December i, 1939. GERMANS NOW TAKE OFFENSIVE:

THIS WAS REPORTED TODAY, DECEMBER 1, 1939:

 

Stephen Early Says Molotov

Reference to Embargo *

Repeal Was More

Than Coincidence.

WASHINGTON (UP)—Presidential Secretary Stephen Early charged today that Russian Premier Molotov's criticism, of President Roosevelt's neutrality policies was timed to,, coincide with -the important House vote on the administration bill to repeal the arms embargo. Early said he was curious why Molotov chose a time for his speech which coincided with the important vote In the House of Representatives which sent the administration neutrality bill and the embargo repealer to conference? ~

Early prefaced his remarks on Molotov's speech, with the comment that he does not know whether Mr. Roosevelt as yet has read the speech.

Mr. Roosevelt said at a press conference yesterday that he had no information on the speech at that time.

 

Germans Now Take Offensive

at Scattered Points

Against Allied

Forces.

PARIS (UP — Sharp fighting was reported on the Rhineland front today as German artillery and troops appeared to be taking the offensive at scattered points against the advance allied forces before the Maginot line.

Apparently abandoning the purely defensive positions, the Nazi troops thrust against the French lines at half a dozen points along the most active front extending from the Moselle river to Saarbruecken and between Saarbruecken and the Blies river.

The thrusts—still of a tentative nature and confined to local engagements— followed intensive shelling of French rear lines by the biggest 'Nazi guns yet brought into action. But whether the operations were preparatory to a general attack such as the French and British have prepared for ""was" uncertain.

Unofficial reports to Paris said that German units ranging from 60 men to a battalion (normally about 1,000 men) had carried out the "feeler" thrusts against the allied lines, where both British and French, bad reported themselves fully prepared for an offensive of any proportions.

 

BRITISH BELIEVE

NAZI RAIDER SANK

SHIP IN ATLANTIC

 

Blame German Vessel For Alleged

Sinking 450 Miles Off New

England Coast.

LONDON (UP) — First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill announced today that two German pocket battleships were reported operating as sea raiders in the North and "South Atlantic. Naval experts believed one of them rather than a submarine, might have been responsible for a reported attack on a British freighter about 450 miles off the New England coast.

Churchill, speaking in the House of Commons, said that the German warships reported acting as sea raiders were of the type of the 10,000 ton pocket battleship Deutschland, which captured the American freighter City of Flint.

 

RUSSIA TO PRESS

FINNS FOR PACT

ON STALIN TERMS

Molotov Speech Seen Sign

of Aims; Regards Affair Private.

By HENRY SHAPIRO

(United Press Staff Correspondent)

MOSCOW — Premier-Foreign Commissar Viacheslav Molotov's speech showed plainly that Russia is determined to press Finland for acceptance of Josef Stalin's demands on her, diplomatic sources said today.

Molotov's criticism of President Roosevelt's intercession in aid of Finland was taken by diplomats to mean clearly that Russia regards its demands on Finland as its own private affair. It was noted that Molotov made no new commitments toward Germany.

Diplomats were surprised that he did not mention relations with Rumania and Italy. This omission was taken to mean that Russia was not ready, if she had decided on them, to make known her intentions in the Balkans and------