The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-26

REV. T. CHARLES DOOLEY
 sen the nervous tension of the pas sengerS.
 Notice Through instructions from the U. s. Admiralty, all pas- sengers having luggage in the bag gage room will kindly report to the baggage room at i0:00 Q. m. for offi- cial inspection of same"
 About 100 p. m. (Weather clear, calm sea for the first time). A ship was sighted on the horizon off che star-board side. Passengers get out their glasses and 1t was soon brought to the attention of everyone that the ship was an American Cruiser, She was headed our way. It wasn't long before the cruiser pulled up alongside of us, about 200 yards away. Our convoy. Here's one rumor that eventually proved to have foundation. (We hope the time-bomb Is Just runor). The sight of an American warship has raised the spirits of the passengers. A sigh of relief and a Thank God are heard all over the ship, As we get under way the cruiser goes ahead Q few hundred yards, leading the way to New York. Although we all feel protected, nobody knows the why and the wherefore. About an hour later word is sent around the ship for all passengers to report to the bar and tea rooms where the captain wished to speak to them, We reported and the captain had the following remarks to make --- You have probably wondered why your baggage and trunks were searched on this trip, I received word from the admiralty some days back to take oil precautions for the safety of the passengers and the ship because Germany has An- nounced that she will sink all ships upon sight, You need have no wor- ries now; we have a convoy, and more warships will come to complete tho convoy; you are safe on this ship as you would be on Broadway Relax now for the rest of the jour. ney." (Cheers).
 History In Making
 As the hours tick off oil kinds of explanations are given and heard by the passengers, as to the reason for all this secrecy, and unusual procedure on ail ocean voyage. one of the stewards told Fathers Walsh and Moroney "only six people on this ship know what's going on and I'm one of the six. History Is being made on this liner CD, you just walt and see" We heard this evening that when we were 300 mules out from Cobh the captain got Q radio message from Washington to the effect that the Iroquois was to be sent to the bottom. The 1n- telligence Department suspected ai, inside job and that an explosive was known to have been put aboard the Iroquois ct Cobh, hence, the searching of cabins and luggage. We understand also that the American press has us splashed all over the front pages, several radiogrammes have been received by the ships operator from leading national newspapers asking what precautions are we taking. The mystery still fingers. Why should we be con- voyed the rest of our trip9 Are there submarines dogging us9 It would seem so, judging from the ac tions of the Coast Guard Outer Git's cutter and not a cruiser aS previously reported) She Agzags back and forth across our bow and continually sends messages back to the Iroquois. If there are no subs then perhaps the time-bomb sotne- where aboard Is beginning to swell up ready to burst. When will 1t 60 off2 (All during this trip an im- pending note of tragedy Is felt by oil We are doomed. Sooner or later out of the sky or from the depths of the sea or from within the ship tho powers of hell shall be set loose to Fend us to the bottom of the ocean. Passengers are resorting to prayer, to the Divine Ruler of the Universe, to Mary, Star of the Sea. Each eve- ming the Rosary is recited in coin- mon in the cocktail lounge and tea room. For this devotion, the crowd Is so great that there Is scarcely room to breathe. Both rooms are packed with people, they kneel in the corridors outside, they kneel on the decks, all praying to the Mother of God to lead Us safely to port. owing to the stormy weather, Holy Mass could not Do said until s,in- day, October 9th, and then only one priest could officiate. There are 24 priests on the ship)
 Passengers Informed
 Monday - october 9th = About six o'clock this morning two more of our conveys made their appear. ance, Q destroyer, No. 3e7, and q light cruiser. We feel more pro. tected now. Faces light Up with joy and happiness; there is laugh- tor and good cheer oil over the ship. None seems to be seasick, scores of new faces have appeared and we wonder where these people have kept themselves up to now. In the afternoon the Captain called all passengers again to the tea room for another announcement. In sub- stance, this is what he said: "Ad. miral Reiden of the German Navy announced to the world that the