davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-08-02
81 Foreign Agents.
Held al Canal Zone
Prove 10 Be Refugees
War Department
Admits Error Due
To Transmission
BY the Associated Press.


The War Department today
labeled as erroneous an announce
ment by Secretary Stimson yester-
day that 81 foreign agents" had
been detained in the Canal Zone
Eighty-one aliens have been de-
tanned for deportation or other dis
position" the department said, but
it was admitted that the Army did
not know whether any of them were
foreign agents. Perhaps 80 or more
Of the 81 were reported from Pan
ANA to be of German. origin.
Offlcials of the Republic of Panama
said the aliens were known gen.
orally as refugees"
All told, about 300 or 1000 such
refugees" were given temporary
haven in the republic several months
ago, and some were given temporary
employment on Panama Canal prof.
ects, the Army said. The 81 men
and women detained were among
the latter number and are subject
to deportation simply because their
Identification and passport papers
are not in order, it was said.
Error in Transmission.
An Army official said that the
announcement made by Secretary
Stimson yesterday was the result of
an error in transmission. The word
"aliens" was said to have been mis-
intorpratod for "ooootcv II, n ,orbo I
report of the detention.
Secretary Stimson announced the
detention of the 81 yesterday when
he disclosed that all aliens, other
than Panamanians, had been dis
charged from United States Govern
ment or military positions in the
Canal Zone.
Only American soldiers or Amer
ican engineerS he added, are en-
ployed on fire control equipment in
the Canal Zone
Described as Refugees.
Leopoldo Arosemena, Panama s
Minister of Interior and Acting For
eign Minister. said at Panama that
the 81 persons held for deportation
were mostly European refugees"
They were picked up and turned
over to Canal Zone officials, he said,
when it was found that their papers
were not in order. Their point of
entry, he explained, had been
through the Canal Zone.
United States Army Intelligence
(See CANAL ZONE, Page A-3.)
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Ship Crew FeNs
Plane and Takes
Wreckoge Home
" the Associated Press.

EDINBURGH, Aug. 2.-The little
coastal steamer Highlander moved
proudly into port today, the wreck
age of German Heinkel bomber
on her deck-one of two planes her
merchant sailor gunners brought
down early today in fight off the
northeast coast.
They said the other plane fell
in flames into the sea. Two of the
men on the steamer were wounded.
The pilot of the first Heinkel ap-
parently fen into the sea.
I'VE heard bombers circling over
the ship" said the first mate. de-
scribing the action, land one of them
opened fire on us with cannon and
machine guns.
Our boys held their fire until
they got the plane in their sights,
then gave it fast burst"
The first bomber crashed and the
other after machine cunning the
steamer made off. Half an hour
later it was back, the mate said
but the Highlander's gunners got
it almost at once. The plane caught
fire as it fell nearby and flames
momentarily menaced the ship, but
were quickly extinguished.
Evening star., 1940-08-02
De GauI|e Is Sentenced
To Die by French Court

BY the Associated Press.
CLERMONT-F T-FERRAND, France,
Aug. 2.-Gen. Charles de Gaulle
the French officer who formed a
provisional French committee in
London to carry on the fight against
Germany, was condemned to death
today by a military court which
tried him in absentia.
Charges Of treason. attacks on
the security of the state and deser-
ton to foreign country in time
of war were laid before the military
court of the 18th region, presided
over by Gen. Frere.
Gen. de Gaulle is in London. He
sprang into prominence when
Premier Paul Reynaud dismissed
Gen. Gamelin and reorganized the
army.
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Week End to Be Cool -,
Forecoster Predicts

The forecaster had more good
news today for a city which swell
tered two weeks before getting a
break from the Weather Bureau.
The temperature shouldn't go
above 50 this afternoon, and prob
ably will get down to 65 early to-
morrow. while the general forecast
has an equally pleasant sound:
Pair and continued cool tonight;
tomorrow and Sunday generally fair
with slowly rising temperatures
accompanied by gentle east winds
The mercury got down to chilly
63 at $50 this am, and yesterday
afternoon climbed no higher than
81-comfortable extremes whiah,
although residents may not remem-
ber, are by no means unusual at
this season.
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Secretary Knox Asks
Naval Contractors
10 Avoid Delays
Also Urges Precautions
Against Unnecessary
Labor Migration
BY NELSON SHEPARD.

Calling attention to labor short
ages which threaten to retard the
defense program, Secretary of the
Navy Knox today urged naval con-
tractors to use all precautionary
measures to prevent delays and halt
unnecessary migration" of labor.
He appealed especially to contrac-
tors to recognize the Importance OF
diminishing the ranks of unemployed
and to prevent by all practicable
means the "pirating or scamping
of labor. The enticing of men from
one employer to work for another
he warned. leads eventually to un-
economical and disastrous results.
Industry should start apprentice
courses, Secretary Knox declared, tt
help supply the imperative need
for skilled journeymen and me.
chanics.
Increase In Employees.
Discussing the labor requirement.
Of the Navy in connection with thu
national defense program, Secretary
Knox issued the following state.
r1ent:
'The Navy Department has re-
Gently entered into. contracts fol
large amounts of shipbuilding shore
construction and other work in con-
nection with the national defense
program. Additional contracts will
be made from time to time to con-
form to the progressive requirements
of national defense. and as appro-
priations therefore are made to the
Navy Department by Congress. In
the navy yards and naval stations
also the work in hand ands con-
templated is calling for very con-
siderable increase in the number o1
civil employees under the Navy De-
partment.
TT is already evident that in GER
tain localities and in certain spe.
cialized trades and occupations q
shortage of skilled labor exists. The
Navy Department is collaborating
with other Federal agencies anc
with organized labor to meet thi.
situation. The Secretary of the
Navy takes this opportunity to urge
on all naval contractors to foreset
their, labor requirements and to in
form, as far in advance as possible
State and Federal employment serv'
ices and others concerned of such
needs in order that there may b,
as little delay as possible in supply
ing the required personnel and tt
avoid unnecessary migration o
labor.
1T is also urged that recognition
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Army Wants Motor
Companies 10 Make
Aircraft Cannon
sl4,ooo,oo Plants
Listed for Erection
Within Next Year
By the Associated Press.

The Army was disclosed today to
be negotiating with General Motors
and the Chrysler Corp. for opera
ton of two aircraft cannon fac
tories scheduled to be erected by
the Government within the next
year.
Publication of House committee
hearings on the pending S4,800,-
100000 defense bill revealed officially
for the first time that the Army
planned, as the result of lessons
learned from Europe's war, to
mount cannon on its combat air.
planes. In Europe. the use of armor
on planes had been widely adopted
Comparable in size and power 10
the present anti-tank weapon used
by the Army, the 37-mil]metel
guns would supplement the 80 and
50 caliber machine guns now
mounted on planes.
To Cost $4,000, 900.
Maj. Gen. c. M. Wesson, Chief
of Ordnance. told the House COM
mittee that he expected to COM
plete contracts for the construction
OF the plants, to cost $14 4,OO0, 900 for
both, by September /. They would
be in operation a year later, he
said.
Meanwhile, he said, the Army is
getting an order started" with the
Bendix Corp, at Bendix, N. j.. but
rather than build new plant there
near the Atlantic coast will con-
struct two in the Middle West. Ben
dix facilities may be expanded,
however.
To take care of immediate re-
quirements, Gen. Wesson said. the
Army also is seeking to place an
order with Chrysler prior to con-
struction of the new factories.
Chrysler and General Motors would
operate the new plants, under
present plans.
Need Larger Guns.
Gen. Wesson said it would re-
quire two and half to three years
to complete enough guns to outfit
the planes being purchased for
Army Navy aircraft expansion.
Some 37-mm, cannon are now be-
ing manufactured by the Colt Arms
Co., which received an order for
$4,000, 900 or more this week, but its
facilities are limited, Gen. Wesson
said. New plants are necessary, he
added.
THE information coming from
abroad" he said, indicates that we
have got to have guns of higher
power on airplanes than we have
had in the past, which were 80 and
so caliber."
Evening star., 1940-08-02
House Unit Favors
Tax Exemptions
For Defense Costs
Deduction for Plant
Expansion Would Be
20 Per Cent for 5 Years
BY the Associated Press.

The House Tax Subcommittee
voted tentatively today to permit
national defense contractors and
subcontractors to deduct the entire
cost of defense plant expansions
from their taxable earnings. The
deduction would be 20 per cent an
nually for five years,
At the same time, the committee
also voted to recommend to the full
Ways and Means Committee that
this defense plant amortization plan
be incorporated in single bill along
with an excess profits tax and a sus-
pension Of the Vinsom- Trammell
Act restriction on warship and mill
tary plane profits.
Representative Cooper, Democrat,
of Tennessee, subcommittee chair
man, announced that both commit
tee decisions were unanimous.
The flve-year amortization plan
would apply to incomes and excess
profits taxes.
Under it, 20 per cent annual de-
duction would be permitted on new
plants. plant expansions and equip
ment, completed after July 10, 1910.
The Treasury would allow the
deductions on certification by the
Defense Commission and either the
War or Navy Department as the
case might be.
Meanwhile. President Roosevelt
announced at his press conference
that he and Democratic tax leaders
in Congress were agreed that an ex-
cess profits tax should be enacted
without delay.
All manufacturers working on de-
fense orders know such legislation
was going to be passed, he said,
and were proceeding to assemble
materials even though contracts
have not yet been signed.
The President said Chairman
Harrison of the Senate Finance
Committee hoped to get final action
in a month. He added that the legis-
lation would clear up the important
question of amortization which the
manufacturers were interested in.
Evening star., 1940-08-02

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt declared to-
day he was distinctly in favor OF
selective service training bill and
I consider it essential to adequate
national defense
Specifically permitting direct quo
tation, the President made the
statement at press conference
after reporter asked for his opin-
ions. The reporter said a report
was going around that the Chief
Executive was mot so hot about
conscription."
The President replied that it all
depended on which paper you read
Distinctly in Favor of Bill.
In concluding his long discussion
of conscription, the President per.
mitted this direct quotation:
II am distinctly in favor of q
selective service training bill and
1 consider it essential to adequate
national defense
Declaring he had abandoned long
ago the practice of sending up
what he called ready made bills to
be rushed through Congress, Mr.
Roosevelt added that he was leav-
ing to the legislature the age
brackets for registrants under a
compulsory training law.
The simple fact is, he continued
that the lessons of the present war
show defense means total defense
Under modern circumstances, he
continued, that means a lot of new
machinery and equipment the Ma
ton hasn't got but is beginning
to get.
Many Firms Going Ahead.
He said that William S. Knudsen
in charge of defense plans for in
dustrial production. told him the
other day that lot of companies
were proceeding with $1,000, ,O00, ,OOO
worth of orders for all kinds OF
materials and machinery without
waiting for actual contracts.
The United States, he declared
had learned from the present war
that nations without trained man
power were In a bad way. ~
The way the Chief Executive put
1t was this:
In 1917 this country built an army
Of 4,000,o 600 men, but they did not
go into action until 1872 months
later.
Meanwhile, no shot was fired
against this country over here, but
that was just a bit of sheer luck
and would never happen again in
this Nations history.
In other words. the United States
now must have trained army be-
forehand, consisting of fighting
men, supply men, mechanics and
factory workers. All would re-
quire training, he said. whether they
were in uniform or not.
BY training men in advance for
defense, nation saves human lives
An unframed army and navy mean
casualties much higher than in the
(See CONSCRIPTION, Page A-4)
Evening star., 1940-08-02
{. c. c. Again Fully Enrolled

The Civilian Conservation Corps
announced today 100 per cent July
replacement enrolment which, Of
ficials said, brought the corps to it's
full strength of 100000 men for the
first time since January.
Evening star., 1940-08-02
R. T. OIiphunts Divorced

RENO, Aug. 2 R.-Eleanor E.
Onphant and Robert T. Oliphant,
socially prominent in Philadelphia,
were divorced yesterday. They were
married at Belair, Md, August is.
1880.
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Finds 30-Ounce Gold Nuooet

NEVADA CITY. Calf, Aug. 2 lP)
Jack Sheedy, Downieville miner
said today he had found 3o-ounce
solid gold nugget in an old river
channel.
Sheedy valued the nugget at
81 ,0O0,
Evening star., 1940-08-02

nights of walking in his quest for
freedom. attributed his successful
escape to his knowledge of geog-
raphy and to his swimming ability
He was in the icy st. Lawrence for
Evening star., 1940-08-02
HitIer's Leaflets
Bring Red Cross
10 Cents Apiece
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
LONDON, Aug. 2.-Souvenir-
collectors paid six pence (about
10 cents) apiece for Adolf Hit
ler's leaflets dropped in South
western England last night.
The proceeds were donated to
the Red Cross.
Evening star., 1940-08-02

Obituary --A-1o
Foreign
R. A. F. bombers ruin Hamburg,
British claim. Page Al
British battleship fired In bombing.
Italians report. Page Az
Gestapo influences Japan's home af-
fairs, British charge. Page AS
France will begin trials of former
leaders August 8. Page AS
Russian Parliament takes up union
with Baltic states. Page Al
Notionol.
Army asks motor firms to operate
plane cannon plants. Page Al
House group favors tax exemptions
for defense costs. Page Al
Refugees, not foreign agents." held
at Canal Zone. Page Al
Knox cites need Of skilled labor for
naval construction. Page Al
Selective training essential to de-
tense, President says. Page Al
Move to delay action on conscrip-
ton gains strength. Page Al
Units OF four o.. s. armies move
to theoretical battles. Page A-3
Evening star., 1940-08-02
R. A. F. Lays Hamburg in Ruins,
Docks and Factories in Bremen
Heavily Bombed, British Claim
Explosives Roined
On 100 Nuzi Cities,
London Declares
BULLETIN.

LONDON, Aug. 2. P.-The
great Krupp munitions works at
Essen, supply depots and air.
dromes in Northwest Germany
and four synthetic oil plants we're
attacked by British bombers last
night, the Air Ministry an
r1ounced.
Evening star., 1940-08-02

two hours before he could reach
land.
Yah, that water was cold," he
recalled with . grin as reporters
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Summary Of Todoy's Star
Washington and Vicinity.

Washington and Vicinity.
Rayburn sees House approval of
suffrage in 10 days. Page Al
District Department of Legion opens
three-day convention. Page AS
Agency placed l9,808 in private jobs
here this year. Page B-1
Evening star., 1940-08-02
President Says
He Distinctly
Favors' Draft
Calls 1t Essential
To Defense; Leaves
Ages to Congress
BULLETIN.

The Senate Military Commit
tee today rejected, 7 to 2, a pro-
posal to limit compulsory military
service at this time to 900 900
men. This action and rejection
of proposal for a 90-day period
OF voluntary enlistments seemed
to have cleared the way for
committee vote Monday on the
revised urke-Wadsworth bill.
Evening star., 1940-08-02

(See O'LEARY, Page A-3)
Evening star., 1940-08-02

(See LABOR, Page A-5.)
Evening star., 1940-08-02

(See TRAFFIC, Page A-3)
Evening star., 1940-08-02

(See SUFFRAGE, Page A-5)
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Editorial and Comment

Editorial and Comment
This and That. Page A-10
Answers to Questions. Page A-10
Letters to The Star. Page A-10
David Lawrence. Page Ali
Alsop and Kintner. Page ALL
Frederic William Vile. Page ALL
Constantine Brown. Page ALL
Sports
Rowe, with Newsom injured, comes
to Tigers rescue. Page ALL
Sullivan is called most colorful of
heavy champs. Page A-12
Lightning class sloop will take part
in regatta. Page A-13
Behnke, ex- Minnesota champ, threat
in ringer tourney. Page Ala
Evening star., 1940-08-02
Weather Forecast

Fair, continued cool tonight: tomorrow
and Sunday generally fair with slowly
rising temperature. Temperatures tp-
day-Highest. 70, at noon; lowest, So,
at $50 am; IS at pm.
From the United States weather rureau report
Full details on PAGE Az.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31

September, October and November,
1898, amounted to SIS, 1926 900, $751;
365,000 and $29,o99,000. For those
three months In 1899 the purchases
came to SIC, 433 900, 100000 and
$3,421 900. The total exports of
American fue-cured were cut in half
in November, 1899, as compared with
November, 1898.
To be sure, the total of British
purchases of goods in the United
States shows an upward trend be-
cause Of heavy buying Of military
supplies. Great Britain has not cut
down on its imports Of American
tobacco because of any animus to-
ward the American grower. In fact,
Turkeys whole tobacco crop would
not supply the normal British need.
Realization of the absence of British
i'll will, however, does not help the
growers plight. Nor does it ease
Secretary of Agriculture Wallace's
lot, and he may be expected to devote
much of his time this year to looking
for means of improving the tobacco
mans income.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31

state commerce of their Just share
Of State tax burdens merely because
an incidental or consequential effect
of the tax is an increase In the cost
of doing the business"
The vigorous dissent read by Chief
Justice Hughes rejects the theory
that the tax acquires virtue because
OF its equality" and questions the
right of State to levy on interstate
commerce simply because it may tax
its own commerce in similar way.
The tax, he declared, is open to
the same objections as would be a
tariff" levied by the State against
the products of another State, or a
State tax upon the privilege of doing
an interstate business, land in my
view, it cannot be sustained without
abandoning principles long estab-
lished, and a host of precedents
soundly based"
1t is not feasible for the layman to
de1o1iPo w pdSS JuoSulellI oIl CIlc
respective constitutional contentious
of the majority and minority of the
court, but there can be no doubt that
Justice Stone and the justices ap-
pointed by Mr. Roosevelt have opened
the door to the imposition of new
burdens on big business for it may
reasonably be supposed that other
States will lose no time in availing
themselves of the source of tax reve-
nue. to which the New York levy is
directed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31
War and Tobacco

Among the American groups hard
est hit by the European war are the
tobacco farmers. Almost a third of
their crop normally is grown for
export, and the foreign markets are
gradually closing. This is a matter
of concern for the whole population.
In 1898 alone $40, $4,000 in public
money gathered from us all by the
Federal tax collector was distributed
among the tobacco growers to i'm
prove their economy, injured by hard
times.
The chief contributor to the TO-
bacco problem is Great Britain,
which, confronted with necessities
of war, first placed restrictions
on foreign exchange, which limited
tobacco purchases here, and then
reached an agreement with Turkey
providing for greatly increased Brit
ish purchases of Turkish tobacco.
Turkeys friendship is of great mill
tary Importance to the allies. United
Kingdom fiue-cured tobacco pur-
ehases from the United States in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31
Endorses Mrs. RoOsevelt'S
Criticism Of Blue Plains.

To the Editor Of The Star:
I would like to add little bit to what
has already been printed in Sundays
Star, on page B-1, regarding 1.-THE Story
Behind the Blue Plains Story"
I am no one of importance, but I have
travelled and stopped at most of the i'm
portant cities in the United States, and
have lived in many important centers in
Europe. It has always been of interest
to me to know how the other half of the
world lives; so about two years ago I
drove out to Blue Plains to see what kind
of an institution 1t was that housed the
poor and INDECENT of the District of Co.
lumbia and adjacent counties. To say
that was amazed is expressing 1t mildly.
I trust that something will be done to
relieve this deplorable situation and feel
that since Mrs. Roosevelt has taken q
hand in the matter, conditions will be
better. IDA ALLEN KEFFER.
January 20.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-01-31
Sees Modern Parallel in
History of Torpedo.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Now that we have progressed" to
the stage where the torpedoing of any
vessel under 10000 tons has less news
value than an automobile wreck, the
following quotation from an article in
Harpers Magazine may be of interest:
THE history of the adoption of the
torpedo as a recognized implement of
warfare is not unlike that of gunpowder
by the cry, Inhuman, barbarous, I'M
chivalrous.' But the genius of modern
war requires the use of those weapons
which shall inflict the greatest possible
damage in the shortest possible time,
and hence the once-despised torpedo
now occupies place in the front ranks"
So thought our grandfathers, for the
article referred to appeared in the
June issue of Harpers New Monthly
Magazine in the year 1882. The moral
isn't clear, except possibly to indicate
that the frightfulness of yesterday is
the commonplace Of today.
The same article concluded with the
following cogent observation:
THE torpedo, once regarded with such
horror, has now fully taken its place
among those legitimate weapons by
which hostility is made so expensive
that nations will be forced to think
whether arbitration may not solve their
difficulties, and to hasten slowly at de-
claring war. That nation which Is
most fully prepared for war is the most
certain to be able to maintain its peace"
This has strangely familiar ring, has
1t not?
The torpedo in current favor with
our Navy at that time consisted in es-
sence of "a bag Of powder on the end
of POLE" with which wooden torpedo
boats like the Lightning, dashing in
with the unprecedented speed of "a
miles an hour, would attempt to tag a
hostile craft. Meanwhile, the celebrated
seH-propelling Whitehead torpedo had
been perfected to point where the
inventor "reaped a great harvest, nearly
every European government having pur-
chased the secret at heavy price,"
We are then informed that: Our own
Government, however, has not yet
deemed it advisable to make any pur-
chase, though 1t has been pressed upon
the naval authorities at various times"
Mr.. Jay Franklin may feel that this,
too, has familiar ringl D. D. D.
Alexandria, Va,
January 20.