davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Search Out The Cause

The explosion and fire at the Hercules Pow
der Company plant in New Jersey, which had
taken a toll of % lives early yesterday. with
the count incomplete, demands closer scrutiny
and deeper investigation than an ordinary in.
dustrial accident Accidents" in industry are
becoming too frequent in these days of rearm.
Hment. 1t is impossible longer to put away
the thought that they are the work of sabo.
teurs.
To-be sure, in days like these, when indus.
try Is expanding to meet preparedness feeds
and there is a keen urge for production, addi-
tional hazards of accident are inevitable. II is
impossible to eliminate extra hazards with
many workers added to regular stats and
everybody under tension. But the fact that
accidents are increasing in plants engaged on
government contracts for war materials leads
to the suspicion that the hazards are man
made.
There is, we know, a strong fifth column at
work in the United States. Is the destruction
of factories a part of it's work? Is it planned
in the capitals of dictator governments with
the aim not only to retard this nations de-
tense program but to block fulfillment of con-
tracts for Britain in that nations great crisis?
Remembering the work of German agents in
this country during the last World war, it
seems very probable. What is happening now
appears to be accident by design.
For this reason the inquiry of the Hercules
catastrophe must pierce straight to the mark,
both to punish the perpetrators, if they can be
discovered, and to prevent, by the severity OF
the punishment, other accidents in defense in.
d~ustries.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Paddock Opened

Money impounded in the United States is to
be made available to certain groups in Ger
man-occupied countries, in limited amounts
ury has found it necessary gradually to relax
the restrictions on trading with the occupied
areas of Europe if grievious personal injus-
tees are to be avoided.
AS the German war machine took control OF
on country after another, the President, by
executive order, impounded funds of these
foreign nationals which were in the United
States and required individual licenses of those
who deemed it necessary to export funds to
the occupied areas. The first relaxation came
about two weeks ago when the treasury ruled
that sums up to $50 a month might be sent to
been regularly transferring that amount for
the six months prior to April 8. This enabled
persons in the United States, who had been
regularly contributing to the support of de-
pendents in the occupied areas, to continue
the support within the $50 limitation.
On Wednesday it was ruled that persons in
the country may henceforth send up to $3.50
a month for the support of American citizens
in the occupied countries, without special Ii
cense, plus an extra $3.50 if the money is want
ed for transportation home.
1t is conceivable that a small amount OF
total would be unimportant, while the relief
to American citizens abroad should be sub.
stantial.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Star-News Program

Consolidated City-County Government
under Coumcil-Manager Administration.
Public Port Terminals.
Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving
md Marketing Facilities.
Arena for Sports and Industrial
ShouS.
Seaside Highway from WrightsviHe
Beach to Bald Head Island.
Extension OF City Limits.
S5-Foot Cape Fear River channel, Uid,
er Turning Basin. Nth ship lanes into
Industrial sites along Eastern bank
south of Wilmington.
Pared River Road to Southport, via
orion Plantation.
Development of Pulp Wood Produc.
ton through sustained-yield methods
throughout Southeastern North Carolina
Unified Industrial and Resort Pro
motional Agency, supported By one
countrywide tao.
Shipyards n Drydock.
Negro Health Center for Southeastern
North Carolina, developed around the
Community Hospital
Adequate hospital facilities for whites.
Junior High School,
Tobacco Warehouse for Erport Buyers.
Development OF ndtive grape groving
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Modern Tuberculosis Sdnutorium.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
CRIMINAL Term
CONCLUDED HERE
Judge Burgwyn Frees Mar
garet Wilkinson Under
Judgment Prayer

Margaret Wilkinson, convicted m
recorders court of maintaining a
nuisance by keeping a large mum
Der of dogs at her home, placed
on probation and then sentenced
to the county farm for two years
for violating that. probation was
freed in superior court yesterday
Judge w. H. S. BurgWyn, near,
ing the case on appeal, allowed
her to plead guilty to forclble tres
pass and continued prayer LOT
Judgment for two years on Inc
condition that she not BRING rel
dogs to reside in the city OF WIZ
mington or maintain them elSe'
where so as to constitute a hul-
sance.
He RENTED the costs Of the
case.
District Solicitor David smear
recommending probation, rela'ea
the facts in the case to the court
saying that at the time OF her d.
rest the woman had 20 to % dogS
at her house and 1.-The dogs oafkeo
all night"
ITS natural for a dog to bark
the court replied, saying I'm h9t
going to put this lady on the roauo
for taking care of some homeless
dogs"
Johnnie Williams, negro woman
who operates a negro cafe, won
an acquittal of a charge Oh vu
lating the liquor law when me S'0Ss
failed to satisfy the jury that II
quor found in her place was HUE
taxpaid.
The liquor, about two ounces
was found in a glass m the NV
chen of the cafe, ABC officers w.
titled, saying they could tell by uls
color and odor that 1t was INV
ABC liquor.
The defense claimed the Aquo.
wcs kept there Tor the purpose
brushing her false teeth ana wa.
it had come from an ABC liquor
bottle.
Court adjourned shortly DelQ[s
noon and expired automa'lcaH'
at midnight. .1oo
Just prior to recessing, Juags
Burgwyn pointe | out his docAet
shows g. cases were disposed u
during the week and told olliciani
l ''see n O reason for a Sps'i"a
term of court"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Mobile Shipyards Busy Again

Mobile, Alabama, newspapers and people
are jubilant over a contract for four destroyers
to be built at Chickasaw at a cost OF $S2, 4OO,o Oo
recently announced at Washington.
Even the most unimaginative person" says
the Mobile Register, ''can grasp the signifi-
canoe of what this shipbuilding program will
mean to Mobile in the way of industrial pros
perity. Steady employment for several hun
dred men, increased purchasing power in the
community, with consequent expansion Of re-
tail trade . are a few of the benefits"
The Gulf Shipbuilding Corporation, operators
of the Chickasaw plant, are to be felcltated
upon obtaining the contract for the destroyers,
the Register rightly declares, and might have
added that Mobile is to be equally felicitated
for having this corporation among its indus
trial assets. It is obvious that without an en-
terprising firm ready to bid on the job and
with facilities for its execution, Mobile would
not be experiencing its present exultation.
It is worth noting that the Chickasaw plant,
in a Mobile suburb, was built when the United
States was busy with its merchant marine
program during the other World war, and was
closed down when the Armistice interrupted
that program. For years it was idle and
Chickasaw a deserted village. With the ar
rival of a new opportunity, coincident with the
launching of the defense program, the ship
yards were rehabilitated and now the govern
ment, recognizing its availability has ear
marked a large amount of money to restore it
to its old prominence.
Up to the point of rehabilitation, Whining
TONS shipyards and those at Chickasaw have
had a similar history. The yards here, active
during the former merchant marine program.
also were closed shortly after peace came.
But there the similarity ends. Chickasaw is
again in production. Wilmington is not. Is
there not a lesson worth learning in this?
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14

to, but you can't hear anything
but dialogue. Which brings us to
Nanny Harmon and his SILENT
band.
For IS years Nanny and his
nine good men have been lingering
and blowing instruments nobody
hears. Long ago directors gave
up trying to record music on sets
during film action. They record
1t tlrst-usually with large orches-
tras-and then shoot the picture to
"playbacks' of the recordings.
And that's where Nanny and his
trained musicians come into be
photographed as they play to
match the music.
They're real musicians. too. Be-
tween pictures they take engage.
ments at clubs, banquets, and the
like. They all have union cards.
even have a theme song for be.
tween-sceners. It's Tea for Two
And you know what happened?
The first time they struck it up
on the set where it belongs they
couldn't strike it up. One of the
men-a new one-had lost his mu-
sic!
Brief description of the moral
status of all thu characters in
High Sierra" by Humphrey Bo.
CART, who plays the heaviest OF
the lot: There's one good guy ii,
it-that's the dog!"
Odd that in the current oil-tlelu
cycle, with pictures full of oil, 20
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Hollywood Sights And Sounds
By Robbis Coons.

HOLLYWOOD, Sept. 10 - You
walk on the set and hear a familiar
tune with a lit in it, and you know
those two purveyors of musical
nostalgia, Anne Neagle and her
producer-director, Herbert Wilcox,
are at it again.
The tune is Tea for Two" and
the picture is mo, No, Nanette!'
There's another tune called Il
Want to Be Happy" and still an
other from which the movie takes
it's title. and they'll all be in the
movie just as they were in the
play.
When the Neagle Wilcox team
toured with "Irene," their first re-
vived old-timer, they found that
the only thing wrong with the old
tunes was that the paying custom
ers couldn't get enough of them.
Those "Nanette" tunes, like those
Of Irene" have lasted through
the years and still r played on
the air-still were played, that is,
until recently. For six months, by
order of Wilcox. the ''Nanette" mu-
sic is off the air to freshen it up,
so to speak, for. the Christmas re-
lease of the movie.
Sometimes, on the S where
Miss Neagle and her leading men,
Richard Carlson and. Victor Ma
ture, are dancing in ballroom
scenes. you can't hear the music.
0 a see the orchestra play
'ng' led by a rotunGl chubby macs.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Editorial Comment
PLACEHOLDERS AND THE DRAFT
Greensboro News

While it is well enough that the draft be de-
ferred for those governmental officials whose
continued service is deemed necessary to the
public health or welfare, as set forth in the
pending CONSUMPTION bill, there ought to be in
sistence on the public's part that this exemp-
tive clause be given a strictly non-political and
conscientious Interpretation.
When the provision at point was under dis
cussion in the senate Senator Connally, of
Texas, disapproved exemption for members of
Congress and other administrative officials of
federal, state and local governments. In that
connection it is pertinent to note with approval,
however keenly his loss may be felt, the &C
ton of Greensboro's Mayor Ralph L. Lewis in
accordance with his assumption of full-time
national guard duties.
But to get back to Senator Connaly's re-
marks on the floor, the Lone Star honorable
emphatically declared that IT don't want a lot
of little two-bit officials claiming exemptions
just because they are on a government pay
roll" And the senator therein gave express
sion to a mouthful. Obviously the age of con-
gressmen and many of the other highly placed
officials will put them outside the preferred
draft classifications. But the principle of ex-
emption is what counts. There is not much
fairness, from the viewpoint of the general
public which is called upon to serve, in a stu
alton which sees legislators pass fundamental
measures applicable to just about everybody
except themselves and fellow-pla ceholders.
To be sure government must go on, more ef-
~fectively and efficiently than ever during a
war period since it is the government that
conducts the war. But that recognized and
even accentuated necessity should not as SEN
ator Connally observes, give every little two
bit official the right to exemption from mill.
tary service. In most instances his task could
be done just as well by others who are in
civilian life but who for one legitimate reason
or another were exempted or found unfit to
serve in the army or navy. We cannot posi-
bly, conceive that all the governmental frills
which obtain these days, with their hundreds
OF thousands of public payrollees, are more
essential to the national defense than the man.
power demands which would be filled by the
CONSUMPTION act.
Since when have handshaking and vote-get-
ting, which are responsible for the great ma.
jority of placeholders being where they are,
been a popularity and periodically accepted
means of avoiding the heaviest responsibilities
of citizenship which devolve upon the greater
masses who are not to be politically in
trenched? l
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
MORE TRUTH THAN COINCIDENCE
Christian Science Monitor

A shortwave news broadcast from London
was bringing reports of disaster and casualty.
After a few minutes of this, another program,
evidently American, consisting of popular mu-
steal numbers, became clearly audible above
the commentators voice.
A turn in the score of the musical program
brought about one of those rare, unexpected
occurrences which often make us pause and
think. The commentators unhappy report was
now coming into the United States, unknown
to him, of course, with a strange obbligato-a
woman's voice singing George Gershwin's ia
miliar tune, 1T Amt Necessarily So"
Back and forth those two tossed their voices
out upon the ether. German raids on Britain
were claimed to have done considerable dam
age today" -. 1T Amt Necessarily So .
Three ships were reported sunk today by the
Nazis" 1T Amt Necessarily So"
starvation faces millions of Europeans I'm.
less the United States can send food >. .
1T Amt Necessarily So"
Amazing battledore and shuttlecock! Was
it a coincidence Certainly it wasn't planned
But what volumes of truth were in the Incl.
dent!
No evil report is necessarily So" however
authoritative it may seem or sound. Readers
and listeners in America and elsewhere now
know well that threats and exaggerated re-
ports of damage done or intended constitute
one of the weapons Of this present warfare in
the world, and that this weapon gains effec.
tiveness only from the credence given to bla-
tant lies or fear-filled whisperings.
But beyond this there is an area to be dealt
with in which the accounts of destruction are
accurate to the human, material sense. This
blight and it's accompanying mental anguish
are not healed by merely turning away but
rather by rising above and overcoming the
physicalsense testimony. This is done by con-
scious, active remembrance and faith that
God, good, reigns over all the earth and is
mightier than the thunderings OF hate and
violence.
The disciple John, who lived closest in the
affections of Jesus and understood most clear
ly the Masters teachings, wrote many years
later, Beloved, believe not every spirit, but
try the spirits whether they are OF God, Tor
many false prophets are gone out into the
world" Goodspeed translates the word spirit
as ''utterance." Surely the writer meant
to advise men to check the veracity OF reports,
assertions, and suggestions not alone by hu-
man standards of reliability but also by wheth,
err the reputed circumstances would be true OF
the universe in which God, good, is the only
real and eternal power. !
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
German Library Charged
With Violation OF Code

NEW YORK, Sept. 3.-RNMag-
istrate Charles G. Keutgen today
denied two defense motions for dis
missal of penal code violation
charges against the German Lii
brary of Information, and after a
hearing reserved his decision in
the action until T~hursG-y.
On a complaint by former Mag
istrate Joseph Goldstein, DR.. Mat
thias Schmitz, the library's direc-
tor. was summoned on charges of
violating a penal law by failing to
register it as a business corpora
ton. Goldstein recently accused
the German library of being a
propaganda organization. l
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Man bout

.Bv George tucker

NEW YORK, Sept. 13-For days
now Broadway has been in a story
telling mood, and at the risk OF be-
ing silly I am going to pass along
the n that is getting the biggest
play in the backstage dressing
rooms and at restaurant tables.
It's a hard story to tell, because it
should be acted with gestures, but
then maybe you can supply your
own.
This story concerns three little
kittens whose names were Phttt.
Phttt-Phttt, and Phttt-Phttt-Phttt
They we're the happiest little kit
tens you ever saw. until n day,
little Phttt came down with the
fever.
Little Phttt is burning up"
cried little Phttt- Phttt to her lit
tie sister Phttt-P httt-Phttt. "Oh,
what shall we do to save her?"
81 know" 'cried little Phttt- Phttt-
Phttt. "I'n run and get the doc
or" Which she did, but it was
too late. BY the time that little
Phttt- -Phttt returned, poor lit
tie Phttt was dead, and poor little
Phttt-Phttt was sobbing her eyes
out.
For many days after this, little
Phttt. Phttt and her sister, little
Phttt-Phttt-Phttt went about very
sorrowfully. They gave up play
ing with the ball of yarn with
which the three of them had so
frequently cavorted in the good old
days when poor little Phttt was
alive.
But time, the great healer, heals
all wounds, and so n day little
Phttt and little Phittt-P -Phttt
forgot all about their sorrow.
They began to play again, as heal
thy young kittens should play. They
ran out of doors and raced across
the lawn. They played so hard
that they scarcely noticed that the
sun had gone down and that a
cold rain was beginning to fall.
That night, alas and alack, little
Phttt-Phttt bobbed up with a sore
throat. BY morning she was worse.
"Oh, DEAR" cried little Phttt-
Phttt. 1.-The fever is burning me
up. What shall I do?"
This frightened little Phttt-Phttt-
Phttt almost out of her wits, as
she remembered only too we'll
what had happened to poor little
Phttt when the fevers came.
So she gathered up her skirts
and flew down the hill to where
the doctor lived.
Doctor" she painted, "oh, do
come quickly. Little Phttt-P httt
has the ague, and I fear some
harm will come to her."
Little Phttt-P httt-P httt," con-
soled the decor, calm youself.
Everything will be okay."
So they hurried up the hill to
where poor little Phttt-Phttt lay
wheeling and coughing. IS a y
'ah," said the doctor, ramming a
stick down poor little Phttt-
Phttt's throat. Yep" he added
thoughtfully, lust as 1 feared.
Well have to give you some medi-
cine"
But alas and alack, poor little
Phttt-Phttt passed away before
morning, leaving poor little Phttt-
Phttt-Phttt all by herself.F
That's about all there is to the
story, except the moral, which is:
ONLY the phittest survive. |
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
T

We are too busy in France licking our
wounds to spend any time on politics.-Gaston
Henry-Haye, new ambassador from the new
France.
Mans free actions are subject to a law nigh
err than himself or the society in which ne
lives.-Rev. Edward B. Rooney, secretary,
Jesuit Educational association.
Home Guard duty today is not an amateur
job.-Mayor .LaGuardia, New YORK.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Mobilization Closes
Charlotte's Armory

CHARLOTTE, Sept 13.-R-
Mayor Ben E. Douglas announced
today that Charlotte's armory-audi-
torium, which has for years been
used for entertainments and meet
ings requiring large seating facil-
tiles, would not be available for
such uses after this week, because
of the mobilization of the national
guard. a l
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14

many of the plots should creah.
Promising leaning: Alfred illY,n
cocks direction and Bob Montggns
ery's style in MIR. ana in
Smith"-with Carole Lomoalu
it too. Paramount should stO~o
when it sees Brigham 4o""9
with Dean Jaeger, ex-Paralllaan
err. Watch for Dennis MI. in
(ex-Stanley Morner) to surprlss,
kitty Foyle." -. Shirley Iel" are
is ''out" as far as stage offers
concerned, but there'n llkely too
movie announcement before m
long. Stanley Smith, la'eN ,ith
air and stage, is coming bacN Con,.
Bob Taylor in Flight Il
mand
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
Disappointment

There is bitter disappointment in the effect.
ed section at the failure of the Civil Aeronaut-
les Administration, through its chairman, Harl.
lee Branch, to hold out some promise of quick
action on the petition for trunk line air service
between Montreal and Nassau, via a coastal
route. Mr.. Branch told a delegation from
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14

the hunpanities on earth, still the sanctuary toward
which the refugees of a tortured world turn longing
eyes.
Our weaknesses are largely those of our forbear-
ance. 1t is not reactionary to believe in freedom
under law, rather than in the type of freedom which
becomes license, or which permits the free express
sion of %seditious or reasonable ideas. And although
we have allowed far too much of this, we still do
have freedom. We can still say what we will, wor-
ship as we please, live our free lives as free men
and women, even close our doors and be safe against
intrusion.
There are no storm troopers walking into our
houses, revolvers in hand, to drive us to exile, prison,
or death.
But the second America is different. It is small
but dangerous. 1t plays up a national weakness
which does not exist, incites fear, tells youth that
to love a country enough to fight for it is ridiculous,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
FDR

WASHINGTON, Sept. 13,-+f-
President Roosevelt was 10 i"D'
utes late in holding his press w.
ference today. In apologlzlng y
porters he said he PLAN Ioi5u.
it was Friday-the usual day Nv
morning meetings with neWsllle-
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
TOP o. THE

Old friends, old scenes, WiH 1ov1ier be,
As more of Heaven in each aDe see.
The trivial round, the common task,
Will furnish all We ought to ask.
SELECTED.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14
OUR COUNTRY
Mary Roberts Rinehart Looks
Al Two Americas Of Today
Finds One Worth Dying For
By MARY ROBERTS RINEHART

Author of "The Door, "The Circular Staircase" "The Doctor" etc.
Fifth of FL articles on sour Country urittem Exclusively for NEA
Service and The Wilmington Nor ming Star By the nahom's most ia
nous authors.
There are two Americas today. One is vast, powerful, dignnied,
ongsufferinga and slow to anger. 1t has one of the despairs which
threatened Europe with revolution and thus brought the dictators to
power. 1t has mor food than it can use, incalculabe natural resources,
unlimited land, and manpower in millions for we n peace.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-09-14

and sows assiduously the seeds of a national chaos and despair a. I'M
justified a S it is wicked.
It must be destroyed, and only the common sense of u people car
do this. For America is worth fighting fE It is nor than that, II
is worth dying for. AS I write this a island across the sea is pre-
pairing for death, rather than surrender what re have too long taker
for granted.
If England dies, it will die in dignity and splendor.
This is u heritage. Not hystera. Not political demagoguery OF
passive acceptance. A freedom to be preserved to the death, with
dignity and. splendor.
Man must regain his feeling for man here in the United
series OF Our Country"
Evening star., 1940-06-19

theeshift basis when the young
training in the schools they put through final
Whitney plant the time building
rapidly the old shop And the
diatey
But before can be the money must be appropriated This
will
and $500 900 orders Certainly
additional
industry including propeller
makers and all the rest of it,
lacking Unless it provided before
the Presidents $4,000 plane will be dellsive