davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Career of Bismarck Shortest
Of Modern Fnst-Line Worships
Number of German Capitol Ships Reduced
To Three by Loss Of IS, ,000- Ton Botteship

With the termination OF the limi-
tation treaties, Germany began
building a navy with a nucleus of
SO ships of all classes, totaling 128,-
382 tons Ofiicial statistics in WASH
ington at that time indicated Ger
many planned building SO vessels
totaling 1886 tons.
In January, 1887, Adolf Hitler put
into. service without fanfare the
1,625-ton destroyer Leberecht Mass,
the first of is "of an entirely new
type" The ship was sunk in opera
tions coinciding with Poland's con-
quest.
Two Plane Carriers Reported.
BY March, 1888. shipyards along
the Baltic and North Seas were
working overtime and warcraft
totaling 335 ,2s7 tons were plying the
sea or under construction. At that
time two aircraft carriers Of 1880
tons each were said to be part of the
German fleet, but neither has been
heard of in action so far.
A 1888 British German naval
agreement recognized Gerx1anys
right to build As for every 100 Brit
ish submarines and IS war vessels
of other classes.
Two other British German agree
ments were reached. one in 1885 and
another in 1887. Each allowed fur
ther construction by Germany.
Pre-war concern in Great Britain
and the United States over the
growing German Navy centered on
Hitler's apparent determination to
rebuild the U-boat feet that had all
but brought Britain to her knees
| In the World War.
Just how many submarines Ger
many now has is not known outside
Of Berlin ofiicial quarters. On
January !, 1910, Germany was re-
ported to be building a submarine q
| day. In February of this year Lon
don sources said they heard Ger
many expected to have 500 sub
marines ready for spring action.
Biggest Blow to German Navy.
The loss of the Bismarck was the
greatest single blow to the German
Navy. A recapitUlation of previous
German losses listed by James, but
not all confirmed by Germany,
shows:
Pocket battleship, l.
Cruisers, 4.
Destroyers, IA.
Torpedo boats, Z.
Minesweepers, 2.
Trawlers, 8.
Submarines, undetermined.
The following are listed by James
as remaining of the German fleet:
Battleships, 8 land two more
building.
Pocket battleships. 2.
Aircraft carriers, 2.
Heavy cruisers, 4.
Cruisers, 4 (two more building.
Destroyers, II two more build
ing).
Torpedo boats, II dour more
building.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Sinking Of Bismarck
Interrupts Court
BS the Associated Press.

y the Associated Press.
LONDON, May 27.-News Of the
destruction of the German battle
ship Bismarck. which sank Britain's
battlecruiser Hood. Travelled fast to.
day.
At Bromley, Kent, the court, in
formed by . balifi, interrupted q
ease to make the announcement.
A storm Of &pplauss shook the
court and II was some time before
Il could resume the ease.
Evening star., 1941-05-27

emphasized.
The word in Army circles was
that the Army's share would in
clude some new facilities for the
production of heavy bombers,
pursuit ships and other combat
types.
A portion of the sum will cover
orders previously placed. it was saio.
since it was found that additional
funds were necessary to cover re-
vised cost estimates. part of it grow
ing out of the 500 bombers-a-month
program.
Like the War Department, tn"
Navy would not disclose the number
of planes to be built with its share.
However, the Navy disclosed that
s467, ,0O00 900 would be spent for
planes, $4,000 900 for new aircraft
plant facilities, and $47,o00,0 900 for
aerial ordnance equipment.
The request was considered 1ndl-
cative in informed quarters of an
accelerated tempo in the plane pro-
curement program, particularly in
bomber output Last week q single
contract for 1922 900 900 was placed,
for heavy four-engined bonbers to
be turned out by Consolidated Air
craft Co. and Douglas Aircraft Co,
Inc. at new Government-owned
plants being constructed at Fort
Worth, Tex, and Tulsa, Okla, re-
cr,actjve1v
Evening star., 1941-05-27
B, the Associated Press.

3. the Associated Press.
Germany lost one of her biggest
battleships and also another attempt
to harry Great Britain's Atlantic
lifeline from the United States when
the brand-new, 35,0O0-t ton Bismarck
went to the bottom after running
battle with British sea forces.
In what was the shortest career
Of a first-line war vessel in modern
naval history, the Bismarck in her
first sea fight sank the 42,100-ton
British battle cruiser Hood between
Greenland and Iceland Saturday
then went to the bottom herself in
a battle within three days.
Capable of at least 80 knots. the
big Bismarck eluded other British
fighting ships Immediately after the
fight with the Hood. but the British
kept her spotted, and apparently
under attack, with torpedo-carrying
planes.
Nazis Have 3 Capital Ships.
The loss of the Bismarck reduced
the number of German capital ships
to three-the Tirpitz. a brand-new
IS .0O0-ton sister ship of the Bis
marck. and the Gneisenau and the
Scharnhorst, sister ships Of $4,000
tons, reported by the r. A. F. under
bombardment at Brest since mid
March.
The Bismarck was launched Feb
ruary IA. 1899, the first of four ships
rushed into construction when the
Washington and London limitation
treaties terminated on December 80,
1896. James Fighting Ships, Brit
ish manual on warcraft, lists the
Bismarck as 1921 feet long with a
beam of llS feet and a draught of
26 feet.
Her armament consisted of eight
15-inch guns, IL S9-inch and Is
4.1-inch guns. She carried four air.
craft and two catapults. Her ar
NOR and complement were undis-
closed.
The loss of the Hood left the Bit
ish Navy with Is capital ships--the
number she had when the. war be-
gan-with seven others building The
Royal Oak, 29, $50 tons, was torpe-
doed by a German submarine at
Scapa Flow, British naval base, on
October IS, 1899.
Two battleships, the King George
v and the Prince of Wales, have
been placed into commission since
the wars start and they I'LL the gap
left by the loss Of the Hood and
Royal Oak.
Spec Lost Battle.
Early In the war the German
pocket battleship, Admiral Graf
Spec, lost a running battle with three
British cruisers of the South Amer
ican coast and was scuttied at Mon
tevideo.
The British aircraft carrier Glori-
Gus was sunk in June, 1910, during
naval fighting of the coast of Nor
way. German sources claimed the
Scharnhorst and Gneisenau scored
the sinking.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Soyiet-Directed Reds
Fill U. 5. Shipping,
VaItin Testifies
Author Asserts Curron
Made Claim Of Power
To Stop Industry
By JAMES E. CHM.

Jan Valtin, author of Out OF the
Night" told a special subcommittee
of the Dies Committee today that
the American shipping industry is
honeycombed with Communists
under Instructions from Moscow.
Valtin, whose real name is Richard
Krebs, also testified that Joseph
Curran. head of the National Mari
time Union, had made speech in
which he claimed he had the power
to stop American shipping.
Even today, Communists are
obstructing shipping by refusing 70
load and by strikes" Valtin declared.
THE situation has not become acute
in the aid-for- Britain movement be-
cause the materials are being carried
on British bottoms.
"Curran feels he has the whip
hand over shipping because not one
American ship sails without Com
munist fraction aboard"
Testifies on Communists.
Valtin. whose testimony yesterday
was devoted entirely to activities Of
the Gestapo-German secret police
with which he was at one time
identified, switched today to activi-
ties of the Communists. He also
was a member of the Soviet secret
police-the OGPU.
Before a crowd of about 500 spec
tators-an increase of about 200 over
Yesterday, Valtin briefly outlined his
connection with the Communist
party. He said he joined in 1923
and rose in its ranks to become a
political instructor" a job which
carried him to Norway, Denmark
and England. In December, 1887,
he explained, he severed his rela-
tions with the Communists.
Valtin's entire testimony today
concerned activities of Communists
among water front workers, sub
ject with which he said he became
familiar during his service as a
rank and file member" of the party.
1t is the theory of the Communist
party, he declared, that whoever
controls the ports controls the ma
ton"
Saws Americans Took Part.
Communists first began org2niZ-
ing the maritime industry IN this
country in 1928, he testified. and
a number of Americans took leader
ship in the movement.
Valtin mentioned among the lead
ers James Ford, former Communist
candidate for Vice President; Thom-
as Ray, former director of op-
erations for the International Sea-
men and Harbor Workers Union on
the West Coast, and George Mink,
q former Philadelphia taxi driver.
Waterfront workers, he said, de-
scribe Mink as Mink the Pink" He
declared that as far as he knew
Mink never went to sea until he
sailed for Moscow in 1880.
Communists first got "foothold"
in the United States in 1926, Valtin
testified. In that year, he said, Mink
began to organize the waterfront
workers.
One of the first activities of the
Communists in organizing water
front workers, Valtin said, was to
establish a number of clubs for sea-
men in such ports as New York,
Philadelphia, New Orleans, Boston,
Houston, San Pedro, Baltimore and
(See DIES, Page A-50
Evening star., 1941-05-27

SOlQler on CndC lSldnO.
Constantly attacked by Nazi n.y.
ers dropping 1,000-pound bombs as
the ships of the Royal Navy broke
up axis conveys attempting to re-
inforce air-borne divisions already
on the island, the guns Of the Brit
ish warships turned red-hot firing
thousands of shells into the swarms
of sky raiders. ..
Officers said British battleships,
cruisers and destroyers smashing
one convoy and scattering large
expeditionary force of 80 vessels,
flung 6-inch and 4-inch anti-air-
craft shells at swooping dive-bomb-
ers continuously from dawn to dusk
on May 22
1t was a day, they said, which will
60 down In history as marking one
of the biggest aerial assaults ever
made upon warships.
Scores Of Bombers Felled.
Scores Of German dive-bombers
were shot down by the ships anti
aircraft batteries, the British said.
while the other guns Of the fleet
were sinking one Italian destroyer
and two transports, and blasting
swarms of caiques Fishing boats)
carrying between 5000 and 5000
Nazis-practically all Of whom
drowned
One squadron of cruisers and de-
stroyers, they said, broke up an
Axis convoy of at least 80 vessels
with gunfire, forcing its remnants
to flee northward toward Greece.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
By GARRETT d. HORNER.

France today formally reassured
the United States that she does not
intend to give up her navy or
colonies to Germany.
A note containing these and other
assurances to clarity the extent OF
French collaboration" with the
Nazis was delivered to undersecre-
tary of State Welles by CASTOR
Henry-Haye, French Ambassador
here.
In talking with newspaper men,
Mr.. Henry -Haye declined to disclose
details of the note. but said 1t put
in writing the assurances he had
been making verbally to oficials
here for months to the effect that
there was no basis for American ap-
prehension over Frances intentions.
The Ambassador reiterated that
his country is determined to defend
its colonial territory against any at
tack from any source, declaring that
"of course" Germany would not be
given control of the French colonies
in this hemisphere.
After comforting with Mr.. Welles
for more than half an hour, the
Ambassador told reporters that some
points in his note might require
further elaboration. He said Mr..
Welles had promised him that Sec
retary of State Hull would reply to
the note promptly. He added that,
after receiving the official interpre-
tation of this Government concern
ing the points at issue, he hoped the
viewpoints Of the two Governments
could be adjusted"
M. Henry-Haye refused to reveal
exactly what matters were involved
in the misunderstanding. He said,
however, he did not expect any ex-
tended correspondence to develop,
indicating he would attempt to
clarity the French position further
in verbal conferences after receiving
the formal reply to his note today.
He said he had drafted the six-page
note on instructions from Vichy.
The note clarifying Frances po-
sition followed a conference last
week between M. Henry -Haye and
Secretary Hull who was under
stood to have told the Ambassa-
dor that specific guarantees in writ
ing that France will not go beyond
the terms of her armistice with
Germany were necessary to relieve
apprehension here.
Uncertainty over French inten-
tions became acute following re-
cent negotiations between the Vichy
government and Germany for
closer collaboration" Reports in
dicated the cooperation might ex-
tend into a virtual alliance.
Secretary Hull was understood to
have told the French Ambassador
last week that it was up to the Vichy
government to correct the prevailing
impression here that pro-Hitler ele-
ments are now in control of French
policy and prepared to collaborate
beyond the armistice terms, II that
impression was wrong. There was
no immediate indication as to
whether the note delivered today
constituted q satisfactory explana-
ton.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
British Airline Reported
Seeking Baltimore Base
Bx the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press. ->-
BALTIMORE, May 27.-The Bal
timore Sun said today British
Overseas Airways is seeking to sub
lease city-owned seaplane facili-
ties at Baltimore Airport for use as
a maintenance base for flying boats
operating on empire air routes.
Such planes as three new Boeing
flying boats bought recently from
Pan American Airways would be
brought here for overhaul, the Sun
said, because the British govern
ment decided the risk of bombing
by German aircraft was too great
to permit attempts ut maintenance
in British ports.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
$4,000 Germans
Lost in Crete,
British Claim
Five Troop-Loden
Planes Declared
FeIIed Yesterday
By the Associated Press.

ny Lne hsSOClAtcQ fTEeS.
CAIRO, Egypt, May 27.-Greek
sources said today that the Ger
mans thus far have lost at least
$4,000 lives in the attempt to
take Crete. This figure includes
5000 believed to have been lost
at sea while trying to invade the
island by boats.
British fighter planes shot down
five troop-laden German planes at
Malemi airdrome near Canea yester-
day and destroyed several other Nazi
planes, the r. A. F. Near East COM
mand announced today.
British fighters also attacked
about hundred Junker SIS closely
concentrated on the ground at
Malemi, inf1icting heavy damage. a
communique said, and a later at
tack at dusk set fire to several Ger
man aircraft on the ground.
In Iraq an. exchange Of aerial
blows was reported with the British
raiding Mosul and the Germans at
tacking the Lake Habbaniyah air
drome.
German troops launched a new
attack west Of Canea in Crete late
yesterday which enlarged their
penetration into the British defenses
and forced the defenders to fall
back TO positions in the rear" the
Near East command announced.
The new German attack was sup
ported by intensive bombing from
the air.
The communique added that Ger
man reinforcements continued Ito
reach the island by air and heavy
fighting is continuing"
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Coneo Focal Point
Of Crete Fighting

LONDON, May 27 (P.-The city
Of Canea became the focal point
of the Crete land fighting to-
day as German "sky troops"
hammered relentlessly at its de-
fenses in a desperate attempt to
establish a bridgehead for sea-borne
reinforcements.
From Malemi Airport, 10 miles
southwest of the Cretan capital, the
Nazis we're reported launching at
tack after attack against stoutly-
resisting British and Greek troops
whose lines they were said to have
pierced at one point yesterday.
Nazi dive bombers led the as
saults, and dispatches from Cairo
said Canea itself was in ruins from
repeated aerial assaults. Civilian
casualties were said to be heavy.
though most of the population OF
$4,000 had fed to the hills.
The cities of Gambia and Retimo,
to the east of Canea, also were little
more than heaps of debris as the
result of repeated air assaults.
Following reports yesterday that
the Germans had landed some light
tanks from giant transport planes,
official British sources still made no
mention of Nazi armored units hav-
ing entered the fight thus far. An
armored drive for Canea and nearby
suda Bay, however, was believed i'm
n1inent.
Heavy Fire on Malemi.
The British, endeavoring to pre-
vent the landing of additional Nazi
troops by air, concentrated heavy
artillery fire on Malemi Airport-the
only place on the island where the
Germans are reported to have
gained a strong foothold.
The Royal Air Force also was re-
ported yesterday to have badly dam
aged the Malemi landing field, de-
stroying "A grounded troop trans
ports and machine-gunning build
ings and troops.
Advices from Cairo said the Ger
mans still were landing men by
transport plane and parachute but
that the volume of new arrivals had
been reduced somewhat by heavy
aircraft losses. -..
The Germans also have been COM
PEELED, these advices said, to use part
of their air feet to drop supplies
and ammunition to the troops al
ready landed.
Glider Use Discontinued.
The use Of glider planes to land
reinforcements was said to have
been discontinued by the Germans
because of extremely heavy cas-
ualties suffered during the first three
days of the island invasion.
Oficial circles declined to con-
firm reports that British land forces
on Crete nad been reinforced, al
though ar announcement that
(See CRETE, Page A-20
Evening star., 1941-05-27
U. S. Ship Like Bismarck
Would Cost so Million
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
A United States battleship of the
class of the Bismarck, sunk today in
action against British naval units,
would cost in excess of $4,000, 900.
Naval officials were unwilling to
estimate, however, how much such
. ship would cost If built under the
Nah system OF government and
finance.
The Navy roughly estimates the
cost OF building one of its battle
ships at 1,500 q ton. For q IS 600
ton vessel-the Bismarck's class
This would be $50 800 900. There are
many factors, however, which might
cause wide variations In the final
expenditure.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Bismarck Sinking Sets
LIoyds' Bell Ringing
Nv the AAanciated Press.

~ the AAoc1Ateu Prtsk.
LONDON. May 27.-The Lutine
bell Of Lloyds, the big insurance
center, was rung today for the first
time In the war when the news was
received that the German battleship
Bismarck had gone down.
Originally the bell was rung when
ever a ship was reported lost. In
recent years. however, 1t has been
sounded only for special announce
nents Of the highest importance.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Bodies of 2 Soldiers
Found in New York Boy
lS the Axsociated Press.

By Int ABSOclACeu FIesss
NEW YORK, May T.-The bodies
Of two men in Army uniform. be-
neved to be those of victims Of the
sinking of a Fort Slocum Army
launch May Is, were recovered from
New York Bay today.
The uniform of one man bore
sergeant's chevrons. indicating the
body was that of Sergt. Henry j.
Moroso, a native of Columbia, S. c.,
skipper Of the launch Oil. 1t was
found about . miles downstream
from the site Of the collision with
the Lehigh Valley tug Claremont.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
French Police Strength
frightened by Dorian
By the Associated Press.

By the AsSoclAted Press,
vICHY, Unoccupied France, May
27.-Vice Premier Admiral Jean
Darlan ordered today the tighten
ing Of French police strength with
an administrative reorganization
and new equipment to increase the
rapidity of its striking power.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Roosevelt Requests
$3,319,000,000 Fund
For More WorpIones
Speech Tonight to DispeI
All Doubts About Foreign
Policy, Early Says

asked Congress today for 100000 IN
appropriations airplanes.
The would get the bulk of the and informed
source of to provide $4,000 war
planes.
Stephen Early presidential secretary announced the request
huge being Capitol Hill in letter
to Speaker Rayburn.
OF the total would the and s52s
100000 for the Navy.
declined estimated the number of planes to be
ordered money whether bobers would be
Evening star., 1941-05-27
French Consuls Ousted.

BERN, May ~ tR.-The British
government has asked French con.
sular officers in Jerusalem, Jana
and Haifa to leave Palestine within
four days, the French news agency
Havas reported last night In . dis.
patch from Beirut, Lebanon.
The I4eneh personnel Will 20 to
Syria,
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Nazis Won't Be Given
Navy or Colonies,
France Tells j. ).
Note Delivered by Envoy
To Clarity Extent
Of Collaboration
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Misgtuinos here on scope OF
French-Germdn collaboration in
clude concern oDT possible.
change in status OF Martinique
and other French possessions in
Caribbean area. These could be
taken oper BY provisional inter
American administration under
act OF Hauana il evidences OF
German control should develop,
: but there has been no plan for
such action pending clarifcation
of Vichy's attitude.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Fleet Writes Epic of Courage
Under Heaviest Air Attack
British Ships Smash Axis Conveys,
Bor Crete Landing Despite Losses
BY LARRY ALLEN.
Associated Press War Correspondent.

ALEXANDRIA, Egypt, 27-Brsh warships in the waters
chapter of under of the
heaviest air attacks in history naval here said today
when amid battle against hundreds of Naz dive
bobers single German
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Syrian Airdrome Raided.

SyrI2n AHuTUne Nh1ueu'
LONDON, May ~ R.-The Beirut
wireless reported yesterday that 20
British bombers raided an airdrome
at Palmyra, French Syria, damaging
the runways but causing no cas-
ualties.
The British have been attacking
Syrian airdromes since the Ger
mans began using them to aid Iraq
against British forces.
Evening star., 1941-05-27
Arab Chiefs Reported
Refusing Aid 10 British
Ey the Associated Press.

Ey the Associated Press.
VICHY, Unoccupied France, May n.
Dispatches from Beirut, Lebanon,
today said the Emr Abdallah Of
British Trans Jordan had
failed in efforts to rally Arab
chieftains to the British cause In
the fighting In Iraq.
The principal chiefs told the Emir
Saturday at q meeting at Irbid that
they would remain neutral, one
dispatch reported.
Evening star., 1941-05-27

(See ALLEN, Page A-3)
Evening star., 1941-05-27

Fair, continued warm tonight. tonor.
row; cloudy, cooler, possible thunder
showers tomorrow afternoon; lowest TO-
night about a. Temperatures today
Highest, SO. pm; lowest, u, $3.50 am.
From tie United srayes vesrner Bureau report.
Full Details on Page Az.
The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1941-10-31
Rev. HI. L. Johnson
Sues A. M. E. Zion

The Rev. H. L. Johnson filed suit
in superior court yeste d a y
against the African Methodist
Episcopal Zion Church, asking
$3.50, for salary as pastor and
1,760 he declared he had loaned
the church.
Rev. Johnson declared the
church owes him the salary for
being pastor from 1927 to 1888
at $50 a month. He declared the
money he loaned to the church
was for the purpose of helping
construct the church building, up
on which work was begun in 1890.
He advanced the money at the
special instance an request of the
church society, he stated.
He declared he had often de-
manded payment for his services
as preacher, without success. The
church uses a building at 1716
23rd Ave.
The Rev. Blythwood declined to
make any statment, saying that
no papers as yet had been served
on him. Members interviewed de-
clined to make any statement for
publication.
The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1941-10-31
Defense Bond Quiz

@. What can do to help my son
who has just entered military SER
vice?
A. Your boy must be clothed, fed,
and supplied with the latest equip
ment. This requires money. Buy
a Defense Savings Bond and help
the Government to equip your son.
@. What is labor's attitude to-
ward the Treasury's Defense Saw
ings Program
A. Strongly cooperative. The A.
F. of L., the c. I. o., the Railroad
Brotherhoods, and numerous other
labor groups all over the country
have endorsed the Program.
NOTE-To buy Defense Bonds
and Stamps, go to the nearest post
office, bank, or savings and loan
association; or write to the Trea-
surer of the United States, Wash
ington, D. c. Alsa Stamps now
are on sale at most retail stores