Evening star. [volume], October 15, 1939, Page A-7, Image 7

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Larks Sing Overhead
As Tommies Help
Strengthen Line
Fritz Will Have to Be
Good tofush Us Back,
, They Declare
By DREW MIDDLETON,
Associated Press Foreign Correspondent.
ON THE FRONT LINE WITH
THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE,
I Oct. 14 (Passed by field censor).—In
| aide the blockhouse, It was very
j quiet. The wind rustled the poplars
| Just ahead and flapped a ragged
towel hanging on the barbed wire.
You could hear the clump of sol
diers’ feet in the rear and the soft
* chuck-chuck of a shovel biting moist
earth. The Irish sergeant said:
“This is it, sir. This where we
Stand.”
* The front line is an exciting or
Inspiring place. No shells whine.
No machine guns chatter. For a
month now men have been working
on this line built by the French and
Row reinforced by the British.
They will not say that all things!
are ready, but they will say: “Here's
where we stand and old Fritz will
have to be damned good to push us
* back."
Larks Sing Overhead.
I peered out through a periscope
in the blockhouse. Ahead, past the
barbed wire which caught the feeble
glint of the sun, there was nothing
but grass and trees. Off to the left
a cow munched solemnly. Overhead
larks flew by singing bravely. In
side the 'reinforced concrete which
can stand a heavy shell, the place
smelled cleanly of oil and grease of
the guns.
From the top of the blockhouse, I
could see the front line for perhaps
a quarter of a mile on either side.
• Deep ditches built to catch and
hold a tank run along it. Before
the tank-traps and in back was more
wire. It had a fresh-from-ihe-fac- ;
tory appearance. It had a solid *
look.
Twenty years from now many
farms will be fenced with this wire, j
The wire French farmers hereabouts
use today was picked up from old
battlefields of another war. Here
and there men were digging j
^renches.
There are guns along the line, but
you don't see them unless you look
hard. On another part of the front
were anti-tank guns, dangerous
looking weapons. Their gunners
Were immensely proud of them.
Whole Front Camouflaged.
Tire whole front is camouflaged.
Were it not for the men digging and J
ttie occasional sentry, it would look !
like any country landscape marred
here and there by small, irregular
hills. These arp the blockhouses.
Even at 300 yards the wire blends
into the picture.
Further back along the roads are
the heavier guns. I saw one battery
in position on a French farm. The
guns W'ere six-inch howitzers, ugly
short-bareled things squatting in
the mud.
The men were drilling swiftly and [
Bilently despite the clinging mud [
when I was there.
A captain said: “They're good.
They’re itching to have something
to fire at. Maybe they will before :
Icfhg. It’s too quiet to suit me.”
All things point toward the front
The long lines of trucks hauling
food, ammunition and men. The
clattering caterpillar carriers which
bring guns to the front. Tire squad
learning the intricacies of the guns ;
by the side of a canal, while an old
Frenchman fished placidly a few
feet away.
Everywhere there is wet, clinging
mud. Everywhere the troops are
young, but hard-looking. Every
where there is the same feeling:
“If Fritz comes through here we'll
give him hell.”
4
Berlin
(Continued From First Page.)
hilaration almost took on the pro
portion of national rejoicing.
Everywhere Germans talked about
it. It was the main theme among
groups on the streets, where bands
played and entertainment booths
were erected to amuse people and
get them to contribute to the war
Winter relief drive.
Newspapers published extra edi
tions giving full details of the Royal
Oak’s armament and history.
New Torpedo Hinted.
While official quarters did not say
Bo, there was some indication Ger
mans have developed a new torpedo
that has little difficulty with the
heavy steel plates on battleships.
The Royal Oak, German quarters
said, was equipped with special anti
torpedo protective devices which ap
parently failed.
The place where the Royal Oak
was sunk was unknown in Berlin, of
ficials said.
In comparing the success of Ger
man submarines during the World
War and the present one, Nazi
spokesmen said in 1914-1919 they
succeeded in sinking a number of old
British warships, but failed to touch
any modern or modernized ones such
as the Royal Oak.
4 Planes’ Aid to Navy Lauded.
Semi-official circles lauded the aid
airplanes have given the German
Through the West Wall With Fontaine Fox
Game of Tag Wins Ticket on Liner Rex
With Only 55 Minutes to Spare
Fontaine Fox, famous cartoon
ist creator of "Toonerville Folks,”
was on a pleasure trip in Ger
many when war broke out. He
found out that it was no pleasure
to be in the thick of things, when
a country was mobilizing for war,
especially if you happen to blun
der on their strongest fortiflca
| tions . . . and Fontaine Fox was
motoring right through the heart
of the German West Wall.
Here is a vivid, uncensored de
scription of the _ much-talked
about fortifications, by an im
partial observer who was caught
in the tumult of war hysteria.
(Seventh of a Series.)
By FONTAINE FOX.
I woke up at 9:30.
Nine-thirty! And I had left a
call at the hotel desk for 6:30, so
that I might have time enough to
buy a ticket and to try to get my
car on the Rex. I didn't even stop
to say anything to them at the desjc,
but grabbed a taxi for the pier.
The Rex hauled back nearly 2.400
passengers and 2,399 of 'em were
either just arriving in cabs or had
just got inside the building. Inside
was a hall of immense proportions,
but I didn’t have to ask where the
tickets were being sold—the crowd
milling around up in one corner of
this hall was the giveaway. The
room was as big as a park and those
who had given up all hope of trying
to get a ticket were sitting around
on benches, looking as blue as ink.
A very nice-looking Italian gen
tleman seemed to be playing some
sort of game of tag with a group of
Americans who were chasing him
around from place to place. He had
a nice large area to play the game
in. I learned later that this Italian
gentleman was the manager of the
ticket office and later I had to pjay
a little tag with him myself.
I was able to get near enough to
the ticket window to hear about
every other applicant being told
there was “no more space on the
Rex.” Reservations by phone and
telegraph were being attended to.
Joins Game of Tag.
I sat down on a bench with the
rest of the mourners for a few pre- '
cious moments and then dashed up '
the hill again to the American Ex- i
press office. It was very quiet, but .
the clerk told me that for the last \
week (ever since the sailing of the ,
Rex had been announced' it had ;
been a madhouse. They had trans- j
ferred the madhouse down to the
pier that morning. (
He got the pier office on the ' ]
phone and if I would pay him $400 I i
an account, and go down to the pier I
affice again I might get space. If I i
didn't, the money would be good for ]
a ticket on the Savoie—if she sailed. <
He gave me a note to the manager t
and when I got inside the pier he
was pointed out to me. It was the ,
same nice-looking Italian gentleman .
and he was still playing tag.
I joined in the game and caught i
aim just as he was trying to hide 1
n the men’s washroom. If I would t
lavy in locating British ships for £
submarine attack. |
"This new big success,” said the |
newspaper Boersen Zeitung, “is a
further hard lesson to those English
:ircles which thought they could
wage a hunger war against the Ger
man people without great risk.
"Crews of German submarines
already in the first weeks of the war
nave shown themselves equal to their
World War forerunner. In their de
fense against a hunger war they not
inly have greatly damaged British
imports, but in conjunction with the
German airforce already have given
-he British war fleet something very7
serious to think about.”
Minor Artillery Activity.
On land, the high command re
sorted the war in the west was con
ned to “minor artillery activity”
ind occasional air battles.
Some sources indicated Germany's
lext important war move awaited
:he outcome of consultations with !
Russia and Italy.
Officials said negotiations with
ftaly and Russia were under way
iiplomatically and “in other ways.”
Although they declined to elabo
•ate, it was taken for granted this
meant negotiations on military and
economic questions.
Dixie Clipper Arrives
PORT WASHINGTON, N. Y„ Oct
14 (A5).—Completing a flight from
.jisbon. Portugal, the Pan-American
Mrways Dixie Clipper landed today
it 12:04 p.m.. (E. S. T.). She'car
•ied 14 passengers, including four
:rom Horta, the Azores.
- - ■
•I A |
AWoKE AT <?,3° I I
WHAT THE WtLL CRESSES •
CEAMAH 6EHTLEMAM WILL
WEAR WHILE ,ui
MOToRlNG.. fjr
PS
DESERVE credit
FoR KHOCKlNC OVER ONLY ONE MAH.
vait for him outside the door to
he ticket office he would see what
le could do.
This was right next to the ticket
iffice window and the crowd there
vas somewhat smaller but more ex
ited than before—the time till boat
;ailing was getting shorter. Some
me opened the door to the ticket
iffice where the clerks were at work.
Before it could be closed about 15
>eople crowded in. I was the 15th.
The people on the outside by the
icket window felt that a march
lad been stolen on them and they
legan to kick. Between the two
lunches, inside and out, it was a
vonder we didn’t drive the clerks
dumb nuts. But they went right
in working and every now and then
mother ticket would be sold.
I got mine just 55 minutes before
he boat was scheduled to sail—
md I still had to go up to the hotel,
lack, make arrangements to ship
ny car on the Savoie and then get
lack down to the boat. I deserve
. lot of credit for knocking down
I
only one man in .getting out of there
to the taxi.
At the American Express office I
made arrangements to ship my car
like this.
"My car is at the hotel garage—
I do not know the name of the
garage—one of the outside porters
has the key to my car—I do not
know his name. Get this car on
board the Savoie when she sails—
ship it collect. Here are all my
papers.”
Record for Quick Packing.
“Do you know what make your
car is?” said the clerk.
I did know that and told him, and
I was gone before he could ask me
any more questions.
I established an all-time record
for quick packing a medium-sized
Gladstone bag and crossed the gang
plank on to the Rex at 12:05.
I believe I was the only American
on board that wasn't absolutely
happy to be headed back to the good
old, not-at-war U. S. A. I just didn’t
like being forced to leave my good
old roadster behind like that. For
nearly six years I had been driving
that old car and for the last four
had been waging a little defensive
war of my own against my friends
and family who had been trying to
make me give up the old boat and
buy a new one. I could imagine
just about what my gardener would
say to me—"Well, Mr. Fox. it took
a World War to separate you from
that ole car!”
On the trip back I averaged about
14 hours of sleep each day. I even
took a short nap after breakfast
each morning.
Word was passed around the ship
that Jimmy and Doris Duke Crom
well were on board. The feminine
seafarers were all agog to see what
the world's richest girl would be
wearing from day to day, in the
morning, afternoon and evening.
They were in for a cruel, cruel dis
appointment. Doris wore just about
the same thing every day. It was
reported that she had been forced
to rush on board with just one suit
case. This is one of the most piti
ful incidents of the war, so far.
From the day I landed, I began
to count the days when the Savoie
would be in—with my car. She
finally docked and when they told
me my car was on board I took the
very next train to New York and
drove back home in it.
She may be an old car but she
isn't a cheap car any more—the
Italian Line charged me $337.68 for
shipping her back.
(Released by The Bell Syndicate. Inc.)
Likeness but Not Realistic
The other day an artist offered
the youngster in swimming a $5 bill
to pose for him on the beach. The
youngster, of course, tvas delighted
and took up his position at once.
But as the sun went down and the
day became cooler, he began to show
impatience and to realize that he
was to earn his money. However,
he stuck to his guns, and w’hen the
picture was finished, the boy took
one long look at It, and then, with
teeth chattering from the cold, said.
“Yes. it’s very like me; but it ain't
a-shivering!”
Retention of Arms
Embargo Is Urged
By Peace Group
National Council for
Prevention of War
Ends Convention
Retention of the arms embargo in
the Neutrality Act was urged yester
day In a resolution adopteed by the
National Council for Prevention of
War shortly before adjourning its
18th annual convention at the Wash
ington Hotel. The sessions, held
trade to “peacetime quotas.”
Besides opposing the sale of arms,
the cduncil favored a cash-and
carry system on all other trade with
belligerents and urged limiting such
trade to “peace-time quotas.”
The council likewise urged that
American ships be kept out of war
zones, opposed the arming of Amer
ican merchant ships and urged the
adoption by the United States Gov
ernment of “thoroughgoing meas
ures” to take profits out of war and
to prevent a wartime boom in this
country.
Warns Against Hysteria.
It warned against “war hysteria,”
which it was charged will be used to
Justify "utterly unreasonable in
creases of all kinds in military ex
penditures.”
The council, it was explained, is
in the middle of a campaign for sup
port of the arms embargo and for
neutral mediation of the war in
Europe.
On Friday the council sent a letter
to President Roosevelt asking him
to urge an immediate truce between
belligerents in the European war
and to initiate in consultation with
other neutrals the setting up of a
“neutral mediation commission until
a just and lasting peace has been
arrived at.”
50,000 Leaflets Printed.
Frederick J. Libby, executive sec
retary' of the council, which is
an incorporated organization, an
nounced that 50.000 leaflets bearing
the heading, “The arms embargo
must be kept if you want peace,” and
containing eight main points have
been printed for distribution.
Among the some 30 persons at
tending the council’s sessions were
Dr. Charles F. Boss, Jr., of Chicago,
secretary of the Methodist World
Peace Commission; Norman J. Whit
new, chairman of the Syracuse
(N. Y.) Peace Council; Ray Newton
of Philadelphia, secretary of the
Peace Section of the American
Friends Service Commission; John
Nevin Sayre of New York, president
of the Fellowship of Reconciliation;
the Rev. Dr. Donald A. Mac-Lean
of Catholic University and James
Glyer of the Union Theological
Seminary, New York.
Jobless Club Grows
The Mount Street Club of unem
ployed in Dublin, Eire, has been so
successful it is branching out by
taking over Larkfleld Farm to sup
ply produce to its members. It al
ready has a carpenter shop, which
supplies furniture; a tailor shop, a
bakery, a barber shop, a weaving
i— i i ~
machine and a sock-making ma
chine. The men work at the club,
producing any useful article they
can, and in return receive tallies for
the number of hours worked. These
tallies can be exchanged for the
products of other members.
Dr. Melby to Lecture
At Roosevelt High
Dr. Ernest O. Melby, dean of the
school of education at Northwest
ern University, will lecture on "De
mocracy in Education” Tuesday at
8 p.m. at Roosevelt High School un
der the auspices of the Education
Association of the District.
Mrs. Mary Sherman Resh, presi
dent, will preside and the Roose
velt Orchestra will play.
Railroad Orders Wait
Placed with Germany In Decem
ber. 1937, large orders for railway
equipment have not been received
by the Chilean state railways, and
there is no promise when they will
be. The orders called for 16 three
car articulated trains, three electric
locomotives and other equipment, all
totaling *3573,397. According to a
Santiago report the trains were to
be used to increase tourist travel in
Southern Chile. With an influx of
American tourists expected the de
lay in receiving them is causing an
noyance,
—-—
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