davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
Mr.. FIXIT
He Fixes THINGS


To receive attention in this coli
umn letters must give name and
addreAs OF writer. Only initials
viii be published when requested.
Mr.. Fixit: VIII you please set
tie these arguments: should .
person who has . fixed salary
plus percentage Of sales be elIg-
ibIe 10 social security: II 30.
what Il 20 be done about not
getting IL: II . person hasn't
been getting paid according to
the wages set by law. can he sue
his employer for back pay'
A. NJ.
A salesman on a fixed salary
almost certainly would be elig-
ible for social security. The de-
termining factor is the amount
Of control his employer has over
him. A salesman operating as
an independent agent, handling
several accounts. Is rated as in
business for himself and not elig-
ible. II your checks do not have
the social security deduction
taken from them, you should
report the matter o the u. s.
collector Of internal revenue,
Federal building. Tacoma
There Ii little labor In this part
of the country classified under
the minimum wage law which
Is not paid above that scale. One
who is paid less can complain to
the Wage-Hour Division, depart
ment Of labor, 20s James St, Sc
attic. and 1t will do the suing,
II the law has been violated.
Mr.. Ffxit: 1 have heard that
there n . postoffice somewhere
on the bottom Of the sea. Can
you tell me II this II 10 and
where Il In and its name? Also
10 II possible Ia graft pears and
plums and cherries on an apple
tree or can only different varie-
ties Of apples be grated on APP
pie trees TO produce results?
X. b. T.
Such q postoffice sounds like
something suitable for Strange
As It Seems" which we have
missed.
You probably could graft
plum shoots on a cherry tree,
or vice versa, but they are of
different generic family from
apples and 30 not suitable for
grating.
Mr.. Fixit: I would like TO
know II there Ii a firm In Ia
coma that will write or assist
In forming brief addresses Of
welcome or responses for vari-
Gus occasions ?
MRS. w. ID. @.
There isn't anyone in that ex-
act business, but a number OF
persons in town could help you.
You might try the speech de-
partment at CPS. or PIC, or
one Of the high school speech
Some books at the
public library will give you tips
on speech writing, II you wish
TO do It yourself.
Mr.. Fixlt: VIII you kindly
answer soon In what state near
est Washington can a person
procure q marriage license and
be married the same day legally?
READER.
Idaho Is the nearest state
where no wait Is required.
Utah. Nevada and Montana also
require none.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
AN AppREcrATroN

Editor, The Times: I want to
take this. opportunity of ex-
pressing to your organization
the appreciation of the Wash
ington Baptist Convention and
also my personal appreciation
for the splendid coverage which
your paper gave the convention
when it was in session in this
church during last week.
I want to commend you for
the accuracy with which the
sessions were reported, and I
shall see that proper recogni-
ton is given when the final and
official report Of the convention
Is made.
w. o. MACOSKEY,
Pastor.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18

A determined effort to solve our
domestic problems to maintain
our democracy, to decrease pow
erty and unemployment, would
provide the best possible anti
dote to Fascism.
No, this is not our war. Let
us not be swept by propaganda
into believing that. For if we
do, democracy is lost to America.
ALICE NJ. McKEAN.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
SO THEY SAY

The Finnish campaign en-
riched the Red Army with new
experience. - Commissar Voro-
shiloff in a Russian May Day
general order.
The American is the most
easily-fooled man in the world
when you consider the facilities
he has for knowing better
Carl d. Friebolin. Cleveland.
u. S. Bankruptcy referee.
When peace comes IL viii not
be the end Of the world. We
will still bring up children.
transact business, and cook our
food, in France and elsewhere
in Europe.-Mlle. Eve Curie,
French lecturer in the U. S.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
P u LSE O F
TIL E PU BLIC
Is THIS OUR WAR?

Editor, The Times: We fire.
quently hear the statement that
England and France are fighting
our war. Is this true? If it is
true, we are nothing less than
cowardly to hide behind them, in
security, profiting from their
bloodshed. but refusing to share
the suffering. We should think
clearly at this point, for it is
from this position that we shall
inevitably be led into war. We
Americans are subject to hys-
terra, and it is easy to let our
indignation at the present war
horrors sweep us off our feet.
The German invasion of neutral
countries is brutal and horrible.
So is any war of invasion,
whether German, French, Eng
lish, American, Japanes or
Italian. And not one nation is
guiltless in greater or less
degree.
Is this our war? Many of us
believe that history and reason
show clearly that it is not. And
experience has shown us that we
cannot settle the endless Euro
pean fights for power; our last
attempt ended only in disaster
for ourselves, and in making
their problem more acute. An
other attempt would end more
disastrously to us-not only in
poverty and suffering, but in
dictatorship itself. Are the Al
lies fighting for democracy?
They paid little heed when the
d m ocrac ies of Spain and
Czechoslovakia were destroyed.
In fact, they aided in the former.
They have been willing to make
alliances with the non-demo-
cratic countries of Russia,
Poland and Italy. Only when the
power of England itself has been
threatened has England been
ready to fight. Lloyd George
himself has said that the allied
policy following the last war
made another war inevitable.
He has tried repeatedly to get
his country to alter its course,
to redeem its pledges, so as not
to make another war inevitable.
This war is a notification of the
old truth-"Whatsoever a man
soweth, that shall he also reap"
They have sowed the wind and
are reaping the whirlwind.
II we don't join the war, will
Hitler invade America? Are we
so weak that a war-exhausted
nation can cross thousands OF
miles OF ocean to lick us? Our
responsible military men, includ-
ing General Hagood, Smelly
Butler, Hugh johnson, say en-
phatically no. An invasion Of
America Is an impossibility. A
fraction Of the money that would
be spent on a foreign war would
make national defense impreg-
nable. We have ample national
resources To live in comfort. We
cannot solve Europe's problems;
they are fighting for power, not
democracy. And TO join would
end democracy for America
But what Of the Fascist ideal
or propaganda? You cannot
shoot ideas with bullets. Such
propaganda can only grow In
fertile soil. II We increase suf-
fering, hardship, poverty. then
indeed we shall be in danger.
Participation in war would in
crease the danger OF Fascism-
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
AN APPRECIATION

Editor The Times: The WASH
ington State Federation of Music
clubs desires to thank you for
the very splendid publicity you
gave during the recent conven-
ton in your city.
MRS. FRANK H. LUDWIGS,
pras;dapt w EMC
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18

Editor, The Times: I wish to
retract a statement I recently
made in a letter concerning the
labor union. l have since bene-
fitted through them and I feel
that I owe them an apology.
FRED REID.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
Old "Tenderloin"
Center Passes
Federal Project Crowds
Our Once Notable Spot
When Tacoma Made a
Bad Revenue Deal

IN clearing the site for the new
L federal office building on Pa
cific avenue, building which
once was a notorious center of
Tacoma's 'open town" days is
passing. AS Tacoma emerged
from the depression Of the nine
ties with taxes in arrears, the
municipal credit strained TO the
breaking point and policemen
and firemen threatening to quit
II their salaries were not paid,
the authorities were hard
pressed TO produce revenue. It
would have been illegal to d.
rectly levy a tax on gambling
and other vices but they pro-
ceeded to whip the devil
around a stump" by periodical
arrests and fines.
One of the places which flour
ished during that regime was
the "Phenix theater" and gam
bling house at the corner of
Fourteenth and Pacific. The
theater occupied the first floor
but the term theater was a mis-
homer. The extremely mediocre
vaudeville performed on the
stage was a blind to cover the
real business that was carried
on in the curtained boxes which
lined both sides OF the room.
Loggers and sailors in town just
after a fat payday were the
most profitable patrons for the
place. After a few drinks with
companions whose job was to
make the surroundings as allur-
ing as possible, the victim was
ready for a cleaning and would
be turned out without q cent.
The gambling room upstairs
served the same purpose. Busi-
ness was particularly good after
payday in the mills and logging
camps. It was a common sight
Saturday night to see the tables
crowded by workmen who had
cashed their paychecks in the
bar room downstairs and whose
pockets when they left would be
as empty as the dinner pals
they had brought with them.
Naturally that sort of thing
brought a reaction. Dupes of the
box rustlers" who only recalled
having "a few beers" and awoke
to find their pockets picked
clean. pestered police headquar-
ters. Wives who complained that
the husbands spent their wages
In the Phenix gambling rooms
made life a burden for members
of the city council. The law
enforcement element dug up
damaging evidence concerning
the relations Of certain public
officials and the tenderloin ele-
ment.
Pressure of public sentiment
gradually forced the bars up,
but II was an ultimatum from
Fort Lewis. then Camp Lewis.
which put an end to such places
as the Phenix. Notice was served
on the city by the commanding
officer that IL Tacoma did not
clean up the world war re-
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
An Inside Picture of Finun-
Ii II IL / ciol and Political America

WASHINGTON-The spirit of panic American
unpreparedness sweeping the capital is almost
belevable 1t reminds old-timers of the days when
Atlantic seaboard cities rushed frantic appeals TO WASH
lngton for protection against Cerveras Snanish fleet
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18

house was complete. Next day
the neighbors held a shower
and completely refurnished the
new house.
Tomorrow: Left-handed Mon
key wrench!
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18

offer help rather than consola-
ton, so on September 2 they
set to work clearing away debris
and laying the foundation for
a new home. Strange as it
seems, within So hours the new
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18

VIA hh European interrogation experience splendid
takcr Sumner weles might be.
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-05-18
WRITER RETRACTs

President, W.S.F.M.C,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
Continued on Page Three; Col. 81 Continued on Page Three; Col 81
neutrality-suspicious.
From Nazis By English
FRENCH TROOPS LAND
Norwegians Fighting On
Seven Fronts From North
OF Narvik To Oslo

STOCKHOLM, April % (Monday).
- Up The Norwegian legation in
Stockholm today confirmed earlier
reports that a British eXpeditionary
force, supported by tanks, has aided
the Norwegians in retaking Hamar,
60 miles north of Oslo, and said it
was reported Elverum had been re-
captured too.
The English force was rushed to
the battle scene by rail from An
dalsnes, 100 miles south of Trond-
helm on the west coast, where the
British navy covered a landing.
French Land
A French force also has landed
at Namsos, 100 miles north of Ger
man-held Trondheim, the legation
said.
AS outlined by the legation, the
Norwegians are fighting on seven
main fronts, from north of Narvik
to Oslo.
The other fronts are at Levanger,
80 miles north of Trondheim, Trond-
helm itself, Hegra fortress, 20 miles
CONTINUED on Page Ten; Col. a
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
CHIEF OF LARGE
UNION ARRESTED
George Scalise Is Charged
With Extorting 100000
From New York Hotels

NEW YORK, April %. - Up -
George Scalise, international presi-
dent of the 10000 members of the
Building Service Employees Interna-
tional union (AFL) was arrested in
his room at the Commodore hotel
at 8 a. m. today on charges of ex-
torting about $4,000 in the last
three years from 20 local hotels and
cleaning contractors.
He was accused by aides of Dis
trict Attorney Thomas E. Dewey, a
republican presidential aspirant, of
getting money by threatening strikes
or excessive wage increase demands,
or by threatening to unionize non
union establishments.
After spending the day in the
Tombs prison, Scalise was released
in $40, 900 bail posted by the union
through a bonding company.
Scalise's police record showed that
he served 4 IL years in the Atlanta
federal ~penitentiary on a 1918 con-
viction for white slavery under the
Mann act.
Assistant District Attorney Muir
ray Gurfein said that two other un-
ion officials had been named as CO.
conspiraors with Scalise. They are
Izzy Schwartz, Scalise's eastern rep
resentative, and his brother Louis
Schwartz, president of local 321 of
the union.
They have been indicted for eX-
tortion conspiracy, Gurfein said,
and released in $4,000 bail each,
Scalise's secretary, Ann Kimmler,
picked up last night as a material
witness, was released from the wom-
ems house of detention in bail of
Continued on Page Three; Col. d
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
CENSUS Will Be
COMPLETED SOON
Darlington Says Whining
ton Count Scheduled To
Be Finished Tomorrow

The 1910 population census in
wilmington is expected to be com
nleted tomorrow, j. H. Darlington
- 1ruberton, census area super
visor, said last n1snt.
Three districts within the city re-
oi, 70 he completed, he said, but
TO- o~,rmerators in these three have
onno,,nced that they have only a
,;++1o more work to do in their nose
counting job.
Tentative population figures for
oitv and the suburban units are
ooa+ed to be ready for publication
within a few days. Mr., Barringer
stated.
ouired to complete the census in
,.,,ra1 New Hanover.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
CHANGES IN LABOR
ACT ARE OPPOSED
Lewis Urges Clio To Work
For Defeat OF Three
Amendments To Law

WASHINGTON, April 21.- up -
John L. Lewis urged CIO members
today to work for the defeat of three
sets of amendments to the wage
hour law pending in the house, as
sorting that they were originated by
"reactionary Garner democrats" and
were designed to weaken the act.
The proposals-Sponsored respec-
lively by the labor committee, Rep
resentative Barden D-NC) and Rep
resentative Ramspeck D-Ga)eare
scheduled for house consideration
Thursday. All provide various eX-
emptions from the act, their prin-
Continued on Page Three; Col. 4)
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
WALTER ]. KOHLER
PASSES SUDDENLY
lndustrialist And Former
Wisconsin Governor Is
Found Dead In Home

@0ELER, Wis, April 21.-CP'-
+er ], Kohler, chairman of the
N-.l Of the Kohler company and
Nrmer republican governor of
onsi1. vas found dead in the
)om Of his home by Mrs. Kohler
~#E
The former governor, who was So
nd. apparently had been in
3. health.
was well known nationally as
eltjc-an, industralist, aviation en-
"'5S, ana manufacturer.
jig Wesley Van Zanten, Sheboy-
.5lu-tg coroner, said death was
. 10 eor91ary embolism.
&S. Kohler told the authorities
.' She found the body of her hus-
aIoneside the bed. He appar-
mad died just after he arose to
.IesSoa this morning. His death
N'''nUed on Page Three; Col. u
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22

OccupiiedZone
North OF Oslo
Troops Appear To Have
Reached Open Ridges OF
Hadeland District
OSLO CITIZENS RETURN
Nazi-O Occupied Area Con-
tains Approximately Half
OF Norway's Population

OSLO, April 21.-R-The Ger,
mans appeared tonight to have
pushed their occupied zone north
of Oslo as far as the open, rolling
ridges of the Hadeland district.
This advance has military signi-
ficance because the Hadeland dis
trict gives the German forces &C.
cess to the fertile Totten counties,
to the northwest of which lies OPP.
land province and the strategic
Valdres valley.
Refugees Returned
Evidence of the Germans prog.
ress was seen in the requisitioning
of almost all buses today to bring
refugees from Oslo back to the
capital from the Randsfjord lakes
region, more than 80 miles to the
north.
This advance means that the
Germans have carved a huge pie
slice out of southern Norway, by
far the most important area of the
kingdom.
The German-occupied territory
contains about 1900, 900 inhabitant!
half of Norway's population-ant
the great bulk of her biggest in
dustrial enterprises. Among then
are important hydro-electric plants
nitrogen works, paper and pull
mills and most of her harbors
shipyards and drydocks.
With Oslo as the hub, the occu
pied area roughly describes an art
starting in Olstfold province, Dor
dering Sweden in the southeas'
corner of Norway, and swinging
north and west through Akershus
Buskerud, Vestfold, Telemark, Aus
tagder and Vestagder provinces.
Hold Rogaland Area
Besides these, which appear tt
be under German control complete
ly, the Nazis are said also to hole
most of Rogaland province, or
the Atlantic coast.
Thus, the whole coast from the
Swedish border west along the
Skagerrak and north up the Allan
tic seaboard at least to Stavangel
appears to be in German hands.
Braodcasts daily name Norwe
CLANS taken as war prisoners anC
Continued on Page Ten; Col. g
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22

RALEIGH, April 21.-(AP)-
The "North Carolina for Roose-
welt" movement will continue its
efforts to pledge the states rs
votes to President Roosevelt at
the national democratic conven-
ton despite Governor Hoey's en-
dorsement of Secretary of State
Cordell Hull, j. III. Folger, chair
man of the movement, said to-
night.
However, FoIger added, the
organizations plan for a "cour-
tesy" vote for Governor Hoey on
the first ballot will necessarily
be eliminated" in view OF the
chief executives expressed de-
sire that his name not De pre-
scented.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
TRAIN CAR WRECK
TAKES TWO LIVES
Blackburn Killed,
Martha Enge Dies In
Fayetteville Hospital

FAYETTEVILLE, April 21.-The
toll of a train-automobile accident
here Saturday night rose to two
deaths today as Martha Enge, %,
Of Lakedale, died in a local hos
pital of injuries suffered when the
"Vacationer," Atlantic Coast Line
train, struck the car in which she
was riding at the Franklin street
crossing.
Archie Blackburn, rs, of Toma-
hawk, Bladen county, was killed
when the crash occurred. Another
occupant of the car, w. I. Mer-
Continued on Page Ten; Col. s.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
Germans Seek To
Occupy Most OF Norway
Before Real Battle
NAILS ADD CLAIMS
Have Sunk Five Cruisers,
10 Destroyers And Eight
Submarines In Il Days
BY L j.

BERLIN, April 21-CR-Germany
and Great Britain apparently were
in a race tonight to see which could
occupy most of Norway before com.
ing to decisive grips.
Military observers here, speculat-
ing on the purpose of an Allied
force reported landed at the west
Norwegian Port of Andalsnes, said
the strategy probably was to try to
establish contact with N~orWegians
making a stand near Hamar and
other points in central Norway.
(The Stockholm newspaper Alton
bladet quoted reports from Norway
that combined Norwegian and Brit
ish troops had retaken Hamar, 60
miles north of Oslo, from the Ger
mans.)
Valleys Important
The strategic Importance Of the
central region lies in it's valleys,
which afford reasonably good COM
munications in the mountainous
kingdom, and the railroad connect
ing Hamar and Andalsnes.
Unanswerable here was the ques-
ton of the strength of the Allied
expeditionary forces Or whether the
severe air bombing, which the Ger
mans said they had administered
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
FINAL BODY REMOVED
Death Toll Is Officially Set
At 30 With Many In
Serious Condition
BY ALFRED MAS

LITTLE FALLS, N. Y, April 81
-lP-The death toll in the derail-
ment of the New York Central Lake
Shore Limited was officially set at
80 today as authorities planned
three separate Investigations into
one of the nations worst railroad
disasters.
The crowded hospital in this his
toric Mohawk valley community,
where injured were treated on mat
strewn floors yesterday, reported 80
of the approximate 100 hurt were
still under observation and that
some were in serious condition.
Wreck Crew Busy
4 weary crew of 300 labored in
angle-deep slush to untangle the
locomotive, tender, express a and
two pullmans which still remained
at the sharp curve where the train
left the tracks at a 59-mile-an-hour
speed and crashed with terrific
force INTO a stone embankment late
Friday night.
The DOdy OF Eugene hollllieI VI
Lancaster, N. Y, was removed from
the wreckage this afternoon. How
ever, railroad officials struck the
name of Mrs. l.. Berg, Syracuse,
n. v" from their death list. Red
ford Bascom, spokesman for the
line, said it was a lease of mistaken
Identify" explaining the body of a
woman at first believed to be that
of Mrs. Berg was later identified as
Miss Elizaeth Mccarthy of Utica, N.
Y. Officials had failed to eliminate
Mrs. Berg's name.
All the 80 odies recovered were
identified as rescue workers con-
Tontinued on Page Ten; Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-22
F. D. R., WHEELER
PLAN TO CONFER
President Invites Senator
To White House For I'm
portant Conference

WASHINGTON, April ri. - (9 -
President Roosevelt, it was learned
today, has invited Senator Burton
K. Wheeler O-ATonD to the White
House for what is expected to be a
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. conference.
Wheeler. a potential contender for
the democratic presidential nomina-
ton if Mr.. Roosevelt does not seek
a third term, was a frequent White
House visitor before 1887. In that
year he broke with the President on
the issue of reorganizing the su
preme court and helped lead the sem
ate fight which defeated this legis-
lation. Since then, the Montanan
has seen the chief executive only in
connection with legislation for which
he was responsible.
The White House is said to have
shown signs of friendliness toward
Wheeler in recent weeks, and Mr..
Roosevelt is understood to have ad-
dressed the senator as Dear Burt"
in recent correspondence.
Associates said Wheeler probably
would see the President soon after
the latter returns from a vacation
in Warm Springs, Ga.
Friends of Wheeler contend that
as the presidential nominee,
could unite dissident elements in the
democratic party-that he rs a lib
eral." which Mr.. Roosevelt has said
the nominee must be, and that he
would be acceptable to anti-New
Dealers because of his stand in the
Continued on Page Ten; Col. 81