davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-12-31
Harrison Picks the Male Film Stars
To Dominate the Box Office RATINGS

Gable is at his zenith and can't
be eclipsed-es especially with Boom
Town cleaning up and GWTW
nearing a s22 900 900 gross. Roo
ney and Tracy are securely in the
sign Of Leo. the M-G-M lion. The
stellar Power is in the ascend
ant. Hope and Crosby are in con-
junction with Venus "A sultry
ssronged one named Dorothy
amour
The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1940-12-31

Delight" a flicker which delighted
nobody except bullish gamblers
in motion picture stocks. Instead.
he lost only a couple of files in
the popularity ratings.
And this time. after nine years
Of stardom, Miss Lombard's Big
Moose" is bigger than ever.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
SAILS ON TUSCALOOSA
Will Not Say Whether He
Will Meet ENJOYS OF
Belligerent Countries
BY DOUGLAS b. CORNELL

ABOARD u. S. S. LANG, GULF
OF MEXICO, Feb. 15.-RCPresi-
dent Roosevelt rode salt water to-
night aboard the cruiser Tuscaloosa,
while newsmen could only guess
whether he sought b%elligerent fish
or ~belligerents' ENJOYS.
In response to a direct question,
he neither affirmed nor denied that
he might meet spokesman of war
ring powers while cruising in south
ern waters.
Food For Speculation .
Bouncing along on this conveying
destroyer, reporters found much
food for speculation, few facts in
the chief executives cryptic re-
marks at a final dryland press con-
ference today aboard the train that
brought him from Washington to
Pensacola, Fla, to start a ten-day-
to-two week e trip.
Pursuing picturesque possibility
but expecting the very idea would
ISC6lVG ill awful KICK Ill IAO k"hhAeS
reporters asked if the President
might have a rendezvous at sea or
in some neutral port to discuss
grave neutrality and peace prob
lens with representatives Of Brit
ain, France and Italy.
Instead Of dealing out one OF the
R~ooseveltian oral spankings, the
Continued on Page Four; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
OFFERS.
TO GUARD SHIPS
Proposal Is Given In Reply
To New German Warm
ing To Neutrals

LONDON, Feb. 15.-GR-Brltain
offered to become guardian O. all
the worlds shipping today in reply
to a German warning to neu-
trails, whose merchantmen bring in
nearly one-third of this nations life
sustaining imports.
Another neutral ship, the Italian
%5,994-ton Georgia presumably not
in convoy was reported tonight to
have been sunk off the British east
coast on Wednesday by a mine,
with the fate of her crew of 81 in
doubt. Only a small and empty life
boat had been picked up tonight.
Naval conveys were described by
an authoritative spokesman as open
to any vessel, including United
States craft, which passes through
the Allied contraband control, re-
CARELESS Of whether the cargo is
destined for Britain.
Winston Churchill, first lord of
the admiralty, insists the odds are
500 to one against the Germans
sinking a vessel protected by con-
voy.
The threat of Germany's three
dimensionaI Observation-Disclosures, I'M
dersea and aerial attacks on ship.
CONTINUED on Page Four: Col. y
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
Retains GO Title
With Victory At Atlanta
WINS OVER ROBERTS
Two Other Wilmingtonians
Scheduled To Fight In
GG Meets Finals

ATLANTA, Ca, Feb. is. - jim
mic Swami, 112-pound member of
the Wilmington Star-News Golden
Gloves team, retained his Southeast
ern United States flyweight cham.
pionship in the regional tournament
here tonight with a hard-earned de-
cision over Martin Roberts, of the
Atlanta Y. M. C. A. team.
Two other members of the Will
mington team are scheduled to see
action tonight in the championship
finals.
Vance Red" Beard will meet J. P.
Cornelius, of Fort Benning, for the
m~iddlewei2ht title, and Tiny Taylor
will tangle with John Merritt, of Sa-
vannah, Ca, for the heavyweight
championship.
Swami emerged victor in his battle
with Roberts by the slimmest Of
margins and admitted the Atlanta
boy was the toughest boxer he has
ever faced.
Roberts worried the Wilmington
fighter considerably in the first of
Continued on Page Four; Col. 6)
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
Loss Is Set
At 100000;
Gym Is Saved
Blaze, Believed Caused By
Defective Wiring And Is
Famed By High Winds
IS SAVED
New Bern F'iremen Aid In
Fight Against Flames;
New Building Planned

JACKSONVILLE, Feb. 15.-Tire
believed to have been caused by
defective wiring and famed by gale
like winds, destroyed the Jackson
Vile high school building early this
morning.
The loss was estimated at 800, 600,
with about $4,000 covered by in
surance.
The building, containing 10 rooms
and an auditorium, was a complete
loss, with only parts of the walls
left standing after the flames had
swept through.
Gymnasium Saved
Aided by the wind which carried
the flames away from the remainder
Of the town, local and New Bern
firemen kept the blaze from spread
ing further and saved the high
school gymnasium, located only a
few yards from the building, from
serious damage.
A. H. Hatsell, Onslow county
superintendent of schools, said that
the blaze was first discovered about
2 o'clock this morning by a passing
travelling salesman, who spread the
alarm.
The fire, which originated on the
second floor of the brick structure,
had already made too much head.
way when first detected, to be COM
Oatted successfully.
The jacksonville volunteer fire
department went into action but
was not able to reach the top of
the building to get enough of a
stream of water to do any good in
mating the flames. The New Bern
lire department. soon arrived with
two trucks. The Morehead City fire
'tontlnued on Page Seven; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
WINNERS ANNOUNCED
Outstanding Proposals For
Betterment OF Commu-
nifty Are Published

The first five of the Is civic de.
velopment suggestions to be award
ed prizes of 81 in the Star-News
contest which was concluded re.
Gently were announced yesterday by
R. B. Page, publisher.
The winners are: Mrs. Hugh Mac
Rae, M'Kean Mafitt, Mrs. W. G.
James, w. B. Keziah, who is secre.
tary of the Brunswick county
chamber of commerce at South.
port, and Floyd Cox, Jr., of
Wrightsville Beach.
The $25, SIS and SO prizes were
announced Monday. Ten more 81
prizes are to be announced and all
other meritorius suggestions will
be published in groups from time
to time.
The complete list of suggested i'm
provement projects will be studied
by the publisher and the editors
of The Star-News in drafting the
newspapers new program for Will.
mington and Southeastern North
Carolina.
Mrs. Hugh MacRae's suggestion:
"As a project worth working for
that would contribute to Whining
toms growth and prosperity, I sug-
gest that the community make ev.
cry effort to ecure a depth of
t~hirty-ive feet for the river and
harbor and thus put Wilmington in
the class with high grade ports,
and thereby develop it's unique adj
Continued on Page Four; Col. A.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
CHINESE DECLARE
JAPS RETREATINC
Foreign Observers Believe
Japan's Invasion Has
Spent Its Force

SHANGHAI, Feb. IS LR -
China's defenders reported they were
forcing the japanese army to re-
treat in campaigns at opposite ends
Of their far-flung country today
while foreign military observers ex-
pressed the belief the japanese in
vasion had spent it's force, still short
of it's goal.
The Chinese said the japanese
forces in Kwangsi province, in south
China, were being driven back
southwark over the path Of their
onslaught of the past two weeks,
with the Chinese vanguard now only
IA miles north of Manning, main
japanese base for this area.
Thirteen hundred miles to the
north, in Inner Mongolia, the Chin
csc said they had recaptured the
town of Wuyuan, forcing the JAP
anese to stage a general retreat
CONTINUED on Page Four: Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
ROOSEVELT
sues FOR DIVORCE
Son Of President, Now In
Hollywood, Charges His
Wife With Desertion

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 15.-QP-
James Roosevelt, the Presidents
eldest son, whose career in motion
pictures put 5000 miles between
him and his wife, sued for divorce
today.
He charged the former Betsey
Gushing of Boston and New Haven
with desertion. They had been
separated nearly is months, but had
remained silent in the face of fire.
quent rumors that their 10-year
marriage was headed for the courts.
Roosevelt, preparing to leave to.
morrow for Philadelphia and and a
Nashington's* birthday banquet
suit. In New York, her attorney
issued a statement over her sign>-
ture:
II now confirm the fact that
my husband and I have separated
and that he has brought an action
against me in California for di-
vorce. In due course I shall answer
his complaint and myself seek a
decree of divorce.
Under our settlement agreement
I have the custody of the children
(Sara Delano, going on 8, and Kate,
~. 1 expect to reside in the east.
My husband, I am informed, will
continue to reside in California. All
other matters between us being of
an entirely private nature there is
(Cnnfinupd ON Pauo Five. Col 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
WARMER
WEATHER SLATED
Increasing Cloudiness Is In
cluded In Forecast For
City And Vicinity

Cloudy and slightly warmer tenn
peratures feature today's weather
menu for Wilmington and vicinity,
according to a report by weather
bureau officials last night.
A low temperature of IS or SO de-
grees was predicted for early this
morning.
Increasing cloudiness for this Sec
ton was included in the forecast and
weathermen said that northerly
winds will diminish, becoming north
east.
Temperatures yesterday ranged
from a low of 80 degrees to a high
of 81, with the mean being six below
the normal of 4S degrees.
No further reports were received
yesterday of damage from the strong
winds of Wednesday and Wednesday
night, which reached a maximum of
40 miles per hour.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
DEFENSE PROGRAM
OUTLINED BY FAY
Discusses Plans For Parade
OF Military Units Here
Tuesday Night

Capt. F. o. Fay, chairman of
the committee on arrangements for
the celebration of National De.
Tense week, outlined the plans set
up by the group at a meeting Of
the Reserve Officers group school
last night in the postoffice build.
ing.
Present plans call for a parade
of all national guard units in the
city, to be staged Tuesday night
in connection with the formal
opening of Front street.
Plans r now being made by the
city commissioners for staging a
gala street dance on the same
night, to be held between Princess
and Chestnut streets on Front.
The New Hanover High school
ROTC will not take part in the
parade, but will stage a dress pa
rade this morning at 8:45 o'clock
at the drill field, Thirteenth and
Continued OH Page Five; Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
OFFICIALS COMMENT
City, County Commissioners
Favor Proposal To Re-
Route Clippers
AID Ic 0EEEDEn
AID IS OFFERED
Board May Send Message
To Reynolds, Urging Him
To Push The Proposal

City and county commissioners,
contacted here last night, expressed
favor toward the plan of routing
foreign mail service from Whining
to the Azores, as proposed in the
senate in Washington yesterday by
Senator Robert R. Reynolds.
Mayor Thomas E. Cooper was out
Of the city and could not be reach
ed, but W. Louis Fisher, commits
missioner of finance, and J. E. L.
Wade, city commissioner of public
works, both expressed favor toward
the suggestion and offered all as
sistance possible to the senator.
Offers Aid
Wade said II am very favorably
impressed by the senator's efforts
and offer him all aid in the plan."
Fisher added he thought such an
arrangement would be definitely ad-
vantageous to Wilmington. He said
the board will probably send a mes
sage to Senator Reynolds at this
mornings meeting urging him to
push the plan.
The county commissioners, witt,
the exception of Chairman Addison
Hewlett, who was ill and could not
be reached, voiced much the same
sentiment.
During the discussion, it was
learned the county board plans to
visit Raleigh next week to confer
with officials of the state highway
commission in regard to the use Of
equipment in paving runways at
BIuethenthal airport.
The county has been making eff
forts for some time toward the inn
provement o. the air port here and
has already brought about the in
stallation of a drainage system on
the field.
The next step, expected to start
in the early spring, is the laying of
asphalt runways over the field, and
then the board plans to install lights
in order that the airport may be
used in night flying.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
MORGAN COMPANY
TO INCORPORATE
Banking Firm Plans
To Become Public Bank
And Trust Company

NEW YORK, Feb. 15.-GP-J. p.
Morgan announced today. that the
~S0-year-old private banking firm
which bears his fathers name will,
on April 1, become a corporation
licensed under state banking laws
to be a public bank and trust com.
pany.
1t was intimated that the public
eventually be invited to buy
stock in the new company.
For the time being, however, the
ownership interest will be substan.
TALLY the same as in the unincor.
porated partnership form which
will be abandoned. There will be no
change in personnel, and it was as
sumed that officers and directors
Of the corporation, which will be
named J. P. Morgan & Co., Inc,
will include the present partners,
headed by J. P. Morgan.
The business handled will con,
tinue to be the same, deposit bank.
Continued on Page Seven; Col. a.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
STORM LEAVES IS PERSONS DEAD AND
BLOCKS LAND, SEA TRANSPORTATION

As the vessel filled, with
buckets being pressed into serv-
ice when the water began to gain
OH the pumps, a sister traWler.
the Crest, stood by and the
coast guard cutter Harriet Lane.
300 miles away, bucked noun
famous seas in an effort to reach
the disabled Flow.
New England, receiving the
full force of the storm on We'd
nesday night just before it moved
out to sea, counted a toll of 10
dead. Tw%enty-one died in New
York state = eight of them in
New York city; eleven in
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16

Pennsylvania, and fourteen in
New Jersey.
Accompanied by a gale which
in at least one instance reached
80 miles an hour, the snow piled
up in gigantic drifts, which
buried stalled automobiles. block
ed rail and bus lines, made flying
fields unusable and delayed ship.
ping by many hours.
In Pennsylvania, country roads
were blocked by drifts and as
highway workers struggled to
clear them a new light snow
was predicted.
One Massachusetts fishing YES
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
r. Silent On Whether
He May Hold Peace Meet
Grand Jury Refuses To
Indict Poor And Weak

LAFAYETTE, La, Feb. l5.-
@-The Lafayette Parish grand
jury ended a four month term
today, asserting it hadn't indict-
ed anyone because it was unwill-
ing to indict the poor and weak
when it could not reach the itch
and prominent"
Eleven jurors, in a written
apology to Judge Paul d. llIon
for spending $50 much money for
nothing" said:
I'VE are opposed to indicting a
man for stealing chickens, which
was done, and then fail tc act
against prominent parties with
evidence showing great suspicion
of law violations"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16

sci, the Palmers Island of New
Bedford, was known to have
been disabled and remained I'm.
reported since the height of the
storm. As coast guards CON
tinued their search, fears were
held for the safety of her crew
of five, under Captain Dan A.
Casey. ,..,
Several other calls for assist
ance from distressed craft were
answered successfully by the
c0astguard.
Clogged streets represented an
Continued on Page Seven; Col. 6,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
SPEAKS In SENATE
Proposal AS Means
OF Avoiding Search Of
Planes By Britain
AMENDMENT BEATEN
Clark Wants To Forbid Mail
Subsidies For Flights
Touching Bermuda

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-QP-
Senator Reynolds (D-NC) proposed
today the United States avoid Brit.
ish search of it's Clipper ship air
mail at Bermuda by making trans.
Atlantic flights to Europe from
Wilmington, N. c., by way of the
Azores.
He made the suggestion while
speaking in the senate in favor OF
an amendment to the postoffice.
treasury appropriations bill which
would forbid air mail subsidies for
transatlantic flights touching Der.
muda.
The amendment, offered by Sen.
ator Clark (D-Mo), was proposed
because of British inspection Of
Clipper mail at Bermuda. It was
defeated 46 to 25.
Would Avert Search
Clark, commenting on Reynolds
suggestion, said trans Atlantic
flights either from Wilmington,
N. c., or Charleston, S. c., where
Clipper planes landed recently Beg
cause of icy Weather at northern
ports, would avert search Of the
mail by British contraband control
agents.
Senator Mead (D-NY) also said
flights from southern ports would
be a solution and pointed out
Charleston was nearer the Azores
than either Baltimore, Md, or New
York, present Clipper taking-off
points.
: Reynolds challenged England's
right to search American mails and
also the right of Britain to take
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
Civic Improvement
Suggestions Win Prizes
ice Orders Reduction
In Passenger Fares

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15.-tR
In a decision which may be
carried to the supreme court, the
interstate commerce commission
today ordered, effective March
"a. a 20 per cent reduction in
maximum basic passenger coach
fares in the east.
By a vote, of Z to 3, the COM
mission denied a petition which
was presented by all major east
ern railroads except the Balti-
more & Ohio, and which called
for continuance to Oct. 81 of the
present basic fare of rs cents a
mile.
The petitioning railroads have
indicated that denial of their plea
might cause them to carry the
case to the courts.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
Modern Trading Post,
Offering Most Of the
Necessities Of Life
For Less!

Those smart, thrifty people who
make their money go further
find the Want Ads an invalue
able shopping directory.
The early-American Tradings
Post was the shopping centee
for most Of life's necessities.
Today, thrifty Wilmingtonianl
rely on Star and News Want
Ads for their modern necessi-
ties, like automobiles, houses.
apartments, rooms, household
goods, jobs, building materials,
feeds, seeds, plants. business
services, etc.
Star-News Want Ad shopping
is saving many dollars for
those keen-minded, value-wiso
people who watch the Daily
Classified columns.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
(By The Associated Press)
More than Is persons periShed

(By The Associated PresS)
More than Is persons persisted
as a result of a bowling
no'theaster that left a wide Sec
ton of the c0untry-frOm Maine
to the nations capital and west
ward to Ohio-struggling to re-
store sn0wb0und transportation
on land, sea and in the air.
Howling out to sea, the storm
and gale disabled the Boston
trawler Flow, which reported to- Z
night she was leaking badly"
and in need of assistance about
300 miles east of Cape Sable,
N. S.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
JOHNSTON

NEW ORLEANS, Feb. 15-Pe
Oscar Johnston of Scott, Mass, was
reelected president of the National
Cotton Council of America at a
meeting here today of the organiza-
tion's new board of directors.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
Russia Claims
Many Finnish
Forts Seized
Says So Fortifications Are
Taken And That Defend
ers Fleeing To Rear
ARE NEARING KAMARA
Helsinki Government Calls
Another Class Of Re-
serves To Colors

MOSCOW, Feb. 16.-(Friday)-
R-Fifty-three defensive fortifica-
tons of the Finnish Mannerheim
line were captured yesterday by
Soviet troops, a Red army COM
munique declared today, and "the
enemy is r~etreating to the rear,
arms and war mate
and suffering grave losses"
The So defensive positions cap
tured, the Russians said, included
p iron and concrete artillery forts
and brought to 1853 the number of
Qualifications taken by the Russians
in their 14-day offensive on the
Isthmus front.
Nearing Kamara
The c~ommunique said Soviet
troops were approaching the sta
ton of Kamara.
Kamara is four miles north of
Summa, focal point of the most
serious fighting Of the war, and is
located on. the sViipuri-Leningrad
Railway.
The station is about Is miles
from Viipuri.
Six enemy airplanes were brought
down in yesterdays war in the
air, the Russian communicate said.
OFFENSIVE CONTINUES
HELSINKI, Feb. 15.-LR-Rus-
sia's great offensive rumbled to-
night over a literal carpet of it's
own dead the entire breadth of the
Mannerheim line, behind a murder
Gus screen of artillery fire that
dumped 10000 shells into the bat
Continued on Page Five; Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16

Lola; moonset O:4Oa.
.tt .aps Fear river stage at Fay
neville, 1875 feet.
Weathor HSGION, February. 15.-(R-
|turq ma bureau records of tempera-
linz 3 Sla rainfall for the "a hours end
sroWinpp' H., IN the principal cotton
Stations areas and elsewhere:
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16
WEATHER
FORECAST

FORECAST
n, NOfln Carolina: Increasing cIoudi-
rht anu warmer, probably occasional
S Ssru rain in west portion Friday;
'a'ufuay' cloudy with occasional rain.
sn meteorological data for the "a hours
Ds LOU ?. lii. Yesterday.
ion Temperature
I'M ~ s. a, m; 80; 7:30 a. m. 80; 1870 p.
mini; 10, ICY p. m. 46; maximum 81;
-"Hiula g.; mean ~; normal 4S.
I'm Humidity
m ~ ~. a; m, %; 1880 a. m. 81; 1:30 p.
r.A., Precipitation
homo ns.ai lor 4 hours ending 7:30 p. M,
SM 1Stal since first of the month,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-16

Continued ON Page Seven; Col. ~
Evening star., 1940-01-16
Dr.Le Grand Hardy
Feted at Luncheon
At Cosmos Club

DR.. lie Grand H. Hardy Of
New York City was the guest Of
honor at the luncheon given to-
day by DR.. William T. Davis at
the Cosmos Club, following the
lecture which DR.. Hardy gave at
the George Washington Univer-
sity School OF Medicine.
Guests at the luncheon were
DR.. Walter A. Bloedorn, DR..
James w. Watts, DR.. Roscoe Roy
Spencer, DR.. George Victor Simp-
son, DR.. Edgar L. Goodman, DR..
Ronald A. Cox, DR.. Eldridge L.
Adams, DR.. Charles M. Hammett,
DR.. S. B. Muncaster, DR.. j.
Thomas Schnebly, DR.. Francis r.
Hagner, 1t. Comdr. Clifford A.
Swanson, DR.. James F. Mitchell,
DR.. Frank D. Costenbader, DR..
Edward Cummings, DR.. j. Beatty
Griffith, DR.. George Balm jenkins,
DR.. Joseph Hyram Roe, DR.. Harry
Hampton Donally, DR.. George
Byron Roth, DR.. Walter Freeman,
DR.. Charles Stanley White, DR..
Howard Francis Kane, DR.. Will
liam Beverly Mason, DR.. Errett
Cyril Albritton, DR.. Edward
Bright Vedder. DR.. Roger Morri-
son Choisser, DR.. Winfred Over.
holser, DR.. Leland Wilbur Parr,
DR.. Harry Ford Anderson, DR..
Frederick A. Reuter-, Mr.. Samuel
Futrovsky, Mr.. Joseph w. Chinn,
Mr.. David F. James and Mr..
Mark H. Lepper.
Evening star., 1940-01-16
y. D. c.. Chapter
To Fete Officers

A reception and entertainment
will be given February 5 by Robert
E. Lee Chapter. United Daughters
OF the Confederacy, at 1922 Vermont
avenue NV. in honor of its newly
elected officers and for Mrs. Livings-
ton Vann, jr., president of the divi-
sion.
The new officers of the chapter
are: Mrs. Oscar H. McWhorter,
president; Miss Clara Follin, first
vice president; Mrs. M. K. Colbert,
second vice president; Mrs. William
F. Downing, third vice president;
Mrs. William H. Tidd, recording Sec
retary; Mrs. Frances Henry, corre-
spending secretary; Mrs. John F.
Lipphard, treasurer; Miss Mazda
Foster, historian; Miss Wanda john
son, registrar; Miss Virginia Gray
son, chaplain; Miss Ora Smith,
parliamentarian; Mrs. ". H. Gibson,
custodian, and Mrs. Jessie Malone,
recorder of crosses.
Mrs. Robert Bonner Whitehurst,
assisted by committee, is making
arrangements.