Coming after the German demands regarding Danzig on 21 March and their occupation of the Memel Territory, the Poles mobilize troops around Danzig. Poland was reported placing more than 10,000 troops in the port of Gdynia, facing Danzig, and there were stories of heavy German troop concentrations in East Prussia and along the border of the so-called Polish Corridor.
German intelligence chief Wilhelm Canaris reported to Adolf Hitler that his agents had detected Polish troop movements on the Polish border with Danzig. Hitler met with Army chief Walther von Brauchitsch regarding this latest development in his attempt to acquire Danzig.
The Polish army’s official newspaper, Polska Zbrojna, under the headline “We Are Ready,” published today a significant article that will be reprinted in most of tomorrow’s newspapers. After surveying the international situation. and stressing the war menace in Europe, the newspaper said: “We are ready and we will fight hard. The Czecho-Slovak State perished because it relied on guarantees and the protection of the great powers. Czecho-Slovakia. never relied on her own force. The will to greatness and victory was foreign to her. In the face of the tragic Czech fate, we must declare clearly and unequivocally that we are ready for any kind of war, with even the strongest opponents.
Hitler ordered General Walther von Brauchitsch, the commander-in-chief of the Army, to start plans for a war against Poland that summer.
In a further escalation of the crisis, Forster and Greiser began to raise paramilitary forces in Danzig to confront the Polish garrison on the Westerplatte.
In a decree published today in Germany, all sixteen- to eighteen-year-old Hitler Jugend’s are to perform annual public service; boys will be encouraged to work on the land at harvest time and girls are to help families with large numbers of children.
Chancellor Hitler tonight assured Premier Mussolini, his axis partner, that “the German people stand shoulder to shoulder” with Italy in defending the two peoples against “attempts to restrict” their “will for living.” Herr Hitler sent this assurance in a telegram to Signor Mussolini on the eve of an address the Italian dictator will make tomorrow to Fascisti celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Italian movement. Thus if Signor Mussolini should decide to mention in his speech any demands on France, Herr Hitler’s pledge would add some strength to them. The world has wondered when Il Duce would try to profit from his axis partnership.
Germany’s other major ally, Japan, evinced coolness toward Berlin’s suggestions that she might be asked to return the Tsingtao-Kiaochow Bay area, the leased territory taken from the Reich after the World War. Tokyo also remained indifferent toward German-Italian desires for a triple military alliance.
As the Spanish Civil War draws to a close, the Republican government air arm surrenders at Barajas. Nationalists maintained silence tonight on developments at Madrid, but there were reports that the Republicans already had decided on unconditional surrender. The unconfirmed reports also said that the Republicans had handed over their air force to the Nationalists. The newspaper España said that twelve Republican planes had left Madrid for an undisclosed destination and that one! of the planes had carried seventeen Republican leaders.
Informed sources reiterated that the occupation of Madrid was only a question of days, but the Nationalist Government declined to confirm or deny reports that Generalissimo Francisco Franco had sent the Republican Government an ultimatum demanding surrender within forty-eight hours.
The newspaper Giornale d’Italia said today that the unconditional surrender of Madrid had been arranged in accordance with the demands of Generalissimo Francisco Franco. A dispatch to the newspaper from its correspondent with General Franco’s forces said General José Miaja was expected to deliver Madrid’s air force tonight as the first act of submission.
Delivery of the planes, the Rome newspaper said, will be followed by the disarming of Madrid’s militiamen under Republican orders, after which General Franco’s troops will enter the city. The newspaper declared that large units of Nationalists were expected to occupy strategic points in advance of the rest of the army of occupation. It said the Nationalists probably would enter Madrid tomorrow. Should the surrender plans fail, the newspaper added, the Nationalists will use the hundreds of thousands of troops and thousands of guns massed outside Madrid for an immediate offensive.
The historic siege of Madrid showed increasing signs tonight that its end was near as reports from both sides in the Spanish civil war said peace negotiations were almost completed. Dispatches from the Republican zone reported that railroad lines, idle since the Nationalist siege began in November, 1936, were being repaired, and there were other indications that normal life soon might surge back to the hungry, beleaguered capital. Its capitulation, and with it the crumbling of the last one-fourth of Spain still under Republican rule, was believed by border observers to be a matter of days at most.
Information from the Spanish Nationalists said that the envoys of the Republicans National Defense Council who had flown to Burgos Thursday for peace negotiations were received coolly in Generalissimo Francisco Franco’s capital. The major concern of the Nationalist negotiators, these reports said, was whether General José Miaja, the Republican leader, had sufficient control in his territory to be able to turn it over to General Franco.
The Nationalists even professed an attitude of unconcern over the deliberations, asserting that they quickly could reduce the Republican zone’s last resistance by force if its surrender were not soon forthcoming. The Madrid Council, which met last night after the return of its emissaries, was reported to have radioed General Franco’s General Staff today carrying on the negotiations. Surrender of the city of 1,000,000 population presented problems that it was expected might require further exchanges of messages. Among the difficulties, for instance, was the question of turning over arms to the victorious Nationalists and the points at which General Franco’s army would enter Madrid.
Although sporadic fighting continued, Hungary and Slovakia agreed to arbitrate their frontier differences and negotiations will begin tomorrow.
The Vatican recognizes Monseignor Tiso’s recently founded Slovakia.
Rumania is not enthusiastic over the German trade accord.
Prime Minister Eamon de Valera of Ireland and Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain, two men who are known to have considerable respect for each other, had a two-hour conference today at Chequers, Mr. Chamberlain’s country home. Up to a late hour tonight neither Mr. de Valera, who is en route to Ireland from Rome, where he saw Pope Pius XII and Premier Benito Mussolini, nor Mr. Chamberlain had allowed any hint of what occurred in this conversation to reach the newspapers.
Anglo-Soviet trade talks begin.
A “Stop Hitler” parade through midtown New York was viewed by 500,000. Mayor La Guardia, at a rally afterward, voiced the city’s reproach for the “outrage” committed against Czecho-Slovakia. While at least half a million spectators lined the route, more than 20,000 members of Czecho-Slovakian societies, labor unions and liberal groups of various shades of opinion paraded yesterday from Madison Square to Columbus Circle. The motto of the march was “Stop Hitler.” Mayor La Guardia, Councilman Michael Quill, William Jay Schieffelin, Arthur Garfield Hays and Rabbi Stephen S. Wise were among speakers who addressed the thousands thronging the Columbus Circle area. Chief Inspector Louis F. Costuma headed a force of 1,033 policemen, whose task was lightened by the orderliness of the crowd.
Hundreds of children, scores of Americans of Czech, Slovak and Moravian descent in vivid national costumes, and a profusion of placards, handbills, flags, streamers and bands lent color and variety to the demonstration. The head of the procession reached Fifty-ninth Street at 2:35, sixty-five minutes after starting. The rear guard arrived at 5:10 with units streaming by throughout the speaking program. The American Council to Combat! Nazi Invasion, a group called into being by the dismemberment of Czecho-Slovakia, was sponsor of the parade. August Havorka, president of the American Czecho-Slovakian Coordinating Council, a group dating back to last September, announced to the audience that 75,000 persons had taken part. This was three to four times the estimate of Chief Inspector Costuma, but both the police and the chairman agreed on at least 500,000 as the number of spectators along Seventh Avenue, Thirty-ninth Street and Eighth Avenue.
New Deal Representatives from the cities who have been attempting unsuccessfully to force the farm group to give assurances regarding the coming $150,000,000 deficiency relief bill joined with Republicans today to force adjournment without final action on the billion-dollar agriculture department appropriation bill. In forcing the bill to go over to next week, by a vote of 129 to 104, the New Dealers deserted the Democratic leadership for the first time since 1932, but they accomplished their aim of delaying the final vote which, under normal procedure, will come only a few hours before the members are called upon to decide whether President Roosevelt’s request for $150,000,000 for relief will be granted or denied. Under today’s conditions, the complicated parliamentary situation surrounding the farm bill played into the hands of the New Dealers and the Republicans.
The New Dealers, according to repeated assertions within their ranks, would support the $250,000,000 item for farm price parity in return for assurances from members of the farm bloc that they would support the President’s demand for an additional $150,000,000 for relief. The Republicans, or nearly all of them, oppose the relief deficiency, and the majority of them oppose the farm parity appropriation. So, the strategy of the Republicans seemingly was streamlined with that of the New Dealers today in adjourning the House over the protest of Representative Rayburn, the majority leader, who had sought a final vote on the farm bill tonight. The Republicans desire a record vote on both appropriation items, and according to spokesmen, would welcome a situation which might further split the Democratic ranks and give a clear-cut vote to put the Democrats on record on the present issue of economy.
A House Representative sees the lack of jobs, rather than foreign affairs, as the focus of the 1940 presidential campaign.
Declaring that a large majority of public opinion throughout the country was opposed to the Wagner Labor Relations Act as it now stood, the National Association of Manufacturers issued a statement today demanding eight major amendments in the law at the present session of Congress. The proposed changes would bring unfair practices on the part of employees under the law, restrain the National Labor Relations Board from alleged encouragement of unionization, prohibit unionists from coercing other workers to join unions, outlaw the closed shop and the check-off, protect individuals and minorities among workers who do not want to join unions, compel unions to respect contracts, permit employers to confer with their workers on labor problems, prevent the NLRB from favoring one type of union against others and assure fair trial and judicial review for those accused of violating the law. “There can be no permanent solution of labor problems so long as the law places restraints upon one party to the employer-employe relationship and leaves the other party free of all restraint,” the association said in giving its reason for advocating the amendments.
Elliott Roosevelt, son of the President, addressed an open letter tonight to his brother-in-law, John Boettiger, expressing the view that a third term for President Roosevelt was not a subject for the family to argue publicly. In a radio broadcast at Fort Worth, Texas, Monday Elliott Roosevelt described Vice President Garner as being “in the driver’s seat” as a likely Democratic Presidential candidate for 1940.
Today in an open letter, printed on Page 1 of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, of which he is publisher, Mr. Boettiger ridiculed Elliott Roosevelt for his broadcast. Mr. Boettiger remarked that, “regardless of how the family might feel about it, the fact of the matter is that out here you can’t stop people insisting that your Pa has got to stand for a third term.”
Elliott Roosevelt wrote tonight in reply: “I have no way, nor do you, of knowing whether the President would run for a third term or not.” Then he added: “When he makes up his mind he will announce, not through you or me, but to the world at large. What the family thinks or feels has no bearing on his decision, and therefore should not be discussed by the family.”
John Barrymore returns to the stage after a 15-year absence, playing the role of a thrice-married actor in “My Dear Children.”
Billboard Magazine introduces the hillbilly (country) music chart.
Japanese troops defeated the Chinese 102nd Division west of Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 141.55 (-0.27).
Born:
D. C. Fontana [Dorothy Catherine Fontana], American television script writer and story editor (“Star Trek”), in Sussex, New Jersey (d. 2019). Fontana was at once engaged as script consultant/story editor and as writer or co-writer of several key “Star Trek” episodes, including “The Enterprise Incident”, “Tomorrow is Yesterday”, “Catspaw”, “The Ultimate Computer”, and “Journey to Babel” (which introduced Spock’s parents).
Toni Cade Bambara, American director, writer, activist, and academic (“The Salt Eaters”), in New York, New York (d. 1995).
Leon Donohue, NFL guard (San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys), in Star City, Arkansas (d. 2016).
Naval Construction:
The Royal Fleet Auxiliary Dale-class fleet tanker RFA Cedardale (A 380) is launched by the Blythswood Shipbuilding Company (Scotstoun, Scotland, U.K.).
The Royal Navy Dido-class light cruiser HMS Phoebe (43) is launched by the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. (Govan, Scotland).
The Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) Soldati-class destroyer (First Group) Lanciere is completed.
History Diaries 