davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
UNDER
 HEAVY NAZI FIRE
Casualties Few as Attempt to "COyentrate"
 Area Fails

Liverpool, Eng, Dec. 21-(UP)- German bombers last night at tempted to "Coventrate" Liverpool and other Merseyside towns. They caused considerable property dam age but casualties were few.
 Thousands of incendiary bombs and hundreds of high explosive missiles were dropped in the sever est attack Liverpool and the Mer- seyside have suffered in the war.
 The raid began shortly after dark and lasted until few hours before dawn.
 During the first four hours, the drone of bombers was heard nearly every second. Anti-aircraft guns put up a tremendous barrage. The spec tacle in the sky was amazing. Parachute flares lit the heavens, which were Streaked by the red of tracer bullets and flashed by burst ing shells.
 Damage in Liverpool was exten- sive.
 A number of persons were trapped in some districts and it was feared there was little hope of rescuing most of them. But considering the extent of the raid casualties were said to be few.
 The glow of fires set by the first raiders served as beaconS to suc- cessive waves of attacking bornbers throughout the all-out raid. But several serious fires were extin- guished in record time and by this morning. all were under control.
 Daylight disclosed that transport services were almost at . normal tempo. Workers on the way to their jobs shouted tributes to the fire- fighte.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
Job Recommendations Still Deluge Hurley
Patsy Brown, Joe Lawlor Mentioned in Connection With Athletic COmmissiOnership; ThOms' Name
 Heard Again; COnnOr, Cox Slated 10 Go

Applications and recommenda- ticns for appointments to state po- Sitions under the new adminiStra- ton continue to pour in on Cover nor-elect Robert A. Hurley. The scramble gets wilder as inaugura- ton day approaches, but the incom- ing governor is keeping his own counsel, and the only appointment made thus far is that of Attorney James Murphy of Bridgeport as ex- ecutive secretary.
 Names of Waterburians are figur- ing in the pre-inauguration discus sions of several appointments that MT. Hurley must make next year.
 Brown, LawIor Names
 Patsy Brown and ex-Senator Jos eph Lawlor are being boomed by their friends for the state boxing commissionership or for a place on the commissions staff. MT. Lawlor served as boxing commissioner un- der Gov. Wilbur L. Cross.
 Attorney Thomas F. McGrath is receiving some local backing for a place on the state liquor commits sion. The term of Samuel Spencer, Republican, ends next year and it is believed certain that he will be re- placed by a Democrat. A leading candidate for the place is under stood to be Miss Mary Coughlin, of Stratford, Democratic national com mitteewoman.
 ThOms Mentioned
 John D. Thoms, former statute revision commissioner, is also being mentioned for Hartford post, and
 (Gnnfinuad on Page 9
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
HIRANUMA MOVES
 TO CABINET POST
Limited Reorganization to Strengthen Japanese
 Government Starts

Tokyo, December 21. - (UP) = Baron Kiichiro Hiranuma, known as Japan's No. Fascist, was called to the key post of home secretary today in 8 limited cabinet reorgan- ization intended to strengthen the government in view of the portent- ous political situation in the word and in Japan.
 The 75-year-old Hiranuma, a former premier, succeeded Fiji Yasui in post that will give him control of the administration of home af- fairs.
 At the same time, as part of the abinet-strengtheaing move, Lieu tenant General Heisuke Yanagawa, director general of the important China affairs board and a former vice war minister, was named mi1l- ister of justice in succession to Akira Kazami.
 The appointment of Hiranuma and YanagaWa followed by one day the announcement that Japan intended to send military mission to Ger many and Italy to study blitzkrieg war methods and that military, eco- homie and political commissions would be named by Japan, Germany and Italy to implement their alii- ance. A part of the picture also was the prospective appointment of Admiral Horishi Oshilna as am- hassad0r to Germany a post he oy,ce lost because of his insistence = merely premature, as 1t proved - fContinued on Page g
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
SHOPPERS IN
 FEVERISH RUSH
Last Minute Buying Ex= pected blast Till Tues=
 day Night

The last feverish rush of Christ mas shoppers was underway today and will probably continue unabated through Monday and Tuesday. Bus mess has been so heavy that accu- rate figures are not yet available, but every indicatoin points to the great est volume of retail trade the city has had in years.
 Police were prepared today to handle crowds exceeding even the record througs of last Saturday and the previous Saturday. Crowds have filled the shopping district all week long. but the biggest turnouts are expected today and on the other two shopping days before Christmas.
 Scores of Christmas parties will be held over the weekend and many more are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday. Clubs, fraternal organiza- tions, veterans groups and many others will entertain children and grown-ups at holiday affairs in which Santa Claus will play the principal role.
 Christmas trees are in great de- mand, and many housewives are al- ready purchasing the turkey or other delicacy that will grace the dinner table Wednesday.
 Boys and girls took advantage of the first day of their Christmas va cation to descend in hordes on toy counters, and to "Oh" and "An'' at the displays of dolls guns and the hundreds of other coveted treasures they have asked Santa to bring them.
 Weary store clerks looked ahead to (fyo,e tit,f,ad r.Yl po0n Cl
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
DEFENSE AGENCY
 READY IN lODAYS
Supreme Board to Be Headed By Knudsen=Hill-
 man Next in Command

Washington, Dec. 21 - (UP.) = President Roosevelt has scheduled his new supreme national defense agency to be operative within 10 days and probably will inaugurate it before congress meets with re- armament fireside chat
 The agency-the office of produc- ton management for national de- fense will be headed by Production Chief William s. Knudsen with La Dor Leader Sidney Hillman second in command.
 organization of the defense set up with real powers for the four man management board-Knudsen, Hillman and Secretaries of War Henry L. Stimson and Navy Frank Knox-WaS announced by MT. Roosevelt yesterday, one week after Knudsen revealed that airplare production was tagging 30 per cent behind schedule,
 A move to smash production bot tlenecks, the plan was announced coincident with decision to allocate $20 0,0O0,000 immediately to 20 machine tool plants to open that one-way lane to fast re-armament traffic.
 Simultaneously, the war and navy departments again are reported to be checking their stores of supplies, arms and munitions to determine what further material can be made available immediately to Great Brit ain where some persons believe a German all-out offensive will hit in from 90 to 120 days.
 Report that MT Roosevelt con- templated fireside chat came from one of his senior advisers after a White House conference. In that chat-if it is made the president probably will say definitely how he expects to aid Great Britain. And it is understood that the lease-loan system still has his favor. Under that plan the United States would pay for all future British munitions obtained here and advance them to British with the nderstanding that
 lContinued on Page D
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
U. s. WARSH|P
 PLANS STOLEN
Portfolio of Shipbuilding Corp. Engineer Taken
 From Car

Duanesburg, N. r., Dec. 21 = GU. P.) - A portfolio of warship plans has been stolen from an official of the New York Shipbuilding Corpo- ration, of Camden, N. J., which IS building the battleship South Da- kota, several cruisers, and a num- Der of naval auxiliary craft, it was learned today.
 The plans were stolen from the automobile of Russell Keefer, en- gineering official of the shipbuild- ing firm, according to state police, who were searching for them.
 In Washington, records of the de- fense advisory commission showed that the firm had been awarded $105 ,363, 300 in emergency contracts between June B and July 12 for six ships-two light cruisers costing ST, ,580, 900 each; three cruisers cost ing $18,756, 900 each, and seaplane tender costing $14,260, 800. Washing ton also reported that the firm was working on the South Dakota under the regular navy building contracts awarded in 1888. Under the same 1888 contract, the company is build- ing the Cruisers Cleveland and Co., lumbus, the repair ship Vulcan and the Seaplane Tender Albemarle.
 The company built the Destroyer Prairie and the seaplane tender Curtiss, launched December 9, 1939, and March 20, 1940, respectively. Keefer left his car unlocked while he dined last night in the Hixson River View Inn, near here, with an official of the General Electric Com- pany of Schenectady. When he re- turned to the car, the portfolio was gone. He reported the theft to state police and left immediately for Camden, where his company is full filling large contracts for the two ocean navy. Police had only a gen.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
PEACE PLAN IS
 PUT FORWARD
English Churchmen Seek Lasting Friendship at
 Vars End

London, Dec. 21-CUP) of the Protestant and Roman Cath olic churches in Great Britain put forward joint proposals today for the consideration of statesmen af- ter the war to insure a real and lasting peace.
 They joined their own five pro- poSals, aimed at social and econom- ic equality and justice, with five which Pope Plus offered last Christ mas Eve, suggesting that together they would provide basis for last ing peace.
 The association of the churches, including the established Church of England of which King George is supreme head, was believed to be without precedent in a gesture of the sort.
 The Archbishops of Canterbury and York, primates of England as spiritual leaders of the Church of England; Arthur Cardinal Hinsley. Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster and head of the Cath olic Church in Britain, and Walter H. Armstrong, moderator of the Free Church federal council, in a letter to the Times propounded five standards" to guide statesmen in solving postwar economic and social questions.
 They suggested that their five points, combined with five points for Christian peace enunciated by Pope Plus last Christmas Eve, would pro- vide a basis for lasting peace.
 The five standards are: l Extreme inequality of wealth should be abolished. Every child regardless of race or class should have equal opportuni- ties for education suitable to its pe- culiar capacities.
 The family as social unit must be safeguarded.
 The sense of divine vocation must be restored to mans daily work.
 Resources of the earth should be used as Gods gifts to the whole hu- man race and used with due con- sideration for the needs of present and future generations. The churchmen expressed confi- dence that the British empire would accept these principles and the Times in an editorial intimated that they should be taken into consider ation in drafting Britain's war aims.
 Pope Plus five points, outlined in his message to the College of Cardinals last Christmas Eve, were ::
 The right to life and indepen- dence of all nations, large, small, strong or weak, must be safeguard ed.
 Disarmament must be mutually accepted, organic and progressive, both in letter and spirit.
 International institutions must he created or recast to insure the loyal and faithful execution of interna- ,tional agreements.
 Real needs and just demands of nations and peoples should be be- nevolently examined A peace settlement must be dic- atted by a sense of acute responsi- bility which weighs human statutes according to the Holy, unshakeable | rules of divine law.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
HALIFAX LOOMS
 AS AMBASSADOR
Believed Suggested to Roosevelt as LOthian'S
 Successor in U.S.A.

London, Dec. 21.-(UP)-Great Britain was reported today to have submitted the name of ViScount Halifax, foreign secretary since be- fore the days of Munich, to PreSi- dent Roosevelt for his approval as ambassador to the United States.
 It was predicted that the appoint ment would be announced within few days, after the President had expressed his approval, and that An thony Eden, war secretary, would be named to the foreign portfolio.
 Halifax succeeded Eden as foreign minister in 1898, when Eden resigned in protest against the late Neville Chamberlain's insistence on seeking to appease Hitler and Mussolini. Though identified with Chamber lain's policies, Halifax had survived from the appeasement era.
 Though there had been no official word of any kind on the ambassa- dorial appointment, conviction seemed hardening to certainty that Halifax would be the man.
 It was reported also that David Lloyd George, victory" prime min ister of the last war, might re-enter the cabinet at Prime Minister Wins ton Churchills urgent request and that Robert Hudson, agriculture miniseter, might succeed Eden as war secretary.
 It had been rumored yesterday that Prime Minister Churchill had been urging Halifax for days to &C., cept the post but that Halifax had been reluctant.
 It was reported that Churchill had represented to Halifax that his transfer to Washington at this time would even be a promotion. Church ill had said in the House of Com mons yesterday, in paying tribute to the late ambassador, the Mar quess of Lothian, that the post was "the most important of all functions outside this country that could be discharged by any British subject" 1" Churchill'S statement surprised those of his auditors who had always re- garded the post of viceroy of India, which Halifax had held, as the most important outside the British Isles,
 There was sharp difference among those in political quarters who dis cussed the ambassado dorship, as to the suitability of Halifax.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
Recall Of Embassy Staff Members
 Also Requested By Foreign Office
No Legislative Grant" For Meters Cassidy
Police Board Exceeded Legal Authority Local Law yer Claims-Says City Anticipated Legal Action,
 Got Jump on Injunction

Renewing his attack on the legal ity of parking meters, Attorney John H. Cassidy declared today that "the city is engaging in the parking busi- ness without legislative grant" and asserted that the board of police commissioners exceeded its legal au- thority by allowing a private com pany to erect the meters and receive revenue from them.
 MT. Cassidy, in a prepared state ment, protested against installation of the meters without public hear ing being held. He charged that the installations have been rushed by the city ''to anticipate legal action and get the jump on an injunc- tion."
 Demanded Removal.
 Earlier this week, MT. Cassidy made formal demand on Corpora ton Counsel J. Gregory that meters be removed from sidewalks in front of property he owns. He has hint ed at court action against the met CTS.
 Meantime installation of more of the meters was continued today by workmen for the Mark-Time con- cern. The whole 665 are expected to be in operation within a few days Police have so far withheld issuing tags to violators, but are ready tc begin strict enforcement of the met CT regulations.
 MT. Cassidy's statement follows:
 Law Violated.
 Of course we all desire to irn- prove traffic conditions, including street parking, but this desire does not justify the violation of the law or the encroachment upon the property rights of abutting own- CTS on highways. The sidewalks are made and maintained for the use of all pedestrians alike, and not particularly for the omniS- cient.. They serve the young, the old, the lame, the halt, and the blind. It is the legal obligation of the city to use reasonable care to keep and maintain the said sidewalks reasonably safe for trav- el for the said pedestrians. In my opinion-which incidentally seems to be shared in by all of the law yers and laymen, who have ap- plauded my recent feeble letter to the Corporation Counsel-the To- cation of the uprights and the attached meters are unquestion- ably on obstruction which makes the sidewalks unsafe for travel, i1- creases the risk of injury to ped- estrians and promises an avail anche of personal injuries. In- deed, in some instances, partic- ularly on Center street near Bank, the uprightS are so placed that pedestrians are required to walk in Indian file; in other poorly lighted locations guides will be needed to safely conduct low visaged pedestrians through the maze of uprights. On some streets
 (Continued on Page 9
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
DODECANESE ARE
 ATTACKED AGAIN
Italian Islands May Fall to British in Mediterran-
 can Sweep

London, Dec. 21-(UP)-Three of Italy's Dodecanese Islands odes, Stampalia and Scarpanto-were att tackled by the air arm of the British Mediterranean fleet Tuesday morn- ing, the admiralty said in a com- munique today.
 The attack was part of the all-out campaign against Italy by the Medi- terranean fleet which has now at tarcked bases on the Italian main- land. Italian troops and defenses in Libya, Italian shipping in the Mediterranean penetrated the Adri- atic sea. Italy's private lake" with battleships and cruisers and bonn barded Valona in Albania.
 The Dodecanese, Italy's eastern most outposts in the Mediterranean, have been virtually isolated by the British fleet since Italy entered the war and have been attacked repeat edly by British planes.
 Italy had hoped its heavily forti- fled bases in the Dodecanese would prove menace to British eastern communications in war but each month the situation of the islands has become more serious. Premier Benito Mussolini recently busted Count CeSare de Vecchi as governor and replaced him with General Et7 tore Bastico, veteran of Italy's> par ticipation in the Spanish civil war.
 The replacement was considered the more significant because Count de Vecchi was an outstanding Fas- cist party leader and was one of the quadumvirs who directed the Fascist march on Rome which put Mussolini into power.
 British quarters long have believed that equalization of the Dodecanese to the British naval forces, especially since the British occupied the Greek island of Cree. was only a matter of time.
 News of the raid on Rhodes. Scar panto and Stampalia followed news yesterday that tn British fleet had steamed into the Adriatic, and in ad- dition to pouring 100 tons of shells into Valona had searched in vain for Italian ships to light.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21
INJURED SAILOR REMOVED

Boston, Dec. 21 v (UP0 = The Coast Guard Gutter Chelan was speeding to this port today after removing an injured seaman, Carlos Newcomb, 4e. of (l9T MidGlestreet. New Bedford from the Dragger Agda, 30 miles east Of Nantucket Lightship. He suffered a broken left arm.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21

lContinued on Page 9
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21

(Continued on Page 9
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21

lContinued on Page D
The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-12-21

Continued on Page 9
Evening star., 1940-11-30
Registration of Aliens

With three of the four months
allotted for registration of aliens
already gone and approximately 800,-
900 non-citizens still to be signed up
and fingerprinted, officials of the I'M
migration and Naturalization Service
of the Department of Justice are
confronted with an increasingly
serious problem. The registering is
being done at post Offices throughout
the country. The final registration
day is December 26, which means
that post offices will have possible
eleventh-hour rush of alien registra-
tions superimposed upon the newt
able rush of last-minute Christmas
mail. Earl G. Harrison, director of
alien registration, has asked the CO.
operation of the public in general and
the press in particular in urging upon
unregistered aliens the urgent ne
cessity of complying with the law at
the earliest opportunity.
So far, more than 100000 nom
citizens have been listed and finger
printed since the law went into
effect on August ~ last. Mr.. Har-
rison pays tribute to the fine spirit
of cooperation evidenced by the
vast majority of those who have re-
sponded. Those who remain un-
registered at the present time, he
says, may be divided into three
groups-those who are still in ignor-
ance of the laV, those who have
neglected to appear for various
reasons and those who are "reluc-
tant or unwilling to register. He
hopes to round up those in the first
two categories by intensive publicity
during the next several weeks. Those
who deliberately evade the law will
be dealt with, he asserts, as ANY
other criminals" Under the alien
registration law, violators may be
fined $1,000 or imprisoned for six
months, or given botn penalties. The
! extent of evasion will not be as
Evening star., 1940-11-30
LocuI MIGRANT Problem

A nondescript, unorganized army
of migrants is on the march through
out the country, stirred by the lure
of national defense jobs-and Wash
ington is becoming the camping
ground of many of them. In fact,
Washington is getting more than a
normal share of these unemployed
drifters because of its distinctive
status as the Nations Capital. To
the unfortunates who, singly or in
groups, compose the ranks of the
restless army, Washington is the
fountainhead of Federal bounty.
They read and hear of new defense
contracts being awarded, of new in
dustries springing up, of new oppor-
tunities for employment; and be-
cause most of the announcements
bear Washington date line, they all
. too frequently seem to jump to the
conclusion that to seize the oppor-
tunities it is necessary for them to
come to Washington. These national
emergency" migrants are in addition
to the usual influx of non-residents
seeking various forms Of Government
relief-veterans' pensions and hos
pitalization, social security benefits,
special legislation and the like.
The serious problem which con-
fronts this community as result of
the stranding of large numbers OF
homeless transients was outlined yes
terday before a House select commit
tee by Commissioner j. Russell
Young, Welfare Director Robert E..
Bondy and others. The destitute or
nearly destitute strangers have be-
come a heavy burden on the city,
inadequately prepared as it is to meet
this extra responsibility Mr.. Bondy
proposed that the problem be dealt
with under a program which would
include interstate CO = operation
through adoption of uniform resi-
dence laws and Federal cooperation
through provision of general relief
funds on fifty-fifty basis and
through local participation in ma
tional appropriation for care of
transients during investigation of
residence status. Mr.. Bondy stressed
another glaring need, adequate mu-
nicipal lodging house facilities.
Lodgings for several hundred addi-
tional men are in constant demand
here, he said.
This ever-increasing problem OF
migrants is one which the Federal
Government cannot lightly pass on
to the local citizens, for it is prob
lem not of their making and wholly
beyond their control. Federal as
sistance of very substantial nature
will be required if just and humane
solution is to be arrived at. The
House committee should give most
careful consideration to Mr.. Bondy's
recommendations.