Indianapolis Times, Indianapolis, Marion County, 15 May 1940 — Page 1

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VOLUME 52—NUMBER 56

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 1940

Entered as at Postoffice,

Becond-Class Matter Indianapolis,

Ind,

PRICE THREE CENTS

| MILLION LOCKED IN BATT

AFTER NAZIS PIERCE MAGINOT

WPA PROJECTS HERE CITED IN PROBE REPORT

Congress Receives Full

Details of 8-Month Investigation.

By DANIEY. M. KIDNEY Times Staff Writer

WASHINGTON, May 15.— Complete details of the eight-| month investigation of the | Indiana Works Progress Ad-| ministration made by House] committee investigators was, laid before Congress today when the WPA bill was re-

ported. | Investigators in an exhaustive re- |

port on an inquiry covering 13!

states charged that the Federal re- |

lief program has been made a ve-| hicle of communism, waste, politics and private benefit. The full report dealt with scores) of specific instances of irregularities on Federal work projects. It accused Washington WPA officials of | spending excessive amounts on| travel and of approving projects | without sufficient information about! them or with fore knowledge that the sponsors could not contribute their share,

8 Projects Here Listed lorganizaton meeting two hours.

Five Marion County projects in-|

volved in eriminai cases in Federal Court at Indianapolis are cited as the outstanding examples of WPA irregularities in the state.

Also listed is the failure of WPA/|

Figures in Inquiry

John K. Jennings . . . Congress told of week-end trips.

BOBBITT NAMED BY 6. 0. P. AGAIN

McCallum + Also Retained;

McWhirter Replaced By Bookwalter.

By NOBLE REED Arch N. Bobbitt this afternoon was re-elected chairman of the ‘State Republican Committee. Caucus meetings, marked by a factional dispute, delaved the re-

Neil McCallum was re-elected secretary and John H. Bookwalter was named treasurer, succeeding Felix McWhirter. Mrs. Elinore Snodgrass

Ws : nh v

hn. \ ,

i, Yelenciennss »

fo Maier Fortibications

\ "i BELGIUM on Main Bartle Line NS my

A & Many [~aem ‘hy Y

SPENDING AND * JOBS ASISSUES

‘Darkhorse’ Would ‘Enjoy’ Facing Roosevelt in November Election. - (Photo, Page 13)

SATO

ol ¢ Perrone : AMWIEns "5 Quen Hn

By LOWELL B. NUSSBAUM

Wendell L. Willkie, Indiana's gift to big business and possibly even to {the White House, arrived in Indianapolis today with a lot of pretty | definite ideas about solving the nation's economic ills and keeping it out of war. Mr. Willkie, who is being boomed pretty strenuously for the Republican presidential nomination, came here to address the Indiana Bankers’ Association convention banquet tonight, Shortly after his arrival, he took time off from greeting old friends and making new at his Claypool Hotel suite to express his views ‘n salty language, on such subjects as: His own candidacy for the presidency: “If the public wants me, I wouldn't go through the pretense of saving I would not accept. I'm not that kind of a liar.

Expects Roosevelt to Run

Chaumont ¢

: Compeigne & Soissons

“Forthest German

® a. Viersg tes

WILLKIE SEES. ~ Armies Clash in New Battle of M

euse

NAMUR C3 ;

* Charlers:

: » Ste. Menehould

Chalony sur Marne,

* Bor te Duc

Times-Acme Telephoto.

“If President Roosevelt should be

‘World War Advance the Democratic candidate, (it's pure guess, but it looks like he will) I'd

| be overjoyed to run against him. ' FDR 10 STRESS Wa r

think he's the author and greatest advocate of his views and I would . [prefer to put these issues squarely ' Bu | leti n

cide.”

ALLIED PLANES BLAST BRIDGES

that her troops are driving

WITH BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY BELGIUM, May 15 (U. P.).—The battle of Brussels start. ed today with a terrific German bombardment of Louvian, historic cathedral town 135 miles from the Belgian capital,

'GERMAN DRIVE IS NOW AIMED MID-FRANCE

BULLETINS BERLIN, May 15 (U. P.).—Germany warned tonight

ever closer to a jumping-off

point for an attack on England and asserted the claimed Sedan breech in the Maginot fortifications shows German striking power cannot be resisted,

FORCE, IN

By JOE ALEX MORRIS 1 United Press Foreign News <ditor | The French today threw thousands of fresh troops | against a foothold won by the Germans in the Maginot Line (across the river Meuse from A terrific battle was raging already and before nightfall it was expected to reach a new crescendo when heavy Ger

Sedan,

man reinforcements attempt to smash throught the Maginot fortifications for a possible thrust at the heart of France. A million men or more were believed to be closing in bitter warfare on both sides of a line that ran from positions

Namur area, the River Meuse and the Maginot Line as far as the Luxembourg Corner.

| was renamed vice chairman. | What are the campaign issues? {

opposition developed to Mr. Bobbitt's re-election but this was settled after lengthy argument and the district chairmen decided unanimously to retain Mr. Bobbitt. New district chairmen were elect-

fo exact restitution, with a $38.40 exception, for minor work done on private property in 12 Indianapolis cases amounting to a total of $2190.47.

Early in the caucus sessions, some | “The outstanding issues are the

Expected to Ask Nearly Billion in Message to Congress Tomorrow. By LYLE C. WILSON

The 72 week-end holiday trips Di- |

rector John K. Jennings of the Indiana WPA made to his home town of Evansville from Indianapolis headquarters are dealt with at great length.

Two Make Explanations

Included with the report of committee investigators Matthew J. Connelly and George J. Shillito are explanations by Col. F. C. Harrington, WPA Administrator, and Mr. Jennings. In concluding his Indiana explanations before the committee, Col. Harrington said: “I would like to make the general statement, however, that all irregularities that have come to light in Indiana have been appropriately handled on the basis of the

facts which were revealed and in an | appropriate administrative manner.

“The extreme instance which occurred was the prosecution by the Department of Justice of a former district director of the WPA which resulted in his being sentenced to imprisonment for 18 months and being fined $1000.”

Refers to Kortepeter

This reference was to the convie- |

tion of Carl Kortepeter, formerly in charge of the WPA in Marion County. Under the title Road and Bridge committee investigators states: “Under these two blanket projects the Marion County Board of Commissioners sponsored and the WPA built roads, streets and bridges. (Continued on Page Four)

COOL HERE TONIGHT, BUREAU PREDICTS

LOCAL TEMPERATURES « Mos SE 10a m.... 54 sii... 32 ia.wm... «MM... 52 12 (Noon). 4% 9am... 5 1pm... 7

It will remain cool in Indianapolis tonight and probably tomorrow, with accompanying light rains that may end by tomorrow morning, the Weather Bureau predicted today. Temperatures today were somewhat below normal for this time of the year, but they were 11 degrees shove normal yesterday.

“Marion County Projects” the

TIMES FEATURES ON INSIDE PAGES

oo 14 13 18 voundV a vld voi 19 i4

Mrs. Ferguson 14 Music “.y 4 Obituaries ,...12 Pegler Pyle Questions .....13 Radio lg Mrs. Roosevelt 13 Scherver Serial Story ..18 Side Glances 14

Rooks . Clapper ....... Comics Crossword Editorials Financial Flynn . Forum .......14 Gallup Poll ...20 In Ind’pls .... 3 Inside Ind’pls..14 Jane Jordan... 8 Society Johnson ......l4 Sports ....10, 11 MOVIES +.vvevep TiState Deaths. 15

report

Hi hi reorganization joeetihes Jou 000,000,000. United Press Staff Correspondent erday in the Eighth an enth Would “Hold Toe to Line” y rash Districts and the 13th District ¢lect- | We | WASHINGTON, Mey 15~uDresic ed a new leader last Saturday, 1d like to hold his toe right to dent Roosevelt put the finishing Eight other district chairmen were | the line BI ra A he false | touches today on a near $1,000,000,-|re-elected yesterday with the ninth |an issue, ask him ‘how about th ; SEY hi still in doubt due to a deadlock vote billion berries you spent?’ If the 900 Preparedness Plosranm hick) he inh the Third District. ‘Republicans are wise, they'll hold Will submit to Congress tomorrow. | The new district chairmen elected He worked on the special message (Continued on Page Four) |last night until 2 a. m,, and put alin sympathy with President Roose- | Most all other matters aside today. velt's stand on foreign affairs, in-| Indications were that the request

$975,650,000 WPA cluding the arms embargo. The for immediate spending and future

principal exception is his secrecy. authorizations to bolster land, sea

him to that issue.” How about the war? “With an exception or two, IT am

ing to drag us into war. {and be nearer $1,000.000,000. “I don’t think the G. O. P.should | ; be in opposition to his policies just | May-Cancel Tour to be in opposition. They merely, White House Secretary Stephen T. should disapprove those policies Early said the President may cancel which are wrong.” his proposed 21-day tour through he south and the far wes On Avoiding War the sout d the far west next

month, ) | How can we keep out of war? “The war has had the effect of (lee today reported a $1,111.754916 .mipct hy rebuilding our domestic making the tour extremely relief bill for fiscal 1941, incluaing ' sconomy and second by a strong | definite,” Mr. Early said. $975,650,000 for the Works Projects national defense. The “only thing Mr. Roosevelt cut his visiting list Administration. The bill authorizes [those two madmen. Hitler and Sta- | {0 a minimum as he speeded work | WPA to spend this money, if need- jin, respect is strength. They'll On the extraordinary defense fed. in eight months beginning never attack us if we're strong and nessage. [July 1. lour economic system is in working Paul Van Zeeland, former Belgian The total relief fund is $543.075, order.” prime minister, who is scheduled to 084 less than the relief bill for the| Mr. Willkie, who rose in a few ‘ctu to his homeland soon. Frid Aven youl Sul the RB pears from a small town lawyer in! Signs Two Measures | priatic r the A alone is $501,- Elwood, Ind. to the presidency of A ‘ Ip 350,000 less than the sums allotted the huge FR eh & a! aL Roosevels, Signed Iv0 de to the WPA by the last Congress. ern utility company, declared his] Lense Sheasutes recently enacted bY The reduced funds, the Commit-| Number One plan for restoring na- OE eS One waives tee said, should provide work for|tional prosperity would be to abolish armed a ae Juirements in ; 11,950,000 jobless for eight months, all forms of tax exemption for| gency The anng ? oy oa Compared with this year’s monly! securities, both public and private. | authorizes an increase in the Army ouve got to drive money into Medical Corps enlisted strength.

average of 2,000,000. | At the last moment the commit- productive enterprise, instead of. Major emphasi t= |] } , s is expecte tee provided that heads of families, into hiding, to provide jobs for placed on Ips and Rg SR Army-—notably anti-aircraft defense

|aged 45 or older, with either a de- those 10,000,000 idle,” he said. {pendent spouse or one or more de-| Reserve 150 Times Higher

pendent parents or minor children | shall be exempted from the present| “In 1929, we had $43,000,000 in after lean years. (mandatory provision for the layoff Federal Reserve surplus funds. To-| The new defense program will [of persons who have been on WPA day, the figure is almost $6,000,000000 cover additional immediate spend- | rolls continuously for 18 months. |—150 times higher. This represents ing and future authorizations. It | Simultaneously the Committee money available for credit expan- will again break all peace-time na[filed a report asserting that the re- sion. (tional defense spending records. lief program had been made in some| “If we could get this money into; Mr. Roosevelt has asked Congress {instances a vehicle for communism |circulation, industry would thrive several times to break previous private gain, politics and waste. and pretty well absorb the 10,000,- peace-time records for armaments. A —— 000 idle.” [But this request comes in the face

FUND IS i The people don’t know what's going and air forces would exceed by far on and it makes them fear he’s try- the original $500,000,000 estimate — = TE

‘House Group Authorizes Its Spending in 8 Months.

WASHINGTON, May 15 (U. P.).— | The House Appropriations Commit-|

in-|

One of his callers was|

ordinary the |

and mechanized equipment—appar-| ently is about to come into its own

and

Slouching in his chair, puffing a of Europe's spreadin fl ti TWO PER CENT CLUB lo keep. thay

|cigaret and gesticulating, Mr. Will- in an effort to keep thas 'DEMURRER DATE SET| { Circuit Court Judge Earl R. Cox

(Continued on Page Four) (Continued on Page Four) fs set May 27 as the date » Ex-Kaiser Free fo Return rearing on a demurrer filed in the! ° To Germany, Nazi Declares

suit of Glenn W. Funk to remove! the Two Per Cent Club's immunity from the Corrupt Practices Act. BERLIN, May 15 (U.P).~—The; “The former Kaiser is | man whose word sent German! naturally, safe,” the informant said. legions into battle 26 years ago . : There has been fighting near

The demurrer. filed by attorneys for leading Hoosier Democrats ‘waits calmly in exile for whatever the fortunes of this new world war Doorn but not in the city itself.

named defendants in the suit. contends that Mr. Funk, who was de= may bring him. “German troops knew that the!

feated for the Republican nomination for Prosecutor last week, has no interest in and is not affected by the club's activities.

to the land he once ruled, a Nazi harmed him.

| BRIDGES BILL APPROVED {spokesman said, but he prefers to| “The former Kaiser is a German

up to the people and let them deFEAR NEW NAZI BLOW

LONDON, May 15 (U. P.) ~The British Press Association, which is close to the Foreign Office, said tonight that tension was increasing througheut Europe and especially in Switzerland as a result of fear of a new Nazi blow,

TRAVEL SUSPENDED

PARIS, May 15 (U. P.).—The French radio agency reported tonight in a dispatch from Berne that railroad passenger traffic between Switzerland and Germany has been suspended.

DUTCH CAPITULATION SIGNED

BERLIN, May 15 (U. P.).~An official statement tonight said | that the capitulation of the Dutch army was signed by the German commander-in-chief in Holland and the Dutch commander-in-chief at 11 a. m,

DUTCH LOSSES NEAR 100,000

| PARIS, May 15 (U. P.).—One out of every four Dutch soldiers was killed in action in the vain fight against German invaders, | Dutch Foreign Minister E. N. Van | Kleffens said today. | Van Kleffens said that 80 per | cent of the Dutch Royal Guard | had heen killed fighting in Holland. The Foreign Minister's statement indicated that from 70.000 to 100.000 men had been killed in the fighting.

LIEGE STILL RESISTS

LONDON, May 15 (U. P)~—Radio Brussels asserted tonight that the Belgian [fortresses of Namur and Antwerp still were intact and that the Liege forts still were resisting the Germans.

BRITISH REPORTED HOLDING

WITH B. E. F, IN BELGIUM, May 15 (U. P.).—British forces, supported by the Royal Air Force, | today were reported holding their | main line positions in Belgium in | the face of admittedly increased | German pressure.

SIGNALS MIXED?

LONDON, May 15 (U. P.).—The Italian steamer Foscolo of 3059 tons en route from Antwerp .wirelessed {today that it had been bombed by | German aircraft off the Dutch coast and asked immediate assistance. The vessel said it was sinking.

WILHELMINA TALKS TO U. S. TONIGHT

LONDON, May 15 (U, P.)—Wil-

i |

helmina, Queen of the Netherlands, her self-imposed exile in Great Britain today a mes- |

broadcast from

said the Dutch be conquered

spirit even

sage that could never

of German invaders.

that we

“No happi-

world can

never be conquered.”

“morally,

‘Nazi Bombers Believed Try-|

ing to Drop Chute Spies Into France.

French High Command

into a new battle of the

dangerous foothold in the Maginot defense area at Sedan.

broken at Sedan.)

| pected late this afternoon and to-

night in an effort to widen and]

{deepen a four-mile foothold which (the Germans gained after crossing tec the west bank of the Meuse River, in the midst of the concrete pill boxes and.underground bunkers of the Maginot fortifications. | German bombers harassed R.AF. |bases incessantly today and an effort apparently was made to drop parachute spies. The bomb attacks started at 2 a. m. and continued hour-by-hour thereafter. The German planes came over in groups of two and three for the most part, but occasional flights of nine planes .oared above ‘the British flying fields. These larger formations were believed to be seeking to screen German attempts to drop spies by parachute. The Sedan battle at the moment was the danger point of the 200nile battlefront that runs from the bastion of Antwerp, Belgium, down through Louvain, to the Meuse and on to the Maginot Line itself as far (Continued on Page Three)

FLOOD OF BUYING BOOSTS. Y, STOCKS

Gains Range to 7 Points; Wheat. Plunges Limit.

(Details, Pages 15 and 19) A flood of buying orders absorbed one of the heaviest stock selling movements of the year at New York today, thrusting prices forward until gains ranged to seven points. Trade dwindled following a turnover of 2,180,000 shares—most since last September's war boom—in the first two hours. Huge blocks ranging to more than 11,000 shares were dumped on the market at the opening which induced a drop of one to more than three points. The burst of buying that swept {into the market then reversed the trend and tickers fell eight minutes ‘late. Dealings in Bethlehem Steel

| though the nation is in the hands were suspended for about 10 min-

utes when the specialist in that

Former Kaiser Wilhelm, still a former Kaiser lived there and un-| A refugee from her own capital stock found his book empty of “sell” German citizen, is free to return doubtedly took care that nothing at the Hague, the Queen told the orders in the face of fresh, heavy

| “buy” orders. | Wheat plunged 8 cents at the

| WASHINGTON, May 15 (U. P).|live out the scanty years left to him citizen and possesses large estates ness can be expected in this world Chicago opening, rebounded fully

{to return at any time he wishes.

tee today recommended passaze of | Holland. that the The German Government has not |

a specific bill to deport Harry, The spokesman said

Congress of Industrial Organiza- foachuc the former Kaiser from movement never has been in ques- | tigps, Doorn but he declined the offer, > A : |

said, At 2 a. m, tomorrow (7 p. m, to-

Wilhelmina will broadcast a spe-

cial message to the United States.

+. 13 —The House Immigration Commit-| walking the green lawns at Doorn, in Germany to which he is welcome until Germany is defeated,” she and continued active at 2% to 31;

closing 10-cent

cents below yesterday's prices, but tumbled the

. 8, 9 Bridges, West Coast leader of the Dutch Government had offersd to contacted him, for his freedom of night Indianapolis Time), Queen limit at the close. War jitters spread

to Indianapolis hog trading and (Continued i Three)

| A furious German attack was ex-!

Meuse | {where German forces have won a |

(The German High Command |

Battle was being joined all along this 200-mile front but the danger point of the moment was at Sedan.

Germans May Thrust West . If the Germans can hold their foothold and press on

PARIS, May 15 (U. P).—The through the heavy Maginot fortifications they could thrust

today quickly west and slightly north, sévering rail communicahurled thousands of French troops

‘tions with Belgium and cutting off the Allied armies there from their bases. Division after division was being rushed into place by the French in an effort to blast the Germans out of their

Sedan positions and throw them back over the Meuse.

claimed the Maginot Line had been | French and British airmen spotted the heavy German arme

ored column moving up to Sedan and blasted it with bombs and machine gun fire. Other planes smashed at the pontoon bridges being used by the Germans to cross the Meuse. Allied sources admitted a ‘‘serious” situation at Sedan but the Nazi claim was disputed by the French. Paris ase serted the Germans had succeeded in crossing the Meuse at Sedan and establishing a four-mile “pocket” on its west

‘bank but insisted that this “pocket” was outside the great

underground Maginot fortifications. French Hurl Tanks at Nazis French tanks, mechanized units and infantry aided by, British aircraft were hurled at the German pocket in an effort thus far unsuccessful to dislodge them. The French admitted the Germans had crossed the Meuse at two other points, both in Belgium in the vicinity of Dinant, south of Namur where the Germans claimed two more Belgian forts had surrendered. The great punch of the German assault today appeared to be landing on the 55-mile front from Namur to Sedan, The Germans evidently were hurling their best armored columns into this area in an effort to outflank the strong French-British Army gathered to the north to protect Bruse sels, Antwerp and the Channel ports. The scene of battle had shifted swiftly away from Hole land where today the formalities of German occupation of the country were underway after the Dutch had laid down

their arms except for Zeeland Province just north of Ante (Continued on Page Three)

New Developments Hint Mass Raids on Britain

In Berlin:

BERLIN, May 15 (U. P.).—The German High Command claimed today to have pierced the French Maginot Line near the textile town of Sedan—a historic, bloody battlefield in Europe's wars and scene of a crushing French defeat in 1870. At the same time, every evidence

pointed to preparations by Germany to make quick use of their new air bases in Holland for mass raids on Great Britain. D. N. B. Official News Agency claimed today French prisoners had revealed that their mechanized forces engaged by German tanks and airplanes northeast of Namur yesterday were isolated or destroyed by the German attack. The Agency also asserted that 80 British soldiers had been taken prisoner west of Merzic during German attacks on the Saar Front. The German offensive, according to the communique, also carried the

Reich's forces all the way % to the

Dyle River, a scant 18 miles from Brussels, capital of Belgium. Dispatches from Paris and Lone don this morning disputed the Ger= man claim of victory, but admitted a serious situation where Germans crossed the Meuse near Sedan. Paris pointed out that Sedan is out= side the Maginot Line and stated that the main defenses of France's wall of concrete and steel in that section were west of the Meuss River. In any event, the fortifications around Sedan constitute a weak link in the Maginot Line, consisting of fortified positions rather than deep, underground forts, The advance across the Meuse River, the Germans said, was ma against a French counter-attack of tanks—weapons unknown 70 yean ago when another German

overwhelmed the French and broke

Emperor Napoleon III as a in the councils of Europe. The German claim of (Continued on Page Three)

east of Antwerp down along the Dyle River to Louvain, the 4)