SUNOCO. THURSDAY. MARCH 6. 1941 GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY: ihe kingdom of Jugoslavia has taken the lead in trying to establish peace between Greece and Italy. Prince Paul, the Jugoslav regent, is said to be intervening personally. This ties invdth reports of several days ago that the regent had held a meeting with Hitler’s foreign minister Ribbentrop and Mussolini’s Ceunt Ciano. Now we hear that at this meeting plans were laid for Jugoslavia to launch a peace effort. The attitude of the Jugoslavs was simple enough. They want td> keep out of the war. They can hardly do so if Greece resists the pressure of Nazi Germany, and the blitzkrieg machine in Bulgaria launches an attack. One inevitable military route for the Germans would be through a mountain pass on Jugoslav soil. That surely would put Jugoslavia into the conflict. The report is that Greece has until now refused all suggestions of coming to terms with the Italians — Athens preserving an unbending attitude. What effect this new Jugoslav approach will have remains ^ to be seen. The Greeks have the victory mood, at least so far as the BALKANS - 2 Italians are concerned. Today they reported new military success in Albania. ^e have some more information about Hitlers message to the President of Turkey — that letter delivered with such dramatic circomstancds the other evening. The report becomes more definite that hitler did convey Turkey a promise that the Germans in Bulgaria wo\hl-d not move toward the Dardanells. But thatfs accompanied by an if — if Turkey preserves neutrality, the kind of neutrality that will meet with Nazi approval, no favoritism shown to Today’s addition to all of this is the statement that Hitler’s note contained still anotehr idea — a proposal that Turkey should send a special representative to Hitler or that Hitler should send a personal emissary to Turkey. For what purpose? The answer has a familiar sound — for the purpose of discussing closer collaboration between Turkey and Germany• T.iat, -<f cot-irse, has all tue appearance of the usual Nazi technique of getting control of a country. Hitherto, when there have been those special and extraordinary m meetings — results have usually followed. We hear that at Istanbul old Constantinople, there’s something of a panic among British and Jewish residents. They are said to be BALKANS -5 going to banks and drawing out their money, apparently prepared to flee. ihe feeling of panic is said to be engendered by the presence of Nazi troops on the Turkisn — Bulgarian frontier, a mere hundred miles from the great city af of the Bosphorus. xoday!s news from Bulgaris tells us that the Blitzkreig machines has established itself all along the borders of Turkey and Greece. The hazi forces at the frontier are not so large. but are being reinforced. WEYGAUD There1s a curious turn of mystification in the return to France of General vVeygand. It was announced yesterday officially r.nat Weygand had come bade from the French forces in horth Africa t:iat ne was already in France, at the '/ichy headquarters of the detain government. Then today this was repeated as haopening all over again — happening today. This time it*s true,^Weygand arrived in France this afternoon - by^plane.j bo there was wondering and questioning — why the premature report of yesterday and it was given out officially. The only surmise we have points back to a previous case of an important French official who went on a mission by the sky route. An Emissary wno was flying from France to the Frencn forces o in Syria in a transport plane, was shot down over the Mediterranean, and killed. Who shot the plane down and why — has never been cleared uo. ^t remains a mystery . So the surmise is raised that Y*egyand1 s arrival was announced yesterday to conceal his real trip across the Mediterranean by air — which occurred today. They were trying to avert a possible repetition of the orevious incident — didn*t want beygand to be siiot down. WEYGAND - 2 Turned lately upon arriving at Vichy, the General went into, conference with «.arshall Petain.^j All indications are that his return to France is in connection with most important affairs. But we are not told what. For months Weygand has been on a mission to various French armies in Africa, inspecting their fighting strength reorganizing the troops, conferring with the commanders. So inevitably his return is related to rumors about Nazi German designs in the direction of French North Africa. They say that Hitler is trying to force the cooperation of the French armies in Morocco. Obviously, tx the French there could be of the utmost assistance to the Axis. They1re right next door to Libya where the British have been hitting the Italians so hard. French Tunis Q is just across from the f’ip of Sicily, and would be an ideal place for landing German troops to help the Libyan Italians. Moreover, French Morocco stretches off towards the Straits of Gibraltar, another keypoint for German manouvring. Then there*5 A French army in Syria, which lies across the road that the blitzkrieg machine might try to take in driving through tfrkey toward the ^uez Canal. It is supposed that the Germans are V.EYGAUD - 3 demanding that the French in Syria shall cooperate with them in a Suez attack. The gues ia Eureope is that the Hitler pressure on the Petain governnient is becoming so strong, that the French will yield. It is^t clear how far — but they might feel compelled to allow the Nazifs to use bases on French African or Syrian soil. Triero are elements of sardonic parody in the news of an an anti-Nazi plot in conquered Holland. It seems probable enough tiat there was a donspiracy of considerable importance by Dutch patriots against the German overlords. Berlin would hardly be likely to invent news of incipient rebellion in one of the occupied nations. Yue are told that a large secret group was banded for an under-cover fight against the Germans. They were organized along military lines, with military rank, and were engaged in the trans­ military lines, with military rank, and were engaged in the trans­ mission of important information to the British. The Berlin story goes on with charges of fantastic sound. Poison — thatfs wht the Dutch conspirators planned to use in secret attacks, The Berlin story uses the following words — poison pencil poison fingernails, and poison drinks. The drinks are understandable but there's no explanation of the pencisl and fingernails. Tonight's news tells of a trial by military court, eighteen Hollanders sentenced to death, twenty-three condemned to long prison terms. In the trial various accusations were considered separately, and varying penalties were inflicted for each. Thus, a single mii?ht have several penalties decreed against him. HOLLAND -2 The leader of the conspirators is described as a forty-three year old citizen of the old town of Haarlem. He received three death sentences olus fifteen years in prison. Another defenant was given four death sentences and also condemned to do ten years at hard labor. So there is the element of sardonic parody in a grim affair in conquered Holland. BBITIS11TRAID From London we hear that the British government is going to intern the ten Luiazlings they have captured. The number one Quizzling, of course, is the Norwegian Nazi leader who collaborated with the Germans in the conquest of his country. His followers who are supporting German rule in Norway, are all called — "Quizzlings.n The British raid on the Norwegian Island was a brilliant affair. Warships in a secret dash landed a prty of British and Norwegians from England. It was so much of a surprise that there seems to have been little or no resistance. The landing party incurred not one casualty. They wrecked a Nazi nitro-glycerin plant, destroyed eighteen thousand tons of shipping, and took back with them three hundred Norwegians who want to fight against the Germans. And, they captured two hundred and fifteen German prisoners, also ten Quizzlings. There was some question about what to do with the Quizzlings but now we hear that theyfll be interned in England or maybe Canada. CONSULATES There*s no doubt about the reason why the government has a^keo that two Italian consulates in this country be closed. No official explanation is given, but we have only to take a look at the form in which the request is made. It*s in a note transmitted by Secretary of State Hull to the Italian Ambassador. This diplomatic coi.jnunicat!on begins with something else. it starts out with a reply to the Italians request that two of the United States consulates In Italy be closed. The Secretary of the State says yes, all right. That*s in accordance with international custom. Then Cordell Hull goes on to announce a request of his own - that the Italian government close two of its consulates in this country. The juxtaposition is eloquent, tit for tat. Toe two American consulates which the Italian government qsked to be closed are in Naple and Palermo. The explanation of Rome was that these were military areas,#and that it would be better for American diplomatic officials not to remain there. The two Italian consulates which the state Deoartment now asks to be closedare at Detroit and Newark. Both of these cities are important centers of national defense industries. ¥ou might consider them the nearest that we have to military areas, such as were cited by the Italian CONSULATES - 2 government. All of which conveys still more impression of - tit for tat. There have been constant charges that diplomatic representatives of the Axis powers have been engaged in propaganda activities over here, but the State Department gives no hint of any such charge against the Italian consultates at Detroit and Newark. So it seems to be entirely a matter of consulate for consulate. In addition, the Secretary of State asks the Italian ambassador to restrict the activities of Italian consular agents in this country — they to confine their movements to the areas in which their offidial duties are to be performed I V.ARRKN , PA. I arr broadcasting from Warren, Pennsylvania, out here on the tbe edge of a /peat National Forest, also in heart of the Pennsylvania oil country. It was just a few miles from here, at Titusville, that oil was discovered and the vast petroleum industry born. Warren seems to be like so many other of our smaller cities typically American, quite a bit like other towns its own size, but, full of surorises. For instance, here is a human interest story that I ran into today, here in Warren. Some of youmay know about it. But, it was news to me. I give you the story because it is so typically American, and because it illustrates what can be done in a country such as ours, where every man or woman has always had an equal chance — or almost that. Back in Nineteen Twelve there was a young fellov; from this town named John Blair who was a student working his way at the University of Pennsylvania. Xoung John was full of ideas. Those were the days when raincoats were all light brown, khaki colored. It occurred to Student John, "Why not make black raincoats and sell *em to undertakers and priests?*1 So he t>ot a frie*.d who was in the rubber Business to help him out. First they got lists of all V>AREK» PA. ft 2 and priests, I hen they started making black raincoats. And the enterprise was a sucess right from the jump. Vi hen young John Blair finished lav; school he came here to Warren and entered the law office of Judge John Rice. The judge is x2 no longer living, but his son Editor John Rice, sits beside me tonight, toastmaster at this Conewango banquet. It was from him that I heard the story. Within ^ few weeks $fter young John Blair started reading law in the judge*s office, the judge noticed that the youngster received more mail than all the rest of the law office. One day the judge remarked to John: nMy boy you had better get a private mail box to take care of your correspondence with your out of town clients.” Young John replied: ”Judge, I have no out of town legal clients, ITm just selling raincoats by mail.” Said the judge: "Well then my boy, you had better quit the law business and just sell raincoats.” John took the advice. And in a few brief years he has built up a huge mail order business. Today there is an ultra modern office building here in Warren just around the cornerfrom where I am. In it are ftom frive hundred to eight hundred young women who do WARREN - 3 five million dollars. This may sound like a plug, a boost. But I haven*t met John Blair. I have received a lot of his mail. But ■L,ve never bought anything from him, and perhaps never will. But, I get a kick out of telling this story of his financial success. It could only happen in a couittry such as ours where we still have a system of free enternrise. Warren is not unioue. Niether is Jo^'n nlair. Both are typically American. Long may they both prosper. nothing but answer John Blair*s mail. His concern, the New Process Company, now sells raincoats and lots of other things, sells them all on credit, all with the proviso that you can send the thing back if you are not satisfied. And, last year, he did a business of over LEND-LEASE to Today have been the time for a test vote on the lend- lease bill --a vote on the Ellender Amendment. The administration forces, strongly opposing the amendment, were due tb muster all their lorces against it. The anti- lend lease senators were all for it, so the vote on the Ellender proposal would give an indication of hos strong the sides for and against might be. However, that test vote was crossed off the calendar today. There was last minute confabulation among the strategists of the Vdhite House. Apoarently, the Ellender amendment had gathered too much support, couldn’t simply be defeated and dismissed. So an attempt was made to draft a substitue amendment, somethirg that would be acceptable to the administration and at the same time satisfy the Ellender advocates — or at least a number of them. AUTOIi OBTLK 11^ • a col- tonight and need sone courh medicine. So here*s a news item that I couldn't pass up. In Detroit today Joseph Snooks toll the Court why ..e drove his automobile into the revolving door of an office building. No, he hadn't been drinking. What the cop smelled on his breath was not liquor -it was cough medicine. Then why the fancy automobile driving? Mr. Snooks explained that in his c ar lie had four women, and they bet him that ho couldn't drive through the door of the office building. Mr. Snooks is not a ipan to take a dare — and that’s how the smash-#p occurred. Hugh, pass me the cough medicine.