Evening star. [volume], October 02, 1939, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast "
From the UnUed^SUtee^W^ther^reau report. Today's Wor News TODAY
Cloudy, slightly cooler with rain to- % **"*'• -
night; tomorrow fair, not so cool; mod- ...
crate north winds. Temperature to- Nighttime on Europe's Battlefields
day—Highest, 62, at midnight; lowest,
45, at 10:30 a.m.; 47 at 2 p.m. Is Press Time on The Star
Closing New York Markets, Page 18. _ ■■ -
——-—- 1 ■ - (*) Metnt Associated Prt«,
87th YEAR. No. 34,852._ THBEE CENTS.
British Planes Ply Over Berlin
And Potsdam, London Reports;
English Ship Is Sunk by Raider
Chamberlain Delays
House Statement
On Peace Move
(Text of Mr. Churchill’s speech
on Page A-5.)
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 2 —A night recon
naissance flight by British planes
over Berlin was marked up today
on the credit side of Britain’s war
time ledger.
Announcing the first British flight
over the German capital, the air
ministry said that “successful” air
reconnaissances by day and night
had been carried out over Germany
and that the night reconnaissances
included Berlin and Potsdam. There
were no other details.
Announcement of the reconnais
sance flight over Berlin was fol
lowed by assurance to the House of
Commons that any German planes
which try to raid London “will get
the reception they deserve.”
Laborite Josiah Wedgwood had
sought detailed reports of the effects
of German bombings in Poland.
The foreign undersecretary gave
assurances on London’s readiness
for air raids in answering, but said
detailed reports on Poland were not
available.
^namgcriam uciavs statement.
Prime Minister Chamberlain in
formed Commons that he would
wait until tomorrow to tell members
what the government thought of
the Russian-German partition of
Poland and of the peace gestures
emanating from Berlin. Mr. Cham
berlain will give the House his fifth
war review tomorrow.
Great Britain strengthened her
self. meanwhile, for hostilities on
the World War scale, apparently in
tending to ignore any Nazi-Com
munist peace offer.
The first official reaction to indi
cations that Adolf Hitler would pro
pose through a neutral power that
the war be called off on a basis
of the partition of Poland came
from Winston Churchill, British
first lord of the admiralty. Mr.
Churchill told Britons last night,
“We are going on to the end.”
Burckhardt to Confer.
Prof. Carl J. Burckhardt, League
Of Nations’ high commissioner for
the former Free City of Danzig, now
reincorporated within Germany, ar
rived from Geneva last night and
arranged for a conference today
with Foreign Secretary Lord Halifax.
Meanwhile, King George’s first
proclamation under the armed
forces act approved by Parliament
at the outbreak of the war, raised
Britain's men called to the colors
almost to a potential 500,000.
The King called up for service
about 250,000 additional soldiers,
summoning all youths between the
ages of 20 and 22 to register for
military service at a date to be set
later. About 240,000 who reached
the age of 20 before last June 3
already had been registered under
the conscription introduced before
the war started.
Fight in Air Reported.
An information ministry com
munique told of a dogfight yester
day over Germany’s Siegfried line
between five Royal Air Force planes
End 15 German air fighters. It ac
knowledged that three British war
planes were shot down during an
intense battle of more than half an
hour and that another made a forced
landing. But it said that eight of
the 12 men in the British crews were
observed escaping by parachute.
The British squadron leader, the
communique said, finished his recon
naissance assignment by dodging
and banking while a gunner in the
tail of his plane poured a steady
fire into pursuing German planes.
It said two German planes were
Bhot down and the others, “shaken
by the gunner's steady and accurate
fire.” gave up the fight.
The nation heard its red-haired
admiralty chief broadcast in a voice
that burned with defiance.
“It was for Hitler to say when
the war would begin,” Mr. Churchill
declared, “but it is not for him or
his successors to say when it will end.
“It began when he wanted it and
It will end only when we are con
vinced that he has had enough.”
He told the nation that "a large
army has already gone to France”
and that “British armies upon the
scale of the effort of the Great War
are in preparation.”
How soon Britain might achieve
victory, Mr. Churchill asserted, de
pended on “how long Herr Hitler and
(See LONDON, Page A-8.)
Two-Day, 3-Inch Rain
Stops Traffic Lights
The skies opened up on Washing
ton over the week end, dropping
more rain on the city—nearly three
Inches—in the first two days of
October than fell during the last
three weeks of September.
The downpour caused traffic tie
ups all over the city as the Dis
trict’s light signal system went
haywire. Short circuits were re
ported in cables controlling traffic
lights in several parts of the city
and cars were halted in some places
In lines that were blocks long.
Lights on Thirteenth, Fourteenth,
Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets and
on Massachusetts avenue were
among those reported out of order.
The storm here was part of a
hard rain which was falling all
along the Atlantic seaboard. A
sharp drop in the temperature ac
companied the downpour, the mer
cury reaching a low of 45 degrees at
8 am. today.
The Weather Bureau predicted
that the rain would halt tonight.
Fair skies and slightly warmer
weather may be expected tomorrow,
the forecaster said.
; f,
i Wi
MOSCOW.—William Munters,
foreign minister of Latvia,
who was called here to nego
tiate a pact believed to be
similar to the one Russia ob
tained recently from Estonia,
granting Russia military and
naval concessions in his coun
try. —A. P. Wirephotos.
U. S. Still Recognizes
Polish Government,
Hull Announces
He Says 'Mere Seizure of
Territory' Doesn't End
Its Legal Existence
The United States Government
continues to recognize the Polish
government which was overturned
in the German invasion. Secretary
of State Hull announced in a firmly
worded statement at his press con
ference today.
Describing Poland as “the victim
of force used as an instrument of
national policy,’’ Mr. Hull said that
"mere seizure of territory does not
extinguish the legal existence of
a government.”
Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, jr., Am
bassador to Poland when the war
broke out, will continue to repre
sent this Government to the Polisn
government functioning in Paris,
France, Mr. Hull said. The United
States likewise recognizes Count
Jerzy Potocki as still the Polisn
Ambassador to the United States.
The Secretary's assertion that
“Poland is now the victim of force
used as an instrument of national
policy” was the first official ex
pression of opinion from the United
States Government on its attitude
toward the invasion and “seizure”
(as the Hull statement calls it) of
the Polish republic’s territory.
No mention was made in the
statement of the German or the
Soviet governments, which parti
cipated in the seizure. The Amer
ican Government, it has been stated
before, is still considering what
attitude it will adopt toward Rus
sia for the part it has played in
the Polish seizure.
In explaining why the Ameri
can Government recognizes the Po
lish government as it exists in Paris,
Mr. Hull said:
“More than 20 years ago the United
States recognized and has since
maintained-diplomatic relations with
the Polish government.
“Poland is now the victim of force
used as an instrument of national
policy. Its territory has been taken
over and its government has had to
seek refuge abroad. Mere seizure of
territory, however, does not extin
guish the legal existence of a re
public.
“The United States therefore con
tinues to regard the government of
Poland as in existence in accordance
with the provisions of the constitu
tion of Poland.”
The Polish government now is
known in Paris as the "government
of exiles.”
. -
Freighter Clement
Is Attacked in
South Atlantic
By the Associated Press.
Germany struck three times at
British and neutral shipping today,
sinking the British freighter Clem
ent and the Swedish steamer Gun
and capturing the Swedish freighter
.Algeria, bound for Genoa with a
cargo of wood pulp and iron.
The sinkings sent the known ship
ping loss to 60 vessels, with a total
tonnage of 246,392, exclusive of mil
lions of dollars worth of cargo. At
least 763 lives have been lost.
Destruction of the Clement by an
“armed raider” near Bahia, Brazil,
raised British losses to 32 and fol
lowed by a day Winston Churchill’s
assertion that England hadn’t lost
a ship in a week.
Fate of Crew in Doubt.
The Clement, a 5,051-ton vessel,
was bound for Brazilian ports with
a load of kerosene and general cargo
from New York and Philadelphia.
The Gun, 1,198 tons, was torpedoed
off Hanstholm, Jutland. Her crew
of 18 escaped.
The Algeria was seized by Nazi
warships in the Baltic and taken
to Kiel. She was the fifth Scandi
navian ship to be captured by Ger
many. Twelve Scandinavian ves
sels have been sent to the bottom
along with five other ships of neutral
nations.
Arming of British merchant ships
was expected to force Germany
into unrestricted U-boat warfare.
Private sources in Berlin said U-boat
commanders would begin sinking
vessels without warning.
World War Attack Renewed.
The attack on the Clement was
interpreted here as a German move
to reopen a World War phase of sea
attack. Starting early in 1916, the
Moewe, converted from a cargo boat
to an auxiliary cruiser, ran the Brit
ish blockade, sank or captured 60,
000 tons of Atlantic shipping and
was responsible for sending 42 allied
vessels to the bottom.
The See Adler of Capt. von Luck
ner carried out similar raids after
slipping through the blockade line
disguised as a Norwegian lumber
schooner.
• She ranged far into the Pacific
before she broke her back on a reef
in the Society Islands.
i Crew of Clement Reported
Safe at Brazilian Town
RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 2 OP).—
j The crew of the British freighter
I Clement, which was sunk off the
; Brazilian Coast, was reported today
to have reached the City of Maceio
These reports said the attack on
the freighter took place off the
Brazilian town of Pedras, in the
State of Alagoas, a short distance
northeast of Maceio. The Clement
carried a crew of 49.
The captain of the Swedish pas
senger ship Argentina, which ar
rived in Rio de Janeiro yesterday,
said he saw a German cruiser
headed in the direction of Africa
when he was nearing Recife (Per
nambuco) .
Shortly afterward, he related, he
saw a British freighter sinking and
then a German submarine passed
by. Like the cruiser the submarine
was headed east.
Half Dozen German Ships
Unreported in Atlantic
BUENOS AIRES, Oct. 2 OP).—
Shipping circles here speculating on
the identity of the Gerjnan raider
which sank the British freighter
Clement re'called today that at least
half a dozen German merchantmen
have left Brazilian and Argentine
ports since the war began and are
still unreported.
Among these was the speedy liner
Cap Norte, which shipping men said
would serve admirably as an armed
raider if she possessed or obtained
armaments. She sailed more than
a week ago from Recife, heavily
loaded with fuel and accompanied
by two German freighters, likewise
carrying fuel and foodstuffs.
The Cap Norte, a 13,615-ton pas
senger boat, is one of the fastest
lipers in the South Atlantic service.
The War Situation
xue 111 si/ lugiu, ui unusn
planes over Berlin was an
nounce today by the British air
ministry, which said that night
and day reconnaissance flights
had been made over the interior
of Germany, including Potsdam,
the home of the former Kaiser
Wilhelm. Prime Minister Cham
berlain delayed until tomorrow
the statement he was expected
to make on the partition of Po
land and the German-Soviet
peace overtures. (Page A-l.)
Germany was believed today
to be turning to the use of
armed raiders against British
shipping. The British freighter
Clement was sunk in the South
Atlantic, the ministry of infor
mation announced in London.
The raider had not been identi
fied, nor had it been determined
whether it was a cruiser or a
"pocket battleship.” The Swed
ish steamer Gun also was tor
pedoed off Hantsolm, Jutland, it
was revealed in Stockholm.
(Page A-l.)
Chairman Pittman of the Sen
ate Foreign Relations Committee
opened momentous Senate de
bate over United States neu
trality policies with an appeal to
repeal arms embargo and enact
strict "title and carry” plan for
»** w w nauuig iiauuiib its
best way to keep United States
out of war. He asserted present
arms embargo is “discrimination
in favor of Germany.” (Page A-l.)
Italian Foreign Minister Count
Galeazzo Ciano left Berlin for
Rome following the first con
versations between the partners
of the Rome-Berlin axis since the
start of the war in Europe. The
speed with which the discussions
were concluded indicated that
the two governments were in
agreement on future moves. It
was believed that questions aris
ing from the war were fully
clarified. (Page A-l.)
The Soviet government contin
ued its consultations with repre
sentatives of neighboring coun
tries. Latvian Foreign Minister
William Munters and two secre- '
taries of the Latvian Foreign
Trade Commission arrived in
Moscow for negotiation of what
it was said would be a non-ag
gression pact giving Russia mili
tary and naval concessions simi
lar to those recently obtained
from Estonia. (Page A-l.)
French forces along the west
ern front, consolidating their
positions, have removed thou
sands of small mines left behind
by Germans in their retreat.
(Page A-2.)
See Index on Page A-2
Lazarus
Cardinal Mundelein Found Dead
In Bed in Illinois Residence
Heart Trouble Cause;
Friends Regarded
Health as 'Perfect'
By theUssociated Press,
j CHICAGO, Oct. 2.—George Car
j dinal Mundelein, the Catholic
Church’s first cardinal of the West,
died unexpectedly today at the age
of 67 in his country residence at
suburban Mundelein.
The Most Rev. Bernard J. Sheil,
senior auxiliary bishop, issued the
following statement:
“His Eminence, George Cardinal
Mundelein, Archbishop of Chicago,
died this morning in his home at St.
Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mun
delein, 111.
“He was found dead in bed by his
secretary, the Very Rev. Msgr. Pat
rick J. Hayes, at 7:45 a.m. His per
sonal physician, Dr. L. D. Moorhead,
states the death occurred approxi
mately at 7:30 a.m. The condition
was diagnosed as coronary thrombo
sis.
“The cardinal had been In good
health and had spent a normal day
Sunday.”
Close friend of President Roose
velt and outspoken critic of Adolf
Hitler, Cardinal Mundelein was best
known for his piety and his great
building program, which made the
Chicago archdiocese one of the larg
est and wealthiest in the world.
A chancery office spokesman said
Msgr. Patrick Hayes, seeking to
learn why Cardinal Mundelein did
not appear for his customary devo
(See MUNDELEIN, Page A-4.)
CARDINAL MUNDELEIN.
Ciano Leaves Berlin
After Hitler Talks;
Accord Is Seen
Mussolini to Assume
Role of Mediator,
Observers Believe
By LOUIS P. LOCHNER,
Associated Press Porelcn Correspondent.
BERLIN, Oct. 2.—Italian Foreign
Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano left
Berlin today to return to Rome,
concluding the first conversations
between the Rome-Berlin axis part
ners since the outbreak of the war
in Europe.
Although there was no official
Comment on the result of Count
Ciano’s conversations with Fuehrer
Hitler and German Foreign Min
ister Joachim von Ribbentrop, the
speed with which they were con
cluded indicated to observers that
both countries were in complete
agreement on future moves. Count
Ciano arrived here only last evening
Italian circles said they believed
the conversations had resulted in
full clarification of questions aris
ing from the present European situ
ation, especially the new relations
between Germany and Soviet
Russia.
uuce seen as mediator.
Some observers saw in Count
Ciano’s visit new reason for be
lieving that Premier Mussolini may
assume the role of mediator in a
“final peace offensive”.by the Reich.
Count Ciano left Berlin by train.
He was accompanied to the station
by Von Ribbentrop, the Italian Em
bassy staff, and numerous high
ranking Nazi oflicals, including Col.
Gen. Wilhelm Keitel, member of the
Secret Cabinet Council and chief
commander of the German armed
forces as secretary of war; Hein
rich Himmler, chief of the secret
police; Robert Ley, Hitler^ trade
union commissioner, and Dr. Hans
Lammers, member of the war-time
ministerial council.
Observers speculating on Musso
lini's possible assumption of the role
of mediator noted that semi-official
comment in Berlin stressed the
“European mission” of II Duce.
Communique Promised.
Well-informed sources, when
asked to comment on the outcome
of Count Ciano's visit, said:
"The visit speaks for Itself—no
interpretation is necessary. There
will, however, be a final communique
later.”
They said that the ground had
been thoroughly covered in the con
versations between Hitler and the
two foreign ministers last night and
that Von Rlbbentrop’s appearance
with Count Ciano this morning,
therefore, was purely a matter of
courtesy.
Speculation on the outcome of
the conversations between Hitler and
Ciano was accompanied by indica
tions that the Fuehrer is preparing
(See BERLIN, Page A-4.)
I
Gardner Is Indicted
On Perjury Charge
In Dies Inquiry
'Political Researcher'
Is Accused of
False Testimony
Fraser S. Gardner, “political re
searcher” here, was indicted today
by the District Court grand jury
on a charge of perjury as an out
growth of the investigation of the
House Committee on Un-American
Activities into the Fascist and anti
Jewish Silver Shirts group.
Gardner, who has denied any con
nection with the Silver Shirts, an
allegedly Fascist organization,
although he had worked for a pub
lication associated with the or
ganization, had been accused by the
House committee of trying to get a
job with it as an investigator in
order to “act as an undercover
agent” to sabotage its work.
The indictment followed an ap
pearance before the grand jury by
Chairman Dies of the House Com
mittee on September 22, with Rob
ert E. Stripling, committe secre
tary, and Rhea Whitley, its counsel.
The 8-page perjury indictment
recites the authority of the Dies
Committee and sets out that Gard
ner was summoned before it Au
gust 23.
Questioning Cited.
According to the indictment,
Gardner swore to tell the truth
and was asked by Mr. Whitley,
"You stated that you had no con
nections of any kind, past or pres
ent. with the German-American
Bund.” and that Gardner inter
posed: "That is correct.”
"Or with aiiy Nazi or Fascist
groups, and specifically you stated
you had no connections with Mr.
Pelley (William Dudley Pelley, head
of the Silver Shirts, which operates
the Sky land Press, publishing the
Liberator) or his Silver Shirts?” the :
counsel asked, according to the In
dictment.
The indictment contends that Mr.
Gardner testified: “I have nothing
to do with Mr. Pelley or his Silver
Shirts,” which testimony, at the
time of his so testifying before said
special committee, did not believe to
be true and well knew was false
and untrue.
“For in- truth and in fact, the
said Fraser S. Gardner at the time j
the aforementioned question was
asked him and at the time he gave 1
the aforesaid testimony, reply and
statement thereto, had business !
and social connections with the said
‘Mr. Pelley,’ that is to say, with
Mr. William Dudley Pelley of Ashe
ville, N. C., as htj the said Fraser
S. Gardner, then and there well
knew.” * #
The indictment is in two counts, ,
one recites that Gardner was asked !
by Mr. Whitley: "You have just ,
testified you did not know the i
(Bee UN-AMERICAN, Page A-L)
t **
k
; >
Supreme Court Opens
Fall Term; Justices
To Visit Roosevelt
300 Coses Pending;
Several Anti-Trust
Decisions Awaited
By the Associated Press.
Confronted by a number of im
portant legal controversies, the
Supreme Court Justices met today
to open their new 1939-40 term be
fore going to the White House to
pay their respects to President
Roosevelt.
Not since 1935 had the Jurists
included jt White House visit in the
opening-day formalities. The omis
sions were due to President Roose
velt's absence from the Capital.
Justice Pierce Butler, ill in a hos
pital, was the only one of the nine
justices missing *s the members of
the court, clad in traditional black
robes, marched solemnly into the
chamber while the crier intoned the
customary “Oyes, oyes, oyez.’
Solicitor Oeneral Robert H. Jack
son headed the list of Government
counsel present. Attorney General
Murphy was absent because of a
cold.
Adjourns Until Monday.
After admitting a number of at
torneys to practice and receiving a
few motions, the court adjourned
until next Monday. At that time it
will announce whether it will re
view approximately 300 cases filed
during the summer.
Awaiting action by the court are
anti-trust proceedings against the
American Medical Association, 13
Midwest oil companies and a group
of milk dealers in the Chicago area
Thejf were charged with activi
ties in restraint of trade, in viola
tion of the Sherman Act. The
Government was unsuccessful in
lower courts.
The A. M. A. has not opposed
the Government’s request that the
Supreme Court rule finally on the
Issues in the case involving it and
the District Medical Society. The
case grew largely out of charges
of boycott measures by the organized
medical profession against Group
Health Association, Inc., here. The
District Court ruled that the medi
cal profession was not a "trade”
covered by the anti-trust laws.
A number of disputes involving
interpretation of the National Labor
Relations Act also are pending, but
the law itself has been held consti
A test case of the constitutionality
jf the Federal Wage-Hour Act is ex
pected to be filed some time during
the eight-month term.
Butler Is Only One 111.
All the justices were reported to
le in excellent health, except 73
year-old Pierce Butler. He has been
seriously ill for several weeks with a
bladder ailment.
There has been speculation that
be might, retire, but he has given
no indication that he plans to take
this action.
Chief Justice Hughes, 77, is de
scribed as completely recovered from
in ulcer which kept him in bed for
several weeks last spring. He pre
sided last week over the annual con
ference here of senior Circuit Court
ludges.
Friends of Justice McReynolds,
iIso 77, report that he plans to con
tinue on the court for this term at
ieast. He and Justice Butler are the
;wo remaining members described
>y administration men as “conserv
itive.”
President Roosevelt has named
four of the present nine justices.
Bund Holds Rally
Without Jailed Kuhn
Be the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Oct. 2.—German
Vmerican Bund members observed
German day at a rally last night
vithout their leader, Friz Kuhn, a
icheduled speaker, who is in Tombs
Mson In default of $50,000 bail on
i grand larceny charge.
James Wheeler-Rill, national sec
eta ry of the bund, and several other
eaders, addressed the meeting which
sommemorated the settling of Ger
nantown, Pa., 250 years ago.
Injured in Train Wreck
MARSHALL, Tut., Oct. 2 UP)<
Jeveral persons were injured slightly
shea six ears at a westbound Texas
k Pacific passenger train, the Texan,
eft the tracks at Grogan’s Mill, 21
miles north at here, yesterday.
*
Arms Debate Opens;
Borah Terms Repeal
'War Intervention'
Pittman Characterizes Bill
As Most Important Ever
Devised to Keep Neutrality
• By G. GOULD LINCOLN.
Repeal of the arms embargo will be regarded as an act of
“intervention” in the European war because it will favor one side,
Senator Borah, Republican, of Idaho, declared before crowded
Senate galleries this afternoon in the opening attack on the admin
istrations “take title and carry’ neutrality bill.
The Idaho veteran took the floor after Chairman Pittman of
the Foreign Relations Committee launched debate on the adminis
tration bill by characterizing it as “the most important legislation
that has ever been proposed for the purpose of keeping us out of a
European war.”
“In my opinion, no such grave situation has threatened the
world in all history," said the Nevada Senator. “The inconceivable
developments in the European controversy strike with paralyzing
force on the minds of even the most astute statesmen.”
He insisted, however, that there is no cause for fear “now”
that this country will be drawn into the conflict. But he added that
“we have no right to refuse to take into consideration” the fact
thdt the war as it develops may “be brought to the gateway of our
own country.”
"How can it be claimed, how can any one expect, belligerent
nations to regard the cash-and-carry proposition under the cir
cumstances as anything but distinctly unneutral?” Senator Borah
declared. “In view of the fact that we repeal a law which pro
hibits the sale of arms, munitions and implements of war to all
belligerent nations and in lieu of it enact a law which distinctly
favors one of the combatant nations, this act of repeal will be
regarded and will be treated by all concerned as an act of inter
vention. I can see it in no other light.”
In leading up to this argument, Mr. Borah said the Presi
dent’s message asking for repeal caused definite reactions in
the opposing countries of Europe.
“The press of Germany announced *-*
AVtsI fViA ni.kli. /I__J I
—...v V4 uwiij ucviaicu
that the United States was to enter
the war against Germany, that the
United States had ‘joined England
against us,’ as they said. And what
took place in Great Britain? Any
thing different? The announcement
by the press and the cry of the pub
lic was that the United States ‘is
coming in,’ that ‘our former ally is
to Join us again,’” Senator Borah
asserted.
The arms embargo, repeal of
which the President has insisted is
of paramount importance in deal
ing with the country's neutrality
laws, Senator Pittman contended is
not the essential thing to keep this
country out of war.
He contended that it was of vital
importance to keep American citi
zens and American ships out of war
zones, where American lives and
American property might be de
stroyed. The bill now before the
Senate with a favorable report from
the Foreign Relations Committee, is
designed to do Just that thing, he
said.
Arms Ban Favors Nazis, he Says.
He asserted, however, that the ex
isting arms embargo was ‘‘a discrim
ination in favor of Germany.”
Long before the Nevada Senator
opened debate for proponents of new
neutrality legislation, crowds had
ignored a cold rain to throng the
Capitol and overflow the Senate's
galleries. They were drawn by pros
pects of a debate expected to rank
high among historic Senate discus
sions.
The Rev. Ze Barney Phillips,
chaplain, opened the Senate session
with a prayer for peace.
Vice President Garner warned the
galleries against conversation, pack
ed though they were, with specta
tors lining the walls. Casual visitors
helped fill the diplomatic section.
A group of Senators opposed to
the administration measure met just
before the session to discuss strategy
for their fight. Senator Nye, Re
publican, of North Dakota reported
that Senator Johnson, Republican,
or California would act as floor
manager for the opposition.
About 70 Senators were in their
places when Senator Pittman began
speaking.
Senator Pittman argued that the
90-day credit provision contained
in the bill is by no means a violation
of the Johnson act to prevent loans
by Americans or the United States
to foreign nations which have de
faulted on their World War debts
to this country. He contended that
Senator Johnson, himself, in 1934
sat in a conference at the Treasury
Department which resulted in a
statement by the Attorney General
that the Johnson act was not de
signed to prevent the use of ordinary
aids to banking and commercial
transactions which are obligations
in a broad sense but not in the sense
intended by the Johnson act.
Barkley Makes Statement
Before Senator Pittman began his
explanation of the neutrality bill.
Democratic Leader Barkley made a
brief statement, saying that it was
planned to hold daily sessions run
ning five or six hours, to expedite
consideration of the measure.
After describing the events which
led up to American entry into the
World War in 1917, Senator Pittman
said:
"In 1937 our Government deter
mined to suspend some of its rights
under international law during
widespread war. We placed restric
tions upon our citizens and upon
American vessels, such as had never
before been enacted in this country
or any other country in the world.
We placed an embargo on the ex
port to belligerent powers of certain
things that we defined as arms,
ammunition and implements of war.
The list of articles defined in the
act as subject to embargo consists of
only a few manufactured articles,
being chiefly guns and the ammuni
tion for guns, and war vessels and
the guns and ammunition for war
vessels and aircraft, and injurious
and destructive gases.
Embargo List Can’t Be Enlarged.
ine emoargo use cannot be en
larged because It is defined in the
act of Congress. By name it pur
ports to Include instruments of war,
and yet it does not include oil that
propels the battleship and the sub
marine, or gasoline that makes it
possible for the airship to fly; it does
not include cotton from which gun
cotton, one of the highest explo
sives, is made. And yet we know
from the contraband list of Great
Britain and Germany that all of
these materials not contained in
such embargo list will be seized or
destroyed by belligerent powers if
they believe that such material is
moving to their enemy. And is there
any doubt that if Germany, under
its contention that it cannot safely
rise to the surface and search and
seize contraband on a merchant
vessel, will eventually pursue exactly
the same policy as it pursued in
March, 1917? Is there any doubt
that if the war lasts long enough
and the situation of countries be
comes desperate enough, they will
resort to any form of destruction
of contraband and vessels carrying
contraband to their enemy?
“How are citizens protected by
prohibiting the export of a few man
ufactured articles, while we permit
the export to any of the belliger
ent powers of all the other things
that are designated by the belliger
ent powers as instruments of war?
“It seems to me that the strong
and almost fanatical zeal of some
of our Senators in treating these
particular goods as distinguished
from other Instruments of war and
retaining them on the embargo list,
Is actuated, even if unconsciously,
by pride of past attitudes. Even
some distinguished Senators contend
that it is the symbol of neutrality.
Just another catch word that leads
the American people to believe that
the repeal of the embargo list is tha
repeal of all neutrality legislation.
“Yes, the swastika was originally
the symbol of the National Socialist
party of Germany. Today it Is a
symbol of a different character of
government. There is no doubt a
strong sentiment in the minds and
hearts of the people of this coun
try against engaging in mass mur
der that attends war today. Many
(See NEUTRALITY, Page A-S.)
1
U. S. Drops Charges
Against 69 in
Harlan Coal Case
Justice Department
Says 'Peace Prevails'
In Kentucky Mine Fields
Bj the Associated Press.
The Justice Department, asserting
that “industrial peace at last pre
vails” in the Harlan County (Ky.)
coal field, today dropped charges
that 69 defendants conspired to de
prive miners of their rights under
the Labor Relations Act.
Original charges named 34 mine
executives, 23 law enforcement offi
cers and 22 coal companies.
The dismissal followed similar ac
tion in the Kentucky State Court
last week involving State indict
ments naming 900 men and women.
It came after conferences between
Attorney General Murphy and Gov.
A. B. Chandler.
In a motion filed in the Federal
District Court for Eastern Kentucky
Government attorneys asserted that
disclosures at a 1938 mistrial "led
to a decided change for the better."
They added “the operators and the
miners made peace and each side
after bitter controversy seemed sin
cerely willing to work together in
harmony.”
Ship Arrives From Sweden
NEW YORK, Ost. 2 (JF).—'The
Swedish - American liner Gripsholm
arrived today with 1,188 passengers,
761 of them American citizens, after
a 10-day voyage from Gothenburg,
Sweden, made via the Far North
Atlantic to avoid war hazards.
Aboard were Sigvard Bemadotte,
son of Crown Prince Gustaf Adolf
of 8weden; Bruce Cabot, film actor,
and Gimjlro Fujihara, member of
the Bouse of Peers ifi Japan and a
paper magnate.
A