Evening star., 1944-06-06

were given the press early today b.
his secretary, Stephen T. Early.
Mr.. Roosevelt. he said. went to hi
bedroom last evening after deliver
ing a Nationwide broadcast on th'
fall OF Rome. Working behind cur
tains which obscured the light in hi
room to psssersby on the street. thu
President started writing his praye
a task that was continued on int
the early morning.
Meanwhile, reports on the inva
sion began reaching the White
House by telephone from the Army
nerve center in the nearby Pentagor
Building.
He knew when the first barge'
started across the Channel and h
knew when they landed" Mr.. Earl.
said. He knew Of other operation.
in just as great detail. The Presi.
dent has known for some time wha1
the world now knows about the in.
vasion."
Got Several Hours Sleep.
Mr.. Early said that the President
although intent on invasion reports
managed to get several hours oi
sleep but was up early this morning
Most Washingtonians heard that
the first major blow for the hbera
tion of Europe had been struck from
their morning newspapers or from
radio accounts digested along with
breakfast.
City-bound buses and streetcars
echoed to the eager conversations
of thousands of Government and
business workers, many of whom
had sons, brothers or husbands with
the invasion forces.
At the Capitol, legislators who
usually stroll into their Offices
around 10 or IL am. appeared ir
the corridors as early as 8 o'clock
eager for news. Downtown many
people, hurrying to work, stopped
before large display window of the
Washington Gas Light Co., Eleventh
and H streets, where, emblazoned
against a background painting o1
planes and cannon, huge sign an
nounced: This Is It." Another
read: Nov, if ever is the time tt
buy War Bonds"
First inklings Of the invasion, ex.
pected day by day for many weeks
began to filter over the radio from
German sources around midnight.
Dupuy Broadcasts News.
The ull-tledged Official news an
nouncenent came from London at
1882 am. when Col. r. Ernest Du.
puy, formerly stationed In the Wal
Department here and whose voice Il
well known to radio listeners, came
on the air and after a delay OF II
seconds read Gen. Eisenhower,
dramatic communique.
In the giant Pentagon Building
across the Potomac Sits OF light ir
an otherwise dark building marked
the public relations office. headed b,
Maj. Gen. Alexander D. Surles; tn,
Signal Corps message section ant
the Division of Military Intelligenc,
all islands of intense activity.
At $40 am. Col. Stanley j. Gro
gan, aide to Gen. Surles, told tens.
reporters that an announcement
from London was expected at 1882
After what seemed like endles
hours, the electrifying bulletin came
Copies Of Gen. Eisenhower's frs
communique were issued, along Will
an encouraging statement of Amer
ica's military elder statesman, Gen
John J. Pershing.
The invasion had come.
OWL Radio Active.
Over at the Once of War Infor
nation, Director Elmer Davis, no
tilted earlier that the invasion wa.
imminent, hurried back from
speech he made before the Nationa
Press Club and prepared to set tn,
Governments giant propagand;
machine in motion. AS soon as Gen
EisenhowerS announcement came
Owl transmitters here and in New
York began beaming news of the in
vasion to all parts of the world owe
It's high-powered transmitters.
Secretary of War Stimson an,
Gen. Marshall, on whose shoulder
the plans of invasion have weighe,
for months, heard the actual new
at their homes, but appeared at tn
War Department early this morning
Halifax Voices Confidence.
From the highest officials to tn
man in the street" Washington re
ceived the invasion news with high
confidence OF long-awaited victory
Lord Halifax, the British Ambas
sador, expressed his complete con
f1edence" in the Allied forces an,
their leaders.
No doubt there will be touel
fighting ahead" he said. "but we al
have complete confidence in Gen
Eisenhower, his deputy commander
and all the Allied troops"
The Ambassador left early thi
morning for Goucher College il
Baltimore, where he Is deliverin
the commencement address.
Bloom Gets Early News.
Chairman Bloom of the Hous
Foreign Affairs Committee. tippe,
OH by the State Department tina
some big war development was i'm
minent. arose at AIS am. to lister
to his radio.
This initial success is the mos
necessary thing toward ultimate an
final and early victory" he sale
There Is no question that the pray
ers OF the people of the whole worl
have been heard and answered"
Miss Mabel Boardman, secretar
OF the American Red Cross, was a
the Capitol early this morning t
attend a hearing before the Hous
Foreign Affairs Committee.
Now that the action has reall,
started, We see nothing ahead bu
| certain victory and pray that a
many lives as possible may b.
spared" she said. We realize. also
that the Red Cross still has its big
aeSt work ahead and must Drepa r.