Evening star. [volume], October 15, 1939, Image 1

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

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WITH DAILY EVENING EDITION --—
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No. l,8M-No. 34,865. WASHINGTON, D. C, OCTOBER 15. 1939-138 PAGES. » FIVE CENTS TEN CENTS
_ IN WASHINGTON AND SUBURBS ELSEWWimK
Royal Oak Missing List Is 800;
5th Warship Sunk, Nazis Claim;
Hitler Move to Front Reported
- 4
- Total of Rescued
Is Increased
To 396
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Oct. 14.—Sinking of the
Royal Oak, 1 of Great Britain's 12
, battleships, with perhaps 800 of her
men was announced today to a na
tion steeled for a German war in
earnest..
It was the second major German
etroke of the war against British
seapower to be announced here,
and the indicated number of casual
ties far exceeded the 515 men lost
When a German submarine sank the
aircraft carrier Courageous on Sep
tember 17.
In disclosing the sinking of the
29.150-ton warship of Jutland fame,
the admiralty said only that it was
believed she was the victim of "U
boat action."
« Subsequently, in late afternoon,
the admiralty said the Royal Oak's
complement approximated 1.200 of
ficers and men and, as far as then
was known, approximately 396 had
been saved.
Commander Among Saved.
Lists of survivors were being given
out from time to time. One of them
contained the name of the Royal
Oak's commander, Capt. W. G. Benn.
The second in command, Comdr. R.;
F. Nichols, and 36 other officers also
* were among the survivors named in
partial lists issued by the admi
ralty.
The first announcement by the
admiralty said:
“The secretary of the admiralty
regrets to announce that H. M. S.
Royal Oak is sunk, it is believed by
U-boat action."
A A later communique said:
“The secretary of the admiralty
announces that so far as is at pre
ent knowm the number of survivors
from H. M. S. Royal Oak is ap
proximately 370.
"As already stated, lists of sur
vivors will be published as soon as
the names have been received The
complement of the ship w>as ap
proximately 1.200. The above figures
Include both officers and men.”
German Claims Denied.
In a statement tonight the ad
miralty said German reports that
86.000 tons of British warships had i
been sunk were incorrect. It re- !
iterated that there was "no truth” j
, in Nazi claims that the Hood had ;
been put out of commission through
German-inflicted damages.
The admiralty did not disclose
W’here or when the disaster came to
the Royal Oak, which was com
pleted in May, 1916, and was credited
with sinking four German ships in
the World War battle of Jutland
Without damage to herself.
But she was attached at the out
break of the war to the second bat
tle squadron of the home fleet and
thus presumably was in the North
Royal Oak Heavily Armored
The Royal Oak was heavily ar
‘ mored with a 13-inch belt of steel
to protect her vital parts and deep
bulges extending almost up to the
gun batteries as a protection against
submarine attack.
How a submarine was able to
reach her if she was shielded as us
ual by accompanying destroyers
puzzled neutral naval observers.
London naval correspondents a
, *eek ago, however, suggested that
the urgency of providing British
convoys for merchant ships bearing
vital supplies for Britain might re
quire the navy to take heavy risks.
One of them wrote in the Sunday
Times of last Sunday that “it must
be realized by the public that main
tenance of such convoys will involve
us in the risk of naval losses" and
that "those losses may be numer
ous."
Follows Sub Sinkings.
The Admiralty’s announcement
came only a few hours after it had
asserted the British destroyed three
’ German submarines “on Friday the
13th." Of these it was reported to
day that two were of the large,
ocean-going type.
The naval correspondent of the
Evening News called the loss of
the Royal Oak “a bad blow for the
navy" but “with the overwhelming
supremacy in capital ships already
In commission—nine new battleships
are now building—not a crippling
blow."
The sinking of the Rov*nak fni.
lowed a period of comparative inac
tion bv German submarines and ad
miralty assertions that the submar
ine menace rapidly was being over
come. Other sources attributed the
period of calm to the refueling re
quirements of the submarines.
Russo-Turkish Pact Reported,
The nation read the huge black
headlines against the background of
^ the week's diplomatic developments
—Prime Minister Chamberlain’s re
jection of Adolf Hitler's peace pro
posals as a basis for a “real peace”
and German indications that war
would be launched in earnest against
the west.
The British press prominently
displayed reports that Turkey and
Soviet Russia had reached agree
ment on a pact in harmony with
Turkey's undertakings to Britain
and France in the mutual assistance
agreements among the latter three.
* Giuseppe Bastianini, new Italian
ambassador to London, arrived in a
special car sent to Folkestone by
Lord Halifax, British foreign sec
retary. It was explained this act of
diplomatic courtesy was to save the
envoy “The delay which most cross
channel passengers have to undergo
in these times.”
Prime Minister Chamberlain will
make his next statement to Parlia
ment on the progress of the war on
Wednesday.
Air Protection for Convoys.
The air ministry issued a com
4 munique asserting that “all convoys
arriving or leaving” Britain now “re
(See ROYAL OAK, Page A-A)
* A
Battle Cruiser Hood Damaged,
Out of Commission, Says Berlin
Heavy Cruiser and Destroyer Also
Included in Total of 86,000 Tons
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Oct. 14.—Sinking of the
British battleship Royal Oak
brought official Nazi claims today
that Germany had destroyed about
86.000 tons of British warships in
the first six weeks of the war.
German officials asserted two air
plane carriers (Courageous and Ark
Royal*, one battleship (Royal Oak*
one unnamed heavy cruiser and one
destroyer had been sunk and the
battle cruiser Hood had been so
seriously damaged it would be out
of commission for several months.
(In London the British ad
miralty said the German claims
were incorrect. It reiterated that
there was no truth in Nazi as
sertions that the Hood had been
put out of commission through
German-inflicted damage.*
Sinking of the Royal Oak brought
smiles to the faces of Nazi officials
and some adopted a slogan, “Eng
land, bend or break!"
Officials said the high command
had received a cryptic message from
a submarine commander stating that
he had torpedoed the Royal Oak but
that a full report must await the
submarine's return to its home base.
Submarine commanders normally
avoid radioing details about suc
cesses lest the enemy hear and gain
useful information. The German
high command did not have a report
from the submarine that sank the
Courageous until two days after the
loss was announced by the British.
News of the Royal Oaks destruc
tion was first announced today by
the British Admiralty and soon
thereafter confirmed by the Ger
man high command. So gleefully
was the news received that the ex
(See BERLIN, Page A-7.)
Soviet-Turkish Pact
Reported Signed
In Moscow
Black Sea Guarantees
Less Sweeping Than
Russians Sought
B? the Associated Press.
MOSCOW, Oct. 14 —Soviet Russia
and Turkey were reliably reported
tonight to have signed a pact ex
pected to prove another link in the
chain of diplomatic bargains by
which Russia is extending her power
from the Baltic to the Black Sea.
Unofficial but usually informed
sources said that while the pact
would guarantee certain Russian
rights in the Black Sea and its out
let. the Dardanelles, its terms were
less sweeping than some the Rus
sians sought to obtain.
Official announcement of the ac
cord was expected almost hourly.
It was believed to clarify the rela
tions of Turkey and Russia in the
light of their ties to participants in
the European war.
The Turkish foreign minister.
Sukru Saracoglu, has been in Mos
cow nearly three weeks negotiating
the accord with the Kremlin.
Finns Leave for Home.
Final stages of the negotiations
interrupted the talks between Rus
sian leaders and the Finnish dele
gation, which held its second con
ference at the Kremlin tonight. The
Finns, headed by Dr. Juho Kusti
Paasikivi. remained there for more
than two hours.
Later the Finns held another brief
conference with Soviet officials and
it was announced that Dr. Paasikivi
was leaving tonight for Helsinki to
report on Russian proposals. Their
nature was not disclosed.
Diplomatic quarters said he w’as
expected to return to Moscow after
consultations at home.
Hungarian Mission Arrives
Hungary joined the growing list
of nations sending envoys to Mos
cow when it was announced that
a Hungarian diplomatic mission had
arrived for talks with Russian lead
ers. The purpose of the conversa
tions w'as not announced.
Besides the Turkish and Finnish
missions now in Moscow, the for
eign ministers or special envoys oi
Germany, Estonia, Latvia and Lith
uania have been here in recent
weeks to arrange their countries' re
lations with the expanding Soviet
flower.
Tass, Soviet official news agency,
which announced the arrival of
the Hungarians, said the delega
tion was headed by M. Dekris
toffi. holding ministerial rank. The
news agency said the mission arrived
yesterday.
Finns “Firm but Reasonable.”
The Soviet proposals to Finland
have not been disclosed, but it was
believed the question of concessions
on the strategic Aland Islands in
—i See MOSCOW, Page A-4.)
Unidentified Plane
Is Fired on Flying
High Over Berlin
No Raid Alarm Given,
But Radio Is Cut Off,
Defense Guns Used
By thf AssortRtfd Press.
BERLIN. Oct. 14—An official an
nouncement said an unknown air
plane was flred on over Berlin to
night.
The plane was flying so high its
presence was detected only by the
sound of the motors.
The statement failed to say ,
whether the machine was struck by
anti-aircrafc Are or whether any
bombs were dropped.
Before the announcement was
made Berliners were startled by the
sound of gunfire. Beams of search
lights could be seen criss-crossing
the sky.
Newspaper offices were flooded
with telephone calls from residents,
who pointed out that the Berlin
radio station temporarily went dead
at the same time the shooting
started.
At that time a police headquarters
spokesman said troops at Doeberitz
garrison, just west of Bprlin, were
engaged in anti-aircraft shooting
practice.
The Berlin broadcasting station
said Its program had been inter
rupted by a technical disturbance.
The official announcement said:.
“An unidentified airplane, which
because of its great flying height
could only be detected through the
sound of its motors, was put under
fire Saturday night at various places
in its flight.”
Some sources expressed the belief
the radio was shut down to elimi
nate it as a possible direction finder
for the plane.
This was the first sigh of enemy
air activity here since early in the
war. An air raid alarm was not
sounded.
One Killed, 4 Hurt
In Crash Near Elkton
By the Associated Press.
ELKTON, Md.. Oct. 14— A sedan
and a gravel truck were in colli
sion on route 40 south of here to
day, killing one man and injuring
four others.
The dead man was identified as
J. Doyle, first-class seaman, at
tached to the U. S. S. Reina Mer
cedes. station ship at the Naval
Academy, Annapolis.
The injured were listed at the
Elkton Hospital as:
Herve Goilrd. also attached to the
Reina Mercedes; William Penny
backer, Chester. Pa.; Edward Sar
nocinski, Chester, Pa., and Newton
Adkins, Salisbury, Md.
*
New U-Boat Technique Hinted
In Sinking of Royal Oak
Bv MAJ. GEORGE F. ELIOT,
The sinking by a German sub
marine of the British Battleship
Royal Oak. following so soon
upon the successful attack on the
Aircraft Carrier Courageous, in
dicates either that the anti
submarine measures and disposi
tions now being used by the royal
navy are seriously inadequate, or
that the Germans have developed
a new technique for the employ
ment of their U-boats; perhaps
both.
In the last war the submarine
scored notable successes .against
warships only when the latter
were not properly protected by
destroyers and other light craft.
It is to be observed that not a
single capital ship of the grand
fleet was torpedoed by a sub
marine during the whole course
of the war.
Has Definite Limitations.
The submarine has. indeed,
very definite limitations as a
weapon of war. First, she is
half blind, having no elevated
observation station and being de
pendent on her periscope when
submerged; below periscope depth
k
she is, of course, totally blind and
must then depend on listening
devices for information of the
movements of other vessels.
She is among the most vulner
able of ships when operating on
the surface, being unable to bear
the weight of armor; while her
chief means of defense, submer
sion, ma; be nullified by even a
single hit from a light gun. Her
cruising radius when submerged
is dependent on the very brief
endurance of her storage bat
teries, but she cannot stop while
under the surface of the water
unless the water is so shallow that
she can lie on the bottom.
Also, when running submerged
she is very slow—11 knots is about
the top speed under these condi
tions—and even this rate quickly
exhausts her batteries. It is,
therefore difficult for a submarine
to get in a position to attack sur
face warships; for on the surface
she is vulnerable to funflre and
when submerged she cannot catch
up with battleships, cruisers or
(Continued on Pa*e A-4, Column j7)
4
Reich Army Chief
Also Declared
Shifting West
B» the Associated Press.
PARIS, Oct. 14—Sudden and un
explained Inactivity on the German
side of the front lines was followed
today by reports from neutral
countries that Adolf Hitler and Col
Gen. Wilhelm Keitel, Nazi chief of
the high command of the armed
forces were establishing headquar
ters on the western front.
These advices did not say the
German Fuehrer and Gen. Keitel
were at the front, but that Hitler's
headquarters was being set up at
Aachen, on the Belgian frontier
ar.d that Gen. Kietel had taken
personal command on the western
front. ’
Some military experts took these
reports a a an indication the long
expected German offensive might
be in preparation.
Activity Near Saarbruecken.
The high command communique
tonight reported the only GermAn
patrol activity was in two sectors
on either side of the heavily forti
fied German industrial city of Saar
bruecken.
The communique said these pa
trols south of Zweibruecken in the
sector east of Saarbruecken where
the Saar River cuts into France
had been repulsed as well as those
operating west of the river.
The heaviest artillery fire was
ranAriB/1 P/MitUn.Apt O f. r, -U
-I--- V. MVVOVX
in the Warndt forest area.
During the afternoon. Premier
Daladier conferred with Gen. Mau
rice Gustave Gamelin, allied com
mander in chief, at the war ministry.
Air Dominance Claimed.
A semi-official French statement
said that allied pursuit planes
“clearly dominate'1 German pursuit
aviation.
The statement said French-British
production of war planes was “largely
counterbalancing" that of Germany,
and that soon they will be producing
three times as many.
The statement added that Ger
many had only a limited margin to
expand production as her “industrial
mobilization has been completed sev
eral years and the blockade of the
allied fleet will hamper considerably
any new extension.”
The French asserted France and
Britain will be able to build “five
times as many planes as in peace
time production.”
A supplementary statement pub
lished by the semi-official Havas
News Agency said that the first six
weeks of the war showed a “very
distinct superiority of our pur
suit ships."
Havas said French reconnaissance
had been superior to the Germans,
and that German scouting planes,
"properly speaking.” could not be
said to have left their bases.
Three Bridges Destroyed.
As a precautionary move, the
French destroyed three of the five
railway bridges over that section of
the Rhine which forms the French
German boundary, particularly, to
guard against a surprise German
attack on the southern flank.
The northern flank of the front
between the Moselle and the Rhine
has been suspiciously quiet since
Thursday. It was along this sector
that German patrols made sharp
thrusts during the first part of the
week—assaults which the French
said were repulsed.
The French, however, apparently
decided to take no chances that
German activity on the northern
flank might be a feint to distract
their attention from an attack in
the south.
Military dispatches said French
engineers dynamited three bridges
Wednesday after heavy concentra
tions of German troops were seen
behind the Siegfried Line fortifica
tions in the Black Forest and neat
Karlsruhe farther north.
Two Rail Bridges Left.
The only two railway bridges
across this part of the Rhine now
left are those between Strasbourg
and Kehl, which is considered an
outstanding architectural and engi
neering feat, and one at Huningue
where the French and German
frontier meets at Switzerland.
These bridges cover the two main
lines of penetration for either a
German or a French offensive,
should either decide to try and force
a Rhine crossing.
Military men said the French ap
parently decided to destroy the sec
ondary bridges in order to con
centrate on protection of the other
two and at the same time preserve
them for a possible offensive of
their own.
These two bridges ' have ' been
(See PARIS, Page A-5.)
British Shanghai Troops
Bar Chinese Police
E> the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI, Oct. 15 (Sunday)
British troops barred 170 Chinesi
police of the Japanese-controlled
local regime from crossing the Brit
ish-manned western border ol
Shanghai last night and discussion;
to iron out the dispute were stili
proceeding this morning.
The British said the police, whc
were riding in four trucks, tried tc
cross the border from Japanese
occupied territory without required
authorization.
Stopped at one point, the Chinese
were said to have sped away tc
attempt an entry by another street
but the British outpost there wa;
forewarned and barred passage with
barbed wire barricades.
The police reported the incident
to the Japanese military who imme
diately asked British officers tc
explain.
*
CWONDER IF I COULD \
^\BE HAPPYWITH EITHER ,IF-^j ^
Gen. Confusion and North Wind
Win'Air Attack' on D. C.
Thousands on Hand for Mock Raid Miss
Most of the Show, Timed 20 Minutes Late
Bv JAMES FREE.
The unofficial forces of General Confusion and a Major North Wind
won the mock air war over Washington last night.
The National Guard, which planned and produced the aerial show in
connection with an enlistment campaign, came in a close second, for
thousands of would-be witnesses to the event crowded the mall, down
town streets and hillsides of nearby Virginia.
Just where the spectators placed in the proceedings was difficult to
ripterminp Thf* hnnrirpris uhn millpri *S*-—■
around the trio of 3-inch anti-air
craft guns near the Washington
Monument, or near the searchlight
and machine gun units at the Wash
ington Monument, the Lincoln Me
morial or the Capitol were in the
! best position to follow what occurred.
Many of those several hundred yards
away could only hear the spasmodic
firing of the 3-inch guns and the
dim clatter of machine guns—and
see the raiding squadron of three
observation planes picked up and
followed by the huge lights. And
most of the citizens who attempted
to keep up with the sham raid from
a distance never knew precisely
--—
where, when or how the raid hap
pened.
Puzzled observers by the score
telephoned newspapers and police
headquarters to ask such questions
as:
"When are the lights to be blacked
out?”
“What happened to the air raid?”
“Am I supposed to turn out my
lights at home lor this ‘blackout1
tonight?”
“I cant hear any guns firing;
what happened to the air raid?”
Of course, no blackout had ever
(See AIR RAID, Page A-3.)
i
Finns Cannot Accept
One-Sided Proposal,
Erkko Tells U. S.
Broadcasts to America
As Delegation Returns
From Moscow Parley
By the Associated Press.
HELSINKI. Oct. 15 (Sunday).—
Foreign Minister Eljas J. Erkko said
| in a radio broadcast to the United
States early today that Finland could
not accept a proposal "which would
I strengthen the security of one side
at the expense of the other" in the
present negotiations with Soviet
Russia.
As he spoke, Finland’s delegation
to a conference with Russia was
hurrying home after an unexpected
decision to interrupt the Moscow
conferences for a report to the Hel
sinki government. A government
spokesman earlier said the move did
not mean negotiations had been
broken off.
It was said, however, that it was
unlikely discussions would be re
sumed before the completion of a
conference of northern nations
starting in Stockholm Wednesday.
Seek Solntion for Safety.
Erkko said Finland was seeking
a solution which would ‘‘contribute
to the feeling of safety in this part
of Europe where we live."
‘‘But a solution whifch would
strengthen security on one side at
the expense of the other and which
would weaken the possibilities of
either to assure its vital interests
and to protect its free national
life or threaten the integrity of
nations or its declared neutrality
cannot be approved by any one,”
he declared.
‘‘This is the question that is at
the present moment occupying the
minds of the people in this corner
of Europe.”
Observers interpreted his state
“ (See"FINNS, Page~A^5~)
Democrats
Receive Bid
To Rose Bowl
The Democratic National Com
mittee has been invited to hold the
1940 party convention in the Rose
Bowl at Pasadena. Calif., famous
for its New Year day intersectional
football games, it was disclosed yes
terday.
W. B. Stewart of Los Angeies,
lessee of the bowl, which seats more
than 90.00Q, made the offer in a
letter mailed from California Oc
tober 10. He outlined a financial
setup wherein he estimated the
Democratic party could realize up
to $1,000,000.
“The Democratic National Con
vention will be the greatest single
attraction in America in 1940," Mr.
Stewart wrote. “National interest
in the convention far exceeds small
indoor halls of 15.000 or 20.000 seat
ing capacity, and people from all
parts of the Union would attend the
convention if they knew in advance
they could obtain admission.”
Under the Stewart proposal, the
Democratic party would receive use
of the bowl free of all charges, prop
erly equipped, and would retain all
receipts up to $250,000 for admissions
at $1.50 each, or $15 per seat for
the convention period. The next
$500,000 in receipts would be divided
equally between the party and Mr.
Stewart. The party would take 60
per cent of the next $500,000 and 80
per cent of the next $250,000.
The letter concluded by stressing
that it does not rain in Pasadena in
the early summer. The convention
usually is held in June.
Pasadena is a rock-ribbed Re
publican stronghold.
Record Oil Shipment
SAN PEDRO, Calif., Oct. 14 OP).—
Eight Japanese flag tankers will take
a record of 650,000 barrels of fuel oil
from this area within the next six
days.
The express motorship Toho Maru
loaded 86,600 barrels at Long Beach
yesterday for the naval fuel depot at
Tokuyama.
Pitt's Defeat of Duke, 14-13,
Is Football Score High Light
Pittsburgh's 14-13 defeat of
' Duke was the big upset yester
day of a day during which dope
ran pretty much to form on the
country^ collegiate gridirons.
Notre Dame was given its third
close call in as many weeks be
fore finally subduing Southern
Methodist, 20-19, while on the
Coast Stanford surprised by
holding U. C. L. A. to a 14-14 tie.
Locally, Catholic University
was the only team to maintain
its winning record, winning a
14-13 thriller from Detroit be
fore 7,500 at Brookland Stadium.
Georgetown was held to a 13-13
tie by Syracuse while George
Washington and Maryland both
met their first defeats, the Co
lonials at the hands of Butler,
13-6, and Terps at Virginia, 12-7.
American University also opened
its season with a defeat, losing
to Randolph-Macon, 18-0.
Both service teams battled to
ties, the Navy being held to a
scoreless draw by Dartmouth over
in Baltimore and the Army to a
6-6 stalemate by Columbia.
Intersectionally, competition
was at a standoff, with no one
section gaining a monopoly in the
victory column. Tulane whipped
Pordham, 7-0, and North Caro
lina downed N. Y. U„ 14-7, but
Holy Cross blanked Georgia, 13-0,
and Harvard Swamped Chicago,
61-0.
One of the day’s big surprises
was Texas A. & M.’s 33-7 rout of
Villanova. Southern California
produced the expected power to
trounce Illinois, 26-0, and Okla
homa marched into the fore
ground nationally with a 24-12
victory over Texas.
Important western games found
Washington State upsetting
Washington, 6-0, and Oregon
turning back California by the
same score.
(Complete details on sport pajbe.)
• «
Library Trustees
Reiterate Opposition
To Control Change
Circulation of 3,000,000
Shown in Report to
Commissioners
|
j The Board of Trustees of the
Public Library, in its annual report
1 to the Commissioners released yes
' terdav, reiterated its opposition to
any reorganization proposals divest
ing library control from a citizen
board.
At the same time the board re
; vealed that a library branch in
Anacostia is next on its construc
I tion program.
While the bulk of the report dealt
with the reorganization proposals,
a review of library progress during
the past year was also included, in
which a circulation of more than
1 3,000,000 books is reported.
In connection with the reorgani
zation, the board expressed grati
fication that the library was ex
cluded from the revised plan intro
duced near the end of last session
of Congress by Representative Ken
' nedv of Maryland. Because the
i matter was still pending, however,
| the members renewed their objec
I tinnc
Reasons for this opposition were
outlined in detail.
Text of the Report.
The text of the report follows:
The library's record of community
usefulness during the year is im
pressive. Over 3.000.000 library books
are being circulated into Washing
ton homes; school children are being
supplied with books that help with
class assignments and foster a love
of good reading; 241 organizations
in the District of Columbia are
drawing on the library for the ma
terial they need in connection with
their various interests; 64 Govern
ment agencies secure necessary data
for their work; hundreds of chil
dren and young people visit the
Central Library and branches in
classes; orchestral and choral groups
draw’ on the music collection, and
artists, artizans, teachers and news
papermen obtain illustrative ma
terial from the picture collection.
Books are sent to hospitals, to
handicapped children through their
teachers: to summer camps, social
service agencies and prisons.
New Central Building.
With this growth, however, the
Central Library becomes daily less
able to cope with readers’ require
ments. Increased space and larger
I iacmues are essential. The author
ization for the first unit of the new
central library at a cost not to ex
ceed $1,118,000 and the appropriation
of $350,000 in the 1940 act and re
appropriation of the balance of the
$60,000 carried in the 1939 act for
plans and specifications are grati
fying evidences of substantial prog
ress in the development of the new
Central Library project. The trus
tees are most appreciative of the
interest of the District officials and
those citizens of Washington who
sponsored and worked for the
project. Especial appreciation is due
Col. Frederic A. Delano, chairman
of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission, for his un
failing interest and help, and to
Representative Ross A. Collins, who,
as chairman of the District of Co
lumbia Subcommittee of the House
Committee on Appropriations, car
ried the appropriation through Con
gress with the aid of other faithful
legislators for the District in the
Senate and House, whose thoughtful
and sympathetic consideration the
library trustees gratefully appreciate.
The librarian, in the accompanying
report to the trustees, gives a full
account of this outstanding achieve
ment of the year.
Advance in Branch Building.
Advance in the branch building
program is also being made. A new
large branch for the Petworth dis
trict was opened on January 28. 1939,
and has been immediately utilized
by the community, who see in it the
successful completion of 10 years of
civic effort. The contract has been
let for the branch library in the
Southwest, with the expectation that
it will be ready for occupancy in
the autumn of 1940. This branch,
though it will operate independent
ly, is being built as a wing of the
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Junior
High School. The Southeast Coun
cil has placed on its program as a
“must" item the construction of a
library branch in Anaeostia. This
is the next branch on the trustees’
(See LIBRARY, Page A-6.)
a
Lundeen Urges
U. S. to Seize
British Islands
Bitter Denunciation
Follows Proposal to
'Collect' War Debts
By G. GOULD LINCOLN.
The most acrimonious exchange
of the two-week-old neutrality
debate broke out in the Senate
yesterday after Senator Lundeen,
Farmer-Labor, of Minnesota, had
suggested that the United States
seize British possessions in the
Caribbean Sea in payment for de
faulted World War debs.
And as an aftermath of the
denunciatory barrage from admin
istration supporters that followed,
Senator Clark. Democrat, of Mis
souri. one of the leaders of the isola
tionist bloc, launched an attack on
President Roosevelt because he has
not already issued a proclamation
extending operation of the Neutral
ity Act to Russia.
In his speech opposing repeal of
the arms embargo. Senator Lundeen
said that if American armed forces
took over the British West Indies,
“there wouldn't be a shot fired”
because of the war in Europe.
“They (referring to England and
France) are pretty busy on the
western front,” he observed.
Senator Connally, Democrat, of
Texas, lost no time blasting at the
Lundeen proposition when he ob
tained the floor to speak in behalf
of embargo repeal.
“He's opposed to war,” the white
haired Texan observed, glancing at
Senator Lundeen, "but he wants us
to send our Navy down to take the
Bahamas by armed force—this man
of peace! If we wanted these is
lands, the way to get them would
be to negotiate for them at the
conference table by peaceful means.”
"It seems to me we've been sit
ting around the conference table
for 20 years,” the Minnesotan in
Other* Join Conflict.
Senator Connallv then asked Sen
ator Lundeen to confirm that he
had advocated taking the islands
by force while England was fight
ing Germany.
“I'm thinking about the United
States, not the position of Eng
land.” the Minnesotan declared.
"These are American islands, we
need them for naval bases and air
bases, we don’t want Germany to
get them, and now's the time for
us to get them.”
"Now that England has a knife
at her throat,” Senator Connallv
supplemented. "Now's a lofty time
for a great Nation like our to take
them.”
“It reminds me,” put in Senator
Schwellenbach, Democrat, of Wash
ington, "of what Molotoff of Rus
sia told Latvia and Finland and
the other Baltic nations—we need
them, therefore no matter what
happens, we're justified in taking
them.”
"Why not take France's posses
sions in the West Indies, too?” Ma
jority Leader Barkley contributed.
"I don't know whether Italy has
anv islands down there, but if she
has, she owes us money and let's
take them, too.”
“Certainly.” Senator Connallv
i agreed. “Why not go over and
take Ethiopia and settle some of
our population there?"
No Reference to Lindbergh.
When suggesting that the United
States should take over Britain's
West Indian possessions. Senator
Lundeen made no direct reference
to Col. Charles A. Lindbergh's state
ment in a radio address Friday night
that the United States, sooner or
later, must “demand the freedom of
this continent and its surrounding
islands from the dictates of Euro
pean powers.”
The flyer's implied demand for
England to get out of this hemi
sphere and his proposal for an em
bargo on sales of "offensive” weap
ons to warring nations brought from :
other legislators, however, varied and
emphatic comment.
Chairman Pittman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee said
in a statement that Col. Lindbergh's
suggestion was “most unfortunate"
because “it encourages the ideology
of the totalitarian governments and
is subject to the construction that
he approves of their brutal conquest
of democratic countries through war '
or threat of destruction through
war.”
Although saying that “Col. Lind
bergh is patriotic beyond a doubt,"
Senator Pittman added that the
flyer “sees that the present law in
jured Great Britain and France and
that its repeal will remove such in
jury.
"Apparently he can not see that
the present law not only injures
Great Britain and France but gives
great aid to Germany, Italy and
Russia.
“He can’t see that one of our do
mestic laws, which aids one of tha
belligerents, is unneutral, but he
thinks that if we had no law at ali
then that would be unneutral.”
Clark Grows Caustic.
Senator Clark, who later stated
flfltlv that fho + < 1 _
would not agree to any limitation
of debate, was caustic in assailing
the President fcr not issuing a proc
lamation applying the neutrality
laws to the Soviet.
“Why has the President not issued
a proclamation against Russia,
which invaded Poland?” the Mis
sourian demanded after Senator
Connally had pointed out that the
U. S. S. R., along with Italy, is in
a position as a “neutral” to buy
arms in this country and transship
them to. Germany.
“Why is Russia considered a neu
tral,” continued Senator Clark.
Senator Connally replied that
there had been no declaration of
war on the part of Russia; that
(See NEUTRALITY, ]Page A-167)
Radio Programs, Page F-3
War Situation, Page A-5
Complete Index, Page A-2