Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-17
BY Paul, MALLON

BY PAUL MALLON
WASHINGTON, Feb. It The
w accepted story Is that Hitler
ran the Channel gauntlet with
ms three precious hattleShlpS 10
get them home for better re-
pairs but | wonder They did
not look like they needed any
repairs when they were streak
inc past The British with all
guns blarnC.
They arc supposed 70 have
gone 10 Bremen, where they VIII
be farther from British bomberS
and receive the attention of
German tools and workmen.
What makes that tale sound
weak is that British bQmberS
can also reach Bremen: at BreSt
the ships also had the advan-
tage of German toolInG and
workmon and there they we're
i'm an ideal spot 10 put 10 sea.
whereas at Bremen they Will
have 10 run tho British blockade
again 10 get Out,
4 MORE neutrality-suspicious.
n IS furnished by a German
radio broadcast after the ships
bad come safely through -- the
NaU announcement that the
Maglnnt Line had been moved
10 the Channel and Hitler now
dcfcd the British 10 invade
France When the Nazl> adj
Ncrtl>o their strength they are
afraid When they broadcast
this military secret to the world
they really confessed they were
afraid of invasion.
1t seems to me Hitler Sneaked
his battlcships home for the
same reason. He was afraid
Britain would invade the CONT
ncnt shortly and capture the
ships
Less SideSlanted reports of
IIltler's new "Maglnot Zine on
the channel describe II as a we'll
fortified security belt ranging
from Is TO 80 klometers deep,
measuring from the coast back
into France
ESCAPE, home of the three
IL hattleShipS has shocked pub
nc opinion in the United Nations.
but there is nothing so aStonlSh-
inc about it. if YOU consider the
ships travelled all the way in
their own mine fields.
Two or three Of their mine
SWccpcrS seem TO haVn led the
way. They ran along the French
coast on a dirty day when vlSi-
hlity was limited 10 what they
wanted 10 SEQ Ctholr own mark
crS). vet il was thick enough 10
hide them from the British
coast.
Along the French coast they
could be constantly escorted by
300 or more land-baSed fighting
planes II was practically i'm
possible for the British 10 rally
sufficient planes and deStroyers
for the Job as the ships were not
discovered until they had reached
the Straits of Dover, halfway
home. with only sin hours Of
daylight left
The British have made worse
mistakes.
THE YER. yer quiet manner
IN which Congress slipped
through us own pensions bill
would lead any one 10 believe
il must have been a subject IN
which the congressman had no
interest whatever
Such a >clf-grant was killed
In the House a year or 50 back.
There always seemed 10 be
something foolish about legiS-
latorS voting themselves pen
SlonS. This time the idea was
tucked away down in a bill de-
signed 10 improve pension facli-
ties for higher paid government
employees. II was founded on
some complicated system
whereby the number of years
of service was multiplied by
salary or something and divided
by 20 m a way which no one
appears 20 understand very well
II went through the House as
quietly as # II were q military
secret
- MELLOW senator Byrd
- heard about II when tho
hlll. came up IN the Senate and
NO started asking questions He
found one sly provision cN-
tended the time for fling appH-
cation 10 next December 81. So
any congressman defeated next
November could slip m late and
eo' himself Juicy pension chow
0ucN is >tlll a matter of debate,
bur- - cloarlN would be- few
thousand dollars 2 year, with
"l' making any substantial
pr'nnDf
E>Ii demanded that senators
q" on record about tins thing
lln forced quorum call which
produced an exceptional number
az thscD'co> ~ or onc-fouth
OF the Senate The others went
ttr r.IryE