Evening star. [volume], May 28, 1940, Page A-3, Image 3

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
French Blast West Wall, Hinting Invasion of Reich.
__ jt.__
Shelling May Be Ruse
To Relieve Pressure
On Other Fronts
Cannonading Could Pave
Way for Dash Over
Rhine Into Baden
B? the Associated Press.
BASEL, Switzerland, May 28.—The
fourth successive day of systematic
blasting at German West Wall
fortifications and railroads bv
France's great Rhine forts aroused
speculation among foreign observers
today over the possibility of a
French smash across the river into
Germany.
The continued shelling, coupled
with the French engineers’ action in
dynamiting their own floodland
dikes last Friday, accented the ques
tion whether the French might
mean business—laying the ground
work for a dash into Baden.
Balanced against this was con
jecture that the French move was
more make-believe, like the Nazis’
maneuvering of a fortnight ago—to
keep enemy forces from being with
drawn for action elsewhere.
Germans Worried Swiss.
Then the Germans had Switzer
land s observers worrying over a
possible swoop around the southern
end of France’s Maginot Line.
A German Army of more than 20
divisions, including motorized troops,
gathered near the Northern Swiss
frontier as the blitzkrieg against
Holland and Belgium began.
Several days ago almost all of
these units vanished w'hile trainloads
of German wounded started moving
into hospitals around Lake Con
stance.
Then, without preliminaries, the
French Maginot forts north of Basel
opened fire. Their big guns have
been directed mainly against the
German forts of Istein, the "Gibral
tar of the Rhine.”
Military observers pointed out
that the French activity, which has'
brought little reply so far from
German guns, might mean an at
tempt to cover up reported shifting
of troops from that area into the
western battle zone, or an effort to
force the Germans to strengthen
their defenses’with troops needed
on their side of the northwestern
fronts.
Locks May Be Dynamited.
They agreed that at least two
things must precede any French
drive across the Rhine:
1. Weakening of the German
Rhine communications and smash
ing of many German fortifications
—objects of the renewed cannonad
ing.
2. Dynamiting of the Rhine
Rhone Canal locks to permit di
version of enough Rhine water so
that troops could wade across cer
tain points of the boundary river.
In blowing up many of the locks,
French engineers left the main locks
and gates partly standing to give
partial control of the water level.
Despite relaxing of Switzerland's
tension following the German con
centrations, Gen. Henri Guisan has
kept the Swiss citizen army under
his command fully prepared.
Road patrols of militarized po
lice troops continue a strict check
on all vehicles and armed guards
remain posted at all strategic pub
lic buildings and factories.
Strangers touring frontier zones
and even important central areas
have found blank signboards from
which all names of villages and all
distance figures have been removed.
U. S. Liner With 1,068
Arrives From Italy
By tht Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May 28 —The United
States Liner Washington arrived
today from Genoa and Naples with
1.068 passengers including 500 Jewr
ish refugees traveling on Swiss pass
ports.
The ship was held up by British
contraband control officials at Gi
braltar for nine hours and 400 sacks
of mail taken off — a procedure
avoided with recent Italian liners.
United States Ambassador to Rus
sia Laurence A. Steinhardt returned
after a year in Moscow, on what he
described as a leave of absence and
purely a personal trip, although he
said he was hurrying to Washington
to talk with President Roosevelt. He
left his wife and daughter, 14, in
Moscow.
Mrs. George Earle, wife of the
former Pennsylvania Governor, now
Minister to Bulgaria, returned with
two sons, Larry, 17, and Ralph, 11,
because, she said, “My husband
couldn’t conscientiously urge other
Americans to go home and keep us
there.”
Colby Charges New Deal
'Botched' Job of Defense
By the Associated Press.
BUFFALO, N. Y., May 28.—The
“paramount duty” of the American
people is to “build up the national
defenses” and “curb, or at least post
pone expression of resentment,” in
the opinion of Bainbridge Colby,
Secretary of State under President
Wilson.
Mr. Colby told Buffalo Sons of
American Revolution last night the
“duty” of defense “has long been de
layed, much neglected, fearfully
botched and bungled by an adminis
tration of which we were told to ex
pect better things.”
Chamberlain's Munich
Pilot Killed, Wife Told
By tbe Associated Press.
ATCHISON, Kans., May '28.—In
September, 1938, Comdr. Douglas
K'ing of the British Air Force flew
Neville Chamberlain to Munich,
Germany, for his “peace in our
time" conference. A year later came
the European war.
Now Mrs. King has been informed
Iter husband was killed in action
three weeks ago.
Mrs. King, an American, had lived
16 years in England before coming
here to visit relatives._
A BITTER DEAL
PONTIAC
h. “brown pontiac! be!
-__ Ojtstt fsrtar, T>**Jrr»
Aoaalyn v». (Jut Actus Kir BrMcs)
ALLIED “POCKET” STILL SHRINKS—This map presents the situation in Belgium and Northern
France today. Although definite results of the Belgian King's capitulation have not developed,
the front has 3 points: 1. Germans claim advance at Bruges. 2. Nazis claim gains at Orchies
and Douai past French border defenses and at Labasse at other side of triangle tip. 3. Berlin
reports this side of pincers has moved to Bourbourg and down to Hazebrouck. Broken line is
approximately the battle line in face of fast-changing conditions. Forts along Northern French
frontier face peril in front and from the rear. —A. P. Wirephoto Map.
Television Is Held Up
Pending Agreement
On One System
Prompt Action Seen,
However, for District
Experimental Station
By WILLIAM J. WHEATLEY.
Television broadcasting on a reg
ular commercial basis was put off
for an indefinite period by action of
the Federal Communications Com
mission yesterday.
In a 29-page report the commis
sion left the decision on unification
of the several transmission systems
up to the engineers of the industry.
The commission said, however, that
it would take prompt action on
pending applications for television
broadcast stations on an experi
mental basis. These include a sta
tion for Washington, sought by the
National Broadcasting Co.
“As soon as the engineering opin
ion of the industry is prepared to
approve any one of the competing
systems of broadcasting as the
standard system,” the report says,
“The commission will consider the
authorization of full commercializa- !
tion.”
Agreement's Extent Unspecified. I
The commission did not indicate
whether it will insist on unanimous
or majority agreement in the in
dustry. There are several systems
of transmission, each of which must
have appropriately designed receiv
ers to pick up the signal of the
particular transmitter being pro
moted, and sponsors of each insist
theirs is the best.
Previous action of the commission
in suspending its original approval
of limited commercialism caused a
furore in the industry and in Con
gress. The step was taken on the
ground that promotional work of
the Radio Corp. of America in sell
ing television receivers would freeze
television on R. C. A. standards.
The commission in its current report
hit again at this corporations, when
it said:
“It is obvious that the industry as
a whole does not share the R. C. A.
view of forging ahead regardless of
the untested possibilities of improve
ment on the horizon. It further ap
pears that the industry was not
prepared to accept Sarnoff’s (David
Sarnoff, president of R. C. A.)
premise of ‘We live on obsolescence’
as a basis for justifying a heavy
public investment at current levels
of efficiency.”
Patent Interests Involved.
"The positions of the different
companies on this whole problem
cannot be viewed with total disre
gard of the patent interests of
competing manufacturers which find
expression in a desire to lock the
scientific levels of the art down
to a single uniform system based
in whole or in part upon such pat
ents,” the report says. “The func
tions of this commission are not
to be usurped and utilized as a
means of monopolizing this im
portant industry either through this
or other devices.”
The commission has just granted
full commercialization for frequency
modulation broadcasting, the new
system of sound transmission, the
patent rights for which are al
leged to be held by one individual.
The commission indicated it would
give the industry until fall to com
pose its differences and attempt to
agree on a single television system.
“No time limit,” the commission
said, “can now be set for the adop
tion of standards. The progress of
the industry itself will largely de
termine this matter. The commls
NELVERN
sion will continue its study and ob
servation of. television develop
ments and plans to make a further
inspection and survey in the fall.
Meanwhile, the commission stands
ready to confer with the industry
and to assist in working out any
problems concerned with television
broadcasting.
Taxes
(Continued From First Page.)
tions for the coming year, except
defense and debt payment.
Senator Byrd estimated the taxes
would produce $600,000,000 and the
economy plan would cut $500,000,000.
After pointing out that the na
tional debt has gone from $20,000,
300.000 to almost the $45,000,000,000
statutory limit since 1920, without
countink collateral obligations and
the current defense program, Sena
tor Tydings said:
“I said in the beginning that we
were neglecting to prepare for one
3f the most serious aspects of our
national defense, the financial front.
That flank is dangerously exposed
and if it remains exposed, the re
sults may be fatal or tragically
serious in the years that are to
come. We should not delude our
selves with the thought that simply
Oy passing appropriations for the
increase of the Army, Navy and
air forces, and by taking other
measures to provide ourselves with
an adequate national defense, we
nave suitably prepared this country
for the future. Most decidedly we
have not. Most decidedly we shall
not, unless we change our handling
of the financial arrangements of
this Government.
“I believe the American people
realize this. They want this de
fense and they want it quickly, on
every front vulnerable to attack. I
would label this the ‘sixth column,’
which may in the end undermine
and undo all that we hope we are
doing to make the United States
secure. If this sixth column, an
unbalanced governmental financial
condition, is not dealt with we
will face all the dire consequences
of such neglect in an utterly in
excusable state of unpreparedness.
Favors ‘Pay as You Ga’
“As soon as we have provided the
ways and means of money and the
methods to put the Army, Navy and
air forces in a condition for our
adequate defense at the earliest
possible moment, this Congress, be
fore it adjourns, should write a tax
bill embodying the policy of ‘pay
as you go’ as nearly as we can and
put our financial defenses in equally
strong condition. We will need this
financiay preparedness whether we
go into war or stay out of it.
In any case, can we escape the
consequences of the world chaos
which will result when the last
cannon has fired its last shot on
European battle fields? The inter
national chaos and desolation, the
bitterness, the disillusionment, the
moral backwash which follows in
the wake of every war, the increased
unemployment at home and abroad,
the disruption of world trade, the
loss of America’s markets, the inter
national barter system, the decline
in the value of securities, the long
dreaded walk up the road of recon
struction and rehabilitation of the
belligerent countries, the complete
change in international economics
of the last two decades, will all leave
our flank exposed and subject us to
terrific losses and -the burdens of
anguish and despair.”
Senator Tydings closed with a
warning that even if we escape the
war, “the Four Horsemen who ride
in the wake of every war will be
upon us.” He listed them as unem
ployment, trade disruption, poverty
and disease, disillusionment and dis
trust. He said “our financial front
must not give way before these
enemies.’*
Used U. S. Sport Planes
Are Sought by Allies
By the Associated Press.
ST. LOUIS, May 28.—Second-hand
American sport planes are being
sought by the Allies for observation
work at the front, it was learned
today.
Guarded inquiries have been made
in flying circles here about 1939
models of a certain type of three
place monoplane. The search for
used planes apparently is due to the
absence of mass production of this
type of plane.
MAMAS
CLEANED—BLEACHED
BLOCKED
BACHRACQ
*33 tlth at. N.W.
Your
Medical 11s or
Dental B t
Paid by
Medical-Dental
Exchange
. . . without interest or extra
charge. For full information
call REpublic 2126 or visit 725
Albee Building, 15th and G
Sts. N.W.
SMALL'S
HOME FLOWER MARKET
Annual Sale
9
Cut Pennies
All Colors
Dozen—Dozen for
All day Wednesday,
Thursday till noon. j
This is our 12th an
nual sale of peonies
for Memorial Day.
You will remember |
that now, as in the
past, they are priced
at the lowest figure
consistent with high
quality, fresh cut
peonies.
Cemetery Vases—25c fir up
No Charges—No Deliveries
Dupont Circle 1503 Conn. Ave.
*Where Really Fresh Flowers Are Cheaper.”
50 Planes Downed,
29 Damaged by
R. A. F., London Says
Series of Heavy Attacks
On French and Belgian
Coasts Reported
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 28.—The Air
Ministry announced today that units
of the fleet air arm operating with
the coastal command of the Royal
Air Force made a series of heavy
and effective attacks yesterday on
enemy positions on the French and
Belgian coasts.
“Batteries and transports were
destroyed by bombs and troops were
scattered by machine-gun fire,” it
said. “None of our aircraft was lost
in these operations.
“Royal Air Force medium bombers
continued their attacks on enemy
concentrations in Northern France
during the evening. Two of these
bombers are missing.
"Throughout last night R. A. F.
heavy bombers, again without loss
to themselves, delivered further at
tacks on enemy communications in
the Rhineland and the Low Coun
tries.
Claim 50 Planes Downed.
“In the course of yesterday our
fighters destroyed 50 enemy aircraft
and seriously damaged 29 others.
“Fourteen of our fighters are
missing.”
The Air Ministry said British
fighters patroled the battlefield for
16 hours and brought down 22 Ger
man Messerschmitt fighters and put
nine others out of action.
Messerschmitts escorting Dornier
bombers hid in cumulus clouds and
“made surprise dives” on Royal Air
Force Spitfires which more than
held their own. it was stated.
One Spitfire attacked by four
German planes downed two of the
enemy, the Air Ministry said.
Nazi Craft Over England.
Two new Royal Air Force De
fiant* brought down two Messer
schmitts and five Heinkels in two
short fights, it added.
Enemy aircraft appeared off the
southeast coast of England today
and one was believed to have
crossed the coastline over a town.
Anti-aircraft guns quickly opened
fire and witnesses said one raider
was hit and fell into the sea.
Air-raid warnings were sounded
and Royal Air Force fighters roared
out to sea. The all clear signal was
given 30 minutes later.
Fitzgerald to Speak
SALISBURY, Md„ May 2S (IP).—
James B. Fitzgerald of Bethesda,
Maryland department commander
and national vice commander of the
American Legion, will be the speaker
at Memorial Day services hare
Thursday.
Finland is compelled to import
potatoes because of a shortage.
Norwegian Dentist's
Seizure of Nazi Ship
Told in London
Stories of Strange Heroics
By Fighting Norse
Filter to England
By WILLIAM H, STONEMAN.
Chicago Dally Ntw» Foreign Correapondent.
LONDON. May 28.—Stories of
strange heroics in the frozen north
continue to filter down from the
fjords and mountains of Norway.
None of them is more heroic than
the one about Dr. Maehre, the vil
lage dentist of Honningsvaag, a Ash
ing hamlet, northwest of Hammer
fest, and his great naval expedition.
When the German hosts invaded
Norway, Dr. Maehre decided that
something must be done about it,
and quickly. So he got together two
Ashing smacks, concealed 15 brawny,
well-armed and very eager Asher
men beneath the hatches of each,
and set sail looking for the enemy.
The super-modern armed German
trawler Malangen, built at the cost
of nearly 1,000,000 reichsmarks
earlier this year, was unlucky enough
to be in the neighborhood. Sudden
ly, two shabby Ashing boats came
alongside and even more suddenly 30
friends jumped aboard, Asts Aying
and revolvers banging. It all hap
pened so suddenly that nobody even
had time to touch oft the scuttling
bombs with which the trawler was
equipped.
since men, ur. Maenre and his
crew have been parading up and
down the fjords looking for more
Germans. They have rechristened
their ship the Honningsvaag, and
Dr. .Maehre, according to a friend
of ours, who has Just arrived from
Hammerfest, has become very un
bearable indeed.
There are other more gargantuan,
but unconfirmed, stories going
around daily, destined some day to
take their place in a new and greater
era. They tell, for example, of a
peasant sharpshooter who has shot
down 11 German planes single
handed, of tiny bands roaming the
mountains, pouncing on the Ger
mans by night, and of an untold
number of fighting peasants emu
lating their fierce forbears in the
Middle Ages.
Norway may be beaten to a pulp
but the Norwegians apparently don't
know it.
(Copyright, 1040, Chicago Daily News, Ine.)
Bonus for Speedy Unloading
French railways may offer a bonus
to all those receiving freight if they
will unload the car immediately on
arrival
i.
Fighting the Fight
for First-Line Tires
FIRST-LINE • TOP-QUALITY
GENERAL
SILENT-GRIP
O The tire with the original
Silent-Safety windshield
wiper tread. One of tho
greatest mileage tires of
all time. Super quality
throughout—not an ounce
of reclaimed rubber in
tread or carcass. « « «
.... Factory Trado-fn 2% Cash You Pay \
* List Price Discount Discount Only
5:50/16 *14.35 *4.50 *.20 *9.65
5:50/17 14.80 4.61 .21 9.98
6:00/16 16.15 5.03 .22 10.90
6:25/16 18.90 6.40 .25 12.25
6:50/16 20.40 6.90 .27 13.23
7:00/16 23.10 7.80 .32 14.98
Other sixes proportionately low.
NEW STOCK-FRESH FROM FACTORY
• When a battle for more
business directly affects public
safety it is time to speak frankly.
You can’t afford to gamble
your safety— and you can’t save
money—with second-line tires
no matter how cheap you buy
them. No truck operator will
use them. No taxicab will drive
on diem. No car manufacturer
will take them at any price. Why
should you be the fall guy?
We want every car owner in
town to ride on safe, firsUUne
tires.That’s why we’re mak-^l||
ing this fight—putting our spe«^
did prices on firsutine tires only.
Generals—the tires that made
America safety conscious—
regularly priced higher than
the best of the rest —have al
ways been worth many times
the extra money.
During this sale we’re offering
you Top - Quality, new, fresh
General Silent Grip Tires at less
than others ask you to pay for
tires built cheap to sell cheap.
Before You Buy Any Tire Get the
Answers to These Questions:
Is this a first-line tire?
Is this the grade that
comes on new cars? p:
i
1 Today uie find 2nd line tires befog adver- I
JB tiled allow at til.11 and being represented jW
V as 1st line tires. But just try to replace a jt
V tire that came on your car at that price,
msp
CROKER GENERAL TIRE CO.
14th and QUE STS. N.W. Phone DUpont 2500
OPEN EVENINGS UNTIL 9:00—SUNDAYS UNTIL NOON—EXTRA HELP—PROMPT SERVICE FOR ALL
. _ __^ _
BANCE REN STEPS
THIS VACATION .. .
The vacation season with gay outdoor partita
and dances is almost here. Thit summer
i will find the Rumba, Conga and other new
steps all the rage. You’ll be amazed how
quickly, and easily, you ean learn all these
new steps at the Arthur Murray Studio. ^
You’ll have more fun thit summer if you
start taking lessons. Call for a trial lesson
today.
Ethel M. Fist pro's ([*
ARTHUR MURRAY STUDIO
110! Connecticut Ave. District 2460
| Select a Gift for the Bride I
I This Colonial style, solid brass
Ensemble. Choice of urn or ball
pattern. Regularly *27.00. Spe
| cial during this sale—
11 $19.95
| % A
(Practical Gifts j
Somethin* for the fire- {/
olsce makes unusual /
and most acceptable
gifts for your friends'
; sy or the Bride's home.
ONE THAT WILL A D D TO %
THE BEAUTY OF HER HOME. §
LAST 3 DAYS
Wednesday—Friday—Saturday 2|
SALE...FIREPLACE 9
FURNISHINGS I
Your final opportunity to 1
obtain at low prices our §|
regular quality merchan- I
d i s e in EVERYTHING 1
FOR THE FIREPLACE.
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FOR FALL
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