Evening star. [volume], May 07, 1941, Image 2

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

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Weather Forecast 'Frnm
Occasional showers tonight, ending to- ”0m Pr®** “0”1e
morrow; somewhat cooler tomorrow; Wlthll! the rlOUl
lowest tonight about 62. Temperatures
today—Highest, 76, at 2 p.m.; lowest, Most people in Washington have The
61, at 6 a.m. Star delivered to their homes every
From the united states weather Bureau report. weekday evening and Sunday morning
Full Detaile on Pace A-2.
Closing N. Y. Markets—Soles, Pag* 18. W) Means Associated Press.
89th YEAR. No. 35,433. WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1941 THREE CENTS.
Churchill Wins Commons Vote,
447-3, Disclosing That 500,000
Troops Now Stand in Near East
" .. 1
U. S. Aid Inadequate,
Lloyd George Says
In Sharp Attack
B? th» Assocuted Press.
LONDON, May 7.—The British
House of Commons gave Prime
Minister Churchill an over
whelming vote of confidence to
day after he had disclosed that
nearly 500,000 imperial soldiers
stand guard against the Axis
In the Near East and that Brit
ain expects enough new Ameri
can merchant ships to see her
through 1942 in the battle of the
Atlantic.
The ’'Prime Minister proclaimed,
too, a halt to the British retreat
in the Mediterranean basin with
the flat declaration:
“We intend to defend to the death
and without thought of retirement
Crete and Tobruk.”
It Is on Crete, big island to the
south of the Greek mainland, that
the British and Greeks are making
their final stand as allies; it is in
Tobruk. Libya. 80 miles from the
Egyptian border, that a British gar- |
rison is holding out behind the Axis !
advanced lines.
i.inya ueorge .-vrousea.
Mr. Churchill won his 947-to-3
vote of confidence despite a strident
charge from David Lloyd George.
World War premier that "America
has go to do more” if she is to
enable Britain to beat Germany.
The white-maned eider statesman.
In his most outspoken utterance in
many months, warned the govern
ment against exaggerating the speed
or amount of United States aid and
declared American war organization
traditionally is "full of disappoint
ments" for the British.
He demanded a "real war cabinet”
and "an end to the kind of blunders
which have discredited and weak
ened us.”
However. Mr. Lloyd George cried:
"I thank God" for Secretary of War
Stimson's speech of last night, and
fcaid it was clear that President 1
Roosevelt, by his "changed" attitude. .
and Mr. Stimson both realized the
gravity of Britain's position.
Prime Minister Cheered.
Nevertheless, Mr. Lloyd George
was not among the trio who voted !
- • "No" on the confidence test. They j
were Communist William Gallagher,
Socialist Denis Pritt and Dr. Arthur
Salter, a Laborite.
As the Prime Minister made his
way out of the crowded chamber |
after the vote, groups of members j
collected around him and cheered j
him enthusiastically. He paused and
bowed.
Beginning his speech in a breezy !
manner, he gradually moved into 1
more solemn tones. Never did he
‘ make a violent gesture and not once
did he raise his voice to a shout.
Mr. Churchill, restive under Mr.
Lloyd George's hour-long tongue- j
lashing, declared that Britain can
count on enough new American mer
chant ships to help her through 1942
. In the battle of the Atlantic.
Vote Ends Two-dav Debate.
The vote ended a critical two-day
debate on Britain's grave reverses on
both shores of the Mediterranean.
Confidently, Mr. Churchill de
clared, "we have every reason to
believe we shall be successful" in
holding the Valley of the Nile. Suez
and the mid-Mediterranean island
bastion of Malta.
After the hour of lashing by Mr.
Lloyd George. Mr. Churchill retorted
that the speech was not "particular
ly helpful at this period and not the I
speech one would have expected
from a great war leader.”
Mr. Churchill said he has re
ceived assurances of the construc
tion of mechant ships by the United
States which, added to our own
large program of new building and i
repair, should see us through 1942.” |
After Mr. Lloyd George criticized '
Foreign Secretary Anthony Eden t
for withholding the fact “that Tur
key allowed German ships to pass
through the Bosphorus into the
Dardanelles” to seize Greek islands,
Mr. Churchill said "Turkey not be
ing a belligerent had no right to
prevent merchant vessels from go
ing through the Dardanelles.”
Long Warned or Balkan Attack. |
The Prime Minister added that i
“Turkey had no right whatever to
atop German troops from going
through the Dardanelles. To do so
wrould be to quit their neutrality.”
•'So far as German invasion of
the Balkans is concerned," Mr.
Churchill toid the House, “'we had
long and ample forewarning of
what was in prospect. It is three
months since it was stated publicly
on the broadcast that the Bulgarian
airfields were being occupied with
the knowledge of the Bulgarian
government by advance parties and
agents of the German air force.”
In defense of British diplomacy,
Mr. Churchill declared it "has never
ceased for one moment to apprise
countries of their danger and of
perils that were coming on them
and to urge that by common action
alone could security and safety be
attained."
Would Follow Same Path.
Looking back. Mr. Churchill de
clared that "if we had again to
tread that stony path, even with the
knowledge we possess today, I for
one would do the same thing again.
"That is the view of all my col
leagues in the war cabinet and on
the Defense Committee and I be
lieve that view is almost universally
iustained by the House," he said.
There was an outburst of cheers.
Once more Mr. Churchill rejected
the idea of a smaller war cabinet,
asserting that the existing set-up .
“works easily and effectively” and.
“I do not propose to make any
changes in it until further advised.”
To a suggestion that he be sur
rounded “by people who would stand
up to me and say no, no. no," Mr.
Churchill answered that "the difli
(See CHURCHILL, Page A-4.)
i
Howitzers Flown In by R. A. F.
Break Iraq Siege, British Say
English Also Report Control of Oil Line
To Haifa Is Recovered From Natives
By the Associated Press.
CAIRO, Egypt, May 7.—Backed
up by howitzers flown in by the
R. A. F. British imperial forces
have "ejected the enemy" from
dominating positions at Habbaniyah
Airdrome in Iraq, official reports
said today.
In Cairo military quarters the
Premier of Iraq, Rashid Ali A1 Gala
ini, and his following were said to
have been placed in a vulnerable
position by British attacks and fail
ure to rally his whole nation to
the "sacred struggle” he proclaimed.
These sources declared that if
Rashib Ali had been expecting Ger
man aid he had been disappointed
so far for, they asserted, no German
planes or troops had yet appeared
in Iraq and it was difficult to see
how they could arrive in time for
effective resistance.
The R. A. F. communique, telling
how the light artillery pieces were
carried over the heads of the Iraq
beseigers later to be set up and
turned on their plateau positions,
said that more than 300 prisoners
were taken.
The assault to break the siege
was staged yesterday.
The R. A. F. said the British lost
few men in seizing the elevation
south of Habbaniyah and added:
"The success of this engagement is
partly due in its later stages to the
arrival of a number of howitzers
which, with personnel, were flown to
Habbaniyah in R. A. F. aircraft from
Basra,”
"A constant air patrol is being
maintained over enemy positions
and aircraft are bringing up rein
forcements to Habbaniyah and re
moving women and children safely.”
(It was authoritatively re
ported in London that 26 Iraq
officers and 408 men had been
taken prisoners in action while
Iraq casualties so far totaled
about 1.000.)
Besides breaking the Iraqis’ en
circling front at Habbaniyah on the
fifth day of siege, the British re
ported they had wrested control of
the vital Mosul-Haifa oil pipeline
from the troops of Rashid Ali A1
Gailani.
The general headquarters com- ;
munique reported that Iraq troops
(See IRAQ, Page-A-197)
Nazis Repeat Warning
Of Convoy Sinking in
Answer to Stimson
Consequence of Protecting
Shipments to England
Clear, They Declare
By the Associated Press.
BERLIN. May 7.—Secretary Stim
son's suggestion that the United
States Fleet be employed to pro
tect shipments of material to Eng
land prompted in Berlin today the
comment: "The consequence of
such a policy would be clear.”
Authorized spokesmen referred
again to the oft-stated German
warning that any ship sailing
through the blockade to England
"which comes within the range of
our torpedo tubes will be sunk.”
But the spokesmen appeared more
interested in a statement attributed
to Mr. Stimson that the German
blockade of England is contrary to
international law.
"How come?” was the gist of the
German comment. “It is impassible
to support the thesis that it's all
right for England to blockade Ger
many and even non-warring Euro
pean neutrals but that it's all wrong
for Germany to try to do the same
thing to England.”
(At one point in his radio
address last night Mr. Stimson
said: "The unrestricted subma
rine warfare which Germany is
carrying on in the North Atlan
tic, sinking without warning and
without the possibility of saving
the lives of their crews, is not a
legal blockade under the rules of
marine warfare. It has never
been recognized as such by the
United States.")
The Germans, however, showed
little disposition to excitement, one
spokesman calling Mr. Stimson "a
man of much temperament, but
hardly recognized as an authority
on international law."
It also was asserted that his ut
terance was not regarded as a
statement of official United States
policy.
r* a • _
Olimson jeen Mnnvum.my
U. S. War Intervention
ROME. May 7 OP).—'Virginio
Gayda, the eminent Fascist editor,
said today that Secretary Stimson's
advocacy of United States naval
protection for shipments to Britain
could be considered a preliminary
announcement of open American
intervention in the war.
The editor of 11 Giornale d’ltalia
also interpreted Mr. Stimson's
statements on United States-Brit
ish control of the Atlantic as “evi
dently meaning a true and real po
liticai-military alliance to become
effective in the more or less near
future.”
Officials withheld comment on
Mr. Stimson's speech, but Gayda
described it as "incendiary war
mongering” which he said was in
tended to establish an “artificial
alibi" in a German-Italian threat
to the United States.
Gayda asserted that Mr. Stimson
indicated a plan for a “new
hegemony” in which “North Amer
ican warmongers" want to “assail
the Axis powers and Japan.”
The United States, he concluded,
“dreams of imposing her control on
the Atlantic and Pacific to take com
mand over the world.”
Bankhead Aide Leads
In Alabama Primary
By the Associated Press.
JASPER, Ala., May 7.—Carter
Manasco apparently had the Demo
cratic nomination today to the 7th
district congressional seat held for
20 years by the late Speaker Bank
head. Mr. Manasco, secretary to the
Speaker for eight years, was op
posed in a run-off primary yesterday
by Still Hunter, Walker County
solicitor. Both men are from Jasper.
Unofficial returns from 243 of the
nine-county district's 301 boxes
showed; Manasco, 11,222; Hunter,
9.829.
The missing boxes, many of them
in rural areas, are in counties in
which Mr. Manasco was leading.
J,
Navy 'Readier Now
Than Ever' to Get Aid
To Britain, Knox Says
Statement Follows
Stimson Plea It Be
Used to Help England
BACKGROUND—
Britain's life depends entirely
these days on maintenance of
the North Atlantic supply line,
by which food and war materials
can be transported to island. In
World War, this line was pre
served largely by entrance of
United States Navy into conflict
and devising of convoy system
with destroyers combating sub
marine menace. Heavy losses of
cargo tonnage in recent weeks in
dicates the time has come again
for some drastic action.
3y the Associated Press.
Secretary Knox said today the
Navy is ‘‘readier now than ever” to
undertake the job of assuring de
livery of war supplies to Britain—;
if and when it is assigned to such
duty.
The Navy Department chief made
the statement at a press conference
in commenting on a speech last ;
night by Secretary of War Stimson j
in which Mr. Stimson advocated use !
of the United States Navy to assure I
a victory for Britain in the battle
of the Atlantic.
Mr. Knox was asked by reporters
for comment on Mr. Stimson s plea
for naval action “right now” and
he said, "I thought it a forthright,
courageous and very enlightening
talk, animated by a high spirit of
patriotism.”
A reporter asked Mr. Knox
whether the Stimson speech was
designed to pave the way for action j
by the administration toward the j
objectives which Mr. Stimson spon- j
sored, and Mr. Knox replied, “No
comment.”
“Always Ready," He Says.
“Is the Navy ready to do the job
Stimson suggested?" the Secretary
was asked.
"The Navy is always ready—
readier now than ever,” was the
reply.
Special importance was attached
to Mr. Stimson's words in many
quarters because Stephen Early,
presidential secretary, said it could
be assumed that the War Depart
ment chief discussed his address in
advance with Mr. Roosevelt.
Mr. Stimson was the fifth Cabinet
officer to speak out strongly in re
cent weeks for more dynamic action
to guarantee the success of the aid
to Britain program, but he was the
first to advocate a specific course
use of the Navy.
In advocating this prompt naval
assistance. Mr. Stimson told the
Nation in his address last night
that Germany had extended her
(See NAVY, Page A-19.)
Only 8 of 205
Ships From U. S.
Lost in 3 Months
Vandenberg Reports
On Arms Cargoes
Sent to England
By J. A. O LEARY.
Figures to show that only eight
ships out of 205 sailing from this
country to Great Britain were sunk
in the three months beginning Jan
uary 1. were laid before the Senate
Commerce Committee today by Sen
ator Vandenberg, Republican, of
Michigan on the authority of Rear
Admiral Emory S. Land, chairman
of the Maritime Commission.
Asserting that the figures present
an entirely different picture from
the one generally given the Ameri
can people as to rate of shipping
losses, the Michigan Senator said
they emphasize that “Congress and
the people should be taken into the
total confidence of the administra
tion.”
Senator Vandenberg s*id the data
furnished him by Admiral Land
showed that in the four-month pe
riod ending April 30 158 vessels were
reported sunk in all parts of the
world, representnig approximately
800.000 gross tons.
‘Serious Situation.’
"But,” the Senator added, "only
12, of 66.782 tons, cleared from
United States ports, and of the 12
only 8 sailed from the United States
directly to the United Kingdom.”
The Commerce Committee had
just assembled to consider the for
eign ship purchase bill, which is
approaching a final vote in the
House this afternoon.
Chairman Bailey interrupted to
call Senator Vandenberg's figures
"remarkable.” and observed that
"anybody who can bring us encour
agement ought to get a prize.”
Senator Bilbo, Democrat, of Mis
sissippi, pointed out, however, that
"even the sinking of 12 ships is a
serious situation,” if they were
loaded with British war needs.
Arms in Cargoes.
Admiral Land s letter to Senator
Vandenberg read in part as follows:
"Cargo reports are available for 10
of these 12 vessels. These reports
show an assortment of cargoes,
ranging from canned soup and
prur. 's to steel plates, bars and bil
lets. copper bars and wire, zinc, wood
pulp, chemicals to ammunition,
rifles, gun barrels, airplane engines
and airplane parts.
"Eight of the 12 vessels listed are
included in a list of some 205 vessels
which cleared from United States
ports for United Kingdom ports be
tween December 30, 1940 and March
31, 1941, and carried in their cargoes
products subject to United States
export license. This indicates that
only a very small proportion of
these vessels failed to reach their
destination.
Seven in February.
"Of the four others, one (Ben
jamin Franklin) was left out of the
foregoing list; two more Greek ves
sels destined for Greek ports (both
sunk April 21»; the 12th was a
Swedish tanker, SGastor. which
cleared for Gotborg March 11.”
A table accompanying the letter
showed one of the sinkings occurred
in January, seven in February and
four in April. The ships were listed
in the table as follows:
Vessels which have been sunk
after clearing United States ports
for United Kingdom and European
ports during the period January’ 1 to
April 30, 1941, inclusive:
Lost. January
Name of vessel. Flag. Typv.
Bastano_British Cargo
Lost February.
Calafati? _Greek Cargo
Maple Court _British Cargo
Black Osprey_British Cargo
Siamese Prince __ British Cargo
Silver Fir _ __British Cargo
Benjamin Franklin Norwegian Cargo
Empire Tiger __British Cargo
Lost April.
Gastor_Swedish Tanker
Ville De Liege __ Belgian Combination
Gangorios C.. II Greek Cargo
KassandraLouloudis Greek Cargo
The committee closed its hearings
at noon and Chairman Bailey in
dicated action would be taken within
a day or two to get an early report
to the Senate.
James W. Ryan, counsel for the
American trustees of the 39 Danish
vessels of 248.000-ton-cargo capacity
now in American ports, filed a brief,
urging this Government not to
requisition or acquire them by forced
sale. As an alternative, he proposed
that they can be made available by
operation or charter by United
States interests in essential Amer
ican trades outside the war zones to
bring strategic materials to this
country.
Bill Called Unnecessary.
“A1 that is needed to get the
Danish ships moving.” Mr. Ryan
told the committee, “is for the Presi
dent and the State Department to
notify the British government that
they do not want any interference
(See SHIPSTPage A-4.)
Summary of Today's Star
Page.
Amuse
ments B-12-13
Comics C-10-11
Editorial ...A-10
Finance _A-17
Legal Notices.
C-*
Lost, Found-C-5
Page.
Obituary .-A-12
Radio Programs.
C-12
Serial Story, A-16
Society _B-S
Sports _C-l-J
Woman’*
Page .C-4
Foreign
Stalin takes over Soviet premiership
from Molotov. Page A-4
Admiral Lais reported released by
British at Bermuda. Page A-4
Nazi bomb set off Piraeus blast that
destroyed 17 ships. Pag* A-5
New British attacks from Tobruk re
pelled, Italians claim. Page A-5
Britain can't lose, Australian Pre
mier says. Page B-6
National.
Roosevelt, better, to confer with La
Ouardia in study. Page A-2
A. K. L. head oppose* compulsory
anti-strika legislation. Pag* A-2
Episcopalians told Army Influx give*
church new role. Page B-l
J
Washington and Vicinity.
Chevy Chase park ‘‘business island”
before zoning board. Page A-2
D. C. draft boards to check regis
trants for illiteracy. Page A-15
District officials say water in D. C.
is safe. Page B-l
Police Court clerk goe6 on trial for
embezzling funds. Page B-l
Editorial and Comment.
Editorials. Page A-10
This and That. Page A-10
Answers to Questions. Page A-10
David Lawrence. Page A-ll
Frederick Palmer. Page A-ll
Dorothy Thompson. Page A-ll
Constantine Brown. Page A-ll
The Conning Tower. Page A-ll
Miscellany.
Service Orders. Page C-12
Nature's Children. Page C-5
Vital Statistics. Page C-5
Bed time Story. Pa ge C -10
Winning Contract. PageC-11
Letter-Out. PageC-11
Uncle Ray's Comer. PageC-U
Croaaword Puzzle. Page C-ll
4
/"T ALWAYS SAID ]\
/YOU COULDnV KEEP |
1 A GOOD MAN DOWNk)
SZCZ I. T"!< .
«£*&*>* S
Told 59 Live in 5-Room House,
Probers Find Only Five There
Member of House Subcommittee Sent to Scene
To Investigate Witness' Report
a Mouse subcommittee noiaing |
j hearings on the District rent situa
tion heard a report today that 59
colored persons were living in a
five-room house here—a statement
which prompted the subcommittee
to dispatch one of its members im
mediately to make a first-hand in
| vestigation. At the house an occu
j pant said only five persons lived
there.
The statement was made before
the subcommittee holding hearings
on the Randolph rent control bill by
E. F. Harris, vice president of the
Federation of Civic Associations,
colored citizens’ group.
When the subcommittee heard
this and other statements made by
the witness, it decided to dispatch
Representative D Alesandro. Demo
crat, of Maryland to investigate.
Representative u Aiesanaro went
first to the house which 59 persons
were reported to share, in the 100
block of Virginia avenue SAV. A
woman occupant told him only five
persons lived there “unless you count
the rats arid mice.”
Mr. D'Alesandro then went to an
other place in the 1300 block of
Fourth street S.W., which 40 persons
were said to share. The occupants
told him only eight persons lived
there.
“This report is erroneous and fan
tastic.” he said, and returned to
report to the House group.
The civic association leader said !
he was “hurt” to find that his re- !
port was based on incorrect informa
tion. explaining he “didn't have a
chance to check it personally.” The ;
i See RENT, Page A-7J
Sea-Going Activities
Of Coast Guard Will
Be Shifted to Navy
Knox Discloses Verbal
Order by President;
Larger Ships Affected
Bv FRED H. MORHART, Jr.
Secretary of the Navy Knox an
nounced today that President Roose
. velt has issued a verbal order for
the transfer of all sea-going activi
ties of the Coast Guard to the
Navy. He said he did not know
how many ships would be involved
in the transfer, but that all larger
units were to be included.
He said the Navy would take over
all vessels of the Coast Guard of
more than 165 feet. However, he
said, the Coast Guard Aviation
Pat^pl would remain intact under
the direction of me Treasury De
partment.
Vessels to be transferred include
the seven ships of the Hamilton j
class and the six vessels of the
Algonquin class.
On April 8. Mr. Knox revealed
that 10 Coast Guard cutters of the
Chelan class had been made avail
able to Great Britain. The Coast
Guard has approximately 25 large
j ships available for use by the Navy.
Mr. Knox said Coast Guardsmen
would remain under Treasury juris
diction, though actually serving un
der Navy direction.
The Navy Secretary said British
representatives have asked the
United States to provide 115 small
craft of various types. These in
clude submarine chasers and motor
torpedo boats. He said discussions
still were under way with the British
concerning the specific type of •'mos
quito boats" the British wish to have
built in this country. It was re
vealed last week that the British
were immediately expected to place
an order for at least two dozen of
these mile-a-minute craft.
Mr. Knox said he had no verifica
tion of reports that the Panama
Canal was to be closed to commer
cial shipping.
Mr. Knox said the reports prob
ably were based on announcements
here of the pooling of 2,000.000 tons
of shipping to aid in the Battle
of the Atlantic.
Esposito Brothers to Die
In Chair Week of June 16
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, May 7—General
Sessions Judge John J. Freschi. after
denouncing the Esposito brothers,
William and Anthony, for feigning
madness during their murder trial,
today sentenced them to die in the
electric chair at Sing Sing Prison
during the week of June 16 for the
Fifth avenue holdup slaying of
Alfred Klausman lasGJanuary.
The sentence was mandatory on
their conviction for first-degree
murder.
The brothers, who terrorized Fifth
avenue shoppers in a running gun
battle with police as they fled the
attempted holdup of Klausman, were
convicted last Thursday by a Jury
that deliberated only one minute
after a three-week trial.
A police officer was slain and two
bystanders wounded during the
flight of the brothers. Their defense
was based on an insanity plea and
their unconventional conduct fre
quently Interrupted the trial.
1
I — ■—.—■ I
Czecho-Slovakian
Asks Court Relief
From German Name
A Czecho-Slovakian with a
German name and with no love
for the Nazis yesterday asked
District Court to let him change
his name.
The man. Richard Neumann.
937 Randolph street N.W.. asked
that his name be changed to •
Richard B. Barton, under which
he intends to apply for Ameri
can citizenship.
He said he owned a paint
factory in his native Czecho
slovakia. but that he does not
know what has happened to it.
He left Prague in February,
1939. he told the court, and
stayed in England for 18
months before coming to this
country by way of Panama.
Son Thrown to Pavement,
Mother Held for Murder
TORONTO, May 7 (Canadian
Press).—Police said an argument
between young parents, apparently
over cries of their 10-month-old son.
resulted in the death of the child
today, and the mother was charged
with murder.
The child, who died of a skull
fracture, was hurled to a street bv
the 22-year-old mother. Mrs. Robert
Burnett, police said they were in
formed. Her husband, 26, was held
as a material witness.
Police said onlookers gave this ac
count:
The couple had visited a beverage
room last night, one going inside
while the other cared for the child
outside. En route home, the baby's
cries caused the father to carry him
while the mother wheeled the car
riage. An argument started as the
father attempted to quiet the child,
and the mother snatched the boy
and threw him to the pavement.
Ship on Which 122 Died
Identified as Nerissa
By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK. May 7.—The New
York Sun says the transport which
was lost at sea with 122 persons,
including 12 Americans, was the
British passenger liner Nerissa.
Ottawa advices yesterday reported
that the ship presumably was tor
pedoed. Unofficial and incomplete
lists showed 35 persons accounted
for with 22 of them injured as a
result of “enemy action.”
The Sun says it has learned that
the victims of the disaster included
34 passengers and 88 crew members.
U-Boat Attack Blamed.
OTTAWA. May 7 (Ab.—Naval
sources here expressed belief today
that a torpedo attack by a German
submarine had caused the loss at sea
of 11 American plane ferry pilots
whose names appeared yesterday on
a list of 122 persons reported miss
ing as a result of “enemy action.”
The American pilots, it was
pointed out, were not employed in
ferrying bombers across the ocean
(although about 40 Americans have
been employed for such trans-At
lantic flights), but were understood
to have been en route to Britain to
ferry planes from inspection bases
to fields in the United Kingdom.
A 12th American reported among
the missing was a member of the
Royal Canadian Corps of Signalers.
1
Four 40-Hour Shifts
Proposed at Plants
Vital to Defense
Hillman Declares Plan
Would Aid Efficiency
And Spread Work
By JAMES FREE.
Deiense authorities are perfecting
plans for recommending establish
ment of four 40-hour-week work
shifts in some vital defense in
dustries to keep machines producing
for 160 out of a possible 168 hours a
week, Sidney Hillman, associate di
rector of the Office of Production
Management, said today.
Such a plan, he pointed out at
a press conference would give a
maximum of efficiency and spread
employment. Should overtime work
be necessary. Mr. Hillman added, it
would be split among the four
shifis and the overtime pay pro
raced among all the employes.
Under the oroposal. now being
considered by the O P. M.’s Labor
Advisory Board, which includes rep
resentatives of the A. F. of L. and
C. I. O.. Mr. Hillman said the eight
hours of idleness each week would
be used for overhauling and mainte
nance of the machines.
Mr. Hillman asserted there ha;
been “no conflict between nationa
defense labor requirements and pre
vailing wages and hours standards.'
On the contrary, he declared, over
time regulations have been “th«
finest pressure" in demonstrating tr
employers the necessity for training
additional skilled workers and ex
panding production facilities.
Good for Morale.
"Maintenance of our labor stand
ards has been good for both defense
and public morale," the O. P. M. co
director said. "They not only pro
vide more work for the unemployed
but definitely open opportunities foi
the young and other groups which
in past years have had difficulty get
ting jobs."
Asked if easing of overtime pay
requirements might not be desirable
in some industries, Mr. Hillman said
that so far as he knew there have
been no real shortages of skilled
labor that would justify such a
letting down of labor standards.
"I believe we are working too long
hours in some industries," Mr. Hill
man said, “and before long we may
get the effects of worker fatigue.'
He said that rather than extend
working hours, better results could
be obtained through training more
workers and building more manu
facturing facilities.
The "weak point" in stepping up
production, he stated, lies in the
failure to utilize all existing manu
facturing facilities by farming out
contracts to small plants.
Subletting Need Seen.
In its determination to spread the
subcontracting of defense work, the
Government may find it necessarj
to include a provision in defense
contracts specifying that certair
portions of the work must be sub
let, he said. Surveys are being made
in each State to determine just how
subcontracting can be made more
effective.
The biggest problem in getting
prime contractors to sublet some
of their work has been in obtain
ing complete information regardins
smaller plants available and show
ing the prime contractors how thej
(See HILLMAN, PageA-4J
Blast in Du Pont Paint Planl
Injures Three Workmen
By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, May 7—A ter
rific blast that could be heard for
miles ripped apart a varnish build
ing and injured three workmen
early today in the vast Du Pont
Co. plant in West Philadelphia
Company workers quickly drenched
flames with steam.
The explosion, occurring in s
huge vat in which resin is mixei
with other ingredients in the manu
facture of paints and varnishes, de
molished a 50-by-100-foot building
Firemen said the blast occurrn
when chemicals in the vat boiler
over, the liquid igniting.
The “liquid fire" caught 54-year
old John King before he couli
leap back from the side of the still
All clothing was burned from hi
body. Both legs were broken am
doctors said it might be necessar;
to amputate them. His fellou
workers escaped with less seriou
injuries.
i
German Sailors
Rounded Up on
Jackson's Order
Official Says 6,000
Deportable Aliens
Are Free in U. S,
More than 100 German seamen
were taken into custody In New
York today as Attorney General
Jackson ordered the roundup of
160 Nazi sailors for questioning.
Squads of detectives and immi
gration inspectors, armed with war
rants charging the sailors with
overstaying their leave in the United
States, entered hotel rooms, fur
nished rooms and taverns at 4 am,
the Associated Press reported from
New' York, to arrest the seamen.
The Attorney General, in an ad
dress delivered before the annual
meeting of the American Judicature
Society at the Mayflower Hotel,
disclosed that there were 6.000 de
portable aliens who are still ‘'free”
in the United States.
Orders Cover Six Cities.
The Justice Department said of
ficers had been directed to round
up the seamen, who were supposed
to be in New’ York. Miami. San
Francisco. Philadelphia. Baltimore
and Kansas City under an agree
ment permitting their freedom after
deportation orders were completed
but could not be executed for lack
of machinery.
The department also said that
125 Italian seamen were taken from
Ellis Island last night to Fort Mis
soula. Mont., to bp held in an Armv
camp taken over there for deten
tion of aliens. It is planned eventu
ally to put all the interned Italians
at the fort. The men were mem
bers of the crew of the Conte Bian
camano, taken into protective cus
tody in the Panama Canal Zone.
The seamen taken in custody in
; New York formerly were employed
on Standard Oil Co. tankers. They
were herded into the United States
| customs barge office, with Ellis Is
[ land their next stop before being
sent West, the Associated Press re
ported.
I-inn Column Precaution Seen.
I Commenting on the roundup in
New York, Byron Uhl. district
director of immigration, said that
“as far as we know these men have
been behaving themselves and have
not been engaging in propaganda or
; anything like that.”
When he was asked if he thought
the action had anything to do with
i “precautions against fifth column
activities by the seamen." he replied:
"Well, Id be just guessing the
j same as you. but I d say yes."
In Baltimore, immigration officer*
began rounding up 16 German sea
men who have been there since
beginning of the war in September,
193a
In his speech the Attorney General
warned that “under modern meth
ods of warfare the most critical pe
i riod for a nation under attack is the
period preceding the actual employ
ment of military force."
Nazi Secret Weapon.
"The secret weapon of the Nazis
has been the failure of nation after
, nation to recognize and deal with
this non-military invasion.” Mr.
Jackson said. “Our statute law has
in many respects failed to take into
! account this non-military period of
attack.”
The 160 German seamen were on
tankers of the Standard Gil Co. of
New Jersey when they were trans
ferred to Panamanian registry, a
Justice Department official said.
They were removed from the crews
and the company agreed to provide
upkeep for them, who were to main
tain fixed residence, notify of any
j change of address and follow other
regulations, as there was no way to
deport them.
“They are now being picked up for
questioning at the direction of the
Attorney General.” the official said.
“They will probably be held in cus
tody for some time. Their final
disposition has not been decided
upon yet.”
Responsibilities Cited.
In his address Mr. Jackson de
clared that “in the presence ot
threats to our national prestige and
integrity our people will demand in
creased emphasis on the rights ot
the commonwealth."
When public pressure develops for
priority of the “security of the state
over the liberty of the individual,"
it is a delicate task to keep public
| confidence and at the same time
steer a course “that will be approved
by the sober second thought of the
Nation,” he said.
The Department of Justice, he
asserted, is laboring under dual re
sponsibilities: To protect the peace
and dignity of the commonwealth,
and “to protect and respect the
j rights of individuals to do many of
! the very things that may be steps
in the process of undermining the
stability of the commonwealth.”
Lawyers’ Help Urged.
Urging the legal profession to help
in “putting our legal defenses in
order,” Mr. Jackson declared “it
is of utmost importance that our
, laws be made as effective as possi
ble within constitutional and proper
policy limitations."
He cited a number of situation*
he said should be remedied by
changes in the law.
Subversive Activities
In Baltimore Charged
Pj the Associated Press.
BALTIMORE. May 7.—The Balti
more Sun said today that all-out
ship aid for Britain is being en
dangered by organized subversive
i efforts in BaJtimore and Eastern
ports generally.
The subversive activity, the paper
. said, "is being manifested in whole
l sale diversions of ships' crews and
I individual demands of crew members
to be paid off and allowed to quit
foreign ships here, thus delaying
l anywhere from a few hours to weeks
. sailings of ships with war materiel*
; for Britain.”
i The Sun charged that seamen
r walking off ship a few hours before
r scheduled sailing time for weeks in
; terfered with the prompt departure
of Creek ships.
i