army. Following their well-known . intimidation tacties, they employed aerial bombardment against Belgium’s major cities. Ev- ery day Brussels was bombarded. ‘Those of us living in the capital got used to these bombardments, which came at regular intervals At 2:30 a.m., from 4:45 to 6 am: and from 3 to 7 pm. But there were two days when air raid alarms followed each other without interval. But as bad as the Brussels bom- bardment was, it was only child’s (See REFUGEES, Page A-7.) Hundreds Killed, Ruin Enormous, in 3-Day Bombing British in- Belgium Fighting Desperately; - Refugees Pathetic .- BULLETIN, WITH THE BRITISH EXPE- DITIONARY: FORCE ON THE FRENCH - BELGIAN FRONT, May 17 (#)—British forces have stemmed Nazi attacks in the Louvain area, and the road to Brussels, 16 miles west of Lou- vain still remains in allied hands. By DREW MIDDLETON, Associated Press War Correspondent. ‘WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDI- TIONARY FORCE IN BELGIUM, May 17 (Passed by Military Censor). —The German Luftwaffe, “the ter- ror that flies by night and by day, had carried the ruin and suffering of total war far behind the allied positions in three days of bombings which have struck Belgium and French towns, cost hundreds of lives and done inestimable damage to roads and buildings. There has been no relief for Brit- ish pursuit squadrons fighting Nazi planes attacking British troops and positions on land. 12 Only this morning came word that German Heinkel planes dive- bombed a railway station where a trainload of Belgian refugees had " (See MIDDLETON, Page A-5) try | British Liner Arrives; Passengers Mum on Trip By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 17—The Brit- ish armed liner Cameronia arrived today from Scotland with 65 pas- sengers who said they had been or- ‘From Press to Home Within the Hour’ Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. ' Army. Asks Congress To Lift 6,000-Plane Limit on Air Corps Gen. Gasser Makes Recommendation at House Hearing By the Assoclatad Press. The War Department asked Con- gress today 16 remove the 6,000- plane top limit on the sise of the Alr Corps, in line with President Roosé- velt's proposal for a fleet of 50,000 Army and Navy aircraft. The recommendation was made to the House Military Committee by Brig. Gen. L. D. Gasser, deputy chief of staff of the Army. Gen. Gasser testified at the hear- ings started by the committee to rush through necessary legislation to carry out the President's $1,182,- 000,000 defense The attitude of haste coincided with general approval expressed for the program—approval which in- cluded that of former President Hoover, who said in New York that “there can be no partisanship upon the principle of national defense.” Barrage Balloons. Although Gen. Gasser gave no in- dication of how many additional planes the Army might seek he said the expansion “might be construed to include barrage balloons, if we adopted that ue.” Gen. Gasser said $5,000,000 was needed to modernize planes now on order and an gdditional $23,000,000 'Was necessary put new weapons and armor on combat planes as a result of the European war. He also told the committee that $32,000,000 of the $732,000,000 recom- mended by President Roosevelt for the Army would go to private in- dustry for speeding up procurement of munitions. Industry, he ex- gl.l’!.ned. will be on a three-shift s, In response to questions, Gen. Gasser said the Army contemplated building only two manufacturing plants—a $30,000,000 smokeless powder plant with a 200,000-pound daily ‘productive capacity and an ammunition loading plant. Site Not Yet Chosen. An authoritative source said the powder plant would be located “west of the Blue Ridge Mountains” but that a definite site had not yet been chosen. Referring to & proposed expendi- ture of $64,000,000 for anti-aircraft weapons and ammunition, Gen. Gasser told the committee it. would provide complete equipment for the projected 37 mobile anti-aireraft regiments of the Regular Army and (See DEFENSE, Page A-3.) Death Penalty Decreed BATAVIA, Netherlands East In- dies, May 17 (#—The todsy the German invasion of the Neth- eriands. —— \ Flees () Means Associated Press. THREE CENTS. GERMANS SMASH 30 MILES INTO FRANCE Berlin Claims Brussels quen; Belgia to Ostend R.F.C.toHelp Plants Expand to Step Up Defense Production Plane Makers Called ¢ Special Industrial To Parley Monday On Program Plans Aviation manufacturers have been called to meet with Army and Navy officials here Monday to work out plans to raise the Nafion’s annual airplane production capacity to the 50,000 units requested yesterday by President Roosevelt, Assistant Sec- mry of War Johnson announced y. Telegrams to 40 aviation firms, asking them to send representatives to a conference here at 10 a.m. Mon- day, were sent out late yesterday, Mr. Johnson said. The invitation asked the industry’s co-operation in this national emergency. Mr. Johnson said the Government desires to use private equipment wherever possible, but he added that Federal aid will be extended if the program is too late for private con- cerns to handle. Loans for private plant expansion probably could be made through the Reconstruction PFinance Corp., he pointed out. The Government has designed and completed architectural plans for a typical plane plant, Mr. John- son revealed. He said this “type of typical plant” was developed by use of $63,000 of W. P. A. funds. It is planned on a basis of 100 planes per month capacity, which, he said, was taken as a standard unit for the study of plant capacities. Goal Seen 18 Months Away. Leaders of the aviation industry already have pledged their co-op- eration in the expansion program, but indicated that at least a year | in. and a half will be required to reach such & production scale. ‘The President’s goal, it was pointed out, represents a 1,000 per cent in- crease in the existing strength of afned lnstwnl:rwxl‘omu. at- an expa program which has been under way for a year. Estimates of the cost of a 50,000~ airplane program have been placed as high as $5,000,000,000 and it has been estimated that st least half this amount will be required annually for maintenance, apart from ground personnel and bases. Pilots Training Is Facter. Aviation experts, however, were less concerned over the ability of the aircraft industry to build war- planes for the new program than they are with the training of pilots for such an air force. The problem of providing engines for such a fleet of warplanes also may prove to be far more serious than that of pro- viding the aircraft, it was pointed out. Furnishing of aircraft engines and trained flight crews have been the “bottlenecks” of the present ex- pansion program and the lack of sufficient engines, it is reported, has slowed the exportation of com- bat airplanes to Great Britain and France. ‘The air force of the United States today is composed of approximately 3,000 Army airplanes and about 2,100 Navy aircraft. The Army has 27700 Regular and 1,000 Reserve pilots on extended active duty in its squadrons. The available re- serve is placed at not more than 2,000 pilots, plus pilots for about 20 squadrons in the National Guard. Maximum of $7,000 a Year. Present Air Corps plans look to the training of a maximum of 7,000 pilots a year in the future but the present training program will pro- duce only a few more than 2,000 pilots during the fiscal year ending June 30. The Navy Department would not release figures on the number of pilots actually available and under training for the Navy. Its reports showed 4,633 Navy per- sbnnel assigned to flying duty at (See PLANES, Page A-3) Deaths of Five Called Murders and Suicide BY the Aszociated Press. LONDON, Ontario, May 17—A family of five persons was wiped out at their farm home west of Slain were Hunt's wife, Elsie, 41; their two children and his mother- in-law, Mrs. Charlotte Warren, about 80. Quarter Million in Assets Here Shrink to $767 Mobilization Group May Be Set Up By JOHN C. HENRY. Hopeful that private capital will fill the bulk of the needs for the Nation’s defensive industrial ex- pansion, President Roosevelt told his press conference today that essential direct financial assistance will be provided by the Government, For the most part, he indicated, such Government ‘aid will come through the Reconstruction Finance Corp. Significantly, in this connecs tion, the President summoned Fed- eral Loan Administrator Jesse H. Jones to the White House for a con- ference today. Former head of the R. F. C., Mr. Jones still has jurisdics tion over that agency in his broader capacity. “We can do it,” Mr. Jones said, laconically, as he left the White House. “We'll give them whatever we've got. “There’ll be no demand for plant expansion that we can't meet,” he added. Disclosing that conversations ale ready are underway between Gove ernment and industry representa~ tives as to ways and means of in- creasing production facilities, Mr. Roosevelt indicated there may be a special industrial mobilization group set up, at least for advisory purposes. Asked if he plans to name some individual to the immediate task of heading this work, he re- plied plans have not quite reached that point but that undoubtedly somebody would have to be brought No Government Operation. In remarking that several plans are under consideration for financ- ing and the expansioa of plant capacities, the President said positively that Government operation of factories is not being contemplated. In every respect, he indicated, it is the desire to leave as much of the problem to private industry and finance as they seem able and willing to handle. Mr. Roosevelt’s discussion of this matter arose during questioning specifically about his plans for the use of the $100,000,000 appropriation and the added $100,000,000 author- ization which he asked yesterd:y to place at his personal As in his message to the Congress, Mr. Roosevelt said today he ex- pected a greater part of these funds to go into increasing production of airplanes and anti-aircraft guns and the training of additional personnel for these weapons. Emphasizing there are many things which cannot be foreseen, the President told his conference that only today the question had arisen about commissioning 35 ‘World War destroyers. These would be in addition to other World War ships recently put into service. If decided on, he added, the cost would be considerable but still would not Justity calling Congress into special session to provide necessary funds if the problem arose after adjourn- ment. Problem of Machine Tools. Another such emergency, he coni- tinued, may arise with regard to supplies of machine tools. Foreign countries have ordered such tools, he said, but it might be necessary for the United States to tell e manufacturers the tools are needed for our own defense and to exercise the right, provided by a clause in contracts, for this Government to obtain the tools for the same price which the foreign purchasers would pay. Mr. Roosevelt acknowledged that much consideration has been given the problem of skilled labor and hours of work in industrial defense occupations. In this connection, he said the Government must tike Ppositive steps, among the possibil- ities being the broadening of labor training programs under the Na- tional Youth Administration and the Labor Department. With re- gard specifically to the problem of increasing the work week for Gov- ernment defense plants, he said me;e l‘l:y be a recommendation made Congress for legislation bearing on the labor problem. Can Undertake Program, He Says. Somewhat grimly, repudiated assertions that the Na- tion is not in a position to under- take at this time a supplementary billion-dollar defense program. If (8ee ROOSEVELT, Page A-9.) Other Defense News CONGRESSIONAL COMMENT mostly favorable to President’s defense message. Page A-2 PROBABLE EXPENDITURES for defense program asked by Presi- . dent, Page A2 ECONOMISTS PREDICT to be stimulated by mmddd:u Page A-4 program. NATION'S EDITORS comment®on President's request for defense funds. Page A-11 “STRATEGIC” MATERIALS need- ed by industry in making war sup- plies. Page B-12