Nazi Germany cancelled all state contracts with Jewish-owned firms. Another anti-Jewish decree by the Reich now forbids them to possess carrier pigeons. The Nazis fear the Jews will use carrier pigeons to smuggle their wealth out of the country.
Jewish former German government officials and employees who fought in the trenches during the world war and who, as a result, were pensioned off with full pay as compensation for their dismissal, were denied this privilege today. By order of Minister of Interior Wilhelm Frick the Jews who were removed from office when the Nazis came to power in 1933 will receive, after January 1, only the ordinary pension based on the number of years they worked for the government.
Another group of 250 Jewish children between the ages of 4 and 16 left Germany for England. About 100 of them departed from Berlin. Their parents were not allowed to go to the railway station to say goodbye.
Cancellation of the Concordat signed in 1933 to regulate relations between the Vatican and the Nazi state was predicted tonight in well informed circles of Berlin. It was asserted that a string of laws directed against the Roman Catholic church is being prepared by Hans Kerrl, Nazi minister for church affairs. One of the new decrees, it was said, will call for confiscation without compensation of all Catholic church properties acquired since 1918. It was predicted that another will restrict the number of Catholic students in German universities. Since the armed forces require a big percentage of high school graduates as future officers and since there is a great shortage of engineers, statistics report that in a year or so Germany will lack 14,000 engineers. The quota allotted to Catholics for the study of theology will be reduced to a minimum.
The Spanish Committee for Civil Peace, formed by influential Spaniards abroad, tonight announced that it had opened negotiations for a Christmas truce in Spain’s civil war. The committee, favoring neither the government nor the insurgent side but seeking an end of the war, said it had presented a six-point proposal to Pope Pius XI and to several governments of Europe and America with a request that they support the plan.
The committee proposed that the Barcelona and insurgent governments be asked:
- To suspend hostilities for a month beginning December 24.
- To halt reinforcements by purchases of arms or recruiting of troops.
- To authorize an exchange of goods and circulation of persons between the two sides.
- To suspend executions and to free prisoners progressively.
- To prohibit all public campaigns on one side against the other.
- To create an international committee to guarantee execution of the terms of the truce.
The committee said its proposals had strictly humanitarian aims, but if put into effect would probably mark a step toward the end of the conflict. The committee is under the chairmanship of Salvador de Madariaga, veteran Spanish diplomat and representative at the league of nations. Another committee leader is Professor Mendizabal of the University of Oviedo, a Catholic who has been urging mediation since early in the war.
An intensified rebel bombardment of Madrid and air raids along the eastern Spanish coast today were said to indicate that Rebel Generalissimo Francisco Franco’s long delayed offensive might be about to get under way. Light skirmishing has been reported on the Madrid front for the last few days, but the increased shelling today seemed to foreshadow more extensive operations, reports reaching the border said.
Foreign Minister Bonnet reiterates that France will not yield one inch of territory to Italy. Bonnet told the foreign affairs committee he had made France’s position clear to the German foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop, during Von Ribbentrop’s visit to Paris December 6 to 8, and had won German assurances that the Nazis were not interested in the Mediterranean. Italian Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano, Bonnet said, also was given France’s views with the warning she would not give up any of her empire even if it meant war. Ciano was said to have replied that his government was not responsible for spontaneous Fascist demonstrations in the Italian chamber of deputies and on the streets of Italian cities, and the anti-French campaign of the Italian press, which has hinted that Italy would like more rights in Tunisia, French North African protectorate.
Premier Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain today warned Italy to keep its hands off French Tunisia. Any act of Italian aggression against Tunisia would be a matter of grave concern to the British government, Chamberlain told the House of Commons. The premier’s declaration came in answer to a question by Arthur Henderson, a Laborite, who asked whether the British-Italian friendship pact providing for the maintenance of status quo in the Mediterranean Sea applied likewise to Tunisia. Chamberlain replied that it did. The prime minister did not disclose what steps Great Britain was taking in the light of Italian clamor for the annexation of French possessions in Africa. He dodged several supplementary questions pertaining to French-British relations and the Italian agitation, which began November 30.
Italy sets it budget for 1939–1940, allowing a 4.75 billion lire deficit.
Romania’s Cabinet draws up a 10-year plan to “reduce the influence” of Jews. The plan emphasizes emigration and cooperation with other nations. The Rumanian cabinet, at a session attended by King Carol, today devised a ten-year program for the gradual reduction of the influence of Jews and foreigners in Rumania. The program provides that no occupational group would have more than 50 percent foreigners, and many groups would have a lower percentage. Under one measure all Jews who arrived in the country after about 1916 would be regarded as foreigners. The government decided to liberalize conditions under which Jews may emigrate, and probably will permit them to remove some of their wealth. It also decided to initiate and participate in diplomatic action to solve its Jewish problem in cooperation with other countries.
Czechoslovakia passes a bill allowing the constitution to be easily changed when desired, enabling authoritarian government.
The Bank for International Settlements in Switzerland says it is ready to cooperate with nations in transferring property or otherwise aiding Jews who emigrate.
Jews and Arabs die in several days of violence in northern Palestine. British troops arrest over 40 Arabs in small villages near Haifa.
Germany’s reply to the U.S. note of December 7 is vague and ambivalent.
Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt — traveler, author, radio commentator, period furniture manufacturer, lecturer, column conductor, grandmother, and wife of the President of the United States — has entered the insurance business. The White House announced today that Mrs. Roosevelt has taken a place on the board of directors of the insurance firm of Roosevelt & Sargent of Boston to protect the interests of its founder, her son, James. The arrangement was made, the White House explained, because James will be spending most of his time protecting the interests of Samuel Goldwyn, motion picture magnate.
James, eldest son of the President, left his $10,000 job as White House secretary and took a position on December 5 as vice president of Samuel Goldwyn, Inc., at a reported salary of $50,000 a year. James aligned himself with the motion picture industry as the Department of Justice prepared to bring to trial a civil suit against the major motion picture companies for violations of the anti-trust act. Although Samuel Goldwyn, Inc., is not a defendant in the action, Samuel Goldwyn is a defendant as an official of United Artists. When the President’s son joined the film industry it was recalled here that Mr. Roosevelt frequently has cited the motion picture industry as an example of a field in which salaries paid to many executives and actors are much too high in proportion to the work performed. The White House, through Secretary Stephan Early, revealed that James still retains an interest in the insurance company and arranged for Mrs. Roosevelt to protect that interest because his film job will make great demands on his time.
Arrest warrants are issued for three officers of the McKesson and Robbins Company — including president F. Donald Coster, who bought the company in 1926 and worked with family members to steal money for years. Accountants Price Waterhouse never suspected that whole inventories were fictitious; the scandal leads to a major overhaul of accounting practices.
The Securities and Exchange Commission lists nine charges of fraud against Fidelity Investments. The West Virginia company is insolvent; its liquidation will go to the Supreme Court.
Hans Bethe of Cornell University (a future Nobel Laureate) wins the Morrison Prize for his theories identifying the elements of solar energy production.
The major leagues agree on a standard ball but disagree on increasing rosters from 23 to 25 players. Judge Landis will decide on 25. The National League grants Cincinnati its season opener a day before the rest of the league in recognition of baseball’s 100th anniversary and the 1869 Red Stockings being the first professional team. The American League permits Cleveland and Philadelphia to play night games. Will Harridge is elected to a 10-year-term as American League president.
Colombia proposes the formation of a Pan-American League as an instrument of collective security, taking over the “burden” of the Monroe Doctrine.
General Chiang Kai-shek calls a conference to announce policy changes and purge his government of “defeatist elements,” such as the peace faction led by Wang Ching-wei.
Authoritative quarters in Tokyo said today that Japan, apparently convinced it is impossible to drive a wedge between the United States and Great Britain, has decided to follow a “strong” policy toward both. The summoning home of United States Ambassador Nelson T. Johnson from China and the visit of Anthony Eden, former British Foreign Secretary, to the United States were interpreted here as certain signs of open Anglo-American cooperation against Japan.
The government failed to give the “final word” on its new China policy last Sunday as scheduled. An imperial conference was said to have determined this policy two weeks ago and Premier Prince Fumimaro Konoye had been scheduled to make it public in a broadcast from Osaka. The broadcast was canceled at the 11th hour, however, the reason given being that the Premier was ill with influenza. It now has been postponed indefinitely. It is believed Japan is watching Anglo-American developments, particularly any moves Washington might make after Johnson’s return.
France complains that Japan has cut off food supplies and water to the French Concession in Shanghai. France says Japan is angered over French refusal to turn over anti-Japanese agents seeking asylum.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 151.83 (+2.24).
Born:
Hal Williams, American actor (“Private Benjamin”, “227”, “Sanford & Son”), in Columbus, Ohio.
Janette Scott, English actress (“Day of the Triffids”), in Morecambe, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom.
Ken Hunt, MLB pitcher (Cincinnati Reds), in Ogden, Utah (d. 2008).
Naval Construction:
The Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) Soldati-class destroyer Geniere is commissioned.
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