The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-05-16


 a result Of the conquest of Holland and half of Belgium and said that German submarines were now of the Dutch and Belgian coasts tt move against England".
 French Not Waiting
 That indicates that the French troops are no longer waiting in theii powerful fertilization lines to meet the waves of German tanks, ar- mored cars and dive bombing planes. Instead they are slashing out in the open to meet the German attacks head-on or driving In from the sides in nutcracker flanking movements.
 The danger of the rSamur.Mez- ieres advance Is that a wedge may be driven between the Allies armies to the north in Belgium and the right Allied flank at Sedan. Ger man troops driving through Namur- Mezieres could strike hard to the northwest in Q race to the channel and possibly bottle up the entire Allied force in Belgium. Vigorous French counter attacks apparently have prevented the Germans from greatly extending their foothold in the Maginot fort ifications on the west bank of the Mouse, opposite Sedan. But the Ger mans still have their foothold ant are fighting hard to extend 1t. The British described the Sedan sltua- ton as serious but not critical" 100000 Men In It
 Some 100000 men are estimated to be on the fighting lines from Ant. werp to Sedan. The Germans indic- ated that the Allies have dug it strongly on tho main Belgian line that runs from in front of Antwerp and Brussels through Louvain to Namur and roughly follows the river Dyle.
 That is the line which might be turned If the Germans effect a ser- ious break-through from Namur to MeziereS.
 The Allied air force battered fur iously at the German rear lines In an effort to hamper and halt the moving up of supplies and reinfor- cements, The greatest air raids of the war were reported to have been carried out last night, particularly in the important Essen Dortmund- Bodum industrial triangle.
 Old names reappeared in com muniques and history repeated many episodes on the Belgian front There was some indication that the battle for Brussels might be fought around the Napoleonic battle-ground of Waterloo.
 Louvain In Danger
 Louvain, martyred Belgian city of the first World War, again was be. ing ravaged by war. And across the English Channel at Deal and other east coast towns the sea winds again brought the rumble of heavy artillery from the Flanders battle. fields and the ground trembled oc. casionally like the shock of ar earthquake.
 Fresh alarms sounded through southwest Europe.
 The Swiss were mobilized to the last man. They had 100000 men 1T arms and were prepared for any. thing-or as well prepared as theil resources would permit. Every sort of rumor circulated. One was that Germany had massed IS to 25 divis- ions or 225,000 to 375,000 men in the Black forest.
 Another was that the Germans demanded that the country bt placed under an Italian protector. ate.
 London expected an Italian move shortly. President Roosevelt indi. cated American concern over sucf possibility by sending a post. midnight communication to Premier Benito Mussolini-an appeal to keer the peace. Rome dismissed thu presidents message with a curt sug- gestion that it would have little If any, result"
 Allied Fleet Active
 The Allied Mediterranean fleet is steaming that inland sea. its where abouts a military secret and 1t. purpose allegedly the carrying out oi "maneuvers. The Berlin press sud. denly erupted with attacks or Jugoslavia for her treatment ol German minorities. Budapest re. ported Jugoslavia was seeking ( Russian military alliance. Greel forces were engaged in a sudder series of authorization and landing maneuvers at all principal ports No explanation was offered as tt why the Greek army desired to b' skilled in either landing or em. barking or where they would pu their training to actual use. Americans in Italy-an estimated 10000 are there now-were rushing to get passage home. U. s. diplo' 1 mats throughout southeastern Flu rope were urging American citizenI to get out.
 Soviet Russia, through the news papers Izvestia and Pravda. issued a blast at the Allies and predicted that war shortly would be extended to the Balkans and the Mediter' ranean.
 Germany Is reported to be restor' | ing the bridges over the ViStuii