FRANCE o The strike situation in France grows rapidly no better. One employexj/took the offensive against the labor unions today. The Renault Motor Car plant announced a lockout. Half of tne thirty thousand men employed there returned to work this morning. The Company refused to let them inside the factory. The excuse given was that the machinery had been so badly damaged when the sit-down strikers were evacuated last week. This move by the Renault Company is interpreted as foreshadowing a firm aggressive policy against strikes, concerted action by the government and employers. Strikers went back to their jobs at several airplane factories today. But they’re going to join in the general strike which the C.G-T«> the General Labor Federation, has called for Wednesday. Five thousand workers in the shipyard at Dunkerque quit work today. That’s a shipyard where five new French warships are being built. Premier Daladier made a speech over the radio today. He appealed to the workers to abandon their general strike. Its it’s a test of strength between motives, he said, are political. the dictatorship of a minority and Republican democracy. And he FRANCE - 2 added that its real purpose is to make a demonstration that the Leit Iking, - Syndicalism, Communism and Socialism, - is predominant in France. Foreign diplomats believe that the general strike and all the other strikes are not a protest against Daladierrs labor and tax decrees. What they’re aimed at is his foreign policy, particularly the Munich Aereement and the Spanish affair. The C.G.T. lost no time in replying to Daladier’s appeal. It defies the government and insists upon the strike. Incidentally, Hitler’s Foreign Minister Von Ribuentrip will probably call off the visit he was going to make to Paris. He was to sign the friendship pact between France and Germany. However, that doesn't mean the agreement is off. It can be signed by the German Ambassador in Paris instead of Von Hibbentrip. lift S' I I! 1 ?! S||; | jjJLJ p HAMBERLAIN At the historic conference in Munich, Duce Mussolini extended an invitation to John Builds Premier Chamberlain. TtWhy don't yon come to Rome and get acquainted," he said. So it's now arranged that Chamberlain will call on the Duce some time early in January. And he will take his Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax, with him. This was announced in the House of Commons today. Primarily, of course, he will try to strengthen the as yet somewhat flimsy ties between John Bull and Fascist Italy. But he will also try to bring about more friendly relations between Italy and France. And of course he'll have a shot at settling the Spanish War. JAPAH Some interesting information about Japan's navy came to light today. Came from Germany, published by a retired admiral of the Germany Navy. He says that Japan is building two super battleships that will be the most formidable in the world. The largest In existence today is John Bull's battle-cruiser, the HOOD, forty-two thousand, one hundred tons, carrying eight, fifteen inch guns. But the Mikado's government is building two even more powerful ships. Between forty and forty-five thousand tons each:- to carry a battery of nine, sixteen inch guns each. This same German naval authority declares that it is of vital interest to John Bull as well as to Dncle Sam that we keep hold of the Philippines. If we do that, he says, the "strategic triangle of Hong Kong, Manila and Singapore could in time be made impregnable to hostile forces•" And he adds: "^t seems difficult to reconcile the evacuation of the Philippines with the huge naval rearmament of the United States." TREATY Another secret treaty between Geraany, Italy and Japan has wen drawn up. The agreement between those three powers at *S» present is called politely "a pact against Communism." But everybody has predicted that it would soon be a far more formidable WJZ44/ arrangement. The^treaty hasn’t been signed yet, though Hitler's Foreign Minister Von Ribbentrop was ready* ©enrwrrredv The delay comes from Italy. Mussolini’s Foreign Minister, Count Ciano, wants to hold off for a few months. None of this information is official, it comes from a London newspaper. Although nobody signed on the dotted line, Tokyo, Berlin and Rome are agreed on these points. First, if anyone of the three is threatened by any power or group of powers, the other two will come to bat "politically, diplomatically and by x every economic means at their disposal." Secondly, if one of them is attacked, all three will immediately get together on plans to help,the one th.itH n-* tttTOkdd, If they all three 6o to war, or even if only two of them go to war, they will make no separate peace, no armistice except with the consent of all three. AIRWAYS The Germans are planning regular adrplane service between Berlin and Tokyo. A four motored passenger plane took off from Berlin this afternoon. It's the CONDOR, the same plane that flew to New York and back last August. The route to Japan will be by way of Basra, in Iraqj Karachi in Indiaj Hanoi in French Indo-China. Which obviously means with the consent of the British and French. The Germans hope to be able to organize a regular service between the two capitals — Berlin to Tokyo in four days. Hitler's Wazis are going to solve the problem of Jewish refugees in their own fashion. They will defy m opinion in other countries. Not only that, they will force the German-Jewish populations on those other countries. That's the gist of an unofficial report from Berlin today. All ever Germany, Jews are being arrested right and left without even any charge being made against them. The pressure on Jewish shopkeepers has become more severe. Many of them are being picketed and forced to close without selling out. Others are taken to prison. One Nazi Idea is to reserve unpleasant public jobs, such as streetfcleaning, exclusively for the Jews. It I ooks as though we might hear any day of some official action by Oncie Sam in behalf of the people »ho are being oppressed by the Nazis and Fascists. President Roosevelt put in a large part of the afternoon learning things from Hugh Wilson and William Phillips, our Ambassadors to Berlin and Rome, it was the second time in twenty-four hours that the President had sent for them. Wilson and Phillips passed the night at the Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia where Mr. Roosevelt has been vacationing. This morning Wilson and Phillips took a long automobile drive, exchanging information about the problems of oppression in Itkly and Germany. They are considering the troubles not only of the Jews but also of the Protestants, and particularly the Catholics. tLJt 11 I ; Hi I ! it il ii ; ill I ! | ji l! i A lijf p f 11 ii| Ur If L -r-c. ju&jr*- - - frr--(. II ip II ' J - PI .! Hit. IpMjft ii wfflTRALrn If rumor is correct. Uncle Sam's foreign policy is going to have teeth in it, sharp teeth at that. The rumor is that the Neutrality Act is to be amended. If this happens it would enable the President of the United States to apply an embargo against the shipment of American jj ill: 1 good s to any nation which he considers an aggressor. According to one observer, this amendment would make that law a prodigiously powerful diplomatic weapon, and incidentally, it would give the occupant at the White House, whoever he might be, more power in directing our foreign policy than any President ever had before. But it is argued that it would make the United States far more influential abroad. It would enable America to exert real pressure on countries that have to buy from us the things they need to conduct a war. One diplomat pointed out, for instance, that if the President had had such powers this year, the Japanese government would have been a great deal more civil in its replies to American protests. It is quite possible that the publication of this unofficial report Is In the nature of a trial baloon. The rumor emanates NEUTHALITY - 2 nad had such powers this year, the Japanese government would have been a deal more civil in its replies to American protests. It is quite possible that the publication of this unofficial report is in the nature of a trial baloon. The rumor emanates ostensibly from New York. When it was repeated to officials at the S^ate Department, they declined to comment. However, Sumner Welles, the Acting Secretary of State, said that bath the President and the State Department have been studying hard the problems that have been caused by the present Neutrality A£t. Wellas added that so far no definite change of policy has crystalized, and he described the report published in New York as premature. 1 i i ^CS£ -1T. oliest so-a, -c ' ^:'-~i£ c-een a rii3K>r t£iat be ^ ;,-*: 7 pictures, “b^: rujiar 3treiser Yben it cec^e knemn tb^t ot j- ' '- —-»* - 4 . tc- a-^X^Twooc wa^ a luncaean £iven to ” •' . tt 2 ? £ szl -€- - £ —£ ~ • Alter n was over, ae I'iew caok to tbe raneb wbere be aai leen reooTering frox bis operation. When he «as asbed -snetber be ▼as goin& to take a jot at the Goldvyn studio. Jiany replied: sj can't connent on that. As they say in Hollywood, TIf 2 i between pictures.r" The Joint Committee of Congress investigating the Tennessee Valley Authority was a hit startled today. They heard evidence from the chief of the Division of Investigation of the Office of the Controller General. And. he declared that when government auditors were going over the hooks of the T.V.A., they were not allowed to see certain important documents. He said further that Uncle San^s auditors had been obstructed and opposed in several directions. In once ase they were not allowed access to the files of the T.V.A. and information they asked for #as denied. They were also delayed for weeks and hampered in other ways. And that same official declaredL *»From the outset, the Tennessee Valley Authority assumed the position of not being amenable to the law." If III || i 1 ft! • : I : - I 1 fill' CHICAGO STRIKE This morning it looked as though the stockyard strike in Chicago might soon be broken. Men belonging to the , <>•>»■«. oJtQ American Federation of Labor mm undertook to bust up walkout a of a L.1.0. ■fixiion. Leaders of the A.F, of L« declared that they had put three hundred and fifty livestock handlers to work. But evidently the men did not obey their leaders. By# half past ten this morning, newspaper men made a count and found only three American Federation of Labor men on the job. This afternoon C.I.O. leaders offered to end the strike if the stockyard company would negotiate for a written contract. kidnappers Somewhere in Indiana or Tilinn-i= ^ , -‘■l-*-111013> e couple of dangerous guttien are at large. They have a wom'ar^with them. They started the day by seizing the car belonging to a resident of South Bend, Indiana, iook not only the car but its owner along. Previously they had kidnapped a couple of farmers near Vicksburg, Michigan. They put one of those farmers in the trunk at the back of the car. But he managed to climb out and escape. At that, the bandits decided to release the other two men without injuring them. On their way through Michigan, the bandits got into a gunfight with Michigan state policemen. One of the^bKnrjiiTNp and the woman were wounded. Tonight all roads in northwestern Indiana and northeastern Illinois are being guarded by state troopers. trwin . A y0Unt ‘“arl swagg9red into » New i-ork courtroom today, teamed upon everybody and smUeu as though he had come there to receive a million dollars. Instead of that he came to hear himself sentenced to i;upr*soniuent for one hundred and thirty-nine years. 2fex The swaggering youth v,as Irwin, the young sculptor who had murdered three people and then said his act was not malicious. a.s the ^udfce pronounced his sentence Irwin laughed uproariously^ His counsel remarked to one of the spectators; "I just can’t stop him from talking.” Before he heard his sentence the Judge said; "Have you anythint, to say?" And Ir.,in replied; "I have much to say that has a bearing on these proceedings," That made the judge impatient and he barked out; X "You have pleaded guilty to murder in the second degree and this court doesn’t wish to hear any tirades from you. Irwin's face then took on a ferocious expression as he screamed: "This is ^ust a farce, fou say you represent Justice, I say to you that you do not." Whereat the Jud6e shrugged his shoulders and started to r -‘ad from papers at his desk. Irwin interrupted with a yell: "1'ou IRWli represent a rich man's justice." VVljZ^JXw, _ -^e_ Mj^rsa When Irv'ln ‘'e«ohea Sing Bing Prison the guards found he had five hundred dollars in cash in his pockets, -atarttesa.ytfore thanT^, found on Eicht.rd Whitney, former President of the New York Btock ExcheJigs* prophesied t-o tae ding ding guards that he would be out in ten years. He raade the same boast to the judge when he pleaded guilty. They asked him: "How do you expect to do it?" nnd he replied with a chuckle: "Tha^s my secret." i I I lit; weather The cold snap Is about over. The two recent snow storms took more than a hundred lives in the east, southeast and middle west Thirty-three people died in New England since Thanksgiving, twenty- five in eastern Pennsylvania alone. The worst damage appears to have been done in the maritime provinces of Canada. Dp there shipping was injured, highway traffic at a standstill, even communications and power plants put out of commission. Hundreds of people were made homeless and there were accidents on the ice coated highways hunters follow weather A rescue party reached twelve of the hunters marooned by snowdrifts in the woods of northeastern Maine. The rescuers found those snowbound hunters pretty hungry, otherwise all right. But there are still more than eighty cut off from civilization. A couple of airplanes from Bangor, Maine, flew over Eagle Lake', where the stranded sportsmen are encamped in tents, trailers and cottages. The planes^dropped food and reported that neither the men nor the few women with them are in any immediate danger. ft if j- i; 1 ii i : E Ei i I ill 1 ■ i :y; #f. BE 11 ■H ; 111 HU ilp ...J HOUSE AFLOAT Uncle Sa-n's Coast Guar<i are called on to do aany and various useful things. But never before have they been asked to look for a house. A Connecticut citizen was mnvina >^4- -L^en was moving his two-story residence from avocation ««*** to another site, it was being transferred on a flatboat. It hadn't gone far when a storm arose in Long Island Sound and washed that two-story house overboard. Away it floated, tossed by the waves, evidently bound for the Atlantic.^cwn Today patrol boats of the Coast Guard have been hunting^tt^SEJicii*^ trying to catch a before it goes to join the fishermen off the"Fanks.^ A /V.