rfEN DERSON’S
POPULATION
13,873
TWENTY-SIXTH YEAR
EUROPE IS AT WAR
Britain And France Will Help Poland
Germany Is
Given Final
Chance Now
Chamberlain Tells
Parliament Mussolini
Has Been Doing His
Best to Save Peace;
$2,110,000,000 War
Chest Is Voted,
London, Sept. I. (AP)
(Passed through British cen
sorship) Prime Minister
Chamberlain told an emergen
cy session of Parliament today
that Great Britain and France
had given Germany her final
warning.
If Germany does not cease
aggressive action and with
draw her forces from Polish
territory, Britain and France
unhesitatingly will fulfill their
obligations to Poland, he said.
The British and French am
bassadors in Berlin have been
instructed to ask for their pass
ports unless Germany’s rpply
is favorable, Chamberlain de
clared. And, he added, “I do
not suggest it is likely to be
otherwise” than unfavorable.
The prime minister said a
bill would be introduced mak
ing ages for military service
between 18 and 41 years.
“Mussolini has been doing his
best”, Chamberlain declared.
He began addi fusing the com
mons at 6:04 p_. m., and finished at
£3O P. m. (12:30 p. m. eastern
standard time).
News of the German air raid on
Warsaw came as Chamberlain
ipoke.
War Funds Voted.
The House approved a resolution
oftered by Sir John Simon, chan
(Continued on Page Five)
Hitler’s Reply To
Roosevelt’s Appeal
For Peace Is Sent
•
Washington, Sept. I.—(AP)
Adolf Hitler sent President
Roosevelt today his reply to
President Roosevelt’s appeal for
peace last week.
The German Embassy for
warded it to the State Depart
ment this morning and the de
partment was expected to make
'< public shortly. A well inform
ed person described the reply as
being “very positive”.
Gray Mouse
Executed
As Burglar
Smiles in Death
Chamber and Waves
Ig Witnesses; Was
Trapped by Hender
son Police Chief.
"'Kh, Sept. I.—(AP) —Arthur
k "i 24-year-old Negro known as
"';iy mouse” and “the eel”, was
■Phyxiated at Central Prison today
(.*' a ,() bbery which netted him 20
... n . ' :,n d a check he was unable to
c ‘ st He was executed for first de-
irglary. 1
l)'\," ' !s smiled as he was led from
U , n iio w to the gas chamber. Other
i v . 1 How inmates sang “What a
‘JV nfl * Have in Jesus.”
tf’t-r. i V i as smiling when he en-
Vjj. , ' II T death chamber and shook
as with Executioner R. A. Bridges
‘ (Continued on Page Five)
HctxJicrsmt <3atlit Bis ptrirh
ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THIS SECTION OFNORThCAROLINA AND VIRGINIA 1 ’
WIRE SERVICE OP
lHiii ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Roosevelt Declares He Thinks
United States Can Avoid War
French Ultimatum
Warns Germany Os
Aid For The Poles
Paris, Sept. I.—(AP)—The
French government announced
tonight that an ultimatum de
manding that Germany “imme
diately stop all aggressive ac
tions and withdraw troops from
Poland” would be handed the
German government at once.
The ultimatum, the govern
ment added, states that in case
of an unfavorable response
France will fulfill her obliga
tions and go to Poland’s aid.
The French ambassador to
Berlin, it was stated, has been
instructed to ask at once for
his passports—the usual pre--
liminary to a declaration of
Germany Warns U. S. Not
To Fly Over War Zones
Britain and France
Agree Not to Bomb
Civilians; Roosevelt
Talks Defense Plans
With Army and Navy
High Command.
Washington, Sept. I. (AP) — The
United States received as a neutral
today its first warning from the Ger
man government not to violate neu
trality in the air over Danzig and
Poland.
The warning, forwarded to the
State Department by the American
charge d’affaires at Berlin, Alexan
der Kirk, referred to neutral air
craft, which are “warned in their
own interests against flying over the
territories meritioned.”
Secretary Hull announced Great
Britain and France had agreed to re
frain from bombing civilian popula
tions, in response to an appeal from
President Roosevelt.
Great Britain made her acceptance
conditional upon the understanding
that all her opponents would also
refrain from bombing civilian popu
lations.
Defense Plans Discussed.
President Roosevelt and the army
and navy high command discussed
national defense plans for an hour
today. There was no indication of
what specific lines the discussions
had followed.
The Federal Reserve Board an
nounced officially steps to maintain
(Continued on Page Fdur)
Big Markets
Here Climb
On War News
New York, Sept. I.—(AP) —Spe-
culative commodity markets, with
the exception of cotton, boomed on
the news of German-Polish hostili
ties today. Some nervous selling came
into the New York Stock Exchange
in early dealings, depressing shares
of several leading corporations $1 to
$5 a share, but it quickly subsided.
Prices were mostly lower in the
bond market, but buying support ap
peared for United States government
bonds.
Wheat prices surged up at Chicago,
Minneapolis and Duluth, approxi
mately the permissible limits for any
day’s trading of five to eight cents
for various deliveries.
Such commodities as sugar, rub
ber, raw hides, cocoa, cottonseed oil
jumped around 1-4 to 3-4 of a cent
a pound. Cotton futures, however,
(Continued on Page Four)
HENDERSON, N. C., FRIDAY AFTERNOON, SEPTEMBER 1, 1939
war—in. case Germany refuses
to accede to the terms of the
ultimatum.
The French ultimatum follows
almost exactly the lines of the one
which Prime Minister Chamberlain
today told the House of Commons
the British government was making.
Poland Invokes Pact.
The French and British action
v/as understood here to be based on
Poland’s informal invocation of her
mutual assistance pacts with France
and Britain.
Polish circles said the Polish am
bassador had formally advised For
(Continued on Page Five)
Canadian Forces
On Active Basis
Ottawa, Sept. I.—(AP) (Cana
dian Press) —The Canadian gov
ernment today placed all militia
and naval and air forces of the
Dominion on an active basis un
der proclamation cf the war
measures act of 1914.
Vets Demand
Quick Calling
Os Congress
Boston, Mass., Sept. I.—(AP)
The Veterans of Foreign Wars, an
organization of approximately 250,-
000 overseas veterans, voted today
to ask President Roosevelt to call
a special session of Congress imme
diately “to protect American in
terests” in view of the war threat
abroad.
The motion for the request Was
offered by U. S. Representative
Van Zandt, Republican, Pennsyl
vania. He declared that “Congress
truly represents the American peo
ple, who don’t want war’, and who
“should be on hand to prevent any
chance of diplomatic blunders.”
“You have been informed”, Van
(Continued on Page Four)
Agriculture
Probe Group
Quite Silent
Daily Dispatch Bureau.
In the Sir Walter HoteL
Raleigh, Sept. 1. —The “co-ordinat
ing” committee has fallen into what
the late President Woodrow Wilson
used to describe as “innocuous de
suetude,” which for the benefit of
those not used to such long words
means simply “harmless nothing
ness.”
And yet the “co-ordinators” were
authorized by the General assembly
with a great blare of oratorical trum
pets. They were to heal the long
standing breach between State Col
lege and the Department of Agri
culture.
When Governor Clyde R. Hoey
named the group, there was another
outburst of laudatory comment in
(Continued on Page Four)
Says Every Effort
Will Be Made To
Keep This Country
Out of Strife; U, S.
Ambassador to Ber
lin Resigns; Appeals
For Civilians.
Paris, Sept. I.—(AP)—France
agreed today to President
Roosevelt’s proposals to Euro
pean powers that in case of war
civilians and open cities be
spared from aerial bombard
ment. Ambassador William Bul
litt presented the appeal to
Foreign Minister Bonnet at 1
a. m. and received an immediate
favorable answer on the part
of France.
Washington, Sept. I. (AP)
President Roosevelt told reporters
today that he believed the United
States could stay out of the Euro
pean conflict and that the adminis
tration would make every effort to
keep this country out.
In response to a press conference
question about whether America
could keep from being involved, the
President authorized a direct quota
tion that “I not only sincerely hope
so, but I believe we can, and that
every effort will be made by the ad
ministration so to dp.”
Mr. Roosevelt announced at the
conference that Hugh Wilson, am
bassador to Germany, had submit
ted his resignation this morning, that
it had been accepted, and that Wil
son was being assigned to special
duty in the State Department. Wil
son has been in this country for
months.
The chief executive asserted that
he would not be able to answer a
question of whether any one was un
der consideration to take the ambas
sadorship in Berlin.
Mr. Roosevelt said also he was not
ready to announce what Wilson’s
duties at the State Department would
be.
Developments abroad today and
those that may be expected tomor
row, Mr. Roosevelt declared, would
have an important bearing on what
the administration would do to in
voke the neutrality act and summon
(Continued on Page Four)
\
German Army
Is Now Deep
Into Poland
Berlin, Sept. I.—(AP) —The army
high command issued a communique
at 5:40 p. m., which said the Ger
man army which advanced on Poland
from East Prussia is “deep in Polish
territory,” and that “the air force is
controlling Polish air.”
The communique said advances of
German troops and air forces which
started from Pomerania, Silesia and
East Prussia this morning were well
under way toward their objectives.
German troops were reported ad
vancing toward two places from
Maerisch-Ostrau.
The communique said the air force
“is controlling Polish air,” adding
that “strong (aviation) forces are re
tained in western Germany.”
The army high command said
many successful air raids were re
ported on various Polish military
objectives in the Polish corridor,
Polish Upper Silesia, and the military
harbor at the Polish port of Gdynia.
War News At A Glance
(By The Associated Press.)
Berlin—German troops, war planes
invade Poland. Hitler calls it re
taliation, makes no formal war de
claration; Reichstag acclaims law an
nexing Danzig.
Warsaw —Poland calls for British
and French aid, her cities bombed;
frontiers crossed.
London —King George signs order
for full army, navy, air force mobi
lization; Parliament called; authori
tative indications Britain will fight.
Paris France orders general
mobilization; state of siege decreed;
Parliament called.
Rome —Italian cabinet says Italy
will launch no war operations; min-
Heads War Council
Hermann Goering
Field Marshal Hermann Goering is
head of the six-man Ministerial
Council for National Defense, de-:
creed by Hitler to rule the economic/
financial and administrative powers
to defend Germany in the event of
war. In this capacity Goering
wields an authority second only to
that of the Fuehrer.
Italy Won’t
Aid Germany
For Present
Mussolini Decides
Against Action a s
Britain and France
Order Full War
Mobilization.
Rome, Sept. I.—(AP) —The Italian
cabinet announced today that Italy
would refrain from starting any
military operations. The ministers
had met with Premier Mussolini at
3:50 p. m. (9:50 a .m. eastern stand
ard time) to decide Italy’s course of
action as an ally of Germany.
They met knowing of French mobi
lization and that Hitler had declared
Italy’s aid would not be solicited in
the German hostilities with Poland
for the time being.
(In London, King George VI
signed an order in council for full
British army, navy and air force
mobilization.)
Before the cabinet met at the pal
ace, where II Dude has an office as
minister of interior, British Ambas
sador Sir Percy Loraine had sought an
interview with Italian Foreign Min
ister Count Ciano to learn Italy’s in
tentions.
Italy Replies To
Roosevelt Appeal
About Air Raids
Rome, Sept. I.—(AP) —The
Italian government replied to
day to President Roosevelt’s ap
peal against air raids on non
combatants.
While the reply was not made
public here, it was understood
to state that Italy’s decision not
to take any military initiative
was sufficient assurance in this
regard.
UJacdtPwi
FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Partly cloudy tonight and Sat
urday.
isters meet with Mussolini; British-
U. S. ambassadors seek interviews
with Ciano.
Ottawa—Canadian Parliament call
ed into emergency session Septem
ber 7.
Bucharest —King Carol calls crown
council to proclaim Roumanian neu
trality.
Belgrade—Yugoslav cabinet holds
ready neutrality proclamation.
Berne —Swiss Federal Council de
crees general army mobilization.
Moscow—Soviet Russia reports big
victory over Japanese forces in bat
tle on Manchoukuo-Outer Mongolia
frontier.
Tokyo—Japanese sources silent on
battle report.
PUBLISHED EVERY AFTERNOON
EXCEPT SUNDAY.
Poland Is Invaded
By German Troops;
Italy Holding Back
Germans Driving from Three Directions; May
Be Aided by Russia; Poles Repulse Attacks on
Danzig; Poles Blame Germany for War.
Berlin, Sept. I. (AP) —Germany and Poland are waging
an undeclared war.
At noon today an official announcement said the Nazi air
force had gone into action over Polish territory, and that the
German army was “counter-attacking all along the German-
Polish frontier.”
(Warsaw was among several Polish cities that were bombed.)
Gti man land foi ces, the announcement said, were determined
to break all resistance.
The official statement that war was on came shortly after
Fuehrer Hitlei left the Reichstag 1 amid cheers for his declaration
that he would enforce a Polish settlement or die fighting in the
Commands In East
;
ray
Gen. Maxime Weygand
One of the outstanding heroes of the
World War, General Maxime Wey
gand, 72, will command France’s
eastern forces in the Mediterranean
area in the event of war.
Russo-German
Pact Factor
Here In 1940
By CHARLES P. STEWART
Central Press Columnist
Washington, Sept. I.—Britain and
France were no more shocked by the
Russo-German bargain than this
country’s Republican party was. The
G. O. P.’s leadership was pretty well
satisfied with the 1940 political out
look until that dicker was announced.
It reckoned that it stood a reasonably
good chance to lick President Roose
velt if he tried for a third term. If
he didn’t, but named the Democratic
candidate, Republican dope was that
the anti-New Deal Democrats would
quite generally vote Republicanly or
maybe put up a ticket of their own,
making a G. O. P. victory a fairly
strong probability. On the other hand
if John N. Garner, for instance, were
nominated it was foreseen that New
Deal Democracy would stay home
on election day, still giving the G. O.
P. a tremendous advantage. And the
Republicans didn’t believe that an
acceptable compromise Democrat
could be agreed on. The G. O. P.
strategists figured that they had a
cinch, almost.
The Blow Falls.
Then that Russo-German hook-up
descended into the situation, like a
sti'eak of lightning out of the blue.
“If,” said the Republican bosses,
“another ’world war begins, the cry
immediately will be raised, ‘Don’t
change horses in the midst of such
an awful torrent.’ And if war doesn’t
follow, F. D.’ll get the credit for hav
ing prevented it by his incompar
able diplomatic management.”
So the Republicans were quite
thoroughly discouraged for the pres
ent, anyway. “A few weeks ago,” a
prominent one told me the other day,
“the future looked bright as a dol
lar. Who knows now, though?”
All economic arguments have gone
by the board; the whole thing’s a
matter of international psychology.
That’s how politicians calculate.
(Continued on Page Four)
8 PAGES
TODAY
FIVE CENTS COPY
gray army uniform he wore.
In his passionate 36-minute
Reichstag speech, the fuehrer de
clared significantly that Germany
does not count on Italian help. On
the other hand, he pictured Soviet
Russia as Germany’s eternal friend.
Hitler spoke as if war already
were under way, but he did not go
through with the old-fashioned pro
cedure of formally declaring war.
He inferred the Rome-Berlia axis
had been smashed.
The supreme Nazi leader declaved
to his nation and the wor(c( t(jat
Germany would fight until 'the
Polish government yields or is sup
planted by a government that will
yield. He threatened to “answer
bomb with bomb and gas with gas”,
■ depending on the sort of warfare
Poland wages.
The Reichstag unanimously
shouted its approval of a law an
nexing Danzig original bone of
German-Polish contention.
The German radio announced the
League of Nations high commiss
ioner for Danzig, Prof. Carl Burck
hardt, and his staff left Danzig at
9 a. m.
The German swastika immediate
ly was raised over the red brick
(Continued on Page Five)
Berlin Announces
First ‘Successful’
Air Raid on Poles
Berlin, Sept. I.—(AP)—The
Berlin radio station today an
nounced the first “successful
air raid” of a German bombing
squadron on Warsaw’s military
airdrome.
Three German air units start
ed from a Silesian town into
Poland this morning, according
to the announcement. The an
nouncer said that heavy, low
hanging clouds favored the aer
ial attack.
Reaching their goal, the
planes dropped their bombs on
the Polish airport, it was as
serted. No Polish anti-aircraft
guns went into action.
Returning home, the reports
said, the airmen observed Po
lish troop movements on a Po
lish railroad station, which also
was successfully bombed.
Air Sirens
Are Sounded
Over Berlin
Berlin, Sept. I.—(AP)—(6:57 p. m.,
12:57 p. m. eastern standard time) —
Warning air raid sirens howled
through Berlin tonight, announcing
the advance of enemy war planes.
The populace immediately rushed to
cellars and other protective shelters.
Meanwhile, a report by D. N. 8.,
German news agency, said that Pol
ish airplanes attempted to raid the
outskirts of Beutehen, in German
Silesia at 4 a. m., and dropped six
bombs in a homestead settlement.
The report said there were no cas
ualties and little damage. The news
agency reported that Polish artillery
had shelled the Beuthen railroad
station at 11:30 a. m., firing five
shells of seven and one half centi
meter calibre, which hit the rail em
bankment and caused no damage.