Evening star. [volume], June 11, 1940, Image 1

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

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Weather Forecast
Cloudy, continued cool tonight: tomor- 'Frfim Pratt tn Haiti a
row partly cloudy and warmer; local rrwm rr«S5 TO nome
showers and thunderstorms in after- Within the Hour' i
noon. Temperatures today—Highest,
76. at 2 p.m.; lowest, 64. at 7 a m. Most people in Washington have The
From the United st.tM WesthM Bureau report. Star delivered to their homes every
'_1_ evening and Sunday morning.
Closing New York Markets—Sales, Page 18 "
— , _______ OP) Mean* Associated Press.
S8th YEAR, No. 35,105._WASHINGTON. D. C., TUESDAY, JUNE 11, 1940-THIRTY-EIGHT PAGES. *** THREE CENTS.
PARTS OF PARIS FIRED BY NAZI BOMBS,
GERMANS REPORTED IN MARNE VICINITY
Seine Drive Stemmed, French Say;
2 Armies Smashed, Berlin Claims
Poilus Keep Alert Watch
On Alps, But Italians
Mask Attack Plans
By the Associated Press.
Hitler’s smashing offensive on the western front today
reached “the vicinity of the Marne"—historic World War
battleground where French poilus stopped the Kaiser’s
onslaught in 1914—informed sources in Berlin reported.
Berlin also asserted Nazi legions had crossed the lower
Seine—west of Paris—"at various places.”
Amid these unconfirmed reports of sweeping German
victories, the same sources jn Berlin also claimed the “de
struction" of two entire French armies in the great battle
-for Paris, now apparently fast nearing a climax, and said
that mechanized German columns were speeding south
ward to slice France in half.
14 Italian Ships Declared Seized.
Seizure of 14 Italian ships in the early hours of the new side
of the war precipitated by Italy was announced in the House of
Commons in London by Deputt Leader Clement R. Attlee, sub
stituting for Prime Minister Churchill. Ten other Italian ships,
he said, are in British ports.
The French high command reported that Gen. Maxime Wey
gand's French Armies had stemmed a tempestuous Nazi "scythe”
attack aimed at seizing the French capital from the rear, while
Italy still masked her plan of attack as a full military partner
of Germany.
"On the Alps front our troops are in position and have not
been attacked,” said the French communique.
Berlin has estimated that 1.500.000 Poilus are intrenched on
Frances southern front—along the low-lying maritime Alps—
awaiting Italy's expected onslaught into the French Riviera.
At dawn, the beleaguered French capital presented a weird.
Dantesque appearance as acrid smoke from fires set by German
Incendiary bombs darkened the city like a pall.
Much of the population of 3,000.000, including all but a shell
ef the government had fled. Civilians moved southward in
‘streams. The capital's broad boulevards were almost deserted.
Tanks Arc Reported in Vicinity of Paris.
German tanks in bold, isolated raids were reported to have
sliced through the French lines to the environs of Paris.
The Nazi high command reported that strong bodies of Allied
troops have been cut off and surrounded at several points ana are
facing destruction.
In Rome authoritative sources said Mussolini's Fascists “un
doubtedly were engaging the Allies,’’ since the zero hour had
been set for dawn.
London took renewed hope from President Roosevelt's pledge
of full “material help'' from the United States, and applauded
Roosevelt's dramatic description of Italy's war declaration as a
dagger plunge “in the back of its neighbor.’’
Border Watch Alert
TOURS, France, June 11 <JP).—
France, "wounded, but standing" in
the seventh day of the titanic battle
of France, lought ofT German at
tempts to push beyond the lower
Seine today and kept alert watch on
her Italian border facing her new
enemy.
A German crossing of the lower
Seine after a vigorous push from
Amiens to Rouen was announced in
the French communique last night.
The Military Governor of Paris
asked all young, unmobilized French
men from the age of IT and up to
leave Paris.
The request applies to the fraction
of the class of 1940 not yet called
and to three other uncalled classes—
1941. 1942 and 1943.
No reason was given. 'Presum
ably. however, the French do not
want youths of these ages to fall into
German hands for use in labor bat
talions.*
'N. B C. correspondents in Eu
rope reported that waves of Ger
man bombers were flying over
Paris and that part of the city
itself was burning this morning.
(Fred Bate. N. B. C. corre
apondent in London, said that
the French Embassy there, still
in communication with Paris, had
confirmed reports that parts of
the capital were aflame.
(The British radio said Pans,
at dawn, was covered with smoke
blown across the city from the
environs where German in
cendiary bombs caused many
fires.
(The radio, heard in New York
by N. B. C.. said the smoke was
so thick it was impossible to see
across the Place de La Concorde
or from bridge to bridge along
the Seine.
(Members of the diplomatic
eorps. withdrawing from Paris,
were bombed on the way to their
destinations, a British broadcast,
picked up by C. B. S., said.i
Latest dispatches last night said
Isolated Nazi tanks were in the
Paris Northwest region itself.
The battle in the valleys of the
Seine and Ourco Rivers had reached
such a crucial stage that the
French confined information on
them to communiques twice daily.
They explained that the least ad
ditional information might be val
uable to the enemy in what they
described as the greatest war move
ment ever fought.
Customary military press confer
inces were discontinued yesterday
when the government left the cap
ital. They will be resumed shortly,
however.
Fresh British arrivals reinforced
the French as they lunged into an
other day’s battle against relentless
German columns spearing deeper
(See PARIS. Page A-4.i
Encircling Movement
BERLIN, June 11 i/Pi.—The Ger
man Army has reached the vicinity
of the Marne, informed sources said
today
The historic river is where the
French turned back the swiftly ad
vancing German Army in Septem
ber. 1914, as it approached Paris.
The same informed source said
the Lower Seine had been crossed
by the Nazi forces at various places.
The Seine Valley is one of the
natural paths to Paris.
Although the daily official war
communiques have been very chary
about giving concrete information,
indications that the German ad
vance on the French capital was
developing into a great encircling
movement were becoming clear.
The reliable Dienst aus Deutsch
land. describing the Nazi advance as
a semicircular movement, said the
German right wing which moved
down the coast consists of strong
tans and motorized columns, which
already control the lower Seine.
Great Arc North of Paris.
From this position in the west,
the paper said. Germany's army Is
spread in a great arc north of Paris,
i Troops have crossed the Oise River
| northeast of the capital, the paper
said, and are operating in the Marne
'■ region.
Farther east in the Champagne
; area. Dienst aus Deutschland said,
German operations were "progress
j ing on schedule and continually
bending back the north wing of the
Maginot Line."
In this way. it continued, the
danger of French troops of the
Maginot Line pressing the Germans
from the rear was eliminated.
Armies Declared Destroyed.
Two entire French armies already
have been destroyed in the new Nazi
offensive, informed sources declared
as the Germans raced southward
to slice France in half and join
Italian forces.
Nazi sources estimated that the
- armies contained between four and
I five million men.
'This estimate, however, seemed
extremely high, since the whole
mobilized strength of the French
nation was believed to be not
much more than 5,000.000 men
| and France was understood to
have only about 1.500.000 men in
the great battle of France.)
A new ‘'sack" is being thrown
around Dieppe by a German thrust
southward along the English Chan
nel. informed sources said, and
Allied troops trapped in it will be
treated as were the encircled armies
in Flanders.
A night fight between British de
stroyers and German speedboats at
tacking on Britain's east coast was
reported by DNB. The German
boats returned safely. DNB said.
(See BERLIN, Page A-4.)
War Bulletins
LONDON, June 11 </P».—
The War Office today an
nounced enemy aircraft
had raided Malta, Britain’s
naval base in the Mediter
ranean.
The communique said
that “at 4:50 a.m. today a
raid by about 10 hostile
aircraft was carried out on
Malta. A further raid fol
lowed during the morning.
“Casualties were slight.
Little damage was done.
One enemy airplane was
destroyed.”
BERLIN <JP).—The German
Army has reached the Marne
River at one point, an au
thorized source declared to
night.
Roosevelt's Pledge
Assures Allies of
Victory, Attlee Says
Britain Is Undismayed,
He Declares, by Duce's
'Jackal' Tactics
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. June 11. — President
Roosevelt's assurances of material
aid from the United States insured
an Allied victory in the war against
Germany, Clement R. Attlee told
the House of Commons in a war re
port today.
"From across the Atlantic has
come the answer of a great democ
racy.” Mr. Attlee said.
“It was as though day had fol
lowed night when, only a few hours
after the dictator of Italy had made
his dastardly announcement before
the serried ranks of the Blackshirts
the President of the United States
delivered to the youth of his coun
try a message worthy of a great
and free republic, sending the whole
of America's sympathies to those
nations who are giving their life
blood in combat against the forces
of hate.”
Mr. Attlee said Mr. Roosevelt had
"vitally inspired the free peoples of
Europe. His assurance that the
material resources of his great Na
tion would be placed at the disposal
of the Allies makes it inevitable
that however hard the road the
cause of civilization will in the end
prevail.”
The house resounded with cheers.
Union to Destroy Democracy.
Hitler and Mussolini have united
to destroy democracy, Mr. Attlee
said, but "democracy will answer
the challenge.”
Mr. Attlee said "this new attack
does not cause us dismay.”
“It makes no difference to our
stern resolution to defeat all our
enemies or to our confidence in our
ability to withstand all attacks and
achieve victory.”
Replying to a question as to why
(See ATTLEE. Page A-3.) “
Leche Receives Sentence
Of 10 Years in Prison
Bs the Associated Press.
ALEXANDRIA. La.. June 11.—
Former Gcrv. Richard W. Leche of
Louisiana today was sentenced to
serve 10 years in Federal prison on
his recent conviction of mail fraud
in a deal involving purchase of State
highway trucks.
Federal Judge Ben C. Dawkins
sentenced Leche. who was the
State's chief executive from 1936
until June 26. 1939, when he re
signed under fire, to serve two 5-vear
sentences consecutively under two
! counts of his conviction.
Attack on Malta*
Reported Duce's
First Strike
Bv the Associated Press.
ROME, June 11— Italy mar
shalled all her imperial resourses
for war today as authoritative
sources said Fascist troops, naval
and air forces "undoubtedly are en
gaging" the Allies.
(The British radio, heard in
New York by N. B. C.. said it
was reported in London that
"Italian forces have attacked at
various points starting at dawn
this morning.” No further de
tails were available, the an
nouncer said.
(Italy's first shot in the war
appears to have been the bomb
ing of Malta, according to un
confirmed reports reaching Lon
don, the Chicago Daily News
service declared.)
(Residents of towns along
Spain's Mediterranean coast re
ported hearing gunfire at sea
and said they believed a Brit
ish warship was firing on at
tacking Italian warplanes.
(Telephone calls direct to
Madrid from Gibraltar said all
was quiet there.)
New Taxes Are Levied.
New taxes—in some cases increases
of 100 per cent—were levied by the
cabinet in a one-hour session de
voted to war legislation. Rents, ;
prices and salaries were fixed to sup
press speculation, assured stability
and guarantee the army's purchas
ing power.
Supervision or sequestration of in
dustrial and commercial establish
ments within Italian territory oper
ated or largely controlled by enemy ;
interests was provided by the royal 1
decree issued by the cabinet after
its session at 10 a.m. with Premier
Mussolini.
The tax on real estate transfers
was “adjusted" to repress hoarding
and speculation bv investors. An
extraordinary 2 per cent tax was
levied on all wages not subject hith
erto to the income tax.
Income taxes were raised 25 to 100
per cent and a special tax of 5 to
20 per cent was imposed on directors
of commercial corporations.
Capital punishment was decreed
for homicide, robbery, extortion, kid
naping for robbery, rape and all
other crimes punishable in peace
time by life imprisonment.
Military Command Moved.
To make Rome an open city—
therefore not legally liable to air
attack—the military command and
offices of ministries directing the
(See ROME, Page A-4.)
Bullitt Remains in Paris,
Part of Staff Goes to Tours
Bv rhp Associated Press.
TOURS. France. June 11—Wil
liam C. Bullitt, United States Am
bassador to France, is staying on in
Paris, but a part of his stafT has
been sent to Tours to be close to the
Foreign Office and other government
ministries.
Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, jr„
United States Ambassador accredit
ed to the Polish government in exile,
has been made Deputy Ambassador
to France, to remain in contact with
the Foreign Ministry, and may ar
rive soon from the site of the Polish
government at Angers, where he has
had headquarters since coming to
France.
Already at Tours or points nearby
are Embassy Secretaries Freeman
Matthews. Hugh S. Fullerton, Dan
iel Reagan and Ernest Mayer and
Capt. Robert A. Schow. designated
as Acting Military Attache here, and
Capt. John - M. Sterling, Assistant
Military Attache for Air.
Staying on with Mr. Bullitt at
Paris are Military Attache Col. Hor
ace Fuller. Naval Attache Comdr.
Roscoe Hillenkoetter, Counselor of
Embassy Robert Murphy. First Sec
retary of Embassy Maynard Barnes
and others.
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amuse
ments _A-13
Comics B-16-17
Editorials . A-10
Finance .. A-17
Lost. Found B-12
Page
Obituary ..A-12
Radio _ B-16
Society _B-3
Sports ..A-14-16
Woman's
Page _B-ll
Foreign
British seize three Italian ships near
Gibraltar. Page A-l
Roosevelt insures Allies victory,
Atlee declares. Page A-l
Germans throwing everything into
battle, British say. Page A-2
Turkey sounds out Russia before
moving against Italy. Page A-3
National.
Submarine threatens to torpedo
U. S. refugee liner. Page A-l
House takes up tax bill under rule
barring amendments. Page A-l
Edsel Ford says his plant is ready to
start plane production. Page A-l
House takes up defense tax bill un
der "gag” rule. Page A-S
I Washington and Vicinity
D. C. Red Cross hopes to end funds
drive .this week end. Page B-l
Editorial and Comment
This and That. Page A-10
Answers to Questions. Page A-10
Letters to The Star. Page A-10
David Lawrence. Page A-ll
Alsop and Kintner. Page A-ll
G. Gould Lincoln. Page A-ll
Constantine Brown. Page A-ll
Jay Franklin. Page A-ll
Sports
Year's second shakeup faces Nats
as cellar yawns. Page A-14
Baseball races are tight, but show
no progress. Page A-14
Miscellany
Service Orders. Page A-7
Serial Story. Page B-*
Nature s Children. Page B-12
Bedtime Story. Page B-16
Letter-Out. Page B-16
Winning Contract. Page B-16
Uncle Ray's Corner. Page B-17
Crossword Puzzle. Page B-17
"That This Foul Deed Shall Smell Above the Earth With Carrion Men, Waiting
for Burial."—Marc Antony
$1,706,053,908 Extra Outlay
For Defense Before Flouse
95,000 More Troops, 3,000 Warplanes
And 68 Naval Vessels Provided
Bv the Associated Press.
Tht House Appropriation* Com
mittee recommended an additional
SI.706.053.908 outlay for national de
fense today to prepare this country
for what the Army chief of staff
celled “all manner of possibilities in
the Western Hemisphere.'
The huge increase, submitted one
day after Italy's entrance into the
war, would boost defense appropria
tions for this session to *5.021.619.
622. would add 95.000 enlisted men
to the Regular Army, provide 3.000
new warplanes for the air corps and
permit the Navy to start work on
68 additional warships.
Simultaneously, the House com
pleted congressional action on bills
permitting the Navy to have a total
of 10.000 planes and 16.000 pilots
and to build 22 new combat vessels.
Both pieces of legislation now go
Roosevelt's Attack
On II Duce Changes
Role of U. S. in War
Pro-Ally Non-Belligerent
Rather Than Neutral;
Stab in Back Charged
(Text of President's Speech
on Page AS.)
By JOHN C. HENRY.
The United States applied pro
visions of its statutory neutrality to
Italy today, but official utterances
of this Government indicated our
role in the immediate future to be
one of pro-Ally non-belligerency
rather than of strict neutrality.
Invocation of the Neutrality Act
was ordered late last night in a
series of proclamations issued by
President Roosevelt after his re
turn from Charlottesville, Va„
w'here he made an address startling
in its denunciation of Premier Mus
solini's decision to attack Britain
and France and pledging the Allies
every material resource of this
Nation.
By their application, the procla
mations require Italy henceforth to
make all purchases here on cash
and-carry terms, prohibit raising of
funds here for Italy without Gov
ernment license, forbid American
citizens to travel in Italian vessels,
and ban Italian submarines from
American ports or territorial waters.
An accompanying extension of the
European combat zone waters to
encompass the entire Mediterranean
was expected soon, perhaps today,
leaving only Portugal and Northern
I Spain open to American shipping.
for Rea Cross.
In the direction of speeding every
possible type of assistance to the
war countries, the President planned
today to ask Congress for a $50,000.
000 appropriation for the Red Cross
for refugee relief.
Announcement of the intention
was made this morning by Stephen
T. Early, secretary to the President,
who said the request would be for
warded in a letter to congressional
leaders. As president of the Ameri
can Red Cross, Mr. Early said. Mr.
Roosevelt will ask that the money
be made available to him with the
understanding that its expenditure
be handled directly by the Red
Cross. Not only will the money
be used for purcHase of food, cloth
ing and medical aupplies, Mr. Early
said, but probably also for removing
civilian refugees from war areas.
Mr. Early said tha request was a
(See ROOSEVELT, Page A-5.)
to the White House for President
Roosevelt's signature.
In addition to the fighting ships,
the fleet increase measure would
permit construction of a similar
number of auxiliary vessels.
Sjgecifically. the bill permits an
11 per cent increase in the Navy's
surface tonnage.
The supplemental defense bill re
ported to the House also carried
$3,358,800 to give the Federal Bureau
of Investigation 500 additional
agents to deal with espionage,
sabotage and other national de
fense activities
Among other items in the bill were
$1,000,000 for the National Defense
Council and its recently appointed
advisory commission. $47,500,000 for
the acquisition of strategic minerals
a..d materials, and $32,000,000 addi
(Continued on Page A-20, Column 2)
Plant Ready to Make
Planes, Edsel Ford
Announces Here
Only Awaits Government
Contracts, He Says, After
Conference With Knudsen
BULLETIN.
Edsel Ford predicted today that
the Ford Motor Co. "in any great
emergency” could produce not
1.000 planes a day but 5,000 &
day."
By the Associated Press.
Edsel Ford said today after a con
ference with William S. Knudsen
member of the National Defense
Commission, that his company wa;
ready to swing into mass produc
tion of airplanes as soon as the
Government granted it contracts.
The Ford Co. president conferrec
for two and one-half hours this
morning with Mr. Knudsen, pro
duction member of the commission
and was to meet with him agair
this afternoon.
Mr. Ford told reporters the Army’!
fast pursuit plane, the P-40, whicr
engineers of his company examinee
yesterday, was found , suitable foi
mass production, "depending or
what you mean by mass produc
tion.”
He declined to estimate how man;
planes he believed, his companj
might turn out, but Ford sources
have indicated a production ol
1,000 planes a day was feasible.
7,000 Planes a Day
Easy Task, Henry Ford Says
DETROIT, June 11. UP).—Mas
production of high-speed pursui!
planes for the United States Army
—at least 1,000 a day within si)
months—not only will be a simpli
task, Henry Ford said today, bu
they can be rolled off his assembly
lines without interruption to nor
mal output of automobiles.
The 76-year-old Ford made this
assertion in an interview after hi
and his engineers had thoroughly
inspected yesterday the type o:
plane the War Department believei
would be “most needed in an emer
gency." It was a Curtiss P-40, sin
gle-engined machine with a toy
speed of 367 miles an hour.
“But remember,” said Mr. Ford
who has held a lifelong hatred o
war, “they are to be for defensi
only; that's the bargain all the wa;
through.”
Mr. Ford, disclosing he had beei
(See FORD, Page A-l.)
Three Italian Ships
Seized by British
Near Gibraltar
One Takes Refuge in
Spanish Pert, Carrying
English Guards
By the Assocuted Press.
ALGECIRAS, Spain. June 11.-*
Three Italian merchantmen have
been captured by the British at
Gibraltar and in Spanish territorial
' waters.
The Libano. 200 tons, was seized
in Gibraltar waters and 17 Italians
made prisoners, while seven others
jumped overboard and swam to the
Spanish shore.
The Pagao. 3.600 tons, also was
captured at Gibraltar, but her crew
of 25 was able to reach Spain.
The Oltera, 2.900 tons, was
anchored near Gibraltar. Her crew
j tried to fire the' ship, but it was
seized by two British trawlers and
■ taken to Gibraltar.
The Italian ship Pollensa, which
was at Gibraltar, took refuge in
j the Spanish port, carrying British
, guards who had been posted on the
ship before Italy's entry itno the
war.
The Italian merchantman Lavoro,
4.600 tons, was anchored in Spanish
waters, but her crew, fearing seizure
by British patrol boats, fired and
scuttled her. Thirty-two members
of the crew reached Spain, in life
boats or by swimming.
Canadian Minesweeper
Captures Italian Ship
By the Associated Press.
OTTAWA, June 11.—A Canadian
i minesweeper was credited today
i with the seizure of the 3.921-ton
Italian steamer Capo Noli after
the vessel's crew had attempted to
scuttle it last night in the St. Law
rence River to evade capture.
The vessel sailed from Montreal
yesterday afternoon, followed by
the minesweeper Braa d'Or, which
closed in when word was received
that the CanadldB Parliament had
declared war on Italy.
Near Rimouski. 180 miles east of
Quebec, the Italians ran their ship
aground on Bic Island and set it
afire.
The Italians were turned over to
mounted police ashore and a fire
tug dispatched to put out the flames
Italians Attempt to Scuttle
Six Ships in Gibraltar
GIBRALTAR, June 11 OP).—Brit
ish sources said today Italian crews
attempted yesterday to scuttle six of
their ships in Gibraltar Harbor.
British naval units reached them in
lime to beach most of them. One
remained afloat, undamaged.
Australian Authorities
Capture Motorship
MELBOURNE, June 11 UP).—
Seizure of the 9.780-ton Italian
i motorship Remo at Premantle was
, officially announced today by Aus
tralian authorities.
Vessel Seized, Two Beached
! In South Africa
CAPETOWN, South Africa. Juni
J 11 OP).—The 5,827-ton Italian
i steamer Sistiana has been seized in
Table Bay by British South African
authorities. Reuters, British new:
• agency, reported today.
Two other Italian ships were re
• ported beached by their crews on
' African capes to escape seizure oi
'■ sinking.
r The steamer Gerusalemme, 8,051
tons, was run aground after its crew
‘ sighted an armed merchant eruisei
near Cape Oro.
Frantic Signals
Save U. S. Liner
From Torpedo
1,590 on Washington
Given 10 Minutes
To Abandon Ship
By GARNETT D. HORNER.
The United States liner Washing
ton. loaded with 1.020 Americans
fleeing the European war zone, was
threatened with torpedoing by an
unidentified submarine early today,
the State Department announced.
The vessel was allowed to proceed
safely after a tense quarter of an
hour during which the submarine
first ordered abandonment of the
ship and passengers were told to
take to the life boats as officers
frantically signaled the submarine
that it was an American ship.
The submarine finally signaled,
"Thought you were another ship.
Please go on. Go on,” Capt. Harry
Manning of the Washington report
ed to the United States Lines offices
in New York, the State Department
said.
The Washington, which had gone
from New York under special orders
to evacuate American citizens, picked
up passengers at Bordeaux, France,
and Lisbon, Portugal, sailing from
Lisbon at 5 p.m. yesterday for Gal
way. Ireland, where more Americans
are waiting to board her.
“Torpedo Ship.”
She was stopped at 5 a m. (Green
wich mean time) today by an un
identified submarine in a position
given at 12 degrees. 50 minutes west;
42 degrees. 12 minutes north.
The State Department said the
following messages then were ex
changed by blinker signal:
Submarine—"Stop ship. Ease to
ship. Torpedo ship.”
Washington—"American ship.”
Submarine—"Leave ship.”
Washington—"American ship.”
Submarine—"Ten minutes.”
Washington — "American ship.
American ship.”
The submarine was silent a few
i moments, not answering this signal,
j Then the exchange resumed:
Washington—"Washington. Amer
: ican ship. Washington, American
ship "
Submarine— Thought you were
another ship. Please go on. Go on.”
Boats Were Being Lowered.
Upon the order to "leave ship."
the State Department said, the pas
sengers and crew of the Washington
i were ordered to life boats and some
of the boats were actually being
lowered when the order came to
j "Please go on.”
The Washington proceeded on her
previously-announced course and
soon sighted another unidentified
submarine, but was not stopped
The State Department said it was
notifying all belligererent govern
ments of the incident and that the
Washington had been instructed to
complete its course to Galway to
complete its evacuation schedule.
The department emphasized that
the vessel carried no mail or cargo
and traveled without convoy as all
j belligerent governments had been
notified before she sailed.
The belligerents had been In
formed that the United States ex
pected the Washington would not
be molested by the forces of any
country at war.
The course she sailed from Lisbon
had been made known previously to
the belligerents, the department
added.
In addition to the 1,020 passen
gers. the Washington carries 570
■ crew members.
Japan Tells Belligerents
It's Anxious to Avoid War
i Br the Associated Press.
TOKIO, June 11—Vice Foreign
Minister Masayuki Tani today ad
vised the diplomatic representatives
of Italy, Germany. France, England
and the United States that Japan is
anxious to eliminate any incidents
between belligerents which might
extend the European war to the Far
East
Sources close to the government
asserted that Japan expects a radi
cal change in the attitude of the
United States toward the European
war as a result of Italy's entry.
They said the Japanese position of
“no involvement” was unchanged,
but that Japan is watching Wash
ington developments closely.
These sources predicted the Italian
action would increase the danger of
a spread of hostilities into the Pacific
and said they believed Japan would
encounter greater difficulty in pur
chasing American materials as the
United States increases assistance
to the Allies.
The view generally held in Tokio
is that Sunday's settlement of the
dispute with Russia over the Mar
chukuo-Outer Mongolia boundary
probably resulted from Moscow s
desire to arbitrate principal Far
Eastern questions in order to have
a free hand for possible action in
Europe.
British Warn of Mines
In Italian Waters
By the Associated Press.
LONDON, June 11—The British
Admiralty announced today that
certain areas in the Gulf of Venice,
the Gulf of Quarnaro and all Al
banian waters are dangerous owing
to mines.