davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Land For Government Use

In its preparations for rearmament the gov
ernment faces the necessity of acquiring large
tracts of land for great variety of industries
and concentrations. Air bases, army training
fields, cantonments, shipyards, munitions and
supply dumps in large numbers are an essen
|tial part of the defense program.
Naturally, all else being equal the govern
ment will turn to localities in selecting sites
that offer greatest cooperation and good will.
We may accept it as fact that communities
ready to give free use of land for defense
purposes during the military emergency which
now exists and probably will continue for some
years to come will find greatest favor at Wash
ington. Private industry follows this custom.
There is no reason to assume the government
will not do the same.
That this general view is held in Wilmington
is to be found in offers from several large
land owners of great tracts for defense with
out cost to the government the only provision
being that the tracts shall revert to the private
ownership when the defense emergency ends.
These tracts are admirably situated for use
as shipyards or cantonments the land already
stumped and readily reached by highways. Too
much credit cannot be accorded the men who
have come up to scratch without solicitation
and without promise of reward Theirs is the
kind of patriotism that puts to shame the other
sort. of which we had innumerable examples
in the first World war, which sought profit
in every transaction.
With their fine example before us it is not
inappropriate to suggest that other owners of
unused land would do themselves and their
county great good by making similar offers
The greater the acreage New Hanover county
is able to offer the government, the greater
the number of defense projects it will be
possible to bring in. It may be added that any
land so used inevitably will improve the value
of surrounding property and form the nucleus
for permanent improvements and larger popu-
lation.
New Hanover county is rich in land - good
land-the worth of which could be vastly in
creased as a result of any federal utilization
at this time To make it part Of the defense
program at no cost to government seems to
be patriotic duty, certainly patriotic privi-
lege, of the owners.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Editorial Comments
From Other Angles
IN DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES
New York Herald Tribune

Senator Pittman, the statesman who was in
spired in June to tell the British that since
their game was about up they might as well
surrender their island and send their fleet
across to help protect the United States, has
now been visited by a different inspiration. He
does not object, apparently, to making our
World War destroyers available to Great Brit
ain but he suggests that the deal be sweetened
by asking the British to 'Ttrade few battle
ships'' in return. To the Senator this may seem
shrewd proposal. To this newspaper it seems
perfect example of going at the whole busi-
ness from the wrong end.
If these destroyers are released to Great
Britain it can be for but one reason-and that
is simply and solely that they should render
their maximum service in the defense of the
United States. We are not selling them for
what we can get out of it. 1t is not question
of deal in which we will agree to help Great
Britain if Great Britain makes high enough
bid in return It would not be primarily to
help Great Britain at all that they would be
sent, but to help toward the safety and secur-
ity of this country, and that is something that
this paper believes, urgent national interest
demands their dispatch, then no deal could add
anything to the case for sending them.
Unless this much is clearly understood, the
whole proposal is bound to be misconceived,
and it seems unfortunate to give currency even
to the>suggestion that the destroyers could be
used as pawns to extort concessions from our
hard pressed friends The reaction in Great
Britain can easily be imagined, while it is un-
likely that the American public would respond
with enthusiasm to any such cynical use of its
property. And it is the more unfortunate that
this idea should be, even inadvertently, put
about because it will tend only to ruin any fu-
ture chances, not of coercing the British, but
of cooperating with them in what is at so
many points common problem.
There can be no question of bribing the Brit
ish with destroyers to do what they otherwise
would not do. But the urgency of the reasons
for sending these ships, in the interests of the
United States, does make plain the Importance,
to both countries, of common action in so far
neglected fields. This pasar has already en-
phasized the pressing need, for example, of a
treaty of mutual defense, with Canada-the
pressing need from the American point ofview.
The defense of Canada, the disposition of fleets
the means for holding the Western Hemis-
phere-au these are, in considerable measure,
problems common to the United States and
Great Britain, and they are common problems,
whether we like it or not The dispatch Of the
destroyers, effectively recognizing one COM
munity of interest, should lead to the more
prompt recognition of and adjustment of others.
But it will lead to nothing of the kind-indeed,
the destroyers will never be sent at all-if
this critical issue in the defense of the United
States is regarded nothing more than SUBJ
ject for horse trade. 4
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Unwise Legislation

The bill which Representative Lee of Cali
fornia announces will come up in the house
for passage within a few days, placing water
transport under the Interstate Commerce Com
! mission, ought to be defeated.
+. It is piece of pernicious legislation which
4 would benefit the railroads at the expense O.
water-borne commerce and inevitably close the
nations rivers and waterways to business
4 which has been built up at great expense over
ia long period of time.
7 There is no reason to doubt that once the
/; bill became law the same rate structure for
freight transport that prevails on rail lines
would be imposed upon the water carriers,
with result that all freight hauls would fall in
|: the railroads lap and the water lines 20 the
away of the doodlebug.
! The great network of inland waterway trans.
port, carefully nurtured by the government for
years. and serving vast areas in the United
States, would be done away with, the money
and time used in its construction and oper.
alton total loss.
In fairness to the waterways, MIR. Lees bill.
which has the Presidents endorsement instead
Of his condemnation, should be turned down
by the house. The North Carolina DELEGATION
is called upon to vote against it and to use the
full power of its influence to swell the vote
against it.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Food Surpluses

The prominence given in newspapers to the
warning of John Cudahy, American ambassa-
dor to Belgium, of famine in Belgium by
started renewal of discus
sions among commodity observers on the SUBJ
Ject of staple surpluses in the United States.
If peace could be restored and the way were
clear to make American food supplies avail
able to the European continent the surplus
stocks of the United States would go far to-
ward relieving any food shortage there. The
Bureau of Agricultural Economics has report
ed that in addition to taking care of domestic
needs and exports to other parts of the world
the United States could send Europe 100000.
GOO bushels Of wheat, 4OO,0o0,ooO bushels of
corn, 1OO.ooO,0o0 bushels of barley, 900 900
pounds of pork, 5oo oOoooo pounds of lard, $780,
100000 pounds of other edible fats, 100000
pounds OF dry beans and large quantities Of
fresh, dried and canned fruits and genetables.
Because one man decided he ought to be
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Great Migration OF Children
Nav Soon Land On y. S. Shores

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.-R-The
greatest migration of children in
the worlds history-several o d
greater than the children's cru
sades in the Middle Ages-s n
may be landing on the shores OF
the United States.
Legislators worked today to
speed the opening of this country's S
ports to boys and girls fleeing the
bombs and bullets of Europe's war
ring nations. It is estimated that
100000 may seek temporary haven
here.
The house immigration commit
tee assembled at an unusually ear
ly hour this morning to approve a
subcommittee compromise bill en-
abling European children under 16
to enter under temporary visitors
visas for two-year stay.
The senate today received legis-
lation, approved yesterday by the
house, to permit American ships to
enter European combat zones to
bring the children to this country
provided safe conduct was assured
by the belligerent nations.
Mrs. Susan Pulsifer of Bruns-
wick, Me-, active in the movement
to send these mercy ships, estimat-
ed before the house immigration
committee that this country h S
ships enough to bring $4,000 child
rem over each month. 4
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
New Parking Ordinance

1t would be well worth the while of all motor
lists to secure copies of the new city parking
ordinance and familiarize themselves with its
provisions not that there are many changes
in the old law but because few drivers of mo-
tor vehicles are acquainted even with the old
provisions and as result will more easily be
confused by such changes as have been made
in it.
An understanding of the parking regulations,
and strict observance of them, will be bene.
|fcial to everybody who drives autos. It will
help the police in their enforcement crusade
and make existence pleasanter for drivers who
will have no reason to get into difficulties
through ignorance.
Wilnington's parking problem grows more
acute all the time. The curb space available
for automobile berths makes it essential, in
the interest of fairness, for all parkers strict
ly to observe the time limit for parking in the
business district If all operators of motor
cars, all business men and shoppers, make it
their practice to move on when their parking
hour is up they will benefit other drivers seek
ing parking space.
1t may not always be convenient to move on
when time is up, but it should be done never
theless. Failure to do SO could cause others
great inconvenience, and that is always worth
avoiding. Better knowledge Of the city's park
ing regulations, coupled with ordinary court
esy, will take some of the more disagreeable
factors out Of the parking problem.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Holt A Nuisance

! Senator Rush Holt of West Virginia is still
senator of the United States. AS such he en-
joys the privileges that position carries with
it. He still has the right to be heard upon the
floor. But for all that, Senator Holt has been
repudiated by the voters of West Virginia. He
is in the senate merely because his term has
not expired-in other words, a lame duck. -
In such circumstances, retiring member Of
congress, both in the house and the senate,
usually observe a BETTING silence when con-
troversial issues are up, restrain their utter
ances to comments on the weather, and vote
according to the wishes of their constituency
Instead OF observing this custom Mr. Holt con-
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
BY KIRKE L. SIMPSON

While Italy presses her drive to
wrest the Suez Canal from British
control, Britain makes what may
be a counter move, in the form OF
a political gesture to Ind at once
the richest unit of the empire and
the most difficult problem for Lon
don to handle.
With India's $50, 900, 900 popula'
ton as a reservoir to draw on for
defense of the canal, the d d
against Italy's great adventure
would be weighed heavily against
Mussolini. That may be one
of the motives behind Britain's pro
ferring to India of new pledges o1
ultimate commonwealth status ane
immediate, active participation II
highest government councils in In
dia. Yet the gesture appears tc
have some other, and perhaps con
trolling motive, because any add
tional fighting strength Britain
hopes to gain from it could moi
affect the military situation II
Egypt and other parts Of Africa
for many months.
Other Factors
Obviously Britain counts on othe1
factors to hold Suez-on sea-power
experience in desert fighting, skill
in making effective military for
ces out of native troops of many
races and creeds and, above all
on the waterless sands of Egypt
Any Italian offensive must conquer
these sands to reach the canal.
The more a layman studies posi-
bilities of the Italian attack, the
more it becomes clear that tes
of sea power versus air power is
coming. 1t is only by air that Italy
can hope to supply her armies ane
get them forward decisively
against the out-numbered but firm
| llv-entrenched British defenders
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
REA JOBS in N. E.
GIVEN PRIORITY
slattery Says Attempt Being
Made To Stave Off Action
By Power Companies :.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 8.-'R-
The Rural Electriication Admins
tration gave priority to four North
Carolina projects today in an at
tempt, Director Harry slattery
said. "to stave off action by power
companies intended to wreck the
cooperatives by cutting off their
best territory through the construc-
ton of spite Ines.
The cooperatives received allot-
ments totaling $1,151, 1000 for lines
in Wake, Franklin, Granville,
Vance, Durham, Surry, Stokes,
Yadkin, Forsyth, Duplin, Lenoir,
Johnston, Wilson, Wayne, Bladen,
Cumberland and Sampson counties.
Slattery said the cooperatlves
''are trying to bring service to
areas which the power companies
have for years failed to serve"
"Even today the utilities have no
intention Of serving all the far
mers', he added in a statement.
Instead, they are cutting up the
cooperatives' territory with short
spite lines. If this is not stopped
it will prevent many of them from
ever receiving electric service"
Slattery also announced 1923, 600
had been allotted to a fifth North
Carolina cooperative in Hoke coum.
ty, where he said farmers h d
tried unsuccessfully to get service
from the Carolina Power and Light
company.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Star-News Program

Consolidated CttyConnty Government
under CouncilMdnd0cr Administrator
Public Port Terminals.
Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving
and Marketing Facilities.
Arena for Sports and Industrial
Shoaus.
Seaside Highray from Wrightsv'l!e
Beach to Bdld Head Island.
Extension OF CITY Limits.
S5-Foot Cape Fear River channel 1otd,
er Turning Basin, aoith ship lanes into
industrial sites along Eastern bank
south OF Wilmington.
Poved River Road to Southport, vta
Orton Plantation.
Development OF Pulp Wood Prodnc
ton through sustdtned-yield methods
Throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
United Industrial and Resort Pro
motionol Agency. supported BY one.
countrywide tar.
Shipydrds and Drydock.
Negro Health Center Tor Southeastern
North Carolina, developed around tho
Community Hospital.
Adequate hospital facilities for sohites.
Juntov High Schools
Tobacco Warehouse for Export Buyers.
Development OF .attvs grape 0ro1odn0
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Modern Tuberculosis Eanatorium.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
OSCAR GRANT PARSLEY,

Oscar Grant Parsley, 80, died July
80 in a hospital at Grayling, Mich
of a heart attack suffered at his sum
mer home on Higgins Lake, near
Grayling. Funeral service were held
Friday afternoon in st. Louis, Mo.
He is survived by his wife, Mrs.
Anna M. Parsley. two daughters
Miss Amanda Mutt Parsley and Miss
Cleo M. Parsley. of st. Louis; one
sister, Mrs. Walter Rutland, and one
brother, r. A. Parsley, Of Whining
ton.
Mr.. Parsley was born in Whining
ton, the eldest son Of Oscar Grant
and Amanda Mutt Parsley. At an
early age, he began his career in that
city with the general offices of the
old Carolina Central Railroad, now
Seabord Air Line railway, later going
to Memphis. Tenn, with the now
Frisco System. In 1920, he went with
the Missouri-Pacific Lines at st.
Louis, Mo-, and as traffic manager
of that system, was retired December
81, 1887, retaining his home in st.
Louis.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
OBITUARIES
JOSEPH B. SHEPARD

Funeral services for Joseph B.
Shepard, 69-year-old carpenter, of
217 North Fourth street, W h O
dropped dead apparently of a heart
attack while walking on Fifth, be.
tween Nun and Chestnut streets,
yesterday morning about 10 o'clock,
will be held from the Yopp funeral
home this afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
DR.. c. H. Storey will conduct the
services. Interment will follow in
the Topsail Presbyterian church
cemetery.
Active pallbearers will be: S. W.
etchum, j. W. Huffman, r. c.
Russ, c. e. Mason, G. H. Brinson,
and T. C. Rhodes. Honorary pail
bearers will be: D. L. Sewell, DR..
Ernest Bullock, DR.. r. B. Rodman
and A. J. Asendorf.
He is survived by one sister,
Mrs. R. H. Moore, of Pleasant Hill;
one niece, Bergis Shepard, Of Will
mington; and two nephews, ]. S.
Shepard, of Wilmington, and r. H.
Moore, of Pleasant Hill.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
ITALIANS KlLlEn
IN PLANT BLAST,
80 Lose Lives And Man,
Injured In Muniition
Factory Explosions

ROME, Aug. s.-lR-Two y,
planned explosions killed 20 WI uleS'
ers and injured hundreds mor. nOIS
day in the Tiatenza M,,uie Uie o.
works near Genoa as Itaran r''Ye' as
cials hailed successes in the ,.l u:l'
can campaign. '''''
The munitions plant was ,,n,.
demolished by the separate i.,.s b,a.s
that caused some destruction ,8S.s u
nearby barracks and broke vi,
dows throughout the vicinity "-'
High officials left Rome h.s.,
to investigate. ''N!
Authorities quickly orgsr;,,,
first aid and began clearing -'s sn,ss
the debris within a short tims 10y -
er the blasts ended. MY
Meanwhile, officials here s,,,
antly claimed that the Italian 'Sss' osa
ture of the British Somiland rap, nsp.
of leila had opened the war pV.' =.
a consolidation of the Brits b.,s "
French Somalilands under F,soa. ,at'.
arms for an attack on Alden. Br,' W.T.
aims protectorate 14O miles acrn,
the gulf of that name.
The incorporation of tbs,,
French and British areas with It,'
ian East Africa, it was declarss
would give Italy a 2,5OO-mile cor' wv
tinuous coastline along the Rsa
Sea, the Gulf of Alden and tbe N.
dian ocean. ,
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Wings Over Jordan To
Be Presented Tonight

"Wings Over Jordan celebrated
group of IS negro artists, will ap-
pear at the Williston school audi
torium tonight at S:15 o'clock un
der the auspices of religious and
fraternal groups of the city.
The Rev. Glenn T. Settle, pastor
of Gethsemane Baptist church in
Cleveland, Ohio, the originator o1
"Wings Over Jordan will appear
with the group, which is under
the direction of Worth Kramer.
Soloists with "Wings Over Jor-
DAM are Paul Breckenridge and
Albert Meadows, tenors; Olive
Thompson and Martha Spearman
sopranos and Willette. Firmbanks,
contralto.
Accommodations have been made
for both white and colored patrons.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
252ND REGIMENT
READY FOR CALL
Continued From Page One)

Continued From Page One)
colonel said, have led national
guard officers to believe that it is
coming"
Included in the bill passed by the
senate yesterday was a provision
that men who have wives or chill
dren dependent upon their salaries
Tor subsistence may be allowed to
resign. Col. McClelland said he
thought it was unwise to allow
too much freedom in designations.
The men,he said, have been paid
and trained as specialists in mill
tary strategy and it would not be
right to allow them to resign the
first time they are called upon for
service"
However, he colonel said, it is
not probable there will be much
difficulty about designations.
He brought OUT that if the units
are moved, they will likely carry
their equipment in its entirety, in
cluding all guns and equipment.
Problem
One of the greatest problems Of
transportation will be the moving
of Battery AS big gun from Viii
mington to Fort Moultrie. The gun
and prime mover (truck used for
pulling the gum weight more than
20 tons, and there are many roads
and bridges, particularly bridges,
between here and the South Caro-
lima camp incapable of bearing
such a load.
There are several bridges be-
tween Wilmington and the South
Carolina line having maximum
loads Of six to 10 tons.
In conclusion, the colonel said he
was sure they (the heads of the
United States army know some
thing. We don't know what it is
they know, but you can bet they
know something we DON'T 8
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Interpreting The War
British sea power balks any other
form of offensive.

British sea power balks any other
form of offensive.
Presumably Italy can throw the
bulk of her air force into the fight
and achieve numerical superior
ity as great, or possibly greater,
than that which Germany is able
to mass for the long-delayed attack
on England. The Italian ground at
tack as it has developed SO far
on the Libyan-Egyptian front and
in British Somaliland, is brushed
aside by military experts as a
mere preliminary for mass Italian
air action to come.
Experimentation
There are authentic reports OF
extensive Italian experimentation
for just the sort of attack to be ex-
pected. Neutral observers in TIA.
ian-held territory witnessed exten-
sive parachute maneuvers there
several years ago, when that type
of warfare was still a military nov.
city,.
It well may be by such means
that the Italian high command
plans to pave the way for the slow
advance of ground columns, or to
surprise British garrisons on vital
bases. Informed military men say
tank warfare, or mechanical
''blitzkrieg'' in any form, is incon.
ceivable in such desert terrain,
with temperatures running to 12O
degrees in the shade.
1t is by air routes, therefore, that
Italy must hope to supply h e r
troops across the Mediterranean
and to transport them swiftly over
the deserts of Egypt. It is mass
Italian air attack on the British
fleet baess that holds the great
est discernible threat to British
mastery of the Eastern Mediter.
ranean. With those bases bombed
out of existence, British heavy
ships would be in a serious plight.
The Wilmington morning star., 1940-08-09
Cape Fear Artillery
To Ornqnize Reserve.

+ Plans were discussed last night
at the monthly meeting Of the
Cape Fear Artillery for the organ.
ization Of members of the reserve
corps to take over the affairs OF
the, unit in the event the National
Guard is called into active service.
Capt. James E. Holton, Jr., said
that no definite plans were made,
fut If and when the active mem
Gers Of the unit are called into
training that the reserve members
IN the city will form an organiza-
ton to carry on while they are
away.