Pg… 15 The Week’s Events: Clouds of War and Politics Hang Heavy as 76th Congress Opens Pg… 18 The Week’s Events: LIFE on the Newsfronts of the World Pg… 19 The Week’s Events: Torpedoed British Freighter Goes Down into the Atlantic Pg… 20 The Week’s Events: Volunteer Englishwomen Pass in Review on Way to France Pg… 22 The Week’s Events: 19 Die in Minneapolis Fire Pg… 24 The Week’s Events: WPA Starts Measuring 100,000 Women to Get Standard Dress Sizes Pg… 26 The Week’s Events: Major Eliot Reports on the Russian Campaign Pg… 44 The Week’s Events: British Contraband Control System Seeks to Strangle Germany Pg… 53 Photographic Essay: The Inland Waterway: From New York to Miami on the “Do–Ho” Pg… 31 Movies: “Rebecca” Pg… 36 Movies: “Entente Cordiale” Pg… 38 Art: Frederic Taubes Paints “The Filming of ‘Birth of a Nation'” Pg… 62 Science: U.S. Is World’s Chief Diamond Buyer Pg… 66 Sports: Ralph Lincoln Vaughn Is Best 1940 Basketballer Pg… 2 Other Departments: Letters to the Editors Pg… 8 Other Departments: Speaking of Pictures: Smoke Blacks Out St. Louis Pg… 70 Other Departments: People Pg… 74 Other Departments: LIFE Goes to a Bingo Party Pg… 78 Other Departments: Pictures to the Editors