Evening star. [volume], May 03, 1940, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast f ,F prA«fAiiAmA
Occasional light rain this afternoon and rrOHl iieSS TO nOme
early tonight; cooler tonight; lowest WifrltiM *>LA 11*,,,'
about 42; tomorrow partly cloudy. Tem- ▼vlinifl Thc nOUi
peratures today—Highest, 55, at mid- „ f n#«ni* in
night; lowest, 47,10:30 a.m.; 50 at 2 pm. Star defied
From the United States Weather Bureau report. #v*ntno *****
Full details on Page A-2. evening and Sunday morning..
_Closing N. V. Markcts-Soles, Pag* 22. _ ___OP) Mean, A,„ei.t,d Press.
88th YEAR. No. 35,066._WASHINGTON, D. C., FRIDAY, MAY 3, 1940—SIXTY PAGES. *** THREE CENTS.
Allies Abandon Base at Namsos;
Italy Reported Massing Troops,
Ships and Planes In Dodecanese
4
Germans' Arrival
Expected Within
24 Hours
BULLETIN.
PARIS, May 3 (A5).—British
troops withdrawn from the Nor
wegian area south of Trondheim
were reported today to have been
taken norih to the Arctic Narvik
sector to reinforce other British
troops and French "Blue Devils"
operating there.
By GUNNAR KNUTSSON,
Staff Correspondent of the Stockholm
Svenska Dagbladet.
ON THE STEINKJER FRONT,
Northern Norway, May 3 (/P).—Brit
ish and French troops which had
landed north of German-held Trond
heim for the campaign against the
Nazi invasion embarked last night in
Namsos Harbor and sailed away.
The entrance of German troops in
this sector is awaited at any mo
ment—perhaps within 24 hours.
As a result of the new withdrawal
north of Trondheim following the
removal of allied forces from the
Andalsnes region south of Trond
heim, it is believed here that the
war in Norway virtually is finished.
Tried to Get to Namsos.
Despite various denials given out
last night, it was obvious then that
the British intended to leave the
Steinkjer area (60 miles north of
Trondheim and 35 miles south of
Namsos).
The first became clear to me when
late last night I tried to get to
Namsos. A British officer told me
that if I did succeed in getting
through, I could not get back. I
therefore assumed something was
going on which I was not supposed
to witness.
It can now be stated freely that
the Steinkjer fighting proved some
what disastrous for the British. In
heavy fighting on April 21 an entire
British battalion was cut up by a
German company. (A company is
about one-fourth the size of a bat
talion, which is usually about 800
men.)
What really has hindered the Ger
mans from advancing for several
days past has been the heroic de
fense by Norwegian volunteer units.
Norse Fight Now Hopeless.
The Norwegian fight against the!
Invaders now appears hopeless.
The Norwegians are suffering from
lack of ammunition and other sup
plies.
I was told that their total muni
tions would not suffice for 10 min
utes of heavy firing.
The British left great quantities
of supplies behind them at Namsos,
including trucks and high-wheeled
army cars, when they embarked
on six large transport ships which
were escorted by several destroyers.
All available Norwegian trucks
and cars have been mustered to'
rush these suppliess down to the
Norwegian troops remaining on the
Steinkjer front.
Even so, the fight appears hope
less to the extreme and the Nor
wegians now are being encircled.
Norwegians Are Lett
To Fight Nazis Alone
STOCKHOLM, May 3 (£>).—'The
allied armies’ withdrawal from the
whole of Central Norway, both
above and below the port of Trond
heim, leaves small Norwegian forces
to fight there alone against Ger
many’s massive war machine.
In the Arctic sector about Narvik,
according to one report, printed in
the Stockholm newspaper Aften
bladet, German forces who held
that ore port are on the offensive
against allied and Norwegian siege
lines.
The Germans, already controlling
Southern Norway, spread out rap
idly today over the central sector
(See NORWAY, Page A^47)
Norse Novelist
Accuses British
Of Tyranny
By the Associated Press.
OSLO, May 3.—K. ut Hamsun,
Norwegian novelist who won the
Nobel Literature Prize in 1920, to
day sent all Oslo newspapers a
manifesto accusing the British of
infringing on Norway's neutrality
and urging Norwegians to lay down
their arms against Germany.
The Germans, Hamsun declared,
tre helping crush English "tyranny.”
His statement, addressed to his
fellow Norwegian^ said “when the
Britishers in their prodigious sav
agery forced a passage into Jossing
Fjord and infringed our neutrality,
you did nothing about It."
“But when the Germans occu
pied Norway to prevent war in our
country,” he added, “you did some
thing: You conspired with our run
away King and his private govern
ment and mobilized.
“Norwegians! Throw away your
rifles and return home. The Ger
mans are fighting for us and now
are crushing England’s tyranny
over us and all neutrals.”
Ruin in Norway
Left by Blitzkrieg
Like the desolation in Poland
after the Nazis passed are the
scenes in Norway following the
blitzkrieg. Turn to Page A-9
for the first wirephotos of the
destruction. 4
; 4
U. S. Working Hard to Pr&ent
Spread of War, President Says
Fails to Reveal Whether Italy
Has Made Known Her Intentions
By GARNETT D. HORNER.
President Roosevelt said today he
was doing everything he could to
prevent the extension of the Euro
pean war to new areas and other na
tions.
He declined to say whether he had
received any assurances from Italy
concerning her intentions.
In response to questions concern
ing his conversation with Italian
Ambassador Colonna yesterday and
American Ambassador Phillips’ talks
with Premier Mussolini and Foreign
Minister Ciano in Rome, Mr. Roose
velt said only that this Government
is continuing to work for peace.
News dispatches from Rome have
quoted Italian sources as reporting
that Premier Mussolini had assured
Mr. Phillips that Italy did not in
tend to take an active part in the
war for the present, with some re
ports limiting this purported as
surance to the next 10 days.
Acting Secretary of State Sumner
Welles emphasized at his press con
| ference that dispatches from Rome
concerning the conversations be
tween Ambassador Phillips and
Italian officials were entirley spec
ulative and not based on any in
formation from the Ambassador.
Mr. Welles added that he had no
reason to believe Italian officials
had given out the reports. He de
clined to amplify President Roose
velt’s comment on American efforts
for peace.
The only indication from officials
here about results of the discussions
with Italy was an assertion by Mr.
Welles yesterday that this Govern
ment was giving no consideration
whatever to warning Americans to
get out of Italy—a step that would
be taken if Italian entrance into the
war appeared Imminent.
Grave new problems would ba
created for this country if Italy
should become a belligerent. Exten
sion of the combat zone to the
Mediterranean would cut off Amer
ican ships, which now are sailing
freely to Italian ports, from almost
all of Europe.
Warfare in Italy would endanger
more than 19,000 American citizens
living there and close the chief ave
nue of evacuation for Americans
from other pactions of Europe.
British, Continuing
Campaign in Norway,
Bomb German Bases
Stavanger, Fornebu and
Ry Blasted in Extension
Of Attacks by Air
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 3—British spokes
men today re-emphasized Britain’!
determination to fight on in Norway,
and as if in confirmation of these
statements, the Air Ministry report
ed new successes for Royal Air Force
bombers in raids on German bases
in Denmark and Norway.
British fighting planes also drove
invading aircraft off the southeast
coast of England today, the Air Min
istry announced.
In the face of news that the Nam
sos region north of Trondheim had
been abandoned by the allied forces
as was the Andalsnes sector to the
south, one reliable military source
said:
"The government of Norway is
still in being and we have no idea
of abandoning it or the campaign.”
While other authorities supported
this statement, there was no word,
official or otherwise, on the situa
tion at Namsos.
Planes Protecting Ships.
The Air Ministry communique re
vealed that the British warplanes
had been engaged in-protecting the
convoy of warships and transports
by which the British Army with
drawn from Andalsnes was being
carried “elsewhere,” as Mr. Cham
berlain announced yesterday, with
out indication whether it was bound
for another Norwegian battlefield or
one more distant.
The Air Ministry said the Royal
Air Force extended its bombing at
tacks on German bases in Denmark
and Norway.
The ministry announced the R.
A. F. “heavily and successfully”
bombed the Danish airfield at Ry,
in North Jutland, which is used
extensively by the Norway-bound
Nazi air transports ferrying troops
to the war zone. The attacks began
yesterday evening and continued
during the night.
The day and night bombings of
Stavanger, on Norway’s southwest,
coast, continued, the ministry said,
and the Fomebu Airport near Oslo
was attacked again last night.
(British bombers raided the
German-occupied capital of Nor
way last night for the third time
in a week, an official German an
nouncement in Oslo said, report
ing one raider had been downed.
(Four British airmen, who
bailed out when their plane was
hit by anti-aircraft fire, were
captured. A fifth occupant,
wounded in the plane, crashed
with the craft near Drammen,
25 miles southwest of Oslo on
the east side of Oslo Fjord.)
Chamberlain Sees Foes.
While diplomatic circles predicted
a severe test for Prime Minister
Chamberlain’s government when the
House of Commons begins its Inquiry
into the Norwegian campaign next
Tuesday, the Prime Minister him
self conferred for half an hour to
day with Opposition Leader Clement
(See LONDON, Page A-4.)
Hopson Refuses to Testify
In Associated Gas Probe
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May 3.—Howard C.
Hopson, one of the founders of the
Associated Gas & Electric Utilities
System, went before the Federal
grand jury today, but refused to
testify about the system’s affairs on
the grounds that he might “degrade
or incriminate" himself. He was
excused.
The jury has been investigating
Associated Gas & Electric for more
than a month.
Two nurses accompanied Mr. Hop
son to the Federal Courthouse.
t
Petition Circulated
To Take Hatch Bill
From Committee
Dempsey Moves
To Force Action
On Floor of House
BULLETIN.
Approximately 70 of the 318 re
quired signatures had been af
fixed early this afternoon to a
House petition to wrest from the
Judiciary Committee the bill ex
tending the Hatch Act.
By J. A. OLEARY.
The first move to bring the Hatch
clean politics bill back to life was
taken today when its co-author.
Representative Dempsey, Democrat,
of New Mexico started a petition in
the House to discharge the Judiciary
Committee from further considera
tion of the question.
If 218 House members sign the
petition, which Mr. Dempsey placed
on the desk of the clerk of the House
at noon, the bill automatically will
be released from committee. It
would then be in order for the New
Mexico member to move to take up
the measure on the second or fourth
Monday of the month. May 13 to 27
As the House convened Mr. Demp
sey took the floor to call attention
to his action. He declared this "is
not an ordinary petition, but rather
a roll of honor" to let the people of
the country know who are for clean
politics.
Within a few minutes 20 mem
bers had gone to the clerk’s desk
and signed the petition.
Shortly before the House convened
Mr. Dempsey also served notice in
an executive session of the Rules
Committee, of which he is a mem
ber, that he wanted some action on
his bill. No action was taken, but
the question is expected to come
UP again when the committee meets
next week.
Although it was announced
Wednesday the committee had voted,
14 to 10, to table the bill, Mr.
Dempsey told the House yesterday
afternoon that 14 of the 26 com
mittee members “have declared to
the press and to me that they voted
not to table.” He suggested a
recapitulation of the vote.
Three Courses of Action;
Mr. Dempsey decided pronifctly on
the discharge petition as one of
three possible ways to review the
issue, and today he urged supporters
of the bill to sign the petition with
out delay, reminding them that
“time is of the essence, in view of
(See HATCH BILL, Page A-6.)
Isles Off Turkey
Reinforced With
55,000 Men
By the Associated Press.
ATHENS, Greece, May 3.—In
formation reaching diplomatic quar
ters in Athens today said that
Italian troops, warships and fighting
planes were being concentrated in
large numbers in the Dodecanese
Islands in the Eastern Mediter
ranean.
The Dodecanese Islands are an
Italian-owned group in the Aegean
between Greece and Turkey, ap
proximately 400 miles airline north
west of Alexandria, where a British
and French battle fleet concentrated
today.
Many Massed at Rhodes.
The Italian concentrations were
reported especially heavy at the
Island of Rhodes, 375 miles from
Alexandria.
Diplomatic observers said the in
formation, if confirmed, would ex
plain the action of the allies in mov
ing naval strength into the Eastern
Mediterranean as well as extraordi
nary defense measures recently tak
en in Egypt.
Under emergency measures taken
throughout Egypt, army and police
leaves were canceled yesterday and
all strategic points were placed un
der armed guard. Premier Aly
Maher Pasha conferred with British
Ambassador Sir Miles Lampson and
defense chiefs and then stated that
while the situation was serious there
“is no occasion for immediate
alarm.”
55,000 Troops Reported.
Diplomatic reports said there were
between 50,000 and 55,000 Italian
troop reinforcements already in the
Dodecanese to strengthen the reg
ular garrisons.
Fifteen submarines were said to
be lying off Rhodes, and many
fighting planes were reported based
at the Island of Leros, which is 40
minutes by bombing plane from
Athens.
The Dodecanese are formidable
strongholds in the Eastern Mediter
ranean.
From these islands Italy's planes,
submarines and surface craft could
make a strong bid for control of the
entrance to the Aegean, through
which vessels must pass to reach
the Dardanelles, guarded by Turkey,
non-belligerent ally of Britain and
France.
Italian forces in the Dodecanese
would also form a distinct threat to
Turkey and to sea communications
between Turkey and the allies, in
case of war.
Allied Moves Regarded
As Pressure on Italy
ROME, May 3 (^.—Reinforcement
3f the allied naval power in the Med
iterranean was seen today as a move
toward applying pressure on Italy
lor clarification of her “non-bel
ligerent” status.
The allied action, announced yes
terday by Prime Minister Chamber
lain, left Italians outwardly calm,
and while Fascists insisted Italy is
fully prepared to act the moment
Premier Mussolini gives the order,
observers saw some evidence that
that day is not looked for imme
diately.
With the liner Rex en route to
New York and other , crack Italian
liners on the high seas, they con
sidered a sudden move now unlikely.
Anxiety in some quarters, how
ever, was increased last night when
shipping circles in Genoa reported
British vessels in that port had re
ceived orders to leave the Medi
terranean at once, returning to Eng
land by way of the Suez Canal. To
day the British Consul said he knew
of no such orders.
Precautionary Order Issued.
The British Tuesday announced
that “pronouncements by Italian*
in responsible positions and the at
titude of the Italian press * • * make
it necessary for his majesty’s gov
ernment to take precautions as re
gards British shipping, which would
normally pass through the Mediter
ranean.”
Shippers said the British collier
Alex, which arrived at Genoa with
6,000 tons of coal, had been ordered
(See ATHENS, Page A-6.)
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amusements B-20
Comics C-10-11
Editorials . A-14
Finance A-21
Lost, Found. C-5
Obituary ...A-16
Page.
Radio_C-10
Society_ B-3
Sports _C-l-5
Woman’s
Page.B-22
Foreign
Two U. S. ships raked by bullets In
Bergen battle. Page A-l
U. S. ship fired on at Bergen, crew
reveals. Page A-l
British stress determination to con
tinue Norway fight. Page A-l
Allies reported withdrawing north
of Trondheim. Page A-l
Germany “ready” for attack in Med
iterranean. Page A-4
Notional
Toland questions Smith further on
contacts with Bridges. Page A-l
Institute of Government hears Ickes
today. Page A-l
Dempsey pushes fight to bring Hatch
bill to House floor. Page A-l
U. S. working to prevent spread of
war, Roosevelt says. Page A-l
War disclosures prompt study of
U. S. defense changes. Page A-l
Bad weather fails to halt Shenan
doah apple festival. Page A-t
Request to shelve wage-hour changes
reported Imminent, Page A-Z
ft
Whelchel contends money was paid
for campaign. Page A-10
Strike of milk wagon drivers in
Chicago ends. Page A-16
Washington and Vicinity
Representative D’Alesandro’S victory
forecast in Baltimore. Page A-2
Mayor Jackson charges Bruce makes
appeal to prejpdices. Page A-2
D. C. jobless benefit bill faces fight
in committee. Page B-l
Senate votes 6100,000 to complete
Marine memorial. Page B-l
Editorial an<TComment
This and That Page A-14
Answers to Questions. Page A-14
Letters to The Star. Page A-14
David Lawrence. Page A-15
Alsop and Kintner. Page A-15
Frederic William Wile. Page A-15
Constantine Brovgn. Page A-15
Charles O. Ross. Page A-15
Serial Story. PageB-18
Miscellany
Service Orders. Page A-20
Vital Statistics. Page B-14
Bedtime Story. * Page C-16
Letter-Out. Page C-16
Winning Contract Page C-16
Cross-Word Pussle. Page C-ll
Uncle Ray’s Comer. Page C-ll
Nature’s Children. Page C-12
t
( THEY PUT IT IN THERE,
BUT YOU WATCH. ITfc TOO
VJilGTO SWTHCRE^
Authority of C. A. A.
Not Cut by Transfer,
Budget Head Assures
Justice Department
Joins in Statement
On Reorganization
By JOHN O. HENRY.
Assurance that independent opera
tion of the Civil Aeronautics Au
thority would not be impaired by its
transfer to the Department of Com
merce, as contemplated in pending
Government reorganization orders,
was given C. A. A. Chairman Robert
H. Hinckley today by the Budget
Bureau and the Department of
Justice.
Responding to a series of questions
submitted by the legal staff of the
C. A. A. on the precise effect of
President Roosevelt's reorganization
plans, Budget Director- Harold D.
Smith presented a detailed argu
ment which in effect supports the
transfer proposal. Attorney General
Jackson added to Mr. Smith's letter
a note of agreement. Both were
made public by President Roosevelt
at his press conference today.
Noting in his letter that reorgani
zation plan No. 4 shifts the five
member authority to the Depart
ment of Commerce and changes its
name to the Civil Aeronautics
Board, Mr. Smith wrote:
"In performing its functions (in
cluding those now carried out by the
Air Safety Board) the Civil Aero
nautics Board will be entirely inde
pendent of and in no way subject to
control by the Department of Com
merce or the Secretary thereof.’’
twpons inrougn secretary.
Turning then to the specific ques
tion of the independence of the
board's reporting and to its control
over its own personnel and expendi
tures, Mr. Smith continued:
"The requirement in plan 4 that
the board report to Congress and
the President through the Secretary
of Commerce provides for the rout
ing of such documents through the
Secretary so that he may have an
opportunity to examine them and
append such comments as he may
wish to make. This provision does
not imply that the Secretary may in
any way delete or revise the reports
and recommendations of the Civil
Aeronautics Board.
"In providing that the routine
management functions of the board
shall be performed under the direc
tion and supervision of the Secre
tary of Commerce • • • plan 4 is
designed to prevent the uneconom
ical duplication of such facilities by
the board • * *. This provision is
not intended to divest the board of
its authority to appoint and control
all of its personnel, to authorize ex
penditures, or to determine and sup
port the budget estimates that are
submitted to the Bureau of the
Budget.”
Administrator’s Post Distinct.
In some detail, the Budget Bu
reau had defined the proposed func
tions of the administrator of civil
aeronautics, a post distinct from
the Civil Aeronautics Board.
“As contrasted with the Civil Aer
onautics Board,” Mr. Smith wrote,
“the administrator will be under
the direction and supervision of the
Secretary of Commerce.”
Release of Mr. Smith’s letter was
believed calculated to gain support
for the President’s reorganization
plans, now under bitter fire on
Capitol Hill. Mr. Hinckley, after
conferring with the Chief Execu
tive at the White House yesterday,
disclosed that the Budget Bureau
and Justice Department opinions
(See AERONAUTICS. Page A-6.)
Swiss Call 30,000
More for Active Dufy
By the Associated Press.
BERN, May 3.—The Swiss gov
ernment today ordered more than
30,000 additional reserve troops for
active service between May 14 and 18.
Informed quarters said that re
ported concentration of German
troops in Baden and Wurttemt^irg,
near the Swiss frontier, led the
army commander-in-chief, Gen.
Henri Guisan, to recommend this
further step in Swiss mobilization.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 men
are expected to be under arms by
June.
Men called up today include many
units of the Landstrum (reserve
militia) who are between 36 and
60 years old. Most of Switzerland’s
men between 20 and 26 are already
under arms.
T-‘
Hitler Will Win War,
Next Move Sweden,
Gen. Butler Predicts
By the Associated Press.
TULSA. May 3.—Maj. Gen.
Smedley Butler predicta “Hit
ler will win this war.”
The former United States
Marine Corps commander told
the Oklahoma Bankers Asso
ciation last night:
"Hitler already has almost
complete control of Norway,
which means a plentiful sup
ply of munitions. Then he will
move into Sweden.”
Eventually other “neutrals,'
scared stiff, will ask his ‘pro
tection,’ and the war will be
I over.”
Pittsburgh Box Cars
Yield Three Bodies,
One Branded 'Nazi'
Dissection of Victims
fcfay Be Work of 'Mad
Butcher of Cleveland'
By the Auocieted Pres*.
PITTSBURGH, May 3 —Dismem
bered bodies of three persons, who
might be the victims of the mys
terious “mad butcher” blamed for
12 torso slayings in Cleveland, were
found today in the Pittsburgh &
Lake Erie Railroad yards in nearby
Stowe township.
Deputy Coroner Anthony Sappo
said the word “Nazi” had been
carved on the chest of the third
victim, found several hours after
the first two. One of the latter
was identified as that of a woman.
All were found in boxcars which
arrived here April 21 from Struthers,
1 Ohio, 60 miles southeast of Cltve
i land.
Mr. sappo said tne cars appar
ently had been sent to Struthers
from Cleveland and rerouted to the
Stowe Township yards. He added
that a thorough search of the big
repair yards would be made in the
belief that other victims might be
uncovered.
Dr. P. R. Helmbold, coroner’s
physician, said the bodies had been
dissected by some one with a knowl
dege of surgery, or a butcher. They
apparently were cut up with a
butcher knife. One bore marks
which seemed to indicate gn attempt
at burning.
Heads of the victims were missing,
but the arms and legs were found
near the torsos. All were nude and
there were no clues to identity of the
victims. Mr. Sappo said, however,
that the fingers had not been
harmed and expressed belief the
police would get good fingerprints.
A car inspector for the railroad
discovered the bodies in a routine
check of the cars, assigned to the
yards for repair or for dismantling.
Struthers is about 15 miles from
New Castle, Pa., where the torso
of a young man was found in a
“murder swamp” last October 13.
Eight other bodies have been found
in the swamp in the last 10 years.
Police at the time expressed be
lief that Cleveland’s “mad butcher”
—linked with 12 torso slayings in
Cleveland—was responsible for the
death of the last New Castle torso
victim.
N. L. R. B. Official
Charges Military
Aided Sugar Firms
Control Hawaii With
Fascist-Like System,
House Inquiry Hears
By CARTER BROOKE JONES.
Army and Navy intelligence of
ficers were charged, in a confidential
report of a National Labor Rela
tions Board official read today to
a House investigating committee,
with aiding the “big five” sugar
corporations, who were alleged to
“control” Hawaii with a Fascist
like system of domination.
The report, made to the N. L.
R. B. in the summer of 1937 by
Elwin J. Eagen, a regional director,
who had been in Hawaii to hear
labor complaints, said:
“Judging from the testimony pro
duced at the hearing, the sugar
Interests believe that any one whrf
engages in union activities is an
undesirable person, and they very
cautiously impart their information
to the Army and Navy Intelligence
Units.”
Called Picture of Fascism.
Mr. Eagen added: "If there is
any truer picture of fascism any
where in the world than in the Ha
waiian Islands, then I do not know
the definition of it.”
The N. L. R. B. expressed hope
that "it is not belief of a few mis
guided Army officeis that one who
oppose such a system is acting in
an un-American fashion.” He added:
"The close co-operation between the
Army and Navy intelligence units
and the ‘big five' was certainly sur
prising.”
The document was introduced by
Committee Counsel Edmund M. To
land while Board Member Edwin S.
Smith was on the stand. It was 22
pages in length. It named the "big
five” as American Factors, C. Brewer
& Co., Ltd.; Alexander Baldwin,
Castle Cook, Ltd., and T. H. Davis
& Co., Ltd. These companies, the
report said have interlocking direc
torates.
Lists “Controls of Companies.”
Listing his conception of the “con
trol" exercised by these companies,
Mr. Eagen discussed under sub
headings corporate control, land,
banks, transportation, purchases and
sales, hotels, telephones, police, leg
islative, executive, bar, university,
National Guard, election, newspa
pers and churches.
Mr. Eagen also reported:
“An Army intelligence officer sat
in the Jury box during most of our
hearings at Honolulu.”
The board officer had returned to
his post as regional director at Seat
tle when he made his report, and he
added: “Army officials here in Seat
tle were checking on me while I
was in Hawaii. (So were several
steamship lines and one man pur
porting to be a longshoreman. Cables
were sent to various other people
requesting Information concerning
me.) It might be interesting to learn
who ordered the Army officials to
become interested in my activities
and to determine what, if any, part
Gen. Wells played.” This was said
to be Gen. Bryant H. Wells, retired,
who had become secretary of the
(See LABOR BOARD, Page A-6.)~
2 U. S. Ships Raked by Bullets
In Bergen Battle, Seamen Say
Flying Fish Back From Norway, Skipper
And Crew Differ on Blame for Attack
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May 3.—The bullet
scarred American freighter Flying
Fish returned from the Norwegian
war zone today with an exciting
story of how she and another Amer
ican vessel were caught in a furious
battle between German land and sea
forces and allied warplanes at Ber
gen last month.
Even before the ship docked there
was a sharp conflict between the
captain and some members of the
crew as to whether they were raked
by allied or German bullets.
Capt. W. W. Wollaston, veteran of
the United States Navy during the
World War, declared his ship was
struck accidentally by bullets from
a Norwegian land battery which had
been taken over by the Germans and
which was firing on British war
planes.
Tj
“I was on the bridge and Ihw
everything that happened,said.
"The shore battery fired on our ship
by accident.’*
Sixteen of the 48 members of the
crew, however, were equally em
phatic in a signed statement that
their ship was raked—accidentally,
they agreed—by one of the allied
planes.
The ship’s log described the inci
dent as follows:
"April 12 • • • 5 p.m. During an
air raid a plane circled between the
Flying Fish and the line of fire of
shore batteries, and a spray of ma
chine gun bullets struck the Flying
Fish, hitting the foredeck and sev
eral drums of oil on deck.. No mem
ber of the crew was Injured.”
The log also reported that an
April 18 the American freighter
(See FLYING FI8H, Page A-S.)
Roosevelt Puts
Defense Funds
Up to Congress
Won't Oppose Boost
In Appropriations,
Says President
Declaring that American defense
experts are making careful study
of all mechanical developments in
Europe’s war, President Roosevelt
told his press conference today that
if Congress felt more funds should
be appropriated for defense pur
poses it would not encounter ob
jection from him. He made it clear,
however, that he will not ask for
more.
With approximately $2,000,000,000
being appropriated for national de
fense purposes this year, Mr. Roose
velt pointed out that this was a
larger amount than ever before.
Furthermore, he added, in many
respects we are already using our
supply facilities to their utmost and
immediate increase in funds avail
able would not be effective in in
creasing the actual manufacture or
production of materials.
Mr. Roosevelt’s comments were in
response to questioning about Sec
retary of Navy Edison’s statement
on Wednesday that there should be
material changes in the defensive
designs of warships. An observer
at recent Pacific fleet maneuvers,
the Secretary reported that ships
can be severely damaged in their
vital topside and superstructure by
airplane attacks.
ueiensive weapons Always Develop.
Today Mr. Roosevelt pointed out
that instruments of war are de
veloped through a systematic evolu
tionary process. He recalled that
when ironclads first appeared in the
Civil War it was said that an un
sinkable ship' finally had been de
veloped. Improvement of guns and
development of the torpedo, how
ever, proved this belief fallacious.
Similarly, he continued, the de
velopment of submarines by the
Germans in the early years of the
World War threatened to wipe out
all effectiveness of surface vessels,
but defense weapons rapidly were
dveloped. .
In the present conflict, he went
on, close observation hag been di
rected at naval and aerial fighting
in the North Sea and Norwegian
sectors. So far, however, only scraps
of really worth-while information
have been obtained, with the final
import of developments there not yet
clear. Defense exerts of our Army,
Navy and Air Corps are trying to
keep, up as fast as technical prob
lems permit, he said.
Air Arm Studied,
Asked whether developments have
provided any answer to the contro
versy over whether the battleship
or the airplane is supreme, Mr.
Roosevelt said that he believed
there is no real controversy. Each
is a weapon of war, he explained,
having its place in the whole cate
gory of fighting instruments.
As this prompted a direct question
on whether he believes we have
given due weight to our air defense
arm, Mr. Roosevelt replied with an
unqualified “yes.”
As examples of lessons which, he
said, already have been learned by
our defense authorities from the
European war, Mr. Roosevelt said a
request already had been made to
him for several millions of dollars’
worth of additional blankets for the
fighting forces. Another sample, he
said, is the probability that we may
have to turn to heavier anti-aircraft
guns than are now being provided,
since belligerents abroad apparently
are finding heavier caliber weapons
essential.
More Tin Would Help.
Asked if changes in designs of
ships and equipment would create
material delay in our own defense
program, the President said he be
lieved there would not be much time
lost.
He was asked also if we have an
adequate supply of tin, an important
wartime metal, and replied that
we have a goodly quantity, but that
it might be wise to obtain some
more.
The performance of aircraft in
the wartime laboratory of Europe
has prompted Congress to rc-ex
(See DEFENSE, Page A-3.V
Girls Charged With Arson
In Reformatory Fire
Three colored girls, who, authori
ties say, were responsible for the
two-alarm lire at the National
Training School for Girls Monday
night, were charged with arson
today.
All three are inmates. Robert E.
Bondy. District welfare director,
made the charges following an in
vestigation which revealed that in
mates set the fire, apparently in the
hope they would be able to escape.
The three • whose names are on
police books %re: Martini Quigley,
17, who is charged at police head
quarters; Rosetta Hill, 17, and Esther
Wheeler, 17, both of whom are
booked at the seventh precinct.
All of the girls were removed from
the training school and placed in
cells at the Women’s Bureau. Their
arrest indicated that the Juvenile
Court, which had committed them
to the training school, had waived
jurisdiction so the girls could be
arraigned in Criminal Court.
Cold Weather
Halts Ball Game
Cold weather today forced post
ponement of the opening baseball
game of the Cleveland-Washing ton
series scheduled for Griffith sta
dium. One game will be played
tomorrow.
President for Housing Fund
President Roosevelt told a press
conference today that more money
should be authorized for the United
States Housing Authority because it
was doing a good Job of slum clear
ance.