Evening star., 1940-05-17
Puris
Continued From First Page.)

portrayed ~ . distinctly heartening
effect.
United States Ambassador VIII
liam Bullitt had m interview with
Premier Reynaud this morning.
Paris. meanwhile, maintained It's
calm after anti.aircraft batteries
again were In action during the
night. (Here - words were cen
sored.)
The military was in charge of the
capital as = result Of last nights
decree placing the city In the army
zone.
French said that along the line
east from Luxembourg, where the
main underground Maginot fort;-
fication system is situated, there has
been little alteration Of positions.
The German tactics have been to
flank this formidable system rather
than attempt to take it by storm.
Deepest Penetration ut Rethel.
1t Is in the Rethel region that
the swift German armored units
which broke through from Sedan
have effected the Navy Army's deem
est penetration into Franch soil,
Rethel Is halfway between that
frontier fortress town and Raims.
French mechanical columns, sup
ported by bombers and strafing
planes, attacked the invaders.
The battle continued all through
the night in the Rethel area, the
high command communique said,
and from there north to the Sambre
River, which runs eastward out of
France to join the Meuse at Namur.
The heaviest fighting was in
French territory, including con-
tinued combats involving tanks and
planes Immediately south of Sedan.
Fighting doggedly to check a Nazi
drive toward the heart of France,
allied ground forces struggled to re-
pair their lines while their planes
ranged far and wide, hurting down
destruction on German mechanical
units.
The lightning thrust of Ger
many's light tanks and armored
cars through the Sedan fortinca-
tions appeared aimed at Paris itself.
In this crucial hour French au-
thorities extended the military zone
to Paris, placed guards at the city's
gates, rounded up foreigners and
interned all Germans.
1t was indicated that placing Paris
under military authority did not
mean the city was in peril, but
rather 1t would put anti-aircraft
defenses, the blackout, Transports
ton and other facilities under mil
itary control.
Including Paris In the military
zone, 1t was made clear, does not
mean martial law.
washington military authori-
ties viewed the move IS an ad-
ministrative action to give the
army precedence over civilian
needs during the western front
struggle"
Nazis Repulsed ut Louvain.
Three German counter-attacks
were repulsed by Belgian and Brit
ish forces on the eastern side Of
Louvain, the British reported. Lou
vain is is miles from the Belgian
capital Of Brussels.
AS to the comparative speed of
the present German drive and the
invasion by way Of Belgium in 1914,
1t was noted that the Kaisers drive
started August 4, 1914, and reached
q point 20 miles from Paris Sep-
tember s for the first battle of the
Marne.
To-day, at tia sstarsaof the second
week Of Adolf Hitler's drive. one
spearhead Of the German attack IA
acknowledged to be about 100 miles
east Of Paris and ct least ITO miles
to the northeast in the Brussels or
LouvAin area.
The French claimed success for al
lied aerial operations, announcing
pursuit planes were sweeping Nazi
craft out Of the skies at the same
time heavier allied craft carried out
bombing missions.
President Roosevelt's defense mes
sage to Congress was reported prom
tnently and fully by press and radio.
America seems to be awakening
from q long dream" said lie Petit
Parisien.