Wilkes-Barre Sunday Independent

              u
A Paper For The Home
SUNDAY INDEPENDENT
The Weather
Sunday:   Fair, warmer. Monday: Cloudy, wirmar.
35TH YEAR, NO. ]S-48 PAGES
WILKES-BARRE, PA., SUNDAY, IMARCH 2, 1941
PRICE TEN CENTS
NAZIS POUR
BULGARIA
Royal Navy May Co to Black Sea
Hitler Living up to His Threat of U-Boat Warfare
T Jugoslavs Force      T^» - m      MM ff
Nazi Plane Doun     StOrt    MOrCh     OS
By BRYDON TAXE.S
London, March 3 (Sunday) (I P)_Adolf Hitler haa made Kood hia threat of Kreatly inten- aified auhniarine warfare againitt British HhlppinK hy more than quadrupling the num her of I'-hoats In the Atlantie, a reliahle aourn^ «aid  to<lay.
The inrreeaxe in the numher nf (lernian auhmarlnea at large In the Atlantic, thin aource, aaid, waa nnted aininat Kimultaneouely uith Adolf Hitler'a speech nn .Monda.A in the cniirae nf which he a!t<erted that a new l-hnat rampaifrn naa underway. HIOH CI-AIIM.S .MADE
(Hitler claimed the recent ilnk- Int, aa of .Monday, nf Il.'S.noo tnnfi
of enemy ahippinK ""d the Ger¬ man hlKh command yeaterday aaid the navy and air force be¬ tween fhem had aunk 74fl,0(Ml tona of British HhlppinK In Feb¬ ruary.)
The Increase was sudden and ill the past seven days hrnuirht the numher of I'-boats preying on British convo.vs in Atlantic trade routes to more than four times the size of the submarine fleet operatlnK in those waters in mid-February, It  was said.
British losses during the first two weeks of Februar.v. accord¬ ing: to the ndmirall.v, totaled 67,142 tons, far below tierman claims, hnt flgures fnr the past twn weeks have nnt yet been published.
The new development appeared lo cnnflrm repnrts received here twn weeks ago that the Gerjiiana werp turning out swarms nf vest pncket submarines, using mass produetion methods, nf IIK) tons nr smaller. (Spanish inllitHry sources last mnnth CNtimated the size nf the new submarine fleet at fiOO to 1,000.)
WOLF PAfTiS OF SEA
Tlie technique employed In this new (iliase of sea warfare is for I'-'boats to cruise in "pac' •" and attack in groups In the I npe of cnnfusing escort vessels and thereby Inflicting maximum damage nn convnys. Naval ex¬ perts regarded the new I-boat warfare    as    a    real    threat    to
Lease-Lend Bill 2 More Vfeeks
Faces of Delay
Administration Angry As Wheeler Ends His 17,500 Word Talk Saying Real Speeches Are Yet to Come
By LOtlS J, SCHAEFI.E
Washington, March 1 (UP)-Ad- ministration leaders tonight hoped fnr a final vote on the British aid bill within a week but Lsolation senators asserted that there would he at least two weeks more of de¬ bate on the meaaure itself and amendment*.
Th* aecond week of ojatory end¬ ed with Sen. Burton K. Wheeler, I', Mont., strategi.st for the oppo- eitlon, concluding a 17,.")00-word address, and an admini.^tralion spokesman going on the air with a demand that the Senate end "thi.i delay . . . this dwnddling."
So far the opposition has domi¬ nated debate, the administration holding bark speaker.s in a move to ."peed consideration. Unofficial compilation by senate officials showed the opposition so far has talked for 39 hours and 42 minutes while the bill's proponents have u.^ed but 13 hours and ."iR minutes. Developments next week may .ihow more rlearl.v whether a filibuster Is imminent.
.'Senate Democratir I^eader Alben W. Barkley of Kentucky called the Senate to meet at 11 a. m. EST Mnnday, an hour ahead of sched¬ ule. No protest rame from Ihe opposition although such a pro¬ posal a week ago evoked loud com¬ plaint. Barkley hoped with tills early start to conclude general de- hate Monday and start considering amendments. Opposition leaders "coffed at this optimistic prediction and said it would be two weeks or longer before the final vote is taken.
There certainly should be uncom- promised opposition to any attempt to close debate." Sen. Gerald P. Nye, R., N. D.. said.
See Fight on Amendmenta
Barkley Insisted the administra¬ tion would roll up a 2 to 1 margin on final passage but said the vote on amendments might be closer. A new amendment went before the Senate late today when Sen. Ralph O. Brewster, R., Me., regarded a.s a friend of the bill, introduced a proposal to forbid transfer of naval vessels over 1,000 tona to any power , " it diminished the standing 'trength of the navy at the time nf the hill's enactment. The effect of this would be to permit transfer of present naval units provided they were replaced hy new warships.
It would nnt interfere with trans. 'Continued   on   Paze  A-IOi '
Germans Extend Again
Yesterday, as Bulgarians joined tha Axis, Nazi troops began pour¬ ing across the Danube into their country. Some of the troop trains went right on through Sofia-to no one know.s where. Whether this means an attack by the Germans on Greece ia not certain. Some doubt Hitler's desire to throw a spark into the Balkan tinder- box. Then there is the terrain. It is mountainous, with few and poor roads. Particularly is this true on the route the Germans would take throueh Turkey in Europe. After that would come the  Dardanelles  and   then  Turkey  proper.
British Capture 9,000 In Somaliland Sweep
Empire Forces Attacking Keren From West, North
By PHn,IP S. TAVU)R
Cairo, Mar. 1. (UP) troops sweeping through Somaliland already hav,c raptured more than 9,000 prisoners and "more arc surrendering daily," the
«S^- -       —	
Middle East command said today in a communique announcing that Empire forces had captured Bar- dera, important Juba River port 175 miles north ot the Indian Ocean coast. A Nairobi command communique
Britiah ; g^jj Barriera was taken Wednesday
Italian   afternoon.
Overaged Destroyer of U,S. Youth' Mrs. Dilling Calls Sen. Glass
Washington. March 1 (UP)- Mrs. Elizabeth Dilling of Chicago, '¦niff of the "Mothers Crusade As:ain.st BIU ll7fi." took advantage of a week-end recess in her trial for disorderly conduct to tell Sen. Carter Glass. D., Va., she considers n"n "an overaged dcslrover of American youth."
_ What  happened  outside  Senator Glass' office yelterday Is the cause
'" Today's Issue
< laaslAed   A—22
Editorial     C_2
^'ovlea    A—W
PollMca   C—2
•»¦«««» A—1»
Sport*   B—1
2*»'y »-U
8^W    A—18
of Mrs. Diiiing's complication with the police, her second since the Congress .started debating the British   aid   bill.
.She led a sitdown of 30 of her colleagues on the marble floor be¬ fore the office of the 83-year-old Virginia statesman and refused to move on when Capitol Police ap¬ peared. After her arre.st. Glass Is¬ sued a st.itement calling the un¬ welcome visit a "noisy disorder of which any self-respecting fishwife would be ashamed." He called on the Federal Bureau of Investiga¬ tion to inveatigatc the "crusade, its financial backing and wliethcr its members were registered hs foreign propagandists.' He also said it was "pertinent to inquire Into whether they are mothers— (Continued on Page A-10>
Civilians Taken
It disclosed that when African units of the Empire forces roiled into Mogadiscio, Italian Somaliland, prisoners captured included 200 Europeans (Italians) "who had im¬ prisoned themselves in a self-made prisoners' cage close to the bar¬ racks at Mogadiscio before the entry of our troops."
Briti.sh East African operations were supported by the Royal Air Force, said an RAF headquarters communique issued here. The RAF bombed the railway station at Asmara, capital of Eritrea, and ma¬ chine-gunned and destroyed trans¬ port on the road from Asmara to Keren iCheren), 3!) miles north of the capital.
On Two .Sides of Keren
Keren now Is invested by Empire forcc.% from the north and west.
The RAF also bombed Assab, .southernmost port in Eritrea, Ber¬ bera. capital ot Italian-occupied British Somaliland. and Neghelli. southern Ethiopia.
"Our troops now are clearing the surrounding country from which the enemy i.s withdrawing rapidly." (Continued on Page A-10>
Britain'* vital shippinic, but »x- preased rnnfldence that It wnuld be defeated as previous sub¬ marine   offensives  have  heen.
This new development intensi¬ fied the navy'a need fnr more escort veaaels, to permit some of fhe protecting vessels to hunt down the attackers while others remained tn screen the ennvnys.
Snme military quarters ex- preaaed the belief that In the future Increased aerial escorts wnuld be provided.
The IM) destroyera nhtained frnm the I'nlted States hence¬ forth were expected to play an increasingly Important role. They have had alread.v a mode*! share nf naval hnnnrs against aub- niarine and air attaek.
KING FORGETS
Goes Personally To Station to Meet U.S. Ambassador
London, March 1. (UPi King George VI tonight gave United States Ambas-sador John G. Winant a personal welcome "somewhere in England" as a personal and un¬ precedented gcsturs of Anglo- American goodwill.
W'inant landed in Bristol by plane from Lisbon this afternoon. To¬ night he aat before a roaring open fire and discussed the war and United States-British relations with King George and Queen Elizabeth.
In the long history of British diplomacy there never had been anything quite like thU welcome. It i was Britain's ge.sture of return for the friend.ship displayed by Presi¬ dent Roosevelt in personally wel- ' coming British Ambassador Lord Halifax to the United States.
Met   by   King
The King met Winant at an un¬ specified railroad station between Bristol and London. They exchang¬ ed greetings and Winant handed the King his credentials. Then the King escorted the American to his automobile and whisked him to an¬ other  undesignated spot.
There Winant was pre.sented to Queen Elizabeth and the royal prince.saes and had dinner with their majesties. After dinner they sat around an open fire chatting about the situation.
The British press emphasized the unusual welcome to Winant and said that It was in return for Mr. Roosevelt's gestures to Lord Hall- fax.
The seml-offlclal British Press Association said that "It was the first time a King of England has ever gone to a railway station to meet an arriving ambassador from the United States a new and strik¬ ing tribute to the strength of Anglo- American friendship."
Bristol Tells Winant
Winant was not long In getting an idea of what war-time Britain is like. He was driven through a bombed area of Bristol within a few minutes of his arrival. The lord mayor of Bristol told him of a hostel for evacuated children pro¬ vided with funds from Bristol, R. I.
"The ambassador laughed when I reminded him that it was John Cabot, landing from Bristol, who discovered the United States and that Columbus only discovered an island,"  Ihc lord mayor said.
When he landed at Bristol. Win¬ ant said in a brief radio talk that "I have not much to sa.v. I am glad to be here -there is no place I (Continued on Page A-10) '
Right to Pass Dardanelles Given In Pact of 1936
WRITTEN BY RUSSIA
Belgrade, March 1. (UP)—A German tri-motored Junkers transport plane was reported to¬ night to have been forced down by Jugoslav airplanes after cir¬ cling several times over the town of   Skolpjfe.
The t5?rman pilot explained after landing that he thought he was over Soha, Bulgaria. Besides the pilot, there was a crew of eight aboard the plane.
The    plane    had    circled    over
Skolpjfe    several    times    at    n
height    of   !>0a   feet    before    the
Jugoslav    ships    went    up    and
forced   it   to   land.
[
British Minister in Sofia Given Pov\/er To Leave His Post
By FREDERICK KtH
London, March 1 (UP) A break in British-Bulgarian diplomatic relations was imminent tonight and British sources hinted that units of the Royal Navy might be sent through the Dardanelles and Bosphorus Into the Black Sea.
Reliable souice.s said British Minister George W. Rendel had been authorized to break off rela¬ tions with Bulgaria as soon as it became apparent the arrival of German troops in that country constituted a military occupation.
While admitting the Balkan situation was serious, the British took comfort from their relations with Turkey, pointing out that Anglo-Turkish authorities at An¬ kara yesterday hnd announced themselves in full asreemcnt. Terms of the derisions made at Ankara were not known here, but under the terms of the Montreux Straits Convention of 1936 Britain could claim the right to send war¬ ships into the Black Sea of Ger¬ many attacks Greece,
Russia Paved the Way
Under Article 19 of lhat conven¬ tion, inserted at the insistence of then Soviet Foreign Commissar Maxim Litvinoff, the warships of belligerent powers would be per¬ mitted to pass through the straits to aid a victim of aggression.
Litvinoff had in mind the possi¬ bility that French naval units, under the Franco-Soviet treaty in force then, might one day go to Russia's aid in the Black Sea.
The decision as to the breaking off of British-Bulgarian diplomatic relations, it appeared will be made in Sofia.
Full discretion has been given Rendel to ask for his passports as soon as it becomes clear that German occupation is under way. The arrival of German soldiers in force, it was pointed out, would make Rendel's departure a matter of extreme urgency. Because of slow communications, he will have to act on his own Initiative with- (Continued  on  Page  A-10)
Hitler Spectator As Biflgaria Signs; Look to Jugoslavia
By ROBERT H. BEST
Vienna, March 1. (UP) Bulgaria signed with the .\xis today in the presence of Adolf Hitler and Ger¬ man Foreign Minister Joachim Von Ribbentrop predicted that "mnre and more" nations will follow Bul¬ garia's example.
Bulgaria's .signature to the trl- powcr militar.v alliance of Berlin, Rome and Tokyo was affixed with Great ceremony on Belvedere Pal¬ ace by Premier Bogdan Filoff, who flew here from Sofia.
The  ceremony  started  nt  1:4B  p.' m.  (6:46 a. m. EST)  and was over 11   minutes   later  after  which   the participants were rsceived by Hit-j ler at a luncheon. ]
i Bulgaria became the seventh nation to adhere to the pact. Be¬ sides  the original  partner.s  of Ger-
I man.v,   Ital.v   and   Japan,   Ihe   Axis now   numbers   Hungary,   Rumania. Slovakia  and   Bulgaria. The   ceremony   brought   another
I nation, thi.s one with 6.000.000 popu¬ lation    and    an    estimalnd    3,50.000!
j militar.v  effectives,  under  the  Axis
I sway. Bulgaria was the fourth nation   since  last   Nnv.   20  to  join.
I There was no indication as to which ' nation might be next.
I Jugoslavia Next''
I (Speculation in the BalUnns lias centered on Jugoslavia, thus far uncommitted either to the Axis or
I Britain.     Spain,    closely    allied    in
I sympathy with  the Axis,  has been
! reported on the verge of joining several  times  but  thus  far steered
I clear,   apparently   out   of   a   desire
I not to become further involved in the war.)
Filoff arrived here at 9:1,S a. m. at Aspern airport
Bulgars Become Allies of Axis
Sudden Appearance of Uniforms in Capital Followed by Rush of Soldiers In Planes, Trucks and Troop Trains,' Grab Black Sea Port of Vartm; Nazi Headquarters Set in Cham Kuria To Save Sofia from Bombing of RAF; Bulgaria Rushes its Mobilization
By HUGO SPKCK
Sofia, March 1 (UP)—Gei'man motorized and air-borne troops roared into Kulgaria toniglit and a high Nazi source said German Kcneial staff headquarters, from which future militar.v moves will be directed, would be established at Cham Kuria, 4.'i miles from the capital.
German soldieivs streamed into King Boris' little country by airplane, truck, automobile and train, (ierman uniforms suddenly appeared throughout the city and it was reportecL that Reichswehr forces had occupied the strategic Black Sea port of \arna.
The inmarch. apparently the preliminary step tn complete military occupation, started as Bulgaria formally became an ally of the (ierman-.lapanese-ltalian A\i.s.
A rui)tiire of diplomatic relations lietween Great Britain and Bulgaria appeared inevitable. Briti.sh Minister George V\'. IviMidel, who had warned that German occupation would make Bulgaria a battleground, was scheduled to see King Bori.s after church Sunday morning. Keep Sofia "Open City"
A higii German source said staff headquarters would be i\stal)li.siicd at the resort town of (^ham Kuria to avoid con¬ centration of troops in Sofia, wliich, he said, would be declared an "open city" to save it from British bombing.
Report Ultimatum to Greece
Sofia, .Sunday, .'March 2 (IP)—A snurce cln»c to Axis quarters reported today that tJerniany had serve<l what was said lo be a virtual ultimatum to (ireerc fo make peace nith Italy now or "suffer the consequences" ulthln two weeks.
As (Jerman troop transport pianos roared over the city to the airdrome west of the capital and trucks, automobiles and trains ladon with soldiers entered or passed through, it was reported that 20U villas had been requisitioned for the German staff.
Sofia'.s streets were lilacked out as the (.lennans rumbled
through   and   a   complete   bottlingt— • ¦—-
out of all lights was scheduled for
later.
(INBS, semi-official Hungarian news agency, reported at Budapest lhat the German inmarch was con- .sidercd thus far only a "token occupation.")
The government, mobilizing addi¬ tional troops, tightened police re- He was met bv  strictiona   and   announced   that   no
Old Glory Flies Over Bermuda
Hamilton, Bermuda, March 1. (UP)—The United States flag was hoisted nver Tucker's Island today, .symbolizing United States participation in the control of the Bermudas as a result of the destroyers-for-bases   deal.
The flag ceremony, in the pres¬ ence of the British and Ameri¬ can authorities, marked the trans¬ fer of control over Tucker's and Morgan's islands to the United States government under the terms of the 99-year lease per¬ mitting the U. S. Navy and Army to establish air and naval bases.
This was the first time in 20 years that the United .States flag had flown over the Bermudas. During the World War it was hoisted over White's Island in Hamilton Harbor, where U. S. warships  were  based.
Ribbentrop^ Count (^alcazzn Ciano, representing Italy, and Gen. Hiro- shi Oshima, Japanese ambassador to Berlin.
At 11:20 a. m. Hitler arrived at the Holel Imperial. News of his arrival spread quickly through Vienna and thousands jammed the streets to catch a glimpse of him. They packed around the Hotel Im¬ perial  and  nearby  streets. i
At 1.30 p. m. the cercmon.v at Belvedere Palace started. A special radio network was set up to carry a  broadcast  of  the  proceedings.    ,
Bulgarians would be permitted to leave the country unless they could obtain permission to do so from the war ministry,
I border into Jugoslavia at Drago¬ man to advise Washington what was transpiring.
Earlier   it   had   heen    indicated Britons     remaining     in     Bulgarl would   leave   next   week.   The   ar rival    of    German    troops    might hasten  their  departure.
Rnme Hnpe«  for Aid
(In Rome, the Popolo di Roma said a break between Greece and Bulgaria  was   imminent.      A  Bel-
it     I I
The  firsl  German  units  arrived ! grade  dispatch  said   Bulgaria  had
GOVERNOR IN HOSPITAL FOR MINOR OPERATION
I     Boston,   Mar.   1.   lUPl    Governor : Leverett   Sallonslall   of   Massachu¬ setts entered a hospital tonight  to prepare for what was described as a "minor" operation for a left elbow Injury suffered playing squash sev¬ eral years ago. I     All March engagement.'^ were caii- ' celled   and   Lieut.-Gov.   Horace   T. Cabin assumed the duties of acting governor.
SOVIETS  NAME  <'OMMANI>r.K
Moscow, March I H'Pi Lieut- Gen. Andrei Ivanoviih Yeremcnkn todny was appointed lomninnder of the  First  i'ar eastern  Armv.
in Sofia by automobile in the after¬ noon. Troop Trains Arriving
Eleven motor trucks packed with German .soldier.s were .seen passing through Sofia in late afternoon, one Bulgari,in source said, and another reported that a number of loaded German troop trains had arrived al the capital. Automobiles bearing troops proceeded openly through Sofia's main streets to the German chancery.
It was nol Immediately Indicated in what direction the troops who passed thrnugh the capital were traveling. (Greece is south.i Nor was there ,iny authoritative data on how many Germans had entered the country.
Long before the Germans began marching in. Bulgarian pnlice and troops established i tight cordon around the capital .ind the Bul¬ garian government announced mobilization  of  additional  soldiers
Communication to and from Snfi.T was difficult. Bulgarian offiicals watrh'-fl the frontiers. Thrice durins "-^ night United .States Minister ¦* • rge H. F.nrle was   prevented   from   crossing   the
ordered a general mobilization. A German broadcast heard by th* Columbia Broadcasting System In New York said the Bulgarian par¬ liament would meet in special ses¬ sion  .Sunday   aflernoon.)
The arrival of German forces in the capital followed by only a few hour.s an nfficial denial that thera were any German soldiers on Bul¬ garian soil. Simultaneously with the denial, the government had said there was no agreement to permit passage of German troopa through Bulgaria.
Unofficially, il was said the addi¬ tional mobilization were In rt- .sponsc to Renders warning.
Ten pro-British Bulgarians wer* arrested yesterday. They included Michael Padeff, correspondent of the London Times, subsequently released, and Peter Radoeff, a young Bulgarian who had frs- quently been seen in the compan^f of Ann Rendel, the British mia« ister's daughter.
10,000 Left Homeless as Earthquake Rocks Greece
Berlin Says 'Mass Raids'; 'Scattered', Says London
Berlin Refuses to (oninicnt nii Reporta
Berlin, Mar I. (UP) -German officials refu.sed comment tonight on reports that German soldier* were occupying Bulgaria. It waa impossible to telephone Sofia dU rectly and the long distance oper* ator said the "line is disturbed,"
Athens, Mareh 1 (UP)—Six earthquake tremors today rocked Larissa, principal city between Athens and Salonika, damaged houses and buildings and made more than 10,000 persons homeless. It was reported tonight that cas¬ ualty  figures were  mounting.
The center of the densely-pop¬ ulated city was said to have suf¬ fered the heaviest damage. Build¬ ing crumbled and filled the streets with debris.
The first shock was felt at 5:1.1 a.  m.  and  the  heaviest  rame  at  9
away as Salonika and Misselunghi on the Gulf of Corinth.
Mounting casualties, mostly caused by collapsing buildings, were reported bul no figures were released. Al least two persons were known dead and five injured.
A severe storm, which has raged for the past 24 hours, increased suffering of the thousands of homeless.
The minister of public security lefl Athens by train for Lari.ssa personally to inspect damage and direct relief work. British bombers laden wilh medical and other sup-
a. m. Tb« tremor* were felt m far pliei, left lor L&rlsst tonight.
London, March 1 (UP)- German raiders dropped high explosive bombs on several British towns to¬ night. H..>avy caliber bombing was reported al aeveral points on the south coast, in the Midlands, and Northeast Scotland.
In one south coasl lown bombs demolished a trucking company's workshop and damaged  trucks.
Air alarms and anti-aircraft flre broke London's slumber. Two alarms in the firsl half of the night were followed by the all-clear signal.
Raiders appe.ired early over a town in Easl Anglia.
During the day no bombings were reported anywhere in Great Britain, the air and home security ministries said.
A   third  alarm   was   sounded   in , the London area shortly after mid¬ night.    It   was   brief   and   without incident. j
<ieriiians Report !
.Attacks In Force
Berlin, March 1. (UP)—German heavy bombers are attacking Great Brilain in force, informed sources said tonight. The attacks started in early evening, it was said, the objectives including harbors and otlier military objectives on the British eaat coasl and a city m tlic   Midlands.
lj»rge formatioiiji of bombcr.s started winging toward the Mid¬ lands  cily  shortly  after  dusk  and
: were   continuing    the   attack   late
'at night, it was said.
Bulgaria (iivea Formal Notice of Occupation
Belgrade, Mar. 1. (UP) Bulgaria, it was repor*ed tonight, has ofH* daily notified Jugoslavia that Ger¬ man mililary occupation haa started.
The report said the Bulgaria* government informed the Jugoslav government that German troop* were pouring into Bulgaria ove? the nothern frontier.
Well-informed sources said on% German mechanized division had (Continued on Page A-10)
I
Dispatches from Euro- pean countries are now subject   to   censorship.
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