The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-04-19


 April 20 is Hitler's birthday, at which time the army will stage a tremendous demonstration. It will take about one week after that to place troops in position along the French and Polish borders, and it is feared that the main conflagration may burst at that time.
 Originally, the German fleet was scheduled to hold maneuvers on April 20, and it is especially significant that the fleet jumped the gun and has already es- capped to the Atlantic.
 Nazi warships now can consti- tute raiding force far more pow erful than the famous Emden. German pocket battleships are superior to any British vessel save battleships, ana sU last that they can steam away from all British ships save the Hood and Nelson.
 NOTE-It has been a favorite German trick to let drop spe- cific date on which h0stiiities may start, thus throwing the French and British into a panic. Therefore the exact date of April 2S may have no great sig nificance. What is important to the U. s. however, is that re- gardIess of the exact date of "Der Tag" there is Geep pes- simism in State Department circles regarding the prospects of European peace.
 TRIBUTE TO JEFFERSON
 Frugal were the crumbs of hom- age which the House of Repre- senatives handed Thomas Jeffer- son last week. Congressmen had thought the business of the day was over. Sam Rayburn actually had moved adjournment, and Bankhead was about to bring his gavel down, when Louis Ludlow of Indiana rose and asked for 20 minutes on Jefferson.
 Members crowded the aisles to leave the chamber. The speaker banged the gavel and cried, "The House is not adjourned" Members continued to leave. Ludlow brought his notes to the rostrum and de- clared he wanted to pay tribute to "the greatest humanitarian since Jesus of Nazareth.
 Twenty members remained. Bankhead turned the Chair over to substitute who tried to keep the twenty attentive. we should reconsecrate ourselves" cried Lud- low, "at the feet of Jefferson.
 Lex Green of Florida, in 8 Windsor tie, held court with two cronies in the rear of the cham Der. Mary Norton of New Jersey, in a print dress, chatted with Reuben Wood of Missouri. Joe Martin of Massachusetts held 8 fight talk with Republican stall warts on the other side of the aisle.
 Jefferson" declared Ludlow, "did more than any other man to free the human spirit" One man. Gene Cox of Georgia, broke into applause.
 RUSSIA ENIGMA
 Inside diplomats say the most important change to come over the British Cabinet in the past ten days is in regard to Russia. Russia now holds the key to Bri- tish Empire safety, which is why Chamberlain is so abjectly WOOL ing her.
 Russia's position ever since Munich has been one of sitting on the side-lines smiling at Bri- tain's predicament. Stalin was sore at the Munich surrender and let the British know that they could stew in their own juice.
 This was not lost upon Lon- don, and there have been many discussions within the British Cabinet regarding overtures to Russia. Until recently, however, vigorous objection came from Sir Samuel Hoare, Sir John Simon and from Chamberlain himself. They claimed that if Britain made overtures to Russia, 1t would alien ate Mussolini. They were still kidding themselves that Il Duce was going to join France and Britain.
 This Cabinet group also fig ured that it would be smart for Britain to maneuver Hitler and Stalin into 8 war against each other. Thus the two dictators could fight 1t out, while Bri- tain looked on from the side- lines. And the weaker Russia and