Evening star., 1944-03-12
WobbIyHeort Ends Van Looms
Work on A Report to st. Peter
Historian, 81, Dies
After Heart Attack:
Funeral Tuesduy
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
GREENWICH, Conn, Mar. Ii
Hendrix Willem Van Loon died of a
heart attack at his home in Old
Greenwich today while engaged in
writing new book, "A Report to St.
Peter" an autobiography covering
his life up to and including his 21st
birthday anniversary.
The 62-year-old historian, author
of STORY of Mankind" and a
score of other works, said when he
was last interviewed that his heart
was "wobbly" and remarked that
when he died he would take copy
of his new book, hand it to St.
Peter and avoid filling out all kinds
of entry forms and blanks"
Spurned $1,000 Fee.
On completion of "a Report to
st. Peter" Mr.. Van Loon planned to
write a short history of Connecticut
gratis on appointment by the State
Legislatures House Committee on
Public Information which had Of
fered him a $1,000 fee.
Spurning the offer, Mr.. Van Loon
said, Il am not going to write this
history for a fee. I have written
too many histories already. I am
going to write this for fun"
Mr.. Van Loon, whose death fol-
lowed within "a hours those of two
other noted American writer's, Irwin
S. Cobb and Joseph c. Lincoln, arose
today apparently in the best of
health and spirits He ate a hearty
breakfast and thought up a couple
of ideas for a new book, later re-
tiring to his bedroom, where he
collapsed.
Besides his widow he is mourned
by two sons, Henry Bowditch Van
Loon of Dorset, VT, and Second
1t. Gerard Willem Van Loon, U.
S. A., now overseas, and sister,
Mrs. Willem Vanderhils, reported
to be refugee from the Hague.
Born in Holland.
A native of Rotterdam, Holland,
where he was born January IA, 1882,
Mr.. Van Loon was devoted to the
cause of the Dutch in the current
war and organized a short-wave
radio broadcast directed to Holland
where he was known as Uncle
Hank"
He was an Associated Press staff
man in the World War and after
serving in Washington became a
foreign correspondent, covering the
1906 revolution in Russia and the
war itself beginning in 1914 in Bel
gium.
Tip on Invasion.
He was responsible for an Asso-
ciate Press scoop on the German
invasion of the Netherlands when,
on May 8, 1910, he tipped of the
news service of his private infor-
nation 48 hours before the Nazi
troops marched in.
Thanked for the service, the au-
thor dismissed it with:
"Oh, you know the saying I used
to be a newspaperman myself You
never get over it, you know"
The commission to write the his
tory OF Connecticut-he described it
as "just little book with pictures,
the kind I like to do"-embroiled
him in brief political squabble. A
Democratic State Senator charged
that the history would serve to ad-
vertise the Republican party.
Ordered slooo Given Charity.
Il did not seek the job," Mr. Van
Loon retorted. II knew nothing
about it until the newspapers ap-
peared and Immediately told Gov
Baldwin Raymond E. Baldwin, Re-
publican) that he should give the
$1,000 to charity"
The author also denied that he
was a Republican, asserting:
What do I know about politics?
I am not Republican. I think
Clare Boothe Luce Republican rep
resentative in Congress from the
Fourth Connecticut DISTRICT is ter
rible. I find it very difficult to con-
tinue living in the same district with
her. How could a Republican feel
that way?"
Mrs. Van Loon telephoned Presi-
dent Roosevelt and Dutch officials in
the United States and soon there