In a speech before a critical House of Commons today Prime Minister Chamberlain slightly lifted the veil on the events that have taken place in Norway since the Germans invaded that almost defenseless country and the Allies undertook the task of dislodging them. From Mr. Chamberlain’s thirty-minute speech two facts stood out above all others. One was that the bold Allied gesture of trying to capture Trondheim by squeezing the German forces there between landing parties to the north and to the south had failed and that the Allied troops who had landed at Åndalsnes on April 17, 18 and 19 had safely withdrawn for operations elsewhere. The second fact was that the Allied battle fleet was being concentrated in the Eastern Mediterranean.
At the same time Mr. Chamberlain emphasized that the government was determined not to treat the Scandinavian campaign as a “sideshow,” but would continue to fight to drive the Nazi invaders from Norwegian soil. However, the Prime Minister declared, the Allies will not be drawn into any quixotic adventures that would weaken them on other fronts, where, he said, there is a more than even chance that war might break out soon.
The Germans reached Åndalsnes. Elements of German 196th Infantry Division occupy Åndalsnes, on Norway’s rugged lower west coast, and the Reich hailed with undiluted joy what it called the “wild flight” of the British from lower Norway. A high command communique tonight said the German flag was hoisted at 3 p.m., in the landing port abandoned by the British after German troops had tirelessly pursued their enemies to the sea. , Government spokesmen said they were not surprised at this action, foreshadowed by announcement of British withdrawal by British Prime Minister Chamberlain. Germans now hold Norway as far north as Steinkjer as the resistance of scattered Norwegian units is crumbling. The Allies are now expected to make their stand in the north around Narvik.
The Germans seize control of the Dovrebanen railway line from Dombås to Støren.
The German 69th Infantry Division meets the German 163rd Infantry Division midway between Oslo and Bergen.
The Norwegians at Hegra Fortress hear radio reports of surrenders and evacuations elsewhere and consider their alternatives. Bread has now run out, and no resupply is forthcoming.
General Colin M. Gubbins ordered to take command of Scissorsforce with four Independent Companies, proceed to Norway, and hold Bodo, Mo, and Mosjoen. The British and French are evacuating their tenuous positions near Trondheim on 2 May 1940, but that does not mean that they are abandoning Norway altogether. In fact, the emphasis is just shifting further north, to the key to the entire invasion in the first place: Narvik. This new operation will be called “Scissors Force.” It is to be led by General Colin Gubbins.
General Gubbins has been raising “Independent Companies.” These are embryonic Commandos (aka Special Forces). The plan is for him to use four or five of these Independent Companies to take and hold Narvik while also taking and holding Bodø, Mo i Rana and Mosjøen.
The evacuation of General de Wiart’s Maurice Force troops (British 146th Infantry Brigade, French 5th Demi-Brigade de Chasseurs) at Namsos is completed. Lord Mountbatten leads in four destroyers and is joined by Vice Admiral John Cunningham with 3 cruisers, 5 destroyers, and 3 troop transport ships.
News of the British withdrawal from points south of Trondheim was learned in France over the radio this evening. It came as somewhat of a surprise to the general public, though not to competent quarters.
There has been no official Canadian reaction to the British partial retirement from Norway and Prime Minister Chamberlain’s speech on the subject but there has been much private and unofficial comment, most of it unfavorable to the British Government. Such expressions as “We won’t win the war by running away from it,” and cynical references to “successful retirement” have been common today. The general tendency is to regard the present highly dangerous situation as unexplained to date and to regard Mr. Chamberlain as far too content with half-measures. Canada is set on winning the war and does not feel that very much is being done to win it. If a Canadian Government were concerned in this instance there probably would be a speedy change.
In Sweden tonight there was amazement at what was regarded as the severe defeat of the Allies in Norway, and at what many called the weakness and hesitation that had caused it.
The Swedes had sent their crown jewels to Norway for safekeeping during the Winter War. Now, they open secret talks with the Germans to get them back.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches aircraft to attack Stavanger airfield during the day.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches aircraft to attack Stavanger airfield and Oslo airfield overnight.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches aircraft to attack Rye airfield in Denmark during the day, and again overnight.
Late on the 2nd at Mosjoen, destroyer HMS Janus landed 100 Chasseur Alpins and two anti-aircraft guns embarked at Namsos. The landing was completed at 2350. This operation was attempted on the 1st, but was delayed due to heavy fog. The destroyer was then ordered to meet two Norwegian pulp ships from Salsbruket and one Norwegian pulp ship from Lansless fifty miles off the coast and escort them. Janus was unable to locate any of these merchant ships and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0730/5th.
Late on the 2nd, the British evacuated Namsos in Operation KLAXON. Vice Admiral John Cunningham’s flotilla (3 cruisers, 5 destroyers & 3 transports) joined Mountbatten’s 4 destroyers off Namsos to evacuate General de Wiart’s 146th Brigade. Having been alerted to British intentions by the evacuation at Åndalsnes the day before the Luftwaffe began bombing runs at the destroyers as they moved up the Namsenfjord. The HMS Maori (F 24) was damaged by a near miss. This delayed the operation until the evening when a heavy fog came in. The destroyers then were able to safely ferry the men out to the cruisers and transports through the night. The anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Carlisle, which had joined the evacuation force west of Namsos earlier in the day, operated off the town of Namsos while the evacuation took place. The two surviving trawlers at Namsos, HMS Arab and HMS Angle, ferried troops to the French armed merchant cruiser El Mansour and heavy cruiser HMS York in the harbour, while French armed merchant cruisers El D’jezair and El Kantara berthed at the pier. Destroyers HMS Afridi, HMS Nubian, and HMS Kelly and French destroyers Bison and Foudroyant operated in the Fjord. Heavy cruiser HMS Devonshire, French light cruiser Montcalm, destroyers HMS Grenade, HMS Griffin, HMS Hasty, and HMS Imperial remained at sea off Namsenfjord. Early on the 3rd, British trawlers HMS St Goran (565grt) of the 15th Anti-submarine Striking Force and HMS Aston Villa (546grt) and HMS Gaul (550grt) of the 16th Anti-submarine Striking Force, which had been badly damaged by German bombing near Namsos on 30 April, were scuttled before the allied ships left. The British and French ships were able to lift 1850 British troops, 2345 French troops, some Norwegian troops, thirty German prisoners from Namsos. Destroyer Afridi stayed behind to pick up a late arriving detachment when the other ships left for the relative safety of the open sea. The evacuation was completed at 0445/3rd.
The German cargo ship Cläre Hugo Stinnes 1 was shelled off Skorpa, Norway by the Royal Navy submarine HMS Trident and beached. At 0926, submarine HMS Trident fired two torpedoes at German steamer Clare Hugo Stinnes I (5294grt) off Skorpa Island. Trident then fired seventy rounds from her deck gun at the German steamer which ran herself aground in Bjoernefjord to prevent sinking. Trident fired three torpedoes at the grounded German steamer, but all three torpedoes exploded on the rocks. The German steamer was later salved. On 26 July, Clare Hugo Stinnes I was docked at Bergen for repairs. The ship was ultimately lost on 27 September 1944 on a mine.
Polish destroyer ORP Błyskawica was damaged by German shore guns near Narvik. She retired to Skelfjord for repairs.
93 German combat divisions prepare to invade France and the Low Countries. Having masterfully led the Allies to focus on Norway, Hitler and the Wehrmacht High Command start assembling troops for Fall Gelb, the invasion of France and the Low Countries. The attack will be led by 93 front-line divisions, 10 of them armored and 6 motorized. The main thrust will be through the Ardennes forest, with a subsidiary decoy thrust to the north through Holland.
SS-Hauptsturmführer (captain) Rudolf Höss arrives at Auschwitz prison camp near the town of Oświęcim in western Poland. He will be its first commandant. His orders are “to create a transition camp for ten thousand prisoners from the existing complex of well-preserved buildings.” Höss has had experience at the Sachsenhausen concentration camp and is determined to make this new camp run with extreme efficiency.
Italian mystic Gemma Galgani and French nun Mary Euphrasia Pelletier were canonized by Pope Pius XII.
United States Ambassador to Italy William Phillips has received only limited assurances of Italy’s peaceful intentions from Foreign Minister Count Ciano, reliable political circles reported tonight, as official Italians expressed indifference at allied precautionary measures in the Mediterranean, including dispatch of a battle fleet to Egypt. Phillips was reassured today by Ciano only that Italy contemplates no war-like moves within the next 10 days, it was reported British Prime Minister Chamberlain’s announcement British and French battle fleets are in the eastern Mediterranean were reinforced by extraordinary defense measures in Egypt and calling of 10 classes of reserve officers to the colors by Greece. Diplomatic circles interpreted these developments as an emphatic warning that Britain and her allies are prepared to combat any Italian attempt to profit from the allied setback in Scandinavia. Mussolini offered that Italy would not go to war with the United States if the United States would stay out of Europe.
Prime Minister Chamberlain tells the House that Norway is not a “sideshow” nor a “Quixotic adventure.”
[Ed: No, indeed. It is a pathetic bloody shambles.]
Prime Minister Chamberlain announces that a British/French combined fleet is in the Mediterranean and en route to Alexandria.
Britain’s decision to divert shipping from the Mediterranean increases the belief that Egypt may soon be involved in the war. Precautionary measures, such as the guarding of all communication lines, were immediately taken.
RAF Bomber Command dispatches 26 aircraft on minelaying operations overnight.
The British WWI C class cargo ship Redstone was scuttled as a blockship at Scapa Flow Orkney Islands.
HMS Ark Royal and HMS Glorious, in company with battleship HMS Valiant, heavy cruiser HMS Berwick & destroyers HMS Fury, Encounter, Escort, Fearless, Acheron, Antelope, Fortune & Kimberley continue to steam towards Scapa Flow.
Minelaying operation BS 1 was conducted in the North Sea by minelayers HMS Teviotbank and HMS Princess Victoria escorted by patrol sloops HMS Widgeon, HMS Pintail, HMS Puffin, and HMS Shearwater.
Light cruisers HMS Orion and HMS Neptune arrived at Malta from Gibraltar. Orion, with Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham taking passage on her and Vice Admiral, destroyers aboard, departed on the 3rd and arrived at Alexandria on the 4th. On arrival at Alexandria, Admiral Cunningham hoisted his flag on battleship HMS Malaya.
Convoy OA.140G departs Southend.
Convoy OB.140 departs Liverpool.
Convoy FN.160 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer HMS Winchester and sloop HMS Londonderry. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 4th.
The War at Sea, Thursday, 2 May 1940 (naval-history.net)
Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY departed Sheerness for trials at Rosyth after refit.
The trials were completed on the 7th. Anti-aircraft cruiser COVENTRY arrived at Sullom Voe on the 8th.
Destroyer WOLFHOUND completed her conversion to fast escort ship. She proceeded to Portland for working up which was cut short by the invasion of France and the Low Countries. On 14 May, she departed Portland for Sheerness.
At 0926, submarine TRIDENT fired two torpedoes at German steamer CLARE HUGO STINNES I (5294grt) off Skorpa Island.
Submarine TRIDENT fired seventy rounds from her deck gun at the German steamer which ran herself aground in Bjoernefjord to prevent sinking.
Submarine TRIDENT fired three torpedoes at the grounded German steamer, but all three torpedoes exploded on the rocks.
The German steamer was later salved. On 26 July, CLARE HUGO STINNES I was docked at Bergen for repairs. The ship was ultimately lost on 27 September 1944 on a mine.
Submarine CLYDE departed Dundee for patrol off Fro Havet.
Submarine TAKU departed Rosyth on patrol.
French destroyers BRESTOIS and BOULONNAIS arrived at Scapa Flow at 1245 with steamers AMIENOIS and SAUMUR.
Both destroyers departed at 2130 escorting French steamers AMIENOIS, SAUMUR, and CAP BLANC to Greenock, arriving at 1800/4th.
Destroyer HEREWARD arrived at Sullom Voe for refueling at 1240/2nd.
Polish destroyer ORP BŁYSKAWICA was damaged by German shore guns near Narvik. She retired to Skelfjord for repairs.
Late on the 2nd at Mosjoen, destroyer JANUS landed 100 Chasseur Alpins and two anti-aircraft guns embarked at Namsos. The landing was completed at 2350.
This operation was attempted on the 1st, but was delayed due to heavy fog.
The destroyer was then ordered to meet two Norwegian pulp ships from Salsbruket and one Norwegian pulp ship from Lansless fifty miles off the coast and escort them.
Destroyer JANUS was unable to locate any of these merchant ships and arrived at Scapa Flow at 0730/5th.
Destroyer WANDERER arrived at Sullom Voe at 0635 to refuel.
Destroyer WESTCOTT arrived at Scapa Flow from Sullom Voe at 0800 with 350 troops on board.
Destroyer HYPERION arrived at Sullom Voe for refueling at 2215.
Destroyer ICARUS departed Scapa Flow at 1200 to meet Danish steamer GUNVOR MAERSK en route to Scapa Flow.
Both ships arrived at Scapa Flow at 1800.
Destroyer JAGUAR departed Rosyth with British A. S. I. S. steamer CROMARTY FIRTH (538grt) for Scapa Flow.
Destroyer JAGUAR was returning to the Home Fleet after repairs.
Late on the 2nd, the British evacuated Namsos in Operation KLAXON.
Anti-aircraft cruiser CARLISLE, which had joined the evacuation force west of Namsos earlier in the day, stood off the town of Namsos while the evacuation took place.
The two surviving trawlers at Namsos, ARAB and ANGLE, ferried troops to the French armed merchant cruiser EL MANSOUR and heavy cruiser YORK in the harbour, while French armed merchant cruisers EL D’JEZAIR and EL KANTARA berthed at the pier.
Destroyers AFRIDI, NUBIAN, and KELLY and French destroyers BISON and FOUDROYANT operated in the Fjord.
Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE, French light cruiser MONTCALM, and destroyers GRENADE, GRIFFIN, HASTY, and IMPERIAL remained at sea off Namsenfjord.
Early on the 3rd, British trawlers ST GORAN (565grt) of the 15th Anti-submarine Striking Force and ASTON VILLA (546grt), and GAUL (550grt) of the 16th Anti-submarine Striking Force, which had been badly damaged by German bombing near Namsos on 30 April, were scuttled before the allied ships left.
The British and French ships were able to lift 1850 British troops, 2345 French troops, some Norwegian troops, thirty German prisoners from Namsos.
Destroyer AFRIDI stayed behind to pick up a late arriving detachment when the other ships left for the relative safety of the open sea.
The evacuation was completed at 0445/3rd.
Destroyer AFRIDI caught up with the allied force as the Germans launched heavy air attacks on the force. Air attacks concentrated on heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE and light cruiser MONTCALM.
French destroyer BISON was hit by a German bomb which exploded her fore magazine and blew off the fore part of the ship at 1010 in these attacks in 65 42N, 07 17E. Her survivors were taken off by destroyer GRENADE which went alongside and destroyers IMPERIAL and AFRIDI which picked up men from the water. AFRIDI had rescued sixty nine BISON survivors.
C. V. Bouan, L. V. Merlin, one hundred ratings were lost in destroyer BISON. Also killed on destroyer BISON was British Cdr R. R. Graham DSO, which was an observer.
Destroyer AFRIDI scuttled destroyer BISON.
Destroyer AFRIDI rejoined the Main Force after picking up BISON’s survivors, but then was hit herself at 1400 in further German bombing in 66 14N, 5 45E.
Destroyer AFRIDI foundered forty-six minutes after being hit.
Destroyers GRIFFIN and IMPERIAL picked up her survivors.
Warrant Telegraphist R. Mellor and forty-eight of AFRIDI’s ratings were lost with the ship along with three of IMPERIAL’s ratings, about 30 of BISON’s crew, thirteen military rearguard personnel evacuated from Namsos. Three AFRIDI ratings died of wounds and thirty-one ratings were wounded.
Light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON and destroyer HYPERION, HEREWARD, and BEAGLE departed Scapa Flow on the 3rd to support the British force.
Destroyers FURY, FORESIGHT, ANTELOPE, and ACHERON also departed Scapa Flow at 2330/3rd to support the evacuation force’s return. The British and French ships arrived at Scapa Flow, without further damage, late on 4 and early on the 5th.
Destroyers IMPERIAL, GRIFFIN, and GRENADE arrived at Sullom Voe at 1700/4th to discharge wounded French and British sailors from destroyers BISON and AFRIDI and the military rearguard from Namsos to French hospital ship SPHINX.
The destroyers departed Sullom Voe at 2130/4th and arrived Scapa Flow at 0730/5th. Passengers embarked from Norway were accommodated in battleship RODNEY.
Heavy cruiser YORK and destroyer NUBIAN arrived at Scapa Flow at 2030/4th.
Destroyers KELLY and HASTY and troopship EL MANSOUR arrived at Scapa Flow at 2130/4th.
Heavy cruiser DEVONSHIRE, French light cruiser MONTCALM, light cruiser SOUTHAMPTON, French troopships EL D’JEZAIR and EL KANTARA, destroyers ACHERON, ANTELOPE, MAORI, FURY, FORESIGHT, and HEREWARD arrived at Scapa Flow at 0400/5th.
Wounded arriving at Scapa Flow were embarked in British hospital ship ISLE OF JERSEY.
Most of the French troops, including some of the BISON survivors, were embarked on French passenger ship PRESIDENT DOUMER (11,898grt), DJENNE (8790grt), FLANDRE (8503grt), PROVIDENCE (11,996grt) which left the Clyde on the 9th escorted by French large destroyers TARTU, MILAN, and CHEVALIER PAUL and four British torpedo boats to return to Brest, arriving on the 11th.
The rest of the French troops, including the seriously wounded, were embarked on French hospital ship SPHINX which departed Scapa Flow on the 25th escorted by minesweeper HEBE. She arrived at Brest on the 27th.
Minelaying operation BS 1 was conducted in the North Sea by minelayers TEVIOTBANK and PRINCESS VICTORIA escorted by patrol sloops WIDGEON, PINTAIL, PUFFIN, and SHEARWATER.
Light cruisers GALATEA and ARETHUSA departed Scapa Flow for Rosyth.
Light cruisers GALATEA and ARETHUSA were transferred on the 3rd to the Nore Command to be based at Sheerness. They departed Rosyth for Sheerness on the 7th.
Destroyer WILD SWAN was on North Goodwins patrol.
Destroyer KEITH covered the passage of the B. E. F. Boulogne leave boats.
Destroyer BOADICEA departed Dover at 0600 for Chatham.
Convoy FN.160 departed Southend, escorted by destroyer WINCHESTER and sloop LONDONDERRY. The convoy arrived in the Tyne on the 4th.
During the night of 1/2 May, French large destroyers INDOMPTABLE and MALIN were anchored in the Downs to land British liaison officers.
The destroyers arrived at Brest on the 4th.
Light cruisers ORION and NEPTUNE arrived at Malta from Gibraltar.
Light cruiser ORION, with Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham taking passage on her and Vice Admiral, destroyers aboard, departed on the 3rd and arrived at Alexandria on the 4th.
On arrival at Alexandria, Admiral Cunningham hoisted his flag on battleship MALAYA.
Light cruiser NEPTUNE departed Malta in the evening of 3 May, arrived at Alexandria on the 5th.
Today in Washington, President Roosevelt conferred on European affairs with the Italian Ambassador, on the proposed transfer to the Department of Commerce of the Civil Aeronautics Authority with Robert H. Hinckley of the CAA, and sent to the Senate the nomination of J. Monroe Johnson to be a member of the Interstate Commerce Commission.
The Senate approved the $136,250,835 Interior Department Appropriation Bill and the conference report on the $107,150,000 State-Commerce-Justice Departments Appropriation Bill, voted to override a Presidential veto of a bill granting benefit payments to soldiers in the Philippine Islands during the war with Spain; considered the Townsend bill to repeal the Silver Purchase Act, and recessed at 4:22 PM until noon tomorrow. The Civil Liberties Committee heard Secretary Wallace discuss the problem of migrant workers.
The House considered amendments to the Wages and Hours Act and adjourned at 6:15 PM until noon tomorrow.
President Roosevelt conferred for 30 minutes today with Italian Ambassador Don Ascantio Colonna, a meeting which observers regarded as significant in view of conferences in Rome among U. S. Ambassador William Phillips, Premier Benito Mussolini and Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano. Acting Secretary of State Sumner Welles, who had conferred earlier with Colonna and accompanied him to the White House, was reticent about the discussions in the face of dispatches from abroad that the United States, through Phillips, was exerting pressure to keep Italy out of the war. This would conform to President Roosevelt’s repeated appeals to Mussolini to work for peace.
Only three Senators dissented today from overwhelming action by the Senate overriding a veto by President Roosevelt of a grant for the benefit of a special group of veterans of the Philippine insurrection. The Senate voted by 76 to 3, with Senators Barkley, Barkley, Hughes and Smathers dissenting, to go along with prior House action in reaffirming a bill to pay special mileage and allowances to several thousand men who served in the Philippines after the Spanish-American War ended. The President vetoed the bill on the ground that it would cost about $7,000,000 in spectat payments to men whose extra service already had been recognized by the award of medals and extra pay. He had vetoed the bill twice before, in 1935 and 1938. A two-thirds vote is necessary to override a veto. Senator Burke, who forsook his usual economy role to sponsor the action by which the Senate overrode the Presidential veto for the first time this session, asserted that the cost would be about $3,200,000.
Greenland asks for United States protection.
The foreign policy of the United States is governed by a desire to remain at peace, Breckinridge Long, assistant secretary of State, said in an address before the Forum on Foreign Policy and National Defense at the National Institute of Government in the auditorium of the Labor Department tonight.
Edwin S. Smith, member of the National Labor Relations Board, advised by Harry Bridges, president of the C.I.O.’s International Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s Union, as to the type of lawyer to send to Hawaii for a hearing involving the longshore union, agreed on “the importance of having the right sort” of man for that job, according to correspondence read today into the record of the Smith House committee, investigating the Labor Board. Mr. Bridges not only severely criticized one Labor Board examiner who had been to Hawaii while commending a board attorney who had made an investigation in that area, but he strongly opposed the sending of the regional attorney, Bertram Edises, who was attached to the San Francisco office of the Labor Board, according to the correspondence.
Mississippi Governor Paul B. Johnson and Major Frederick Sullens, editor of The Jackson News, bitter personal and political enemies for more than twenty years, fought tonight in a crowded hotel lobby in Jackson. The Governor’s face was bruised severely. Major Sullens suffered a head injury. Witnesses said that governor Johnson attacked Major Sullens without warning, and struck the editor on the back of the head with a walking stick. Despite the force of the blow, which caused him to bleed profusely, Major Sullens whirled and shoved the governor and jumped on him after he fell over a chair in the lobby of the Walthall Hotel. The editor pounded the governor’s face with his fists until bystanders separated them.
The largest Republican gains since 1936 have taken place in Middle Western States recently, according to the results of a survey conducted by the American Institute of Public Opinion, Dr. George Gallup, its director, revealed yesterday.
Russell W. Davenport announced his resignation as managing editor of Fortune yesterday to devote his full time to furthering the nomination of Wendell L. Willkie, president of the Commonwealth and Southern Corporation, as Republican candidate for President. He also made public a letter of resignation to Roy E. Larsen, president of Time, Inc., which publishes Fortune.
Poland will annex at the 1940 New York World’s Fair the section in the Hall of Nations occupied last year by Soviet Russia, one of the nations that is occupying the homeland of the wrecked Polish Republic, Baron Stefen de Ropp, Commissioner General from the exiled Polish Government at Angers, France, announced yesterday.
Plans for the largest peacetime field exercises ever held by the army have been tentatively completed by the War Department for this Summer and now await final action by Congress on the necessary appropriations, it was learned today. The House cut the budget estimate in the War Department’s Supply Bill for the maneuvers from $6,279,060 to $5,381,306 and detailed plans for the war games. depend upon the Senate’s decision as to raising this amount and the House’s eventual acceptance or rejection of any change. The measure is pending in the Senate Appropriations Committee. The War Department would like to substitute four large army maneuvers this Summer for the usual corps area exercises. Regular army troops would take the field for a full month and the National Guard for three weeks, instead of the usual fortnight. Including reserve officers, the aggregate would be 436,198 men.
Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry “Butch” O’Hare finishes his flight training at NAS Pensacola, Florida and is assigned to USS Saratoga (CV-3) Fighter Squadron Three (VF-3).
Major League Baseball:
The Giants pepper Cardinals’ pitchers with 14 hits and win, 7–4. Mel Ott hits his third home run of the season and Mickey Witek hits his first. Terry Moore’s three-run home run was most of the offense for St. Louis.
Hal Newhouser, 18-year-old left-hander, today pitched the Detroit Tigers to a 5–3 victory over the Senators in the only game played in the American League.
New York Giants 7, St. Louis Cardinals 4
Detroit Tigers 5, Washington Senators 3
Japan’s determination to steer clear of the European war and preparations to cope with any repercussions in East Asia were emphasized by Premier Admiral Mitsumasa Yonai today after Japanese sources had suggested that a “turning point” might be near in the adjustment of strained relations between the United States and Japan. Japanese suggestions of United States-Japanese developments followed a forty-five-minute conference between Foreign Minister Hachiro Arita and Francis B. Sayre, United States High Commissioner to the Philippines. They were said to have exchanged views on the situation in China and the Philippines, and after the meeting today Domei, the Japanese news agency, suggested that the talks might be a “turning point” in the improvement of relations between the two countries.
The new Philippine Immigration Bill, applying annual quotas of 500 to every nationality, was approved by the National Assembly tonight, 67 to 1. Protests against the measure. which will cut sharply into Japanese immigration, had been voiced officially in Japan.
The Immigration Bill passed by the Philippine National Assembly is “an open gesture of unfriendliness toward Japan,” the newspaper Asahi declares, and it predicts that the Japanese Government will request reconsideration of the measure. As reports indicated that amendments raising the quota to a thousand would be accepted, the lawmakers’ decision to maintain the limit of 500 takes the Japanese public by surprise. President Roosevelt has the power to veto the bill but according to Asahi, such an exercise of the Presidential powers is unthinkable.
A New Zealand troop convoy departs from Wellington to Australia.
Dow Jones Industrial Average: 147.76 (+0.63)
Born:
Jo Ann Pflug, American actress (“MAS*H”, “The Night Strangler”), in Atlanta, Georgia.
Sari van Heemskerck Pillis-Duvekot, Dutch governor and politician (VVD), born in Goes, Netherlands
Died:
Ernest Joyce, 65?, English seaman and explorer.
Naval Construction:
The former Royal Navy “G”-class destroyer HMS Garland (H 37) is transferred to and recommissioned in the Polish Navy as the ORP Garland (H 37). Her first commanding officer in Polish service is Kpt. Mar. Antoni Doroszkowski, ORP. She will be returned to the Royal Navy on 24 September 1946. On 14 November 1947 she will be sold to the Royal Netherlands Navy to serve as a school ship.
History Diaries 