Evening Star Newspaper, May 17, 1940, Page 4

| A4’ » Duce’s Navy Declared Most Formidable Arm for Battle Air Force Held Out Of Date and Army Badly Equipped An appraisal of Italy’s ability #o engage in war is given here by @ noted British journalist who has just returned to London after an investigation in Rome. He is the author of “I Know These Dictators” and has frequently in- terviewed both Hitler and Mus- solini and other high Nazi and Fascist officials. By G. WARD PRICE. LONDON, May 17 (N.AAN.A)—Is Italy really ready for war? Here is my opinion of the state of Italy’s defenses at this moment when Mussolini appears to be on the brink of plunging into the most dangerous gamble undertaken by any European statesman since Napoleon III's challenge to Prussia Navy Air force .. Air raid preparations. War resources. When, then, does a statesman with one of the shrewdest political brains in the world even contem- plate taking such a risk? Because he believes Hitler will win the war by a knockout in the first round, and he wants to share in the spoils of victory. The Duce never concealed Italy’s still unprepared condition from his fellow-dictator. When Hitler, in May, 1939, persuaded him to con- vert the Rome-Berlin axis into a military alliance by suggesting that Britain’s newly-given guarantee to Greece was the beginning of allied “encirclement” of Italy in the Medi- terranean, Mussolini stipulated that his pledge should not become ef- fective for three years. Navy Most Formidable Arm. But Hitler got impatient. He thought he could seize Poland with- out any more unpleasant conse- quences than had followed on his occupation of Czecho-Slovakia. For- eign Minister Von Ribbentrop con- tinued to assure him that Britain would never fight. The Fuehrer decided to risk it—and brought about the general war. ‘To Britain, if Mussolini joined in, the Italian navy would be the most formidable arm that he possesses. The narrow mid-Mediterranean waters—only 300 miles across—with Italian naval bases on both sides and the fortified island of Pantel- laria in the middle—offer ideal work- ing conditions for the largest sub- marine fleet in Europe—110, some people say 125, strong—and for the flotillas of mases, or 40-mile-an- hour surface craft upon which the Italians have specialized. The 90 submarines that I saw at the naval review which Mussolini prepared for Hitler at Naples in 1938 showed considerable maneuvering skill. They all submerged at the same moment, altered course by 90 degrees under water, and came up simultaneously between the lines of the advancing fleet which bore the Duce and his guests. Battleship Reinforcements. The torpedo-speedboats, demon- strating their methods of attack, came zooming over the sea like rockets, hidden behind their own bow-waves. ‘To the four old battleships and a gcore of cruisers that have hitherto formed the main strength of the Italian fleet has been added within the last fortnight the powerful re- inforcement of two new battleships of 35,000 tons, mounting nine 15- inch guns. Two more of these are launched and completing, ‘The Italian navy, therefore, is by no means to be underrated. ‘The fleet, moreover, is more anti- ally in temper than the army. Italian sailors have had a chip on their shoulder ever since Britain made a naval demonstration against Italy in the Mediterranean during the Abyssianian campaign. Mussolini’s military preparations are much less advanced. His gen- erals are known to have told him emphatically that the Italian army is not ready for war. This was con- firmed by the report of Marshal Caviglia, & veteran who commanded the corps next to that of Lord Cavan in the Battle of Vittorio Veneto. At the outset of the present war he was sent on a special «tour of inspection, as a result of which he informed the Duce that the army was short of heavy artillery, anti- aircraft guns, anti-tank guns, boots and uniforms. Anti-Aircraft Defense. By an Italian technician well placed to know I was told that Italy has only 1,800 anti-aircraft guns, including 450 recently sent to her from Germany. For war against & Western European power she ‘would need 10,000. To the Duce the present war brought some unpleasant revela- tions about the Italian Air Force. ‘That it went into the stage of mass production too long ago for the greater part of its machines to be up to the most recent standards is obvious, but it would seem that Mussolin had been misled by his own subordinates as to the num- bers of aircraft actually in service. It was a forced landing in his own machine last October on an out-of- the-way military aerodrome that opened his eyes. The Duce carries with him on his flights a list of all such establishments, and on landing demanded to see the Savoia-Mar- chetti bombers which were officially recorded as stationed there. It proved that they did not exist, ex- cépt on paper. That discovery cost Gen. Valle, the Italian Air Minister, his post. Output Increased. I was told in Italy that a great luction effort is under way and at the output of machines has reached 600 a month. Air raid precautions are practically non-existent; no gas masks have been issued; no shelters provided; and the very exposed cities of Northern Italy have no visible pro- tection in the way of anti-aircraft batteries or balloon barrages. Rich in man-power as she is, Italy gravely lacks supplies, and in & long would ‘be inevitably by & naval ‘blockade: ©f copper, a vital war require- A NAMUR, BELGIUM.—AFTER THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. €, FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1840. THE BOMBERS CAME—This picture from French sources shows houses on both sides of a street in Namur wrecked by bombs from German planes during Big Nazi Force Not Believed To Have Entered Sedan Gap Maij. Eliot Sees Break-Through By Mechanized Column Only By MAJ. GEORGE F. ELIOT. The picture obtainable here of the military situation is again con- fused and vague. Filtering through the sieve of a tight French censor- ship, some reports taken at face value would seem to indicate that the Germans have broken through the main French defense line in the vicinity of Sedan and are striking deep into French territory. But careful examination of these reports, fragmentary as they are, and comparison with other avail- able data do not lead to such grave conclusions. It is, indeed, probable that some German armored troops have fil- tered through the French defenses and have gone some distance be- yond, “fanning out” in the usual tactics of such infiltrations in order to disrupt the French supply and’ communications. There is nothing to show. that this has been followed by the penetration through the French defenses of any large masses of German infantry and artillery. This may have happened, or may be happening; we merely say that there is nothing that would indi- cate it in the information now available. Fresh Troops Poured in. The Germans are putting in fresh troops in an endeavor, apparently, to widen the breach; this would be normal tactics. The French high command describes the situation as serious, and Paris has for the first time been transferred from the zone of the interior to the zone of the armies—that is, it has, as in 1914, been placed within the territory directly controlled by the com- mander in chief of the armies in the field. It should be pointed out that the Sedan-Longwy agea, where the Germans are attacking, is not the Maginot Line proper. This ends in the area Longuyon-Montmedy. From Montmedy to the English Channel there are, indeed, fortified lines along the border, strengthened by field works, tank barriers and the like, constructed during the winter; but these are not of the same formidable character as the tre- mendous works of the Maginot line itself. If the German penetration is in- deed no more than an infiltration of armored cars and light tanks, and if the gap through which it came can be closed, the situation is a very different one from a case in which large masses of infantry and artil- lery are coming through, with the breach ever widening. In the latter case, the whole of the allied forces between Sedan and the Channel, in- cluding all those in Belgium, might be imperiled and the allied cause it~ self in danger of a serious reverse. But the French report that the situ- ation is under full control; rumors of various places (Laon, Reims, even Meaux) being in German hands are categorically denied by Premier Reynaud in person; heavy counter- attacks appear to be in progress, and present indications point to the ment, she produces none. Her na- tive supply of coal is 1,500,000 tons & year. With war industries going at full blast she would need 20,000,000 tons, and, though Germany has un- dertaken to provide her with 12,000,- 000 tons a year by rail, it is extremely doubtful whether the already worn- out German rolling stock could keep | d this up. Travelers arriving in Italy from that country told me they had seen the wrecks of goods trains lying beside the railway lines. The same figures of consumption and home output apply to iron. Explosives Production. ¢ Italy’s production of explosives is said to be a maximum of 200 tons a day, whereas Her war needs are estimated at 1,000 tons. Of' petrol she has imported large quantities since the war. Substantial reserves of motor fuel, as of meat and corn, have been accumulated during the last nine months, ‘The political picture in Italy is clear: the only war she can endure is a short one. If Mussolini finally makes up his mind to join in the German game of grab, he must weigh the pros- pects of profit -against the risk of becoming invols 3 jinfiltration theory being correct, in wh}ch case the situation is not crit- ical. British Prepare to Retire. In Belgium the British report having repulsed the Germans who had penetrated Louvain; however, there are some indications that the British are preparing to retire from the line of the Dyle River to posi- tions farther in the rear. This is probably due to pressure on their flank from German forces which crossed the Meuse between Namur and Sedan and are striking north- westward. Some of the Liege and Namur forts still hold out, harassing German communications. When and if these are taken the German prese sure in Belgium will doubtless be- come more severe. There are hints of a German flank sttack coming from the Netherlands, but it has not yet developed. This might im- peril Antwerp. On the whole, the situation in Belgium is little worse from the allied viewpoint than it was yes- terday. In France it may be a great deal worse, or not much worse. There is no way to tell. It all depends on the character of the German penetration and the weight the Germans have been able to put, and to keep putting, behind it. It is to be especially noted that Paris and London both report heavy air counterattacks on the German ar- mored columns, which would indi- cate that the German air force is not able to give their ground troops as much protection as before. The French high command seems confident of getting the situation under full control within a week. It will be necessary to await further clarification of the situation before it can be accurately assessed. Mean- while, neither over-optimism nor panic seems justified. One point worth noting is that the Germans make no assertions of any great success in this area. . (Copyright, 1940, New York Tribune, Inc.) Night Rider Convicted ATLANTA, May 17 (®—Dan Eidson, 25, was convicted last night of assault and battery in the flog- ging of P. S. Toney, C. I. O. or- ganizer, in the second trial of cases growing out of suburban night rid- ing activities. Louvain Battle Recalls Heroism Of Mercier By the Associated Press. Pighting once again at Louvain revived memories today of one of the ‘Belgian heroes of the German occupation in 1914—Desideratus Cardinal Mercier. ) It was in connection with the burning of Louvain. that the Car- dinal issued his famous pastoral let- ter, “Patriotism and Endurance” in which he protested vehemently, and declared the Belgians owed neither “respect nor allegiance” to German authority. Throughout the German occupa- tion he remained a thorn in the side of the German Governor-General, criticizing his decrees and declaring confidence in ultimate Belgian free- om. In 1918, when the Germans left, the Governor-General addressed him as “the spiritual leader of the Belgian people.” Cardinal Mercier died in 1928, mourned by King and commoner. PRE-SHRUNK HOUSE PAINT O'Brien’s T.T.O, 2 s ed, Pre-Shrun / Thermolyzegd Tung Oil. It looks like fine enamel and wears lon, than ordinary paint. 10 colors. 2422 18th STREET N.W. invasion of the counqry. Photo transmitted by radio from Paris to New York. —A. P. Wirephoto. FRENCH ADMIT NAZI TANK ADVANCE—High spot of today’s war map was the French admission that German tanks had moved 30:miles inland (4). Germans claimed the allies were retreating from Antwerp (1), where fresh troops from Holland entered the fight, to Sedan. The heaviest fighting apparently was at Louvain and Wavre (2) and Namur (3), where Nazis were attempting to flank the allies north of these points. Hoover (Continued From First Page.) the experience of this war is in many directions such as the rela- tion of ship and plane, deck armor, and so forth. It needs to be further observed. We must be thought- fully and scientifically armed. Un- due haste would defeat its own pur- . 'That does not apply to the creation of facilities for production, which must be first in any event. “Second: The President’s proposal, especially as to planes, is in a large degree & task of increased indus- trial production. American industry has more capacity in both skill and equipment to meet the demand than that of any other nation, For this job industry would surely be glad to co-operate patriotically with the Government. Co-operation Needed. “There need to be co-ordination between American and foreign or- ders and between the Army and Navy. Our Army and Navy officers are distinguished in their profes- sions. They know what they want, but theirs is' not the profession of industrial perfection. Now is the time we need to call industry to furnish that skill “The job should be directed by a i S ) —A. P. Wirephoto Map. staft of tried leaders chosen from actual industrial production. That is, not the financial leaders of in- dustry, but the men who have come to the top through actual production experience on & large scale. And we need the greatest among these men. I am sure they will gladly serve. “The entire expenditure of these vast sums of money should be in- trusted to such men, both for effi- ciency and freedom from political, group or sectional pressures.” ° Netherlands West Indies Would Fight if Invaded By the Associated Press. WILLEMSTAD, Netherlands West Indies, May 17—The Legislative Council assembled in special session today to hear the governor proclaim that the Netherlands West Indies still are Netherlands territory, whose Integrity against aggression will be maintained by force of arms, if necessary. French and British naval detach- ments were landed on Curacao and Aruba to prevent possible sabotage so0n after the German invasion of the Netherlands. Three-fourths of the motion pic- tures now shown in Latin America are American, ‘;&1 Take @ Memo for Vi~ mimoriAL DAY IRemind yourself to enjoy the extra luxuries and conveni- ences of the Traymore. For instance==siumbering in your spacious outside room, toning up in the heaith baths, stretching out on cool sun decks— fempting your appetite with memorable food, deftly served. It's living like a king—though it costs no more than many places with fewsr advantagese—from $5 European, $8 with meals. Cruise Ashore at The TRAYMORE on ithe Boardwalk ATEANTIC CITY Bennelt E. Toviley, Gen. Mgr. Billion-Dollar Defense | smee: Program Expected To Spur Industry Roosevelt’s Economists Predict Production Pickup by Midsummer By the Associated Press. Administration economists pre- dicted today that President Roose- velt’s billion-dollar defense program would have a substantial stimulating effect on American industry by mid- summer, At the same time, they prophesied that it would make little change in W. P. A. rolls, because millions of unemployed men outside relief ranks ;ng get Airst call on the new private obs, Employment for billions of dollars of idle money in banks also was envisioned, as officials indicated that Treasury borrowing probably’ would be the principal method of financing the new program, even though it might invoive increasing the $45,- 000,000,000 debt limit. Immediate Pickup Expected. One economist, who is a frequent consultant of the President, said his colleagues believed that business al- ready was recovering from the slump which set in after Christmas and were optimistic about the year’s out- look even before the new defense expenditures were requested. He added that, while some phases of the President’s program might take many months to get under way, Mr. Roosevelt had suggested & num- ber of activities which could be translated into immediate work. In shipyards, airplane factories, motor facfories, parachute plants and munitions plants, this econo- mist said, the pickup should be noted quickly. In such places, he explained, work won't have to wait altogether on building new factories, because the President contemplates doubling or tripling the shifts al- ready at work. The Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce said in New York that expansion of the aircraft industry to produce 50,000 warplanes a year was “relatively a simple matter,” involving a threefold increase in personnel. Construction Gain Expected. Later on, Washington officials ex- plained, there will be much work for other kinds of laborers, such as construction workers needed to build new factories or annexes to existing ones. Labor officials and Govern- ment sources gave assurances that the Nation’s supply of skilled labor was sufficient to handle the pro- gram. Steel and other important ma- terials to go into the ney planes and shells and tanks can ‘be ordered almost immediately, so that they will be ready by the time new factories are erected. to fabricate them. - H Some of the proposed steps will take small amounts of libor out of the labor market, such as the enlist- ‘ment of mgre men for the Army and the sending of thousands of others to aviation schools. Besides industries plainly allied with armaments, officials cited a number of others which might benefit. For instance, the President’s recommendations call for the pur- chase of huge quantities of blankets and similar items normally prodiiced for civilian purposes. Foreign Buying Continues. To date, Federal economists point- ed out, the only real stimulation to business from the war has come {from foreign customers, particularly the allies and Latin America. These heavy purchases are expected to continue and to be supplemented by the United States Government’s orders American factory production, as measured by the Federal Reserve Board's index of industry, was sag- ging at 92 a year ago. Slight im- Provement Was made during the summer, but when the war broke out speculative production and or- ders boosted factory output to a ——r D 8 85405 LiBERAL TERMS Pay $1 Weekly TRIAL 1590 you because it vashes MORE ot ONE time. Compare the éxclu- 10 DAYS’ Republic Supply Held Adequate. Ralph Hetzel, C. I. O, economist, said there may be employe shortages in certain technical lines in ship- building and aircraft production, but added: X “Any attempt to locate labor for skilled jobs would produce a suffi- “There is no evidence to sustain & complaint of & labor shortage, but manufacturers who build new plants can’t expect to open the doors and find skilled workers standing there.” William F. Patterson, chief of apprentices at the Labor Depart- ment, observed that no reservoir of apprentices had been developed dur- ing the depression years, but voiced Italy Is Not Prepared for Drawn-Out War, British Journalist Asserts the opinion that the present supp! of skilled labor was sufficient 13 immediate needs. Canadian Soldiers Smash Regina Street Windows By the Associated Press. R7GINA, Saskatchewan, May 17.— Demonstrating soldiers paraded through Regina streets last night, smashed windows and caused ottier damage at five establishments. No charges were filed. Reports indicated 40 to 50 soldiers were in a group which smashed windows and overturned furniture at the Ukrainian Labor Temple, the * German-Canadian hall, the Aus- trian Kitchen, a billiard parlor and & dance hall. One of the demonstrators told newspapermen the soldiers had learned of plans for a pro-Nazi rally, but the only gathering in evidence was a bazaar which half a dozen men and several children had ° started at the Ukrainian Labor Hall, MR. HARRY E, conN of the Post Q FREE PARKING ot th PLAZA . . .-10th and E 1005 Penn. Ave. When shopping at T4th and Eye pork at 1419 Eye Street N.W. . fice Dep, says: NEW STAR PARKIN “Fg N.W. when shopping at 55