Evening star. [volume], January 09, 1941, Image 2

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

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Weather Forecast
Cloudy, light rain or snow this after
noon; cloudy tonight; tomorrow fair,
colder; lowest tonight about 34. Tem
peratures today—Highest, 40, at 2 p.m.;
lowest, 27, at 4 a.m.
From the United Stares Weather Bureau report.
Full Details on Pane A-2,
Closing New York Markets, Page 20.
An Evening Newspaper
With the Full Day's News
LOCAL—NATIONAL—FOREIGN
Associated Press and i£*, Wirepholos. North
American Newspaper Alliance. Chicago
Daily News Foreign Service and The Star a
8iafl Writers. Reporters and Photographs
(/Ft Means Associated Press.
89th YEAR. No. 35,317.
WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY, JANUARY 9, 1941
THREE CENTS.
British Sweep Around Tobruk
To Seize Airport at Gazala;
Italians Flee Ethiopian Revolt
35 Planes Declared
Seized at Field in
Lightning Advance
By tbe Associated Press.
CAIRO, Jan. 9. — Britain’s
swiftly advancing desert forces,
paced by one of the heaviest and
most widespread aerial assaults
yet loosed by the R. A. F. in the
battle of Africa, have pushed to
Gazala, 120 miles inside Libya
and 40 miles west of besieged To
bruk. the British announced offi
cially today.
Coupled with this announcement,
the Middle East command reported
that a native rebellion in Western
Ethiopia had forced Fascist forces to
flee an outpost in Western Ethiopia.
The lightning advance to Gazala
was declared to have been made yes
terday by army units which swept
around Tobruk to deliver a smash
ing assault on the Italian base.
35 Planes Taken at Gazala.
This attack was reported in a R.
A. F. headquarters announcement
which said “the army has just taken
40 aircraft at an abandoned air
drome at El Adem. near Tobruk,
and 35 aircraft at Gazala, all un
serviceable from low dive attacks
made on airdromes last week.”
The grounded Italian planes at
El Adem. 15 miles south of Tobruk,
were taken Tuesday when British
forces captured that base which
had served as Tobruk's airport.
Ground forces assaulting Gazala
apparently timed their blow with
an R. A. F. raid in which partici
pating pilots told of wrecking
grounded planes with an intensive
bombardment.
The Gazala air attack was only
one of a series spread out by the
R. A. F. along the Libyan coast all
the way to the port of Bengasi. 300
miles from the Egyptian frontier.
Operate West of Town.
“While preparations for the reduc
tion of Tobruk are proceeding, our
mechanized forces now are operating
west of the town.” a communique
said on the fast-developing opera
tions in Libya.
In Ethiopia, the communique said,
“patriots, encouraged by support
from the Royal Air Force, have com
pelled the Italians to evacuate the
post of Gubba: the patriots now are
tlosing round the fleeing Italian gar
rison.
Gubba is in Western Ethiopia, 20
miles from the Anglo-Egyptian
Sudan border, on the Blue Nile
Southwest of Lake Tana.
* Another Italian post, the com
munique said, was abandoned by the
Italians northeast of Kassala and
occupied by British forces. Kassala
is in the Sudan, near the Eritrean
border.
100 Planes Bombed on Ground.
The R A. F. continued to carry
the war deep into Italian territory.
An R. A. F. communique said 100
Italian airplanes on the ground at |
Benina were heavily bombed yester
day and that several were destroyed
and others badly damaged.
Attacks were also made on Tmimi
fcnd Martuba as well as Gazala, in
addition to raids on Bengasi and
Tobruk. In the Bengasi attack four
or five ships in the harbor were hit,
the communique said, and a num
ber of fires were started.
The British planes flew low over
Martuba, the communique said.
About 15 planes were on the ground,
two of which were set on fire and
others badly damaged. Seven Ital
ian planes at Tmimi were burned.
Italian convoys north of Giaraub
were attacked by bombers and fight
ing planes with considerable dam
age to the ships, the communique
said.
It added that on Monday and
Tuesday night Massaua, Eritrea,
was raided and high explosives
dropped on the submarine base.
Explanation of Weakness.
The R. A. F. announcement, which
reported the Italian planes at Gazala
damaged by low-level dive-bombing
attacks, added:
“This is the explanation for the
weakness of the enemy opposition
during the first two days of the
battle,” it added.
The statement said Fascist air
opposition on January 3 practically
was negligible, but increased on
January 5, when 19 Italian planes
were destroyed as against the loss
of one British fighter and one
bomber.
The British offensive in North
Africa entered its second month
today with the mechanized Army
of the Nile encircling Tobruk after
a 125-mile drive across the desert
marked by smashing victories over
the Italians at Sidi Barrani and
Bardia.
The Royal Air Force reported no
•vidence of any Italian attempt to
reinforce Tobruk as British patrols
straddled the coastal road to the
west. Military circles here likened
the garrison defending the Libyan
port to a “sitting bird” awaiting the
hunter’s shot.
Following Previous Tactics.
The British apparently were fol
lowing the same plan of action used
at Sidi Barrani and Bardia. In
both cases British land forces cut off
the Italians’ line of retreat with a
swift encircling movement and then
held the garrisons in a ring of steel
while the Royal Navy and air force
reduced defenses to smoking rubble.
The British fleet already was re
ported to have blockaded Tobruk,
and word was expected here at any
moment that an intense bombard
ment of the port had been launched
from the sea, air and land.
If Tobruk falls—and there is com
plete confidence among British here
. that it will—military' analysts be
. lieve the Italian position at Bengasi,
the big Libyan base some 200 miles
to the west, soon will be untenable.
The British acknowledge the pos
sibility that the Italians, taking ad
a (See LIBYA, Page A-3.) ~
GARNER WELCOMES HIS SUCCESSOR—Vice President-elect !
Wallace (left) went to the Capitol today for the first time since
his return from Mexico and got a hearty greeting from cigar
* smoking Vice President Garner. (Story on Page A-2.) A. P. Photo.
U. S. Rejects Request
Of French to Discuss
Increase in Refugees
Hull Doubts Whether
Negotiations Could Serve
'Any Useful Purpose'
A French request for negotiations
on increasing Western Hemisphere
immigration of German - Jewish
refugees from France has been
turned down by this Government,
the State Department disclosed to
day.
The department made public a
note by Secretary Hull to Gaston
Henry Have. French Ambassador
here, informing him that, while the
United States is "disposed to assist
in solving the refugee problem." it
does not believe that “any useful
purpose" could be served by further
international discussions at this
time.
“Present world conditions operate
to cause governments in many in
stances to forego the free exercise
of their authority, and the essen
tial requirements for a constructive
solution of the fundamental prob
lems of migration and resettlement
do not prevail,” the Secretary’s note
explained.
Refugees Being Admitted Now.
He pointed out that refugees now
are being received by the United
States and other American govern
ments virtually to the full extent of
their immigration laws and prac
tices. and are being admitted in in
creasing numbers to a settlement
established in the Dominican Re
public under auspices of an inter
governmental committee.
The note also remarked pointedly
that many refugees given visas have
not been able to obtain the required
exit permits to leave France. It Is
understood the French government
has denied permits to persons who
might be wanted by the German
secret police.
Mr. Hull's note replied to a re
quest from the French Ambassador
that the United States and France
join in studying methods of organ
izing immigration to this hemisphere
of foreign nationals now in French
territory, particularly Jews, and
that the United States attempt to
enlist the support of other Ameri
can governments for the project.
Increase Not Permitted Now.
The Secretary emphasized that the
basic principles underlying Amer
ican policy on refugee immigration
are that no distinction shall be
made on grounds of race, nationality
or religion.
Immigration laws “do not permit
of any further liberalization" at this
time, the Secretary added. He ex
pressed confidence that "the time
will come when such conditions of
order and peace will prevail in the
world as will warrant a humane and
orderly approach to the migration
problem by the governments col
laborating in mutual confidence and
mutual respect.”
Princess Hohenlohe Due
To Leave U. S. Soon
Bj the Associated Press.
Officials said today that the Prin
cess Hohenlohe, Vienna-born friend
of German officials, who has been
here on a visitor’s permit for more
than a ye^r, was still in the United
States, but was expected to leave
shortly under an informal agree
ment.
The Princess originally was or
dered to leave by December 21 but
this date was extended with the
understanding that she leave by a
specified date and at a particular
place and with the further under
standing that deportation proceed
ings would be started unless she
did so.
Justice Department officials said
this understanding still was in effect,
but continued their refusal to dis
close the time and place of her in
\tended departure. ft
Churchill Pins Hope
Of Victory on U. S.
In Halifax Farewell
Ambassador's Mission
Held Most Momentous
Ever Given a Briton
By the Associated Press.
LONDON. Jan. 9 —Prime Minister
Churchill pinned Britain's hope of
victory on the United States in a
formal benediction today to the new
British Ambassador-designate to
Washington, Lord Halifax.
The former Foreign Secretary's
mission, Mr. Churchill said at a
luncheon given by the Pilgrims in
Lord Halifax’s honor, is "as mo
mentous as any that the monarchy
has intrusted to an Englishman in
the lifetime of the oldest of us here.”
Mr. Churchill declared it Britain's
“fervent hope” that the mission
“may prosper.”
Lord Halifax himself echoed part
of the Prime Minister's sentiments
when he said:
"We are encouraged by the knowl
edge that will to resist this German
attempt to secure world domination
is as strong on the other side of the
Atlantic as it is here and we do not
doubt that achievement of our pur
pose is within the power of the Eng
lish-speaking peoples.”
World Civilization at Stake.
The Prime Minister asserted it
was no exaggeration to say that
"the whole future of the world
and a civilization founded on Chris
tian ethics” depended on relations
between Britain and the United
States.
He said the identity of purpose
and persistence of resolve prevail
ing throughout the English-speak
ing world would, more than any
other fact, “determine the way of
life open to the generations and
perhaps the centuries to follow our
own.”
The Pilgrims is an Anglo-Amer
ican organization for the promo
tion of good will between the United
States and the British empire.
“If co-operation between the em
pire and the United States were to
fail,” Mr. Churchill said, "the em
(See HALIFAX, Page A-3.) “
Man Killed in Blast
In Lobby of Hotel
B ’ tl t Associated Press.
BUFFALO. N. Y„ Jan. 9-A 38
year-old unemployed construction
worker died today in a hotel lobby
explosion apparently caused by
dynamite which police believe he
set off.
Assistant Detective Chief Thomas
V. Meegan. identifying the victim
as W. D. Wright. Rochester, N. Y.,
said the blast “broke up chairs,
lamps, showcases and scattered the
body” in the hotel lobby.
U.S. Group Plans
600-Million Deal
With Britain
Syndicate May Buy
Stocks to Provide
Cash for War Goods
BACKGROUND—
More than a month ago the late
Lord Lothian said Britain's funds
were dwindling to the point where
she would soon need monetary as
well as material assistance. Fol
lowing this report that Britain
was almost scraping the bottom
of her war chest, Sir Frederick
Phillips, undersecretary of the
British treasury, arrived in the
United States and started pre
paring a financial balance sheet
for study by this Government.
Bs the Associated Press.
Officials disclosed today a group of
American investment trusts was ne
gotiating for the purchase of $600 -
000,000 worth of American industrial
securities from Great Britain.
Britain, they said, wanted to speed
up the liquidation of these securities,
taken over from individual British
investors, to facilitate cash pay
ments on current war orders in the
United States.
The officials said they understood
that a trade association representing
all the leading investment trusts
was sponsoring the plan. Although
it is still in a preliminary stage, they
said they believed a syndicate
headed by Tri-Continental Corp.
might be set up to handle the deal,
which would be one of the largest
single securities transactions, out
side of Government financing, in the
history of American business.
The British acquired about $700,
000,000 of readily marketable Amer
ican securities, from private invest
ors. and has been selling some of
them in small lots. Total British
investments in the United States
exceed $3,000,000,000, but the deal
reported today involved only easily
salable securities such as the stocks
of leading American industrial cor
porations.
The investment trusts—companies
with large sums available for invest
ment in securities—were said to
have approached both the Treasury j
and Securities and Exchange Com
mission on the plan, and received
some encouragement.
If the deal was consummated, it
was understood, the investment
trusts would handle the securities
as they do similar securities bought
in American markets—hold them '
until they can be disposed of at a!
profit.
Apparently no Government- au
thorization was necessary for the
deal, but Congress recently gave the
Securities Commission regulatory
powers over investment trusts and
the business group apparently want
ed to make sure the Government
would not oppose the transaction.
The Treasury was consulted on tax
problems in the deal.
'Suicide Squads’ Await
U. S. Convoys, Italians Say
B3 the Associated Press.
ROME, Jan. 9.—The newspaper
11 Piccolo, calling Italy's torpedo
launching aviators “suicide squads,” |
declared today they would be a
threat to any United States convoys
that might attempt to transport
supplies to Britain.
The phrase "suicide squad”—
Volontari Alla Morte—was used dur-.
ing the Ethiopian war to describe ‘
the Italian flyers’ daring.
"This daring," II Piccolo said,
"not only is an important key to
shipping in the Mediterranean. A
repetition of these torpedoings from
the skv of both warships and mer
chant ships opens vast new possi
bilities to axis aviation to control also
the waters of the Atlantic, on which
the speech of President Roosevelt
permits one to imagine convoys of
merchant ships escorted by war
ships not belonging to European
nations.
"We affirm with absolute cer
tainty that this new naval air fac
tor appears in such deadly force as
to compel even the commanders of
the American fleet to ponder."
—
Torpedoed Off Ireland,
British Freighter Reports
Bi the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Jan. 9.—The Eller
man Wilson freighter Bassano, 4.843
tons, radioed today she had been
torpedoed about 500 miles northwest
of Ireland.
The British vessel had been trad
ing between New York, Canada and
England.
Mackay Radio said she sent this
message at 11:09 a m.:
“Torpedoed at 57.24 N., 18.40 W.”
The 401-foot Bassano was only 3
years old. She was especially con
structed fpr sailing in ice-ridden
tvaters. She last left New York De
cember 31.
Way Cleared for Construction
Of Ninth Street Viaduct
Ending several years of negoti
ations and delay, the commissioners
and officials of the Baltimore &
Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroads
have agreed to plans for construc
tion of a new vehicular viaduct over
the Washington Terminal yards and
construction will begin in the near
future.
The railroads will advertise for
bids for the project within a few
days, Highway Director H. C.
Whitehurst announced. The struc
ture is estimated to cost $500,000.
The viaduct, to be of steel design,
will run from the intersection of
Ninth street and Brentwood road
over the yards and will carry over
New York avenue N. E. to provide a
direct connection with an extension
of Sixth street. Lateral liQes from
the viaduct proper will m*>t New
York avenue at grade level. These
will permit motorists to go over the
viaduct and turn right onto New
York avenue and thence toward the
center of the city, and permit in
coming cars on New York avenue
to turn right to cross the viaduct
and go to areas to the north.
Also, it was explained, the direct
connection of the viaduct with Sixth
street extended will afford a new
direct route from the north down
Sixth street NJE. to the Central or
Southeastern sections of the Dis
trict. There also will be a connec
tion from Sixth street extended, in
Brentwood Park, to Mount Olivet
road NJ5. Capt. Whitehurst said
Sixth street would be improved to
permit a heavier load of traffic.
The cost of the project is to be
U3ee VIADUCT, Page A-3.)
/joined together from the birth \
OF Mr EXECUTIVE ORDER-NEITHER CAN MOVE.
WITHOUT THE OTHER. NO MATTER WHICH OHEJ
lYOU LOOK AT, HE$ TOPS./^-^
Hopson Gets 5 Years
For One of Largest
Frauds in History
Sentences on Each
Of 17 Counts Will
Run Concurrently
Bj tht Associated Press.
NEW YORK. Jan. 9 —Howard C.
Hopson, who created a vast utilities
empire which finally toppled and
collapsed of Its own weight, was
sentenced today to five years' im
prisonment on each of the 17 mail
fraud counts on which he was con
victed December 31. The terms are
to run concurrently.
Federal Judge Alfred C. Coxe. who
presided during the eight weeks of
Hopson's trial, disregarded a plea
for mercy by Hopson's lawyer, Fred
A. Ironside, jr., who contended busi
ness standards in the days of Hop
son's operations were different from
those now.
Hopson's Face a Mask.
Hopson stood, silent, beside his
lawyer during the pleading, his
hands clasped behind his back. He
dropped them to the side as the
court pronounced sentence. He
gazed steadily at the judge, his face
expressionless.
The one-time head of the billion
dollar Associated Gas & Electric
System, now a broken, feeble man,
was charged by Assistant United
States Attorney General Hugh A.
Fulton with perpetrating one of the
largest frauds, if not the largest, in
financial history. It was asserted
that Hopson defrauded stockholders
and various units of the intricate,
pyramided Associated Gas & Electric
setup of approximately $20,000,000.
His two co-defendants. Attorneys
Charles M. Travis and Garrett
Brownback. who were aceiued of
aiding Hopson in his kalidescopic
fiscal manipulations for a number
of years, were acquitted. Hopson
was acquitted on a single count of
conspiracy.
No Fine Suggested.
Fulton recommended the maxi
mum sentence of five years on one
count, but did not suggest a fine in
addition, saying the Government
did not believe Hopson had sufficient,
assets tc pay the just claims in this
action and those arising from
United States tax claims.
Hopson, 58. arrived at the Federal
Courthouse about 30 minutes before
sentencing. He was accompanied
by a male nurse who has been in
constant attendance during the
trial, and a clerk from Mr. Iron- j
side's office. He carried two cheap
traveling bags.
The ailing Hopson, accompanied
by two deputy United States mar
shals. left by automobile shortly
after the sentencing for Northeast
ern Penitentiary at Lewisburg, Pa..;
where, the marshal said, “there are
ample hospital facilities."
President Likely to Go
To Hyde Park for Week End
President Roosevelt probably will
go to Hyde Park, N. Y„ tomorrow
for the week end, returning to
Washington early next week, it was
disclosed at the White House today.
The President arranged to lunch
today with Vice President-elect
Wallace and was to confer with his
cabinet this afternoon.
He was scheduled to receive early,
in the afternoon a poster arranged!
by the Elks bearing a picture of
Uncle Sam and depicting every ac
tivity of the Government. The
poster, to be used in an Elks’ cam
paign to further national defense
co-operation, was to be presented
to the President by four past great
exalted rulers of the Elks, escorted
to the White House by Senator
Wagner of New York.
Mr. Roosevelt will be the honor
guest at a luncheon of the Women's
National Press Club tomorrow, when
he is expected to speak off the
record.
Three Italian Soldiers
Killed in Avalanche
B> the Associated Press.
BERN, Switzerland, Jan. 9.—An
Italian soldier was rescued and the
bodies of three others were removed
today by Swiss searchers from the
debris of an avalanche on the
Alpine frontier zone near Craveggia.
Italian officials had requested
Swiss aid in finding the soldiers, who
were on border patrol duty when
swept away. gi
Lull in Offensive
Only Temporary,
Goebbels Says
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN, Jan. 9.—German offen
sives "run off with regularity of a
clock because preceding them have
been intervals of most careful
preparation,” Propaganda Minister
Paul Joseph Goebbels told foreign
correspondents today.
He cautioned correspondents,
therefore, not to regard the pres
ent apparent lull in operations as
meaning that Germany does not
know what to do next.
“The present pause is creative
and is only apparent.” he said.
"German leadership knows ex
actly what it wants and how to do
it and it is a fatal mistake not to
realize this.” Goebbels declared.
He reminded his hearers that
Germany's enemies scoffed at the
lull in operations during the win
ter of 1939-1940.
“Then on May 10 the great offen
sive began in the west which, in the
shortest time imaginable, brought
France to her knees.”
Traffic Lights Dark
As Chicago's Union
Employes Strike
Emergency Conference
Is Called in Office
Of Mayor Kelly
By the Associated Press
CHICAGO. Jan. 9.-Traffic lights
were darkened in many parts of the
city today and elevator service in
municipal buildings was suspended
as more than a dozen unions of
city employes struck in protest
against proposed pay cuts. It was
estimated by city officials the walk
out involved about 4.350 workers.
Full effects of the walkout were
not immediately apparent, since
some union men showed up for work,
apparently delaying strike action
until after an emergency conference
between union and city officials in
Mayor Edward J. Kelly's office.
The engine room in the City Hall
was operating normally, as were the
city's pumping stations.
Crowds Gather in City Hall.
Crowds began to gather in City
Hall. Some city employes not
affiliated with unions reached higher
floor offices by using the elevators
on the county side of the building.
A report reached the mayor's
office that electric light service in j
city hall would be suspended.
At the Bureau of Streets. Joseph
J. Butler, superintendent, had not
yet arrived for the day. Ward of
fices throughout the city sent in re
ports that workers showed up—but
not to go to work.
City officials held to their determi
nation to put the wage cuts through
as a general economy policy.
Policemen reported they were
refused admission to the bridge
control towers, operated by bridge
~ < See CHICAGO, Page A-3.)
U. 5. Army Command
In Caribbean Unified
For Greater Strength
Increased Efficiency
In Air Defense Is
An Especial Aim
By NELSON M. SHEPARD.
To strengthen Western Hemi
sphere defense. Secretary of War
Stimson disclosed today the forma
tion of a unified Army command
for the protection of bases in the
Caribbean.
The new Caribbean defense com
mand, he revealed, will consolidate
all defense forces in the Puerto
Rican and Panama Canal depart
ments and the new Trinidad base,
which is now in course of being
established.
Lt. Gen. Daniel Van Voorhis, pres
ent commander of the Panama
Canal Department, will be in su-!
preme command of the new setup
in the Caribbean, which Secretary
Stimson stressed particularly, has
as one of its principal objectives:
the unification of all air forces in
the area.
An allocation of $190,500 was made
today for additional construction at
the new air base now being estab- ,
lished at Borinquen Field. Puerto
Rico. These funds bring the total
amount allocated for worlc at the
field to $991,000.
Week’s Second Important Move.
The announcement came as the
second important move this week
in strengthening Western Hemi
sphere defense and preparing Amer
ican armed forces to meet possible
new emergencies. It followed the
announcement of Secretary Knox
yesterday setting up the framework
of the “two-ocean navy” by re
organizing the United States Fleet
for independent action in either the
Atlantic or Pacific.
Secretary Stimson refused to dis
close at his press conference the
combined strength now and as
planned in the future for the new
Caribbean defense command.
"I won't tell Mr. Hitler the exact
number of troops we’ll have in the ;
Caribbean.” the War Secretary;
smiled. "He will have ways of find
(See ARMY, Page A-4.)
All-Ireland Republic
Opposed by Andrews
By the Associated Press.
BELFAST. Northern Ireland. Jan.
9.—The absolute security of North
ern Ireland as a province within the
United Kingdom and her determi
nation never to become a partner in
an All-Ireland republic were
stressed today by the new Prime
Minister J. M. Andrews.
He made these points in a policy
speech on his election as leader of
the Ulster Unionist party.
Union of Ireland — Eire — and
Northern Ireland—Ulster—is the am
bition of leaders of Ireland, an am
bition which also was opposed stead
fastly by Mr. Andrews’ predecessor,
the late Lord Craigavon.
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amusements.
A-16
Comics - C-8-9
Editorials . A-10
Finance A-19
Lost, Found, C-5
Obituary A-12
Page.
Radio _C-8
Serial Story, B-14
Society _B-3
Sports,
C-l-2-3
Woman's Page.
C-4
Foreign.
Mussolini fires 14 party aides in
provinces. Page A-l
Churchill pins British victory hopes
on U. S. Page A-l
British capture Gazala, 40 miles west
of Tobruk. Page A-l
Thai Army reported advancing into
Cambodia Province. Page A-2
Wilhelmshaven, Emden bases raided
by R. A. F. Page A-3
British planes pound Naples, killing
five. Page A-6
Drastic move made by Petain regime
to feed Paris. Page A-6
National.
Investment trusts may buy U. S. se
curities from British. Page A-l
Morgenthau charges Federal Reserve
plan hit U. S. bonds. Page A-l
Congress may get "lease-lend” bill to
aid Britain tomorrow. Page A-2
Reserve flyers may be called to serv
ice June 30. Page A-2
Reynolds loaned $275,000 to Demo
crats, Tobey asserts. Page A-2
Overtime pay no barrier to defense,
Fleming asserts. Page A-2
Traveling expense irregularities laid
to three U. S. agencies. Page A-2
Ford studying mass production of
giant bombers. Page A-4
Selective service sponsors oppose
age-limit change. Page A-4
Farewell review for coast artillery
scheduled Sunday. Page B-l
Washington and Vicinity.
Bill to raise pay of Prince Georges
Police contemplated Page A-l
Maryland Legislature faces stormy
outburst. Page B-l
Editorial and Comment.
Answers to Questions. Page A-8
Letters to The Star. Page A-8
This and That. Page A-8
David Lawrence. Page A-9
Gould Lincoln. Page A-9
Maj. George Eliot. Page A-9
Jay Franklin. Page A-9
Constantine Brown. Page A-9
Miscellaneous.
Nature’s Children. PageB-11
Bedtime Stories. Page C-8
Winning Contract. Page C-9
Uncle Ray’s Comer. Page C-9
Cross-Word Puzzle. Page C-9
Vital Statistics. • Page C-10
President Calls
Congress Heads
On British Aid
Conference Expected
To Clear Way for
'Lease-LencT Bill
BACKGROUND—
President Roosevelt so far has
outlined only the broad objectives
of his so-called "lend-lease” plan
for furnishing war supplies to
nations fighting aggression, leav
ing the details of legislative au
thorization to be worked out in
conferences with congressional
and other Government leaders.
He asked elastic authority to de
termine how much material be
sent abroad, to be repaid later in
similar or other goods.
By the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt railed Demo
cratic leayms of the Home and
Senate today to a late afternoon
conference on legislation to the !'.m
virtually unlimited authority to hnd
and lease war materials to Great
Britain and other nations fighting
the axis powers.
The meeting. It was believed,
might clear the way for introduc
tion of the bill tomorrow. Heading
the list of those asked to attend
were Speaker Rayburn and Senate
Majority Leader Barkley.
On high authority it was said
that the measure as now drawn
neither imposes a top limit on pos
sible lend-lease aid nor sets up a
corporation to handle such aid.
On the contrary, the bill was said
to make possible future appropria
tions for the program in any amount
which Congress may vote, and to
delegate to the administration full
responsibility for handling the aid.
Treasury Preparing Budget.
Stephen Early. White House press
secretary, said that a supplemental
budget was being prepared by the
Treasury to list funds needed for the
new program and that until this was
submitted to the White House the
Chief Executive would not present
to Congress any appropriation re
quests in addition to the $17,500,000.
000 he asked yesterday for the fiscal
year beginning July 1.
Pending introduction of the lease
lend legislation, efforts toward ex
panding the output of munitions and
increasing the amounts sent abroad
were being stepped up.
One administration official re
ported that "we are working hard”
on plans for releasing airplanes to
Greece and "hope to do something
soon.” He said none had been re
leased to Greece yet.
Tool Factories Speeded.
Robert P. Patterson. Undersec
retary, said the War Department
had received an excellent response
from industry in its efforts to in
crease the working time of factories
producing critical defense items, in
cluding machine tools.
The department. Mr. Patterson
said, has taken "active measures'*
along this line in co-operation with
William S. Knudsen, defense
production chief. Mr. Knudsen
recently asked that additional
shifts be put to work and more
workers be trained in key defense
industries.
Senate and House Democratic
leaders went over a rough outline of
the ‘'lease-land" bill at separate con
ferences yesterday with Secretaries
Morgenthau and Hull and depart
mental legal experts.
Bloom to Offer Bill.
It was learned afterward that ef
forts were being made to complete
the bill for simultaneous introduc
tion into both Houses tomorrow.
Chairman Bloom of the Foreign Af
fairs Committee will offer it in the
House for reference to his commit
tee. Senate plans on this score were
not indicated.
Speaker Rayburn promised prompt
House action, saying "speed is of the
essence."
Administration lieutenants at the
Capitol were uncertain whether
both Houses would take up the
measure simultaneously. The House
might act first, they said, if the
prospects there were bright for quick
passage.
Reports that the bill would carry
very little if any limitation on au
thority to be given the President
caused some opponents to cry “blank
check." But administration leaders
predicted it would pass.
One leading opponent, Senator
Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana,
said the speech made in North
Carolina Tuesday by William C.
Bullitt, former Ambassador to
France, urging aid to England,
Greece and China showed that the
administration was “taking you as
far as they can at this moment,
but they intend to take you farther
later.”
Mr. Bullitt's speech, he added,
represented "what I ve know to be
the views of the Inner circle of the
New Deal for a long time.”
Senator Wheeler also asserted
that if these countries should
weaken much more and “war hys
teria can be worked up sufficiently,
(See~CONGRESs7Page A-4.1
Plane Plunge Into Bay
Kills Chilean Officer
By the Associated Press.
PENSACOLA. Fla., Jan. 9—Lt.
(j. g.) Hugo Bauer. Chilean naval
officer, was killed when his training
seaplane went Into a spin and
plunged into Pensacola Bay from an
altitude of 400 feet, the naval air
station commandant's office reported
today.
The office said Lt. Bauer was re
turning from a night formation
flight and the seaplane went into a
spin while making a sharp turn pre
paratory to landing.
The plane, with Lt. Bauer's body
presumably inside, was swept into
the channel and had not been re
covered by Coast Guard and Navy
searchers today.
Lt. Bauer was completing a special
flight training course which a few
Latin American officers are per
mitted to take iMre.