Evening star. [volume], May 28, 1940, Page A-4, Image 4

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

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Evacuation of Boulogne Under' Heavy Fire Described by Briton
British Took Beating,
But Stood Like Rocks,
Says Eyewitness
Forces Withdrawn Under
Hail of Bullets From
Mechanized Germans
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 28.—An epic story
©f the removal of British troops from
Boulogne by the Royal Navy, with
German bombs and guns causing
severe casualties, was disclosed to
day in a report by a naval eye
witness.
He said the forces were withdrawn
from the seaport by British destroy
ers under a constant hail of bombs
and fire from field guns, machine
guns and pompoms (multi-barrel
anti-aircraft guns).
Boulogne fell to the Germans Sun
day.
The eye-witness said the Germans
In “greatly superior” numbers at
tacked with aircraft, tanks, and field
guns and the destroyers removed the
soldiers "in circumstances of great
difficulty and peril.”
A naval officer, he said it was im
possible to describe the events in
chronological order because “we had
not time to look at our watches” and
censorship prevented disclosure of
the day of the withdrawal.
mv Allies bneiung toe.
A demolition party of seamen,
Royal Marines and a few Royal En
gineers, taking explosives and other
gear, pushed across the Channel in
a destroyer at two hours' notice,
reaching the main jetty of Boulogne
In the forenoon.
On the way into the harbor the
party saw British and French de
stroyers “shelling high land to the
north over which enemy tanks and
mechanized troops were advancing
toward the town.”
Inside the harbor, “there was
comparative peace, but not for
long," the officer reported.
The party landed from the de
stroyer, occupied the railway sta
tion, fitted demolition charges and
earmarked all bridges, cranes and
lock gates for destruction, which
was undertaken, it was said, at the
request of the French authorities.
Troops in the station were bom
barded by high explosive shells
from field guns. Many of them
were young, but the naval officer
said “they never turned a hair.”
German Planes Attack.
“The Germans were gradually
closing in on the town with light
mechanized vehicles, followed by
tanks and motorized field guns,”
the officer said, adding that Ger
man planes also attacked inter
mittently throughout the day.
Once, he said, a greatly superior
number of planes were driven off
by R. A. F. fighters.
Because the Germans were “all
•round the town.” it was “impos
sible to send field guns or other
assistance” the officer reported,
and the British "couldn’t hold out
indefinitely against enemy armored
Vehicles.”
The officer found all roads bar
ricaded with lorries and protected
by machine guns.
“Small parties of Germans were
already coming down the streets on
the outskirts of the town,” he said,
“and a slight British withdrawal
was ordered to avoid having our
flank turned and to accelerate
the evacuation when the time
came.”
Germans Held High Ground.
The Germans were holding the
high ground commanding the town,
massing more guns and troops, he
went on, and the British "sus
tained casualties.”
Small naval parties set explo
sives under bridges giving access
to the inner harbor. The bridges
were already under machine gun
fire at a few hundred yards range,
the officer said, but the British
Could not destroy them until the
last troops had been withdrawn.
The naval officer and a small
party of men under sniping fire
at 50 yards range destroyed a
arane and flooded the dock power
gtation and pumping station.
Floating Dock Sunk.
One small drifter found at an
Cther dock was manned by stokers,
who raised steam with broken wood
and other debris so that the craft
could aid in the evacuation of
troops.
When the "complete demolition”
Crder came, the floating dock was
sunk and the machinery in the
power stations was blown up and
“everything that might be of use
to the enemy” was hurriedly sabo
taged under continuous field gun
and machine gun fire and while
15 German planes made dive
bombing and machine gun at
tacks.
“The Germans were very close and
Coming nearer all the time,” the
naval officer said, while British
troops were taking shelter at the
railway station and “more arriving
every minute.”
Five destroyers came alongside
knd began evacuation of the troops
under “furious” fire from enemy
tuns concealed in a wooded hill and
from pompoms and machine guns
firing from the windows of a hotel.
“Then several enemy tanks came
(flown the hill onto the foreshore,”
the report stated.
Courage of Soldiers Praised.
The troops on the jetty were em
barking “under a tornado of fire
with casualties occurring every sec
ond,” and destroyers were “plaster
ing the hillsides and the German
field guns at point blank range and
blasting the hotel until the pom
poms and machine guns were
Silenced.”
“They stood there like rocks
Without giving a damn for any
thing,” a naval officer said of the
soldiers.
The destroyers, crammed with sol
diers, all listing and one “slightly
on fire,” left stem first through the
narrow channel. The tide was fall
ing and there was “very little water
under the bottoms."
Woman Preacher Licensed
TAPPAHANNOCK. Va„ May 38
CP).—The Rappahannock District
Conference of the Virginia Metho
dist Conference today granted a
license to Miss Lillian Russell ol
Richmond as a local Methodist
preacher. She is the first woman
in the Virginia Methodist Confer
ence to make application for a
license to preach.
Miss Russell has conducted mans
revivals in churches in the State.
PROMISED A CASTLE—A recent photograph of the Belgian royal family, King Leopold and his
children, left to right: Prince Albert, 6; Crown Prince Baudouin, 10, and Princess Charlotte.
Queen Astrid was killed in an automobile accident in 1935. Today Leopold asked his armies to
quit fighting. Germany said they would give him refuge in a Belgian castle.—A. P. Wlrephoto.
Roosevelt Expected
To Disclose Defense
i
Setup Today
These Are Sad Days/
White House Comment
On Belgian Surrender
By JOHN C. HENRY.
Details of the administration’s
emergency defense co-ordinating
plans probably will be announced
late today, it was indicated at the
White House this morning.
Stephen T. Early, secretary to the
President, disclosed Saturday that
the President is planning formation
of a national co-ordinating body to
include representation of all phases
of American civil and industrial life.
At his press conference today, Mr.
Early said the President hoped to
perfect some of the details of this
plan during the day and perhaps an
nounce them when he receives the
press this afternoon.
Receives News of Belgian Move.
With a relatively light schedule
of appointments planned for Mr.
Roosevelt today, news of the Bel
gian capitulation to the-* Germans
was received with the curt com
ment that “these are sad days.”
Making the observation, which the
President himself had said in his
Sunday night radio address, Mr.
Early added that this reaction does
not necessarily apply to the Belgian
decision but rather to the news
that such action had been forced.
The White House was informed
of the Belgian surrender in a tele
phone conversation about 4:30
[ o’clock this morning from Ambas
j sador William C. Bullitt in Paris,
i Mr. Bullitt called Washington and
delivered word of the development
to Miss Marguerite Le Hand, the
President's personal secretary.
To Confer With Envoys.
During the day Mr. Roosevelt
planned to confer briefly with three
of America’s representatives abroad.
First was to be Spruille Braden,
Minister to Colombia, followed by
Clarence E. Gauss, Minister to Aus
tralia, and Robert Scott, Minister
to San Domingo. The President
also scheduled brief appointments
with Senator Hughes, Democrat, of
Delaware: Senator Guffy, Democrat,
of Pennsylvania, and Roy W. How
ard, newspaper publisher.
More Rain Forecast
For District Tonight
The first real sunshine in nearly
a week greeted drenched Wash
ington today, but the Weather Bu
rear forecast a return of showers
tonight
Forecast was increasing cloudi
ness with showers beginning late to
night or tomorrow. There will be
little change in temperature. The
low tonight is expected to be 55
degrees.
On the Eastern Shore last night a
violent hailstorm lashed across the
Delmarva Peninsula, leaving in Its
path crop destruction^ Damage was
not estimated.
Sweeping a course 12 miles wide,
large hailstones ruined strawberries
ripening for market, slashed young
com and smashed new tomato
plants. Hundreds of panes of glass
were destroyed in greenhouses, flor
ists reported.
Both the Cambridge and Salis
bury, Md., areas felt the storm,
which moved on to the Atlantic
Coast.
Yesterday’s high temperature here
was 73, registered at 3:15 pm., while
the low of 55 today was recorded at
5 am.
Kenya Colony, whose main crop
is com, will extend wheat, flax,
bean and hay cultivation this year.
Leopold Pledged to Resist
Enemy With Father's Heroism
By the Associated Press.
King Leopold m of the Belgians,
whose order to the Belgian Army to
surrender to Germany was an
nounced today, took personal com
mand of the forces May 10 as his
father, the late King Albert I, had
done in 1914.
He declared that “The Belgium of
1940 will resist the same as that
of 1914.”
“The power of our country today
is infinitely greater than in 1914,”
he said.
Leopold is 38 years old.
The forces led by his father de
layed the Invasion of the Imperial
German -Army in 1914 by strong
resistance. King Albert remained
with his troops until conclusion of
the World Wax. commanding an
Allied northern force in the later
stages.
He died February 17, 1934, in a
fall while mountain climbing near
Namur, scene of fierce fighting in
the present war.
Leopold, who ascended the throne
then, married Princess Astrid of
Sweden in 1926. She was injured
fatally in August, 1936, when a car
driven by the King struck a tree.
Their children. Princess Josephine,
12; Prince Baudouin, 9, and Prince
Albert, who will be 9 next month,
have been reported safe la a chateau
Lindbergh
(Continued From First Page.)
the present war Is president of the
association.
Discounted Fear of Invasion.
The speech of Col. Lindbergh
which roused veterans of the La
fayette Escadrllle in Paris was
broadcast over the United States
from Washington May 19.
The flyer warned the United
States to stay out of Europe’s trou
bles and said, “We need not fear
a foreign invasion unless Ameri
can peoples bring it on through
their own quarreling and med
dling with affairs abroad."
“We are in danger of war today,”
he said, “not because European
people have attempted to interfere
with the internal affairs of America,
but because American people have
attempted to interfere with the in
ternal affairs of Europe.”
Col. Lindbergh insisted that the
geographic situation of the United
States gave it natural advantages,
with aviation as an asset, in pre
venting attacks from overseas, and
urged adoption of a definite policy
of defense.
Highly Honored Abroad.
France showered Col. Lindbergh
with honors in the week following
his spectacular arrival in Paris.
President Gaston Doumergue con
ferred the Grand Cross of the Legion
of Honor. He was given medals by
the City of Paris, the Society of the
Women of Paris and the French
Georgraphical Society. In welcom
ing him to the Lafayette Escadrllle,
the group presented him with a gold
plague of honor.
A gift of 150,000 francs, then equal
to $30,000, was offered, but Col.
Lindbergh suggested it be diverted
to the Aero Club of France for the
benefit of families of flyers who had
lost their lives on exploratory flights.
In Belgium, King Albert deco
rated him with the Cross of the
Order of Leopold and the Gold
Medal of the Royal Aero Club of
Belgium. England added honors
when King George V gave him the
Cross of the Royal Air Force of
Great Britain.
Leaving for the United States
aboard the cruiser Memphis, Col.
Lindbergh was escorted from Cher
bourg Harbor by a swarm of French
seaplanes and naval vessels, with
hundreds of whistles shrieking a
farewell.
aacK nome, col Lindbergh was
greeted by President Coolidge who
presented the first Distinguished
Flying Cross voted by Congress. A
special airmail stamp was issued,
bearing a picture of his plane. The
National Geographic Society con
ferred its Hubbard Medal and he
received the Langley Medal of the
Smithsonian Institution.
Medals, plaques and trophies
poured in from all parts of the
world, from domestic and foreign
governments, official and unofficial
aeronautics societies and from in
dividual admirers. Their value was
estimated at $600,000 and they filled
an entire section of Jefferson
Memorial Museum in St. Louis,
which Col. Lindbergh chose as a
public depository.
His last recognition by a foreign
government, and the one arousing
most discussion, was the presenta
tion, in 1938, by Field Marshal Her
mann Goering of one of Germany’s
highest decorations—the Order of
the German Eagle—at a Berlin re
ception.
Goering told Col. Lindbergh he
had orders from Chancellor Hitler
to give him the decoration as a
token of Germany’s esteem for his
services to aviation. The American
flyer had just completed a survey
of German plane factories and air
ports.
Polo Player Killed at Front
LONDON, May 38 (IP).—Hugo Hes
keth Hughes, international polo
player, was listed today among
those killed in active war service.
Hughes was a second lieutenant
in the Welsh Guards.
Senate Votes to Bar
Jobs for Bundsmen
And Communists
Patman Calls Viereck
And Byoir 'Brains' of
Nazi Propaganda
Bx the Associated Press.
Avowedly Intent on dispersing any
“fifth columns” before they are on
the march, the Senate has voted to
bar all Communists and Nazi bund
members from employment in inter
state commerce.
This decision, if the House con
curs, will have the effect of pro
hibiting Communist or Nazi bund
workers in virtually all industries
connected with national defense
preparations.
Restrictions of almost equal se
verity for all non-citizens likewise
received Senate approval yesterday,
when it voted to forbid the employ
ment of more than 10 per cent of
alien workers in interstate indus
try except when the supply of cit
izens is Inadequate. No exception
was provided for aliens who have ap
plied for citizenship.
Sponsored by Reynolds.
Both anti-fifth column measures
were sponsored by Senator Reynolds,
Democrat, of North Carolina as
amendments to legislation outlawing
“opprsasive labor practices* which
was passed by a vote of 47 to 20.
The labor practices bill, introduced
by Senator La Follette, Progressive,
of Wisconsin after long investiga
tion by the chamber’s Civil Liberties
Committee, would outlaw the use of
strikebreakers, industrial spies and
company arms for strike use.
The Senate action coincided with
a sharp attack on alleged Nazi ac
tivities by Representative Patman,
Democrat, of Texas in the House.
He charged that George Sylvester
Viereck, a writer, and Carl Beloir, a
New York public relations man,
“were the real brain trust of Nazi
propaganda in America.”
“Carl Byoir rode into this country
Hitler’s first Trojan horse,” Mr. Pat
man asserted.
* Byotr Charges Smear.
Mr. Byoir, in New York, retorted
that Mr. Patman was trying to
“smear me because I happen to be
working against his pet (chain store
tax) bill.” Mr. Byoir said that in
the last six years his firm had rep
resented no foreign government ex
cept China.
Mr. Viereck also dismissed the
charges, declaring he was neither
the brains of Nazi propaganda “nor
any other portion of its anatomy.”
Other "fifth column” developments
yesterday included:
1. Unanimous House approval of
President Roosevelt’s proposal to
transfer the Immigration Service
from the Labor Department to the
Justice Department. The recom
mendation now goes to the Senate.
2. The Senate Judiciary Com
mittee’s unanimous vote to recom
mend passage of legislation requir
ing the finger-printing and registra
tion of all aliens. Majority Leader
Barkley forecast the bill’s enact
ment at this session. It also would
provide for deportation of aliens
advocating violent overthrow of the
Government and fines of $10,000 for
attempts to subvert military forces.
Little Opposition to Amendments.
There was little opposition to the
Reynolds amendments on the Sen
ate floor. Several members, how
ever, urged him to withdraw them
until they could be given more care
ful study.
Senator Reynolds, who scribbled
one of them on a sheet of paper and
sent it to the Vice President’s desk
while awaiting a vote on the other,
would not be dissuaded.
"A lot of Nazis and a lot of Com
munists are trying to destroy our
form at government,” he said, add
ing that a few weeks ago he could
not have made such proposals with
out being told they- were "un
American.”
In the House before transfer of
the Immigration Service was ap
proved, Representative Taber, Re
publican, of New York asserted that
Secretary of Labor Perkins was “a
notorious Incompetent and one who
for the last seven years has steadily
and steadfastly failed and refused
to enforce the Immigration law.”
Representative O’Day, Democrat,
of New York contended, on the
other hand, that there had been
great improvement in the admin
istration of Immigration laws, and
Representative Voorhis, Democrat,
of Colorado expressed resentment
at any implication that Miss Per
kins was “lacking in patriotism.”
Short Wofe'in Argentina
Radis fans' in Argentina are
equipping their-receiving sets to re
ceive Short-wave broadcasts from
Desire to Retain
Throne Blamed for
Leopold's Action
Allies Knew Parleys
Were Going On, but
Could Not Stop Them
By EDGAR ANSEL MOWRER,
Foreign Correspondent of the Chicago
Dally News.
PARIS, May 28.—Leopold HI,
King of the Belgians, yesterday
ordered the Belgian Army to lay
down its arms, presumably for an
understanding that his throne and
his so-called national Independence
would be respected. (Eight words
censored.) Paris and London had
had word of the “negotiations” be
tween the Germans and Leopold
for two or three days.
Yesterday afternoon London and
Paris knew that the deal had been
made and that there was nothing
they could do to stop it. In the
night the Belgians are reported to
have laid down their arms—16
divisions—at the demand of their
King. Whether the French and
British forces fighting beside them
for the last 18 days, at the invita
tion of King Leopold, had any warn
ing or whether the appearance of
the German troops behind them was
the first signal of Leopold's deal is
not yet clear.
Premier Paul Reynaud, in a
stirring address this morning, in
formed the French of what had
occurred. He did not spare King
Leopold.
No Bitterness Toward People.
At the very moment that Leopold,
according to German official news,
is “being treated with particular
honors by the Germans,” the son of
King Albert may find himself de
throned by the only legally consti
tuted Belgian government, which
reached Paris from Pontiers last
night.
The French are not bitter toward
the Belgian people. The people did
what they could and the fact that
300,000 have sought refuge in France
proves their sentiments toward Hit
ler. The Belgian Army, after a few
Initial mistakes, fought bravely un
til it was ordered to surrender.
But toward the King the French
have nothing but loathing—a loath
ing that pierced through Premier
Reynaud’s words this morning.
After Poland, Denmark, Norway and
Holland, Belgium has to be writ
ten off—at least temporarily. The
remnants of the Belgian army in
France (three words censored) will
be reorganized and enter the fight.
Two Big Questions.
The questions now are: First,
what has the King's action done to'
the British and French divisions
still fighting around Dunkirk, and,
second, in what position does it
leave Britain and France for con
tinuing the struggle?
When Leopold’s soldiers laid down
their arms the Belgians simply left
a hole through which the trium
phant Germans poured behind the
British and French. These are
picked troops. They have fought
terrifically to repair the ravages
made by the initial defeat. They
will continue to fight. But they are
tired to death and their doorway to
the sea behind them is a narrow
one.
But whatever their ultimate fate,
it can be taken for. granted that they
will continue to struggle, if only to
gain time for the strengthening of
the thin line that, west of Mont
medy, is all that guards France
from further invasion.
Northwest Citizens Back
National Defense Plans
The Northwest Citizens’ Council
last night voted “100 per cent” in
dorsement of President Roosevelt’s
national defense program.
The council offered to act as a
co-ordinating committee between
the Government and the 50,000
residents of the Northwest section
in any emergency or national de
fense measure. Formation of rifle
teams, with the assistance of the
council, was suggested as a possible
protective or preparatory measure.
The possibility of forming a “home
guard” was discussed.
Meeting at the home of Mrs.
Leslie Boudinot Wright, secretary
of the organization, the council
pushed ahead in its drive to abol
ish sororities and fraternities in
District high schools. A special
committee was appointed to see
Assistant Superintendent of Schools
Chester W. Holmes to determine
what is being done by the Princi
pals’ Association regarding the
council's previous request.
It was said such organizations
should be eliminated because they
had no place in “a democratic school
system.”
The council pledged support to a
Senate bill to increase the number
of District of Columbia appoint
ments to the United States Mili
tary Academy at West Point. The
District is now allowed five appoint
ments to West Point and four to
the Naval Academy at Annapolis,
as compared with nine to West
Point and 12 to Annapolis permit
ted Nevada, it was pointed out.
The Western State has approxi
mately 100,000 population while the
District is estimated to have about
650,000 inhabitants.
The council Indorsed a proposal
for a small recreation center to
every school neighborhood, declar
ing that even small mill villages in
New England had at least one ten
nis court.
Approval of a movement to or
ganize a junior citizens' council was
also expressed.
It was the council’s last meeting
of the year.
Home Agent Resigns
WINCHESTER, Va„ May 28 (Spe
cial) .—Miss Madeline Blair, who
has been home demonstration agent
of Frederick County since 1935, an
nounced today she had resigned
and will return to her home at
Chatham, Va. Miss Blair is to be
succeeded here July 1 by Miss
Elizabeth Sprouse, a recent gradu
ate of the University of Tennessee.
Over half the tin exported from
Malaya in a recent month was
deetlned for the United States.
I War Communiques
German
Mr the Auoeitted Preia.
BERLIN, May 29—The text of
the German high command com
munique follows:
The big battle In Flanders at Ar
tois has reached a climax. Our
troops, in a sharp attack, partly
broke the embittered resistance and
hemmed and encircled the enemy
armies into an ever narrower area
into which the air force also worked
destructively with strong units.
We gained ground rapidly against
the Belgian Army after hard lights
and now stand 10 kilometers outside
of Bruges and Thourout. Thielt
was passed and a strong enemy ar
tillery group there was stormed in
close fighting. In recognition of
the hopeless situation, the Belgian
Army, under the leadership of its
King, in strength about 400,000 to
500,000 men, laid down their arms,
as already announced in a special
report.
The fight continues against the
encircled English and French. North
of Valenciennes, our troops broke
through strong French border for
tifications. Orchies and Douai were
taken.
Maj. Boehme, commander of an
infantry battalion, favorably dis
tinguished himself in this attack.
From the western direction the en
emy was repulsed on the whole front.
La Bassee, Merville, Hazebrouk and
fiourbourgville are in German
hands. The air force bombed roads
and railway lines leading to Zee
brugge, Nieuport, Ostend and Dun
kerque, as well as harbor establish
ments and vessels in these ports.
The pier at Dunkerque has been
destroyed.
Between Calais and Dover an en
emy destroyer was severely hit.
On the southern front isolated
enemy attacks by armored units on
the lower reach of the pomme were
repulsed. , Thirty enemy armored
units were destroyed.
South of Carignan our positions
were improved and massive enemy
attacks were repulsed.
The enemy’s losses in the air yes
terday amounted to a total of 91
airplanes. Twenty-three German
planes are missing.
Also in Norway tlMair force at
tacked successfully. In Bodoe one
wireless sender was destroyed, a
second one severely damaged. Two
enemy airplanes were shot down.
■ 1 ■
German motor boats, as already
announced by special report, off the
Belgian coast destroyed one Brit
ish destroyer and one enemy sub
marine.
Last night and early today one
motor torpedo boat, in addition,
succeeded in sinking a heavily
loaded enemy transport of 3,000
tons. The English air force con
tinued its aimless attacks on non
military objectives in Northern and
Western Germany. Several clvllans
were killed.
Following is the text of an an
nouncement issued at Fuehrer
Hitler’s headquarters today on
the surrender of the Belgian
Army:
The King of the Belgians, in order
to put an end to further bloodshed
and the wholly purposeless destruc
tion of his country has arrived at a
decision to lay down arms, contrary
to the wish of the majority of his
government.
This government, which is chiefly
responsible for the catastrophe
which befell Belgium, now also
seems willing further to remain in
the company of their English
French employers.
The Fuehrer has ordered that the
King of the Belgians and his army
be accorded such consideration as
due bravely fighting soldiers.
Since the King of the Belgians
personally expressed no wish, a Bel
gian castle has been designated him
for a temporary sojourn until a
definite domicile is determined.
The total number of Belgian units
affected by the capitulation may
roughly comprise half a million men.
The German armies now will strike
out with increased vigor at the de
struction of the chief culprits.
French
By the Associated Press.
PARIS, May 28.—The text of
the French high command com
munique follows:
The military situation has become
more serious in an unforeseen man
ner in the north as a result of the
capitulation by the Belgian King,
whose army was engaged on the
side of the British and French
troops.
These latter are facing a new sit
uation and are continuing to fight.
Nothing important to report on
the rest of the front.
I Text of Churchill Statement |
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 28.—The text
of Prime Minister Churchill's
statement in the House of Com
mons today follows:
The House will be aware the King
of the Belgians yesterday sent a
plenipotentiary to the German com
mand asking for suspension of arms
on the Belgian front* varies of
shame.)
The British and French govern
ments instructed their generals im
mediately to dissociate themselves
from this procedure (cheers), and
to persevere with the operations In
which they are now engaged.
The German command agreed to
the Belgian proposals and the Bel
gians ceased to resist the enemy's
will at 4 o'clock this morning. I
have no intention of suggesting to
the House that we should attempt
at this moment to pass judgment
on the action of the King of the
Belgians in his capacity as com
mander-in-chlef of the Belgian
Army.
This army fought very bravely,
and both suffered and inflicted
heavy losses. The Belgian govern
ment has dissociated itself from
the act (cheers) and declared itself
to be the only legal government of
Belgium and formally announced its
resolve to continue the war by the
side of the Allies, who came to the
aid of Belgium on her urgent ap
peal.
Whatever our feelings from facts
so far ifciown to us, we must re
memberfthat sense of brotherhood
between^he many peoples who have
fallen into the power of the ag
gressor, %nd those who still con
front hi^t will play its part in bet
ter d&yaifthan those through which
we are passing.
The situation of the British and
French Armies, now engaged in a
most severe struggle and beset on
three sides and from the air, is
evidently extremely grave.
Surrender of the Belgian Army
in this manner adds appreciably, to
the grievous peril, but our troops
are in good heart and fighting with
the utmost discipline and tenacity.
I shall, of course, abstain from com
ment on what, with the powerful
assistance of the Royal Navy and
Royal Air Force, they are doing or
hope to do. I expect to make a
statement to the House on the gen
eral position when the result of the
intense struggle now going on can
be known and measured.
This, perhaps, may not be until
the beginning of next week. Mean
while, the House must prepare it
self for hard and heavy tidings. I
have only to add that nothing
which can happen in this battle
can in any way relieve us of our
duty to defend the world cause to
which we have bound ourselves,
nor can it destroy our confidence
in our power to make our way—as
on former occasions in our history—
through disaster and grief to ulti
mate defeat of our enemy.
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Greece on the Fence,
Fearing Italy Despite
Allied Guarantees
Metaxas' Totalitarian
Regime Restricts Press
To Neutral Views
By RICHARD MOWRER,
Correspondent of the Chicago Dally N*w>.
ATHENS, May 28.—Cautious lest
a Turkish-Allied initiative through
its territory invite that Italian at
tack which it fears, Greece today
remains a paragon of neutrality and
unpreparedness—noncommittal as to
its real allegiances in face of Franco
British-Turkish guarantees, and
ridiculously undefended as the Eu
ropean struggle threatens to engulf
the Balkans.
Gen. John Metaxas’ stern, total
itarian regime and strict press
censorship see to it that the Greeks
do not openly show preference for
one belligerent or the other, nor stir
Italian wrath. Newspapers are con
trolled to give a neutral picture of
war news and to refrain from
editorial comment.
War Talk Almost Taboo.
To the Greeks the western war
is almost taboo. It is almost a case
of see no war, speak no war, hear
no war. And yet, if the war extends
to Southeastern Europe or the
Mediterranean, Greece will be in the
midst of it, regardless of whether
the Greeks mass themselves against
anybody or not.
This country’s geographical loca
tion is such that it works back to
the certainty that Greece is bound
to become the focal point of naval
as well as military operations.
An Italian drive on Yugoslavia,
with possible seizure of certain
Greek islands and a march through
to Salonika, would signal an Allied
incursion in this region, while an
Italian attack on Prance would bring
the whole Mediterranean area into
the war and there would be a race
between the lesser navies to seize
various Greek isles of strategic im
portance.
Italians Menace Crete.
It is known that the Italians keep
a potential expeditionary' force on
the island of Caso, nearest to Crete
of the Dodecanese group. Crete pos
sesses the excellent deep-water bay
of Suda, which would be useful to
whichever Mediterranean belligerent
got there first. And the Greeks are
not blind to Italy’s desire to occupy
and use Corfu in the event of action
against the Allies in the west, or
against Yugoslavia in a new Adri
atic adventure.
Thanks to those considerations,
Greece prosecutes a nebulous war
policy based on fear and hope—fear
of involvement in Europe’s nostili
ties and hope that official neutrality
-will spare Greece that horror.
(Copyright, 1940. Chicago Daily Newi, Inc.)
Thomas at Press Club
Lowell Thomas will broadcast his
news program from the National
Press Club auditorium at 5:45 o’clock
this afternoon, with members of the
club and their families being In
vited to attend.
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