Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 1

WEATHER OAKLAND AND VICINITY Occasional light rain today, tonight and Friday; mild temperature: gentle easterly becoming southerly Friday. HOME EDITION TEMPERATURES Maximum 64 1 Minimum RAINFALL, Last 24 hours Trace I Last year Season to date 18.30 I Normal SI 12.SS 11.44 EXCLUSIVE ASSOCIATED PRESS WIR.EPH0T0 UNITED PRESS Full U.S. Weather Report, Pare tl VOL CXXXIV NO. 51 5c DAILY OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1941 10c SUNDAY 44 PAGES HURLS SPY CHARGE 19 Londoners Die as Bomb Hits Hospital U.S. Plans to Reinforce Air Fleet in Pacific f-1 2 Big Power Plants Ok'd For Defense P.

G. Cr E. to Proceed With Feather River Electric Projects 'Reynolds Takes Rap at Aid Bill Solon Fears Measure May Lead to War; Opposed to Defending the British Empire at Expense of U.S. Taxpayers WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.

(P) Senator Reynolds N.C.) announced today that he was opposed to the Administration's British-aid bill because he was convinced that its enactment might lead the United States directly toward a declaration of war. Beginning the fourth day of debate on the measure in the Senate, the North Carolina senator described it as "a bill for the defense of the British Em- 52 Injured; Welsh Port of Swansea Is Severely Attacked Latest Type of Warplanes Will Be Sent, Says Marshall; Orient Situation Held Serious WASHINGTON, Feb. 20. (U.R) JAPAN TROOP TRANSPORTS SAIL IS REPORT WASHINGTON, Feb. 20.

(P) General George C. Mar shall, Army chief of staff, was reported to have told the Senate Military Affairs Committee today that the United States intends to reinforce the Pacific fleet immediately with an Charging San Francisco Nazi Consul Fritz Wiedemann commissioned her to go to Germany to see il he was still in the good graces of Adolf Hitler, and failed to pay her, Mrs. Alice Crockett filed suit for $8000 today. Labor Praised pire at the expense of the lives of American men and at the expense of the American tax- His opposition came as a surprise to many senators because Reynolds had voted with the Administration majority to report the measure from the Foreign Relations Committee for Senate consideration. He had consistently refused previously, however, to say whether he would support the bill.

"I want to state," Reynolds told his colleagues, "that I am not opposed to giving aid to England as is provided under existing statutes. However, I am bitterly opposed to any subterfuge or the circumventing of the present statutes by any type of legislation such as this, which we are now being called upon to vote upon. ABHORS WAR "There is no man in this body that abhors war or war more than I do, and 1 intend to do every-thine in mv nower to keep our aw-ountry from becoming involved lr Qhis war. 1 am opposed to this bill n.rt. hid, duchum; i i.unvi, that its passage may lead us directly toward, and to a declaration 01 war.

Bevnolris termed "ridiculous" tatemcnt by Wendell L. Willkie. the 1040 Republican presidential nomi nee, before the Foreign Relations committee. Under questioning by Reynolds, Willkie told the committee that if Britain fell "tomorrow" Ahis country would be in the war Whin 30 to 60 days. Questioned further.

Willkie said that if Hitler captured the British Navy he would attark the United Slates "in a rela tively short time." Reynolds said Willkie was an "alarmist," and he also added: In the eyes of every military 1 -tn Tribune photo. Wiedemann Spy Chief, Says Suit S.F. Woman Charges Consul Heads Ring; Seeks $8000 for Work A divorcee who asserted Captain Fritz Wiedemann owed her money for investigating his status with Adolf Hitler, described the Nazi consul general in a San Francisco aw suit today as head oMhfl Gcr. man espionage system in America, in Superior The complaint, filed Court by Mrs. Alice Crockett, an attractive brunette, of 325 Sutter Street, sought $8000 from Wiedemann, Hitler's former personal adjutant, in payment for an alleged visit to Germany.

Mrs. Crockett, a Swiss native who said she once played in moving pictures under the name of Alice Gulden, asserted she went to Germany at the request of Wiedemann who wanted her to find out if he still was a Hitler favorite. SPENT $5000 "It's all bunk," said Otto A. Hoecker, the attorney whom Wiedemann said would do his talking for him. Hoecker referred to the complaint which made the following charges: Under a verbal agreement with Wiedemann, Mrs.

Crockett left San Francisco June 9, 1939. She returned the following December after hav- (Additional War News on Paces 2, 3, 4 and 12.) LONDON, Feb. 20. (VP) The industrial port of Swansea, in South Wales, and London, where bombs wrecked one block of a large mu nicipal hospital, killed almost a score of patients and a nurse, bore the brunt of last night's attacks by the German Air Force. Reliable sources said 19 were killed and 52 injured in the hospital.

The ministry'of home security announced tonight the number killed in London last night was "greater than at first thought," but it gave no figures. (The United Press reported that 22 persons were killed and scores wounded, 52 seriously, in the London hospital, where three male wards were wrecked.) The Government said bombers raked Swansea with high explo sives, damaging "a considerable number of houses and business premises." A number of persons were killed. SURVIVORS RESCUED A direct hit was scored on the London hospital, demolishing a part of it and killing several patients in their beds. One nurse's body was lounn under the wreckage. umer pauenis were buried in debris.

Rescue squads, doctors and nurses worked by the rays of flashlights through the night to release them. Rescue work was delayed when a delayed action bomb was discovered near another wing of the hospital. The patients were quickly removed. All trapped survivors had been extricated by dawn. A children's hospital in another part of Lonoon was damaged but there were no casualties.

NOONDAY ALARM An elderly woman was killed when seven high explosive bombs rained down in one London district, two pedestrians died under the wreckage of an apartment block, and two children were killed when a light standard crashed through the roof and struck the bed in which they were sleeping. Shortly before noon today sirens sounded another alarm in London but no air-activity was reported. Southern England and one point in fcast Scotland also were at tacked but the reported number of casualties was small. A.F.L. Pushes Ford Drive; Success Seen MIAMI, Feb.

20. IP) The American Federation of Labor today stepped up its drive to organize Ford Motor Company employees called one of the largest in the federation's history and predicted its success within the next six months. At the closing business of the mid-Winter sessions, the A.F.L.'s executive council put all the Federation's force back of a direct campaign to obtain the mare than 100,000 members of Ford plants throughout the Nation. President William Green said the Federation would put its major effort for the present on the Rouge plant in Dearborn, the Lincoln plant in Detroit-and the Kansas City pro duction plant. All three, he said, were suffi ciently organized early this month to receive charters direct from the Federation.

He declined to reveal how many have joined the three unions or to say how many organizers have been put in the field. SHANGHAI, Feb. 20. (IP) Re ports for which the Associated Press was unable to obtain direct confirmation circulated here tonight that Japanese Army contingents, packed aboard transports, were moving southward from Formosa and even Japan proper, presumably headed for Hainan Island, off the South China coast, or Northern Indo- The reports were considered by some observers to indicate Japan's reaction to the arrival of many thou sand Australian fighting men at Singapore, Britain's Oriental fort ress. Hainan has been considered i likely stepping stone for ny Japa nese move southward toward Singa pore or the Dutch East Indies.

Japan already has some 13,000 troops in northern Indo-China and small contingents have been enter ing there recently. Hong Kong and Bangkok reports said that 15 units of the Japanese fleet were known to be operating in the Gulf of Siam, north of Singa pore. These advices coincided with previous reports from Saigon that the two Japanese squadrons were in those waters. Other reports were received that Japan had demanded, at the Tokyo peace conference between Thai land and French Indo-China, the use of bases and transport facilities In those two countries which could be used for naval and. military moves against Singapore.

U.S. Program in Guam Stirs Anger in Japan By H. 0. THOMPSON TOKYO, Feb. 20.

(U.R) Japanese today denounced United States plans to strengthen the defenses of Guam and Samoa Islands and Brit ish reinforcement of Singapore. They charged that America and Britain in concert were trying to intimidate Japan, and, as regards the United States, said it would be solely responsible in the event of the "worst developments" an increasingly popular euphemism for war. Government spokesman said tartly that the Japanese people were getting "somewhat 'tired" of statements such as one made in the American Congress that Japan in tended to attack in the South Seas, including Singapore. Branding this and similar statements irrespon sible, the spokesman asked: "When has Japan declared she would make such an attack? TOKYO CONCERNED As regards Guam and Samoa, the spokesman would say only: Naturally Japanese will be more concerned at the prospect of addi tional American defenses near Japan." The spokesman said Japan posi tion on the present situation was that expressed in a statement Tues day by Koh Ishii, chief of the Cabi net information service that if the United States could only be persuaded to restrict its activities to the Western Hemisphere the situation would be greatly mitigated. ANZAC8 LAND Generally, the view was taken that American defense plans were certain to aggravate The Government spokesman said Continued Page t.

Col. I unspecified number of the fighting planes. Declining to reveal, even in London Gets Veiled Threat Tokyo Hints at Reprisals in 'Mediation' Note By FREDERICK KUH LONDON, Feb. 20. (U.B A Japanese note to Britain, offering mediation to end the war, contained a covert threat in the form of a hint that soma Japanese, groups were demanding immediate measures to anticipate a possible emergency in the Pacific due to British and American activities, it was reported today.

it hoiieveri that the note -was Intended first to divert from Japan's own warlike activities and to demonstrate to the Japanese people that their Government was not passively accepting such measures as American plans to strengthen Guam and Samoa and British reinforcement of Singapore. POLITE 'NO' Viscount Halifax, British ambas sador at Washington, was expected to consult the State Department on the note and on Britain's reply, which was expected to be a firm but polite "no." There was believed to be a good chance that Foreign Secretary An thony Eden, in the note, would take the oDDortunity to put on record numerous Japanese activities which hve caused anxiety. No one in authority seemed to take the Japanese note seriously. It was considered a tactical maneuver only, and, as regards offers of mediation, all official comments tend to confirm the impression that Britain's terms for peace are complete victory. Britain' position was regarded as immensely stronger because of its prompt reinforcement of Singapore and the mining oi Malayan waters in answer to Japanese warlike moves.

JAPAN BALKED Military experts even suggested that Britain's moves might have frustrated Japanese plans for a drive in the South Seas in furtherance or its expansionist ambitions. 1 They said that they could not see how Japan could make much progress without attacking Singapore, and that Singapore was now almost impregnable." They expressed belief that an attack was made, it must be made on the land side, from Thailand. In this connection they recalled that in the last war it took Japan two months, with the aid of a strong British force, to occupy the cpm-pletely isolated German base of Tsingtao, on the Chinese coast near Japan. earliest possible completi.m jnan, he made me naicuious awie-tient that if we aid Great Britain to the extent of providing planes for her. with which she can attain supremacy of the air, that she would reconquer all of the territory taken by Hitler.

fOOT SOLDIER NEEDED "Of course we all know that Eu-fope could not be conquered from the air. To conquer or to reclaim (onquered territory, the foot soldier ft today is just as necessary as was (he foot soldier nf Napoleon's day. ft would be easier to conquer a country by radio waves, 'propaganda, (han it would be to conquer or reconquer a territory without the ac- Continued Page 12. Col. 2 The Federal Power Commission today authorized the Pacific Gas Electric Co.

to construct the proposed Cresta and Pulga hydroelec tric developments on the Feather River in California as a means of providing more power for defense industries on the West Coast. I he f.r.L. authorization was granted over protests of Jhe Administration of Governor Culbert Olson of California. Olson's director of public works, Frank Clark. took the position that facilities of the Central Valleys Water and Power Project would make the proposed expansion unnec essary.

Clark on a recent trip here re quested the commission to denv the P. G. and E. application. SECOND APPLICATION The approval came on the second P.G.E.

application submitted the power commission. The Federal authority rejected the first because it did not include the already completed Lake Almanor reservoir. The reservoir project was included in the supplemental amended application which the FPC formally approved today. P. G.

E. headquarters in San Francisco announced last month it was going ahead with the Pulga and Cresta projects. At that time the company indicated it had been assured of FPC approval. Under terms of the construction and operation license which is good for 35 years the company is directed to start work on the Cresta development in one month and complete it by January 1. 104.1.

The Pulga project is to be started within six months and completed by July 1, 1943. "It is to be expressly agreed by the licensee," the commission declared, "that, in event of failure to expedite construction, the commission may intercede and take such steps as it deems necessary to insure completion of the projects." TO COST $19,000,000. The developments arc expected to cost approximately $19,000,000. The company's Lake Almanor reswvoir is to be operated in con junction with the new projects. "The commissions surveys indi cated," the announcement said, "that assurance against shortage of power for California's share of the defense program will require noi oniy uie expeditious construction of the of the Central Valley Projects, in- eluding the proposed steam plant at Antioch." P.

M. Downing, vice-president and general manager of Pacific Gas and Electric, announced late in January the plants would cost and an additional $7,000,000 would be spent on transmission lines. The nlants. on which work already has started, are in Butte County, at points on the FeatMer Kiver known as Pulga and Cresta about 30 miles from Oroville Tho nlans railed for a plant of 93,000 horsepower capacity at Cresta and one of 110,000 horsepower capacity at Pulga. COMPLETES PROGRAM The developments were described as the "last step in a $50,000,000 con struction program started two years ago to meet power requirements for Northern and Central California until the Spring of 1945." Downing said the program in cluded three steam-operatert generating plants In Contra Costa Countv.

costing $15,000,000: a 28,000 Lhorsepower hydro-electric plant at f-Dutch Flat, Placer County; a 000 substation at Piedra, Fresno County; a $1,000,000 substation at Magunden, Kern County, and in crease in the generating capacities of older plants. It was expected work on the Pulga and Cresta plants would take three years, with several thousand men employed on the construction. Clark Urges Speed On Central Valley Job SACRAMENTO. Feb. 20.

(U.B Frank W. Clark, chairman of the State Water Project Authority, today expressed disappointment that the Federal Power Commission had aonroved nermits sought by the Pacific Gas and Electric Company for erertion of nower plants at Cresta and Puga. Ureine accelerated completion of the Central Valley protect, uiarK added: Projected power needs compiled by the Federal Power Commission indicate a serious need in view of future demands for power. "I am sure the Commission, Budget Bureau, Reclamation Department and Congress will recognize the need which calls for completion of Shasta Dam and associated facilities at the earliest possible date, including completion of the steam plant at Antioch, which I am pleased to ee the Commission seems to fully appreciate. "This can be accomplished only oy immediate authorization of a supplementary appropriation of 25,000.000." latest type of Army and Navy the secret session of the com mittee, the number of planes to be dispatched for this purpose, Marshall was said to have described the situation in the Pacific as "serious." Some committee members Mid Marshall refused to comment on Administration policy in relation to the Far Eastern situation, but assured them there was no intention on the part of Army and Navy chiefs to "strip" American defenses in the effort to speed up war equipment deliveries to Britain.

NOT HIS SECRET Prefacing his remarks with the warning that what he was divulging to the committeemen was not "his secret," General Marshall was- reported to have specified what he considered "an irreducible minimum" of aircraft and other equipment which the United States should have on hand to meet any situation that might develop anywhere in the world. Aid to Britain, he was reported to have told the committee, could be speeded up materially by passage of the British aid bill, since co-ordination of production for the British and for the Army and Navy would then become possible. This, he was quoted as saying, would eliminate especially "compe-tition" over various types of planes. Once the bill became law, he said one production head could determine the standardized types of planes to be produced for both the British and American forces nri in. dustrial production could be speeded on these types.

OPTIMISTIC PICTURE Senator Lee leaving before, Marshall had finished, told reporters that the Army chief had given "all in all a rather optimistlq picture about England's chances." "He told us some rather encouraging things," Lee said. Senator Holman on whose motion Marshall was called before the committee, said he waf "very well satisfied" with what he had learned. Sonja Henie Seeks U.S. Citizenship HARTFORD, Feb. 20.

-Pretty Sonja Henie, Norwegian, ice-skating star who recently married Dan Topping Greenwich millionaire sportsman, applied today for American citizenship. She wrote naturalization authorities here she sought final paperi through marriage to a citizen this country. Miss Henie said she was born la Oslo, Norway, and listed her vocation as an actress. Hopkins Named to Production Office WASHINGTON, Feb. Harry L.

Hopkins, former secretary of commerce and President Roosevelt's recent personal emissary to Great Britain, today was appointed as a member of the office of nrn. duction management's production planning board. ance of Messerscnmiu pursuit planes on the AfncarJ front. These planes may be based aj Castel Benito, the big Italian base south of Tripoli Today communicjue- from thl Middle last reported an encounte between three British Hurric a fighters and squadron of Messen schmitts. The British lost two plane Continued rage t.

By Hillman No Further Strike Laws Needed, Defense Aide Tells Hearing (Additional Labor News on Page 22) WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 (P) Sidney J. Hillman. assistant chief of defense production, told the House Judiciary Committee today that "strikes are the rare excep tion in defense industry" and no additional legislation was necessary to deal with them. He praised labor and management for the job they were doing together "to avoid interruption of production and said thoy should be! cnciJuraKtu JM men uv ui democratic conference table tech nique." The committee, which is divided over the need for remedial legisln tion to cope with defense production stoppages, called Hillman for testi mony after hearing from his col league, William S.

Knudsen, director of the office of production management Knudsen informed the committee yesterday that labor disputes had not caused any important delays. He recommended no legislative action under the circumstances. Hillman, in a formal statement, said labor relations in defense in dustries had a "remarkable record" for the past seven months. He listed 11 vital defense industriesaircraft, aluminum, automo biles, steel, electrical machinery, engines, explosives, foundries and machine shops, machine tools, lum ber and shipbuilding and said that statistics showed that "idleness due to strikes constituted 1-lfith of 1 per cent of the time actually worked." "For the first time in our indus trial history," he declared, "employ ment has increased sharply without an increase in the number of strikes." There were less than half as many persons involved In strikes during 1340, he said, than in the corre sponding period of emergency in Continucd Tage 12, Col. 1 vile precipitation gave a serious turn to the complaints that have arisen out of three months of almost steady downfall.

Lightning struck a new high tension cable of the Burbank power station, momentarily plunging the city into darkness. Light was restored with an auxiliary plant. Another bolt set a house afire. At nearby Monrovia, the lightning damaged two houses and set another afire in Glendale. Flooded areas around the Lockheed aircraft plant in Burbank, which is working 24 hours a day on warplanes, caused suspension of operations last night, but they were resumed today.

City Engineer Lloyd AJdrich reported that the Reseda area in the San Fernando Valley was inundated two feet in places, and that some residents were moving out of flooded homes. Southern Pacific passenger trains were delayed for two hours by a slide and high water, between Northridge and Chatsworth. In Los- Angeles, press dispatches said, Topango Canyon Creek went a rampage today, washing away one uweumg ana marooning eignt persons on a narrow point of land. Deputy sheriffs in a rowboat rescued Mr. and Mrs.

Morris Morgan, Mr. and Mrs. Donald E. Mor gan, and the latter couple's four children as the flood swirled about the doorstep of their cottage. Swelled by continuous rains, Topango grew from a small creek to roaring stream 90 feet wide In some places and six feet deep.

One cottage was destroyed. Snowfall in the Owens River and Mono Basin watersheds, above Los Angeles, was reported today the heaviest in 30. years. Snow was said to have drifted to a depth of nearly 100 feet in some high Sierras canyons, with a snow i an oi incnes at lying valley north of Bishop, and 34 inches in the Mono Basin at elevations of 7000 feet in 8 of 3 Days Rain Due for Bay Area; After That It's Your Own Guess The weatherman waded right out annther dreary prediction of pain for Northern California today. tonight, tomorrow and apparently henceforth.

The best instruments that science can buy were thrown into the job of finding clear weather, but they were of no avail. It's still going to rain, and that's a wet fact. The temnerature will be mild if that's any consolation, and the inH will come eentlv from an easterly direction, changing over nieht to southerly. The wind ap parently is the only weather factor that changes any more. Oakland got only a trace of rain in the 24 hours ending at 7 a.m., but Southern California was deluged.

An inch and a half of the WHERE TO FIND IT WALTER LIPPMANN produces from Senate records former votes of i i i uin inn crnnf nnn nf hoi i inric with payment of an agreed salary of $500 a month for the six months she was gone. There had been a misunderstanding between Wiedemann and the Nazi officials at home concerning his ability to fulfill his duties as consul general and "to properly fulfill his duties as head of the propaganda division of the Government of Germany in the United States." MET HITLER, GOEBBELS Hitler, Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels and Field Marshal Hermann Goering all assured Mrs. Crockett that Wiedemann, consul general here since March, 1939, was properly doing his consular work and also his duties as "chief of the espionage service" of the German Government in this country. Mrs. Crockett told interviewers she met first with Goebbels and then later she met Hitler and Goer ing during a private party at a Ber lin hotel.

She said she saw Hitler five or six times, in all. Hoecker said Wiedemann's ver sion or nis relations witn Mrs. Crockett shaped up in the following manner: She came to the consulate in the Spring Of 1939 and professed interest in the Nazi philosophy and wanted to work for Germany in this country. But Wiedemann told her he had no place for her. That summer she wanted to go to Germany and asked Wiedemann for a letter of introduction to German movie industry leaders.

Wie demann tried to dissuade her, but reluctantly gave her a letter to Mr. Paul, German film leader. PREJUDICE CHARGED In the Spring of 1940, Mrs. Crock ett wrote from New York that she was ill and needed money. Wiede mann charitably sent her $100.

In November she asked for a $500 loan, which Wiedemann refused. "The upshot of it was this suit," Hoecker said, "and the business about propaganda and espionage was obviously inserted to prejudice the case." Mrs. Crockett, 37, divorced U.S Army Captain Gilman K. Crockett San Francisco in 1936. She charged cruelty.

He is a lieutenant colonel stationed at Camp Jackson, S.C., now. Ships, 20 Lives Is Irish Toll to Nazis DUBLIN, Feb, 20. OP) Prime Minister Eamon de Valera told the Dail (parliament) today that since the war began aircraft bearing Nazi insignia attacked eight Irish ships and sank four of them with a loss 20 Uvea. which she wanted returned, Million; to Africa Rumania Calls Army of German Air Force Sent d'aaers now opposing icnu-icaoe argument that measure is neces TroopsJExpectecT tQQefen4 Russian Frontier for Hitler Planes Try to Saye Italian Army in Retreat to Tripoli LONDON, Feb. 20.

(U.R) German air squadrons have been transferred to the African mainland to aid. the Italians, against the advance of General Sir Archibald Wavell's Impe rial Army of the Nile, it was indicated here Official communiques from Cairo now report the appear BELGRADE, Feb. 20. (IPy-Diplomatic quarters in Belgrade and Sofia said tonight they had heard reports that Rumania had ordered fiearly 1,000,000 reservists to report for active duty on or before March 15. One report reaching Balkan capitals was that the Ruma sary and wise.

I'age -u. Subject Amusements, Plays Classified Advertising Comic Strips Crossword Puzzle editorial Features Editorials and Columns Page 24-25 39 30 33 31 44 Fashions Financial Geraldin Knave Radio' Schedules 32 37 32 31 36 21-37 34-35 26 Shipping Society and Clubs Sports and Sportsmen Theaters, Wood- Soanes Vital Statistics Wrthr Report 24 43 21 Nazis Lose 3000 Raid Planes nian Army would be ordered to the Russian frontier follow ing withdrawal of all German forces from that part of the country. An explanation of this wa that the Germans, not fearing a Russian thrust at the moment," were entrusting the Rumanians with routine defense of that flank while Nazi forces could sweep southward to Greece and the Mediterranean. A more widely held version, how- CoatiiiMd fa JX, CoL I NEW 20. iff) The British Broadcasting Corporation, declared in a broadcast today that Germany has lost more than 7000 airmen and 3101 plane In raids so far on Britain, exclusive of those shot down by the British.

Navy and merchant fleet In connection with these raids, B.B.C Mid, has loat 851 planes, but 427 of the piloti have been saved. "German 7 activity la the -first seven weeks of 1941 has been greatly reduced," the broadcast said, "but already -German' losses around the British coast number 56, against the loss-of four 'British machines." The broadcast wai picked up la New York by NJB.C..