Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • Page 11

A-ll OAKLAND THIBJJNE, 5UNDAY, NOVEMBER ID, 1340 HELP EACH OTHER TO FREEDOM F.D.R. Is Guest DO YOU REMEMBER ELEPHANT TRAINS OF 1915! GOING BACK INTO SERVICE AT LOCAL GARDENS i British Delayed Bombing Reich Air Marshal Reveals Pledge to France to -Avoid Reprisals if I it 1 Locomotives, Cars Will Be Put Into Use The locomotives nd cars that carried visitors around the ground 61 the Panama Pacific International Exposition a quarter ol a century ago are going back into service, at Alameda County Zoological "jardens. And the same man who designed hem, built and then operated them L. M. MacDermot, will be at the throttle when the first run is made over the new course at Durant Park sometime next Spring.

It has been. 25 years since Mac Dermot shoveled coal from the ten der into the firebox and sent the little locomotives puffing down their 18-guage tracks. A quarter of century has rolled by since the last passenger paid his fare and rode through the grounds of the Fair. And yet, MacDermot is positive that he could have steam up in at least one of the engines and set off with a 15-car train within two weeks. That kind of workmanship went into the building.

It was like a glimpse back Into history to stand in the old machine hop at Eighth and Center Streets yesterday and watch MacDermot and Sid Snow, director of the zoological gardens, prepare to recommission the trains. Out in front was the huge mansion where MacDermot nimseir was born close to 60 years ago. It and the carriage shed and the other buildings stand in aging silence under the huge trees of the block-square estate. One almost expected a horde of bewhiskered men in top hats and women with bustles and parasols to come trooping in. MacDermot paused in his loading of the trains onto heavy trailers to look back at pictures taken on the last day he piloted these locomotives in 1915.

And there were those men and women of the other day waiting for the train with the Panama Pavilion as a background. And there was a picture of MacDermot, a dark-haired young man, at the throttle of No. switch engine. His hair was gray as he slipped into the cab yesterday to show Snow the mechanism. Over in a corner stpod a Henault automobile used to drive around Oakland streets what few there were, in 1912.

MacDermot kept three crews working 18 months to build these rains, and they were a financial success at the fair, just as their modern successors, the Elephant Trains, were on -Treasure Island in J940. Every one bf -the five engines jnd 60 passenger cars were mint in the brick machine shop on the Mac Dermot estate. After the fair, MacDermot hauled them back to Oakland, and the cars have been a familiar sight in the big yard for years. He turned down hundreds of offers to sell them, he said, and even now he won't part with them. He and Snow decided only a month ago to recommission the trains.

A one-mile track will be laid out for them on the grounds of the zoo- Mrs. Marianne Bohannon (left) testified for Mrs. Pauline Nicolai (right) In her divorce proceedings yesterday. Then they exchanged places and both were awarded divorces from tlieir respective husbands for cruelty. Tribune photo.

Wives Sue fof Divorces Same Day; So They 'Make it Double' Do you remembeMhe "elephant trains" of the 1915 fair? The builder and engineer. L. M. MacDermot, IsMOwrT at the throttle then (upper) and today (lower), with Sid Snow, director of the Alameda County Zoological Gardeni, where jey will go back Into The same engines will pull their cars over a one-mile course at the gardens. Tribune photos.

BOYS' 'CRIME Rubles, Trade In WAVE' STORY Jh Diict t0rney' "LEADER" CRACKS McGettigan said, his Investiga tion convinced him that there was nothing to the stories. The supposed "gang" leader, 13, was taken into custody0 last Thurs day for questioning VMS connection with a bicycle theft, fjldhr said, and suddenly "broke" and admitted the other crimes. The other three young sters were taken into custody later and verified the "confession, ad mitting their part. Morgenthou Begins Puerto Rico Tour SAN JUAN, P.R., Nov. Henry Morgenthau Secretary of the Treasury, began an inspection tour of defense and other National projects in Puerto Rico today.

He arrived in a Coast Guard plane from the mainland yesterday evening. From here, he will go to the Virgin Islands. 1 WORTH NOTHING mmaJL i IV TRACED TO IMAGINATION SANTA ROSA; Nov. 9. they were held on a charge of ties completed their tnvestigation bicycle stealing and turned dver When Mrs.

Pauline G. Nicolai, 24, telephoned to her old friend, Mrs. Marianne J. Bohannon, 27, last month, she said: "I've got news. I just filed suit for my divorce." "Why that's funny," Mrs.

Bohannon retorted. did I. We ought 'to make it a 'double divorce'." And that's just what they did in the court of Presiding Judge T. W. Harris yesterday.

They testified as corroborating witnesses for each other. Both live at '4506 Virginia Avenue, Oakland. Both obtained their decrees on charges of cruelty. MRS. NICOLAI LRADjt Mrs.

Nicolai, represented by Attorney Burchard H. Styles, testified first. She said her husband, Ray mond Nicolai, 34, of 721 40th Street, a salesman, told her ha loved Of Newsmen Annual Gridiron Dinner Is Held at National Capital WASHINGTON, Nov. .9. (U.BW President Roosevelt was guest ef honor tonight at the National Press Club's annual dinner for the Chief Executive.

Roosevelt addressed the mem-. bers and guests, which included vice-President Henry A. Wallace, Speaker Sam Rayburn, Secretary ef State Cordell Hull, Secretary oi Navy Frank Knox, Secretary Of War Henry L. Stimson, Secretary of Commerce Jesse Jones, Postmaster General Frank Walker and Secretary of Agriculture Clauds In keeping with tradition, however, there were "notye-porters'" present and the 400 listeners kept whst he said a secret. Gene president of tht American Society of Composers, Authors and publishers, presented the entertainment program.

Among the stars of serein, stags and radio participating in the program were Fritz Kreisler, the vio linist; Fred Waring and his choir. Alec Tcmpleton, the blind pianist, and Charlie Chaplain. The Press Club presented two' skits. One urged the President to heed the advice of newspapers In making three Changes in publis positions. Press Club President Richard L.

Wilson presented men. all looking like Wendell L. Willkie, and urged their appoint, ment as Secretary of Labor, chairman of the Defense Commission and director of District of Columbia traffic. The other skit was a jibe at the President's love of the Navy. Actors told the President that he should be apprised of the fact, that there was an Army, too.

A mimic battle followed with a staff of six generals in gold-braid directing a one-man Army, Finally the staff lost control of the Army. The club's ballroom was decorated with military insignia and weapons. On one wall was a huge cartoon by Walter Karig of the Newark News Bureau depicting the President holding a loving cup In the shape of the United states, and asking: "I won it three times; don't I get to keep it now?" END OF S.P. BRIDGE SERVICE WAITS STATE RULING Abandonment of Interurbsn Electric Railway transbay service will become an actuality as soon as the State Railroad Commission determines on the type and. nature ef service to be This was indicated after the Interstate Commerce Commission in Washington yesterday approved the I.E.R.'s abandonment petition.

NEW SYSTEM NEEDED The State rail body had previously sanctioned cessation of service, but made it contingent upon tion of an adequate system, and Is still engaged in a survey to decide the most satisfactory replacement service. The Key System has petitioned for permission to replace the I.E.R. service, and has already submitted a plan for commute motor coach service from Alameda. A hearini on the Alameda proposal has been set for November 20, and It is expected that the Railroad Commis- sion will hold additional hearings later in Oakland and Berkeley. NEW SYSTEM SOUGHT At a hearing here in August, the" commission said it would study the entire matter, and expressed hope that a suitable substitute system could be devised by the first of the year.

The I.C.C. action yesterday was a formality necessitated by the fact that the IE.R. is a subsidiary ef the Southern Pacific which uses portion of its traffic for transfer ef freight moved in interstate com- merce. 1 Oakland Company Wins State Contracts The State Department of public Works yesterday awarded $184, 215.90 in contracts to Hcafey-Moore, FredrickaonW a Construction Company, Oakland for highway vork in three counties, The contracts call for grading snd surfacing 2,6 miles on U.S. 101 between Prunedale Junction and Sar-geant overhead, in San Benito snd Santa Clara Counties, at cost of and sbout one mile en State Sign Route 1 in Santa Cruz.

County between Davenport snd 1 miles south, for $52,994.80. Ground to Be Broken For S.F. Radio Home Ground will be broken at noon Thursday for the new $1,000,000 San Francisco i home of the National Broadcasting Company and Stations KPO snd KGO. This was announced today by Al Nelson, assistant vice-president ef NBC, who said that construction will start Immediately and that the build ing will be completed by next September. The structure will be at the cor ner of Taylor and O'Farrell Streets.

Father of Police Officer Succumbs SAN LEANDf.6, Nov. 9. Walfer R. Glanville, 50, father of San Leandro Police Officer Fred Glanville, died of a heart sttark t's afternoon at his home at I Mrle Court. Other survivors ire three e' Ellsaheih, Tmil and Jamrj.

1 (Editor's Note: In the following dispatch, written for the United Press, one of the most brilliant of Britain's aviation leaders discloses that British air attacks on Germany were withheld early in the war because of an agreement with France.) By AIR MARSHAL SIR PHILIP JOUBERT Member of the Air Staff ef the British Air Ministry LONDON, Nov. 9. U.R)-:Sitting peacefully in an arm chair in the club a few evenings ago, the idea came to me that a short review of the war in the air since September, 1939, would not be out of place. In the year that has passed we have seen many phases of activity in the air, but there are certain high lights that can be picked out. At 11:22 in London on the morning 'of September 3 the air raid sirens blew and those of us who were in the Air Ministry at the time trooped to our dugouts saying, "By Jove, the German is as good as his word.

War has been declared and his first act is to start an air attack on London." Fortunately, the alarm turned out to be false, and before long Great Britain settled down to a steady routine, interrupted only by German air attacks on our shipping and later in Winter by mine-laying seaplanes in our estuaries and coastal channels. BOMBERS HOLD OWN We on our part had started an air sea war very early and some gallant work was carried out hv nur Vinmhia pnmmnnd in aHalr ing the German fleet in its bases, Before long, though, it became very clear, that German air defense of places like Wilhelmshaven, Heligoland and Kiel was on a scale which made day bombing rather expensive business. However, in the battles that did occur between our day bombers and German fighters we certainly gave as good as we got. thus confirming our view that we had been wise in putting very strong armament into oomoers. xnese Domoers, wnen at tacked by approximately even nunv bers of fighters, were able to hold their own and It was only when German fighters were in numerical superiority that our losses became at aa heavy, PACT WITH FRANCE It was about the beginning of 1940 that we were forced to the conclusion that night work for our bombers was going to be their most profitable employment.

At this time, however, we were tinder an agreement with the French Government not to bomb German territory for fear of reprisals on France, which at that time was supposed to be in no condition to withstand a serious air attack. Indeed, subsequent events have proved that this was only too true. So our excellent bomber force had to content itself very largely with scattering propaganda leaflets far and wide over Germany, In one way this was very useful because our crews received invaluable training in finding their way to important objectives jn enemy territory and this training has stood. them in very good stead. For the rest, the only excitement that we ever had was in an occasional dash out into the North Sea to attack such German surface vessels as were moving outside their harbors.

And so Winter passed bitterly cold, and hence a great handicap.to air, operations from Germany and this country. NORWAY COLLAPSES Spring brought the Norwegian dis aster. In this total war a small neutral has had no Neutrality is possible only when backed by an adequate armed force and by a people, united behind their Gov ernment, determined to maintain their freedom and liberty of action. When the whole Norwegian coast passed into the hands of Germany the problem of effective reconnaissance (by British planes) over the North" Sea nd the maintenance, of sea control did indeed become al most impossible It is fair to say that control of sea communications along the Norwegian coast passed for the time into Germany's hands. bo we come to the battle of France.

I stated that the French had been frightened of reprisal by German bombers. The French air force suffered an outstanding defeat. Although nominally an independent service, it actually was subservient to the French Army. The small and obsolete bomScr force -was the only really independent organiza- tion. FRENCH WEAK Against this defective weapon the Germans brought numerous Snd well-equipped air arm that worked under a single commander who himself, though independent, operated in cloieat relationship with the Army command, This magnificent weapon directed by a single brain beat down the French resistance with lamentable facility.

Collapse of the French air organizations imposed upon us iitrain which very nearly broke the Koyai Air Force. Only the excel lence of our equipment snd the devotion and courage of our pilots enabled us to extricate the maionty oi our forces lrom their entanglement in the French catastrophe. Our losses in- pilots and aircraft were heavy. Those of the enemy were decisive, however, and as result the projected. Invasion of England, which the Germans had planned for late Summer, did not then take place.

GERMANSBEATEN The Luftwaffe, believing that they had only to attack with suf ficient numbers to ensure destruc tion of our defensive forces, com menced their campaign in August by massed raids. The result is well known. The German bomber force was compelled by the end of September to acknowledge itself beaten and with that defeat the probability of Invasion became only o- another woman and even bragged fore but that they became recon-of his "affairs" with other women, ciled. logical gardens. The first station will.be at the entrance to the The couple were married March 4, 1939, and separated October 13 aboureverythlnm the" book from holdups to a million dollars worth of arson, but they didn't have much of a case Jell on their hands.

The fantastic crime "confessions" were nothing more than works of the imagination of four grammar school boys. District Attorney "McGit- tigan announced that the boys, rang ing in age from 11 to 13, had been "spoofing for the thrill of it" "SUPERCRIME" PLANNED Now, astonished authorities who had been wondering what punishment would be suitable for the "short-panted gangsters" were pondering what should be done in the way of reprimanding little boys whose imaginations run wild. The boys even had told Chief of Police Melvin Flohr that they had planned to slug the night desk sergeant and rob the City Jail as the "masterpiece" of their "crime ca reers. Chief Flohr said he was hesitant to believe the "confessions," but the boys' stories were so convincing! LOTS OF MONEY Armistice Day, Golden Wedding ill, Be Celebrated Together NArmistice Day means more thanHand School Department. In this grounds, near the bridge over the creek.

The tracks will run from there to the social hall, which will h. Station No. 2. then to the monkey houses, the bear pits and back to the gate. Every phase of a real railroad will be copied, just as the rolling stock itself is an exact reaucea hmrtel nf real trains.

There will be three old-fashioned depots in the ntvle originated by the Soutnern Pacific. And there will be water towers, roundhouse, switches and ipur tracks, eventually even trestles and The only cost to the zoological gardens, will be that of moving and 'nstalling the line. MacDermot himself is repairing the cars ami locomotives, though there is surprisingly little work to be done. Snow said he hoped to be able to pick up the 20-pound rails he needs from some abandoned mountain railroad, perhaps some old mining simply a holiday to Mr. and Mrs.

E. Whalin, of 915 Mandana Boulevardtomorrow is their golden wedding anniversary. Armistice Day comes on their wed ding anniversary, rather than their wedding day on Armistice Day, be cause they were married many years before the World War even Btarted- on November 11, 1890, Healdsburg, Mrs. wnaiin native town FATHER BUILT CHURCH They met when Whalin's father, the late W. C.

Whalin, a pioneer Oak land building contractor, went there to build a church, Shortly after his marriage the younger Whalin entered business here as a building contractor, and for 12 years he was superintendent of building construction for the Oak- of this year. She won the night to resume her maiden name, Pauline Aldrich, together with custody of her 10-months-old daughter, Judith, $10 a month alimony and $40 i month child support. Then Mrs. Nicolai changed places with Mrs. Bohannon, Mrs.

Bohan non testified that her husband went out with another woman, named "Evelyn." HIS DEFENSE When she accused him, she said, he stated that "it's natui'? to go out with other women, and told her she was "narrow-minded." They also separateif. on October 13. They were marr'ed in Reno, Nev July 21, 1931. Her attorney was Otto Foelker. She disclosed that she had obtained an interlocu tory decree from Bohannon once be- "But it's going to be different this 1 time," she said.

capacity he was in charge of the construction of many of Oakland's school buildings. He also built large buildings in Washington, D.C., and in Glendale, and was the Jirst president of the Oakland Builders' Exchange, He still is activejy engaged in business in the building department of a real estate firm, BORN IN MICHIGAN Whalin was born in Michigan, has made his home in Oakland for the past 66 years. The Whalins have three daughters, Mrs. Orlin Harter, of Yuba City; Mrs. Dallas Kittle, of Napa, and Mrs.

Orra Kittle, of Costa Rica. The wedding anniversary will be observed with a family dinner to-1 morrow evening at the Coit Hotel mm- IW" No U.S. Citizen Has Headache Over. Pay For 3 Vi Years' Work A suitcase full of currency that isn't worth a cent. That's what James Crooks, 43 year-old soldier of fortune and sea man, has to show for three and a half years of service for the Soviet Government in the Far North It's been nine years since the U.S.S.R.

paid off Crooks for being the skipper of the first large vessel ever to enter the moi'th of "the Indigirkl River, which flows into the Arctic Sea, 1400 miles from the North Pole, and is the most Northern area of habitation in Siberia. And for nine years Crooks has been trying to exchange 6000 Russian rubles for good Arnerican dollars. He's given up hope that Soviet officials ever will keep the promise he says they made him. His 6000 U.S S.R. banknotes are good only to paper a wall or start -a bonfire.

FOUGHT FOR LOYALISTS Crooks, who went to sea at the age of 18, and at 40 fought in the Loyalist Army in the Spanish Civil War, arrived in Oakland yesterday aboard the freighter North Star, after a 400-mile trip which he made to "call the bluff of the Soviet Government." In his seaman's quarters on the North Star, which was put into drydock at the Moore Yards here, he told his story. Crooks' troubles began in 1927, he related, when he was commissioned by Soviet representative's in this country to take the schooner "Pioneer" from Seattle to the mouth of the Indigirki River, where the Soviet Government was "taking over" territory which hud been controlled by White Russians Crooks said lie made the trip under the agreement thrft he would be paid in American money, If dollars were not available, he said he was told, he would receive rubles, which he could exchange lor u.s. currency at a Northwest fur trading firm. He aid we entered we mourn of. the Indiairki In October, 1937 The Winter "freeze up" tied up the ship for nine months, until the two and a half month navigation season returned.

Then he took the craft to the Arctic Ocean and down the mouth of another river, 1200 miles west of Bering Straits. He left the vessel 500 miles inland, prepared to return to the United States. LOCKED IN ICC i But the ship he was to have boarded was locked in the ice 800 miles lrom its destination, tnd Crooks joined an expedition sent out to survey the Jfar wonnern srea. Alter several months, he was paid off in rubles and arrived back in Seattle in September, 1930. So six weeks ago he shipped aboard the North King in Portland.

Arriving at Vladivostok, armed with the correspondence he had received from Soviet officials, he called on the commissar. He didn't bring the money with him because he had been warned that he would be ar rested for having taken it out of SO Crooks is holding the bag or suitcase, with 6000 rubles now worth sbout 20 cents each In line. Two of the locomotives and 12 of the tourist cars already have been mqyed to the zoological gardens The third engine was started "there yesterday. Leaning a hand affectionately on boiler of No. 1915, MacDermot laid: "Well, this will be a lot better than scrapping them to make bullets for the Japanese." 1fa Jtu f'-vii, i- Howard Case to 60 To Supreme Court Decision of the California State Supreme Court removing all restrie Hons on peaceful picketing will be poealed to the U.S.

Supreme Court, attorneys for 32 talesmen employed by the Howard Automobile Com pany In San Francisco said yester day. The announcement was made by Attorneys Sol A. Abrams and I. M. Peckham after the State Supreme Court refused to grant a rehearing of its rulings.

The court turned down the appeals of the salesmen, the Guy Drug Stores of Oakland, and the Metropolitan Market of Los Angeles, The court' decision, hailed "Labor Magna Carta," legalizes closed ihop union contracts, giving labor nearly unrestricted picketing rights, and holding that a workman could not refuse to join a labor union. 0 The Associated Farmers of California has started a movement change State laws on which the majority opinions were- based the famed case. Sf'h Rented Four rooms, furnished, FR uitvale 7559W attracted. 12 readers through want d. One took it.

II still feoklnf. James Crooks has 6000 other Russian rubles besides the two he holds here. But to him these and the 6000 are worth nothing. He can't get dollars lor them-Tribune photo. Mr.

and Mrs. W. E. Whalin of Oakland will hold a double fete, tomorrow. Armistice Day, when they will have been married fof hall a eenturxTdbuhe 'photo.

Russia. 4 ieaves a ni'low. isibility and not a very hopeful one. i.