THE STORY SO FAR: Intelligence
Officer Henning's warning that 200,000
foreign troops were poised in Mexico (or
an attack on the United States caused
rrave concern in army headquarters,
but the people branded the statement
as “war mongering.” Without warning,
four large southern cities were attacked
INSTALLMENT ELEVEN
from ttr* air; Washington was bombed
and the President killed. National forces
were ordered mobilized, but they were
til prepared for Immediate action. Gen
eral Brill, area commander of the army
In Texas, reported to General Hague,
chief of staff at Washington, that he
was being attacked by greatly superior
L At At. At At AL
forces. General Hague ordered him to
resist the enemy’s advance at all costs.
BrlU hastily prepared plans with the
help of General Mole, division com
mander. Suddenly the American outpost
was attacked by a strong force cross
ing the Rio Grande.
Now continue with the story.
at. -ii at
CHAPTER XI—Continued
In the swift jumble of action Boyn
ton caught the fall of wounded men,
heard the cries of pain, and the
shrill of commanders’ whistles, the
bark of subalterns above the bellow
ing artillery. Rifle flashes stabbed
the graying dawn as the enemy
sprawled to the ground and fired
back. Boynt <n hugged the earth
only long enough to satisfy himself
that it was an attack wave, not a
mere patrol, he had encountered;
then he fell back, his men firing in
termittently as they ran, to the shel
ter of fox holes in the outpost.
The outpost line, lightly held,
poured lead from its semi-automat
ics and machine guns. When it found
itself confronted by superior forces,
its defenders promptly retreated to
the main line of resistance which
ran a ragged, irregular line of
trenches and centers of resistance
over a front of ten thousand yards.
Van Hassek’s infantry, in waves
of men that reached across the
whole front, struck the main line of
resistance just as visibility exposed
the attack.
Colonel Hail ox the 9th, observing
the attack from a vantage-point, ex
pected nothing more than that. Lat
er, when Van Hassek’s scheme of
maneuver had cut a critical hole
Into the division’s vitals, the whole
force of the frontal attack would
come rushing in to mop up with
firepower and bayonets.
The 9th's Garand rifles, light ma
chine guns, 37-millimeter cannon,
and small mortars poured all their
hot fury into the surging assault
One enemy wave after another melt
ed into dead and wounded, but only
to be replaced by living waves that
poured relentlessly on.
Half an hour of furious fighting
passed before Colonel Hail accepted
the evidence of his own eyes.
“My God, the fools are going to
penetrate our center!” he roared.
Astride the Laredo-San Antonio
highway, Van Hassek’s infantry
drove ahead while successive waves
of men melted across open terrain
where there was little benefit of cov
er. Desperately the enemy com
manders fed in reserves from their
superior hordes of men out of which
they could pay the red costs of their
error in underestimating an enemy
who had not been expected to offer
serious resistance here.
What Van Hassek's infantry lost
to their slower bolt-action rifles they
made up by auxiliary arms, light
machine guns, mortars of many cal
ibers, light and heavy tanks, superi
ority of artillery. Shrapnel, mor
tars, and musketry now beat down
on the American centers of resist
ance with the red convolutions of
some Satanic scourge escaped from
hell. Van Hassek’s men burst ahead
until Boynton could see the distend
ed eyes and gaping, grimacing ter
ror of their faces, as they bared
themselves to a death against which
they did not dare turn their backs.
The enemy poured on into Boyn
ton's strong-point. Boynton became
aware that the survivors of his men
were breaking, stubbornly fighting
with bayonets, grenades, and mus
ketry as they fell back. Now he saw
enemy tanks rolling in on his men,
tanks whose steel armor deflected
the regiment’s ancient 37-millime
ter guns that were being used until
the new anti-tank guns could be re
duced from paper models to actual
weapons. Boynton turned to rally
his men, giving to his voice the full
strength of his lungs.
“Up and at ’em!” he cried. “To
hell with the swine!”
His voice rose above the storm.
A second time he raised his voice,
then he staggered drunkenly, spun
hall around, and fell as conscious
ness snapped from his brain and
his life snuffed out.
Having committed themselves to
this folly of frontal attack, the Van
Has^ek commanders fed In reserve
after reserve regardless of cost in
their determination to break through
with as little delay as possible. Once
they succeeded in driving a wedge
deep enough into the American cen
ter, they knew that the whole Ameri
can sector would roll up in a chaos
of defeated regiments.
But to accomplish this, Van Has
sek’s infantry must drive through
succeeding lines. Capturing one,
they faced another equally resist
ant. What the Americans lacked in
auxiliary weapons they made up by
their unshakable fighting spirit, a
discipline hard as steel that put men
through the terrors of battle and
turned a deaf ear to impulses of
flight and surrender. Even succeed
ing waves of tanks failed to terrorize
them or drive them out of position.
All the advantages of auxiliary
weapons failed to avail.
One surging mass of enemy In
fantry engulfed the right of the 23d,
and left of the 9th Infantry, late in
the forenoon. Now the storm rose
to new heights of desperation as
Van Hassek’s infantry sought to
break on through.
Five hundred yards the invader
progressed, swamping one strong
point after another. The Second’s
main line was threatened by a
wedge that would force it back to
its regimental reserve line. A sec
ond attack launched against that
line, if it succeeded, meant inevita
ble defeat.
Into the melee came rushing
American reserves, a co-ordinated
counter-attack by the 3d Battalion
of the 23d and the 2d Battalion of the
9th. They hit with a vigor that halt
ed the menacing enemy masses.
Their semi-automatics, pouring
death as fast %s fingers could tfork
triggers, gave to the attacking
American battalions the infantry
weight of twice their numbers.
Van Hassek's men fell back, dug
themselves into fox holes, waited. A
lull came into the firing. The artil
lery roared on, machine guns, light
cannon chattered and boomed. Now
the volcanic eruption of battle lost
something of its volume. The cries
of the stricken could be heard, plain
tive wails of “First aid!”
Van Hassek had lost the first
round. He had committed the brash
folly of underestimating his enemy.
In his haste to blast his way through
to San Antonio his conceit had mis
led him to disregard sound tactical
principles. No matter if the enemy
The enemy tanks rolling in.
had done the same thing by making
a stand, the next move now was up
to Van Hassek.
At the division command post,
General Mole had slept through the
morning preparation fire. Only by
vigorously shaking him had his aide
been able to rouse him out of his
sleep. Dosing himself with strong
coffee, Mole coolly watched the de
velopment of attack. The Van Has
sek strategy had a right to suppose
that the Second would hold lightly
and run off to successive delaying
positions.
Anxiously, Mole and h.s staff
scanned information as it came in
over the field wires and from obser
vation planes. Van Hassek's tortu
ous columns still were moving up
from Laredo. But no fresh move
ment of reserves was located in
the immediate American front. Both
the Brownsville and Eagle Pass col
umns were several hours' travel
from striking range of either flank.
Casualty reports came in, roughly
computed, by noon. One hundred
and seven officers, most lieutenants.
Nineteen hundred men. A fifth of his
command gone, many of them offi
cers and men with whom he had
served through long years of peace.
But discipline held up, and a stern,
stubborn fighting spirit pervaded the
ranks. That word came from the
commanders of infantry who had
taken the brunt of the losses, it
came from the artillery regiments
which were still being pounded by
long-range artillery.
Against odds of men and weap
ons there remained the valor of a
manpower that could be conquered
only in death, or lawful order of
retreat.
CHAPTER XII
As succeeding battle reports from
the Texas front ooured into Wash
ington over the radio. Captain Ben
ning was assailed by growing rest
lessness at his own inaction in the
face of momentous events. Through
out the day he had lolled about the
cafes along Connecticut Avenue
looking for the Van Hassek staff
spies, Fincke and Boggio. Evening
found him holding the bag.
That red welter of the 11th In
fantry’s retreat from Laredo had
been reported in meager but graphic
detail along with the heroic stand of
the 5th and 12th Cavalry Regiments.
Captain Boll’s achievement in pi
loting his men through the storm of
Van Hassek’s air attacks had stirred
the country.
Benning and Boll had been class
mates at the Military Academy, had
gone to the 11th Infantry together as
NEXT WEEK
AtuMts* AltodUnp H*utaUm4nt
subalterns. Benning had served with
the 11th for nearly a year until he
went to the air corps, from which
service he had been snatched for
military intelligence duty. Breath
lessly he followed every scrap of
available information on the 11th.
Benning was picking at his dinner
at the Mayflower when there came a
final flash on the Boll incident.
"You heard this afternoon of the
gallant young officer, Captain Boll of
our infantry,” the broadcaster an
nounced. "You recall that, although
wounded in the cheek, he ignored
his own wound and saw his men
through to the Second Division south
of San Antonio."
The announcer paused, his voice
shook with feeling as he read a brief
dispatch from San Antonio that
brought the incident of Boll to tragic
consummation:
"Captain Henry Boll, 11th United
States Infantry, died early this eve
ning of wounds received in action.
Captain Boll collapsed a few min
utes after reaching the hospital and
died this evening without having re
gained consciousness.”
For a long time Benning sat look
ing across the blur of somber faces
in front of him, then he left his un
finished dinner and went out into the
street. The soldier spirit flared into
revolt within him against this soft
spot of his own present duty when
there was a man’s role on the bor
der.
He walked to the Shoreham to get
himself in hand. Even Flagwill’s
assertion that the Coalition spy nest
was more dangerous to the country
than Van Hassek’s present invasion
brought him small comfort. But he
finally reminded himself that he had
a job to do and not until he had
done it would there be hope of trans
fer back to the line of the Army.
Washington, the whole country,
was in a state of furor. All day
Benning had been shut off from the
War Department with its staggering
problems, black uncertainties, and
crushing workload.
Official reassurance was being fed
out over the radio to those sections
of the country outside the immedi
ate reach of Van Hassek’s invasion.
They were told there was no imme
diate danger of new air raids. The
Army was pushing through its inter
ception nets and extending its in
telligence service to bring timely
warning well in advance of any fu
ture raid.
New Orleans, Galveston, and oth
er cities were being organized
against air raids that could not be
circumvented fqr the time being. It
was a matter of avoiding crowds,
of getting underground against dem
olition bombs and gas. People who
could leave those cities were urged
to take refuge in towns and ham
lets until the danger could be
brought under control, although tens
of thousands needed no such warn
ing and were pouring into the coun
try with such of their effects as they
could carry along.
In New York, Washington, imna
delphia, Baltimore, and other great
centers of population, organization
against air attacks had been fever
ishly undertaken. The Middle West
and West were told there was no
present need for alarm. However,
some highly alarming, if uncon
firmed, reports of a mysterious
brewing of mischief in the Orient,
had the coast cities on edge.
Mobilization of the four existent
Regular Army and eighteen Nation
al Guard infantry divisions was re
ported sixty per cent complete. The
Third Army was to concentrate in
Texas as rapidly as possible, but
the War Department refused to give
out military details. No censorship
of military news had been clamped
down as yet and the press was print
ing, without restriction, whatever
news it could get.
Benning ordered an elaborate din
ner at the Shoreham. Though he
had no appetite, he made a pretext
of eating while he kept under ob
servation those who came and went.
Before starting on his rounds,
Benning had stationed Lieutenant
Jones, an Intelligence assistant, on
guard over the Massachusetts/ Ave
nue apartment of Mme Pujol, with
whom Boggio had dined and danced
on the capital. Jones’ instructions
were to hold Boggio under close ob
servation and let Benning know as
quickly as possible if the Italian ap
peared.
Seven-thirty o’clock passed, the
Chief of Staff of the Army would
soon be on the air in a nation-wide
hookup. New dispatches came in
from San Antonio.
Flash — ‘‘Bombers reported ap
proaching New Orleans, Galveston,
and Houston. The Government’s in
tercept nets and intelligence service
will give prompt advance warning
if any planes fly north of Texas. Ev
eryone is urged to remain calm.”
Several persons got up from table
at this news and anxiously left the
room. Others kept determinedly in
their seats, a few affected noncha
lant composure. Into the dining
room at this moment came Fincke,
his face lined in a surly scowl. He
sat down at a table across the room
from Benning.
(TO BE CONTINUED)
Neckwear Gives Fresh, Sparkling
Charm to Spring Suits, Coats
By CHER IE NICHOLAS
FOR a fashion-right approach to
chic and charm for your Easter
costume, try the lacy, crisp-white
neckwear way. It will work like
magic. The new jabots and animated
cascades of sheer white, the smart
detachable lace-trimmed and be
frilled yokes, likewise the huge im
maculately white sailor collars that
stress the new low-cut, deep-throat
ed lines are performing miracles in
adding “the touch that tells.”
You will find the neckwear quest
one of high adventure this spring,
for fashion is dramatizing the
theme. Versatile lingerie touches
will carry your costume to dizzy
heights of allure.
There’s big news in toe revival of
frilly jabots this season, and history
is also repeating itself in the ani
mated white fluttery cascades, the
kind that will help “lift” any blouse,
frock or jacketed tailleur right
into spring. The sheer organdie
and Val lace jabot which cascades
from a tiny turnover organdie col
lar (pictured above to the left in
the group illustrated) is warranted
to give springlike froth and fresh
ness to any Easter costume. The
jabot is attached to an organdie
vestee, so it stays anchored and
serves as a blouse.
A magic panel in embroidered or
gandie and lace (shown above to the
right) may be depended upon to
perform magic on any dress, be it
print or plain, smart navy, unerr
ing black or a delectable pastel
shade. A clip attachment under toe
bow adjusts to any neckline. Clip
it on to your newest frock and pres
to! it will sparkle with lacy loveli
ness.
Colored embroidery, especially
cross stitch and petit point, is an
important spring 1941 message
for neckwear. The collar and cufl
set below to the right in the group
is one of the charming new versions.
Rambler roses are embroidered on
linen in red and black cross stitch.
You will be seeing quantities of
this type of embroidery as the sea
son advances, for petit point, es
pecially, is being featured on hand
kerchiefs, handbags, and in fact,
quite generally throughout the
mode.
All dressed up and ready to go
stepping in the Easter parade is
the smartly clad maiden in the panel
portrait to the left. For that fresh
out-of-a-band-box look, Evelyn Al
den, American designer, has creat
ed a youthful redingote (redingotes
are "tops” this spring) with a crisp
lingerie bib attached to the neck
line of the dress beneath. Be sure
to wear a fruit-laden hat with this
ensemble, for fruit trimmings are
tremendously important.
A new trend, and one that is rich
with possibilities, is the wide use of
pleated white lingerie frillings in
unique and dramatic ways. You
can buy these pleatings by the
yard at neckwear counters. Newly
arrived navy or black suits and
dresses are finished off at throat and
wrist with generous ruffiings done
in the dandified Regency period
manner.
You can give your bolero frock or
suit a fresh spring uplift by sewing
in a white ruff that extends down
the front edges of your bolero or
even all the way round if you pre
fer. As most fashion-alert women
are aware, the newest dresses are
styled with yokes this spring. For
a final swank accent, follow the
outline of the yoke of your frock or
your blouse with crisp white lin
gerie pleating. Many best shops
are featuring this very new idea.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
! Patriotic Emblems
Patriotic emblems are proving an
endless source of inspiration for dec
orative motifs in costume design.
Flags, stars, eagles, nautical insig
nia seen in bright embroidery or in
glittering colorful jewels. They lend
enchantment to new fashions in end
less ways. Here you see a stun
ning white rayon hi-hat turban and
matching scarf. This twosome is
inexpensive, and at the same time
is good looking and decidedly prac
tical.
Thoroughly American in color and
design, these decorative pieces give
wardrobes that pro-America look!
Low-Cut Necklines Tell
New Fashion Story
There is a new movement in neck
lines that will be a dominating In
fluence in blouses and dresses from
now on. The collar opening contin
ues down to form a low deep slender
point. Some dresses have an extra
little camisole device to wear on less
formal occasions. The deep-throat
ed effect is extremely flattering. To
wear at the low point, stunning jew
elry clips are being especially de
signed. These will tell a fascinat
ing new fashion story.
Deep Pleated Flounces
Popular on Navy Coats
There is a very smart new-type
coat being shown which is particular
ly striking in navy. The body line
is fashioned after the fitted princess
lines, to which a knee depth pleated
flounce of the self fabric is seamed.
You can get stunning costume suits
that have these long coats, worn
over a matching one-piece dress.
Enchanting Blouses
The new blouses are simply en
chanting. They are frilled, tucked
and lace-trimmed in fascinating pro
fusion. Their feminine frou frou is
distractingly pretty. On the Easter
parade they will appear in endless
procession, adding winsomeness to
the legions of navy suits and caped
costume ensembles.
Pale Coats, Pale Furs
Beige coats are taking unto them
selves fur trimmings in delicate
tones to match. Reefer fronts of
furs are chic
I
Farm
Topics H
LIQUIDS REPLACE
DRY FERTILIZER
Helps to Prevent Big Loss
Caused by Drouth.
By DR. V. A. TIEDJENS
(Aasociat* OlaricuSturiat. If. /. Agricul
tural Experiment Station.)
Farmers need no longer fear the
bugaboo of drouthy years that here
tofore have robbed them of returns
they should have had on their fer
tilizer dollars. They are licking the
problem by applying fertilizer in
solution instead of in the dry form
to vegetables, farm crops, pastures.
By thus applying chemical ferti
lizer dissolved in water, the burn
ing of fertilizers applied dry is
eliminated and phosphates are made
more available.
Liquid fertilizers are used as
starter solutions applied to the roots
of plants when they are set, or ap
plied in the drill with beans, corn,
and other seeds. They may also be
applied as a side-dressing as the
crops are growing.
Regular fertilizer mixtures may
be used for liquid applications, but
they usually have so much residue
that the solution must be prepared
a day or two in advance and the
liquid separated from the residue.
These mixtures are too acid for
starter solutions, but may be used
for side-dressing purposes.
Higher analysis mixtures have
been used to better advantage when
the phosphorus was derived from
mono-ammonium phosphate. A 13
26-13 mixture, made with urea,
mono-ammonium phosphate, muri
ate of potash and nitrate of soda
and used at the rate of 2 to 4 pounds
In 50 gallons of water, has given
very good results as a starter or
side dressing solution. This mixture
is almost wholly soluble and can be
made up as it is used. It becomes
sticky when exposed to the air.
Liquid fertilizers have given more
economical results than dry mix
tures due to the greater availabil
ity of the phosphates.
Liquid fertilizers have been used
successfully to grow large acreages
of tomatoes, beans, cauliflower,
broccoli, cabbage, sweet corn and
celery. In every case yields were
better because, as growers stated,
the crops grew in spite of dry
j weather.
Spring Pasture Feeding
Changes Flavor of Milk
Slight defects in flavor may pre
vent full enjoyment of milk and thus
curtail its use, says H. A. Herman
of the Missouri college. It is to the
interest of every producer or han
dler of milk then to protect the
flavor of milk and its products.
Flavors in milk may originate at
various stages in its production and
handling. Bad flavors are not nec
essarily associated with the safety
of milk for food purposes.
In early spring, and in particular
on short and weed-infested pastures,
weed flavors are quite common
since cows are forced to eat herb
age they might otherwise refuse.
Cows in milk should not be forced to
depend too heavily on pastures in
fested with wild onions or similar
weeds. If the dairyman has no
other choice, however, he can hold
the flavors imparted by these vari
ous weeds to a minimum by remov
ing the cows 3 to 6 hours before
milking time.
A change from dry feeding to
grass always results in a different
flavor appearing in the milk, and
customers sometimes complain.
These flavors can be prevented by
following a well planned routine of
feeding.
' 1 ...". '
Farm Notes
Total American crop production
this year was the second largest
on record, being surpassed only In
1937, reports the U. S. bureau of
agricultural economics.
• • •
More than 1,000,000 frozen-food
lockers in more than 3,200 plants
are now available to families of the
United States, reports the Farm
Credit administration.
• • •
Good pasture is the best source of
vitamin A for live stock. Vitamin A
promotes growth, health, vigor, long
life, appetite, digestion, reproduc
tion, and resistance to infection.
• • •
An Ohio survey made in 1924 in
nine counties revealed that 47 per
cent of the farm homes were more
than 50 years old and the average
distance from the well to the kitchen
was 74 feet
• • •
Forest land in the United States so
heavily cut over that it is practically
idle represents an area equal in size
to Italy, says U. S. forest service.
• • •
A recommended remedy for rid
ding hogs of worms is a full feed of
whole oats which have been soaked
in buttermilk given after the hogs
have been kept off feed for 24 to 30
hours. The oats should be soaked
for 10 or 12 hours. Buttermilk can
be prepared by mixing one gallon
of semi-solid buttermilk with 12 gal
lons of water.
PERFECT for slim, young flg
* ures, this flaring frock has a
tiny corselet waistline, and bodice
gathers to round you out a bit.
With the bolero, it serves as a
“little suit” for street wear. Make
this of gay silk prints, or flat
crepe, plain or with lots of braid
in bright contrast.
• • •
Pattern No. 8880 la designed In even
sizes 12 to 20. Ensemble, size 14, 3ft
yards 39-inch material without nap. For
this attractive pattern send to
SEWING CIRCLE PATTERN DEPT.
Room 1324
211 W. Wacker Dr. Chicago
Enclose IS cents In coins for
Pattern No. Size.
Name ......
Address ...
Pull the Trigger on
Lazy Bowels, with
Ease for Stomach, too
When constipation brings on acid in
digestion. stomach upset, bloating, dizzy
spells, gas, coated tongue, sour taste and
bad breath, your stomach is probably
“crjehg the blues” because your bowels
don’t move. It calls for Laxative-Senna
to pull the trigger on those lazy bowels,
combined withSyrup Pepsin for perfect
ease to your stomach in taking. For years,
many Doctors have given pepsin prepa
rations in their prescriptions to make
medicine more agreeable to a touchy stom
ach. So be sure your laxative contains
Syrup Pepsin. Insist on Dr. Caldwell’s
La xati ve Senna combined with Syrup Pep
Bin. See how wonderfully the Laxative
Senna wakes up lazy nerves and muscles
in your intestines to bring welcome relief
from constipation. And the good old
Syrup Pepsin makes this laxative so com
fortable and easy on your stomach. Even
finicky children love the taste of this
pleasant family laxative. Buy Dr. Cald
well’s Laxative Senna at your druggist
today. Try one laxative combined with
Syrup Pepsin for ease to your stomach, too.
Conscience’s Sake
We never do wrong so thorough
ly and so heartily as when we do
it for conscience’s sake.—Pascal.
.-Nervous Restless-i
fa I Plfl I Cranky? Restless?
Ill VIS' Can't sleep? Tire
Will IV ■ easily? Because of
distress of monthly
functional disturbances? Then try
Lydia E. Pink ham's Vegetable Com
pound.
Ptnkham’s Compound Is famous
for relieving pain of Irregular periods
and cranky nervousness due to such
disturbances. One of the most effec
tive medicines you can buy today
for this purpose —made especially
for women. WORTH TRYING 1
I All the Traffic
Would Bear"
• There was a time in America
when there were no set prices.
Each merchant charged what
he thought “the traffic would
bear.” Advertising came to
the rescue of the consumer.
It led the way to the estab
lished prices you pay when
you buy anything today.
