davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-03-26
U. 5. Excess Of Exports
Is Largest in Il Years
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press.
War distorted American foreign
trade in February to produce the
largest margin of exports over i'm
ports for any month in nearly IL
years.
The Commerce Department said
today that merchandise sale abroad
totaled $346,779,000 and imports
$199, IT'S 900, an export balance of
$l47, ,004 900. Officials had to dig
into the records back to November,
1928, to find a difference as great.
For the first two months of 1910
exports surpassed imports by $273,-
689 900 compared with $95 ,276 900 in
the same months last year.
Exports were per cent less than
in January, partly due to the short
month, but the export excess was
greater than January's because i'm
ports dropped IT per cent. Curtailed
purchases of foreign rubber and silk
were primarily responsible for the
decline.
Export balances usually are re-
garded with welcome, but their size
in recent months has caused some
official worry because they indicate
that foreigners may have to curtail
purchases here for lack of accept
able money, or may have to send
more gold to be stored in Govern
ment vaults.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
u. 5. Air|ines Complete
Year Without Fatality
Ry the Associated Press

ny the Associated Press.
Commercial airlines in the United
States completed a year of flying
today without a fatal accident or
serious injury to passengers or crew
members.
The record was made a few min
utes before 4 am. To signalize the
event, Chairman Robert Hinckley
OF the Civil Aeronautics Authority
dispatched this message to airmen
over the agency's teletypewriter
circuit:
"Heartiest congratulations to all
airline. Civil Aeronautics Authority
and Weather Bureau personnel
upon completion of an entire year
of airline safety. This is one of
the outstanding achievements in
the history of transportation"
This message was retransmitted
by radio to 2O8 airline planes then
In flight. Passengers travelling in
the planes were given copies as
souvenirs.
The Authority also noted that for
the first time passengers carried by
the airlines exceeded the 1000 900
mark in a 12-month period. The
total for the year ending today was
2,O28,8l7, against l,389,8l8 the pre-
vlous year. In the last II months
passenger miles of travel amounted
to 814,906,25O.
The last fatal crash occurred
March 26, 1899, at Oklahoma City,
Okla. Seven passengers and one
member of the crew were killed.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Fireman Dies in Rail
Wreck in Illinois,
BY the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press
CRYSTAL LAKE, ILL.,, March 26.-
The Chicago g. Northwestern Rail-
roads passenger train, the Viking,
was derailed near here last night,
killing the fireman and seriously in
juring the engineer. At least one
passenger was injured.
All the coaches of the train, en-
route from Minneapolis to Chicago,
left the tracks but only the locomo-
tive overturned.
The fireman, Carl Miller of Bara-
boo, Wis, was scalded to death. The
engineer, Thomas Conway of Madi-
son, Wis, was taken to a Woodstock,
ILL.,, hospital.
Railroad officials said Mrs.. E. A.
Sorenson of Chicago was slightly
injured and some other passengers
were shaken up.
An official said the train "entered
q misplaced SWITCH
Hospital attendants said Engineer
Conways condition was fairly
good"
Evening star., 1940-03-26
BY the Associated Press.

NEW YORK, March 26.-A spring
drive by the allies to obtain dollars
for war needs sent the open-market
quotation for the British pound
sterling into another wide decline In
terms of the American currency to-
day.
The Wall Street rate for the
pound, as distinguished from the
official price by the British War
time Exchange Control, plunged
more than Z cents to below 1852.
Exchange men said this was the
lowest of modern times on basis of
gold and was equivalent to about
2.l7 in terms of the dollar before
it was revalued in 1884 through
raising of the United States price
for gold to $35 from $2O.67 an ounce
The British control buys sterling
at $4.021a and sells at $40312, max
ing spread of around 40 cents be-
tween the official and the so-called
free rate, the latter determined by
supply and demand in the open
market.
The French franc, tied into allied
economic strategy, skidded with the
pound. The Canadian dollar, how
ever was comparatively stable at a
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Photos That Might Peril
Military Secrets Banned
BACKGROUND

BY the Associated Press.
President Roosevelt formally put
into effect today a tight ban on
unauthorized photographs which
might imperil Army or Navy secrets
On the eve of the fleets annua.
war games in the Pacific he signed
an executive order detailing nu.
merous places and objects which
may oe photographed or mapped
only with official permission and
censorship.
Included were all military and
naval posts, closed naval harbors
areas required for, fleet purposes
factories turning out material fol
the armed services, and all equip.
ment and documents officially rated
secret" "confidential' or IRE.
stricted."
The order made effective a two.
year-old act approved by Congress
at the request of the War and Navy
Departments. Some provisions hac
been put into effect earlier. Viola.
tions of the act are punishable by
maximum fine Of $1,000 and I'm
prisonment up to one year.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Barlow Bomb Hailed
After Test as Safe
And Destructive
Bullets Fail to Explode
1t But Power Eots
Awoy HiIIsides
BY CARTER BROOKE JONES
Star Staff Correspondent

MIDDLE RIVER. Md, March c6
A bomb so powerful 1t eats away
hillsides, yet so safe rifle bullet
can be fired through it without eX-
ploding it. was demonstrated here
today by Lester P. Barlow, the IN
ventor who excited the House Nil
| itary Affairs Committee recently by
describing In executive session his
experiments with liquid oxygen ex-
| plOsiveS.
The demonstration was given for
| the press-a contingent of some
200 reporters and cameramen from
Eastern cities-on the proving
grounds Of the Glenn L. Martin Co.,
airplanes manufactures, l3 miles
east of Baltimore
After seeing the demonstration
nobody, however meager his knowl-
edge OF explosives. could doubt some
Of the claims which Mr.. Barlow
made for his new explosive when
| he appeared before the congress
sional committee.
Bullets Strike Device.
For instance, he placed an 8-ounce
sample of his lethal device, cased
in a white jacket, in plain view of
his audience, who peered over and
around barricade' of sandbags on q
steep hill. Mr.. Barlow, standing be-
side the newsmen, fired rife bullets
at the bomb. Two bullets struck it,
each knocking it to one side.
Then Mr.. BarloW's secret detona-
tor-an electric device-was at
tached to this same somewhat bat
tered bomb. An assistant pressed q
button, and it exploded Immediately,
sending up cloud OF earth from the
dugout in which it had been placed.
There were other sample bombs of
various sizes and capacity.
When they exploded, they wreaked
plenty OF damage to whatever was
near. One tore up a pole, tossing
fragments high into the air.
But Mr.. Barlow's chief purpose
was to prove the safety of this type
of explosive, since, he pointed out,
it has been considered too hazar-
dous to handle, he tossed one of the
oxygen n-carbon capsules" into a
fire. It blazed up fiercely, but failed
to explode.
He had another shot out of NOR
tar. 1t scared into the air and fell
harmlessly. not far from where the
correspondents stood on the hilltop.
Called Deadliest Type.
Mr.. Barlow, who is a consultant
to the manufacturers of Martin
bombers, said the liquid type
of bomb was more deadly than any
yet developed. 1t first was used in
warfare, he added, when the Franco
forces bombed Barcelona during the
Spanish civil war, and, when one of
these bombs hit the ground, the
shock shattered an apartment house,
killing hundreds, without a direct
explosion.
But he expressed belief, as he
chatted while his assistants staged
the demonstration, that the Ger
mans, who were credited with un-
leashing the Barcelona bomb, had
not mastered the safety feature.
The oxygen bombs which Mr.. Bar
low detonated with this special de-
vice ranged up to S pounds. The
5-pound bomb tossed high into the
air the sandbags which had been
placed against the dugout from
which the explosives were loosed.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Savage, New Zealand
Prime Minister, Dies
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand
March 26.-Michael Joseph Savage,
68, Prime Minister of New Zealand
since 1885, died today.
Mr.. Savage, New Zealand's first
Labor Prime Minister, effected q
sweeping program which raised
basic wages, increased unemploy-
ment relief allowances, introduced
the 4O-hour f1ve-day week to indus
try and brought the New Zealand
Reserve Bank under government
control.
He found time for participation in
foreign affairs, actively advocating
that the League of Nations have
stronger punitive and coercive pow
ers after its application of sanctions
failed to halt Italy's invasion of
Ethiopia.
In his youth Mr.. Savage worked
on a sheep ranch, was a miner and
organized a cooperative store and
bakery after becoming interested in
the cooperative movement.
Mr.. Savage never married, and
when he moved to Wellington as
Prime Minister he took with him an
Auckland family who had given him
a home ever since he had come from
his native Australia in 1907.
Evening star., 1940-03-26

Bella Ann dropped her baby talk.
what the hell? I'm hungry"
Elmer talked to his Ma. who had
divorced Pa and married a cook.
Ma was no help 50 Elmer went to
Pa.
Join the marines" Pa suggested.
"They feed you well. I will certify
that you are single"
Bella Ann heartily approved after
Elmer promised he'd send her his
pay every month. 49,.
Bella Ann wrote punctiliously-
just before every pay day:
"Oor itty bitsy pie misses 90 = . .
don't forget the check"
Elmer didn't. But one day, miss
ing Bella Ann more than usual, he
stuck the check In his pocket,
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Cromwell Goes
Back to Post;
Plans in Doubt
y the Associated Press.

-
SOMERVILLE, N. j., March 90
James H. r. Cromwell, Minister to
Canada, was reported by an aide
today to have returned to his post
at Ottawa.
His sudden departure, without
visiting Washington, left behind q
big question. mark about his re-
ported plans to seek the Democratic
nomination for United States Sen
ator from New Jersey.
1t had been reported reliably that
Mr.. Cromwell had hoped to see
President Roosevelt before making
any announcement. He came to
Somerville last Wednesday after
making pro-ally speech at Toronto
which brought public reprimand
from Secretary of State Hull.
Mr.. Cromwell's New York office
to which inquiries were referred
from Duke Farms, the Cromwell
estate here, said he left for Canada
by train last night and had no i'm
mediate plans to return to this
country.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Mauretania Passes
Through Canal on
War Mission
British Liner Believed
On Way to Australia to
Serve as Troopship
BY the Associated Press.

CRISTOBAL, Canal Zone, March
26.-Britain's big new liner Maure-
tania, bent on a secret war mission,
went through the Panama Canal to
the Pacific Ocean today.
The IS, ton liner was believed
to be en- route to Australia to carry
troops from there to the Near East
She began her passage through the
canal at 9:45 am.
The Mauretania completed her
passage through Gatum Locks about
noon. She will stop at Balboa. Oh
the Pacific side, to take on sup
plies.
Her agents said THE Maure-
tania is headed across the Pacific
and is sailing tonight"
Stripped of her usual elaborate
furnishings, with which she normally
carries 1,500 passengers in style, the
Mauretania's capacity as a troop
ship is presumed to have been in
creased about tenfold.
The gray liner presented a SOM
ber aspect against the tranquil back
ground of Limon Bay as a squadron
of United States Army pursuit planes
circled briefly overhead. Three
canal pilots were aboard as she
passed through the locks.
The Mauretania reached here last
night, dark except for her running
lights, after a voyage from New
York She left New York last We'd
nesday under sealed orders.
Last Thursday the 81235-ton
Queen Mary followed the Maure-
tania out of New York, also on a
secret mission. She, too, was be-
lieved to be heading for Australia to
serve as a troopship, but, because of
her size, she is unable to pass through
the canal. If she is bound for
Australia, she will probably round
the Cape of Good Hope.
Both the $25,O0O,OO0 Queen Mary
and the $20,0O0,O0O Mauretania are
on Germany's official list of vessels
to be attacked as armed raiders.
Evening star., 1940-03-26

hoped a freight and came home.
Bella Ann was surprised and so
was Ma. Then in walked the
marines. They dropped q remark
about it being worth $50 to any one
who informed on deserter.
A strange gleam came into Bella
AIMS eyes. Into Mas, too.
Elmer spent some time in the
brig. but he'd no more than got
out until he got letter from Bella
Ann:
"Oor itty bitsy pie is knitting 90
know what wit her own itty hands.
Why don't you desert, Elmer? You
ought to be by my side in this
emergency"
One from Ma, too:
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Harrison Sees
Adjournment
By June |
Tax Legislation Not
Probable, He Says After
ToIk With President
BY JOHN C. HENRY,

Expressing himself as hopeful that
Congress will be adjourned by June
l, Chairman Harrison of the Senate
Finance Committee told White
House reporters after conference
with President Roosevelt today that
he is not expecting tax legislation at
this session.
Although he said he had not dis
cussed the tax problem with the
President, Senator Harrison said he
had been studying the question
closely himself and felt that the in
crease in tax receipts over estimates
offers good chance that no new
revenue measure will be needed
this year.
The Mississippian said he had
called on the President primarily to
discuss reciprocal trade treaty leg
islation now pending before the
Senate. He described the Chief Ex-
ecutive as intensely anxious that
extension of the legislation be ap-
proved without revision.
Il think we'll win." Senator Har-
rison said. We've got close fight
in the Senate. but the chances are
that all amendments will be de-
feated and the resolution passed
without change
Principal test will come, he said,
on the pending amendment of Sem
ator Pittman, Democrat, of Nevada
which would subject the agreements
to Senate ratification by a two
thirds majority as now required for
formal treaties. If this amendment
should be adopted, he added, it
would be impossible to carry on the
reciprocal trade program"
Senator Harrison said he expected
vote on the Pittman amendment
this week and passage of the resolu-
ton itself in about 10 days. No
desire to f1libuster has been indi-
Gated by the opposition, he said.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Philippines Couldn't RepeI
Aqqressor, Quezon Admits
Nv the Associated Press,

~ the Associated Press.
MANILA, p. l., March 26.-Presi-
dent Manuel Quezon today admit
ted the Philippines inability to re-
pei aggression by f1rst-class power,
but urged that his country face the
music" and proceed toward inde-
pendence.
Present relations with the United
States render the islands powerless
to seek their own economic saliva
tion, President Quezon told the
graduating class of the Philippine
Normal School.
The relations he said are one-sid-
ed-American goods enter the
islands freely, but trade in the other
direction is hampered by many re-
strictions.
Lets face the music" he con-
cluded, and go ahead with inde-
pendence."
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Hugh 6. Grant Named
Minister to Siam

President Roosevelt nominated
Hugh Gladney Grant of Alabama
today to be Minister to Thailand
(Siam.
Mr.. Grant, secretary to Supreme
Court Justice Black during Mr..
Blacks service in the Senate, was
Minister to Albania before that
country's absorption by Italy.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Percy's Disappearance
Remains Mystery
BY the Associated Press.


NEW YORK, March 26.-The dis
appearance of Richard Truman
Percy, 10, noted organist and choir
master, remained mystery today tt
his family and friends and to police
who were unable to ascribe any mo.
tive for his absence.
Mr. Percy, a native of Norfolk
Va, who studied music at Yale, was
organist and choirmaster at thu
Marble Collegiate Church, Fifth
avenue, for As years. He recently
retired. Last Wednesday he lef
home as usual to go to Carnegie
Hall. where he had a studio fol
teaching voice.
Detectives believe he boarded &
train for Chicago and left it al
Buffalo.
Evening star., 1940-03-26

II sure wouldn't stay with them
ole marines. Come home and get
q new fiat and they won't find you
Elmer replied, Nuts to the
marines. If it's boy we will call
him Elmer, jr," and hoped an
other freight.
Bella Ann locked him in a back
room.
Ma and Bella Ann lived in the
same block. Out they popped at
almost the same minute early next
morning. Bella Ann was fatter,
but she was younger. She led for
several blocks. Then her main law
caught her on a downgrade. But
that last block to the recruiting
(SAe "ITTY RTTSYn paoe A.lS
Evening star., 1940-03-26
BY the Associated Press.

KANSAS CITY, March 26.-Elmer
Dowdy was 10. Everything looked
rosy. He had job on a huckster's
wagon on the North Side.
He loved Bella Ann, who was II.
He thought of her as a sweet little
thing despite her 140 pounds. Some
times she lapsed into baby talk
Elmer thought that meant inno-
cence. They were married.
But things got tough. Elmer lost
his Job.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Carabinero Revolt
Quickly Put Down
By Bolivian Army
Country Reported Calm
As Leaders Surrender
Without BIoodshed
BULLETIN.

LA PAZ. Bolivia, March 26 Up.
The Bolivian government to-
day declared nation wide state
of seige "a form of martial law
after an early-mornine revolt
by a regiment of fusileers had
been put down as the reoels were
marching on the government pal
ace.
BY the Associated Press,
LA PAZ, Bolivia, March 26.-The
Bolivian government this morning
put down short-lived revolt by
1000 members of a regiment of car
abineros (national police which
government spokesmen said was
due to discomfort with the outcome
OF the recent presidential election.
Government sources said the ris-
ing and its suppression were blood
less. The regiment is quartered in
suburban Mirafiores and apparently
the rebels never left their barracks.
No shots were heard in La Paz.
Gen. Enrique Penaranda, former
head OF the army. was victorious in
the election of March 10 and is
scheduled to assume office April 16.
Leaders Surrender.
The government announced that
the rising had been defeated and
its leaders had surrendered. Their
names were not disclosed. Mai.
Celestino Pinto was the regimental
commander. Government sources
indicated that leaders of the rising
might face death sentences.
Provisional President Carlos Quin-
tanilla ordered Gen. Icazo, army
chief of staff, to inspect all mill
tary units. Gen. Icazo reported that
all elements of the army, totaling
about 10000. except part of the
carabinero and the federal guard,
were loyal to the government
President Quintanilla announced
at noon that conditions were peace
full throughout Bolivia.
Crowds Cheer Quintanilla.
Crowds gathered outside Govern
ment House and cheered Quintanilla
ana PenaranQa.
Penaranda was the only govern
ment-recognized candidate in the
recent election and polled more than
70 per cent of the votes. Others
were split between Jose Antonio Arce
and Gen. Bernardino Bilbao Rioja.
The government declared the elec-
ton was intended to restore consti-
tutional government to Bolivia.
Quintanilla established the present
regime last August % after Dictator
President German Busch had died
of bullet wound said to have been
self inflicted.
Busch had suspended portions of
the constitution; Quintanilla re-
stored some parts and ordered the
election to complete the process.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
20 Planes Over Reich

LUXEMBOURG, March rs R).-
Residents of Remich on the Luxem-
burg German border reported that
20 unidentified planes passed about
noon today flying east. Later, they
said, they heard fire from German
anti-aircraft batteries.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
ty Btsy Wife Twice Turns In Marine for Cash Reward

This story is taken from a
dossier just incorporated into
records of the United States Ma
rine Corps. Only the names are
fictitious.
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Mathews QuitsS. &c,
To Join Northern
Power Company
Commissioner Regrets
To Leove When System
Is Under Fire. He Says
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
George C. Mathews has resigned
from the Securities and Exchange
Commission, effective April IS, to
take position with the Northern
States Power Co.
The resignation was announced
today by the S. E. C. with a state
ment by Chairman Jerome N Frank
that the Government was closing
one of the ablest public servants" J."
Mr.. Mathews is one of the origi-
nal members of the commission and
previously had served with the
Federal Trade Commission. He
was appointed as one of the two
Republican members of the S. E. C
and is from Wisconsin.
Expressing regret that Mr.. Mathews
felt it necessary to leave, President
Roosevelt said in a letter to hin,
that your service with the Gov.
ernment has not only been a lone
one but one Of great usefulness" He
added a word of appreciation fol-
what he said Mr.. Mathews had done
to make the S. E. C. "an instru-
ment of constructive helpfulness.'
Regrets to Leave Now.
In statement the retiring COM
missioner said that he already had
been in Washington longer than he
expected to be when he accepted
the, original appointment. He added
that he regretted that his plans to
leave the S. E. C. should mature
at a moment when the basic system
OF Federal securities regulations is
under attack"
That system is fundamentally SO
sensible that it is inconceivable to
me that the country would permit
1t to be destroyed or seriously weak
ened," the commissioner said.
SO Basically, all of the statutes
administered by the S. E. C. are
sound laws. They are capable of
Improvement as conditions warrant
But if there is to be real improve
ment of these laws their revision
should be undertaken as a scientific
job.
1T will be unfortunate for the
country if program of revision is
undertaken in the heat of a political
controversy"
Presumably this part of the state
ment was reference to two reso-
lutions for congressional investiga-
ton of the S. E. c. introduced in the
House yesterday by Representatives
Crawford, Republican, of Michigan
and Thorkelson, Republican, OF
Montana. Demands for such an in
veStlgation were made last week by
the Investment Bankers Associa-
ton in public letter addressed to
Mr.. Frank.
Mr.. Mathews said that mo sem
Slble person wants to weaken the
prohibitions against stock manipula
ton.
Valuable Business Asset.
"The disclosure of financial and
corporate information which has
been brought about over the past six
years has proven to be valuable
business asset. AS for regulation
OF public utility holding companies
it unquestionably was and is called
for. In that field one of the COM
missions biggest tasks is the section
OF the law calling for integratior
and simplif1cation of holding com.
pany systems.
II think the most constructive jot
will be done if the utilities recog-
nize the importance of compliance
and help to work out the program
Any other policy means that the
commission must do the job alone
Self interest alone ought to cause
the companies-as some of then
are doing-to try to assist in the ap-
plication of the law"
Evening star., 1940-03-26
Dutch TruwIer Sunk
BY the Associated Press.

AMSTERDAM, March 26 R.-
The Netherlands fishing trawler
Protinus. 202 tons, was sunk today
by a mine in the North Sea.