Evening star. [volume], June 15, 1938, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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WEATHER.
(U. 8. Weather Bureau Forecast.)
Fair tonight; tomorrow mostly cloudy;
not much change in temperature; gentle
variable winds. Temperatures today—
Highest, 81, at 2 p.m.; lowest, 58, at 3 a.m.
Full report on page A-2.
Closing N.Y. Markets—Sales—Page 18
The only evening paper
in Washington with the
Associated Press News
^ and Wirephoto Services.
(A>) Mean* Associated Press.
86th YEAR, No. 34,378.
WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, JUNE 15, 1938 — FIFTY-TWO PAGES.
Entered as second class matter TirrUTTH1 PPYTO!
post ofllce, Washington. D. C. XXlXVJliJli X O.
LEWIS AGAIN SPURNED IN PLEA
FOR ACTION ON CONTRACTS BILL;
O’MAHONEY REOPENS FILIBUSTER
— •' ' - «
C. I. O. Leader Tilts
With Bankhead
After Call.
By JOHN C. HENRY.
Speaker Bankhead flatly refused to
day a personal appeal from John L.
Lewis to allow amendments to the
. Walsh-Healey Public Contracts Act
to be brought to a vote on the House
floor.
It was the second time in less than
48 hours that the C. I. O. chieftain
had gone to Speaker Bankhead’s
office to exert pressure in behalf of
the amendments. His first visit Mon
day, when he used the Speaker's
office as headquarters while he sought
support for the legislation, had re
sulted in warm resentment by many
members of Congress and others.
. . The Speaker's uncompromising
stand today was taken during a con
ference in his office with Mr. Lewis
and other officials of the Committee
for Industrial Organization.
Explaining his action later. Speaker
Bankhead said he had reminded the
labor delegation that not only had
there been minority reports opposing
the legislation and a refusal of the
Rules Committee to grant it preferen
tial status, but that, in addition, sev
eral unnamed members of the House,
, whom he described as friendly to labor,
had advised against considering the
amendments this session.
' For these reasons,” Mr. Bankhead
•aid, "I told Mr. Lewis I would not
recognize a motion for suspension of
the rules to consider this measure.
That is still my determination.”
Scathing Attack by Lewis.
Emerging from his conference with
the Speaker. Mr. Lewis delivered a
scathing attack on the Rules Com
mittee for its action yesterday, de
scribing it as "notoriously friendly to
corporations and antagonistic to
labor.”
"There is no question,” Mr. Lewis
continued, "but that the Rules Com
mittee has been acting under the cor
porate lash this session. We think
the action of the Rules Committee not
only • was cowardly but pusillanimous.
"We think the Democratic House
organization should do something
about this oondition, We have so told
the Speaker and he stated he would
give further consideration to the mat
ter.”
Questioned about this reference io
further consideration. Speaker Bank
head admitted later that he had prom
ised "further consideration,” but re
affirmed his determination not to
change his mind about recognizing a
motion to suspend the rules.
Misunderstanding, Says Speaker.
Asked if Mr. Lewis might have
meant that “further consideration”
, to be given the attitude 6f the
Rules Committee, the Speaker said he
did not understand that he was being
requested to do anything about the
Rules Committee.
Mr. Lewis said the C. I. O. delega
tion had advised the Speaker they
were representing millions of Ameri
can citizens “who believe they have
the right to know how their paid Rep
resentatives vote."
; "We don’t think the Rules Commit
tee exercised its proper legislative
function ’’ he said. “The committee
constituted itself a super-legislative
agency to deny the House a vote on
a measure that passed the Senate and
stood examination on its merits by the
House Judiciary Committee.
“We hold that Congress has the
right to vote on that measure. In a
short time Congress will adjourn and
many of its members will be asking the
support of labor in their re-election
campaigns. We want to know how
good friends they have been. It is a
. cowardly thing to hide behind the
Rules Committee.”
Cites Wage-Hour Precedent.
Recalling the action of the Rules
Committee in blocking wage-hour leg
islation. which later was brought out
by petition and enacted, Mr. Lewis
predicted the same result would at
tend the present legislation if time
permitted.
The C. I. O. chieftain was accom
panied by Philip Murray, vice chair
man of the C. I. O.; Lee Pressman,
' counsel to the C. I. O.; Sidney Hill
man of the Textile Workers’ Union
and Gardner Jackson of labor's Non
Partisan League.
During his announcement of the
decision to reporters, Speaker Bank
head was accompanied by Majority
Floor Leader Rayburn and Chairman
O’Connor of the Rules Committee.
Neither Mr. O’Connor nor Mr. Ray
burn added to the Speaker’s remarks.
The Speaker declined to identify
the House members who, he said, had
advised against considering the
Walsh-Healey amendments, other
(See CONTRACTS, IJage A-5.)
RELIEF PROBE VETO
BY LA GUARDIA SEEN
* Council Passes Proposal, but It
Must Go to Mayor for
Funds.
Sr the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 15.—Proposal to
Investigate New York City’s $80,000,
000-a-year relief administration went
today to the desk of Mayor F. H. La
Guardia—and a possible veto.
Passed by a 16-to-8 vote, the reso
lution was a rebellious answer to the
Mayor’s demand for swift action on
emergency relief taxes he says are
needed by July 1.
Nevertheless, the last answer is the
Mayor’s. The resolution carried no
appropriation provision and therefore
’ goes directly to the Mayor for ap
proval.
Councilmen frankly expected a veto
of the investigation, which would be
made by a committee of seven. Had
the Council asked for funds, it was
pointed out, the resolution would have
had to survive the Mayor's majority in
the Board of Estimate.
m 3
John L. Lewis (right) and Philip Murray, C. 1. O. leaders,
on the Capitol steps today after they failed a^ain to get the
House to consider amendments to the Walsh-Healey hill.
—Associated Press Photo.
FRENCH SHIP SUNK
BY REBEE RUNES
Valencia Raided Five Times
by Insurgents—New
Offensive Opens.
By the Associated Press.
VALENCIA, June 15.—The French
freighter Gaulois sank in Valencia
Harbor today after being bombed by
insurgent warplanes.
A sailing vessel in the harbor was
set afire.
Valencia, its port and suburbs suf
fered five severe raids during the day.
Three persons were known to have
been killed and 20 injured. Fifteen
houses were destroyed.
The raiding planes made extensive
use of incendiary bombs and billows
of smoke rose from the harbor ana
residential sections after each raid.
Many houses burned because repeated
bombings kept firemen away.
There were no casualties aboard the
Gaulois, her crew and dock workers
aboard her having had time to reach
safety.
LOYALISTS , ARE SPLIT.
New Drives of Franco Men in Sontb
Hit Government.
HENDAYE, Prance (At the Spanish
Frontier), June 15 (4*).—A surprise in
surgent offensive in Southern Spain
today imperiled government defenses
between two widely separated fronts.
While Generalissimo Francisco
Franco's forces pushed retreating gov
ernment militiamen south of the
Mijares River, below Castellon de la
Plana on the eastern coast, another
insurgent army advanced on the
Southern Cordoba front.
Insurgent dispatches reported vir
tual government collapse on both
fronts, indicating the two offensives
were linked to divide the government’s
weakened resistance between two ex
tremes of its territory.
They said many prisoners were
captured in the south, where raw gov
ernment recruits recently have been
mobilized, to free seasoned troops for
the Castellon front.
The Insurgents’ southern offensive
was launched in the Fennaroya sector,
northwest of Cordoba, Insurgent dis
patches said government positions in
three mountain chains were taken and
the fortified towns of Blazques, about
10 miles northwest of Pennarroya, was
captured.
Barcelona was under air raid alarm;
for two hours as Insurgent bombers
twice attacked the city before dypi.
PAY BILL IS DUE
TO BE LAW SOON
- «
Legislation to Go in Effect
120 Days After It Is
Signed by Roosevelt.
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The wage-hour bill, major measure
of President Roosevelt’s legislative
program, now needs only his signature
to become law. It will be effective 120
days after its final enactment.
The President, who has fought for
almost two«years to bring about the
passage of the law, is expected to
approve the bill promptly.'
The finising touches were given the
bill by Congress yesterday. The
House, by a vote of 290 to 89, adopted
the conference report on the bill, fol
lowing a brief debate.
The House vote found 247 Demo
crats being joined by 31 Republicans,
7 Progressives and 5 Farmer-Laborites
to make the total of 290 supporters for
the measure. Opposing the bill were
41 Democrats and 48 Republicans for
the total of 89; 18 members were
paired, 32 did not vote and 6 vacancies
now exist In the House.
The Senate adopted the report
without the formality of a roll call.
Senator Bailey of North Carolina as
sailed the measure as unconstitutional
and Senator Borah of Idaho defended
It. Avoidance of a roll call relieved
from embarrassment Senators from
both the North and the South—since
neither group obtained all that their
sections of the country desired.
Bill Had Appeared Dead.
The wage-hour bill passed the Sen
ate a year ago. Congress adjourned,
however, with the measure tied up in
the Rules Committee of the House.
In the special session last December
the bill was brought before the House
on a petition to discharge the Rules
Committee from further consideration
of the measure. After a debate, the
bill was recommitted and appeared to
be dead.
The insistence of the President
finally brought a new wage-hour bill
from the House Committee on Labor
late this spring. The House Rulef,
Committee continued adamant, how
ever, and again declined to give a
rule for its consideration. Following
the Florid* primary eleotlon on May
3, when Senator Pepper, a supporter
of the wage-hour bill, overwhelmingly
defeated Representative Wilcox, an
opponent of the legislation, Chair
man Norton of the House Ater
Committee., began the clrcuMgy
(See WAGE-HOUR, Pa«<£A-®L
Flood Bill Fight
in Senate Perils
Adjournment.
B» the Associated Presi.
Senator O'Mahoney, Democrat, pf
Wyoming resumed a talking marathon
on the $375,000,000 flood control bill
today.
His determination and that of some
of his colleagues to force changes in
the measure threatened to delay con
gressional adjournment beyond to
night.
Senate Majority Leader Barkley,
asked when adjournment might be
reached, would say only, “wait and
see.”
Senator O'Mahoney said he was
"not concerned with a filibuster”
against the bill, but asserted he did
not know how long the speech-making
might continue.
His attack was on provisions which
he claimed would abrogate States’
rights.
Asks Consent Clause.
He demanded that the majority
leader "explain why the consent of
States" was not stipulated in the bill.
He urged Senator Barkley to agree
to return of the bill to conference for
insertion of the words "with consent
of States” after the provision giving
the Federal Government full title to
lands Involved in construction of reser
voirs and dams.
When Senator O’Mahoney quit, Sen
ator Burke, Democrat, of Nebraska
pitched in for a bit to contend the
Federal Government had no right to
acquire land for building sites without
the consent of the States.
Administration chieftains until late
last night thought they had arranged
a quick clean-up of remaining legisla
tion to let members catch midnight
trains for home—and re-election
campaigns .
With the wage-hour bill finally en
acted the Senate had given partial ap
proval to the $3,753,000,000 relief and
public works bill.
Then, shortly before 1 am., the
flood-control bill provoked a round of
lively debate, which participants called
"discussion” and administration lieu
tenants described as “filibuster.”
The bill already had been passed
by both Senate and House, differences
had been compromised by a joint com
mittee and the House had accepted
the compromise.
Dispute Over Construe lion.
In controversy in the Senate, how
ever. was the provision requiring the
Government to bear the cost of dam
and reservoir construction, plus the
cost of condemnation proceedings.
States would not be required to put up
any money.
In addition, the bill would permit the
Government to step in and condemn
property for flood control projects in
one State even though the benefit of
the projects contemplated were con
fined to other States.* This provision
was hit hard on the Senate floor.
After Senator O’Mahoney had as
sailed the two provisions last night.
Majority Leader Barkley told the
Senate it must dispose of the flood
control bill before adjuomment.
"We don’t have to adjourn this
week,” he told reporters. "If oppo
nents want to keep on talking, we can
stay here.”
Plans for "Discussion.”
Senator O'Mahoney would say only
that "there are a number of Senators
who wish to discuss this bill, and I
don’t know how long it will take.”
He rejected a request by Senator
Barkley to set a definite time for
voting on the measure. As a result,
(See CONGRESS. Page A-3.)
End of Congress
Tonight Unlikely,
Russell Asserts
*Br the Associated Press.
Senator Russell, Democrat, of
Georgia said after a White House
call today he did not see a chance
for Congress to adjourn tonight.
Too many amendments, he
said, are being added to the sec
ond deficiency bill to clear the
decks. That measure is backed
up behind flood-control legisla
tion now being debated—at
length—on the Senate floor.
^WELLWHAh
DO YOU KNOW
sABQUT THATI
^§§gr
/AND I
, Pont mean
V MAYBE!
M’CALL EVIDENCE
IS GIVEN TO JUDGE
Jurist Hears Story Before
Sentencing—Prisoner
Well Protected.
Py the Associated Press.
MIAMI, Fla., June 15.—The evidence
against Franklin Pierce McCall, con
fessed kidnaper of 5-year-old Janies
Bailey Cash., jr.. was presented today
to a judge who had authority to send
him to the electric chair.
Mr. Cash and Federal agents detailed
their story of the crime while Circuit
Judge H. F. Atkinson listened in
tently, preliminary to deciding upon
the sentence.
McCall, 21-year-old truck driver and
minister’s son. who pleaded guilty to
the ransom kidnaping charge, but in
nocent to a murder indictment, hung
his head and held a handkerchief to
his eye* as the hearing proceeded.
Tho fitv-cr, #* the '«'?■
tided briefly that he had a chad, that
“he is buried” now and that he identi
fied the pajamas found on the body,
which he did not view himself.
»
Prisoner Protected.
The Federal agents detailed McCall's
signed confession that he stole "Skee
gie” from his bed May 28 with hand
kerchief’s over his mouth and eyes,
that the boy died accidentally and
that he collected the- $10,000 ransom.
Every precaution was taken for
the prisoner’s protection as he was
brought to trial.
Two hundred or more persons, half
of them women, thronged the corri
dors outside the courtroom, which
holds only 150. Officials herded them
into line for admittance singly.
Inside, two policemen searched each
man and two matrons "frisked” the
women, even removing their hats and
peering into their handbags.
Behind the grills of a ventilator
above the judge’s desk, commanding
a view of the whole room, sat two
policemen.
McCall came in with a serious ex
pression, auaring a blue shirt and tie
and a gra# suit.
State’s Attorney George A. Worley,
suffering from boils, was accompanied
by a nurse.
"Is the defense ready?” asked Cir
cuit Judge H. F. Atkinpon. i
‘ Yes, your honor,” replied Jack Ke
hoe, attorney assigned to defend the
prisoner
Mr. Worley called James Bailey
(See KIDNAP, Page A-5.)
CHILE FEELS QUAKE
Temblor, Heaviest at Valparaiso,
Is Felt All Along Coast.
SANTIAGO. Chile, June 15 (A3).—A
strong earth shock was felt all along
Chile's coast at 3:45 a.m. today.
The temblor was strongest around
Valparaiso, but was felt also at Iquique,
Antofagasta and Copiapo. No reports
o/ damage have been received.
Summary of Today's Star
Page. ?age.
Amusements C-12 Radio.B-12
Comics .. C-19-11 Short Story.._B-8
Editorials .. . A-l® Society .^B-3
Finance _A-17 Sports _C-l-S
Lost Sc Pound C-5 Woman's Pg. C-4
Obituary-A-12
FOREIGN.
Rebel offensive opened in South to
split loyalist area. Page A-l
Chamberlain’s stand in Spain brings
wave of discontent. Page A-5
Japanese found taking pages out of
barbarians’ history. Page A-7
War debts increase by (100,000,000 as
only Finland pays. Page A-9
NATIONAL.
Ousted U. A. W. officers appeal to
"rank and file.” Paige A-4
WASHINGTON AND NEARBX.
Girl identifies watch as gift from
Landis. Page A-l
Boy, I, drowns in Kingman Lake;
brother, 11, rescued. Page A-2
Boy, 4, injured when he tries out
electric truck. Page B-l
Knutson praises Constitution as 5,000
observe' nag Day. Page B-l
Camp Springs airport development
blocked by House vote. Page B-l
Memorial fight confronts Senate’s
closing hours. Page B-l
SPORTS.
Doctors hold secret of big league
pennant races..Page C-l
"vris to gamble again with Krakky
' Vtlng pitcher_£Page C-l
Louis promises kayo if Schmeling
"stands up and fights”..Page C-2
Abrams and Purr end hard training
for scrap next Monday..Page C-2
Guldahl conquers jinx course to lead
in Western open golf_Page C-S
Maryland aims to end reign of D. C.
in State golf .Page C-S
FINANCIAL.
Trade conditions are fairly good
here, Willard reports _PageA-18
Electric power output shows slight
increase ...PageA-17
Steel industry is cheered by l^ay
business . PageA-18
Rush to buy gold spurs talk of
devaluation . PageA-17
Curb recovers (Table)_Page A-19
Rail bonds oft (Table)_PageA-17
Stocks rise (Table) .PageA-18
MISCELLANY.
City News in Brief. Page B-28
Vital Statistics. Page B-14
Nature’s Children. Page B-14
Cross-word Puzsle. Page C-18
Bedtime Btory. Page C-18
Letter-Out Page C-18
Winning Contract. Page C-ll
EDITORIAL AND COMMENT.
Editorials Page A-18
This and That. Page A-18
Answers to Questions. Page A-18
David Lawrence. Page A-ll
The Capital Parade. Page A-ll|
Frederic William Wile. Page A-ll
Jay Franklin. Page A-ll
Lemuel Parton. £ Page A-ll
Plane Explodes
Just After Pilot
Saves All in It
1' the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, June 15.—Because
Orville E. Scott has sharp eyes and a
keen sense of smell, four persons are
alive today.
Scott, a veteran airplane pilot, was
taking three passengers—all on their
first flight—for a brief trip yesterday.
While over a suburb he noticed a thin^
trickle of smoke at his feet.
Prom the exhaust?
His nose said no. Smiling at the
unsuspecting passengers, Scott care
fully banked his plane and headed
back to the field.
Quietly the ship landed, the pas
sengers alighted. They thanked the
pilot for an enjoyable trip. Then
two 25-gallon gasoline tanks exploded,
destroying the plane, except for motor
and propeller.
SHANGHAI CHOLERA
IN EPIDEMIC STAGE
123 Cases Counted in Hospitals,
73 of Them From City’s
Foreign Areas.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, June 15. —Cholera
reached epidemic proportions in
Shanghai tonight, with 123 cases in
hospitals. Of these, 73 originated in
foreign-administered areas of the city,
according to municipal authorities.
A Japanese spokesman said 8 Chin
ese died in Japanese-occupied Soo
chow, 50 miles west of here, and 14
others had contracted the disease.
The British steamer Shuntien was
quarantined at Chefoo, on the North
Shantung Coast, after one cholera
death aboard.
The Japanese consulate-general
ceased issuing bills of health to ves
sels proceeding from Shanghai to
Japanese ports, which means that all
passengers not possessing certificates
of inoculation must undergo examina
tion before entering Japan.
GOODS DELIVERY POOR,
SEVEN SOVIETS OUSTED
Shelves in Stores Often Empty
Because of Muddled
Conditions.
By the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, June 15.—Seven execu
tives in the commissariat for home
trade, which supplies Soviet Russia
with everyday commodities, were re
moved today because of muddled con
ditions in stores and markets.
Poor service, resulting in failure of
stores in Moscow, Leningrad and other
cities to get ordinary goods, caused the
shakeup. Shelves for necessities like
cotton goods were frequently empty.
Some of the dismissed men were
holdovers from the administration of
Israel Veltzer, former commissar who
was denounced in the Communist
party newspaper Pravda as an enemy
of the people—indicating he has been
arrested.
M. P. Smirnoff, who succeeded Veit
zer last October, was advised by Pravda
to overcome the effects of the wreck
ing for which Veitser was blamed. The
newspaper said the trading organiza
tion failed to supply the growing de
mands of village as well as city popu
lations.
FACTORY EXPROPRIATED
Big Mexican Soap Firm Placed
Under Workers’ Bank.
MEXICO CITY, June 15 (>P).—One
of the largest soap factories in Mexico
has been placed under control of the
National Workers’ Bank, which was set
up last year to help co-operatives
manage expropriated industrial prop
erties.
Although an official announcement
last night did not say the factory, “La
Esparanza" works at Durango, had
been expropriated, it said the plant’s
“former owners,” had been unable to
reach an agreement with workers in
the factory.
Gibson on Way Home.
BRUSSELS, June 15 UP).—Hugh
Gibson, retiring United States Am
bassador to Belgium, departed for
home today after a farewell by high
government officials.
He will sail from Southampton
Friday. His successor, Joseph E.
Davies, is expected here In July.
Davies has been Ambassador to Soviet
A
GIRL SAYS LAMS
GAVEHERJEWELRY
Student Nurse Identifies
Watch He Once Had
Given Wife.
A pretty student nurse took the
stand against Janies L. Landis today
in his District Court trial for the mur
der of his estranged wife and identi
fied a wrist watch which he was said i
to have given her last Christmas,
after having previously presented it to
his wife on her graduation from Mc
Kinley High School.
The witness was Mbss Virginia Lee
Simpson of Atkinson, N. C., a comely
brunet, who was questioned at length
about gifts of jewelry which Landis
made to her during an acquaintance
of about six months.
Miss Simpson, who was smartly
clad in a blue silk dress and a white
hat. answered questions with a com
posure which equaled that of Landis,
as he sat watching her and following
her words with intense interest.
Much of the Government’s case In
substantiation of a first-degree murder
charge hinged on the girl’s testimony.
Deputy Coroner Testifies.
The first witness today was Deputy
Coroner Christopher J. Murphy, who
described the beating administered to
Mrs. Landis on the morning of March
24. The 22-year-old wife died in Cas
ualty Hospital two days after her skull
was crushed.
Defense Attorneys Jean M. Board
man and E. Russel Kelly are attempt
ing to show that Mrs. Landis might
have been killed in a fall from her
husband's moving automobile. Dr.
Murphy, however, said that in his
opinion Mrs. Landis was beaten to
death.
Miss Simpson told the jury she came
to Washington in January, 1937, from
her home, at Atkinson, and obtained
a job as a student nurse at the Epis
copal Hospital. She said she gave up
her job and went home on March 28
after learning of the death of Mrs.
Landis.
Met Landis Last rail.
She explained that she first met
Landis last fall, when he visited the
nurses' home, where she was living.
“Did you go out with him?” asked
Assistant United States Attorney Cecil
R. Heflin.
"Yes, sometimes two or three times
a week,” was the reply. *
“Did this defendant give you jew
elry?” Miss Simpson was asked. She
replied in the afllrmative, and was
handed the wrist watch by Govern
ment counsel. She identified the watch
as one given her last Christmas by
Landis. The girl explained she turned
the watch over to detectives several
days ago.
Previously, Mrs. Thelma Souder, a
sister of Mrs. Landis, had identified
the watch as a gift from Mr. Landis
to his future wife, when she graduated
from McKinley.
Gave Her Diamond Ring.
“Did Mr. Landis give you other
Jewelry?” Mr. Heflin asked.
The witness replied that Landis
gave her a diamond ring on her birth
day, last March.
"What did you do with the ring?”
"I wore it off and on until I read
(See LANDls, Page A-5.)
REYNOLDS IS SUED
FOR $2,C33 ALIMONY
Former Helen Fortescne Asks
Huge Monthly Snm and
Counsel Fees.
Br the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 15.—Ell John
son, attorney*for Mrs. Helen Fortescue
Reynolds, said today she would seek
$2,000 a month and counsel fees in
a separation action against her hus
band, Julian Louis Reynolds.
Mr. Johnson said a hearing would
be held in the New York Supreme
Court June 21 and that he hoped
amicable settlement would be reached.
The action, he said, will be based
on charges of cruelty, with the $2,000
monthly pending court action.
Mr. Johnson confirmed reports that
the couple’s year-old son, Richard
Roland Reynolds, had been taken by
his nurse to Richmond, Va.
“We have appealed to the grand
parents and hope to have the child
brought back today,” Mr. Johnson
said.
The Reynolds were married In 1936.
He is connected with a Chicago cor
poration which manufactures tinfoil
for cigarettes. A
TROOPS OF JAPAN,
HALTED BY FLOOD,
RESCUE VICTIMS
Fully 300,000 Civilians Are
Believed Homeless in
China War Zone.
BOTH ARMIES FLEEING
BEFORE RISING WATERS
Towns of Yushih, Tungsu and
Kihsien Feared in Danger.
Eerie Scenes Shown.
BACKGROUND—
Since warning by Japanese last
Saturday that they intended to
start push lor Hankow, China’s
provisional capital, rise of flood
waters, in which 150,000 were re
ported drowned, has drawn atten
tion of world. Advance of Japan’s
troops has been checked by the
Yellow River's raging waters.
Numerous breaks in the river’s
dikes have been reported, with re
sultant disaster.
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, June 18.—Both Chinese
and Japanese armies were fleeing to
day before a Yellow River flood that
could not be stopped either by guns
or bombs.
Spilling through immense breaches
In the river dikes between Chengchow
and Kaifeng, the flood waters rolled
•for miles across the flat plains of
Honan Province, recognizing no man
made barriers and carrying disaster
to millions of Chinese peasants as well
as to armies.
Japanese war dispatches said fully
300,000 Chinese civilans had been made
homeless and estimated that 150,000
civilians had drowned.
Although some reports were re
i garded as highly exaggerated, there no
longer was doubt that property damage
and loss of life would be widespread.
Turn to Life-Saving.
Hundreds of floating corpses were
declared to be visible, and Japanese
troops were turning from war to life
saving, participating feverishly in
building- rafts in an effort to save
Chinese peasants stranded on high
ground and house-top6.
Eerie scenes were pictured as refu
gees splashed through the water
shrieking for aid.
Tragedy long familiar to China was
I being enacted as fanners, fleeing be
' fore the relentless current, wera
trapped and drowned in their homes
j and fields.
| Delayed Japanese dispatches said
i the rapidly-rising flood was coursing
in a southeasterly direction from
i Chungmow.
It was believed the towns of Yushih,
I Tungsu and Kihsien soon would b$
directly threatened.
Barrier to Troops.
These towns are on the route over
which a Japanese column recently
thrust at the Peiping-Hankow railway
near Changko in an effort to cut the
railroad between Chengchow and Han
kow, the Chinese provisional capital
300 miles south.
Flowing over the east-west Lunghai
railway, in some places at a depth of
5 feet, the onrushing waters inter
posed a complete barrier to a Jap
anese advance on Chengchow and to
their push farther south toward the
vital north-south Peiping - Hankow
line.
For the moment Kaifeng. to which
Japanese troops had been forced to
retreat, was declared to be safe, though
surrounded by high water. Kaifeng
is 43 miles east of Chengchow.
Japanese military spokesmen offered
no information on exact whereabouts
of their troops in the flood area,
although it was assumed most of them,
with motorized equipment, would be
able to avoid the main course of the
flood.
Organisation Efforts.
The Japanese Army spokesman said.
"More Chinese civilian lives than the
Japanese could ever jeopardize by
bombing are being placed in imme
diate danger.”
Facing danger more violent than
that of war by remaining at their
posts, foreign missionaries at Kaifeng
were making efforts to organize Chi
nese farmers and civilians in combat
ting the waters.
Relief workers said the flood per
haps would bring a problem as great
as that created by the war.
An estimated 30,000.000 refugees
already were streaming westward from
war-demolished homes before water
forced out other thousands from scores
of villages.
About 350 miles south of the flood
area Japanese continued a relentless
drive up the Yangtze River toward
Hankow.
Ships Forge Up River.
They claimed to have routed 300
Chinese troops intrenched at Meitan
shan, 5 miles north of Anking, cap
tured Anhwei Province capital, and
210 miles southeast of Hankow.
Japanese warships slowly forged up
the river toward Matowchen, 35 miles
upstream, wh£re Chinese have thrown
the first boom across the river.
At Kiukiang the U. S. gunboat
Monocacy stood by to protect American
interests despite Japanese warnings
to third powers to remove their ships
from the area newly-declared a war
zone.
At Hong Kong the Chinese officially
claimed two Chinese bombers had sunk
two Japanese warships near Anking
Monday and severely battered two
others in a surprise air raid.
FOUR MEN DOOMED
Kussians Sentenced as Trotskyists
in Browning of 24.
MOSCOW, June 15 (JP).—Four men
have been sentenced to death for the
capsizing of a ferry In which 24 per
sons were drowned May 1, the news
paper of Novoslfiirsk, Siberia, reported
today. It said a military court eon
demned .the men as Trotskyists who
deliberatsty overloaded the boat.