davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
The Hope OF The World

NEARLY 20 centuries ago a babe was born
in Western Asia. He lived only 80 years. He
never went to college. He never Travelled as
much as 200 miles from the place of his
birth. He never owned a pair of shoes or a
suit of clothes. He never established a system
of government. Yet his life has had a more
profound influence on the people of all the
earth than all kings and rulers who ever
lived, and all the armies that have marched
or fought since the beginning of time. The
Christ, born at Bethlehem. over 1900 years
ago, is the one and only hope of the world"
This paragraph heads the current bulletin
of the Kiwanis club. It needs no CONNER
here, nor could we embellish it. While a
secular press is, under ordinary circum-
stances, not a proper place for religious re-
Election or discussion, we feel no need to
apologize for r%eprinting it. On the contrary,
it is peculiarly appropriate to direct the minds
Of Star readers to the profound truth that
Christ, indeed, is the hope of the world.
In this time of distress it is fitting to think
deeply of spiritual things.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Editorial Comment
Tobacco Acreage

hdIclSH NEWS anu observer
With or without production control, tobacco
growers are faced with a continued reduction
in acreage planted in tobacco. That ~inescap-
able fact is realized by all thoughtful growers.
an overwhelming majority of whom prefer
that II there is to be control that it be brought
about IN an orderly manner under the SUPER
vision OF the Federal government rather than
through the disorderly and disastrous method
OF starvation prices resulting from over-pro-
duction.
There are two reasons for believing that it
will be a long time before the world tobacco
market will absorb a crop of the record-break-
ing size of the 1889 crop, which was the last
uncontrolled crop. Markets have been curtail-
ed substantially by conditions abroad result
ing from the war. That market may be re-
stored, in whole or in part, in the future, but
the pauperizing effect of war will necessarily
be reflected in the demand for tobacco and
all other luxuries for some years to come.
The other reason for believing that tobacco
acreage must be reduced for many years to
come is the fact that yield per acre has been
increased greatly in recent years. The extent
of that increase is shown by production fig
ures for 1910. This year the yield in North
Carolina was 2 per cent, greater than the
average yield for the past ten years, despite
the fact that in 1910 the number of acres
planted in tobacco was 20 per cent less than
the average number for the same ten-vear
period.
This is the time of year when plans ,re
being made for the coming crop. Thro,1oh
the action OF more than 80 per cent of tbe
growers themselves, tobacco acreage will he
reduced substantially, and in a uniform man
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Roosevelt To Speak

President Roosevelt's custom of periodical
ly taking the country into his confidence has
been severely censured by political antago-
nists, but has always been valued highly by
the American masses. By this means the Chief
Executive has set up a friendly relationship
which has never failed to do the people as
much good as he has gained, politically or
otherwise.
For this reason the people of the country
welcome the announcement that Mr.. Roose-
welt will again be on the air next Sunday and
give an accounting of the defense setup and
an outline of administration plans for aid to
Britain short of war.
There has been much confused thought con-
corning defense. Many people have an idea
that it was begged down, and it is true that
production has not kept pace with desire. Be-
cause we have wanted to place Great Britain
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Recreation Center

In selecting the vacant property at Fourth
and Princess for a recreation center for Sol.
diers at the Wilmington anti-aircraft base, the
city and county administration and the Will
mington Defense Council showed clear under.
standing of the need for a central location
near the business and entertainment district,
the hotels, restaurants-the center of the city's
life.
With such a hall as it is planned to erect
on this city property, the men coming to
Holly Ridge for defense training will have a
headquarters while on leave where they may
conduct many forms of entertainment for
themselves, where the people of Wilmington
may give dances and other social events in
their honor, where they may lounge in COM
fort, have purchases delivered, and in gen.
eral make themselves at home. There will
be games, of course, and soft drinks and
tobacco, magazines, daily papers,, even candy
and other knick-knacks, and a hostess to see
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25

th.+ euerv man is comfortable and to main
tain q good moral atmosphere.
The selection Of this site for the center IS
no more commendable, however, than the de
cision to proceed with construction promptly
with the purpose of having everything ready
when the first contingent of troops arrives.
The center will gain in value and service
if all transportation between Holly Ridge and
Wilmington, except by rail, is routed to pass
it. BY this means it will become IN actual
fact a 'center'' for the boys whom we want,
above all things, to look upon Wilmington as
a second home.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25

To The Star:
I wish to express to you and
your publications, a d through
YOUR columns to the public, sin
cere thanks for the cooperation
and courtesy which has been
shown to the Wilmington post Of
flee during the Christmas rush OF
business in 1910.
Through the press, the schools,
posters, ETC., the public has been
requested to mail early" and the
result is that on this Christmas
Eve all of the mail in the post Of
flee is current and none held over
for delivery except as delayed by
today's trains.
The mailings for Wilmington
reached an all-time high this
year., and we r very proud OF
the record which has been made
which record and achievement
would have been impossible with
out the cooperation of h e pub
lic-the schools-the various civic
organizations and the press.
Permit me as representing the
entire personnel of the Whining
ton post office to express apprecla-
ton for the cooperation given
and to wish each and every clti-
zen of our city a very Merry
Christmas.
w. R. DOSHER,
Postmaster.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25

planned. All you had to do was re-
member where the pieces stood
and to have a picture of the board
in your mind. That's every last
single thing there was to It, really.
This department owes 81 Kess-
Ter, a New York chemist and an
executive of the Carioca Rum COM
Ipany, a new hat. It happened
like this. About a year "go, at a
Christmas party, he told us he was
trying to figure out a way to put
eggnogs in bottles, with the spice,
the eggs, the milk, and everything
else already in them.
We told him he was certainly
crazy, as we had once tasted an
imported bottled. eggnog, which
was pretty awful, and he S a i d.,
well, I'll bet you a new hat 1
do it."
Sure, we bet him, and forgot
all about it. Yesterday we ducked
into that restaurant across h e
street from this office, at 50th and
Rockefeller Plaza, for lunch, and
had hardly settled before a waiter
politely set a foaming cup in front
Of us. TRY this" he suggested,
good for the appetite" 1t was a
sip Of eggnog and we accepted it
gratefully, murmuring all sorts of
thanks. Don't thank me-" he said,
tits from a friend of yours" We
looked u pto find Kessler, a wolf
ish grin on his face, saying soft
ly, my hat size is seven and one
quarter, and nothing under $40 will
do" Think what an awful fix we'd
be in if the stakes had been a
suit of clothes. .
=
Which leaves us just space
enough to ask the daffiest ques-
ton of the week. What do you
think the mayonnaise said to the
housewife when she opened the
.cebox door?
The mayonnaise said: "Shut the
door-1'm dressing"
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25

doesn't seem like 10, exactly, but
Plumfield has It's old charm5-and
Oakie's comic talents are still in
full stride. There's enough senti-
ment for the Alcott fans, but Nor
man. McLeod's direction hap
PLY emphasizes comedy. Interest
ing d%ebutante: Elsie, the COW. .
THE Son of Monte Cristo."
Louis Hayward, Joan Bennett.
George Sanders.
il : like his old man, climbing
nalconles, fencing, swashbuckling,
tnWartlng villainies and oh, yes,
winning the girl. Hayward mas
querades as a Top by day (see
The Mar kof Zorro" to cover his
nocturnal heroics.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Man About Manhattan
By GEORGE TUCKER

NEW YORK, Dec. a. G d
Hill, a New York newspaper man,
was telling me about an experience
a friend of his had in a Turkish
bath. This friend was steaming
away in his box, with only his
head. sticking out, when the fellow
in the box next to him, a foreigner,
suddenly inquired, "You play
chess?"
Sure" said Hills friend.
Want to play a gamer"
"Okay."
"Wen,' said the foreigner, ARE
you ready?"
Am I ready" cried the fellow,
"What'n we use for a board?"
I'VE don't need a board" re-
turned the foreigner quietly.
"Okay," but Hills friend was
awfully puzzled.
Ill move first" the foreigner
said, lis that all right 18th your"
"Of course" came the dazed re-
ply.
WELL" said the foreigner, II
move the kings pawn"
At this point Hills friend broke
down and confessed that he was
unused to playing tournament
chess when all but his ears were
submerged in a steam bath. But
the foreigner, who seems to have
been something of a fanatic on the
subject, could visualize the play
perfectly. He wasn't kidding. He
frequently played games with his
trends by telephone or merely
while riding about in an automo-
bile. It was very simple, he ex-
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Wilhelmina And Haakon
Send Yule Messages HON

LONDON, Dec. 24,-B-Tw
coyal expatriates, Queen Wihe,
nina of The Netherlands and Kin.
Haakon of Norway, sent messages
Of hope and sympathy tonight t
the people of their German.occu
pied lands.
I'VE can now face the future
with growing hope and conf,
dence," Queen Wilhelmina told The
Dutch. Il pray the Lord that il
spite of everything which this year
might make it SO very difficult
for you to celebrate the SACRED
day in the true spirit Of Christ
mas, it will nevertheless be a real
Christmas for you in the most pro
found sense"
Haakon, talking of his 'great
sorrow at being unable TO cee
brate Christmas at home, said;
What is most painful for me !
the unarmed Civil war now going
on in Norway" He added:
Let Christmas this ear more
than ever before be a family feast
to strengthen family tier and unity
between all Norwegians and give
further impetus to the liberation d
our country" 4
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Star-News Program

Consolidated City-County Government
under CounctlManager Administration.
Public Port Terminals.
Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving
and Marketing Facilities.
Arena for Sports n Industrial ShoUs.
Seaside Highway from Wrightsvi1le
Beach to Bald Head Island.
Extension of City Limits.
35-Foot Cape Fear River channel, pid.
er Turning Basin, with ship lanes into
industrial sites along Eastern bank south
OF Wilmington.
Paved River Road to Southport, vio
Orton Plantation.
Development OF Pulp Wood Production
through sustained-yield methods through
out Southeastern North Carolina.
Unified Industrial and Resort Promo
tiomal Agency, supported BY one county
pide tao.
Shipyards M Drydocks.
Negro Health Center for Southeastern
North Carolina, developed around the
Community Hospital.
adequate hospital .iNties for aohites.
Junior High School,.
Tobacco Warehouse for Export Buyers.
Development OF native grape 0ro11in0
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Modern Tuberculosis SdndtoriNm.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
-Four New Freighters
To Be Built At Mobile

MOBILE, Ala, Dec. 24.-RL
The gulf of shipbuilding corpora
ton here will begin work within
a few weeks on four 9,600-ton
freighters for h Waterman
Steamship Corporation, under a
contract awarded today by the u.
S. Maritime. commission.
The ships, which will replace
five vessels Waterman bought
earlier this year from the COM.
mission and resold, will be built
at the Chickasaw plant here at
an estimated cost of SIP, 600. 600.
Gulf also has a contract for four
destroyers, to cost $32, 400, 900, on
which construction will begin in
January.
The Chickasaw ways, idle since
1920, r being prepared for the
resumption of shipbuilding here
as rapidly as possible at a cost of
approximately {, 1000, 900. More
than 800 men are engaged in the
rehabilitation program.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
There Is A n Claus

Virginia was a wee girl whose faith in Santa
Claus was put to a heavy strain by her olde1
companions. She wrote to the editor Of tn
New York Sun to learn what he knew abou
it. In reply, this kindly soul who, in all thing
else sat in the seat of the scornful, wrote al
editorial which has never yet failed to toucl
the hearts of all who read it. AS is our custom
we reprint it this morning, that doubters ant
%scoffers of whatever age may purge thei
minds of the sophistry that Santa Claus is
myth. This editor wrote:
Virginia:
Your little friends are wrong. They have
been affected by the skepticism Of a skep-
teal age. They do not believe except what
they see. They think that nothing can be
which is not comprehensive to their little
minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they
be mems or children's, are little. In this
great universe of ours, man is a mere
insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared
with a boundless world about him, as
measured by the intelligence capable of
grasping the whole of truth and know
ledge.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
He exists as certainly as love and gener-
osity and devotion exist, and you know
they abound and give to your life its high
est beauties and joys. Also, how dreary
would be the world if there were no Santa
Claus. 1t would be as dreary as if there
were no Virginia. There would be no child
like faith then, no poetry, no romance to
NAL. tolerable this existance. We should
have no enjoyment except in sense and
light. The eternal light which child-like
fills the world, would be ~extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus? You might
as well not believe in fairies! You might
get your papa to hire men to watch all
the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch
Santa Claus coming down. What would
that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but
that is no sign there is no Santa Claus.
The most real things in the world are
those that neither children nor men can
see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on
the lawn? OF course not, but that's no
proof that they are not there. Nobody can
conceive or imagine all the wonders that
are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You tear apart the baby's rattle and see
what makes the noise inside, but there is
a veil covering the unseen world which
not the strongest man, nor even the united
strength of all the strongest men that ever
lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy,
poetry, love, romance, can push aside that
curtain and view and picture the supernal
beauty and glory beyond. Is it real? All,
else as real and abiding.
No Santa Claus? Thank God, he lives,
and he lives forever. A thousand years
from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten
thousand years from now, he will continue
to make glad the heart of childhood.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25

ner for the next three years. But
thoughtful farmers will realize that
there must be reduction of some
sort for a much longer period than
three years, and will make their
plans accordingly.
At a recent convention in Dur
ham it was disclosed that 95 per
cent of all eggs and poultry sold
in Durham r produced outside
of North Carolina. In a general
way, the same condition applied
to dairy products and to all forms
OF livestock. Now is the time for
some long-range planning on this
question. Land formerly used for
tobacco will be available for other
purposes for a number of years to
come. That land should be used in
an intelligent manner.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
TOP o. THE

Today the earth lies hNshed and White,
The crimson berries shine;
But it is Christmas in MY heart
Because the Christ is mine.
oh, World, in vain the Dhite drifts fall,
In vain gour halls are TRIM;
There is no Christmas anywhere,
Unless men turn to Him.
HELEN FRAUEE-BOWER.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Williamson Is Made
S. e. Highway Chic

COLUMBIA, S. c., Dec. A-f
j. S. Williamson, chief Sla'
highway engineer, was made cnls
highway commissioner today i
succeed Ben M. Sawyer, who ns
been chief commissioner iron
1926 until his accidental dea4
Sunday.
The announcement was MADE 0
G.. c. Chandler, commisslon chal
man, after a brief meeting Oh l'
commissioners, most Of whoI
were here for the Sawyer fufeI''
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
Hollywood
Sights And Sounds
BY Robin Coons.

HOLLYWOOD Dec. a.
"The Philadelphia Story"
Screenplay by Donald Ogden
Stewart from Philip Barry's
play. Directed by George Cuk-
or. Principals: Katharine Hep
burn, Cary Grant, James Ste
wart, Ruth Hussey, John Ho-
ward, John Halliday, Roland
Young, Mary Nash, Virginia
Weidler.
Made from the play in which
the persistent Miss Hepburn con-
founded her Broadway critics, this
is the movie which now has Holly
wood tumbling over itself for the
Hepburn favor.
It's a rare piece of movie, be-
sides-an abundance of ''box-of-
flee cast" in a big" picture not
conscious of its tigness, in a
Smart comedy not too smart to
be human, in a picture Gin SHORTY
that is just about the years most
satisfying piece of cctainment.
The Philadelphia Story'-the
one that Reporter Stewart a n d
Photographer Hussey of Spy
Magazine" crash Hepburn's main
line Society home to ~-t-concerns
the coming second marriage of the
resolutely opinionated youno wo-
man who doesn't know that she's
the occupant of a mental ivory
tower.
Abetting the crash is Grant, the
first husband, tried and found def
initely wanting-by ivory tower
Z: ..andards. BY the fade-out, Hep
burn has climbed down from her
tower on a chain o. complications,
always amusing and freqently
hilarios, always embroidered
pleasantly with keen, bright Bar
ry dialodgue.
Star arriving: Miss Hussey, pre-
viously seen in Susan and God"
"Trail of the Vigilantes."
Screenplay by Harold Shu-
mate. Directed by Allan Dwan.
Principals: Franchot Tone,
Warren william, Broderick
Crawford, Andy Devine, Mis-
cha Auer, Porter Hall, Peggy
Moran.
Watch for this one if you'd like
a change from the usual wild west
thriller. It has all the ingredients
plus pungent satire, spread on
so nicely that those who prefer to
take it straight" may have it that
way. At their loss, of course Fast
and funny.
"Comrade x" Clark Cable. il,
Hedy Lamar. Directed by
King Vidor.
Ideals" of Russia take a beat
ing again, more broadly than in
"Ninotchka" but also with more
adventurous notes. In this tale of
an American reporter in Moscow
and his Soviet girl, there are
funny lines and situations, excite
ment, and a preposterous finish
involving a wild mess of Russian
tanks, Hedy, incidentally, has her
most animated role. Felix Bres-
cart, Akin Tamiroff, Eve Arden.
Little Men," Jack Oakie,
Kay Francis, Jimmy Lydon,
George Bancroft, Charles Es-
m0nd. Ann ellis
Louisa May Alcott wouldn't
RECONCILE the story. Kay Francis
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25
The Editors
Letter Box

The editor does not necessarily
endorse any article appearing in
This department. They represent the
views Of the individual readers. Cor
resnondents are warned that all
communications must contain the
correct name and address for our
records, though the latter may De
signed as the writer sees ut. Inc
Star-News reserves the right to alter
any text that for any reason is OBJ
%iectionable. Letters on controversial
subjects will not be published.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-12-25

Checking San Isabel national
forest in Colorado, the U. S. for
est service estimated there were
ID, 500 prairie dogs on 1900 acres
and $4,000 gophers on 300 acres.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-13

quire that they stick to the general formula
1t is the further opinion OF the same ioik tnat
80 long as war orders are on a nigniy seiec.
tive basis and are financed by curtailment OF
purchases Of general goods war oroers ~i1
bolster a few businesses in this country and
depress agriculture and other broad businesses.
It is the preferred opinion, too, that the big
reason why Allied purchases are str1ctIy seiec'
tive Is that the present arrangement REQUIRES
the Allies to pay cash on the barrel mead ZOE
whatever they buy. and they. seeing tnat tney
have to buy certain things Of US and can buy
other things from others on less exaetlng
terms, are buying Of US what others cannot
supply and buying Of us less OF the things TO DE
had elsewhere.
Hence, it is no surprise to the reasoning OBJ
server that there is developing a tendency 70
re.appraise the cash on the barrel head and no
nr;-ate loans premise embraced some months
back.
The move to re.appraise is more or less
under cover thus far, OF course, ana those VINO
mention it do so indirectly, or through the
question method. But more and more WASH.
ineton dispatches intimate that the question OF
permitting private loans to the Allies is being
explored, there, more by Independent congress
sional sroups than in authoritative admins
tration quarters.
Private loans, some are saying, would not
tie US any closer to the war OF the Allies, but
would alleviate the financial situation which
inclines the Allies to buy less agriculture prod
ucts in order to free cash to buy planes and
essential war materials. And If the Allies were
granted private loans they not only could but
would buy more freely Of agriculture products
and many things they are not now buying in
this country.
Why then. it is being whispered. shouldn't
we employ some of our idle credit reserve BY
extending loans that would not involve US In
the war bue would stimulate business by at
tracing orders not to be had without said
loans?
That question, we are satisfied, is going to
become a live controversial one ere long and
is going to have to be answered, if the war
continues beyond the summer. And 1t Is not
too soon for the people to start thinking about
what the answer should be. 1t is going to be
loans, we think, but whether it is or isn't,
all Of US ought to ponder it while there Il
time,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-13
LET THE TRACKS GO

WE like to talk about Front street. For one
W reason, because it is the heart Of the
city's economic life. Fer another, because
it looks 80 much better minus car tracks and
with new pavement. .
By a not unfamiliar optical delusion, it
seems wider. OF course it is not. The distance
between curbs is the same as before. But it
traversed by steel rails.
Now comes the rumor, with increasing
echoes, that buses are to replace the trolley
line to the beach. The Tide Water Power
company has had the change in mind for
some time. No time has been set for the sub
stitution, but little birds are whispering all
over town that perhaps the day is not far
distant. AS a progressive step in transporta-
ton it is to be hoped that it will come soon.
The trolley car is an outmoded- vehicle, sur
viving here and there only because operating
companies have not found it convenient to
get rid of it. 1t is gratifying to know that
its last link with the past is to be broken in
Wilmington.
When the day comes, when modern buses
take the place of cumbersome cars, the city
will be alert to its duty If it Immediately re-
moves the tracks on Princess and repaves
the street. With Front street as an example
of the benefits accruing from such a project,
delay would be inexcusable.
Tracks down the middle Of a street have
no place in an up-andcoming city, especially
when they are no longer used. Once buses
take up the job on Princess street they should
be ripped up pronto. And a paving project
launched with equal promtness.