davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-01-28

Germany. But the weather, the
presence of belligerent warships and
the danger from mines-flve other
ships were sunk by mines around
there that night-caused the Ger
man commander to decide to 60 to
Murmansk.
He told me this decision and
asked me what I thought of it. I
agreed that it was the best thing to
do. I hoped we might be able to
get the ship back there. He would
have gone anyway"
Not Allowed Ashore.
Then Capt. Gainard told Of the
mysterious experience in Murmansk,
with none of the Americans allowed
to 60 ashore from the City of Flint
but with the Germans of it. He
said he heard over an American
radio news broadcast that the Ger
mans were coming back to resume
control of the vessel Is minutes be-
fore they did so.
He said the Germans appeared
surprised when the Norwegian au-
thorities took them of the freighter
at Haugesund. One of the sailors
said the Nazis shouted "see you in
a couple of days" when they left
there. The Germans still are in
termed in Norway.
When the Norwegian warship
that took of the Germans at Hauge-
sund told him that it was proceed
ing to Bergen. that was all the
hint I needed" Capt. Gainard said.
II went with them" He added that
at no time on the run down the Nor
wegian coast toward Germany was
the freighter more than 100 yards
from the Norwegian Navy" The
City of Flint threaded in and out
of the fjords close to shore, keeping
within Norwegian territorial wa
tiers. and the Norwegian warships
went along to guard against vio-
lations of Norway's neutrality.
Delay in Unloading.
At Bergen, where she arrived No
vember S, the City of Flint encoun-
tered long delay in unloading her
cargo. She finally went on to Mar
vik, Norway, and took on a cargo
Of iron ore which Capt. Gainard
described as ballast" for her return
trip to the United States, sailing
January 7.
incidentally, Capt. Gainard said
he saw in the harbor at Murmansk
the German liners Bremen, ST.
Louis, Milwaukee and New York,
with several freighters and tankers.
Most of the German prize crew
slept on the deck of the Wheel
house while they were aboard, Capt.
Gainard said. The officers doubled
up with the ships regular officers.
Meals were served in relays to the
crews, but the officers ate when
ever they felt like it and one time
Capt. Gainard, the German COM
mander and the captain of the
sunken Stonegate all ate at the
same time-but that didn't happen
often, he said.
Asked what his plans for the fu-
ture were, Capt Gainard would say
no more than that the first thing
was to "get rid of reporters" He
was tired of talking about his trou-
bles, he said.
Long in the South American run,
he once was in command of ship
on which the crew staged a sit-down
strike. He said he did not know
about the union Affiliations of the
Citv of Flint creu-that all he knew
was that they were American sailors
Evening star., 1940-01-28
int Crew Lands With Thrilling Tales Of War in North Sea

ing out of the American nag was
the only actual work the German
sailors did, aside from stand guard
duty, while aboard the freighter,
crew members said.
Praises Mrs. Hartman.
Capt. Gainard began his story
with praise for ''the wonderful way
in which the ship and the ships
people were treated by the Nor
wegian government and people" He
also said that Mrs. Florence j.
Hartman, American Minister to
Norway, had demonstrated that a
woman can hold down such diplo-
matte post as well as man.
Sitting cross-legged in civilian
clothes on desk in his chartroom
packed with reporters and nervously
blacking-in circles on q memo pad
with a pencil as he talked, the
skipper who said he didn't like his
high school nickname of "Slugger,"
emphasized his gratitude to his
crew for their cooperation through
out the City of Flint's grief"
He recalled that one of the Ger
man sailors in the prize crew wore
a cap with the name Grief" on it,
and that he had tried to get that
cap as a souvenir of so much grief
of the voyage but had not sue
ceeded.
There could have been real
trouble at any time ! wanted It,"
Capt. Gainard said in speaking Of
his crews relations with the Nazis.
my crew was ready to 60, or to
stop, as I gave the word.
Crew Did Duties Well.
"Soon after the Germans took
us over, gathered the crew in the
messroom and explained what the
consequences might be If we tried
to resist. Resistance would give
the Germans the right to keep the
ship and crew, told them, and the
next American ship sighted by a
German warship might not be given
a chance as we were, but probably
would be blown up. I pointed out
that we ought to so conduct our
selves as to stay within the rules
and let the Government take care
of things later.
II knew damned well that the
Germans wouldn't blow us up
that the last thing they wanted was
trouble with the American Govern
ment. I knew that if we behaved
ourselves the situation would work
out eventually.
THE crew then performed their
regular duties well and there was
no disturbance. although at times
they had other ideas-the same
as the rest of us, they would have
liked to have gone to work on the
Germans. Not because they were
Germans, But because they were
foreigners on an American ship
we would have felt the same way
about any other nation in the cir
cumstances."
Questioned About Flour.
The skipper told in detail how he
was stopped by the German pocket
battleship on october 9. They put
Evening star., 1940-01-28

men and II guards. They also had
with them navigating equipment,
revolvers, bayonets, hand grenades
and several bags in which I think
were bombs and rifles. They also
had the crew of the Stonegate, who
were very thinly dressed, as they
had just come from the tropics.
They consisted of Is Englishmen,
II Arabs and one passenger from
Chile.
This officer who was In charge of
the prize crew, Mr.. Hans Pussbach,
asked our captain to call all hands
amidship. After everybody had
gathered around No. 3 hatch, he
gave us little speech, telling us we
were now bound for Germany in
stead of England and he wanted
us to carry on our duties as usual
and If we did not, they were in
charge Of this ship and they had the
necessary arms to see that we did
carry out our regular duties.
Case for State Department.
Our captain then also gave a little
speech and asked us to carry on
as usual as, come what may, this
was a case for our State Depart
ment to handle.
Ats pm. the motorboat returned
to the man-of-war, so we put our
ship full speed ahead and gave her
q salute of three blasts on our
whistle which was answered by the
Deutschland. BY this time we were
almost sure that was her name.
We then headed northward and
I was ordered to paint all ports,
ETC., Sc no light could be seen from
the outside. In the passageways
we hung blankets so in going out a
person had to pass the blanket
before opening the door. This made
it quite unhandy to get around at
night time, as everything was very
dark. I did not 60 out on deck much
myself during the night. as I was
now sleeping on the captains settee,
as two of the German officers had
taken my quarters. The 81 men
who came aboard from the English
ship were scattered about the ship.
We sailed northward for about
seven days and I think we passed
near Cape Farewell, Greenland.
Then we headed northeasterly
They did not let any one of us get
Evening star., 1940-01-28

was freed from the Nazis and was
lying at anchor in Bergen. The
sailors got shore leave, and one of
them spent night in a room in the
same hotel where the German con-
sui lived. The German consul put
a new pair of boots outside his door
that night to be cleaned-and they
never we're found again. An Amer
ican sailor was held in Jail for "a
hours, but then was released for
lack of evidence after Norwegian
police had searched the ship thor
oughly. None of the City of Flint
crew would say whether the Ger
man consuls boots might be worn
in Baltimore tonight.
One of the proudest members of
the crew was Junior Third Mate
Carl c. Ellis, %. of Newtonville,
Mass, to whom a blond bride is
coming from Bergen next month.
II met her the first night we were
ashore in Bergen" he said with a
shy smile. I'm about week and
a half we were engaged. She is
coming over next month to marry
me-" His flancee is. Ruth w. Engel-
sen, %. She speaks English and
has promised to teach him Nor
wegian, Mr.. Ellis said.
Steward Has Eggs Left.
Another proud man was Chief
Steward Joseph Freer of Baltimore.
He was proud of the captains praise
for his record in feeding without
a hitch the extra men the City of
Flint had aboard so long-and the
big, white eggs he stocked up with
in Bergen at % cents a dozen. He
had several dozen left when he
reached here, as well as a plentiful
supply of tender Norwegian tur-
keys, ducks and chickens.
This wasn't his toughest feeding
job though-that came on the City
of Flint's previous voyage when it
picked up and took to Halifax and
New York 223 survivors of the tor
pedoed British liner Athena.
II figured out that by the time
we got to Halifax I'd have one egg
q day for each person." he said,
"but knew they would think they
were getting two, the way I can fix
EN-"
The City of Flint came into har-
Dor here with two big United
States flags painted on each side,
alongside her name in big letters
that once were white but now faded.
The Stars and Stripes few from her
stern. AL signs Of her American
ownership had once been painted
out by the Germans, who suhsn-
Evening star., 1940-01-28

English captain, Mr.. Randall, had
already concealed on himself, one
of which was mine and which we
afterwards found out went through.
Ordered to Leave Tromso.
After landing the crew of the
English ship, the Norwegian Navy
ordered us out of their waters as
we were considered a naval vessel.
AS we were flying that flag this
seemed quite queer, as the German
captain was almost certain that he
could stay in territorial waters and
told us before that if they did not
let him go through he would show
his horns.
But it did not seem to work out
that way, so at pm. we heaved
up anchor and started seaward,
followed by naval vessel to see
that we did go outside of their
waters.
It then did not look so good for
us, as news now was out that we
were the City of Flint and we had
to go out into the North Sea, which
looked dangerous. I figured there
would be English naval vessels out
side waiting for us but after we
got out into the open sea they put
out all of our lights again and
headed southwark. Some time dur
ing the night they changed their
minds and headed northward. Now
it was we that were puzzled, and
wondered where they were going to
take us. After thinking a while we
decided he was headed for Arch
angel. Russia, in the White Sea.
Early on October q I noticed we
were headed into a bay which after
ward found out was Kola Bay,
Russia. On entering we came close
to several Russian naval craft. We
put up the signal asking If we were
allowed to enter the harbor, but got
no answer. We were creeping along
slowly all Of the time. As we came
In close to the land we raised an
other signal, asking where we can
get pilot. In the meantime four
Russian merchant vessels came out,
but no one would answer our signal
50 we had to stop. After drifting
around for some time . pilot came
aboard and We proceeded, anchor
ing ut q place called Murmansk,
Russia, at $50 pm. We were still
flying the German man-of-war nag.
Russians Disarm Prize Grew.
At $50 pm. Russian oflcials came
aboard. They looked over our pa
pers, collected I'll Of our discharge
Evening star., 1940-01-28

near a chart, as they had q guard
over the chart table at all times, so
we had to do lot of guessing.
On October Is we were somewhere
in the Straits of Denmark-that is
stretch between Greenland and
Iceland-and it was getting very
cold. On this day we passed nu-
merous :cebergs, some of them quite
large.
In Heavy Snow Squalls.
During the night of this day we
were running slow speed until about
midnight, as there were heavy snow
squalls and the visibility was very
poor. It looked as If they were TAX
ing no chances of striking an ice
berg. There was very little sleep
for any of us that night. On Octo-
ber II the German captain put part
OF his men over the sides on stages
amidships and painted out our
American flag, our ships name and
U. S. Lines that were painted on
both sides. They also painted out
part of our smokestack, the name
on both bows, on the stern and all
lifeboats. They reversed all life
rings so as not to see the ships
name. They removed the name
boards from the top bridge and had
me remove the top tarpaulins on No.
2 and No. matches, which had
American flags painted on them. So
now there was not anything to
show that we were an American
ship, and no trace of her name.
On October IS the Germans
started painting the name "Alf" on
both bows, on the stern and all Of
our nfeboats. They also painted two
Danish flags on canvas and placed
one amidship on each side.
On the night of October 10 we
again ran into heavy snow squalls,
with poor visibility, and knew we
were now getting close to the coast
of Norway. They were taking
soundings every Is minutes. About
9 pm. they found bottom at 60 faith
oms. AS the visibility was still
very poor they decided to stop and
drift until daylight. This was the
first good nights sleep I had, as
slept with all Of my clothes on and
only had on my shoes and always
had my life belt handy.
EngIish Seamen Landed.
When I awoke next morning we
were under way again, 80 I decided
to have . look and there were the
beautiful mow-covered peaks and
thu Norwegian Sjords On both ddeG
Evening star., 1940-01-28

who had behaved splendidly under
trying circumstances.
When the freighter reached her
dock. icicles hanging from the an
chors drawn up in her prov, Capt.
Gainard was welcomed by Mrs.
Gainard. who had come from Mel
rose, Mass, and stood In the bitter
cold waiting to be the first to board
the ship.
II hope he gets a quiet coastwise
job next trip" she commented.
Also among the first visitors going
aboard the vessel at the dock was
Miss Cathleen Schurr. 23-year-old
New York girl, who was one of the
Evening star., 1940-01-28
Germans Ordered
Prize Crew Into
Norwegian Port
Apparently Wished to
Evude Bottle With
British Cruiser

Continued From First Page.)
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-21
PLEASE NOTE

Though the voriey is wide, QUANTITIES Of each style
ore LIMITED. More double bec sizes thon sinoe bed
sizes, but about 30 poirs single size 70 notch.
The PaIeis Roya. Bedsprssds .. Second Floor
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-21
Volunteers Sought by Army
For New Parachute Battalion

mum height "a inches, maximum
weight 1876 pounds. Recruits must
be free from organic heart disease,
and have a prescribed blood pres
sure
In addition to the present strength
of the Test Parachute Platoon, to be
transferred from its parent organ
ization. the 9th Infantry, to the
Parachute Battalion, quotas OF en-
listed personnel for transfer have
been set for designated Regular
Army infantry regiments to bring
the battalion up to strength author
lied.
Specialized Subjects.
Every applicant for training in
this highly modern type of fight
ng." the War Department explained
must possess sufficient education to
enable him to absorb rapidly in
struction in map reading, sketching
radio, demolitions and other spe-
cialized subjects.
In addition to these qualifications,
enlisted volunteers" must have had
at least II months service and still
have at least one year of current
enlistment to serve before discharge
Volunteers who have less than a
year to serve in their current en-
listment will be discharged and re-
enlisted for transfer to the Para
chute Battalion if otherwise accept
able
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-10-21

Stringent qualifications for vol
unteers in the newly created para
chute troops of the Army were an
nounced today by the War Depart
ment. to include among other things
agility, athletic ability, intelligence,
initiative, determination and dar-
ing"
Preparing to build up the new
501st Parachute Battalion, now be-
ing organized at Fort Benning, Ga,
the War Department explained that
personnel would consist generally of
two categories parachutists, the
major portion of the command, and
n-parachutists, who would include
the administrative, supply and
transportation sections.
Service in a parachute unit will
carry extra pay for those qualifying
as parachutists. A number of va
cancies in the higher grades were
announced for individuals possess
ing the necessary qualifications
Rigid Requirements.
Only unmarried men will be ac-
cepted as volunteers. Recruits not
only must measure up in every way
to the physical and educational re-
quirements prescribed for entrance
into the Regular Army, but they
must have additional qualifications.
The age limits are from q TO 80
inclusive: minimum height 66 inches,
minimum weight 121 pounds: maxi
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
Mexico Flashes Red
Light Against
WOuld-Be Runaway

MATEHUALA, Mexico (FP)-The
Guggenheim-owned American Smelling
& Refining Co. has learned to its dis
may that it cannot beat the union
by shutting down it's plant and moving
away, as is the practice of certain
companies in the u. S.
Overriding the company's plea to
shut down, the federal labor board in
Mexico City ordered the firm to con-
tinue operations. Only when firm
can prove absolute economic necessity
may it cease operations under Next
can law.
Although the company contended
that the local ore supply was ex-
hausted, investigation revealed that a
more probable reason was recently
signed contract with the Mexican min
ers' union an agreement that pro-
vided substantial gains, including
health insurance for the workers and
their families, pensions, severance pay
and paid vacations. The 800 workers
have been picketing the plant for sew
eral weeks to prevent the company
from dismantling its equipment.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17

land one-third billion dollars, from six
teen billion one hundred eighty-five
million to twenty-five billion, five hun.
bred thirty-eight millions, or one-half
as much as the total increase in seven
years under the Roosevelt admins
tration Remember too, that while
the federal finances were continually
going to the bad, the economic sit
uation was the most perilous in the
history of the nation. Employment
was at the lowest ebb, the National
Industrial Conference Board mot a
government agency, but generally
credited as reliable) reporting four
teen million, seven hundred six thou
sand workers without jobs Farmers
received as little as AN cents per
bushel of wheat, % cents per bushei
for corn, 15A cents for oats and a
CORRESPONDENCE low price for cattle,
sheep, hogs and other products of the
farm and range.
All over the nation men, women
and children were keeping body and
soul together with food provided by
bread lines and soup kitchens, while
hundreds of thousands, male and fe-
male tramped the country looking for
work that could not be found.
1t is true that the wasted, crippled,
rheumatic economic patient Doctor
Roosevelt inherited from the Hoover
clinic has not grown new and virile
limbs, nor is he rid of all the scars
he carried on March 4, 1888. But he
is able to get around pretty well and
can do a fair days work, with pros
poets of further Improvement if he is
not put in the care of young doctors
who got their start in Doctor Hoover's
clinic, and who believe in the Hoover
methods of treatment.
In their demand for curtailment
of expenditures for the relief of farm
ers, whose inability to get cost of
production from the sale of what they
produce, loaded them down with debt
and the possible loss of all they pos
sess; and of the millions of wage
earners who are ready and anxious
o work but can find no jobs, leaders
of the republican party, and reaction
airy democrats as well, voice the de-
mands of the U. S. Chamber of Com
merce, the National Association of
and all other reaction
airy groups. They remind me of
Characterization of the rul-
ing class in Europe after the French
revolution: "They walked reluctantly
backward into the future, lest worse
hing should happen to them"
K. II. MANSON
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
First On the Job

Evidently President Roosevelt saw
that, for he directed the Tariff Com
mission to hold hearings and deter
mine facts. The hearings opened Jan
uary 4 with experts from the Depart
ment of Agriculture showing what the
situation was. Right at the beginning
there was before the Tariff Commits.
sion a brief on the subject, filed or
behalf of northwest wheat producers
by M W. Thatcher, representing the
Farmers Union, the Wheat Conserva
ton Conference, the Northwest Farm.
ers Union Legislative Committee and
the National Federation of Grain Co.
operatives. When the farmers inter.
ests are at stake, their organization
never overlooks bet or gets in too
late. 1t is at the front for them, first
on the job. The President, on advice
from the Tariff Commission, can in
crease the duty 500 or as much as
81 cents-total 63c. That increase
might lift the top of the dam enough
to keep out the flood of Canadian
wheat, which, if it ever comes south
of the border will be just too bad for
the northwest.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
The
of the F. u. c.. T. A.
Reaping Discord

That cacophonous ruckus which you
detect in Washington, d. c., at this
writing is not congress creaking into
action. It is not even the budget fall
ing down and crashing upon the heads
of those members who are up for
reelection this year, and who have
been crying for economy and reduced
expenditures and now, when they get
what they have been crying for-don't
want it. "Cacophonous? says you,
whats that?" Don't let that bother
you. 1t is just one of those So words
that this column swings loose with
every once in a while, regardless of
cost. We borrowed it from the Greek
and all it means is dad sound''--a
rasping discord such as came out OF
the horse fiddle you worked with
resin at the last charivari you at
tended and thought it lots of fun
until they tuned it up for you and
your bride
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
EMERSON HEADACHE
POWDERS SEIZED

WASHINGTON.-FP)- Seizure of
various quantities of "Emerson's
Bromo- Settler for headaches and neu-
ralgia" by the Department of Justice
under a consent decree of condemna-
ton obtained in the federal district
court for the southern district of New
York was announced here by the de-
partment.
The government contended that the
product is dangerous to health when
used in the dosage with the frequency
or duration prescribed, recommended
or suggested in the labelling thereof. !"
The Emerson Drug Co., agreed to
modify the content of the product and
change the label.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
lover the Dam

Now see what happens. By using
soil conservation and AAA parity pay.
ments, by fixing loan value and pay
ing a subsidy on wheat exports, the
price of U. S. wheat rose 80 cents
above the Winnipeg Tor Ft. William
Port Arthur price. We still had IL
cents edge, but when Canadian mon
ey was deprecated so that an Amer
lean dollar buys $1.10 of Canadian
money--our protective tariff is just
about a wash-out. That's why we
have 38,414,000 bushels of Canadian
wheat stored in bond in the United
States, right now. Let the Canadian
price drop cent or two, or let Ca
madam currency lose few cents
more in exchange value and that
stored wheat, plus the $50 million
bushels of Canadian surplus wheat,
will play Little Fishie" and swim
right over the dam.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
ariff Awakens

The old horse fiddle that is giving
cards and spades to Bob Burns ba-
zooka is none other than the tariff.
You thought the tariff was dead
"Hark from the tomb, that doleful
sound and here the old carcass is
rafting its bones and drowning out
every other sound. And, most amaz-
ing of all, it is the matter of the
tariff on wheat. If something isn't
done about it, it viii spill the whole
normal granary in sea of imported
wheat Hold everything, now, until
you get the low-down on this dry and
dusty tariff question which has sud
denly risen to confront the wheat pro-
Queer