Evening star. [volume], October 09, 1939, Image 1

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

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m
Weather Forecast ( ,
Prom the United States Weather Bureau report. I OuOV S W0X NeWS TODAY
Full details on Pare A-* —*
Fair tonight and tomorrow, not much
ffiS^wSrSTs STSSS: Ni«lmim* on Europe's Battlefields
64, at e am._ Is Press Time on The Stor
Closing New York Markets, Page 14. *— —
W) Means Aaaociatad Press.
87th YEAR. No. 34,859._WASHINGTON, D. C.t MONDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1939—THIRTY-SIX PAGES. **w* THREE CENTS.
Reich Launches Repatriation
Of Eastern European Germans;
British Delay Aims Statement
Over 2,120,000 in
Baltic and Balkan
Areas Involved
Germany appeared today to be
launching a broad-scale program of
repatriation of German-blood resi
dents from seven Eastern European
countries, an action which promised
alleviation of German minority
problems with those countries.
Thts was in accordance with
Chancellor Hitler's declaration in
his Reichstag speech last Friday
that “the east and south of Europe
is to a large extent filled with splin
ters of German nationality, whose
existence they cannot maintain.”
In his Reichstag speech Hitler
said Germany’s most important task
in Poland was establishment of “a
new order of ethnographic (racial)
conditions—that is to say, resettle
ment of nationalities.”
More than 2.000.000 Germans were
involved in this prospective mass
movement back to the Reich from
Rumania, Yugoslavia and Hungary,
while another 120,000 living in Es
tonia. Latvia and Lithuania also
were affected, the Associated Press
said. An unestimated number re
siding in Soviet Russia also was
believed to be included in the plans.
First Effort in Baltic.
The first concrete effort toward
returning these outlying bits of
German nationality to the Reich
wfas being made in the Baltic area,
Germany was working on plans for
negotiation with these small states
for the transfers.
From Riga, Latvia, it was reported
that Germany would open negotia
tions today or tomorrow, and several
German transports had already ar
rived at Libau and Windau, Latvian
ports, to return Germans to the
Reich
A dispatch from Tallinn. Estonia,
said that German steamships also
had arrived there to help in re
moving Germans and that a Ger
man commission was en route there
to discuss details of the repatriation.
The chipf difficulty in the Baltic
area appeared to be the question
of how to recompense these Ger
mans for property, especially real
estate, that they would leave behind
and how to effect the transfer of
their capital assets without embar
rassing the economy and finance
of the Baltic states on the one
hand and Germany on the other.
Reich to Pay Expenses.
Associated Press dispatches said a
plan had been advanced whereby
Germany would pay expenses for
transporting as many of the Ger
mans now residing in Rumania,
Yugoslavia and Hungary as wish to
settle what were Western Poland
and Czecho-Slovakia.
Soviet Russia was said to have in
formed Germany confidentially that
to make room for repatriated Ger
mans in these areas she would admit
Czechs and Slovaks who were willing
to emigrate to Russian farms or in
dustrial areas.
Latest census figures place the
number of Germans in Rumania
at nearly 800.000. of which nearly
225.000 reside in Transylvania. 280,
000 in Banat, 80,000 in Bukovina and
100.000 in Bessarabia.
Hungary's German population is
placed at 500.000 to 600.000, and
Yugoslavia's 600.000 to 700,000.
Reich officials estimated there
were 60.000 Germans in Latvia, 15
000 to 20,000 in Estonia and 40.000
in Lithuania, the countries under
immediate consideration for repa
triation negotiations. Some German
families were said to have moved
to the Reich without waiting for
official settlement of the problems
involved.
German Holdings Big in Latvia.
Latvia, it was understood, esti
mated the value of possessions in
German hands there at 1.500.000,000
reichsmarks (about $600,000,000).
Another question to be settled was
that of German families claiming
to have lived in the same place
for centuries and not desiring to
migrate. There was no clear an
swer to the question whether Ger
many would disinterest herself in
such persons or whether possible in
jury to them would still excite the
wrath of Hitler as protector of all
Germans.
All signs pointed to the fact that
Germany and the Baltic states
would act quickly and decisively on
the matter of transfer of Germans
and not wait for details, which
would retard the operatibns. Some
form of option would be granted
these Germans, however, it was said.
The question of transferring Ger
mans in Soviet Russia would be
taken up considerably later, it was
Intimated.
Dispatches from Riga, Latvia,
Saturday told of a German request
for Latvian consent to removal of
Germans. It was understood Latvia
would not refuse, but might .require
a treaty covering the transfer.
Hottest Oct. 9
Ever Recorded
In V/ashington
This is the hottest October 9 in
Washington's recorded weather his
tory.
The mercury reached a high of 90
degrees at 2 p.m. today, breaking the
record of 87 for the day, established
in 1879. The heat record for the
month of October is 90 degrees and
only six times since the Weather Bu
reau began keeping records in 1871
has it been this hot.
The prediction for tomorrow is
continued fair, with about the
same temperatures.
At 6 am., the mercury reached
a low for the day of 68 degrees.
Yesterday, the high was 84 degrees,
reached at 4 pm.
‘_ 4
. j- ■- ■ I ■
French Bullets Rip
'Don't Fire' Sign
On Nazi Line
By the Associated Preaa.
PARIS, Oct. 9.—French troops
reported today that Germans
raised a huge sign over block
j houses on the Rhine, near the
town of Neue Breisach. which
read: “French comrades, don’t
Are on your German friends ”
The report added that the
‘sign suffered greatly from
French bullets.”
- I
Daladier to Answer
Hitler's Peace Offer /
In Talk Tomorrow
Germans Are Reported
Taking Offensive on *
Western Front
By the Associated Press.
PARIS. Oct. 9.—The war ministry
announced Premier Daladier had
decided to broadcast a speech to j
the Nation tomorrow as the result '
of Adolf Hitler's peace speech last
Friday.
M. Daladier's address will be
broadcast on a nation-wide French
nookup at 8 pm. <2 p.m. E. S. T.i.
Before announcement of the
speech M. Daladier conferred with ;
Generalissimo Maurice Gustave j
Gamelin, chief of the British
French land forces.
Germans Take Offensive.
French military sources said Ger
man forces had taken the offensive
in limited areas along the western
front.
The action, these sources said, -
apparently was designed to take
prisoners to question for information
as to French military strength and
plans. German attacks were re
ported near Saarlouis, Saarbruecken
and along the Nied River.
Units of the French tank corps
were given credit for turning back
German attempts to retake cap
tured positions inside Germany.
German artillery fire and in
creased patrol skirmishes reported
from Saarbruecken west of Luxen
burg today led French military ob
servers to predict a possible big
scale Nazi offensive soon against
that section of the Maginot Line.
Fighting Near Saarbreueken. ,
Observers said their predictions
of an early Nazi offensive were
strengthened by the letup of heavy |
rains in the fighting zone and re- ,
ports that German veterans of the j
Polish invasion were being sta- 1
! tioned in great numbers in the
Saarland facing the French line.
A French communique today said
fighting was concentrated in two
sectors, one south of Saarbreueken,
which has been under constantly in
creasing French pressure, and an
other about six miles west of» Saar
bruecken in the lower Nied River
trollfiir
The French earlier had asserted
their troops repulsed a series of Ger
man “surprise attacks’’ east of the
Moselle River.
With the clearing weather, French
planes were said to have made ob
servation trips over the Western
German cities of Cologne and Bonn,
which are on the Rhine, opposite
Germany’s Belgian and Nether
lands frontiers. One French scout
ing plane failed to return to its
base, it was announced.
26 Communists Arrested.
In Paris, meanwhile, the war
council announced the arrest yes
terday of 26 of 72 former Com
munist deputies on charges of vio
lating the decree dissolving the
Communist party and forbidding
Communist propaganda.
The arrests, it was said, were
based on a letter sent to Edouard
Herriot, president of the Chamber
of Deputies, urging convocation of
Parliament for debate of "immedi
ate peace.'’
Sixteen of the deputies were ar
rested in Paris. The others, taken
into custody in the provinces, are
being sent to the capital.
“Reply With Cannon.”
French newspapers continued to
reject Adolf Hitler’s “peace” offerc
“There is only one reply to Hitler,
and that is with cannon,” declared
Le Figaro.
Russia's move into Baltic affairs
and reports that the Soviet Army
planned to build a “Maginot” line
facing Germany along the frontier
laid dowm in conquered Poland by
the two countries were held up as
examples of distrust underlying the
German-Russian agreement.
Chandler Named to Senate
After Resigning State Post
By the Associated Press.
FRANKFORT, Ky„ Oct. 9.—Gov.
A. B. “Happy” Chandler resigned
today and was succeeded by Lt. Gov.
Keen Johnson, who immediately ap
pointed Mr. Chandler to the United
States Senate, succeeding the late
M. M. Logan.
In brief ceremonies in the Gov
ernor's private office, Mr. Chandler,
whose gubernatorial term would
have expired December 12, signed
his resignation.
A few minutes later Gov. Johnson,
who is the Democratic nominee for
Governor in the November general
election, was sworn in as Governor
by Chief Justice Alex Ratliff of the
Kentucky Court of Appeals.
Mr. Chandler was appointed to
the Senate vacancy caused by the
death of Senator Logan last Tues
day.
The new, junior Senator from
Kentucky plans to leave Frankfort
tonight for Washington and prob
ably will present himself to the
Senate tomorrow.
i
Chamberlain States
Solidarity With
France Again
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 9 —Prime Minister
Chamberlain told the House of Com
mons today that Britain and France
were “in complete accord” as to
the purposes of their participation
in the European War, which they
frequently expressed, and that any
more specific statement of their
war aims would be evolved through
consultation of the two powers.
Mr. Chamberlain’s statement was
in reply to a question by La
borite Arthur Henderson, who asked
“whether it is the policy of his
majesty’s government to publish in
due course of time and Jointly with
the French government a specific
statement of war aims based on
principles already enunciated.”
“His majesty’s government and
the French government are in com
plete accord as to the purposes for
which they entered the war,” Mr.
Chamberlain replied.
Purposes Have Been Stated.
“These purposes have more than
once been stated by both govern
ments,” he added. “No doubt as
time goes on both governments will
consider whether their war aims
should be stated in more specific
form.”
Mr. Chamberlain said that Mr.
Henderson “may take it that any
such statement will only be made
by agreement between the two gov
ernments.”
The British government has said
repeatedly that the principal aims
of the war are to "crush Hitlerism”
and “to free Europe from the
menace of aggression.” The re
storation of Poland and Czecho
slovakia also has been mentioned.
Eleanor Rathbone, Independent,
interposed in the discussion to
inquire whether "the Prime Minis
ter is aware there is a strong and
growing demand in the country for
a more specific statement on the
government's war aims?”
There were several cries of “No.”
Mr. Chamberlain gave no answer.
War Preparations Geared High.
While the nation waited for the
cabinet to frame a formal reply to
Adolf Hitler's peace gestures. Brit
ain kept her war preparations
geared to a high pitch.
The British press continued to as
sail Hitler's proposals as "nebulous”
and urge a policy barring peace "at
the price of Poland.”
Widely separated spheres of
thought emphasized reported United
States reaction as a strong argu
ment against embracing the Fueh
rer’s ‘‘peace overtures.”
King Visits Fleet.
Meanwhile, the nation's armed
forces heard King George assert
that though “your task may be
long and arduous, I have every
confidence in your ultimate suc
cess.”
The King, an admiralty an
nouncement said, had paid a two
day visit to the home fleet and in
spected a naval airdrome, where
he decorated flyers reported to have
“recently achieved a certain north
ern sea triumph.” The nature of
the “triumph” was not specified.
The admiralty quoted the King as
telling the fleet he had been “much
impressed by the keen and cheer
ful spirit which unites you in the
(See LONDONTPage A-4.)
Windsor's Wife to Run
Home for Wounded
By the A ssociated Pres*.
PARIS Oct. 9 —The French gov
ernment was understood today to
have approved a plan of the Duchess
of Windsor to establish a con
valescent home for British officers
in her Riviera chateau at Cap
d’Antibes
The Windsors, it was said, will
pay all expenses of equipping the
home and meet operation costs ex
pected to amount to approximately
$75,000
The Duchess was believed to be
planning to be hostess to the first
group of British wounded.
On a recent trip to the Riviera
she selected nurses for the home.
Supreme Court
Agrees to Pass
On Labor Issues
3 A. F. LandC. I. 0.
Controversies Are
Involved in Review
By the Associated Pres*.
The Supreme Court agreed today
to pass on three controversies be
tween the American Federation of
Labor and the C. I. O. over interpre
tation of the National Labor Rela
tions Act
Acting on approximately 300 pe
titions filed during the summer, the
court consented:
To review a decision by the United
States Court of Appeals for the Dis
trict of Columbia leaving in effect a
certification by the Labor Board of
a C. I O union as the exclusive bar
gaining agency for Pacific Coast
longshoremen. The Court of Ap
peals said it did not have jurisdic
tion to pass on the controversy.
Runoff Election Issue.
To pass on a ruling by the Sixth
Federal Circuit Court denying the
Labor Board the right to place the
name of only one labor organization
(a C. I. O. affiliate on the ballot for
a runoff election to determine col
lective bargaining represehtation for
employes of the Consumers Power
Co. at Jackson. Mich. The federa
tion argued that its affiliate should
be placed on the ballot.
To review a decision of the Fifth
Federal Circuit Court setting aside
a Labor Board order directing the
Waterman Steamship Corp. of Mo
bile, Ala., to reinstate a group of
employes with back pay, they were
dismissed after changing their
membership from a federation af
filiate to a C. I. O. unit. The Circuit
Court held the dismissals were for
economy.
These were among the scores of
petitions filed during the court's
summer recess.
Reviews Declined.
In addition, the tribunal refused
to review lower court decisions sus
taining orders by the Labor Board
that:
The Cudahy Packing Co. must
cease recognition of the Packing
House Workers' Union of St. Paul,
an independent union, at its New
port, Minn., plant.
The Louisville Refining Co. must
bargain collectively with the Inter
national Association of Oil Field,
Gas Well and Refinery Workers of
America.
The Crowe Coal Co. of Henry
County, Mo., is under the jurisdic
tion of the Labor Board and must
reinstate discharged employes.
The court agreed to review a lower
court decision sustaining an order
by the Labor Board that the Na
tional Licorice Co. of Brooklyn must
cease dominating an employes’ col
lective bargaining committee and
cancel a wage contract with it.
Only one word was usually em
ployed by the court in announcing
its action on petitions for review.
That was either “granted” or “de
nied.” Reasons seldom are given
Other Actions.
Among other actions, the court:
Declined to pass on an attack on
constitutionality* of a provision in
the constitution of the Brotherhood
of Painters, Decorators and Paper
hangers of America permitting
workmen employed by a non-resi
dent contractdr to charge the wag»
scale prevailing either in the place
where the work is done or in the
place where the contractor lives,
whichever is higher. The provision
was upheld by the Federal Circuit
Court at New York.
Refused to review a decision by
the Court of Claims dismissing an
attack on constitutionality of the
Federal capital stock tax imposed by
the National Industrial Recovery
Act and the 1934 and 1935 revenue
acts. The tax was on the value of
capital stock as declared by corpo
rations.
Declined to interfere with a ruling
by the Seventh Federal Circuit Court
that the salary of Judge Oscar E.
Bland of the United States Court of
Customs and Patent Appeals was
subject to a Federal income tax.
Refused to review a decision by
the Sixth Federal Circuit Court
setting aside a Federal Trade Com
mission order requiring the Good
year Tire & Rubber Co. to cease
selling tires to Sears, Roebuck &
(See SUPREME COURT, Page A^7.)
The War Situation
Germany was reported launch
ing a movement todav for the
return to the Reich of more than
2,000,000 German-blood residents
of seven Eastern European
countries in accordance with a
statement by Chancellor Hitler in
his Reichstag speech last Fri
day. More than 2,000,000 per
sons were involved in the pro
spective transfer from three Bal
kan countries and more than
120,000 from three Baltic coun
tries. Germans in Soviet Rus
sia might also be affected.
(Page A-l.)
Prime Minister Chamberlain
today deferred statement of
Britain’s war aims in the House
of Commons, replying to a ques
tion that Britain and France
continued to stand together and
that a'ny specific statement of
objectives would be evolved by
the two governments in con
sultation. (Page A-l.)
It was announced in Paris that
Premier Daladier would reply to
Chancellor Hitler’s peace pro
posals in a radio talk tomorrow.
It was reported in the French
capital that German forces on
the western front were taking
the offensive, with the purpose,
it was believed, of capturing
prisoners from whom to obtain
information about French troop
movements. (Page A-l.)
' Soviet Russia threw its weight
behind Chancellor Hitler's peace
offensive. An editorial in Izvestia,
government newspaper, accused
Great Britain and Prance of "re
turning to the Middle Ages” for
waging war to exterminate Hit
lerism. Germany and Russia last
night reached a speedy decision
to stimulate their mutual trade.
Moscow awaited the arrival to
night or tomorrow of a Finnish
delegation for discussion of po
litical and economic problems. ‘
(Page A-4.)
In spite of denials by Finnish
government officials that Russia
had made any demands upon the
Finnish government, many Finns
were becoming uneasy. The
head of Finland's delegation to
Moscow was Dr. Juhu Passikivi,
who in 1920 helped flx the boun
daries of the Finnish state as
chief delegate to the Russo-Fin
nish conference at Dorpet. (Page
A-3.)
From Rome the report was re
ceived that W. R. Davis, Amer
ican oil operator, had just com
pleted a secret visit to Berlin,
where, it was said, he had com
pleted a new deal for sale of ex
propriated Mexican oil to Nazi
Germany. Mr. Davis was said to
have left Germany and gone to
Lisbon, Portugal, by way of Rome.
(Page A-2.)
Complete Index, Page A-2.
*
I
Wonder How Long the Honeymoon Will Last?
Edward A. Dent, D. C. Surveyor,
Promoted to Tax Assessor
Has Been Employe
Of City for Past
27 Years
Edward A. Dent, who became
District surveyor when Melvin C.
; Hazen was named Commissioner six
' years ago. today was appointed tax
assessor for the District to succeed
Fred D. Allen, who died suddenly
last week.
Mr. Dent. 48 years old, is the sec
ond man to step from the post of
surveyor to assessor. William P.
Richards was surveyor for many
i years until his appointment as tax
j assessor in 1908.
A native of Washington, Mr. Dent
has been an employe of the District
government for 27 years. He started
out in 1912 as a rod man in the sur
veyor’s office, and progressed
through the ranks to become Mr.
Hazen's assistant. He held the latter
post for eight years before becoming
chief surveyor.
Mr. Dent was educated in District
elementary schools and at McKinley
High School. For a year and a half
before he began his District service,
he was connected with ft Govern
ment survey in the West.
During his term as surveyor Mr.
Dent also has served as a member
of the District Land Purchasing
Committee, special treasurer of the
Alley Dwelling Authority and as a
member of the Co-ordinating Com
mittee of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission.
EDWARD A. DENT.
The Commissioners gave no indi
cation as to who would be named
successor to Mr. Dent as surveyor.
Carl E. Pels is assistant surveyor at
present.
Mr. Dent's new post will bring a
salary increase. The job of surveyor
pays $6,000 per year, while the sal
ary for the assessor ranges from
$6,500 to $7,500 per annum.
Mr. Dent was married in 1912
to Eleanora Hayden. They have two
children, a son and a daughter, and
their home is at 4701 Connecticut
avenue N.W.
Building Is Tied Up
As Steel Workers
; Go on Strike
Settlement Believed
Near; Drivers Delay
Their Walkout
Strike-ridden building construc
tion in the city received another i
serious setback today when more i
than 175 steel workers failed to i
report for work because of a wage i
dispute with contractors.
Representatives of the Steel :
Workers' Union and members of the '
Contractors’ Committee were to i
meet jointly at 3:30 p.m. today in
an effort to settle the dispute. ]
With this strike virtually halting 1
most of the concrete work, Team- 1
sters’ Union truck drivers held up 1
temporarily their threatened walk- 1
out over a Jurisdictional dispute '
within the American Federation of ■
Labor local family circle.
Members of the Reinforced Steel 1
Workers’ Union, Local No. 201, who j
set rods for concrete foundation '
work, went on strike after week-end '
negotiations with a contractors’ !
committee failed to settle differences
over a wage clause in a proposed
new union contract.
Union leaders and contractors 1
alike agreed that the point of differ- j
ence is slight and that some solution
should be forthcoming within a
“relatively short time."
Agreement Near.
Howard T. Colvin, Labor Depart- 1
ment conciliator, met with the fac
tions Saturday and indicated today
that an agreement “was almost 1
reached.” i
The walkout of the steel workers, i
affiliated with the International As- i
sociation of Bridge Structural and 1
Ornamental Workers, (airbed efforts t
to speed work three times normal 1
rate on the new Federal Office
Building, which builders are at- (
tempting to rush to completion by i
(See STRIKE, Page A-4.)
Man May Recover 3
With Needle in Heart t
By the Associated Press. 1
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 9.—Although j
he had a needle In his heart, phy- 1
sicians say John Cuneo, 56, may (
recover.
Detective Lts. R. O. Griffin and |
J. F. McGinty said he confessed *
jabbing himself in a suicide at- ‘
tempt. * *
Physicians, describing Cuneoy's
condition is “poor, but not critical.” ‘
said efforts would be made to with- j
draw the steel sliver with a magnet. 1
They added it was problematical
whether a clot would form which .
would permit his heart to heal.
I
•
Foreign Submarine
And Two Tankers
Seen Off Florida
-4»
White House Announces
Sighting of Craft in
Gulf of Mexico
A foreign submarine and two for
ugn tankers were observed yester
iay in the Gulf of Mexico about 20
niles west of Key West by the Amer
can neutrality patrol, Stephen
Sarly, White House secretary, an
tounced today. It was not disclosed
vhether the tankers and the sub
narine were of the same nationality.
The administration thinks it has
jositive identification of the tank
:rs. Mr. Early said, but the infor-.
nation still is being checked. The
iubmarine was said to have been
:omparatively small. It may be that
t was the same submarine observed
Saturday off Miami, Fla.
The diplomatic aspect of the op
ration of non-American submarines
ind tankers in American waters is
tecoming more pressing in the light
>f the recent Declaration of Panama,
stablishing the safety zone around
forth and South America south of
Canada.
Mr. Early said also that so far
is he knew the Government had
eceived no information other than
hat carried in the press concem
ng hints that Adolf Hitler would
Ike to see President Roosevelt
>ropose an armistice in the Euro
lean war.
No Official Information.
Asked whether this country would
* unlikely to take any action until
ome approach on the subject of
i truce was made through diplo
natic channels, Mr. Early asserted
hat none of the press reports “have
old us yet where they got their
nformation.” »
Certainly nothing official has
ome in, he added, so far as he
mew.
Pressed for further details, Mr.
Jarly added:
“I'm going to ignore it all, if
oull let me.”
Meanwhile, belief that “a peace
id” by President Roosevelt would
>ut an immediate end to the Eu
opean war was expressed today by
tepresentative Ludlow, Democrat,
f Indiana.
Mr. Ludlow said in a statement
ie hoped the President would offer
iis services to the warring nations
as a medium for bringing peace
o a distraught world.”
,“A peace bid by him at this
Ime,” Mr. Ludlow added, “would
e a timely and sound action and
he world would applaud.”
If the submarine sighted off Key
Vest was not the same one. seen
(See ROOSEVELT, Page 44.)
i
Two Y. W. C. A. Aides
Young Communists,
Dies Probers Told
Attended Party's
Training School,
Witness Says
BULLETIN.
Four or five leading Com
munists” were entertained at the
White House by Mrs. Franklin
D. Roosevelt during an American
Youth Conference meeting in
Washington, last year, Kenneth
Goff, an admitted Communist,
testified this afternoon before the
House Committee Investigating
un-American Activities.
By JAMES E. CHINN.
An admitted Communist told the
House Committee on Un-American
activities today that two “national
board secretaries” of the Young
Women's Christian Association were
members of the Young Communist
League and had attended the na
tional training school of the Com
munist party.
The witness, Kenneth Goff of
Delavan, Wis., testified he was a
member of the National Committee
of the league and also a party
member, but, he added, he had pre
pared a letter of resignation to be
submitted to the party as soon as
he completed his testimony.
Meanwhile, Representative Voor
his. Democrat, of California an
nounced at the outset of today s
hearing that he had “unmistakable
evidence” that the “two locals” of
school teachers referred to in a re
port seized in a recent raid on local
Communist headquarters were not
composed of District public school
teachers.
Demanded Probe in 1935.
As a matter of fact, Mr. Voorhis
said, the teachers' unions here,
which are affiliated with the Amer
ican Federation of Labor, have been
active in combatting Communism.
He declared that these unions at
the A. F. of L. convention in 1935
introduced resolutions demanding
an investigation of the infiltration
of Communists into the ranks of
organized labor.
The committee went into executive
session immediately after Repre
sentative Voorhis made his statement
to question in private an official of
the Metropolitan Police Department
who has been active in investigating
Communist activities in the District.
The committee also intends to
question in secret session a Govern
ment employe who is said to have
attended meetings of “Communist
factions" in the Federal service. This
witness, it was said, did not want his
identity disposed for fear of re
prisals.
Mr. Goff told the committee his
association with the Communist
movement was the “greatest mis
take” in his life and now he is ready
to take his stand “with those who
are fighting for real Americanism
and democracy.”
Resignation Letter Read.
He prepared his letter of resigna
tion from the Communist party be
fore he took the witness stand. It
was read to the committee by Its
chief counsel, Rhea Whitley.
Addresssed to both the Young
Communist League and the Com
munist party, the letter of resigna
tion said:
“Three years ago, like many other
young Americans, I entered your
party and movement, believing that
your aims were for the bettering of
America, both economically and so
cially, and that you were the true
defenders of democracy.
“After three years’ work in your
movement, I have come to the con
clusion that joining your partv was
the greatest mistake of my life. You
have proven to me by your teachings
and actions that your aims are not
the bettering of America, but are
(See UN-AMERICAN, Page A-5.)
Finnish Ship Mined,
Danish Radio Hears
By the Associated Press.
COPENHAGEN, Oct. Danish
radio stations picked up an SOS
at about noon today from the
2,026-ton Finnish steamer Indra,
owned by the Nautik Steamship
Co., Ltd. The message said only
"808 mine,” after which nothing
wu heard.
J
Johnson Recess
Motion Blocked
By Procedure
Neutrality Delay Is
Asked to Await
Action on Armistice
By J. A. O’LEARY.
A motion to have the Senate recess
until Thursday, suspending neutral
ity debate to see what happens in
the movement for an armistice in
Europe, was made unexpectedly to
day by Senator Johnson, Democrat,
of Colorado, but was blocked tem
porarily because of the parliamen
tary situation.
The Colorado Senator, who last
week offered a resolution urging
President Roosevelt to co-operate
with other neutrals in a move to
restore peace, told the Senate today
that Mr. Roosevelt has .a great op
portunity to open the way for peace
at this time, presumably by taking
note of suggestions from Berlin that
a peace move would be welcome.
World Would Be Gratified.
“The whole world would be grati
fied” if the Senate would recess for
three days. Senator Johnson said
This, he added, would be considered
a sign that the United States wanted
peace in Europe and that the people
were counting on the Chief Execu
tive to do what he could to effect it.
“We must accept the belief that
Germany will listen—will accept—
an honorable peace.” Senator John
son told the Senate. “They know
how the President stands. When
they call him in they must be seek
ing an honorable peace."
Although Senator Johnson found
it necessary a moment later to with
draw his recess motion, he gave
notice he would renew it later in
the day.
Downey Ready to Continue.
When the Senate convened Sen
ator Downey. Democrat, of Cali
fornia was prepared to continue
for several hours the speech he
began Friday against repeal of the
arms embargo. He yielded to Sen
ator Johnson to make the recess
motion:— This brought Majority
Leader Barkley to his feet to say
that the motion was not in order
because Senator Downey had the
floor under an agreement reached
Friday evening.
Vice President Garner ruled that
Senator Downey had not specified
that he was yielding only for ques
tion, but Senator Johnson solved
the parliamentary problem by with
drawing the motion for the time
being.
Meanwhile, hope for a vote today
on the Tobey motion to separate
embargo repeal from the less con
troversial remaining features of the
bill faded, as Senator Downey ap
peared likely to take most of the
day completing his speech.
The Tobey move, designed to per
mit speedy action *on sections to
keep American vessels and travelers
out of the war zone, is likely to be
put off at least until tomorrow.
Woodrum Asks Probe.
Meanwhile. Representative Wood
rum. Democrat, of West Virginia
proposed a congressional investiga
tion of the "purposes and activities"
of an unofficial "National Commit
tee to Keep America Out of Foreign
Wars." headed by Representative
Fish, Republican, of New York.
In a resolution offered in the
House. Mr. Woodrum proposed ap
pointment of a special seven-man
committee to investigate the group,
which he said had been soliciting
contributions in a "propaganda cam
paign that makes the utilities and
Doc Townsend look like pikers.”
He made public what he said
were duplicate copies of letters writ
ten on Mr. Fish's congressional sta
tionery soliciting funds for the com
mittee. The addressee was asked
to send contributions to Walter L.
Reynolds, treasurer, and funds
would be used for “printing and
distributing literature, publishing
in newspapers throughout the coun
try full pages explaining foreign
relations problems as they come up,
Nation-wide broadcasting hookups,
a large-scale public speaking pro
gram and a national keep-out-of
war convention to be held in Wash
ington, D. C.”
Mr. Woodrum first used the word
"racket,” but when his words were
challenged, he agreed, at the sug
gestion of Representative Cox. Dem
ocrat, of Georgia, to change the
word to “campaign.”
Mr. Fish had proposed a short
time before that the House agree to
a minimum of 20 hours’ debate on
the neutrality legislation when the
resolution reaches it from the
Senate.
Pleading for "free and untram
melled” discussion, Mr. Fish said
there was talk that members would
be allowed only an hour to discuss
the arms embargo and other fea
tures of the legislation before vot
ing on the adoption of a conference
report.
“It would be a great blunder.” said
the ranking minority member of
the House Foreign Affairs Commit
tee, "if the administration should
attempt to railroad this legislation.”
As the Senate entered the second
(See NEUTRALITYTPage A-7.)
Naval Vessels Reach
Liner Iroquois at Sea
Bt the Associated Press.
Naval vessels have reached the
American liner Iroquois, returning
from Ireland with 584« passengers,
and are escorting her home.
This was disclosed yesterday by
the Navy, which declined further
information. The German admiralty
notified the White House last Thurs
day that the Iroquois, due in New
ifork Wednesday, would be sunk
‘‘through a repetition of circum
stances which marked the loss of the
steamship Athenia.”
German officials have denied that
a Nazi submarine torpedoed the
Athenia, a British ship, on the first
day of the-war. They declare that
the British had it sunk and then
tried to blame the Reich for
propaganda reasons.
1