Dedicated To The Progress Of " 1 WILMINGTON Served by Leased Wire of the And Southeastern North * ASSOCIATEDPRESS Carolina With Complete Coverage of —«JI Slate and National News V——-------WILMINGTON, N. C., THURSDAY, MAY 16, 1940_^^_^ ^ ESTABLISHED 1867. NAZI FORCES SHIFT ATTACK ARMY IS LAUDED BY HITLER; BRITISH BOMB GERMAN LINES THREAT IS GIVEN Reich Says Belgians Must Stop Military Activity In Jheir Capital AIR STORM HINTED GERMANY By LOUIS P. LOCHNER BERLIN, May 15—(AP) —The German army, ac claimed by Adolf Hitler for its swift conquest of the Netherlands, tonight threat ened to bomb Brussels, the Belgian capital, and slashed through French defenses north of Sedan. With his nazi forces ham mering forwar din a resur rection of the famed Von Schlieffen plan for a drive into France around the Allied left flank — a plan which failed in 1914 but which Ger mans are confident will suc ceed in 1940—Hitler in an orde rof the day said “the future will demonstrate the military importance” of the five-day Dutch conquest. Threat Given in a mreat similar to mat which brought capitulation of the Dutch, the German high command declared that if Belgian authorities wish to save Brussels from nazi air fury, they must cease all military activity in the Bel gian capital, already menaced by German troops who ap proached the Luvain “gate way,” some 16 miles to the east. “The Belgian government declared on May 10 through its foreign minister in Brus sels and likewise through mediation of its diplomatic intermediary, the United States embassy in Berlin, that Brussels is an open city, that no troops were in Brus sels, nor would they move through the city,” a high communique said. “This statement of the Bel gian government does not correspond to the facts. Ger man air reconnaissance dur ing the last few" days has established beyond doubt that all kinds of military columns are moving through Brus (Continued on Page Sixteen; Col. 1) ' 1 Britain Claims German Drive On Sedan Halted BRITAIN | LONDON, May 15—VP>— The Biggest fleet of Allied bombers massed for an attack in this war, 150 explosive-laden warplanes, raked German lines converging on the Meuse at Sedan with such effect, the air ministry announc ed today, that the first German advance in that sector was halt ed. The result, said the ministry, was that the French were en abled to launch yesterday’s coun terattack which drove the Ger mans back south of Sedan just as they were getting ready for a supreme thrust into France. (The Germans attacked again to day north of Sedan.) Dropping lo wover long col umns of German soldiers, tanks, guns and trucks, the Allied bombers yesterday struck in waves, destroying bridges, blocking roads with wrecked war machhiery, scattering marching troops, and breaking up concen trations behind the lines. The bombers were accompanied by pursuit planes which drove off attacking German aviation. The effectiveness of the Al lied air counterattack was so great that even the reported loss of 35 French and British planes was declared “not excessive.” The planes often dropped to as low as 100 feet, the British said, then released “sticks” of bombs which fell on the long, narrow military columns. Since the German offensive started in Belgium, more than 147 German planes have been brought down, the British said in (Continued on Page 16; Col. 5) Smashing German Drive, English Force Collide _ x British In Louvain Section Bomb Many Nazi Tanks And Armored Cars BELGIUM By DREW MIDDLETON WITH THE BRITISH EXPEDI TIONARY FORCE IN BELGIUM, May 15—(Passed by Field Censor) —(iP)—The smashing German of fensive aiming at Brussels and the heart of Belgium through the Lou vain "gate” clashed today with the British expeditionary force, which was heavily engaged throughout the long, hot day. The British, holding positions in and around Louvain, threw' thou sands of tons of high explosives and metal into hundreds of Ger man tanks and armored cars, screening the advancing green-gray columns on the roads of Belgium. French Town Bombed The operations opened last night w'hen a French town well in the rear was bombed heavily and scores of civilians killed or wounded. Louvain, a deserted city except for the troops and refugees stream ing through, contains the famous University Library, rebuilt after the last war by the pennies of millions of American school children. If the city is heavily shelled, the library, a landmark for miles around on the flat plain of Flan iers, well may be demolished. When C saw it yesterday it was stand ing in all its grandeur, defiant above the siricken city, on its walls :he names of the American univer sities and schools whose students (Continued on Page Four) Germans* Drives Boost Allied Merchant Fleet NEW YORK, May 15.—(AP) Germany’s invasion of Nor way, Denmark, Belgium and The Netherlands increased the Allied merchant fleet by 50 per cent and set the stage for the worst disruption of trade in the history of the world. Roughly speaking, the Allies were handed about 5,000 ships with total gross tonnage of around 10,000,000 tons. Before the war France and England had a combined merchant fleet of about 10,200 ships of 23,000, 000 tons. Their losses of approximately 250 ships have been offset by new vessels, the purchasing of old ships and the capture of German ships. ATTACK BY NAZIS ON SWISS FEARED Germans Roll Heavy Artil lery Into Place Behind Motorized Divisions BASEL, Switzerland, May 15.—(iP) —German artillery rolled into place behind motorized divisions on the German side of the Rhine from Basel to Schaffhausen today, and by sun down foreign military observers re ported the Germans seemed ready to move—if they plan an attack on Switzerland. The French also were ready with (Continued on Page Sixteen; Col. 7) YOUNG NEAPOLITANS REVIVE EXHIBITIONS AGAINST ALLIES ITALY ROME, May 15.—WP)—Several youthful Neapolitans revived an ti-Aliied demonstrations tonight, marching in the main street of Naples shouting old cries for French possessions. They carried huge pictures of Premier Mussolini and signs saying “Mussolini is always right,” “Chamberlain’s umbrella leaks,’’ “djibuti, nice, Corsica,” and “viva Italian Corsica.” Earlier, police put a sudden stop to suche demonstrations in Rome. Police dispersed about 10,000 .students and others who gather ed in the Piazza Venezia for a , third day of parading and slo gan-shouting. Premier Mussolini failed to show himself to the crowd this morning, although yesterday he took three salutes at his balcony. Several hundred students were reported to-have started a march to the Yugoslav legation but were dispersed after thoy threatened to mob a restaurant proprietor who advised them to “\uit clowning and go back' to school.’’ Official . quarters could not confirm Yugoslav reports of anti Yugoslav demonstrations at Flume, but informed observers believed that if such demonstra tions actually had taken place, they were without official sanc tion. Italian soldiers continued to guard the French and British embassies as new posters were plastered on nearby walls recall ing that Germany supported but France and Britain opposed Italy during the Ethiopian war. Lessening ol tension prompted diplomatic observers to return to their assumption that Premier Mussolini would wait for a con- 1 elusive defeat of the Allies be fore plunging Italy into war. The belief that Italian entry into the conflict was not immi nent was strengthened by sailing of the liner Conte Di Savoia with 1,000 passengers bound for -New York. Diplomatic quarters believed that one reason why Italy might prefer to wait before incurring the heavy financial strain of (Continued on Page Sixteen; Col. 3) * 4 NAZIS USE TANKS French Abandon War Of Position And Begin Cam paign Of Movement SITUATION CONFUSED FRANCE By HENRY C. CASSIDY PARIS, May 15— (AP)— Charing German tanks tore gaps in the Allied positions on the Meuse today after crossing the river at three points along the 50-mile front from Namur, Belgium, to Sedan in northern France. The Germans shifted their assaults to this sector after meeting strong French coun ter-attacks in the Sedan re gion just to the south, and were reported to have “pene trated to the interior of the French dispositions.” “War Of Movement” “In the face of the serious new situation, the French comman dhas abandoned the war of position and begun a war of movement,” a war ministry spokesman said. “The high command has regrouped and launched coun ter-atacks, which are now underway,” he said. me cnange irom station ary to mobile warfare meant that the French had decided to abandon their prepared fortifications and fight the battle of the Meuse in the field to meet the Reichswehr threat. The sector in which the Germans broke through was defended by a line of con crete pill-boxes built along the Belgian border as a northwesterly extension of the Maginot line. German tanks rumbling through the valley and planes roaring overhead advanced deep into this field of forti fications, defying French ma chine-gun fire. “Situation Confused” Information received from French general headquarters at 6 p. m., (noon, Eastern Standard Time) said: A general meiee oi r rencn ana German infantry, tanks and aviation is taking place . . . the situation appears confused . . Reichswehr infantry tried to fol low the tanks through the French lines north of Sedan, but the French troops held their ground at first. Once the tanks got through the French lines, however, they spread >ut in all directions, threatening the French positions from the rear. Then some French units had to re-, ireat. Both in the Sedan sector and < ilong the Meuse to the north, the , lerinan assaults continued despit# (Continued on Page Four) Wilmington’s Variety Store 3pen Day and Night Offered each day in the col umns of the Star and News Want Ads are the greatest bargains in and around Wil mington. You owe it to your self, if you haven’t been doing 1 so, to read the daily Want Ads. In the course of a year you S' will find that you have saved many dollars by shopping th# Want Ads before buying. ■” 1 . " i Greeks Boost Forces Along Albanian Line Precautionary Seps Are Or dered Within The Fron tier Regions PAPADEMAS IN CHARGE Departure Of Allied Fleet From Alexandria Causes Much Uneasiness ATHENS. May 16.—(Thursday)— (.?_Greec rushed troop reinforce ments to her frontier with Italian occupied Albana shortly after mid night this morning. It was understood that precau tionary measures had been ordered along the frontier regions. (Here the telephone line bettveen Athens and Budapest, Hungarian capital, by which the foregoing dis patch was relayed, went dead. At tempts were made at once to re store communication.) Line Restored (Later the line was restored and I the Mowing dispatch received:) Colonel Papademas, undersecre tary of war, arrived in the fron tier region of Yanima, to take per sonal charge of preparedness oper ations, He is virtual head of Greece's armed forces since the war secretary is Premier John Metaxas. Announcement mat me rsriusn and French fleet had taken to the sea from Alexandria for maneu vers caused uneasiness among Greeks. It was reported—but not confirm ed—that British pressure was be ing brought to bear upon Greece to permit establishment of naval bases for the British fleet on Greek islands. 'Similar reports have been cir culated previously. Some of them have been attributed to German sources. (The Yanina district borders the island of Corfu at the mouth of the Adriatic, an object of Italian am bitions for many years because of its position dominating Otranto Strait. Italy occupied the island in 1923, out later vacated it.) Given Assurances Greece, along with other coun tries in southeastern Europe, was reported on May 2 to have been given assurances by Italian and German diplomats that it need not tear invasion by the axis partners. Germany was understood to have made the point that she de wed to keep these countries Peaceful so that they could con iine supplying needed raw ma terials. Jla'j was reported to have as ', e“. she had not intention of angmg her "non-belligerency” 'atus for the present, and last Wober, in an effort to win the idence of Greece, drew her ^ ops back from the Albanian bor vamuff nevertheless continued u» m , Preparations. She called cL°fclasses of reserve army offi S for active duty that day. VAXirn __ Lovnrvv ’ " SiAU WUh^ ' Way 15-®~ Queen ‘MointeTp01 Ule Netherlands has Sad as ^ear -Admiral Van Der itarv a C,ommander of all Dutch mil ince of”lnavaI forces in the prov leaati Cland' the Netherlands tWeen^herself°UnCed t0night- The mem t„ 1 announced the appoint forces by radio. [weather I . X«th r,.„,F0Rl!CAST sllr«'ers1I!n:,.M'?stly c!°udy. scat T er '» east ,St portlon> slightly Tinirsdav ■ y.S an,d central portions i ’ lll,ay fair. B‘SiDT0f:3oOSICi'1 data for the 24 hours a- i. yesterday). a,1® a. m. wr'YZatnre Jo; 7:30 „■ I-30 »• m. 07; 1:30 p. tlnimum ot. p' ,n- '0; maximum 75; mean 70; normal 71. a. n, s.Han;'i>—To an accompaniment of charges of “scandalous” conditions within WPA, President Roosevelt won house ap propriations committee sanction to day for a $975,650,000 WPA fund which may be spent during the first eight months of the coming fiscal year. The committee said in its report to the house that the appropriation would provide employment for an average of 1,950,000 persons if spent during eight months, or slightly fewer than the 2,042,000 average for the current year. This year’s appro priation was $1,477,000,000. Strong Condemnation The most strongly-worded condem nation of the relief setup came from a minority of four republicans who objected to the majority report. They said an investigation by the WPA appropriations sub-committee had “served to re-emphasize certain fun damental faults under the present system of relief.” “The investigation,” they added, "has also disclosed incompetency, graft and corruption ,the selling of jobs and promotions, the diversion of relief funds to private use, ruin (Continued on Page Four) American Ambulances Damaged By Germans NEW YORK, May 15.—(AP) James Wood Johnson, head of the American volunteer ambu lance corps in France, said to night he had been informed that four of its ambulances on the western front had been partial ly destroyed by gunfire “di rected” by a German airplane in a “deliberate attempt to de stroy them.” Johnson said he was so noti fied by the Paris head of the corps, Dr. James V. Sparks. The drivers were unhurt, Johnson continued, presumably because the ambulances, part of the General Pershing unit, were not in actual operation. Drivers were Charles Willen of New York City, a graduate of Johns Hopkins university; Paul Brooks Willis, a graduate of Colorado college; Thomas G. Esten, born in Boston, but a resident of Paris, and John Cal houn, also of Paris. MARRY BALTIMORE, May 15—>—Hor ace E. Dodge, Jr., automobile mil lionarie of Detroit, and Miss Martha Devine, 27, Dorchester, Mass., were married tonight a few hours after Judge J. Abner Saylor signed an order waiving Maryland’s 48-hour marriage license law. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. Dr. John Hen.y Day in the Seventh Baptist church. The couple planned to take an airplane immediately for Detroit. Advancement Of South’s Farm Progress Is Urged BY BOB MATTHEWS (Staff Writer) INVERSHIEL, May 15.—The ad vancement of agricultural progress in the south through the further de velopment of year-round grazing programs for livestock was urged by farm officials of the Carolinas in addresses this afternoon at field day exercises at Invershiel. Speaker after speaker appealed tor the rebuilding of agricultural conditions throughout the southland by turning to diversification of crops, more efficient use of land, and incr«a*« ih livestock. •‘The south Will come into i ts own when it* fields are green in win ter,” declared farm specialists from North "and South Carolina, | I who called attention to the possi bility of improving the economic status of farmers by introduction of methods found successful else where. A crisis for southern farmers, created by the closing of foreign markets to such cash crops as to bacco and cotton, was cited by farm officials, who ' called” for a new era of happiness, prosperity and economic stability for agricul ture in the south by fostering stream-lined farming methods. The ball and chain method, prac ticed by southern farmers for years, in depending upon such main cash crops as cotton and tobacco, : (Continued on Page 13; Col. 1) *T“ Roosevelt To Give Defense Flans Today Chief Decides To Deliver His Special Message To Congress In Person PLAN JOINT SESSION Big Part Of Program To Deal With Anti-Aircraft Defense Expansion WASHINGTON, May 15. — (* President Roosevelt decided tonight to deliver his special defense mes sage to congress in person. He will speak at 1 p. m. eastern standard time Thursday. The ad dress will be broadcast nationally and perhaps internationally over the NBC, CBS and MBS radio net works. Stephen Early, the President’s press secretary, said that the ac tion was taken on the advice and recommendation of congressional leaders. Both houses and senate members will be in attendance. Arrangements for the address were started as soon as the Presi dent made known his decision shortly before 10 p. m. EST. Leg islators expressed the belief that the President was using this hneth od of demonstrating the impor tance of his message. Joint Session Planned Special details of policemen will be assigned to the Capitol, and con gressional leaders will put through a resolution for a joint session as soon as the senate and house con vene. Simultaneously it became known that President Roosevelt, while working on the message, has been continuing orrespondence with for eign governments, including Italy, looking toward peace. The President remained at his desk until 2 a. m. today primarily to draft his message, but it was learned that he also was in tele phonic communications with Secre tary Hull at the state department in connection with the foreign in terchanges. These were authoritatively de scribed as representing no new move but merely a continuation of efforts along the line the President has pursued for the last year. Authorita tive congressional sources disclosed that a substantial part of the defense program would be devoted to a tremendous expan sion of anti-aircraft defenses and private munitions industries. Legislators in close touch with the situation asserted that $63, 000,000 of the estimated $976,000, 000 armament program would be earmarked for anti-aircraft guns and ammunition for mobile regi ments, fixed batteries and sea coast defenses. $44,000,000 For Plants An additional $44,000,000, it was learned, would go for the expan sion and tooling of plants for the manufacture of equipment such as semi-automatic rifles, machine guns, tanks and anti-tank guns. House members explained that the expansion of private facilities was aimed at cutting down the time re quired to produce the arms, now estimated to range between one and two years for many items. The disclosures were made while demands were heard in the senate for an investigation of national de fense. Senator Clark (D-Mo) shout ed to the chamber that he was op posed to “pouring any more bil lions down the same rathole be fore we find out what the brass hats have done with $7,000,000,000 they’ve already received.” President Roosevelt worked to day on the defense program, which he expects to send to congress to morrow. The army is slated to get $726,000,000 of the total and the navy about $250,000,000, chiefly to speed up construction of war ships now on the ways. A $23,000,000 slice of the funds, informed sources said, would be devoted to providing the army’s warplanes with self-sealing gaso line tanks and protective armor. Other Expenditures The program also calls for ex penditure of about $80,000,000 for !00 four-engined bombers, about 5265,000,000 for equipment for a and force of 1,000,000 men, and ►8,000,000 for educational orders to (Continued on Page Four)