davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1940-12-21
German Aid to ItoIy

The question of military aid fur
nished by Hitler to Mussolini, his tot
tering axis partner, seems to be even
more shrouded in mystery than are
the inner reasons for the dismissal of
Laval, the fallen French Vice Pre-
mier. From neutral points, mostly in
YugoSlavia and Switzerland, come a
series of as yet unverified rumors.
They report living rivers of German
troops pouring across the Brenner
Pass and spreading down through
Italy to its southern ports of Naples
and Brindisi and Taranto, the chief
embarkation points for Libya, with
still other German troop concentra-
tions at Trieste for shipment down
the Adriatic to Albania. But these
statements are branded as baSeless
in both Rome and Berlin, while our
State Department claims to have no
information about the matter be-
yond what it reads in the news
papers.
Under these battling circumstances,
the best way to judge the situation
is to try and visualize what the axis
partners would be most likely to do,
assuming that they have both kept
their heads and are working saga
ciously together. OF course, both
governments breath confidence and
assert most loyal cooperation. Hit
ler'S journalistic mouthpiece, the
Voelkische Beobachter, declares: THE
British are in error if they think that
the Germans do not know their place,
which has always been by the side of
their brothers in arms"
We may thus assume that Hitler
would send masses of troops to Italy
if they were vitality needed, especially
as he has large and veteran army
under arms with nothing at present
to do. But it by no means follows
that such troop. movements would
help Mussolini in his overseas mis-
adventures. How could great Ger
man expeditionary force be ferried to
Libya through an almost ironclad
British naval blockade? And even
though it did miraculously get there,
how could it be kept supplied? In
Albania the supply factor is almost
equally serious, though German
troops could doubtless be shipped
there more safely.
Italian and German explanations
sound much more probable. Rome
admits that German staff missions,
technicians and war materials ac-
companied by uniformed soldiers are
in Italy, and that German fighter,
bomber and transport planes may
we'll be employed in Albania, just as
the Italian air force is cooperating
against England. If it turns out
that large bodies of German infantry
are in Italy, we may we'll surmise
that their mission is not overseas,
but in Italy itself to act as a de-
pendable reserve to bolster the
Fascist regime in case the home front
threatens to crack and disorders
break out. The top-flight Fascists,
from Mussolini down, know that if
they lose their grip, they can hardly
escape with their lives without Ger
man aid. And since most of them
are ambitious adventurers at heart,
they presumably will not hesitate to
cling to power at all costs, no matter
what the ultimate consequences to
the Italian people.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Scores Ruling in Case
OF Drunken Engineer.

To the Editor OF The Star:
Your editorial of December 6. 1910,
"A Grave ISSUE" was timely and
courageous presentation of the rights Of
the public. The incident upon which
your editorial was based, that of rail-
road engineer being reinstated after
being discharged for drunkeness is
indeed a very serious matter. From a
source other than your valuable paper
it seems that when the vote was taken
the Adjustment Board was deadlocked
on the appeal of the engineer for REIN
statement and referee was called in
to settle the case. This referee voted
to reinstate the man and to award him
pay for the time lost. 1t seems further
that under the laws Of the State In
which this employe operates the COM
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Wants Boycott Of japanese
Christmas Lamps.
70 the Editor Of The Star:

To the Editor Of The Star:
I have seen a lot OF letters urging the
use of more red and green Christmas
lights in the holiday season, because this
is the one country where there will be
no blackout at Christmas. Naturally
many Americans are buying lamps, but
may I urge them to make certain that
these lamps are not made in Japan?
J. p. MATTHEW'S.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

A new dress shirt front for men is
announced as being made of plastic
and cleanable with sponge or damp
cloth. 1t will be found, too, that it is
just as easy to stuff as the older
boiled" brand.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Uncle SONS A|monoc,' 1874 ]
includes Many New
fonfIree
Features

This 68-page publication is really
storehouse of wanted information-use-
full every day in the year to the entire
family. 1t covers over 100 subjects. 1t is
right up to date-full of timely informa-
ton such as full report on the 1910
election; new census map showing in
crease and decrease in population; facts
on the C. c. c., selective draftee's equip
weather, education, the usual almanac
and calendar pages and many novelties.
Order your copy now and it will be
mailed to you promptly. To secure your
copy inclose 10 cents in coin, wrapped in
this clipping, and mail to The Star In
formation Bureau.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

Letters to the Editor must
bear the name and address of
the 10riter, although the use OF
a pseudonynl for publication is
permissible. The Star reserves
the right to edit all letters Uith
a pieU to condensation.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

Italians are reported to be closing
all spirit for the war" Well, at that,
they have not lost much.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

The debutante glamour girl Of
yesterday is the paid testimonial
writer of today.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Reader Takes Issue
With Star Editorial.

10 the EDITOR OF Inc Stars
In advocating unlimited aid to Britain
In war, The Star set up an oddly COM
plicated and nebulous definition Of
moral considerations in its Sunday
editorial on whittier American" Why
not ask Britain to define her war aims
before we decide that supporting her is
q moral" issue? If The Star has any
idea of what British morality" is, 1t
should have been included in this edi-
torial argument against Gen. Woods
well-conceived and well-received plea
for American rather than British de-
fense. For lack of such a showing one
can only conclude that morals have little
TO do with The Stars position.
ALDEN A. POTTER.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

pany is subject to a fine Of 5000 every
time this operator takes train out for
a run.
The result of the decision of the Ad-
justment Board is to give an award to
man for being drunk instead of ad-
ministering discipline. The contention
of the railroad authorities is, we feel,
justified. They contend that, Altogether
apart from the risk to the public and
employees safety involved in the DISPOSE
ton of this case, it's possible effects on
the morale are especially serious.
The railroad company further argues,
Drunken driving should be just as Ger
tainly punished in railway operation as
1t is in airway operation and highway
operation"
It is such use of alcohol as this, and
its seeming condonement, which tends
toward the return Of absolute prohibition.
THOMAS E. BOORDE.
Pastor Anacostia Baptist Church.
President United Dry Forces of the
District of Columbia.
Evening star., 1940-12-21
Says Hitler Needs to
Read Biographies.

Read Biographies.
To the Editor Of The Star:
If Herr Hitler believed that he had
something entirely different on the ball
when he told his munition plant work.
ers that I'VE want a state in which
birth matters nothing and achievement
means everything" and Il want to make
our country beautiful" then he has
never read the lives of Lincoln, Ford,
Edison and hundreds of other Ameri-
cans, nor attended an American cham
Der Of commerce, board of trade or
booster club meeting.
If he had, he certainly would have
realized that the only difference between
his and the American way is that Lin
coin, Ford, Edison, etc. achieved things
through their own and the cooperative
initiative of their fellow Americans.
rather than through the initiative of an
iron-fisted government; and that the
chamber of commerce, board of trade
or booster club beauties its community
by arousing community consciousness
to the desirability of Identification,
rather than by dropping bombs on
neighboring communities
Woodstock, Va. J. sPERRY.
Evening star., 1940-12-21

Name
Street
City
State
Evening star., 1940-12-21

A reader can get the ansUer to any
question of fact by Driting The Eue-
ming Star Information Bureau. Fred
eric J. Hdskin, director, Washington,
D. C. Please inclose stamp for reply.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
DREDGING HARBOR

Pending a start on major harbor and chan
mel Improvements, which Wilmington conf
IDENTIFY hopes will be included in an enabling
act to be approved at the present compression
al session, the government dredge, Henry
Bacon, is at work in the harbor restoring the
turning basin to standard width and depth.
Waters flowing down to the ocean constant
ly deposit soil along the way which naturally
lodges at elbows and in deeper places, which
must be removed periodically to assure ships
safe passage. This is the type of work now
being done by the Henry Bacon. Although
only a maintenance project, it is essential
for the ports service to commerce..
After the harbor job it will move into the
intra-coastal canal for maintenance dredging
between this city and Beaufort. Within its
limited sphere, the port of Wilmington and
its tributary waterway thus meets standard
requirements.
May the day soon come when it will be
able to serve the needs of greater commerce
by providing standard port terminals, a deep
er channel and larger turning basin!
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
STRONG IN DEFEAT

TT is characteristic of the spirit which haS
L sustained the Firms through centuries Of
adversely that General MANNERHE1M, com
mander of Finland's forces during the nun
dred and five-day war with Russia, should Die
his people 'put their shoulders to the "heel
to prepare ION the soil that is left for us q
home for the homeless "and an improved
livelihood for all"
The man whose military genius led MS
little nation, against tremendous odds IN pat
tie and Indifference from his natural allies
in he most heroic defense history reveals
could see no other course for himself and his
fellows, now that the aggressor has been VIC
torious. The Finnish army had to surrender
But Finnish courage is invincible, and MAN
NERHE1M is its mouthpiece.
But rehabilitation is not the only, nor ever
the greatest, problem MANNERHE1M is con
cerned with. Eve must be ready to defend
our diminished fatherland," he adds in his
last. communique to the army, with the
same resolution and same fire with which we
defended our undivided fatherland."
Conquered? Yes. Broken? Never.
Finland is crushed under a weight a fa1
better manned nation could not have with
stood. But Finland will go on, even under the
foreign yoke, with alien influence within Its
borders Selling more and more advantages
without yielding one iota Of its courage, its
independence of heart and soul or its firm de-
termination to live on the plane of high in.
tegrity which has ever been the standard OF
it's official and individual conduct.
The course Of events along the Arctic rim
has plunged much of the world in gloom. But
it is not too much to hope that the world,
eventually, will be a better dwelling place for
humanity, because of F%inland's great example.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
WATERWAY IMPROVEMENT

Recommendation Of army engineers for
mooring basins along the intra-coastal water
way between Beaufort and Wilmington, for
the better accommodation OF small craft and
we assume, for the creation of more commerce
of types which may be borne by the channel,
is in the interest of development and ad.
vancement and deserves united support from
the entire district affected.
Any measure for improvement of travel
conditions on this waterway, which is capable
OF becoming a major asset for eastern North
Carolina, is a step in the right direction.
Whatever is done to increase use Of it will
benefit all communities along its route. When
it Is filled with craft, as it should be, every
town it passes will profit both from cruiser
owners who must replenish their supplies
along the way, and from barges which will
transport cargoes on its landlocked waters.
It is Of particular interest to Wilmington
to learn that one of the proposed basins is
Spotted" for Wrightsville sound. The propos.
al offers an excellent opportunity for the
city's leadership to demonstrate its right to
that title by an active campaign for the prof.
oct at the national capital.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
HELP FOR

Hope for diabetes unable to pay for treat.
ment is held out by the Social Service league,
which is sponsoring clinics at the James Wal.
ker Memorial hospital weekly under direction
of DR.. R. B.. RoDMAN.
Victims of the disease, which claims thou.
sands of lives every year but which is brought
under control by regular injections of ~insulin,
may now be assured of the best service that
can be rendered and the best relief science
has discovered, without cost to themselves,
provided, of course, they are not financially
able to employ a private physician.
The clinic will be a great boon to the city's
poor and should be the means of saving many
from untimely death. Thus the league again
proves itself a true agency of mercy. The
young women in its membership are entitled
to the moral support of the community which
they have so often and so competently served.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
"NO EXCUSE FOR POOR LAND"
Progressive Farmer

Whenever the Good Lord let's us get into any
tight place, He nearly always gives us a key to
get out with . and so it is with Southern
farmers now. For a long time cotton was our
great money crop and cotton is so deep-rooted
that it didn't require much humus; CONNER
cial fertilizer plus cotton stalks and leaves an
swer it's needs. But now we must turn to shall
lower-rooted plants-corn and pasture and hay
crops-and we must not only make land rich.
err but also stuff the land with humus to catch
and hold moisture for these sh~allow-rooted
plants. So three wonderful crops have come to
our relief.
First there's lespedeza. Yet some soils may
be too sandy for l%espedeza and for them, as
Clemson reminds us, there's crotalaria-'Gods
gift to sandy land" And some other soils may
be to washed, quilted, and broken for either les
pedeza or crotalaria, in which case there's kud-
zu-"God's gife to quilted land"
Three amazing crops are these: three crops
so easy to grow, and so economical (when we
consider that kudzu is perennial and both les
pedeza and crotalaria reseed under ordinary
conditions) that it's no wonder Southern farm
agents and agricultural teachers everywhere
are saying, There is no longer any excuse
for poor land"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
THINK AGAIN, MR.. GANNETT

FRANK GANNETT, republican a%spirant for the
presidential nomination, tells a Massachusetts
audience he fears President ROOSEVELT will
get us into the war; and cites large expendi.
lures for national defense as his reason for SO
believing.
Perhaps he thinks it would be wiser to have
no army or navy or air force, and leave oui
coasts open to attack by the first major pow.
er freed from other war engagements.
We hold no brief for all of President RoosE.
vELT's official acts. But there is no reason to
doubt his complete sincerity. When he says
as ne mas repeatedly said, that every effort
Oh his administration will be employed tc
keep the United States out of war, Mr.. GAN
NETTs declaration that he wants to get us in
1t Is in bad taste, to put it mildly.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
RAPE OF FINLAND!

RAPE OF FINLAND!
Finlandia, Finlandia,
Fairest Of the fair,
state of purest virtue
In a world of strife and care.
Beauty was your portion
In a measure rare.
Stately was your bearing:
Beyond nations to compare.
Your honor never furnished
By greed and hate and fear,
Gracefully, peacefully striving
Toward a destiny without peer.
Finlandia, Tinlandia,
, Attacked on land and in air,
Valiant was your courage
To repulse that beast, the Bear.
Finlandia, Finlandia,
Ravaged, tortured, in despair,
Bleeding, torn, piteous you lie,
Defiled by that beast, the Bear.
Your cries mount to heaven,
The world is stunned, ashamed,
But your wrong will be avenged,
Or man is not worthy the name.
AMELIA STEFANO BIDDLE
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
Editorial. Comments
From Other Angles
COUNTRY HOUSING
Raleigh News and Observer

Most efforts to eliminate slums and to pro-
vide decent housing for low-income groups in
North Carolina and lsewhere have in the past
been restricted to the cities and towns. Indeed,
SO successfully have the community d~isadvan-
tages OF slums In cities been pointed that there
are many people who think that slums exist
only In the cities. Actually in North Carolina
and elsewhere the worst housing conditions in
America are on the farms.
In North Carolina, according to the most re.
cent national farm housing survey, nearly n
per cent of the farm houses had no water sup.
ply In the house. Nearly 81 per cent had nc
More than 80 per cent were without
electricity. More than 81 per cent of the farm
houses examined had no indoor flush toilets
Such conditions are almost taken for granted
as normal. But city people expect such con.
veniences, and il there is to be any public
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
BALD HEAD BALD NO MORE

Experiments with tropical growths on Bald
Head Isle are proving so successful that
plans are made to set out fruit trees from
California, received last week. It is a strange
fact that at so small a distance from Will.
mington growths which will not survive here
are found to flourish like the proverbial bay
tree. under the Gulf Streams influence.
Maybe in the shifting Of geographical lines
following the present ~upheaval in Europe the
Gulf Stream will find it convenient to come
closer to a safe shore and North Carolina
benefit from the change. 1t has been restless
in the Arctic in recent years, with climatic
alterations reported in the regions of change.
The same thing might occur hereabouts,
md prevent repetition of this winters sever.
tty. If it should, a few orange groves would
add nightly to the attractiveness Of vii.
mington.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
SWEDEN, NORWAY
EXPLAIN TROOP
PASSAGE REFUSAL
Continued from Page One)

CONTINUED from Page One)
a few hours before Finland an
nounced she had signed a peace
pact with Russia.
Feared Germany
Norway and Sweden refused the
first suggestion of the Allies on
| March 4 because of fear that if Ger
many tried to intercept the Allied
forces, Scandinavia would become a
theatre of war.
One hundred thousand French
and British troops would have been
necessary to give Finland effective
help, Koht declared, but would
have taken SO long to transport
with their supplies that the effort
would have been Of no avail.
Finland made her first formal re-
quest for passage of Allied aid on
March II, he added, and Norway
and Sweden rejected it March -,
the same day the British and
French requests were submitted.
The formal Allied request 'came too
late,." Koht said, and their criti-
cism now of Norway and Sweden
is unjust"
It is remarkable that "criticism
comes from those who have done
less for Finland than we," he added.
Rancour over the Altmark eX-
changes-when British sailors raid.
ed the German ship Altmark in a
Norwegian ford and liberated Brit.
ish captives-was revived when the
foreign minister denied British and
French charges that Norway was
letting German submarines operate
in Norwegian waters, or that Nor.
way is transshipping imports to
Germany.
All accusations in this respect
are untrue and We are forced to
ask what is the intention in making
them,' Koht declared. only ill
will can create them"
Swedish ore that is being trans.
shipped to Germany, he said, is
specifically allowed by the British.
Norwegian trade agreement,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15

Our troubles today have resulted from the
theory which dominated the new deal-a plan
ned economy in a regimented state.-Senator
Robert A. Taft (Rep, Ohio).
China will sooner or later wear Japan out
because there are $50 million people there, one
fourth of the population Of the world. Japans
task Of conquest is impossible.-Dr Egpert W.
Smith, senior secretary, foreign mission com
mittee of the Southern Presbyterian church.
After seven wears of narrowing the country,
the new deal has not yet scratched the surface
Of the farm problem.-Dist. Atty. Thomas III
Dewey, addressing farmers in Lincoln Neo.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
Star.News Program

Consolidated City.County Government,
xndr CouneilManaoe Administration.
Public Port Terminals.
Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving
and Marketing Facilities.
Arena ;ior Sports and 1ndnstrtd'
EhoNs.
Seaside Htghway from WrightsrtHe
Beach to Bald Head Island.
Extension OF CITY Limits.
S5-foot Cape Fear River channel. Vfd-
ey Turning Basin, rith ship lanes into
industrial sites along Eastern bank
south OF Wilmington.
Paved Rtver Road to Southport, rd
orion Plantation.
Development OF Pulp Wood Prodno-
ton through s~ustained-yteld methods
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
United Industrial and Resort Pro-
nsottonal Agency. supported BY e
countrywide tar.
Ehipyards and Drydock.
Negro Health Center TOR Southeastern
North Carolina, developed around the
Community Hospital.
Adequate hospital faciNtie, for 1httes.
Junior High School,
Tobacco Warehouse for Export Buyers.
Developm ent OF native grape gro1tn0
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Modern Tuberculosis sanatorium.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15

housing program to provide such decencies for
city folk country people are entitled to them
also. OF course, this cannot be done quickly
Certainly decent city housing should not be
DELAYED until decent country housing is pos
sihle. But there must be awareness-as there
increasingly is among housing leaders-that a
huge slum problem exists on the land.
The increase in city populations comes from
the country. The great American cities are
constantly receiving migrants from the rural
regions. If better housing is to serve a better
America, it must be provided in the rural re-
gions where the greatest ratio of children is
produced to be injured by bad housing or bene-
fitted by good.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-03-15
TEMPLE OF LEARNING

1t is devoutly to be wished that
our city fathers, who have been so
efficient in providing for the needs
of the public administration, will
find some for equipping
the Public Library, as it deserves.
The intellectual reputation of our
fair city is a stake. A community
the size Of Wilmington should by
all mean have such an excellent
resort, not so much for those who
while away the time with an &C.
casional novel, as a public neces-
sity for the intellectual culture of
the coming generation, and for ref
erence work among scholars. A Ii.
brary is a parliament Of knowledge
where the speakers reveal to the
world their best in the search for
truth. I confess to have suffered a
shock when the state Supreme
Court ruled that a library is not a
necessity. Such a learned body must
have qualified their decision in some
legal way. If no other means can
be found why not appeal to the
public, especially to the students
of the schools for nickles and dimes
to help the good cause? When you
visit the library kindly observe
how in a quiet corner the youth is
absorbed in learning what the
writer's of the world have to say.
EDWIN F. KEEVER.