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Weather Forecast T ' j „ Clearing and somewhat warmer this Circulation Gains afternoon; fair tonight and tomorrow; slightly warmer tomorrow. Tempera- The circulation of The Evening tures today-ffighest, 64, at noon; low- star is 11(000 daily greater than at From the1United “at,. Weather Bureau report. this time last year and 23,000 fuii details on Page a-2. greater than 2 years ago. _New York Markets Closed Today._ _ A......«.d'rr.... J 68th YEAR. No. 35,128._WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, JULY 4, 1940—THIRTY-FOUR PAGES. ** THREE CENTS. CHURCHILL CLAIMS LARGE PROPORTION' OF FRENCH FLEET; FIGHTING CONTINUES -- ♦ Prime Minister Near Tears Giving Account of Bizarre Naval Battle Navies Virtually at War; Bretagne Class Battleship Sunk, Commons Is Told By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 4.—Great Britain has disabled, destroyed in battle or taken over under her own colors a “large pro portion” of the French Navy lest it fall into German hands, Prime Minister Churchill announced today in the House of Commons. Even as the Prime Minister addressed the House, British and French naval units still at large in the Mediterranean and elsewhere were virtually at war. v Brushing tears from his cheeks, Mr. Churchill delivered to the tensely quiet House and crowded galleries an account of the British French engagements which started yesterday afternoon off Oran and Mers El-Kebir, Algeria, which brought, according to the Prime Minister’s account: Sinking of a battleship of the Bretagne class and heavy damage to another; Damage and grounding of a battle cruiser of the Stras bourg class; Sinking or firing of two destroyers and an airplane carrier; and torpedoing of a battle cruiser, either the Stras bourg or the Dunkerque, as she joined other ships in a dash toward the French continental base of Toulon. Mr. Churchill said the Dunkerque would be out of action “for many months to come.” No Interference From Italy. ' The British carried out their assault on the French at Mers El-Kebir without interference from Italy, Mr. Churchill said. “The Italian fleet kept prudently out of the way,” he com mented. “We shall take the necessary steps to maintain command of the Mediterranean.” Summarizing the extent of British control over French fleet units, Mr. Churchill disclosed that many warships entered the Eng lish ports of Plymouth and Portsmouth about 10 days ago. The units in these two ports and at Sheerness were listed as: Two battleships, two light cruisers, some submarines, including the world’s largest, the Surcouf, eight destroyers and 200 small mine-sweeping and anti-submarine craft. A British seaman and a French officer were killed and a French officer, two British officers and one enlisted man wounded in “a scuffle” aboard the Surcouf. The rest of the seizure operations in England were without bloodshed, the Prime Minister said. At Alexandria, Mr. Churchill said, the British retained control over a French battleship, four French cruisers and a number of smaller ships. They joined British warships in fighting off an Italian air raid, when they were informed they could not leave that British Mediterranean base. Secret Debate Follows Report. When Mr. Churchill finished his speech the House went into secret debate. Earlier it had been announced that secret debate on economic warfare is scheduled for next Tuesday. The Prime Minister’s audience stood and cheered the announce ment that a “large proportion” of the French fleet had been kept from falling into German hands. The scene bordered on the hysterical. But there was a hush upon the crowd when Mr. Churchill described the battle o%Oran between the British battle squadron and the French warships. It was perhaps the most bizarre naval engagement of all time, for it pitted against each other men who called each other comrade only a half month ago. Commenting on the battle which raged onward from yesterday afternoon off Oran and the naval base of Mers El-Kebir, Mr. Churchill said: “I fear the loss of life among the French and in the harbor must have been heavy, as we were compelled to use very severe measures and immense explosions were observed.” The Prime Minister told the tensely listening House that the <See-LONDON, Page'A^X) French Battleship Bretagne Reported Blown Up by Mine in Trying to Flee By the Associated Press. BERLIN, July 4.—The French battleships Dunkerque and Provence end the flotilla leader Mogador have been set afire by British naval bom bardment and now are burning in Oran Harbor, DNB, German official news agency, reported today. DNB said the French battleship Bretagne was blown up while at tempting to leave port, “evidently having struck one of the magnetic mines laid by the British.” The battleship Strasbourg, five flotilla leaders and a number of torpedo boats and submarines suc ceeded in fighting their way through a ring of British warships and reach ing the MediterranAn, the agency declared. At the time of the attack of the British fleet. DNB said, some of the French ships were without steam and could not use their heavy artillery. The agency said the British opened fire with long-range guns. (Jane's fighting ships, author itative work on world navies, shows the Provence a 22,189-ton battleship, completed in 1913, and with a normal complement of 1,133 men. She carries ten 13.4 inch guns and fourteen 5.5-inch guns as main armament. i The Dunkerque has a displace ment of 26,500 tons and carried eight 13-inch guns and sixteen 5.1-inch guns as well as other armament. Her normal comple ment is 1.381 men. Completed in 1935. she is one of the finest ships of the French Navy. (The flotilla leader Mogador is listed as one of the French Mogador class of six heavy de stroyers of 2.884 tons displace ment. a complement of 238 men and main armament of eight 5.5 inch guns and ten 21.7-inch torpedo tubes. (The Strasbourg is the sister ship of the Dunkerque, with the same specifications. She was completed in 1936. The Bretagne, siste’r ship of the Provence, was completed in 1913 with the same specifications as the Provence.) DNB said the French government informed the German Armistice Commission of its intention to sink French warships if they were at tacked and unable to escape the British fleet. This procedure meets the terms of the French-German armistice, the agency said. The French decision was said to have been communicated to the German commission at Wiesbaden (See BERLIN, Page A-2.) Mosley and Followers Face Exile in Dominions By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 4—The govern ment is considering the removal of Sir Oswald Mosley, Fascist leader, and similar friends of Fascism to dominions to place them beyond reach of rescue by invaders, Sir John Anderson, home secretary, told the House of Commons today. New Belgian Capital BERLIN, July 4 (i/P) by radio).— The German radio broadcast today a report from French sources at Geneva that the Belgian govern ment had established' residence at Vichy, France. a Anything French Do to British Now 0. K. With Hitler By the Associated Press. BERLIN, July 4.—Adolf Hitler : gave the French Navy virtual per mission today to do anything it pleases against the British fleet, au thorized German sources said. A communique referred to the scuttling of such French ships as cannot escape seizure by the British as one measure permitted by Hit ler's order. A German authority added that the Germans "certainly would not object” if a French submarine sank a British warship, although such action was not specifically mentioned in the communique. German Air Raids On Britain Continue; Loss Reported Slight 7 Foe Craft Destroyed, 6 Damaged Yesterday, Air Ministry Says By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 4.—Anti-aircraft batteries wxnt into action in South east England this morning as three German raiders crossed the coast and flew inland at a great alti tude. Two heavy detonations were heard. At another southeastern point a lone raider flew over a town and disappeared. Townspeople took shelter, but no gunfire was heard and no bombs fell. Earlier in the day. German war planes flew over a southwest Eng land district. Anti-aircraft guns did not go into action, but other planes were heard, apparently British de fense craft. A British fighter also took the air from a northeast coast airdrome when an unidentified plane, believed German, crossed into England, but soon afterwards flew out to sea. Bombs Cause No Damage. A German plane appeared near a towm in Northeast England this morning, dived low and machine gunned the ground. Two high ex plosive bombs dropped without dam age or casualties. Later reports said German planes dropped several bombs on a south west coast town before they were engaged by Spitfire fighter planes and chfcsed out to sea. Watchers said it appeared that two German planes of the group of about 20 were shot down. The Air Ministry announced, meantime, that latest reports from yesterday's steady air raids on Eng land showed seven German bombers were destroyed and six more dam aged so severely that it is unlikely they were able to return to their bases. Joint Communique Issued. The government announced seven persons were killed and 77 wounded, one of those killed being the engi neer of a passenger train struck while en route between two south coast towns. The 24-hour total of raid casualties was 20 killed and 197 wounded. German planes dropped bombs “at random’’ over the east coast of England last night without causing any casualties, it was announced officially. The Air Ministry and the Minis try of Home Security in a joint communique said: “In the course of last night a small number of enemy aircraft carried out intermittent attacks over the eastern counties. “A few bombs were dropped at random, one building being set on fire, but no casualties have been re ported ” Prime Minister Churchill called on King George at Buckingham Palace last night, presumably to discuss the latest developments in advance of his appearance before Commons today. R. A. F. Raids Germany; 15 Reported Killed BERLIN, July 4 (/P).—British air men, said to have been benefited by low-hanging clouds, bombed several points yesterday in Northern and Western Germany, “unscrupulously attacking the civilian population,” according to the German high com mand. In Hamburg and Barmbeck Brit ish bombs killed 11 children, 3 wom en and 1 man, it was said, while 11 other children and 9 women were injured. The communique also noted Brit ish raids over Belgium and the Netherlands last night, but said they caused no "noteworthy damage.” Six British planes were reported de* stroyed, as against four missing from the German air farce. Italians Reported Speeding to Aid Fleeing Vessels By the Associated Press. GENEVA, July 4.—The British Navy has turned in battle on naval units of France, her former ally, with demands that they re join the British cause, scuttle themselves or try to fight their way out. With the British determined to hold the whip hand at sea despite France’s capitulation, one British - French naval battle raged at Mers El-Kebir, French Algerian base, and another clash was reported at Casablanca, French Morocco. Adding to the possibility that the Mediterranean and African waters west of Gibraltar might soon become one vast field for rov ing naval combat was a report that the Italian war fleet was speeding to the aid of the French at Mers El-Kebir. The Petain government of France ordered French warships at Alex andria to fight their way home to surrender in accord with the armi stice which ended hostilities be tween France and the axis powers. To Fight Way Home. French warships were ordered to stop all British merchantmen on the high seas, and all of the great French Navy, which once operated under British guidance, was direct ed to fight "in event of any new aggression.” The report of a new battle at Casablanca and movement of the Italian fleet came from Berlin in a dispatch by the correspondent of the Geneva newspaper Le Journal de Geneve. There was no immediate confirmation. Casablanca is more than 400 miles west of Mers El-Kebir on the Afri can Atlantic coast. Mers El-Kebir is on the Mediterranean, within the British-dominated Gibraltar gate way. It lies next to Oran. vDunkerque Reported Afire. German reports were that the French battleships Dunkerque and Provence and the flotilla leader Mogador had been fired at Mers El Kebir by long-range British bom bardment. The British attacking fleet at Mers El-Kebir was reported to include three powerful warships, while the opposing French units included the (See GENEVA, Page A-3.) War Bulletins LONDON W,—Two German planes were reported shot down in attempting attacks on England this afternoon. Residents on the southeast coast said they believed they saw one German plane crash in the sea after being attacked by British planes. Another was reported downed by Brit ish fighters over Southwest England. SOFIA, Bulgaria (^.—Offi cial circles reported today Bulgaria has received assur ances from Germany and Italy that her claims for an nexing Dobruja from Ru mania would be supported in a future peace settlement. Bulgaria, it was said, asked Moscow, Berlin and Rome to state their attitude on the Dobruja question. A reply from Russia still is' awaited. Summary of Page. Amusements, A-10 Comics B-18-19 Editorials __A-6 Lost, Found B-15 Obituary ...A-8 Page. Radio _B-18 Serial Story B-12 Sports A-12-13 Society _B-3 Woman’s Page, B-14 Foreign German air raids on Britain con tinue; damage slight. Page A-l Hungary clears airports to guard against surprise attacks. Page A-ll Japan urges U. S. “hands-off” policy to relieve tension. Page A-14 National. West Coast marine strike canceled at last moment. Page A-l Youth training program message to follow defense plan. Page A-l Roosevelt-Hull ticket predicted in high political circles. Page A-l Army draws plans for armored corps to outstrip “panzers.” Page A-2 Clue to Roosevelt’s intentions may come in library talk. Page A-4 Aluminum industry strike hangs on conference. Page B-2# Washington and Vicinity D’Alesandro asks report on outlay for traffic lights. Page B-l m ■READY FoiT\ DUTY, SIR!/ The Forgotten Man—Who Fights but Does Not Vote! 7,000 Die in Panic as German Sub Sinks British Prison Ship Survivor Tells How German and Italian Internees Fought for Places in Boats By the Associated Press. LONDON, July 4.—The first sur vivor of the torpedoed British pris on ship Arandora Star to reach Lon don today said the decks of the liner “were a sea of faces as she went down. A cloud of steam rose 100 feet into the air, and the suctkn dragged lifeboats and men c'own with her.” The survivor was Martin Verinder, 18-year-old steward who was among the 1,000-odd landed yesterday at a port in Western Scotland. Their arrival left missing almost 1.000 of the 2,000 who were aboard—1.500 Germans and Italians being taken to Canada for internment and 500 members of the crew and British soldier guards. Two American seamen were dis closed today to have been among the survivors of the Arandora Star. They are R. McKay, Somerville, Mass., and R. Stewart, San Fran cisco. Prisoners Sent Into Panic. A torpedo launched by a German submarine ripped open the liner off the west coast of Ireland Tuesday morning and sent the prisoners into a panic. At least 800 Germans and Italians who fought to reach the lifeboats were believed to have lost (See ARANDORA STAR. Page A-2> Marine Union Cancels Strike on West Coast After Wage Increase Secretary Perkins and Hillman Make Pleas Avoiding Ships Tie-up By the Associated Press. SAN FRANCISCO, July 4—The long-feared West Coast marine strike was canceled today, minutes after the midnight deadline which was to have sent C. I. O. marine cooks and stewards to the picket lines to blockade 175 American flag ships. The union, in full membership meeting, at 2:33 a.m. voted with a unanimous roar of approval to rati fy the memorandum peace formula adopted after midnight by their negotiators. They won a 10 per cent wage adjustment. The formula was based on a pro posal by Harry Bridges, and ac ceptance came half an hour after Secretary of Labor Perkins wired an urgent peace plea to the union. Bridges, California C. I. O. direc tor, had been asked to intervene by Sidney Hillman, C. I. O. vice presi iSee STRIKE. Page A-147) Today's Star Pre-holiday traffic accidents claim two deaths. Page B-l Editorial and Comment Answers to Questions. Page A-6 This and That. Page A-6 Letters to The Star. Page A-6 David Lawrence. Page A-7 Alsop and Kintner. Page A-7 G. Gould Lincoln. Page A-7 Jay Franklin. Page A-7 Constantine Brown. Page A-7 Sports Tiger-Indian scrap for lead tops holiday baseball bill. PageA-12 A. A. U. aquatic meet lures top pet formers of Nation. Page A-12 Remaining mid-Atlantic net matches to benefit Red Cross. Page A-13 Long hitters favored in war relief golf show. Page A-13 Miscellany Vital Statistics. Page B-15 Nature’s Children. Page B-15 Service Orders. Page B-15 Bedtime Story. Page B-18 Letter-Out. Page B-18 Cross-Word Puzzle. Page B-19 Uncle Ray’s Corner. Page B-19 Winning Contract. Page B-19 Roosevelt and Hull Will Form Ticket, Leaders Predict High Democratic Circles Report President Has Decided to Run Again By the Associated Press. A Roosevelt-Hull ticket was fore cast today In high Democratic cir cles which have become convinced that the President will accept a third term nominatiom. Although Mr. Roosevelt has given no public hint of his intentions, usually authoritative sources de clared that he has made up his mind to run and that he wants Secretary of State Hull for the vice presidential nominee. Mr. Hull has been mentioned fre quently for first place on the Dem ocratic slate if the Chief Execu tive should not run, but only re cently has his name come to the fore in vice presidential talk. He personally has held aloof from po litical discussion and may even be en route to the Pan American Con ference in Havana while the Dem ocratic Convention is meeting. Call Hull Logical Choice. Those who believe Mr. Roosevelt will break precedent and agree to carry his party's standard once more contend that he will be im pelled by the European crisis and American defense needs. For that reason they picture Secretary Hull as a logical running mate, since he is the cabinet member handling for eign relations. One small group of politicians has (See POLITICSrPage A-2J Neutrality Act Keeps Earle Out of R. A. F. By the Associated Press. SOFIA, July 4.—George H. Earle, 4th, son of the United States Min ister to Bulgaria, has been prevented from joining the British Royal Air Force by the American Neutrality Act and will try to reach home to enlist in the United States air force, his father said today. ‘iMy son did not understand that the Neutrality Act applied to an American holding no governmental position and living outside America until the Department of State ad vised me,” said the elder Earle, for mer Governor of Pennsylvania. “The British have informed me that he has not as yet enlisted in the air force. George will leave Sofia to morrow and will try to reach home via Africa. He has received word that the American air force needs men and he will join up 11 he Is able t» reach America.” Compulsory Military Training Message Likely Within 10 Days Will Follow Roosevelt Request for S Billions More for Defense By the Associated Press. Billions more for defense was the word today as the United States observed the 164th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and there were indications that the immense new preparedness request would be followed by recommenda tions for a youth training program. Notice that a new $5,000,000,000 , defense program was in the making | came from the White House yes 1 terday after President Roosevelt and his chief defense advisers gave it their approval. Matching in size the $5,000,000,000 already voted for the current fiscal year, the supplementary plans were mapped to hasten the Nation toward the goal of a 50,000-plane air force, and to procure tanks, artillery and other equipment in mass produc tion quantities for the expanding Army. The immense expansion proposal will be placed before Congress next week, officials said. Congress prob ably will be asked to make outright appropriations for about half the new program, and to provide author ization for the remainder, leaving the additional funds to be voted later. Roosevelt Works on Message. Meanwhile, President Roosevelt was reported to be at work on the new’ defense message at Hyde Park, where he is passing the holiday. It was expected there that he would send the message to Congress next Monday or Tuesday. With this new message from the President in prospect, well-informed legislators said that within 10 days (See DEFENSE, Page A-14.) MacCurtain Not Hanged; Loses Habeas Corpus Plea By the Associated Pjess. DUBLIN, July 4.—The Dublin High Court refused today an appli cation for a conditional writ of habeas corpus on behalf of Tomas MacCurtain, 22-year-old son of the former Lord Mayor of Cork, sen tenced to be hanged tomorrow for the murder of Detective John Roche at Cork last January 4. An appeal was taken to the Su preme Court, which sits at 11 a.m. tomorrow. Dispatches which reported that MacCurtain was hanged yesterday were erroneous. In Belfast the outlawed Irish Re publican Army circulated the fol lowing declaration: “If De Valera (Prime Minister Eamon de Valera of Ireland) carries treachery so far as to authorize the murder of this Republican soldier (MacCurtain) he will have cause to regret it in a very short time.” Stratoclipper Service To Latin America Starts By the Associated Press. MIAMI. Fla., July 4—The Na tion’s first fleet of stratoclippers went into service today between Miami and Latin America, providing faster passenger service and bring ing six-day-a-week mail service to every capital in South America. Three 20-ton, four-engined land planes will provide the key to Pan-American Airways’ new service by cutting traveling time between Miami and Baranqullla, Colombia, from two days to about six hours. Carol Appoints New Cabinet of Pro-Germans Gigurtu Is Premier; Soviet Demands on Bridges Reported By the Associated Press. BUCHAREST, July 4.—King Carol II named a new staunchly pro-Ger man government today as uncon firmed reports circulated persistent ly in the capital that Soviet Russia had made new demands on Ru mania. These demands, as yet not con firmed officially, were said to call for Soviet control of all bridges along the Prut and Danube Rivers where these rivers form the new Soviet Rumanian frontier. The new cabinet, under the lead ership of Ion Gigurtu, staunch friend of Nazi Germany, was quickly formed. It included 10 former mem bers of the pro-Nazi Iron Guard and 4 former members of the anti Semitic Goga government, which, early in 1938. inaugurated a reign of terror against Jews before It was dismissed by King Carol. Diplomatic observers today feared new outbreaks of anti-Semitic vio lence as these men returned to office. Succeeds Tatarescu. Gigurtu succeeded George Tata rescu. whose pro-AUied government resigned this morning as students ranged Bucharest streets in anti Semitic demonstrations and many wounded were reported in anti-Jew ish disturbances throughout the country. Like Hitler and Mussolini. Gigurtu becomes the chief of the government as well as the head of the nation's single political party. Vice premier in the new cabinet is Gen. Mihail Ionescu, known as the army's strongest disciplinarian. The Ministry of Interior is headed by the Iron Guardist, Gen. Ion Stanaciu. Another Iron Guardist, Nichifor Crainic, heads the Propaganda Min istry, and the portfolio of culture went to the chief of the Iron Guard, Horia Sima. The Foreign Affairs Ministry also is headed by an Iron Guardist, Mihail Manoilescu, while national defense is in the hands of Gen. David Popescu, former member of the Goga cabinet. King May Take Back Seal. Informed political quarters ex pressed the belief King Carol II now may take a back seat for the time being, at least—perhaps" something like King Victor Emmanuel in Italy. There have been many reports that the pro-Nazi Iron Guard has been clamoring for abdication of King Carol as the man personally responsible for the loss of Bessa rabia and Northern Bucovina to Russia. Other leaders, on the other hand, reportedly have urged him to stay. Tatarescu's resignation had been in the cards since the government’s recent renunciation of its French British guarantees of territorial in tegrity in favor of orientation toward Germany. Tatarescu was strongly pro-ally. He once declared publicly that Ru mania s alliance with France was “unshakable.” Gigurtu was named chief of the party of the nation after Ernst Urdenau announced his resignation from the post. New Precautions Taken. Rumania, meanwhile, took new precautions against possible landings of parachute troops, while King (See RUMANIA, Page A-2.) Plane Carrier Illustrious Hit by Torpedo, Nazis Say By the Associated Press. BERLIN, July 4.—The British " airplane carrier Illustrious has sustained a torpedo hit, the Ger man high command announced to day. “A submarine commanded by First Lt. Endrasz effected a torpedo hit on the newest British airplane carrier Illustrious,” a communique said, giving no further details. The high command also reported air attacks on Britain’s Channel and North Sea quays, coastal fortifica tions, airports, barracks and arms plants. Among the establishments bombed yesterday, it said, were an army camp at Aldershot, an air plane plant at Reading and heavy coastal batteries near New Haven. Ranging the sea, German air raiders were said to have scored two heavy bomb hits on a "large vessel" in a British convoy. No Late Editions Today Following its usual holi day custom The Star will not publish late afternoon editions today. Subscrib ers to the 5:30, Night Final and Night Final Sports editions will receive the regular Home Edition. 4