Evening Star Newspaper, May 23, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Mostly cloudy; lowest tonight about 62; tomorrow partly cloudy, followed by local showers. Temperatures today— Highest, 70, at 2 pm.; lowest, 65, at 6 am From the United Siaes Weather Bureau report. Full details on Page A-2 Foeni ‘From Press to Home Within the Hour’ Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. Che o Star WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION Closing N. Y. Markets—Sales, Page 22. No. 35,086. 88th YEAR. WASHINGTON 0 D R B S THURSDAY, MAY 23, 1940—FIFTY-FOUR PAGES. (#) Means ok k Associated Press, " THREE CENTS. NAZIS DRIVE THROUGH ALLIES TO CHANNEL; ISLES AWAIT ATTACK; FRENCH CLAIM G ° attle Raging in Boulogne Area; hurchill Warns L Germans Raid Ports, Say English Are Embarking; Invaders Take Abbeville By the Associated Press. E The German “blitzkrieg,” smashing at 500,000 to 1,000,000 “pocketed” allied troops in Belgium and North- ern France, today recaptured Abbeville, 12 miles from the English Channel, and Nazi authorities said it was “quite robable” they had also taken the vital Channel port of | ulogne. The Germans admitted, however, that the “real battle” against England could not begin until the strategic allied “pocket” - In Belgium and Northern France—extending from Abbeville to Ostend—has been crushed. Prime Minister Winston Churchill, in a two-minute address to the House of Commons, announced the Fall of Abbeville. “This country is in fearful danger,” declared Alfred Duff Cooper, British Minister of Information. Heavy fighting is raging around Boulogne, France, on the Channel, Mr. Churchill said. More Hopeful Picture Given in Paris. Paris, however, gave a more hopeful picture of the conflict. There it was reported that the French Armies, swiftly reorganized, were fighting with new fury to reunite their northern and central armies and chop off the long, sharp spearhead which the Germans have driven through Northern France to the sea. As emphasized by Mr. Churchill, the threat of a Nazi invasion was apparently becoming hourly more grave. Possibly as a preparation for this heralded next blow in Hitler's “total war” scheme, power-diving Stuka bombers and wasplike German speedboats smashed at Channel communications. g Meanwhile, Premier Mussolini summoned the Italian Skpreme Defense Council into session, perhaps auguring the long-awaited Italian decision to enter the war. A German break-through in the fierce fighting for cofitrol of English Channel ports imperilled communications between 550,000 allied troops “pockéted” in Northern France and 1,000,000 Frénch - soldiers to the south. Gap Between Two Allied Armies. “There is a gap between the two armies,” a British spokesman admitted. “The allied situation on the western front is extremely grave.” Besides the vital line of communications being endangered by the Nazi onslaught, a British Expeditionary Force communique acknowledged that the Germans had reached “the neighborhood of the coast” on the English Channel. The German high command reported the harbor facilities at Dover, England, and Dunkerque, Berlin sources said British troops falling back toward bombed.” France, had been ‘“effectually the Channel were “embarking at several French coastal points.” England-bound transports, it was said, were bombed by German planes. * Churchill Reports [ By the Assoclated Press. LONDON, May 23.— Britain fought | for her life today “in fearful danger” of German steel slashing its way through British soldiers to the Eng- | = lish Channel, a possible attack | through Ireland and a “fifth col-( umn” at home. In the shortest parliamentary war statement he has ever made—two minutes—Prime Minister Churchill told the House of Commons that there is heavy fighting in the Chan- nel coastal area of Boulogne, only 26 miles from Folkestone, England; that Abbeville, France, is in Ger- man hands and that British com- munications are endangered. Prime Minister Churchill said it “is too early yet” to say what the result of the coastal fighting may be, but declared it “evidently car- ries with it implications of a serious character.” ‘While the House listened intently the Prime Minister said German mechanized forces which had made their way through the breach of the French lines had penetrated into the allied rear in Belgium “and are | now attempting to derange their communications.” He appended this note, however— that the allied command, headed by Gen. Maxime Weygand, “is conduct- ing operations involving all the al- . lied armies with a view to restoring (See LONDON, Page A-4) Cromwell’s Resignation Accepted by Roosevelt By the Associated Press. President Roosevelt accepted today the resignation of James H. R. Cromwell as Minister to Canada and ‘wished him “the best of success ii. the large field of activity upon which you are entering.” Mr. Cromwell was nominated ‘Tuesday by New Jersey Democrats as their candidate for United States Senator. In a letter to Mr. Cromwell, made public by the White House, Mr. Roosevelt remarked that these are serious days in the history of the world and “require the intelligent and loyal co-operation of all of our citizens in order that our country may be prepared to resist any chal- lenge to the continuance of our form of government or to the prosecution of our political ideals.” The President said he realized Mr. Cromwell believed “in our political objectives” and would continue to strive for their attainment. He said he could add only “that I hope you will be highly successful in the new field which you have chosen.” * & Channel Ports Bombed By the Associated Press. BERLIN, May 23.—Authorized German sources, although declining to affirm or deny reports that the German Armies have taken Bou- logne, French seaport on the English Channel, said “it is quite probable.” Boulogne is on the lower end of the Straits of Dover, 26 miles by sea from Folkestone, England. It is some 45 miles northwest of Abbe- ville, which a German Army spear- head has engulfed. The Boulogne-Folkestone Channel route had been the only one regu- larly available to civilian traffic be- tween France and England since the start of the war. Since reaching Abbeville Tuesday, the German southern spearhead has been groping for Boulogne, while the drive of the main German columns to divide and destroy addied armies in Northern France and Belgium has produced other evidence of an imminent assault on England her- self, Heavy Fighting Seen. “The real battle is constantly being brought closer to Britain,” said DNB, official news agency, “but be- fore it can begin the pocket in the north of France and the Belgian coastal area must be completely oc- cupied by German troops. “In view of the strong forces en- circled here it will not be done with- out heavy fighting.” DNB's report from the front said the allies had “small successes” yes- terday, but that the Germans, with support from the air, drove the (See BERLIN, Page A-4) "Heil Hitler" Handbills Distributed in Chicago By the Associated Press. CHICAGO, May 23.—The Federal Bureau of . Investigation disclosed today that complaints.had been re- ceived that “Heil Hitler” swastika handbills had been found in Chicago mail boxes and plastered on auto- mobiles throughout the city. The handbills, addressed to “Ger- man-Americans,” said: “Hitler will not forget you. Don’t fear Roosevelt, Don't fight for British money. Remember 41917. ‘Heil Hitler.’ ” William S. Devereaux, chief of the bureau, said the handbills “ap- peared to be no violation of Federal laws” under the jurisdiction of his department. Postal authorities, however, said stuffing non-postal material in mail boxes was a violation and that those responsible, if found, could be forced to pay postage. Churchill Repeats Pledge Britain Makes No Separate Peace Bs the Associated Press. LONDON, May 23—Prime Minister Churchill repeated today Neville Chamberlain’s pledge that Britain would never make a separate peace with Germany. In a written reply to a ques- tion whether he renewed the pledge to conclude no peace except in agreement with France Mr. Churchill answered one word: “Yes.” 'Duce Reportedly Calls War Council; African Situafion "Tense’ French Accused of ‘Hateful Persecutions’ Of Italians in Morocco By the Associated Press. ROME, May 23.—Premier Mus- | solini was reported by a usually re- liable source to have summoned a meeting of his Supreme Defense Council today while his official news agency, Stefani, reported from French North Africa that “the sit- uation is tense.” | Italians accused French authori- ties in Morocco of “renewing hateful persecutions against Italians living in the protectorate.” Stefani reported from Rabat, Frénch Morocco, that “without jus- tified ressans or explandtion Italians of all social classes have been ar- rested, imprisoned or éxpelled from the territory within & few hours, with disastrous consequences for their property and interests gained by decades of sacrifices and honest work.” French “Abuses.” ‘The agency added: “Some nationals who asked to leave on an Italian steamer which was to arrive within a few hours in- stead were forced to leave imme- diately by train for Tangiers, where they knew nobody and where the situation cannot be bettered, con- sidering the abuses and French interference with the international administration which pretends to safeguard the Sultan's prerogatives intrusted to French protection. “In a government airplane factory at Casablanca, Italian workers have been arrested on the pretext of checking up cases of sabotage while other workers who are French or foreigners are not molested al- though they are notorious former Communists or friendly to Com- munists. The situation is tense.” Continuing war preparations on the eve of the 25th anniversary of Italy’s entry into the World War, Mussolini ordered the General Board of War Manufactures made into a cabinet division. The new division will be headed by an undersecretary of state di- rectly responsible to I1 Duce. Rome University students today told Mussolini they would consider it “an honor and cause of pride to fight for the liberty and independ- ence of the Italian Empire” and protested against “threats of in- Juries by nations aiming to suffocate the young strength of Fascist Italy.” Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano, who has beert in- specting Fascist projects and insti- tution in ltalian-b}e}lld Albania, to- day left Tirana, e capital, for Soutari, near the Yugoslav border. Gillette Suggests League 0f American Nations By the Associated Press. Senator Gillette, Democrat, of Jowa suggested today the forma- tion of a “League of American Na- tions” to co-ordinate defenses in this hemisphere. The “good neighbor” policy of the Roosevelt administration, he told re- porters, provides too loose an as- sociation to be of tangible military benefit to Western Hemisphere na- tions. Senator Austin, Republican, of Vermont said that while he wanted “no permanent alliances with any- body,” he favored temporary alli- ances among nations when these were “dictated by common interests and common dangers.” “Consultations under the good neighbor policy probably are not sufficient at this juncture,” Senator Austin asserted. “A temporary un- derstanding for the common defense and protection of this hemisphere would be preferable.” GUIDE FOR READERS P ge. age. Obituary... A-14 Nation of Peril Defendérs Fight Furiously to Reunite Armies | By the Associated Press, PARIS, May 23—The French armies, effecting what foreign mili- tary experts called a “miracle of re- organization,” fought today with new fury to reunite their northern and central armies and chop off the long, sharp spearhead which the Germans have driven through Northern France to the sea. Pocketed with their British and Belgian allies, the northern French Army, using tanks, planes, motorized units and artillery, engaged the Germans in a bitter see-saw battle between Cambrai and Valenciennes, 25 miles apart. Here, at the base of their long southern salient which extends northwest to the Abbeville coastal region, the Germans attacked to make tighter and smaller the sack in which they are holding the allied forces of Flanders (estimated by the Germans at between 500,000 and 1,000,000 men). Lost Ground Recovered. France's Army regained lost ground and began a “battle of Flanders” which a military spokesman de- scribed as “extremely violent.” The battle line extended between Cambrai, about 110 miles north of Paris, and Valenciennes, about 25 miles east of Cambrai. The spokes- man said see-saw fighting resulted in the French reaching the outskirts of Cambrai, territory from which they had been pushed by the Naai srmored columns. Military circles here said the fight- ing was progressing “satisfactorily on the whole.” Stabilizing lines along the Aisne and Sommeé Rivers were reported unchanged. The Somme was said to be heid firmly by French troops from Ham to Abbeville. The battle jockeyed back and forth along the Scheldt River, with temporary advantages for both sides. At one point the French, a mili- tary spokesman said, fought their way down to the outskirts of Cam- brai, territory from which they had been pushed earlier in the week by Nazi armored columns volleying west. French Fight Way North. South of the salient, moving from their stabilized line along the Laon River, other French forces were en route north, fighting their way from the St. Quentin neigh- borhood toward the Cambrai bat- tlefield. A halt in withdrawals of the French and British troops from their lines in Belgium, north and west from this main battleground, was implied in military reports, accord- ing to the authoritative newspaper Le Temps. The extreme left wing of the allied armies, which swung into Belgium on the day of the German invasion, has taken up positions in the rear of the Scheldt and Scarpe Rivers, and the troops face south and southeast against the German forces which are swinging on the Channel. The soldiers of France were heartened by their government'’s de- termination to cling to Paris. Three Zones in Battlefield. The northern battlefield was de- scribed here as being divided into these three zones: 1. A stabilizing line along the Aisne River extending westward from Rethel, about 100 miles north- east of Paris, to an indefinite point. 2. The strongly consolidated line on the Somme River, whose south- ern bank the French said was strongly defended from Ham to Abbeville, an airline distance of about 60 miles. 3. A jagged line of confused pcsi- tions extending northward from the Somme area and culminating in the Cambrai-Valenciennes battlefield. In the last Zone German units are pushing in between independent French groups, while French scout- ing parties zig-zag between German advance guards. This confused area includes St. Quentin, Laon and Peronne. French troops were en route north from the St. Quentin neighborhood toward the Cambrai battle zone. The Germans continue to hold Amiens, 70 miles north of Paris. The Germans attacked in ferce along the battle line running north and northeast of Cambrai along the Scheldt River to Valenciennes, but the French stood their ground. But while the military arm re- ported this newest success in a northern battle being fought “with the greatest violence,” the Admiralty (See PARIS, Page A-3.) King George to Speak To Empire Tomorrow By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 23—King George VI will broadcast & m to the empire tomorrow, Empire Day, at 9 pm. @ pm,E. 8. T). Thelddreumeheudlocnly over radio stations WMAL and (Complete Index, Page A-2). A WOL. Officials at WISV were un- 1T LOOKS BAD ALL RIGHT BUT | CAN SEE ONLY ONE, MEANING INIT. kg Conservative M. P. ' Arrested as Brifain Fights '5th Column’ Capt. A. H. M. Ramsay, Long Regarded as a Fascist, Is Detained BULLETIN, . < LONDON, May 23 (®.—Sir Oswold Mosley, leader of the Fascist “British Union,” went to Scotland Yard tonight in custody of police. By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 23.—The arrest of | Capt. Archibald H. M. Ramsay, Con- | servative member of Parliament, by | direction of the Home Secretary | was announced today by the Speaker | of the House of Commons. | Capt. Ramsay, a veteran of the | World War, was detained in Brix- | ton Prison as the government car- ried out a round-up of persons sus- pected as “fifth columnists.” At the same time a police guard was clamped on headquarters of the British Union, the British Fascist organization headed by Sir Oswald Mosley. When a member of the House asked whether the Home Secretary would give the reason for Capt. Ramsay’s arrest the Speaker replied, “Not at this stage.” Special officers took control of the British Union headquarters, . near the Houses of Parliament, ques- tioned every one who approached the building and examined all papers in desks and filing cabinets. Several persons left the headquar- ters accompanied by police. Long Regarded as Fascist. Capt. Ramsay, of a well known military family, long had been re- garded as a Fascist, particularly on the score of anti-Semitism. He was educated for the army at Eton and Sandhurst, the British West Point. He fought in the World War with the famous Coldstream Guards in France, where he was severely wounded in 1916. He was invalided from the army in 1919 after service at the War Office and with a British war mission to Paris. He has four sons. His wife is the former Ismay Lucretia Mary, daugh- ter of the 14th Viscount Gorman- ston. Their residence is at Kellie Castle, Arbroath, Angus, Scotland. Capt. Ramsay is vice chairman of the Cavendish Land Co. Regulations Permit Arrest. His arrest followed closely the is- suance of regulations under the emergency legislation passed yester- day empowering the home secre- tary to intern or arrest any one suspected of being active in an or- ganization subject to foreign influ- ence or control or who has “sym- pathies with the system of govern- ment of any power with which his majesty is at war.” Sir John assured the House that steps have been taken to safeguard England from the entry of * columnists” as refugees. He special measures have been taken to increase the arms available to police for their “own protection.” Ordinarily, British police carry only a truncheon, with no firearms except in emergencies. Sir John also announced the ex- pulsion of 167 members of the out- lawed Irish Republican Army under the act to prevent violence. He de- clared it was against the public interest to disclose beforehand any steps against Communist and Fascist societies. ; Sir John said the -names of a number of other persons ordered detained would be announced as soon as they were arrested. Replying to a question, the home secretary said: ‘!:l’xumh t... precau- tionary measure and Capt. Ramsay, like others who have been taken into detention, will have his right to make representations.” R ] | $1,473,756,728 Navy Bill Voted Unanimously by Senate Passed, 78-0, in 2 Hours, It Goes to Conference With Army Fund; House Due to Concur By J. A. O'LEARY. The Senate today passed by a vote | of 78 to 0 the $1,473,756,728 Navy bill | in less than two hours, after having approved the $1.823252724 Army bill late yesterday. > Thus, within 24 hours, this body has voted a combined outlay of $3,207,009,452 to build up all éssen- tial phases of this country’s defense system, in response to President Roosevelt's appeal for preparedness in the light of European events. Both measures now go to confer- ence with the House, which had al- ready passed them with much | smaller appropriations before the | President fo Review U. S. Policies Sunday In "Fireside Chat’ Address Is Planned As Accounting On State of Nation By JOHN C. HENRY. In his first “fireside” radio talk since war broke out in Europe last September, President Roosevelt will report to the American people Sun- day night on the state of the Na- tion and the Government's palicies as now conceived. Announcement to this effect was made today by Stephen T. Early, secretary to the President, with the clear implication that the contem- plated address will be a compre- hensive and significant accounting by the Chief Executive. Mr. Roosevelt will go on the air at 9:30 o'clock with all three major radio networks carrying his 30- minute talk. Earlier today, the Re- publican National Committee an- nounced that former President Hopver also will make a Nation- wide radio address Sunday night at 6:30 o'clock. In making his announcement, Mr, Early recalled the President’s re- marks at his Tuesday press confer- ence dealing with his views on the present responsibilities of capital and labor and the administration’s pledge that none of the social gains of the past seven years will be sacri- ficed. Y- “Factual Report” Planned. Many suggestions bearing on these matters have beed received, Mr. Early said, and these will be re- viewed along with & general discus- sion of defense needs in the all- embracing radio address. To be dis- cussed, he continued, are questions of agricultural and commodity re- sources, prices, wages, and so forth. “This will be a straightforward factual report by the Government d | to the people,” Mr. Early said, cou- pled with a preview.of Government policy as far ahead as possible to foresee, It was in Mr. Roosevelt's last fire- side talk, on September 3, 1939, that he promised the Nation there would be no blackout of peace in America. Keeping his customary close con- tact with developments abroad, the President planned today to see Chairman Norman H. Davis of the American Red Cross. £ In addition, Mr. Roosevelt late this | shore bases alon trend of the war prompted twe ad- ministration to speed the Hefense program. House conferees, it is believed, will join the Senate in accepting virtu- ally all the money added to the two bills in the past week. The naval bill has two major ob- Jectives: To hasten completion of the 52 warships now under con- struction and to authorize other new ships; to begin expansion of the naval air force by enabling the Navy to buy or contract for 2970 more planes and to begin the de- velopment of a chain of new naval | both coast lines and at strategic insular possessions. | Supporting Legislation. While conferees work out final| agreements on the two huge money | bills, both Houses will continue work on supporting legislation intended to provide basic law for these new undertakings and to expedite work | in war industries. The goa) of these basic authoriza- tions is to provide the Army and the Navy with approximately X modern planes each, and the facilities to train an adequate coi of new pilots. . » The vote yesterday on the Army bill was 74 to 0. The united front with which Congress is tackling the defense problem was shown again today in the 78-to-0 vote on.the Navy bill. Earlier, the Senate Naval Com- mittee was told by Admiral John H. Towers that the Navy expects tp train 15,000 new pilots for its Air Corps by June 30, 1944. That would give the Navy a tota! of 18,500 trained pilots by that date, he testified. During the next 12 months the increase will be small, because expansion of training facil= ities will be the first step, the ad- miral explained. By July "1, 1941, the total number of pilots will be 3,850. Thereafter, however, the number will go up rapidly, he said, to these totals: July 1, 1942, 6,800 pilots; July, 1043, 12,000, and July, 1944, 18,500. The bill the Senate passed today, the committee was told, will enable the Navy to buy or contract for 2,970 more planes. Under, the 1938 air program, thel admiral said, the Navy was authorized to buy not less than 3,000 planes. As of today, he said, 1,800 have been delivered, and 933 are under contract for de- livery during the coming year. Financing Uncertain. 1t was still uncertain today whether congressional leaders will find it necessary to consider new taxes or 8 boost in the debt limit before ad- journment to finance the heavy de- fense outlays. Chairman Harrison of the Finance Committee told the Senate late yesterday the committee would be called as soon as complete data is compiled by the Treasury, to decide whether the revenue problem (See DEFENSE, Page A-3.) Nazi Mechanized Units Seek to Join Forces By the Associated Press. BERN, Switzerland, May 23.—Two groups of fast German mechanized rajders—one in Belgium and the other in France—are attempting to join forces in the Calais-Boulogne area in France and harry the British-Belgian rear, German diplo- matic sources reported here today. The Germans said- the break of a mechanized column through the British-Belgian line near Audenarde, Belgium, caused the Nasis to order the raiding column in the Abbeville, France, sector to turn northward. Between the unit in Belgium and the new goal, however, are flooded regions behind Dunkerque, France. 10,000 | AINS Germans Mass At Coast for Major Stroke U-Boat and Speedboat Crews Champing; Infantry Pours In By LOUIS P. LOCHNER, Associated Press War Correspondent. WITH THE GERMAN ARMIES ON THE WESTERN FRONT, May 23.—I have reached the English Channel to find German forces here with the Nazi swastika flying. It seems almost unbelievable that I should find Germany at this chan- nel. But the swastika waving from the locai commander’s headquarters leaves no doubt about it. Crews of U-boats and speedboats are champing to be sent on their errands of destruction. (Mr. Lochner, chief of the As- sociated Press bureau in Berlin, is in the Afth day of a tour with the German forces on personal invitation of Hitler. He did not specify the point at which he reached the English Channel but apparently it was some place in Belgium.) Here as elsewhere the roads of approach are jammed with infantry, more infantry, and still mere in- fantry, and with artillery ever more formidable, backed by an air force equipped to the last fine detail. All are awaiting Adolf Hitler’s final command to go ta England. Attack Will Be No Picnic. Everywhere o hears soldiers singing the “Engeliand” song. Young | men realized such a venture would | be no picnic. | “Maybe 50 of each 100 ships will be sunk by the British,” one in- fantryman from Saxony said to me in his quaint dialect, “But why shouldn't I be lucky and be on one of the ships that P gets over? “And if not * * * well, that just cannot be helped.” Another lad from Mecklenburg rubbed his hands and declared: “Oh, boy! Won't it be great to | march on to London?” Just when Hitler will push the button, however, nobody could pre=- dict. Meanwhile, the occupation forces have normalized life in this sector of the front as they did everywhere else. The Belgians go about their work as usual. Cafes and restau- rants are open, with Germans and Belgians mingling freely. Shops are open and goods are sold for either Belgian or German money at a rate of 10 francs to one mark. Before the German invasion tne Belgian franc was valued at 33 cents; the nominal rate on tne | Reichsmark is 40 cents. Bombing-Attacks First. * Germany’s western armies battled, * meanwhile, to ‘close the right wing of their pincers about allied forces ih Northern France and Belgium and af the same time poured otker divisions into mopping-up opera- tions behind their lines before un- dertaking their next big maneuver, Hitler is not likely to attempt to attack England herself until he has paved the way to his satisfaction with a tried and trusted program of these main points: 1. Destruction of all British naval, air and ground organization by air raiding. 2. Similar destruction of airplanes and vessels. 3. Combined attack by speedboats, submarines and air bombers on British transports and warships. \ Not until the Fuehrer feels that this has been done satisfactorily is he likely to aim a decisive blow with land forces. Continuous bombing of the Bel- gian Channel port of Ostend and the Prench- ports of Dunkerque, Calais and Dieppe is in line with this in the continental fighting, the intention -being to demolish docks to which British reinforcements ‘might come and from which British and allied troops might escape in event of a rout. Spy Suspect Arresied With Maps of Atlanfa By the Associated Press. ATLANTA, May 23.—Arrest of a spy suspect possessing maps of po- tential military value was disclosed today by Atlanta police. Detective Chief J. A. McKibben declined to give the prisoner’s name, but said he was being held “for investigation” and described him as a 65-year-old man who speaks with a heavy German accent. Mr. McKibben said also that: The suspect described himself as a bricklayer, but his hands showeéd no signs of such manual labor; found in his quarters at a rooming house were scores of maps of key highways and natural gas lines leading into Atlanta, railway lines and yards in and around this city, floor plans of big Atlanta buildings; the prisoner admitted making the maps, but said it was “for practice”; also in hi# room were numerous engineering textbooks, radio man- uals and other techincal works; he claimed to have been in the United States for 39 years, despite his ac- cent, but could produce no Social Security number or naturalization papers; he was arrested sh N