Evening Star Newspaper, May 24, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Rain tonight and probably tomorrow morning; not much caange in tempera- ture; lowest tonight about 60. Tempera- tures todsy—Highest, 60, at midnight; lowest, 57, at 7:30 a. From the United States Full det .; 59 at 2 pm. ‘Weatner Bureau report. n Py A-2. Closing New York Markets—Sales, Page 20 88th YEAR. No. 35,087. he FEpening WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION . WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, MAY 24, 1940—FIFTY-FOUR PAGES. St k% ‘From Press to Home Within the Hour’ Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every evening and Sunday morning. () Means Associ * % ed Press. THREE CENTS. ALLIES ATTACK TO CUT GERMAN CORRIDOR Invaders Threaten Calais; British Jail Rintelen in Big ARE JUST LENDING Tis To You,WiNNIE, You English Admit Loss of Boulogne; Nazis Over Scheldt, in Ghent <* Reich Forces Are Caught In Artillery Cross-Fire And Pincers By the Associated Press. Movement Allied artillery raked advancing German armored columns with a devastating cross-fire in the battle of Flanders today as other Nazi legions struck at the “gates of Calais”—only 22 miles from Dover, England—and cap- tured the strategic French seaport of Boulogne. With the mastery of the English Channel at stake, the Allies hurled masses of infantry against the German salient at its bottle- neck, between Cambrai and the River Somme. It was the first time in the 15-day-old campaign that the two branches of the service in which the Allies claim superiority, “infantry and artillery, were thrown into full play. Away to the south, in France, the Germans hailed bombs on the Paris-Rouen Railway in an attempt to cut off the French capital from the important harbor of Le Havre. German legions, after crashing through Scheldt River fortifica- tions into Tournai and Ghent, Calais, it was said in Berlin. Belgium, are now approaching The swift-moving German drive was believed to have engulfed Bt. Omer, less than 20 miles southeast of Calais, last night. The German plan for a direct offensive against the British Isles | was being whipped into-shape with the advance toward Calais. German capture of Boulogne—France’s strategic seaport, just 20 minutes by air from London—was admitted in authoritative London quarters. A Nazi force grappled in fierce fighting with Allied troops in the streets of Ghent. The trend of battle in the critical struggle for mastery of the English Channel veered rapidly north, with the Germans strik- ing hard for the shortest direct jumping-off base for England. In so doing, Hitler’s armored legions simultaneously tightened the steel trap on between 500,000 and 1,000,000 Allied troops “pocketed” in Northern France and Belgium. T Boulogne Is Lost LONDON, May 24 (#).—Boulogne, ance’s strategic seaport, 20 min- tes by air from London, has fallen to the German spearhead on the English Channel coast, authoritative sources acknowledged today. “The Germans took possession of Boulogne last night,” they said. Prime Minister Churchill told Parliament yesterday severe fighting was raging “around and in” Bou- logne and that the fighting, a threat | to British communications, had *“implications of a serious charagter.” Today came word of the' German eeizure of the beautiful port city, whose population in peacetime numbered more than 50,000. A spokesman said that virtually all the British troops at Boulogne “got away.” He indicated that the Germans were able to seize the town because of their stronger forces. > had no knowledge of the size of the German capturing force. 26 Miles From Folkstone. Boulogne, the point farthest west of the German sweep through the Low Countries and France in the 15-day-old “real war’ is only 26 miles by boat from Folkstone, 105 ¥ miles by water from London and about 80 miles by air. Boulogne was seized apparently by German mechanized columns worming north along the Channel coast from Abbeville, France, which was reached last Tuesday. En route, according to German diplomatic sources at Bern, Switzer- land, the Germans captured the French town of Montreuil, near the Channel, and occupied the Channel port of Le Touquet, about 12 miles south of Boulogne. Le Touquet is a famous coastal resort. The British authority, who an- nounced Boulogne's fall, said that other points reached by German mechanized detachments were not being disclosed because such dis- closures might be the first news of the actions to reach the German command itself. Presumably the German conquer- ors would try to push 20 miles across hump in the French coastline to ttack Calais. (The Germans have pictured Calais as the most impor- tant of their Channel objectives.) Claim 20 Planes Downed. The advance on Calais, coupled with a German thrust pointed through Ghent, Belgium, would practically seal the ring thrown » about a half million to a million allied troops on the plains of (See LONDON, Page A-12) Art Treasures Spirited Out of Brussels Vanish BY the Associated Press. PARIS, May 24—Thirty truck- loads of art treasures including paintings by Rubens, Rembrandt and Van Dyck are missing, it was disclosed today, after being spirited out of Brussels during the German invasion. The priceless treasures were taken »from the Brussels museum and placed in trucks which set out for France over the bombed and refugee- tangled roads of Belgium. They departed before the fall of the Belgium capital a week ago t;\dny, but have not been heard from &ince, + Approaching Calais He added, however, that he | “ BERLIN, May 24 (#).—Geérmany’s legions in rolling armor have crashed through Scheldt River fortifications into Tournai and Ghent, Belgium, and have approached the “gates of Calais,” vital Channel port on the French side, authoritative sources declared today. Engulfing the French towns of St. Omer in their path, fast-moving German armored cars were said to have approached Calais this fore- noon. Calais lies only 22 miles across the English Channel from the ¢halk cliffs of Dover, England. It is assumed that St. Omer, less than 20 miles southeast of Calais, was taken last night or early this! morning. New Link in Chain. The Calais drive gave shape to the German aim of setting the stage for an attack on England. It also forged a new link in the chain of fire and steel which Germany is drawing tighter around 500,000 to 1,000,000 Allied soldiers trapped in Flanders. The power of the penetration of the Scheldt River defenses was typi- fied by the German high command, which said that *“divisions” had broken the line, their momentum carrying them on westward to the Lys River and perhaps across it. Informed German sources said the railway line between Paris and Rouen had been bombarded regu- larly by the German Air Force in order to cut off the French capital from the important western harbor of Le Havre. Six Transports Sunk. In smashes beyond the tangled lines of battle the German air force reported it had sunk six loaded (See BERLIN, Page A-4) Bombardment of Metz And Strasbourg Reported By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 24—Helen Hiett, N. B. C. correspondent in Paris, said in a broadcast to the United States today that “word has just come in that Strasbourg and Metz have been bombarded during the night.” She added that no details were available. Both cities remain in French hands. Metz is about 25 miles south of Luxembourg, and Strasbourg is | on the Rhine 80 miles southeast of | Metz. War Bulletin King Accuses Nazis LONDON, May 24 (.—On a black Empire Day, with Eng- land threatened by the first invasion since 1066, King George VI today accused Nazi Germany of a “long-planned scheme to subjugate by force the nations of the world.” The King, in a personal broadcast, called upon his peoples to “keep your resolve unshaken.” Speaking gravely, King George told the far-flung em- pire that a ‘“decisive struggle is upon us.” “The issue is now plain: It is an issue of life or death for us all,” he declared. “Defeat will not mean some brief eclipse from which we shall emerge with strength renewed—it will mean the de- struction of our world as we have known it and the descent of darkness upon its ruins.” Hatred and Death Meet Correspondent In Belgian Towns Describes Revengeful Expressions and Pitiful Scenes By LOUIS P. LOCHNER, Associated Press War Cotréspondent. WITH THE GERMAN WESTERN ARMIES, May 24—Hatred . . death . . . disaster-numbed people groping their way back to a sem- blance of their old lifé: These are flashes in the picture seen on Ger- man-conquered Belgian soil. In no Belgian community through | which we have crossed this week in the tour behind the front with the German forces have I noticed more hatred in people’s eyes than in Aer- schot, 10 miles northeast of Louvain. In fact I often have been surprised how quickly the local population and | the occupation army made friends. Could Have Been “Killed By Looks.” I travel every day in a first lieu- tenant's car. I suppose the popula- tion takes me for German. If looks could have killed, I would be a corpse today in Aerschot. This place had the ill fate of be- ing the scene of one of the most vio- lent tank fights. Get between two groups of tanks and little is left of your town. Aerschot is a picture of desolation. Hundreds of citizens were standing around pitifully at the market place where vegetables just had arrived (See LOCHNER, Page A-5) Cudahy Reports Safefy Of Staff in Belgium John Cudahy, American Ambas- sador to Belgium, reported to the State Department through the Ger- man Foreign Office today that all members of the American diplomatic and consular staffs in Brussels are safe. 5 The State Department had no definite information concerning wel- fare of other Americans in Belgium and the Netherlands, but said there were no indications that any had been killed in the German invasions. Mr. Cudahy's message, transmit- ted through the German Foreign Office to Alexander Kirk, Charge, d'Affaires of the American Embassy in Berlin and forwarded by him to Washington, was the first commu- nication from the Ambassador to Belgium since May 16. There has been no direct word from George A. Gordon, American Minister to the Netherlands, since May 15. By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 24.—A small band of British and French soldiers was reported tonight to have wiped out German parachute attackers, aimed with sub-machine guns, dropped on a small French village behind the western front. The British were said to have been armed only with rifles. The Air Ministry announced that 16 members of the ground staff of a Royal Air Force squadron had stopped to rest at the village, weary from 17 hours on the road, when at dusk German bombers came roaring over the rooftops. The bombers flew around until night fell and then dropped the parachutists. The R. A. F. men, joined by & Nazi ‘Chutists Wiped Out In Clash in French Village few French soldiers resting at a nearby estaminet, set out in search of the Nazi machine gunners, the Air Ministry said, and there followed a house-to-house fight through the village. “By daybreak every parachutist was dead,” said the Air Ministry announcement. ROUEN, Prance, May 24 (#).—A Ger- man parachutist, carrying a bicycle and incendiary equipment, was re- ported captured last night after he landed in the Gournay region near Rouen, south of the Somme, on a mission of spreading fire behind the allied lines, He said he had been ordered to . | tor have discarded the flame-throw- =3 Flanders Battle Is Continuing In Third Day By the Associated Press. PARIS, May 24¢.—The Allied armies caught German armored columns in an artillery crossfire today in a new effort to cut the Reich Army’s corridor to the sea and turn the tide of the battle for mastery of the English Channel. Masses of allied infantry also weighed down on the German sali- ent, pressing south from Flanders flelds in the Cambrai region and north from the Somme River in a pincers movement designed to break off the spearhead which has twisted west to the channel coast This turn in the campaign brought into full play for ine first time the two brandhes of the service in which the Allies claim superiority. A corridor 30 miles wide separates the central French Army on the Somme from the northern Allied armies of French, British and Bel-| gian troops in Flanders. Through that gap German mechanized forces are pushing northwest to the sea. On both sides of the corridor the Allies today installed artillery bat- teries which ranged from the fa- mous French “78s” (3-inch guns) to the heaviest pieces which could be | hauled up. Allied Junction Sought. Their fire raked the German col- umns constantly, while Allied | planes defying acknowledged Ger- man air superiority—ventured over | the German salient to bomb and machine-gun roads and troop con- | centrations. Some Allied mechanized forces | lurked just outside the corridor, lying in wait for German motor- and advance guard and allenging the heavy German tanks to frequent skirmishes. The German columns in this sec- ing tanks they used 1o cut through the Meuse River fortifications in Northern France last week, military reports said. Instead, they are using tanks equipped with machine-guns. The flame-throwers had only a 70- yard range. While the Northern Allied Army fought southward ir. the Cambria- Valenciennes region French tforces of the Somme were fighting rorth- ward to attempt to effect a junction at & point which remains a military secret. ‘Weygand Sees Reynaud. In Paris, Gen. Maxime Weygand, fresh from the front, conferred with Premier Reynaud and Vice Premier Marshal Petain. M. Reynaud main- tained Anglo-French diplomatic liai- son by conferring with the British Ambassador, Sir Ronald Hugh Campbell. At the western extremity of the German spearhead French advance guards are reported to have caught up with the German light armored units near the Channel port of Bou- logne, and sharp fighting is under way, according to a military spokes- man. It is only 26 miles across the Channel from Boulogne to Folke- stone, England. Battle Near Boulogne. French advance guards fought vig- orously against small German light units in the region of the English Channel near Boulogne, a military spokesman said, while the battle of Flanders raged into its third day with sustained violence eastward in the vicinity of Valenciennes, Earlier, the French spokes- man acknowledged that the German infiltration to the Bou- logne area was continuing through a 25-mile gap in the Allied lines south of Arras in the vicinity of Bapaume. Allied troops, the French spokes- man said, were trying to plug up the gap in the allied lines near Bapaume, but German troops con- tinued to move northwest through the opening. The spokesman said there was little change since yesterday in the fighting in the Valenciennes-Cam- brai-Arras area, where the French then claimed gains. French, English and Belgian troops were said to have repulsed German attacks - and themselves counterattacked. The positions were said to have remained relative- ly the same overnight. Positions Held Firmly, A high command communique, unusually terse, said that the Somme River positions had been held firmly after a series of small French vic- tories reducing German bridgeheads on the southern bank. The French push into the south- ern sections of Amiens yesterday was maintained, the French spokes- man said. French action was said to have thrown back German out- posts and to have established strong French positions from which Ger- man units were being mopped up. The Germans met &ith “little or no success” in fighting farther east- ward south of Sedan near Attigny, on the Aisne River, he reported. WE CAN RETURN IT LATER Trosky Is Fired On By Mexican Band; Stalin Blamed Exiled Revolutionary, Attacked in Home, Is Hurt Slightly by Glass By the Associated Press. MEXICO CITY, May 24.—At least 20 men disguised as police and armed with machine guns, rifles and incendiary bombs raided the guarded residence of Leon Trotsky early to- day and fired volleys into the bed- room of the exiled Russian revolu- tionary and long-time foe of Joseph Stalin. Trotsky, slightly injured, blamed the attacks “directly” on Stalin. One of an undisclosed number ot secretary-bodyguards on duty at the time was kidnaped and his fate was undetermined. He was identified as Sheldon Harte, 25, of New York City The attackers hurled incendiary bombs into the yard of Trotsky’s suburban villa to light the scene— it was before dawn—and then opened fire. Police declared it was an amaz- ingly well-planned attempt on Trotsky's -life, but that his only in- | Jjuries were minor cuts from splinters and flying glass. Bullets ripped into the bedroom where Trotsky and his wife had lain asleep only a few minutes be- fore. The bearded, little Russian and his wife crouched in a corner between ‘the heavy stone walls of the bedroom to escape the fusillade. Trotsky came to Mexico in 1937 after the wandering exile that fol- lowed his falling out with the powers of the Soviet Russia he helped to build as one of the leaders of the October, 1917, revolution. Trotsky first resided at the sub- urban villa of the Mexican muralist, Diego Rivera, but lately has lived in a walled-in house in the village of Coyoacan, Mexico City suburb. Several Houses Destroyed In Lima Earthquake By the Associated Press. LIMA, Peru, May 24.—A strong earthquake of one-minute duration demolished several houses today and sent the population into the streets in a panic. First reports said a few persons were injured, but none killed. Tele- phone and power service was inter- rupted in some parts of the city. ‘Ten minutes after the disturb- ances, frightened persons were still leaving the area of damage. Lima, capital of Peru, with a pop- ulation of more than 176,000, has been stricken several times by earth- quakes. The most disastrous on record was that of 1746 when 5,000 of the 60,000 inhabitants were killed and many buildings destroyed. Giraud and Staff Held In Villa in Germany By the Associated Press. - BERLIN, May 24—Gen. Henri Giraud, a prisoner of war, identified by the Germans as the commander of the broken 9th French Army, is in custody with his staff at a villa somewhere in Germany. Trade Mission to Moscow Weighed by Britain By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 24—Britain was reliably reported today to be con- sidering the dispatch of a trade mission to Moscow. This would be The Nazi command, it was said, launched an attack with “perhaps a division™ of troops after & tremen- (Bee PARIS, Page Ag5) . in line with Prime Minister Churchill's government policy seeking - .improved relations with Soviet Russia. Hoare Is Sent On Mission To Spain Br the Associated Press. LONDON, May 24—Sir Samuel was appointed today as Ambassador | to Madrid “on a special mission.” Sir Samuel, who has held many impartant cabinet posts under va- rious Prime Ministers, including thet of Foreign Secretary, was Alr | Secretary in the late Chamberlain | government. He was dropped from the government formed by Winston Churchill. An announcement today said that since Sir Maurice Peterson, the pres- ent Ambassador, was being selected for another post, Sir Samuel had been appointed “to proceed to Madrid as His Majesty’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on a special mission.” Sir Samuel was expected to arrive in Madrid next week. The nature of the “special mission” was not dis- closed immediately. Foreign Secretary Viscount Halifax stated recently that Britain had the | firmest intention of respecting | Spanish neutrality so long as it was | respected by others, and he said it was British policy to “maintain and develop the friendly relations at | present existing” between Britain and Spain. No Basis for Stories 0f Coalifion Plan, Roosevelt Asserts Democrats Doubt ‘Chat’ Will Disclose Third-Term Intentions President Roosevelt today repudi- ated without qualification reports that the administration had desired to form a coalition Government in the face of the war crisis. Going beyond a previous state- ment in which he had said in effect that all he knew about the matter -was what he read in the papers, the President told his press conference of whole cloth from the beginning. ‘The newspapers, he continued, hav- ing gone out on a limb on the coali~ | tion cabinet idea and finding them- selves-wrong, have been trying to brazen it out. The fault, he added, is not that of the men writing from the White House, but of their desk superiors. With the limb sawed off, the col- umnists and editorial writers are responsible for keeping the idea alive, he said. Silent on Landon Visit. Mr. Roosevelt declined to discuss the visit Wednesday of Alf M. Lan- don, titular head of the Republican party and its 1936 presidential can- didate, remarking only that the statement of his secretary, Stephen T. Early, covered it very nicely. Mr. Early issued a statement late Wednesday saying the President had no time to talk politics in response to a demand by Mr. Landon that the Chief Executive declare himself on the third-term situation. Questioned about his conference late yesterday with Gov. Lloyd C. Stark of Missouri, Mr. Roosevelt said they had discussed principally the forthcoming Governors’ Con- ference, from which was expected an expression of co-operation for the Federal Government's defense . The President expressed complete confidence that such co- operation will be forthcoming. Meanwhile, as Mr. Roosevelt’s pledged. and semi-pledged delegates to the Democratic convention reached & majority today Republicandemands arose that he state his third-term intentions in his night Sunday of | “fireside chat” on national defense. Democrats, however, expected no (See POL!TIC‘M A-3) ¢ o Hoare, & veteran cabinet minister, that the story had been made out |- Spy C.A.A. Starfs Training 50,000 as Airplane (Pilots July 1 550 Primary Centers To Be Established, President Reveals | ARMY AIR PROGRAM may cemer‘ on two types of planes. Page A-7| By JOHN C. HENRY. ‘The Civil Aeronautics Authority will launch an airplane pilots’ train- | ing program on July 1 calculated to furnish basic instruction to 50,000 young men within one year’s time, it was announced today by Presi- dent Roosevelt. The President told his Friday press conference that about 550 primary training centers will be | established by the C. A. A, with the costs to be met in special sup- plementary appropriation by Con- gress. No estimate of this cost is yet available, he said, but it will be supplied in the near future. Men between the ages of 18 and 25 will be eligible for the training, Mr. Roosevelt announced, and will be drawn from three principle sources. Colleges Are First. First will be the 435 colleges and | schools already participating in C. A. A. training activities, plus other institutions which may desire to Jjoin the program. Second will be the large group of citizens who have had some flying instruction or may even have held licenses in the past but have more recently discontinued their active interest. Third will be those who fall in the proper age and eligibility cate- gory but are neither college students nor have had any previous instruc- tion. In announcing this immediate plan to step up the Nation’s pre- paredness in the air, the President reminded his conference that the C. A. A. is just now completing its initial training program, with about 10,000 persons having obtained basic instruction in the present fiscal year, ending June 30. Actually, he added, the new program will be merely an expansion of the present one. Three Months’ Gain Seen. ‘With the primary training thus provided, the flying candidates are estimated to be about three months advanced to eventual acceptance as military pilots as needed. In addi- tion to the initial instruction for the 10,000 this year, the C. A. A. also provided advanced training for about 1,900 pilot instructors, Mr. Roosevelt said. Provision will be spade, the Pres- ident added, to enrol pass the basic instruction §a reserve units. Not all of those receive this training will be completely eligible for the more advanced military re- quirements of the Army and Navy, he added. The President remarked that a group of able and well-known citi- zens already has sensed the value of this contemplated program and their support is appreciated by the | Government. Presumably, he was ! referring to the civilian committees being formed by Col. Frank Knox, Chicago publisher and 1936 Repub- lican vice presidential candidate. Press Advises Germans Victory Soon Is Unlikely By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 24—The Ger- man press advised Germans toda! against expecting an immediate vic- tory, William Kerker, N. B. C. cor- respondent, said in a talk from Berlin. ‘The newspaper acknowledged, Mr. Kerker sgid, that the German Army was up against well-trained and well-equipped forces, and hazard that a decisive victory probably ‘would not come for at least a month, estimated on the basis of the 15 days it took to conquer Poland. Roundup , Former German Espionage Head Taken in London 40 Fifth Column Suspects Arrested in . Relentless Cleanup | By the Associated Press. LONDON, May 24.—Capt. Franz | von Rintelen, noted for German esplonage activities during the World War and in recent years a resident of England, was detained today in England’s drive against fifth column activities. In the World War, Von Rintelen was one of the chief German spies in the United States, then came to England in 1936 as a “conscientious objector” to Nazi-ism in Germany. He had been allowed freedom of | movement here. Offered to Assist British. At the time of his appearance be- fore the English aliens’ court last October, Von Rintelen offered Britain: “All my experience, energy and capabilities in the ensuing struggle for the defense of her liberties.” He was captured aboard a ship off Ramsgate in 1915 and returned to the United States, where he was convicted of sabotaging munitions ships. He was released from prison late in 1920. At his trial, a 23-day sensation in May, 1917, he was described as hav- ing poured vast sums of money from Germany into the placing of sabotage agents in American war industries from April to August, 1915, U. 8. Rejected Release Plea. During Von Rintelen's imprison- ment, the United States repeatedly refused demands by Germany that | he be released in prisoner exchanges. ‘When set free, he sailed at once for Speedy Executions And Sensational Spy Disclosures Assured By WILLIAM H. STONEMAN, Chicago Dally News Foreign Correspondent. LONDON, May 24—When the story of the British “fifth column” is finally revealed—as it cannot be at this moment— the whole western world will have a profound shock and the consequences may easily be ap- palling in character. This correspondent hereby wishes to make a prophecy— without revealing any facts which it would be disloyal to disclose. First, a good many people who have been living in comparative security are going to be shot—and speedily. Sec- ond, one of the most sensational stories of the war will be broken within the near future. (Copyright, 1940, by Chicago Daily News, Inc.) Germany, where he remained until his appearance in England. He said he would not remain in Germany under Nazi rule. His detention came as London po- lice pressed their roundup of “fifth column” suspects. and arrested five more members of Fascist Leader Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union. Police announced the arrest of 21 men and 4 women in the London area today. Von Rintelen, self-styled “fugitive from Nazi-ism,” told newspapermen vesterday that German invasion of Britain was “impossible,” although he considered the British “lethargic” to the war's dangers. He hinted at that time that he was engaged in secret work for the British governe ment. More than 40 suspects have been taken into custody. Three members of Sir Oswald's (See FIFTH COLUMN, Page A-3.) Fuel Lack Stalls Motorized Nazis, Paris Hears By the Associated Press. NEW YORK, May 24.—Paul Ar- chinard, National Broadcasting Co. representative in Paris, said in a broadcast today that 5000 German troops of mechanized units were reported “isolated” in Amiens and that other Nazi mechanized forces had “stalled” from lack of fuel. Although French military authori- ties were unable to confirm the re- port of the “isolated” forces at Amiens, Archinard said, they told of numerous motorized units stalled in the Flanders region and added that allied forces were busy “mop- ping them up.” Amiens had been taken by the Germans, but the French command claimed today that French troops had returned to the city and were holding newly wen lines. GUIDE FOR READERS Page. Amuse- ments .B-16-17 | Radio . Comics C-10-11 | Society . Edftorials ..A-10 | Sports Finance ...A-19| Woman's Lost, Found .A-3| Page ... A (Complete Index, Page A-2) L]