Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, December 16, 1939, Image 1

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Evening star. [volume], December 16, 1939, Image 1
About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 16 Dec. 1939. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1939-12-16/ed-1/seq-1/>

Newspaper Page Text

Weather Forecast I
Cloudy tonight with minimum temper- Today ! War News TODAY
ature about 39 degrees; tomorrow fair;
moderate southwest winds. Tempera- ... , .
tares today—Highest. 46, at i p.m.; Nighttime on Europe s Battlefields
lowest, 36, at midnight.
From the United Staten Weather Bureau report. ® PrCSS Time OR The Stor
__Closi"9 N, Y, Markets—Sales, Page 16._ _ m M..n, Aa.oci.t.d Pro..
88th A EAR. Xo. 34,927. THREE CEXTS
Decisive Battle Looms in Arctic
As Red Motor Forces Roll South;
Ciano Bares Reich Peace Pledge
Finns Reported
Occupying New
Defense Lines
Bs the Associated Press.
SVANVIK. Norway (near the
Finnish border), Dec. 16.—A possibly
decisive battle in Northern Finland
appeared likely today near Pitka
jarvi. 20 miles south of here, as mo
torized Russian troops rolled south.
The Finns were reported to have
occupied new defense lines near
Pitkajarvi, close to the Norwegian
Finnish frontier, after their retreat
southwest from Salmijarvi.
Motorized Russian troops began
moving from Borisgleb to Salmi
jarvi during the night—some re
ports said they were in 100 trucks—
and today Russian tanks were seen
coming down the mountain slopes
from Kuvermoerkii. Three Russian
bombers circled overhead.
Lakes and a river form a natural
barrier near Pitkajarvi. of which the
Finns were expected to take fullest
advantage.
A modern resort hotel just built
by the Finns at Borisgleb was re
ported in ruins.
Blasting of Bridges
And Icy Lakes Reported
STOCKHOLM. Sweden. Dec. 16
(£*).—Leaving villages in ashes, the
Finns were reported falling back to
day before the onslaught of Soviet
Russian forces in the mining sector
of Salmijarvi. key objective in the
Soviet Arctic campaign.
Bridges were dynamited and the
Ice on lakes blasted by the Finns as
they prepared to face the enemy
further south The nickel mine
properties at Salmijarvi were re
ported wrecked before the arrival
of Russian troops from the Petsamo
area.
at Rovaniemi. south of Salmi
jarvi, said he watched Finnish
engineers lay dynamite charges
in the nickel mines, owned chief
ly by the International Nickel
Co of Canada, during the night
just before the Finns retreated.
He said the Finnish headquarters
staff later told him the “entire
workings" were blown up.
(Russian military headquarters
at Leningrad reported the occu
pation of Salmijarvi and said
that in Central Finland the army
advanced 80 miles from the east
ern frontier, which would place
the troops midway across the
country.)
Dispatches from the Northern
Finnish-Norwegian frontier said
cannon fire could be heard and in
some places troop movements could
be seen in the distance.
Gen. Kurt Wallenius, Finnish
commander on the central front,
predicted the Finnish-Russian war
might last a year and declared he
hoped heavy snows would aid his
defense against the enemy.
“The Soviet artillery is good, the
tanks indifferent, the planes not
skillfully piloted,” he told Swedish
newspapermen. "The flyers appar
ently have not been adequately
trained. Some of the captured Rus
sian flyers have been found to carry
printed multiplication tables to help
them work out technical problems.”
At Helsinki, the Finnish high com
mand reported more than 20 tanks
captured pr destroyed and the sink
ing of a Russian destroyer of the
2.600-ton Gordi type. In the Taipale
River sector. Finns armed with
dynamite and hand grenades were
reported to have destroyed several
of the enemy's tanks.
Reds Reported Driven
Toward Swamps
HELSINKI, Dec. 16 (IP).—Russian
troops were reported advancing
steadily through Northern Finland
today, but military sources said the
Finns were preparing a counter
attack.
However, just north o£ Lake La
doga in the middle cl the little
country, the Finns were said to be
driving Russian troops before them
toward dangerous swamps, with the
"spoils of war increasing ”
On the diplomatic front, the Finn
ish government awaited a reply to
Foreign Minister Vaino Tanner's
radio appeal to Russia to stop the
war and resume peaceful negotia
tions.
While the Russian Army in the
north was said to be already south
of Salmijarvi in their drive toward
the Gulf of Bothnia, continued
Finnish successes were reported in
the middle of Finland.
Finnish ski troops were said to
have not only recaptured Suomus
salmi, but to have cut roads con
necting the Russian advance guard
with the frontier. Red armv forces
were driven back west of Kianta
jarvi, military reports stated, and
large numbers of- them were sur
rounded in the treacherous lake
area.
The Finnish high command last
night reported a Russian destroyer
was sunk by shore batteries in the
outer Tarku Archipelago. Capture
of 40 Russian tanks also was re
ported.
Two Rivers of Lava
Loosed by Vesuvius
By the Associated Press.
NAPLES, Dec. 16.—Vesuvius sent
two new 50-yard-wide streams of
lava pouring down the mountain
side today toward the “Valley of
Hell” and the town of Terzigno.
After a first alarm, however, offi
cials said there was no danger to
the populace. A railroad at the
base of the volcano and funicular
railway on its slopes continued to
operate.
The two new rivers of lava began
overnight and continued during the
day.
<
Says 3 Years Was
Set as Period of
No New Disputes
By the* Associated Press
ROME, Dec. 16.—Foreign Minister
Count Galeazzo Ciano declared to
day Italy is staying out of the
European war by agreement with
her ally, Germany, and reaffirmed
Premier Mussolini's readiness to help
restore peace.
Count Ciano, in a lengthy expla
nation of Fascist foreign policy to
the Chamber of Fasces and Guilds,
disclosed that Germany and Italy
agreed at the Milan conference last
May, when their alliance was signed,
to avoid raising any question which
might arouse any new disputes in
at least three years, while both
countries completed their rearma
ments.
The Italians regarded three years
as necessary for “perfection of in
ternal reconstruction and completion
of military preparations,” Count
Ciano said, adding that the Ger
mans estimated their period at four
or five years.
Will Guard Own Interests.
This agreement showed, according
to Count Ciano, that Germany and
Italy lacked any intention of dis
turbing peace. He went on to say
that Italy is determined to safeguard
her own interests.
“Fascist Italy continues to follow
the development of events with a
vigilant spirit,” he said, “ever ready,
if possible, to give once again her
contribution to world peace.
“But she is equally determined to
protect, with an inflexible firmness,
the interests of her land, air and
sea traffic, not to mention her pres
tige and her future as a great
power.
"This protection finds itself guar
anteed in the resolute and active
discipline of the Italian people, in
the staunchness of our weapons and
in the will power and wisdom of
II Duce which are as high and se
cure as the destiny of the country
itself."
Duce Occupies Bench.
II Duce occupied a government
bench amid his new cabinet in the
chamber, crowded with Blackshirts,
as his son-in-law blamed Great
Britain and France for Germany'*
nonaggression pact with Soviet Rus
sia and the post-World War peace
treaties for Europe s plight.
Count dano disclosed he had in
formed Adolf Hitler of Italy's desire
to limit the war when he visited the
Feuhrer and German Foreign Min
ister von Ribbenthrop at Salzburg
last August.
He stated Italy's opposition to
formation of a Balkan bloc of neu
tral powers, contending such a step
would be useless, but he reaffirmed
the Italian policy "to maintain and
consolidate peace and order in the
Danubian and Balkan sectors."
Criticizes Negotiations.
The Italian foreign minister was
sharply critical of British-French
Russian mutual assistance negotia
tions. arguing they had resulted only
in the nonaggression alliance be
tween Moscow and Berlin.
“If the great democracies had only
ignored Russia," he said, “Germany
would have had good reason to do
likewise.
"For what directly regards us, I
will say that the question had been
broached with the German govern
ment as far back as April and May,
and that at that time he had agreed
to proceed to a policy of lessening
the tension with regard to Russia.
"Our objective was to arrive at
neutralization of Russia and keep
her from entering the incirclement
line-up planned by the great dem
ocracies . . .
“At Salzburg I was apprised of
the fact that commercial negotia
tions conducted in Moscow had pro
ceeded favorably, giving rise to
hopes of further development.
“And finally, on the evening of
August 12, at 10 pjn„ Von Ribben
trop telephoned me that he intended
to go to Moscow the next day to
sign a non-aggression pact between
Germany and Russia.”
Berlin’s accord with Moscow, he
said, was intended to assure Ger
many that Russia would remain
neutral and keep out of the “en
circlement” with which Count
Ciano charged, the allies were try
ing to rim Germany in their un
(See ROME, Page A-3.)
Smaller Cruisers Hurt Graf Spee
Worst, Nazi Captain Declares
Langsdorff Pays
Tribute to Britons'
Daring Seamanship
Bt the Associated Press.
MONTEVIDEO, Dec. 16—Deplet
j ed fuel, and daring British seaman
1 ship which was “more than seemed
credible,” forced the German war
ship Admiral Graf Spee into a run
ning fight dangerously near shore,
Capt. Hans Langsdorff told port au
thorities today
In the first authoritative account
of Wednesday's 14-hour battle with
three British cruisers, the German
commander spoke with matter-of
fact objectivity.
About 6 a m Wednesday, he said,
he glimpsed the British cruiser
Exeter off the Brazil coast. The
Admiral Graf Spee headed to the
south, for Capt. Langsdorff said his
ship already was in "a critical con
dition" due to lack of fuel.
He explained he had been unable
to establish contact with the supply
ship Tacoma, which had loaded at
Montevideo some time before. The
Admiral Graf Spee had a full com
plement of 1,096 men and was in
full possession of combat facilities,
however.
While Capt. Langsdorff was taking
stock of the Exeter, he suddenly
found himself in the presence of the
British cruisers Ajax and Achilles,
and by this time was opposite the
Uruguayan coast.
These two smaller, faster vessels
maneuvered so the German pocket
battleship was between them and
the shore. Fearing he might go
aground in shallow water, and .vet
unable to run v> sea for an open
fight because of little fuel. Capt.
I Langsdorff said he found himself
“between the devil and the deep blue
sea.”
Therefore, he went on the offen
(See LANGSDORFF. Page A-3.)~
MONTEVIDEO — Capt. Hans
Langdorfl, with his wounded
hand resting in his coat, pic
tured as he came ashore for
the burial of members of his
crew. —A. P. Wirephoto.
p
Commissioners
Back Drive to
Aid Finns
Contributions to aid the Finns
“in their present tragic necessity'
were urged by the District Com
missioners in a special proclama
tion today.
The Star now is receiving and will
acknowledge all such contributions.
Officials of local governments at
many places over the country are
taking similar action in response
to the universal feeling of sympa
thy for the people of the little Bal
tic nation.
The Commissioners' statement
follows:
“Funds are being collected to aid
the people of Finland in their pres
ent tragic necessity. This is a
worthy cause and has the hearty
i approval of the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia, and the
citizens of Washington are asked
to contribute according to their abil
ity to bring relief to Finland.”
Dr. Juan Arosemena,
Panama President,
Dies Suddenly
Dr. Augusta S. Boyd,
Republic's Envoy Here,
To Succeed to Office
By the Associated Press.
PANAMA, Panama, Dec. 16.—Dr.
Juan Demostenes Arosemena, 59
year-old President of the Republic
of Panama, died of heart disease to
day at Penonome, 150 miles in the
interior.
He suffered an attack here Novem
ber 8, but was reported out of dan
ger the next day, and after six weeks
in a hospital apparently was restored
to health. He resumed full activities
at the presidential palace Decem
ber 4.
Second Vice President Ezequiel
Fernandez Jaen was sworn in as
provisional President.
Cathedral bells tolled as the body
of the late President was trans
ported toward the capital.
Received Peruvian Order.
Dr. Arosemena visited the Peru
vian Legation yesterday afternoon
and was presented with the Peru
vian Order of the Sun. Then he
drove by automobile to Penonome,
where he had expected to dedicate
a public works program today.
About 1 a.m. he suffered a heart
attack and his personal physician,
Dr. Carlson Brin, was called. Death
came an hour later, before Dr. Brin
could reach the President.
The body will be returned here,
but arrangements were not com
plete.
Dr. Arosemena was elected Presi
dent in 1936 and began the last year
of his term October 1. He will be
succeeded by Dr. Augusto S. Boyd,
First Vice President of the republic
and now Ambassador to Washing
ton.
Member of a family long promi
(See AROSEMENA, Page A-3.) ~
Sam J. Houston Dies
WICHITA, Kans., Dec. 16 (/P).—
Sam J. Houston, 74, Wichita lumber
magnate and father of Represent
ative John M. Houston of the fifth
Kansas district, died yesterday.
£ i
Tomorrow Afternoon
Deadline for Spee
To Decide Course
Commander Has Choice
Of Fighting or Facing
Internment
the Associated Press.
MONTEVIDEO. Dec. 16. — The
alternative of being interned or
forced to fight a steadily growing
allied armada faced Germany’s
shot-riddled pocket battleship Ad
miral Graf Spee today.
The Uruguayan government, ac
cepting the report of a naval board
that the warship was seaworthy,
gave its commander, Capt. Hans
Langsdorff, until 5 pm. Sunday
(3:30 p.m. E. S. T.) to sail or let
his ship become a prisoner here for
the duration of the war between
Great Britain and Germany.
(The British Press Association
reported in London that it had
learned from official sources that
the Uruguayan government had
fixed a 72-hour limit for the
German pocket battleship Ad
miral Graf Spee to remain at
Montevideo, and that presum
ably this period began at 10 pm.
Wednesday, Montevideo time,
when the German ship entered
the harbor. Therefore, said the
press association, it will expire
at 10 o’clock tonight, 8:30 p.m.
E. S. T.).
Warships Lurk Outside.
Lurking outside the harbor was a
squadron of British warships, in
cluding the cruisers Ajax and
Achilles, which with the cruiser
Exeter battered the German vessel
from waterline to fighting top in a
14-hour battle Wednesday.
All indications were the allies were
concentrating an armada of great
strength and speed to greet the Ad
<See GRAF SPEE, Page A-47)
Summary of Today's Star
Page. Page.
Amusements, Lost, Found. B-9
B-16 Obituary .. A-10
Church News, Radio.A-10
B-6-9 Sports . A-14-15
Comics B-14-15 Society ... A-12
Editorials .. A-8 Woman's Page.
Finance ...A-16 A-13
Foreign.
Graf Spee hurt worst by smaller
cruisers, says captain. Page A-l
Dr. Juan Demostenes Arosemena,
Panama President, dies. Page A-l
Germany favors Italian neutrality,
Ciano declares. Page A-l
Decisive battle between Finns and
Reds looms in Arctic. Page A-l
Internment or fight only alternatives
for Graf Spee. Page A-l
House group would quiz British re
leased from Spee. Page A-3
Japanese freighter sails to test ex
port blockade. Page A-3
National
Jury indicts three men as foreign
agents. Page A-l
Hungarian actress dies in leap from
baron's apartment. Page A-l
Smith faces further quiz on N. L. R.
B. actions. Page A-6
U. S. envoy reviewing North China
restrictions. Page A-9
Washington and Vicinity.
"Block’* traffic light plans opposed
by advisory council. PageA-18
> H
Civil service employe’s right to fight
liquor license upheld. Page A-18
Sports
Lombardi’s snooze rated greatest
oddity of year. Page A-14
Pat Comiskey deflated by Dudas as
coming ring champ. Page A-14
Thornhill fired as coach after 18
years at Stanford. Page A-14
W. H. Smith takes lead in Star's
Yule bowling tourney. PageA-15
Twin-bill gate plan profitable for
school basketers. PageA-15
Editorial and Comment
This and That. Page A-8
Answers to Questions. Page A-8
Letters to The Star. Page A-g
David Lawrence. Page A-9
Alsop and Kintner. Page A-9
G. Gould Lincoln. Page A-9
Lemuel Par ton. Page A-9
Constantine Brown. Page A-9
'
Miscellany
City News in Brief. Page A-7
Service Orders. Page A-7
Vital Statistics. Page A-19
Nature’s Children. Page B-9
The Talking Doll. Page B-9
Christmas Adventure. Page B-10
Bedtime Story. Page B-14
Crossword Puzzle. Page B-14
Letter-Out. Page B-14
Winning Contract. Page B-1S
i Uncle Ray’s Corner. Page B-15
*
/JustWme^
/ A GUN, UNCLE,
(AND I CAN BKECARI
MYSELF.
(MY BOY, HERE .S SOMETHING
. / FOR FOOD.BUT YOU CWV USE
W it TO DEFEND YUURSElf
P'-'v
A Queer "Policy"
Children Throng Toy Matinees;
Lobbies Filled With Gifts
■
Young Santa Clauses Flock to Theaters
With Beribboned Packages
(Pictures on Page A-18.)
Bearing beribboned packages,
throngs of young Santa Clauses
marched into The Star-Warner
Bros-N. B. C. toy matinees thus
morning, to share their Christmas
with children who might otherwise
have a cheerless yuletide.
Packages bedecked with "Merry
Christmas” and "Good Wishes"
were banked across theater lobbies
as the crowd of youngsters, some of
whom were going to the movies for
the first time, took their seats for a
session with Deanna Durbin, Char
lie McCarthy or Mickey Rooney.
Mothers loaded down with gifts
led children into the theater. How
ever, some grown-ups were unac
campanied. One woman at the
Earle Theater, which opened its
show at 0 a.m.. had three packages
each marked by age for the boy or
girl it was to go to.
“My husband and I haven't any
children.” she explained, "so we like
to fill other children's Christmas
stockings.”
Miniature Trucks Among Gifts.
At the other extreme was a talka
tive 3-year-old, who wanted it
known that he was bringing "a
dollie for a little girl that doesn't
have any mama or daddy.”
One mother and son bore heavily
wrapped miniature trucks.
“I asked my boy what he wanted
for Christmas," the mother ex
plained. "And he said. An ice
truck.' So I figured some other
little boy might want one. too.”
A delegation of 18 children from
Children's Emergency Home of the
Central Union Mission came in with
gayly wrapped packages. Their ma
tron. Mrs. Flora Brown, explained
they wanted to be sure that other
needy children were taken care of,
too.
It was a gala occasion for 3-year
(See TOY MATINEE, Page A-3.)
Your Chance to Give
A Merry Christmas
The Star-Warner Bros.-N.
B. C. Toy Matinees, to provide
the needy children of Wash
ington with gifts for Christ
•mas, were held this morning,
but Christmas is a week away.
In the week remaining you
still have an opportunity to
share your Christmas with a
family whose many needs can
only be met by substantial
cash gifts. If you would like
to make another's Yuletide as
happy as your own, send your
donation to The Star cashier
for the Christmas Heart Fund.
The needs are many. The
days remaining are few. Mail
in your gift today!
Hungarian Actress
Dies in Leap From
•
Baron's Apartment
Writer's Stepdaughter
Plunges Ten Stories
After Farewell Party
Bj the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Dec. 16— A blond
Hungarian actress whose singing
and dancing had fascinated Buda
pests's cafe and theater set was
killed early today in a 10-story drop
from the hotel apartment of Baron
Frederick von Oppenheim, wealthy
German.
The dancer, Lola Laszlo. 21, step
daughter of a Hungarian play
wright, crashed to her death on the
marquee of the Hotel Gladstone in
the view of horrified pedestrians
along the Fifty-second street "swing
lane."
Police, who listed her death as
due to “a fall or jump,” found a
note in a woman's purse in the
baron's apartment. Without re
vealing its text, they said part of
it read: “I can’t get along with
out you very well.” Other parts of
the note were written in German
and Hungarian.
Baron Friend of Step-Father.
The baron, a friend of the girl's
step-father. Aladar Laszlo, author
of several comedies which were pro
duced in Budapest, accompanied de
tectives to the district attorney's
office.
Miss Laszlo’s death occurred after
a farewell party given by Baron von
Oppenheim, who had planned to
- (See PLUNGE, PageX-P
The Other Wise Man
The students of Terrell
Junior High School will pre
sent a Christmas program
over WMAL at 7:30 p.m. The
broadcast will feature a
dramatization of the story of
"The Other Wise Man.” The
cast will include 15 youthful
actors and a mixed chorus of
80 voices.
This will be another in the
series of junior high school
programs sponsored by The
Star with the co-operation of
the National Broadcasting Co.
and the Board of Education.
Charity 'Santa Claus'
Accused of Beating
Baby to Death
Slew Stepson While
Wife Watched Passively,
Police Declare
Bs the Associated Press.
PATERSON. N. J„ Dec. 16.-^Sam
uel J. Dunning, 34, who a week ago
played Santa Claus for a charitable
organization, was held without bail
today on a charge of beating to
death of his 5-month-old stepson
Robert.
His wife, Elsie, also 34, was held
with him. the complaint against
her alleging she displayed an "atti
tude of passiveness and without
protest witnessed the murdering and
pounding to death” of her son as
he lay in bed. The child died in a
hospital yesterday.
Arraigned in Police Court today,
the Dunnings were held without bail
on charges of murder, to await ac
tion of the grand jury. They plead
ed innocent.
Acting Detective Capt. James J.
Smith said Dunning played the role
of Santa Claus in a downtown street
last week and talked last night of
the necessity oi getting out so he
could keep another engagement.
An autopsy today showed, police
said, that the child suffered two
broken ribs, a broken jaw, a broken
neck, a broken arm and a frac
tured skull
Capt. Smith said Dunning, an
noyed by the infant’s crying, beat
him Thursday night and again yes
terday morning before leaving for
work. He is a $12-a-week laborer.
G. 0. P. Chairman's Son
Critically Hurt in Crash
B» the Associated Press.
LAWRENCE, Kans., Dec. 16.—Dan
Hamilton, 22, son of John Hamilton,
the chairman of the Republican Na
tional Committee, was critically in
jured today when an automobile
overturned 2 miles east of Lawrence.
His companion, John Battenfleld,
19, of Kansas City, a student at the
University of Kansas, was killed.
The car rolled several hundred feet
off the highway.
Young Hamilton, who withdrew
from the university early this se
mester, was brought to a Lawrence
hospital. The wreckage was found
two hours after a smashed wrist
watch worn toy one of the car’s oc
cupants had stoppecj^
Vr
Smith Says He Worked
In Strike to Preserve
Labor Bargaining
Admits Aiding Boycott
Of Mill Would Have
Been Improper
BULLETIN.
A former regional director of
the National Labor Relations
Board testified before a congres
sional investigating committee
today that a member of what he
called the board's ‘ goon squad''
had told him to make industry
"fear” him and the board.
James P. Miller, who served as
regional director at Cleveland,
told the committee that such ad
vice was given him by Fred Kri
vonos of the Washington staff of
I the Labor Board during the lat
j ter’s visit to the Cleveland office.
By JAMES E. CHINN.
Edwin S. Smith, a member of the
National Labor Relations Board, on
the stand again today before the
House committee investigating that
agency, insisted that his “extra-le
gal” efforts to bring about a settle
ment of a strike in 1936 at the
Berkshire Knitting Mills in Red
ing. Pa., were prompted only by a
desire to prevent undermining of
labor relations in the big hosiery
i»dustry.
Subjected to a barrage of ques
j tions by committee members, the
I witness reiterated that there was no
desire on his part at any time to
assist in a boycott against the prod
ucts of the Berkshire Mills. Such
action, he admitted, would have
constituted improper conduct on his
part as a member of the board.
As the questioning of Mr. Smith
continued Edmund M. Toland, chief
committee counsel, broke in with
this question:
Repudiates Charge.
“Isn't it a facet, Mr. Smith, that
you have been biased and preju
dicial in favor of the industrial
union of the C. I. O.?”
"That's nonsense, Mr. Toland,”
he replied bluntly.
The questioning of Mr. Smith
was conducted chiefly by Repre
sentatives Healey of Massachusetts
and Halleck of Indiana, both Dem
ocrats.
Smith Registers Protest.
Later, Mr. Toland placed in the
record a photostatic copy of a mem
orandum in which David J. Saposs,
board director of economics, in
which he questioned the wisdom of
Mr. Smith's placing himself on
public record in favor of the C. I. O.
The introduction of that memo
randum brought an emphatic pro
test from the witness.
“I want to place with the com
mittee a very vigorous protest
against my views on the craft and
industrial units being brought in in
this backhanded fashion.”
Mr. Toland remarked that he "re
sented” Mr. Smith's reference to
‘backhanded fashion.”
Mr. Smith explained that in a
number of dissenting opinions he
had expressed himself in favor oi
industrial units and that his full
reasons had been set forth in those
official opinions. He pointed out,
(See LABOR BOARD, Page A^.)
Exeter Is Believed
On Way to Falklands
By the Associated Press.
BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 16.—The
shell-scarred British cruiser Exetei
today was believed to be churning
her way slowly toward the Falkland
Islands, British naval base In the
South Atlantic, with a casualty list
estimated by naval sources here a(
100 wounded and an unknown num
ber of dead.
Crippled in her battle with the
German pocket battleship Admira:
Graf Spee Wednesday, the crulsei
had been expected to tie up at the
Bahia Blanca base of the Argentine
Navy, but naval officials had re
ceived no word of her whereabouts
Naval sources said they believed
that in addition to a damaged con
trol turret the Exeter had most
of her batteries out of commission
from direct hits of the Graf Spee
or from engine room damage.
One hundred beds had been or
dered prepared at the Argentine
naval base hospital at Bahia Blanca
to receive the Exeter’s wounded
after the government invited the
Exeter to put lnt
Three Indicted
In Drive Against
Foreign Agents
Publishing Firm
Called U. S. Outlet for
Red Propaganda
BACKGROUND—
Opening Nation - wide drive
against subversive activities by
representatives of foreign prin
cipals. the Department of Jus
tice instituted its first case in
District Court a week ago. Fur
ther prosecutions have been fore
cast by Attorney General Murphy.
The Justice Department's drive
against subversive activities of for
eign agents reached the legal stage
today when a District grand jury
returned indictments against the
Bookniga Corp.. a New York pub
lishing firm described as the Amer
ican outlet for Communist propa
ganda. and three of its officers.
The corporation and its officers
were accused of conspiring to evade
the Government's new registration
law. In another count, the officers,
Raphael Rush. Norman Weinberg
and Morris Liskin, are accused of
failing to file registration statements
with the State Department as agents
of a foreign principal.
With the Government obviously
anxious to bring the case to trial,
the indictments were returned
under unusual circumstances. Justice
Peyton Gordon being called from
home to sit in Criminal Branch of
District Court to receive the indict
ments.
In the first count of the indict
ments it was claimed the Bookniga
Corp. was “the duly authorized
agent and representative of the
Vsesojuznoje. Objedinenie of the
city of Moscow. U. S. S. R.. for the
sale and distribution in the United
States of books, magazines, perodi
cals and pamphlets of a political
and propagandist nature, and for
Dolitical and Dronaeanria nurnoses.”
Officers of Company.
On or about September 8. 1938,
and continuously thereafter to about
April 6. 1939, Rush, Weinberg and
Liskin were said to have been stock
holders of the Bookniga Corp. In
addition Rush was described as its
vice president; Weinberg, secretary
treasurer, and Liskin, its president.
During this period, from Septem
ber. 1938, to April. 1939. the Bookniga
Corp., it was charged, “willfully
failed to file a registration statement
as agent of a foreign principal," but
the corporation was not indicted for
this offense because of its dissolution
on or about April 6, 1939.
- Rush, Weinberg and Liskin, the
indictments set out, between Sep
tember 8, 1938. and April 6. 1939,
“willfully aided, abetted, counseled,
commanded, induced and procured
the Bookniga Corp. in the District
of Columbia and within the juris
i diction of this court willfully to fail
to file the registration statement re
quired by the Act of June 8. 1938."
In order to prevent the filing of
such registration statement, the in
i dictment said, the three officers
"procured the dissolution of Book
j niga Corp. and the organization of
another corporation, known as Book
niga. Inc., contrary to the statute
and against the peace and dignity
of the United States."
Charges in Second Count.
In the second count it was charged
between September. 1938. and April,
1939, Rush. Weinberg and Liskin
“did unlawfully and feloniously con
! spire, confederate and agree to
gether and with the Bookniga Corp.,
and with divers other persons un
known to the grand jurors, so that
the corporation would willfully fail
to file a registration statement."
It was further charged that the
three individuals and the Bookniga
Corp had committed “certain overt
acts to effect the objects and pur
i poses of the said conspiracy." Two
j of the alleged overt acts were set
! out as follows;
“On or about November 16, 1938,
! Rush caused to be delivered in
Washington a letter to Charles W.
(See" INDICTMENTS, Page A-4.)
Broun Rallies Slightly
From Pneumonia Attack
By tte Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Dec. 16.—Columnist
Heywood Broun rallied slightly
early today from a serious attack
of pneumonia which took him to a
hospital and an oxygen tent Thurs
day.
The 51-year-old president of the
American Newspaper Guild had
been suffering a cold for some
time and it was thought he had
grippe when he was taken, uncon
scious, to the Harkness Pavilion of
the Columbia Presbyterian Medical
Center.
Once there, however, pneumonia
was discovered. A heart attack In
duced by his Illness weakened him
shortly after his admittance, but by
last midnight he had shown con
siderable improvement. Hospital
physicians said he had no func
tional heart ailment.
His condition, however, remained
serious and early today there was
no reported change.
At 7 am. (E. S. T.) one of the
hospital’s resident doctors said
Broun was a ‘‘very sick man and a
lucky guy to be getting along as
well as he is.”
His syndicated column, "It Seems
to Me,” appeared in the New York
Post yesterday for the first time.
, For the last 12 years it had been
featured daily in the New York
World-Telegram.
Japanese Destroyer
Sunk, Chinese Claim
By the Associated Press.
SHANGHAI. Dec. 16.—Chinese
Nationalist newspapers reported to
day that Chinese artillery sank a
Japanese destroyer on the Yangtze
River near Kiukiang, about 120 miles
southwest of Hankow, last Tuesday
with the loss of 1^ officers and men.

Evening star. [volume], December 16, 1939, Image 1
About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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Evening star. [volume], December 16, 1939, Image 1
About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972