Evening Star Newspaper, May 31, 1940, Page 1

Weather Forecast Fair tonight; tomorrow partly cloudy; local showers at night; little change in temperature; lowest tonight about 58. Temperatures today—Highest, 72, at 1 p.m.; lowest, 55, at 5:15.a.m.; 71 at 2 p.m. From the United States Weather Bureau report. Full details on Page A-2. ‘From Press to Home Within the Hour’ Most people in Washington have The Star delivered to their homes every Closing N. Y. Markets—Sales, Page 22. No. 35,094. 88th YEAR. ch ¢ Foenir WITH SUNDAY MORNING EDITION WASHINGTON, D. C, FRIDAY, MAY 31, 1940—SIXTY-SIX PAGES. evening and Sunday morning. (#) Means ook ok ok Associated -Press. THREE CENTS. 90,000 FLEEING FLANDERS REACH BRITAI President Asks Billion More for Defen ’ French Fight Way to Dunkerque As Allies Battle to Hold Harbor British Set Up Wall of Fire Hitler Is Expected To Use Threat of Italian Attack B the Associated Press. | Half-starved, numbed with| weariness, but still wanting “another crack at Jerry,” tens of thousands of British Tommies and French Polius arrived at English ports today while other Allied troops stubbornly defend- ed the port of Dunkerque to cover | one of history’s greatest mass | retreats. London reported about 90,000 soldier survivors of the bloody‘» battle of Flanders—now in its dying hours—have landed in| England. About 58,000 were | British. | The story of Allied casualties | remained untold, but both| French and British authorities | said the Germans had lost 500,000 men in the 22-day-old war in the west. Whilesale slaughter of Hitler’s con- quering warriors was indicated in a Berlin dispatch which said that 100 huge Junkers-52 type planes—each carrying 20 soldiers sitting, eight lving on stretchers—were used in one day in a single section on the western front to transport wounded | troops to base hospitals. A regular air ambulance service for the Ger- | man Army has been established, the | dispatch said. | Hint Paris Next Goal. Meanwhile, German radios blared | 2 new “On to Paris!” song instead of the popular “We Are Sailing Against England”—hinting that the next Nazi blow may be directed against the French capital. In the flight from Flanders, Brit- | {sh Tommies fought to hold the Allies’ “escape” port of Dunkerque and stem the Nazi advance to the | Bea. Dunkerque itself was a kettle- drum of dinning anti-aircraft fire. | Naval guns co-operating with Brit- ish pursuit squadrons operating from bases in England made the air “literally forbidden” to Nazi| bombers. Thousands of battle-weary troops, both French and English, streamed | into the port through a pass be- tween muddy sea water, several| miles wide, which girded the city like the moat of an ancient fortress. | Canal locks opened by the Allies| epilled deepening water over the flooded defense area. The Germans reported wiping out a British pocket near Cassel, 20 miles south of Dunkerque, when the | Tommies attempted to break| through to the north to reach Dun- | kerque and embark in the great re- treat from Flanders. Trapped French forces in the Lille area were said in Berlin to| have “practically ceased to exist.” Hitler Peace Offer Expected. An early attempt by Adolf Hit]eri to split England and France with separate offers of peace—under threat of calling Germany’s axis partner, Italy, into the war—was | forecast in London, but the peace | offers would be quickly rejected. it | was said | Fleeing French and British sol- | diers, secking escape by séa at the French Channel port of Dunkerque.l were isolated in three “death traps,” according to Berlin. A French military spokesman said, | however, that “important elements” of the French Army have slashed | their way through German lines be- | tween Cassel and Poperinghe and| are making their way to the coast. The German Fuehrer and his| Propaganda Minister Goebbels were reported in conference at Hitler's western front headquarters to p pare a “sensational annonucement” ~—possibly the peace overture en- | visioned in London. 90,000 Are Landed LONDON, May 31 (#).—Reliable British sources estimated today that a total of about 90,000 British, French and Belgians had been landed in England from the Flan- ders battleground. About two-thirds of these are (See LONDON, Page A-4) U. S. Creates lts Sixth 'Streamlined’ Division By the Associated Press. The War Department announced today the creation of a sixth “streamlined” division with head- quarters at Fort Benning, Ga. Brig. Gen. Walter E. Prosser was as- signed to command it. The new unit, designated the 4th Division, was set up in anticipation of an immediate increase of 15,000 men in the strength of the Regular Army. Gen. Prosser is on duty now with the infantry section of the 6th Divi- sion, which has just completed ma- neuvers with the 3d Army in Loui- siana. His permanent station has been at Fort Francis E. Warren, Wyo. The War Department said he would leave for Fort Benning immediately. [ | rival here today. 'Most of Army Free | Nazi divisions “now are released for | new tasks.” > Across Channel L3 Attacking Bombers Pursuing Transports Almost to Harbors By the Associated Press. A SOUTHEAST COAST PORT IN ENGLAND, May 31.—German | bombing planes raiding the Allied retreat from Flanders “attempted | to pursue our ships right up to the harbor,” a soldier of the British expeditionary force said on his ar- | “I never expected to get back alive,” he said. “Our work was car- ried out in a blizzard of bombs and machine gun bullets. Jerry attacked | in waves every 10 or 15 minutes. | Still they kept coming. | “The fun began when we were about 6 miles off the coast. That's where we had to run the gauntlet.| The bombers not only dropped their | loads, but attempted to pursue our | ships right up to the harkor. Though | the Royal Air Force constantly was taking a tremendous toll of Nazi planes, English soil looked mighty od.” | As the streams of battle-scarred ' Tommies continued to pour into reception ports today it was no- ticeable there were fewer wounded among them. This indicated the majority of the casualties had been given precedence in the retreat and | embarkation. Feeding the Hungry. While the men waited to board the long troop trains ready to speed them to the haven of the flowering English countryside, bakers worked overtime providing food. Women For 'New Tasks' Now, Nazis Say British Destroyer Sinking Is Credited to German Mosquito Boat German Army Hears Message From Italy Has Greatest Import By the Associated Press. WITH THE GERMAN ARMY ON THE WESTERN FRONT, May 31.—Word spread today through the zone of operations that a communication of great- est importance has been re- ceived from Italy. The general opinion was that Premier Mus- solini’s entrance into the war was a question of possibly only a few days. An understanding was said to exist that the Italian Premier would come in after any for- midable danger of attack from the air for his industrial re- gion, fronting on France, had been removed. Talk in army circles is to the effect that Germany appears again to have outwitted her enemies and now seems to be planning a concentric attack on Paris, with the Italians com- ing in from the south. B the Associated Press. BERLIN, May 31.—The main body of the French forces in the Flanders pocket has been dispersed or cap- tured, and the blasting attack on remnants of their British comrades- in-arms is progressing, the German high command declared today, ad- ding ominously that the bulk of the It remained to be seen whether the “new tasks” would be another steamroller drive onto the new Fre 7 line along the River Somme, 70 miles north of Paris, or an at- tempt to invade England, some 20 miles from the blood-won Channel coast—or both. “The main force of German divi- sions in Artois and Flanders now are released for new tasks.” That was as close as the German high com- mand came to pointing the way. Respite for Allies. Overcast skies in the Channel region brought respite to the bat- tered British and French that still lived and fought on the coastal plain or within two tiny pockets on the fringe of the triangular trap “Air force operations in the course of May 30,” said the high command, “were considerably hampered by weather conditions.” ‘The murky sky, however, did not shield the Allies entirely, for new destruction was piled on the old at Dunkerque. The German commu- nique said that “harbor facilities again were raided.” Germany’s mosquito fleet of tor- pedo speedboats chalked up another Allied destroyer. The high eom- (See BERLIN, Page A-4) & 4 to Save Ships Tommies Claiming 5 Nazi Casualties For One British B the Associated Press, LONDON, May 31—British soldiers from Flanders passing through London said they had inflicted five casualties for one on the Germans, but the cry on nearly every man's lips was “for God’s sake give us more airplanes.” British and French soldiers everywhere demonstrated their superiority over the German ground forces, the returning men said. With the Tommies were a number of auxiliary territorial service girls. Meanwhile, stiff fighting is in progress at Dunkerque, the French embarkation port, and evacuation is proceeding under the protection of Allied naval guns and the “Corunna line"— the latter named after the cele- brated battle of Corunna in Spain, January 16, 1809, when the British under Sir John Moore successfully repulsed su- perior French forces and em- barked. volunteers, regardless of fatigue and long hours, cut mountains of sand- wiches and served rivers of tea at makeshift canteens for men who hadn’t had a square meal for nearly a week and only snatches of sleep Yor the last two weeks. A lieutenant commander in charge of one of the naval vessels bringing home troops said: “I don’t think we have a crumb of food or even a cup of cocoa left in the ship. My men have been magnificent—uncomplaining in the face of bombing and machine- gunning. We are quite determined that not a man shall be left behind for want of a ship.” One of the French soldiers among those brought to English shores said | that, in the withdrawal toward the | coast, “we were machine-gunned so often we almost got used to it.” “We always were ready to jump into the nearest ditch to avoid Ger- man planes sweeping low and mow- ing down refugees and others in- discriminately,” he continued. “Al- | ways there were some who did not | rise again. One almost gets used to | that, too.” It was announced today that the battle-worn thousands will be given | a well-earned rest. A short leave| will enable the military authorities to get them reassembled. Ship Sunk by Mine. One French soldier reaehing safety | said he and 21 comrades were in a French ship which struck a mag- netic mine and sank. He alone was rescued. Some rescued men were in such a state they had to be met at the ship with uniforms before they could | land. | Already a Jarge proportion of the | B. E. F—its members proclaiming their spirit unbroken after braving | hell and high water—is said to have | been withdrawn from the Nazi death trap in Belgium and Northern “(See EYE-WITNESS, Page A-14) | Bloody Retreat Of 30,000 Men Completed BULLETIN. PARIS, May 31 (#).—A French military spokesman said today that the Abbeville sector had been ‘“completely cleaned up” after several days of Allied operations which had yielded several hundred German prison- ers and many weapons and sup- ply trains. By the Associated Press. | PARIS, May 31.—Two divisions of | the French rearguard for the Allied retreat from Flanders have fought their way to Dunkerque, it was an- nounced at this afternoon’s Ministry of Information press conference. These divisions, numbering per- haps 30,000 men in all before they underwent the shattering attack in Flanders, were said to have reached the Channel port—exit from the many's mechanized legions laid siege to the town. Armored columns smashed at the Dunkerque gateway and slashed around the French rearguard which covered itself in the manner of Caesar's forces—boxed in by armored phalanxes. The French infantry and artillery kept to the middle of the moving rectangle while tanks guarded four sides. Battet Way in Night. The divisions, "said to be com- manded by Gen. Rene Jacques Adolphe Prioux (whom the Germans lines of envelopment during the night and completed the bloody re- treat in daylight. A Ministry of Information spokes- man said Gen. Prioux’ men fought a “marvelous battle” and their losses are “relative” rather than “catas- trophic.” Meanwhile, along the 200-mile Somme and Aisne River fronts, it reported local infantry actions oc- curred on both sides while further east, between the Aisne and the | Meuse, there was “a fairly violent artillery duel.” An enemy raid was repulsed be- the communique said. French and British warships rushed the evacuation of the weary, war-worn Prioux units which had ben fighting off furious Nazi on- slaughts. At the same time, the vessels landed new food and water supplies for French divisions still fighting | at the southern end of the corridor to the sea. ‘The semi-official Telefrance Agen- (See PARIS, Page A-3) {Argentina Will Purchase | 400 New Warplanes By the Associated Press. BUENOS AIRES, May 31—Pre- paring to reinforce her air defenses, Argentina contemplates acquisition of 400 additional warplanes for her land forces, it was reported today. The newspaper La Nacion said the planes probably would be built in the United States. An appropria- tion of 150,000,000 pesos (about $36,- 000,000) to buy the aircraft and other aviation defense equipment, such as anti-aireraft guns, would be sought, the paper said. Naz ‘Fifth Column’ Evidence Is Found in West Indies By WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY. Evidence of German “fifth col- umn” infusion into the Netherlands West Indies has been found in the last two weeks, according to in- formation received here today. Since the invasion of the Nether- lands by Nazi forces positive steps | to suppress such activities have been taken in that possession, and at least one businessman faces a firing squad because of the discovery in his home of incendiary bombs. Reports from private sources in- dicate the populace in Curacao is considerably upset because of a be- lief that Nazi pilots of the German- owned Sedta Air Lines may have remained in the Latin American countries after the lines were taken over by Pan American. It was dis- closed today that the United States Government is discussing this air- plane and pilot situation with the Latin American countries with a view to curbing any “fifth column” activities in these countries. J. F. Carpenter, whose home ‘is at 2500 Eleventh street North, Ar- lington, Va, was at Willemstad, Curacao, at the time of the Ger- man invasion of the Netherlands. Writing from that port under date of May 14, Mr. Carpenter said: “On last Tuesday the Dutch-Ger- man tension was very high in the old country, and it was momen- tarily expected that the break would come. The Dutch cruiser Van Kins- bergen sailed for Curacao Bay, a few miles south of here, where eight Nazi steamers had been ‘holed up’ | | since the beginning of the war. Be- | fore their arrival there the order to seize the ships was countermand- | ed, and the Van Kinsbergen re- turned to port. The excitement calmed down a little, and things ran approximately normal on Wednes- day and Thursday.” “Thursday night (about 2 am. Priday),” Mr. Carpenter continued, “the Van Kinsbergen slipped quietly out of port, and about four hours later we received the news of the invasion of the Netherlands and the declaration of war. One of the first reports came from a resident of the hotel. The police came to the hotel at 4 am. and got every one up. The proprietor, it has since been dis- closed, was the head of the Nazi organization in Curacao. He and all of the employes who were Ger- mans—and most of them were— were quickly loaded on a steamer and taken over to a ooncentration camp already established at Bonaire, an island a short distance eastward of here. Entire Town Cleaned Up. “The entire town was cleaned up on short notice, for the Dutch had thoroughly catalogued all known or suspected Germans. Even the Ger- man Consul, who is 92 years old and who has lived here for 63 years, to- gether with his 60-year-old daugh- ter, has gone to Bonaire. One prom- inent businessman who had been sent to Bonaire was brought back today for a court-martial when a search of his properties revealed incriminating evidence and & supply of incendiary A, Page A-2) ] say is their prisoner), battered a| path part way through the German | tween the Meuse and Moselle Rivers, | northern battle zone—just as Ger- | EDGVA‘% Tue Supreme Court EVEN To LISTEN P8 THAT THEY Shaa g NG, THE OUR SUPRE] T i " I TaP THe TELE| % 3nss,luw:mes PERSUADING. | ME COURT? se, Right to Call Out Nation i L3 [ T | McNutt Urges All Party Candidates o Back Third Term ! No Indication Given | Farley, Garner, Wheeler Will Heed Appeal By G. GOULD LINCOLN. Federal Security Administrator McNutt, who yesterday issued a ‘summent urging President Roose- velt to accept renomination, today in an interview strongly urged all other aspirants for the Democratic | presidential nomination also to get behind a third-term draft. There were no immediate indica- tions, however, that Vice President Garner, Postmaster General Farley and Senator Wheeler of Montana | would make any such move. Mr. McNutt today made it clear, | also, that if the President should | decide not to run, he himself would nation. The former Indiana Governor has from the start insisted he would not | be a candidate if the President de- | cided to run. His statement yester- | day merely added to this original | declaration a wish that the Presi- {dent would become a candidate again, in view of the war situation abroad and the demand for ade- quate national preparedness. Indiana Support Expected. The Indiana delegation to the | Demogratic National Convention is now expected by Senator Minton of Indiana, a supporter of Mr. Mc- Nutt's, to be instructed to support President Roosevelt for renomina- tion. Barring that, the State con- vention will adopt a resolution urg- ingthe President to run, and direct- ing the delegation to support Mr. McNutt in the event the President declines. Mr. McNutt said his campaign offices in Indianapolis, New York and Washington would continue to operate. One development now expected is that Hoosier Democrats will start a drive to have Mr. McNutt nom- inated for Vice Prtsident on a ticket with President Roosevelt pro- vided the President accepts re- nomination. Some of the Indiana Democrats were discussing the possibility of nominating Mr. McNutt for Gov- ernor since they have been unable to come to a decision on any other candidate for' that office. Hopes for Renomination. Mr., McNutt’s statement of yes- terday follows: “The Nation's welfare, now de- pendent upon total preparedness to avert the threat of total war, re- quires that President Roosevelt con- tinue as the Chief Executive. It is (See POLITICS, Page A-3.) Severe Earth Shock Is Felt in Paducah By the Associated Press. PADUCAH, Ky. May 31.—A se- vere earth shock was felt here at 1:02 pm. (C. S. T) today. The quake was felt as far as 7 miles west. Telephone offices were jammed with calls following the quake, which lasted about 15 sec- onds. Buildings were shaken, but no damage was reported immediately. France Rewards Admiral For Work at Dunkerque By the Associated Press. PARIS, May 31.—French Admiral Jean Abrial was rewarded today for his direction of French naval forces holding the entrenched ports of Dunkerque (five words censored here) by promotion to the rank of Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor. The official journal said he was honored for his “feats of war.” A ¢ continue in the race for the nomi- | Nazis Consider King Leopold Prisoner of War By the Associated Press. BERLIN, May 31.—King Leopold III of Belgium is a prisoner of war, an authorized German source dis- closed today, and it is unlikely that under that status he will be per- mitted to name a new Belgian gov- ernment. The statement was made in re- | sponse to questions col Leo- | pold's status in view of the dis- | agreement with his emigre govern- ment. | The Belgian Army (which had been estimated at 300,000 men) probably will gain its fréédom soon, { this informant said, and the meén | permitted to return home. The Bel- | gian soldiers have not been assigned ; to prisons. The refugee Belgian government | in France last night approved an order legally depriving Leopold of the throne “in the name of the Bel- | gian people.” The order was pub- lished today under the date of May | 28 the day Leopold capitulated. |~ The government met today to | hear an official account of the acts taken by the cabinet of Premier Hu- | bert iPerlot since it fled Belgium. ‘War Department Ban jOn Sale of Surplus 'Arms Hits Allies Order, Amending 1937 With Roosevelt Statement By CONSTANTINE BROWN. The Allied Purchasing Commis- sion in the United States has been making efforts during the last 10 days to purchase from the United States surplus war materials which, according to the law passed in 1920, could be released to any nation not at war with this country. In effect, the Allies are endeavor- ing to buy from the War Department some 1,800,000 Lee Enfield rifies and about a thousand 75-millimeter guns which have been storeti by she Army in various places since the World War. The Lee Enfield rifie was manu- factured in this country for the British Army during the last war. It is not used at the present time by the United States Army. The 75's need a split trail mounting to use fully the ballistic qualities of the barrel and such a transformation would involve an expenditure of $8,000 each, according to the chief of staff of the Army. Order Bars Purchase. The Allies, relying on President Roosevelt's statement to Congress on January 4, 1940, that *his country was prepared to help them with every possible means short of war, inquired about the possibilities of purchasing for cash this surplus ‘war material. This order amending the regula- tion of 1937, which made it impos- sible for any foreign nation to pur- chase war material in the United States. did not help the French and the British governments in any way. As far as these governments are concerned, the March, 1940, amend- ment is just as effective as the 1937 order. The amendment prohibits “the sale, resale, transfer or mort- gage of such items (surplus or ob- solete war material) to any foreign government or power engaged in armed conflict with any other foreign government or power, or to any mational of such a govern- ment or power whether or not a state of war has been declared to exist * * *” The terrific losses sustained by the Allied troops in the present war has Soigglonid ctiste susplies ¢ ool 4 ' (See ARMS, Page 4-6) § Regulation, Is at Variance | ?New Taxes and Higher Debf Limit Needed, 'Morgenthau Says i Borrowing Power to Be Exhausted by February, Treasury Chief Testifies By J. A, O'LEARY. Additional taxes and an increase in the national debt limit both “are essential” to meet expanded de- | mands for the national defense, Sec- retary of the Treasury Morgenthau told the Housé Ways and Meéans | Committee today. Testifying at the opening of hear- ings on the $656,000,000 defense tax | bill urged by President Roosevelt, | Secretary Morgenthau said that as | things stood now, the Treasury's borrowing power would be ‘“com- pletely exhausted” by the end of next February. be “dangerously depleted” by that | time, he added. Under questioning by Representa- tive Reed, Republican, of New York, Undersecretary Daniel W. Bell said Congress to date has appropriated for the coming fiscal year a total of $10,460,000,000, not counting the approximately $1.000,000,000 more for national defense asked by the Presi- dent today. Secretary Morgenthau had estimated the deficit for the | coming fiscal year at $3,703,000,000. | Opposes Using Stabilization Fund. further Government borrowing, was opposed by Secretary Morgenthau as the' Ways and Means Committee 000,000,000 to the debt limit, with the $656,000,000 of new taxes annu- ally to amortize the new debt in five years. Secretary Mongenthau warned that the fiscal problem should not be put off until January. When Representative Treadway, Republican,. of Massachusetts in- quired about possible use of the stabilization fund, Mr. Morgenthau replied: “The position I have always taken is this fund is a ‘nest egg’ belonging to the people of the United States angd should be preserved for some great emergency the Treasury does not today foresee. I still feel strongly it should remain inviolate for that purpose.” ‘The Secretary added he did not regard the present emergency so great as to justify use of the fund. Verbal Fencing at Meeting. The testimony of both Secretary Morgenthau and Undersecretary Bell was marked by verbal fencing with committee members on the question of whether reduction in other Government expenditures is possible to meet part of the defense requirements. When Mr. Treadway asked the Secretary if he could suggest any present-day économies, he said the Treasury is always studying both (See TAXES, Page A-6) Indian Army to Enroll 100,000 More Men By the Associated Press. ' SIMLA, India, May 31.—Gen. Sir Robert Cassels, British commander in chief in India, announced today 100,000 sdditional men would be en- rolled in the Indian Army and that the Indian airforce would be quadrupled. Gen. Cassels said the present sit- uation in France indicated “a defi- nite danger” of a spreading bf the war which “might mean India would cease to enjoy immunity from enemy action.” 3 ‘The new Indian Army formations, the general added, would include motorized and mechanized units. The army now includes about 240,000 native troops, including reserves, and 87,000 British troops. t The working balance of the Treas- | | ury—now about $1,300.000.000—would | Use of the Treasury’s $1,800,000,000 | stabilization fund now, instead of | began work on the bill to add $3,-| al Guard Roosevelt Calls On Congress To Speed Funds Army and Navy Mechanization Declared Urgent (Text of President's Message on Page A-2.) By JOHN C. HENRY. Warning grimly that all contl- nents may become involved in & world-wide war, President Roose- velt asked Congress today to speed enactment of supple= mental defense program involve | ing mgre than $1,000,000,000. “I believe that for national safety the needs are urgent,” Mr. Roosevelt told Congress as he urged an extra sum, bringing the year’s defense pro= gram above the $4,000,000,000 mark. Describing military events in Europe of the last two weeks as “almost incredible,” the Chief Exs ecutive declared the Army and Navy is in urgent need of special mechane ized materiel. Production Needs Stressed. | . In addition, Mr. Roosevelt stressed | the need of creating increased pro- | duction facilities, the necessity of an immediate training program both for combat and non-combat services and acceptance of the “ob- vious lesson” that speed is vital in | all present-day plans for war. | Apart from his recommendations for financial expenditure, the Presi- dent also asked for authority to call into active service whenever neces- | sary the National Guard and Ree | serve personnel. At present, the | National Guard can be mustered | only at discretion of State Goy- ernors unless we should actually be at war. Future Declared Dark. “No individual, no group can clearly foretell the future,” Mr, Roosevelt said. “As long, however, as a possibility exists that not one continent or two continents, but all continents, may become involved in 4 world-wide war reasonable precaue tion demands that American defense be made more certain.” Necessity for immediate action on this supplemental program, whicn is to be presented to the Congress in | more detail by War and Navy De= | partment officials, arises, Mr. Roosee velt said, out of a survey of manu- | facturing resources since his last message of May 16. Over and beyond the acquisition |of the special mechanized weapons | of today’s warfare is the evident ree quirement, Mr. Roosevelt declared, “for the immediate creatién of addi- tional production facilities to meet possible future emergencies as well as present deficiencies in the making of munitions, such as guns, ammunition and fire control equipe | ment. “Gravity” Demands Speed. “These facilities require a long time to create and to reach quantity production. The increased gravity of the situation indicates that ace tion should be taken without delay.” Remarking that “indomitable de- termination” no longer is sufficient equipment for defense of our na= tional institutions and territorial tn- tegrity, Mr. Roosevelt emphasized again that there must be a high de« velopment of our industrial produc- tive capacity. * Need Skilled Workers. Turning to the matter of traine ing, especially of young people, both for employment in industry and for service in the military branches, Mr, Roosevelt said: “We do not have * * * trained persons in the number that will be required for the tasks that lie ahead of us if our defense is to be assured. We have, therefore, the task of training a large number in the skills and semiskills required by modern production in industry and by a highly mechanized defense force in the Army and Navy.” Value of Speed Cited. “Without the full development of these skills,” he added, “our na- tional ‘defense will be less than it must be in the critical days which lie ahead.” : Value of speed in the present war was cited by Mr. Roosevelt as an obvious lesson, with the added warn= ing that “there is definite danger in waiting to order the complete equip~ ping and training of armies after & war begins.” In advising Congress that de= partmental officials will submit specific requests, Mr. Roosevelt satd the plans already reviewed by him call for immediate appropriations to carry forward congressional de= cisions in bills now pending, for im= mediate added appropriations and for contract authorizations, His gen= eral observation that the total would be more than $1,000,000,000 was his only approach to specific figures. - Meanwhile, hastily acquainted with the civil and industrial mobili- zation responsibilities which are to be theirs, the new National Defense Commission began setting up its office organization and laying plans for immediate operation. For two hours the commission met with President Roosevelt, the cabinet, defense chiefs and legislative lead- ers at the White House yesterday~ convening again later by them- selves. To permit the President to make last-minute revisions in his message (8ee ROOSEVELT, Page A-14) A