davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
COMMITTEE IS NAMED
Local Group Scheduled To
Attend Meet In Charles
ton On May 8

A committee appointed by the
city commissioners yesterday morn
ing will attend a meeting in Charles
ton, S. c., on May 8 to investigate
possibilities of establishing a direct
airplane service from Montreal,
Canada, to Nassau via the coastal
route, including Norfolk, Whining
ton and Charleston.
The committee is composed of R.
B. Page, chairman, Harry r. Gard
ner, J. E. L. Wade, W. Louis Fisher,
and Addison Hewlett.
The proposal concerning the in
PRODUCTION of the north-south air
line was originated by Mayor Henry
M. Lockwood, of Charleston.
The recruiting of the airplane
service would save a distance of
approximately 166 miles.
The letter was received by Fisher
and was presented at yesterday S
meeting of the city board, and at
that time he appointed other mem.
bers On the committee.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
BRITISH REPULSE
GERMAN BOMBERS
Claim No Damage Inflicted
During Attack On The
Scapa Flow Base

LONDON, April 25.-(Thursdayp
P)-Anti-aircraft guns of Scapa
Flow, the great British naval base
in the Orkney islands, late last night
beat off an attack by German war
planes.
Only a few raiders participated,
but they dropped heavy bombs. Au-
thorized British sourc said no dam
age was caused; that they fell on
desolate country in the Island of
Hoy. One explosion shook houses
six miles away.
One Of the raiders was reported to
have turned its machine gun on a
section of the Hoy countryside.
The admiralty and air ministry, in
a joint communicate, early today said:
Numerous enemy aircraft at
tempted an attack on Scapa flow
late last night wednesday,.
1.-TWO bombs were seen to drop
which fell on heather land and one
enemy aircraft made an abortive
machine gun attack on an open
road. No damage or casualties re-
suited. The enemy were driven off
by heavy anti-aircraft fire and by
fighter craft of the r. A. F."
The air raid alarm in the islands
lasted about an hour, but the anti
aircraft action was brief.
One mar said he saw a low-flying
plane which appeared to have been
damaged by the fire.
No bombs, apparently, were drop
ped at Scapa Flow itself.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
COMMERCE ON CAPE FEAR RIVER SHOWS
SUBSTANTIAL GAINS DURING PAST YEAR

Commerce on the Cape Fear river
during 1899 showed an increase of
six per cent below Wilmington and
IA per cent above Wilmington as
compared with similar figures for
the year 1888, Lt.-Col. George Gill
lette, district army engineer said
yesterday.
Water commerce On the lntra-
coastal waterway during 1899 show
ed an increase of Is per cent from
Beaufort to the Cape Fear i've and
gained approximately so per cent
from the Cape Fear river to Winyah
Bay, S. C.
The total commerce on the cape
Fear below Wilmington during 1853
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
Possibilities Of Plane
Route Will Be Studied
Advertising Is Termed
Backbone Oh Business

SAN FRANCISCO, April "a
GR - Newspaper advertising is
"the backbone of business" Ar
thur L. Scaife, assistant adver-
Using manager of the Bridge
port, Conn, plant of General
Electric, said today on his re-
turn from a survey of Hawaiian
sales and prospects.
"We are expanding our adver-
Using this year by nearly Is per
cent" he said. Last year we
stepped it up Is per cent and
gained % per cent in business.
Newspaper advertising is the
backbone of our whole sales
program. 1t exceeds all other
media combined, and is the only
growing medium.
In our effort to educate retail
ers to be better businessmen we
are seeking to help them to adj
vertise more intelligently and
more consistently"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25

100 per cent since the U. S. army
locks and dams on the upper Cape
Fear in 1885.
This increase is also due to the
fact that the army engineers have
increased the depth Of the river to
Navassa to rs feet. An increase in
the commercial fertilizer material
traffic is expected next year on the
upper Cape Fear.
Commerce on the i~ntracoastal
waterway from Beaufort to the Cape
Fear river during 1889 totaled 243,-
789 tons, an increase of approx
Continued on Page Eight; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
Reich Claims Naval, Air
Forces Have Scored 81
Successful Attacks
NORWEGIANS FLEE
Three British Planes Shot
Down In An Effort To
Bomb Stavanger Port
BY PRESTON GROVER

BERLIN, April 24.-R-German
reported tonight that
their troops controlled southern Nor.
way between Oslo and the south.
western port of Stavanger, 200 miles
from the capital, and that the
Reich's naval and air forces had
scored 81 successful attacks on Brit.
aims navy in the Norwegian cam.
paign.
The Germans laid claim to south,
ern Norway after the high command
communique on Yesterdays fighting
declared that German troops had
disarmed two Norwegian divisions in
the Stavanger vicinity.
N~orwegians Flee
The high command also reported
that German troops had driven the
Norwegians from Steinkjer, at the
head of Trondheim ford and 65
miles north of the important west
ern port of Trondheim, held by Ger
many.
On London the war office said
that British troops beat off a strong
counter-attack delivered yesterday
by German troops which landed
within Trondheim ford and that the
British had succeeded in "re-estab-
fishing the situation" Earlier re-
ports reaching Stockholm said Brit
ish advance parties had been COM
PEELED to retire from Steinkjer.)
If the Germans control the head
of Trondheim ford, it would make
more difficult any British attempt
to cut off Trondheim by a pincer
movement from Andalsnes, to the
south, and from Namsos, north of
Trondheim.
The high command also reported
tonight that three British planes
were shot down southwest of Stav-
anger in an attempt to bomb that
strategic airport, and DNB, the Off
cial German news agency, said that
a British raid on the German island
of Sylt had caused no military dam
age.
(The British air ministry reported
that Stavanger and four other Ger
ITo,,f;r,oJ n, Dara ENiuo. CoI 2\
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25

amounted to 2,283,998 tons, an ill.,
of approximately six per cent
when compared with the tonnage of
2,141, 587 during 1888.
The more than six per cent in
creas in commerce below Whining
ton on the Cape Fear river last year
vas considered very good in view
of the present war conditions.
Part of the increase was attTib-
uted to the fact that a freight line
was established between Wilmington
and Charleston. The new line oper-
ated on an average of two boats
weekly. Foreign commerce dropped,
however, due to the European war,
Commerce on the Cape Fear river
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
English Blast Way For New
Allied Offensive Action
Within Norway
u. S. MENTIONED
Efforts To Work Out Brit
ish-Soviet Commercial
Accord Under Way
BY DREW

LONDON, April 24.-R-Show-
ers of British bombs on five Nazl
air bases over a 400-mile radius in
Germany, Denmark and Norway
blasted the way today for new AL
lied offensive action on the soil OF
Norway while British infsntrymen,
fighting off a vigorous German
counter-attack, were officially stat
ed to have chung to positions in
the Trondheim area.
While the big bombers of the
Y air force ferried their loads
of death across the North sea (tWo
of a "large number" failed to come
back, Allied land columns were
reported converging on strategical-
ly important Lillehammer, valley
gate to the south of Norway.
e. S. Mentioned
At home, cautious maneuvering
for a B~ritish-Soviet commercial
agreement hung fire over the Rus
slams reported reluctance to shave
off what she considers her normal
trade relations with Germany, and
a leading laborite, Arthur Green
wood, mentioning the United States
arms program, predicted in the
same breath that "before this
struggle is over many neutrals will
be with US in the fight"
Even the United States" said
Greenwood, before the national de-
Tense public interest committee, sis
now piling up expenditure on arm,
aments, not because she is directly
threatened but because nobody
knows how far the war will ex-
tend"
Proudly, Britain disclosed that
1000, 900 men of the empire now
are proudly standing to" in the
army's drab khaki, awaiting the
summers battles.
Since French mobilization mus
tered 5000, 900 men to the ~tricolor,
the Allies now have 1000, 900 sol
diers facing Germany's Reichswehr,
the strength Of which is estimated
Continued on Page Five; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
FRENCH KEEPING
EYES ON SWEDEN
German Troop Transports
Are Moving Toward I'm
disclosed Destination

PARIS, April 24.-CP)-The French
high command riveted it's attention
on Sweden tonight, sources close to
the war office disclosed, following re-
ports that troop-filled German trans.
ports hda steamed out of Baltic
ports for an u~ndisclosed destination.
Confirmation of this report was
lacking Immediately, but accounts
published in Paris have noted Nazi
ports had steamde out of Baltic
ports of Lubbock, Strausland, Stettin,
Konigsberg and Danzig, as well as
several Danish coastal points.
TIL e German concentrations,
linked here with French reports Of
repeated violations of Swedish terri
tory by German warplanes, caused
consideration of Sweden's future.
A val ministry spokesman inter-
preted as a grave menace" to Swe-
den the reported Nazi troop en-
barkations.
The presence of i~cebreakers &C
companying the Nazi transports was
taken to indicate that the fleet in.
tended to operate further north in
the Baltic than the vicinity of the
Danish Straits, through which troop
ships for Norway rass. The north.
+ Baltic is filled with ice floes
left by the unusually severe winter.
The war ministry spokesman did
not rule out the possibility that the
German troops may be intended to
Continued on Page Five; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
CUFFEY CAPTURES
CONTROL OF PARTY
Takes Charge In Pennsyl-
vanla As Chief Oppon-
ent Plans To Retire

PHILADELPHIA, April 247R-
I, S. Senator Joseph F. Guffey,
victor in a stiff battle for the demo-
cratic senatorial nomination, tonight
-ook over control of the party IN
pennsylvania as his foremost oppon-
nj, David L. Lawrence, announced
He would retire as state chairman.
Gutfey defeated Lawrence's choice
or the nomination, Walter A. Jones,
u Yesterdays primary balloting by
Almost 100. 600 votes.
AS the mounting returns clinched
'1e contest for the senator, Law
renee, who had called Guffey a
lafty wrecker" because of tactics
since their split in the 1888 primary,
S'H ne would not seek reelection
az chairman when his term expires
in June.
'0lley Immediately asserted he
"00tlhued on Page Five; Col. d.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25

above Wilmington during 1899
amounted to 311,687 tons, an in
crease of 1858 tons or approx
mately IA per cent when compared
with the record of 274,069 tons for
the previous year..
This increase was attributed to
the traffic in gasoline to Fayette-
vile during the past year. 1t was
estimated by the Wilmington dis
trict army engineers office that ap-
proximately $4,000, 600 in gasoline
and kerosene was shipped through
Wilmington and up the river to Fay
~etteville during 1889.
Traffic on the river above Will
mington has increased more than
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
JAYCEES TO STAGE
AIR SHOW SUNDAY
Circus To Feature Famous
Stunt Fliers And Para
chute Jumpers

The Wilmington Junior Chamber
of Commerce, at a meeting last
night at the YMCA, laid plans for
staging an air circus Sunday after
noon, April %, at 3 o'clock at the
Bluethenthal airport.
The plan was tentatively approved
at a board of directors meeting
Tuesday and a special meeting of
the membership was called last night
for approval.
The circus will feature a group of
famous professional stunt filters and
parachute jumpers led by Jimmy
Goodwin, who is reported to be the
only flier in the nation who makes
a. jump with the use Of a pair Of
bat wings.
A committee to handle arrange
ments for the air show was ap-
pointed last night. 1t is composed
of: Bill Archer, chairman; Wilbur
Anderson, Eldridge Fergus, Bill
CONTINUED on Page Two; Col. -
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
USE FIELD ARTILLERY
Swift German Thanking tao
Swift Nazi Thanking Force
Is Proceeding Up The
Glomma River
BY ELMER w.

STOCKHOLM, April 25.-(Thurs,
day)-P-Blasted out of their ad.
vance positions in ruined Steinkjer,
the British army in central Norway
fell back last night before combined
German infantry, field artillery and
air attack and dug into strong forti-
fications six miles to the north.
At the same time a swift German
thanking force was proceeding up
the Glomma river in eastern Nor
way, near the Swedish border, press
ing on the town of Roros. Airplanes
with this force bombed a Norwegian
troop train carrying 165 soldiers with
disastrous results at a point north of
Tynset, which the Germans occu.
pied.
Tynset is lis miles southeast of
Trondheim. Roros is As miles north
of Tynset and about 100 miles south
of Steinkjer, on a straight line.
Seek Line
In addition to cutting off Allied
forces in the Lillehammer area, well
to their southwest about 80 miles
above Oslo, the German thanking
troops apparently were aiming at
gaining an iron grip on the main
line of communications running In
land from Trondhaim, one of Nor.
ways most important west coast
ports. The occupation of Roros was
momentari1y.
The Norwegian troop train was
bombed six miles north of Tynset,
The number of casualties was not
Immediately available but it must
vices reaching here said that only
Continued on Page Five; Gu p
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
METHODISTS OPEN
GENERAL MEETING
Delegates Plan To Study
Proposals For Changes
In Organization

ATLANTIC CITY, N. j., April
24.-CP-After a solemn and i'm
pressive communion service open
ing the first general conference of
the new Methodist church, T6
delegates from all parts of the
world divided into eight committees
today and proceeded to sift numer-
Gus proposals for changes in the
church organization.
They attended a Methodist ad-
vance" tonight meeting in the giant
(COntinued on Page Five: Col. g.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
1873 Negroes
Die In Large
Natchez Fire
Possibility That Dance Hall
Fire Was Deliberately
Started Develops
FIVE SUSPECTS HELD
Mayor OF Mississippi City
Promises Probe; Two
Score Are Injured

NATCHEZ, Miss, April 24-tR-
The possibility that a dance hall
fire which claimed the lives of 1913
negroes was deliberately set de-
veloped tonight with the arrest of
five suspects.
Police Chief Joe Serio said the
arrests were based on statements
hat several drunken negroes were
overheard threatening to set the
building on fire.
Earlier Sheriff Hyde Jenkins said
all indications pointed to accidental
start of the blaze.
Flames Sweep Hall
The flames swept through the
structure early today at a terrific
speed, fed on large quantities of
moss draped over rafters as a
decoration. Mayor William J. Byrne
initiated a thorough inquiry into
the tragedy.
DR.. Andrew Hedmeg, Adams coun'
ty health officer, said an official
count tonight showed 1913 dead. The
fatalities had been reported as high
as 253 late today but the larger
number was ascribed to confusion
arising from swapping of bodies
among undertaking establishments.
Two score or more suffered in
juries and several additional deaths
were expected to result.
800 In Building
Some 300 members and friends of
the Moneywasters Social club were
damned into the converted black
smith shop dancing to the music OF
Walter Barnes Chicago orchestra
when fire broke out near the single
door at the front of the building.
A handful Of dancers battled then
way through the narrow door OF
wormed through the ticket-seller's
window nearby. The rest were
driven toward the rear of the build
ing, blinded by smoke and cruelty
herded by flames that cracked with
terrifying swiftness through masses
Of dry Spanish moss festooned from
~rafters some IA feet above the floor.
The stampede swept back around
the bandstand, beat futilely against
the windows, which had been
securely boarded UP to bar gate
crashers." One rear windows boards
gave way and a few struggled out
this way.
The remainder died screaming and
clawing for escape, fell in piles that
mounted shoulder high.
A scant Is minutes later the fire
had been brought under control and
firemen fought their way in. Means
came from beneath some of the
mounds of scorched bodies and those
who still lived were brought out.
Twenty of these pitifully burned and
battered victims died en- route to
hospitals.
Doctors said most of the dead had
been suffocated by the thick smoke,
or crushed in that terrible stampede
to the rear, rather than killed by
the flames, which subsidized without
destroying the iron-sheathed build
ing.
None knew tonight how the blaze
started. One theory was that a
cigarette carelessly tossed by a girl
dancer had ignited the moss.
This idea was based on the report
Of Ernest Wright, hotel employe,
Continued on Page Five; Col. y
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
Move Follows
Savings Talk,
Veto Warming
Takes %$89,7OO,OOO From
Proposed Authorization
Of S%231,O9O,O5O
l39 PROJECTS ARE LEFT
Final Vote On Measure,
Passed By House, De-
ferred Until Today

WASHINGTON, April 24.-R-
r-.nonv pleas coupled with warn
. at a possible presidential veto
.sa4 persuade the senate today
rhon $50. 700, 900 from a proposed
.rborjzation of 1921, 090,050 fol
river and harbor movements.
The slash, which left $141,39O,-
ma ~ authorizations for 139 prof.
.o-s throughout the country, was
made at the expense of a proposed
lst G0O. 900 waterway to connect
he Tombigbee and Tennessee riv-
ars and a projected dam at Una
rfra. ore. estimated cost of which
would be $23, 700, 900.
Projects Recommended
Both projects had been recon-
mended by the commerce committee
The Tombigbee-Tennessee was elimi-
mated by d vote of 81 to II, while
The TmatiIIa dam was knocked out
by So 10 So.
The senate approved, however,
several score of other committee
additions to the $50, 848,100 measure
assed by the house. Consideration
Il several others and a final vote
N the bill were deferred until to-
morrow.
The measure contemplates a seven
year construction program, with
funds to be appropriated as con
gress may see fit beginning July
l., 1871.
Republican senators Vandenbers
Of Michigan and Reed of Kansas
led the fight against the southern
waterway project as unjustified and
JneConomical, while Senator Clark
.D-Nol, urged defeat of the Una
ti'la dam authorization.
Vandenberg and Clark told the
senate that President Roosevelt had
Informed the commerce committee
he did not wish a rivers and har-
Continued on Page Two; Col. p
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
British Are Driven Out
OF Steinkjer By Nazis
Cooper's Sound Truck
Banned In Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, April 24.-(AP)
Mayor Tom Cooper of Whining
ton, a candidate for the demo-
cratic gubernatorial nomination.
was denied permission today to
use his red, white and blue
sound truck for campaign pur-
poses here.
His request was denied by the
city council.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
u sORY SERVICE

LONDON, April 24.-LR-An Ex-
change Telegraph British news
aeencv) dispatch from Stockholm
said the Swedish Riksdag (parlia-
ment) today adopted a compulsory
service law, applying to
citizens between Is and so, to be-.
operative when necessary"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
GAINES TO SPEAK

LEXINGTON, Va, April 24.-P)
DR.. Francis P. Gaines president OF
Washington and Lee university,
will deliver the annual address to
the honors day convocation at the
University Of Michigan and to the
schoolmasters club of the state of
Michigan at Ann Arbor on Friday.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
REPORTS OF WPA
MOVE ARE DENIED
State Director {. G.. McGin-
mis- Says Local Office
Will Not Be Moved

Continuing rumors that the dis
trict Works Project Administration
offices here were to be removed to
Lumberton or some other interior
point in southeastern Norh Carolina
were fatty and emphatically denied
yesterday by C. c. McGinnis, North
Carolina WPA director, at Raleigh.
"There is nothing to support these
rumors,' he declared, land we plan
Continued on Page Eight: Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25
WEATHER
FORECAST

FORECAST
g. ' ~ carolina: Fair, slightly warm
dsr =" East and central portions Thurs
'' IfIday partly cloudy.
enGf lneleeoTological data for the "a hours
80 p. m. Yesterday.
1.go Temperature
n, GO d. IN: Sc; 7:30 a. m. 50; 1:3O ..
MINI, ~ p. m. 80; maximum IS,
"'uM %; mean SO; normal 65.
1.9o Humidity
~ ~ a; N. IS; 7:3O a. m. 81; 1:30 D.
ro,,, Precipitation
O05' on, Tor "a hours ending 7:3O D. NJ.
Montb b'SIes; total since first of the
"0"'h' 2.31 inches.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-04-25

''''llued on Page Two: Col. p
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-01-18
REYNOLDS URGES
MARIJUANA PROBE
Wants Report OF Use o.
Cigarettes In The High
Schools Investigated

RALEIGH, Jan. 17-CP-Dr. Car
V. Reynolds, state health officer, as
serted tonight that a state and fed
eral investigation should be made tt
determine whether North Caroline
High school boys and girls smoke
marijuana cigarettes.
Yesterday, the Rev. M. J. Adams
Baptist minister of RutLerfordton
asserted that "the greatest menace
to the schools of our state is mari
juana, and it is present in all the
high schools I have visited"
DR.. Reynolds said the fact tina
statement was made by "a minister
of the gospel gives it such weigh
that it should be thoroughly investi
gated
81 think" he added, that Mr.
Adams should inform state and fed
eral officials, confidentially, if HI
wishes, in just what schools he OBJ
served the use of this dangerous
drug, and that the officials SHOULD
get to the bottom Of the matter an(
clear it up, hewing to the line ant
letting the chips fall where the.
n,ay."
DR.. Clyde Erwin, state superin
tendent of public instruction, sale
he had heard no reports, besides Mr.
| A Io~,c, of {Lo ~ tho CIV ctipoJ II
liant by High school students.
IT have been connected with thu
public schools in this state as teach
err, principal and superintendent,
DR.. Erwin said, land this is the
first I've ever. heard of this problem
in the public school. In fact, I be
lieve that things generally relating
to crime in public schools are
on the down grade-that they arr
less than they were several year.
ago. The general citizenship atti
tude Of our High school student:
seems to be improving
DR.. Reynolds, who was instru
mental in having marijuana includ
ed in North Cardinals anti-narcotic!
law, said he was gravely concerned
over the statement by the Baptis'
minister.
II need not here go into the hor
rible effects of marijuana, as I have
done this in previous warning:
against the use Of this nefariou:
drug, but I reiterate that ther,
should be an immediate investiga
ton of the minister's charges" h
declared.
The penalty for the first offens'
in violating the anti-narcotic laws
he said, is $1,000 and Imprisonment
of not more than three years. Second
offenders may be fined $4,000 ant
imprisoned for as long as five years
"In either event, the punishment
is not too great" said the stat
health officer.