The cry to save democracy, he said in his weekly radio broadcast, “is raised by those who are more interested in destroying Germany than they are in restoring Czechoslovakia.”
Yesterday’s parade of protest in New York against Germany’s acquisition of Czecho-Slovakia, the priest asserted, was participated in by many innocent people, “duped by propaganda and Leftist leadership.”
“For these persons,” he said, “the dissolution of Czecho-Slovakia is but a convient occasion to further the cause of tyranny and aggression under the name of liberty and democracy; to sound the drums of international war with the hope of stimulating the wicked passion of hate in the breasts of innocent citizens.”
Czecho-Slovakia was born in Pitts-burgh, the priest went on, and the “republic was doomed to dissolution from the outset because it was established upon the false principle of racial conflict within the precincts of one nation.”
“If the conscience of Americans is offended because the principles of real democracy, of self-determination, of home rule have been crushed to earth by the Iron heel of the German Storm Troopers, let our indignation be impartial and therefore virtuous,” he said.
“Let us lament over the plight of the British, French and Russian victims of conquest who, since the battle of Plassey in 1757 to the massacre of Moscow in 1923, have been appealing for liberty and justice and sympathy to the deafened ears of civilization.”
About 500 persons yesterday picketed in front of radio stations WMCA, at 1,657 Broadway, and WJZ in the RCA building, 49 West Forty-ninth Street in demonstrations against failure of the stations in the past to carry broadcasts by the Rev. Charles E. Coughlin.
MARCH 30, 1939
FRANCO COMPLETES CONQUEST OF SPAIN; LAST 10 CITIES BOW
Wireless to The New York Times.
HENDAYE, France (at the Spanish frontier), March 29—Events have moved swiftly since last night and Republican resistance has crumbled at all points in Spain.
Valencia, Almeria, Murcia, Ciu-dad Real, Jaen, Cuenca, Albacete, Guadalajara and Alicante, all in Republican hands last night, today are pledging allegiance to the Nationalists. These last nine of Spain’s fifty-two provincial capitals were either occupied by advancing columns of Generalissimo Francisco Franco’s army or seized by his sympathizers inside.
Burgos has been learning by radio during the day of the capitulation of Republican towns and villages along the Mediterranean coast and in the interior. The station at Palma, Majorca, after short-wave conversations with Murcia and other former Republican strongholds, passed on messages of surrender to headquarters.
Francisco Franco leading his staff on the Mediterranean front during the Spanish civil war, 1939.
WIDE RADIO CONTACTS
It seems fairly obvious that Nationalist and Republican radio announcers have reached some agreement, for in places still well within the Republican lines operators have been in friendly conversation with Nationalist stations.
At Palma and Malaga are the chief Nationalist high-frequency stations on the Mediterranean. All day long they have been tutoring Republican stations at Murcia, Valencia and other points in collecting and relaying messages from mobile propaganda stations in the field to General Franco’s headquarters. Republican stations were being gently admonished to add “Viva Franco!’’ to the orthodox “Ariba España” [“Up Spain!”]
In the field General Gonzalo Queipo de Llano’s southern army and General Saliquet’s central army were advancing rapidly last night in all sectors toward the last coast.
Ramon Serrano Suner, Minister of the Interior at Burgos, gave some idea of the strength of the Nationalist armies operating since Monday. In Central Spain, he said last night, there were about 300,000 men, under command of General Saliquet, assisted by twenty-five other generals. This army included General Gastone Gambara’s Italian divisions—the Littorio, Blue Arrows, Black Arrows and Green Arrows—all with mechanized units, tanks, artillery and airplanes.
MARCH 30, 1939
Madrid Hears of Collapse
Wireless to The New York Times.
MADRID, March 29—From all sides reports reached Madrid today of the complete collapse of Republican authority throughout Spain.
Travelers coming from Valencia reported the whole road was choked with traffic, and thousands of soldiers, who had thrown away their arms, were returning wearily to their villages. Hundreds of trucks passed down the road to Valencia loaded with refugees hoping to escape by sea. However, no steamer was in the harbor. The port was crowded to overflowing with refugees without means of escape.
Lieut. Col. Segismundo Casado of the National Defense Council, who arrived at Valencia yesterday, announced that he intended to stay to supervise the task of handing over the city to the Nationalist armies.
As soon as his proclamation became known vast crowds assembled in the streets with Nationalist flags, shouting Nationalist slogans.
As in Madrid, the overthrow of the Republican authorities was achieved by the townspeople themselves. They took command to assure continuation of public services and law and order until the arrival of Nationalist troops.
Nationalist military authorities are fully installed here and beginning to function. Many high officers have arrived, including Generals Emilio Solchaga, Garcia Valino and Milan Astray, the last the founder of the Foreign Legion. Civil Guards and Assault Guards also entered during the day.
Fifteen hundred trucks loaded with foodstuffs poured into the city, where 600,000 rations were distributed today. It is hoped the distribution of white bread and tobacco will begin tomorrow.
It is now clear how great was the strength of Generalissimo Francisco Franco’s “fifth column” in Madrid. It is estimated the fascist Falange Español had 40,000 members in the capital. Its leader, Dr. Manuel Valdes, a physician, says it was the Falange that took Madrid.
He said Falange members who had suffered untold misery for two years seized the city yesterday morning and held it for several hours until the arrival of troops. They took charge of public services and maintained law and order, he explained.
General Joaquin Rios Capape, who previously commanded troops in the University City sector and then in the Cerro de los Angeles, just south of the capital, entered and contacted Falange leaders, who appeared to be completely in command of the situation and gradually assumed all public offices, reflecting careful preparation.
Reorganization of the Falange in Madrid is now going ahead. Men of military experience and rank are being placed in responsible positions to mold a new party on the model hitherto obtaining in Nationalist Spain.
APRIL 1, 1939
Chamberlain’s Statement
By The Associated Press.
LONDON, March 31—The text of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s statement on the international situation in the House of Commons today follows:
I am glad to take this opportunity of stating again the general policy of His Majesty’s Government. They have constantly advocated the adjustment by way of free negotiation between the parties concerned of any differences that may arise between them. They consider that this is the natural and proper course where differences exist.
In their opinion there should be no question incapable of solution by peaceful means and they would see no justification for the substitution of force or threats of force for the method of negotiation.
As the House is aware, certain consultations are now proceeding with other governments. In order to make perfectly clear the position of His Majesty’s Government, in the meantime, before those consultations are concluded, I now have to inform the House that during that period, in the event of any action which clearly threatened Polish independence and which the Polish Government accordingly considered it vital to resist with their national forces, His Majesty’s Government would feel themselves bound at once to lend the Polish Government all support in their power.
They have given the Polish Government an assurance to this effect.
I may add that th
e French Government have authorized me to make it plain that they stand in the same position in this matter as do His Majesty’s Government.
The Foreign Secretary saw the Soviet Ambassador this morning and had a very full discussion with him on the subject. I have no doubt the principles on which we are acting are fully understood and appreciated by that government.
The visit of Colonel Beck [Foreign Minister Josef Beck of Poland] will provide an opportunity of discussing with him the various further measures that may be taken in order to accumulate the maximum amount of cooperation in any efforts that may be made to put an end to aggression—if aggression were intended—and to substitute for it the more reasonable and orderly method of discussion.
The question of a conference is simply a matter of expediency. We have no theoretical views about conferences if they prove to be the best way.
If there are other and more effective ways of achieving our object we might dispense with conferences.
The Dominions are being kept fully informed.
AUGUST 21, 1939
REICH TROOPS JAM ROUTES TO POLAND
Gleiwitz, on Border, Bristles with Guns—Ambulance Units Are Ready for Action
GLEIWITZ, Germany, Aug. 22 (AP)—Four of Germany’s famous motorized “super guns” and an attendant ammunition train rolled through Gleiwitz at 2:50 A.M.
Each sixteen-foot, 10-inch caliber barrel was carried on three sets of trucks and the ground and firing mechanism on three other sets of trucks drawn before them.
From the direction of the railroad station the half-mile column approached and disappeared into the dark headed toward this city’s military garrison. The Polish border lies within two miles of these barracks.
The group going through the town this morning is the second artillery section to be seen here within the last week. The other, heavy mortars, took the same route at 3:45 P.M. yesterday.
Following the heavy pieces, the short muzzles of anti-aircraft machine guns jutted above the helmeted heads of soldiers.
Twenty-man motor trucks clattered rapidly through the streets on caterpillar treads. One was entirely filled with hawsers and inch-thick towing ropes. Another carried iron strips suitable for tracks for wide-tread motor carriages.
Many trucks carried square boxes covered with tar paper. There were also some rolling field kitchens. Ambulances crisscrossed Gleiwitz streets this afternoon.
Besides the regular army ambulances, civilian and Red Cross units were observed.
AUGUST 22, 1939
Baltic Activities Reported
BERLIN, Aug. 21 (AP)—Berliners who spent Sunday near the Baltic said today that train after train had rushed past them in a northeasterly direction carrying soldiers, cannons, anti-aircraft equipment and field kitchens.
Others who drove in the direction of Dessau, seat of the Junkers airplane works, said they could not get near the city because it was designated as a military area.
They also said they had a difficult time obtaining gasoline. Filling station after filling station was empty.
At the War Department in Berlin today there was an endless coming and going of smart cars bearing high-ranking officers. Overhead more military planes roared by than has been the case in days.
The city otherwise seemed to be devoid of military activity, the inference being that everybody was on duty at the Polish frontier.
AUGUST 22, 1939
Troops Pass Through Vienna
Wireless to The New York Times.
VIENNA, Aug. 21—From an early hour this morning and at regular intervals large contingents of motorized military units left this city by way of the Danube Bridge proceeding in a northeasterly direction toward the German-Slovak frontier.
Military trucks filled with soldiers as well as light artillery, full of camp equipment, Red Cross ambulances and truckloads of powder kegs and oil barrels, passed through the city.
Meanwhile there were visible demonstrations of joy when the newspapers containing reports of the successful termination of the Russo-German trade treaty appeared on the streets.
AUGUST 24, 1939
GERMANY AND RUSSIA SIGN 10-YEAR NON-AGGRESSION PACT
BIND EACH OTHER NOT TO AID OPPONENTS IN WAR ACTS
By The Associated Press
MOSCOW, Aug. 24—Germany and Soviet Russia early today signed a non-aggression pact binding each of them for ten years not to “associate itself with any other groupings of powers which directly or indirectly is aimed at the other party.”
By the pact they also agreed to “constantly remain in consultation with one another” on their common interests and to adjust difference by arbitration.
The non-aggression clauses bound each power to refrain from any act of force against the other and if either party is “the object of warlike acts by a third power” to refrain from supporting the third power.
The pact did not include the usual escape clause providing for its denunciation in case one of the contracting parties attacked a third power. This provision has been written into most non-aggression pacts in the past by Moscow.
ARRIVES BY PLANE
By. G.E.R. Gedye
Special cable to The New York Times
MOSCOW, Aug. 24—With the meticulous punctuality of a perfectly staged arrival, two huge Focke-Wulf Condor planes conveying Joachim von Ribbentrop, the German Prime Minister, and his thirty-two assistants, landed at the Moscow airdrome on the stroke of 1 p.m. yesterday.
Adequate but not excessive policy precautions were taken at the airdrome. For the first time the Soviet authorities displayed the swastika banner, five of which flew from the front of the airdrome building, but were placed so as not to be visible from the outside.
Vyacheslaff M. Molotoff was not present to welcome Herr von Ribbentrop but almost the entire staff of the huge German Embassy, headed by the Ambassador, Count Friedrich Werncr von del Schulenburg, with the military, naval and air attaches in uniform, was present. The German civilians mostly wore top hats and cutaway coats.
From the airdrome the party drove to the city through streets where police in their white summer jackets stood every ten paces.
The party drove directly to the former Austrian Embassy where they are being housed. Subsequently Herr von Ribbentrop and leading members of his mission had luncheon at the embassy with Count von del Schulenburg.
At about 3:30 P. M. Herr von Ribbentrop, accompanied by Count von del Schulenburg and an expert translator whom the Germans brought from Berlin, drove through the gates of the Kremlin.
Despite the diplomatic triumph which he believes he has won the father of the anti-Comintern pact must have experienced strange emotions as he drove across the world famed Red Square to the citadel of the Russian Communist Government on a mission that many foreigners in Moscow considered a last desperate effort by Germany to prevent the conclusion of a three-power pact of mutual assistance between Russia and the Western democracies that would have blocked completely Germany’s dreams of European hegemony.
AUGUST 24, 1939
NEUTRALITY STEPS ARE READIED BY U. S.
Special to The New York Times.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 23—As President Roosevelt rushed back to Washington to meet the problems created for this country by a constantly deepening danger of war in Europe, high officials of the government, including Secretary of State Cordell Hull, who returned from a vacation, met today in the State and Treasury Departments and prepared plans and measures for the President’s approval.
The feeling in official circles here that the danger of conflict is increasing hourly was in no wise allayed by the announcement from Berlin and Moscow that the Soviet-German anti-aggression pact had been signed, since this had been discounted here, and the exchanges between the British and German Governments today were regarded as more serious.
Feverish activity developed even before the White House announced at noon that the President had decided to hasten back to the capital, and tonight everything had been prepared for the Chie
f Executive to take whatever steps he deems necessary to meet the threatening situation.
Sumner Welles, Under-Secretary of State, announced that a meeting of officials from five government departments and high ranking army and navy officers would be held at 3 P.M. tomorrow, an hour after the President is scheduled to arrive here.
Among the problems dealt with at meetings held in the morning in the office of John W. Hanes, Under-Secretary of the Treasury, and in the afternoon in that of Adolf A. Berle, Assistant Secretary of State, were technical ones dealing with the shock upon money and export markets if war should develop in Europe. Also studied was cooperation of the navy in evacuating Americans from Europe, an undertaking to which, in case it is necessary, the Maritime Commission will lend its ships.
DATA FOR DECLARATION READY
In addition, material has been gathered for a comprehensive neutrality declaration, including all aspects of this country’s position as a neutral, the rights of United States ships and those of belligerents and, in fact, all the data available from United States experience as a neutral during the last war. This will be available for the President should he care to use it.
Officials were confident that measures devised for the use of the President in the event of war would enable this country to meet an outbreak of hostilities without undue shock.
AUGUST 24, 1939
FRANCE MOBILIZES; NOW EXPECTS WAR
People Confident Of Strength to Meet Aggressor as Hopes Of Peace Diminish
By P. J. PHILIP
Wireless to The New York Times.
PARIS, Aug. 24—Convinced by a report from French Ambassador Robert Coulondre at Berlin and by a reply that Chancellor Adolf Hitler gave yesterday to Prime Minister Nevile Chamberlain’s message through British Ambassador Sir Neville Henderson at Berchtesgaden that an invasion of Poland is intended by the German Government within the next few days, the French Government last night decided to call up a further contingent of reservists today.
The New York Times Book of World War II, 1939-1945 Page 9