davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Washington Daybook
By JACK STINNETT

WASHINGTON, March ia speaker at a
recent session of the Northeastern Dairy Con-
ference suggested that conscientious objectors
and prisoners of war, if any are ever sent
here-be put to work on farms and thus help
relieve the threatened shortage of agricul-
tural labor.
AS things stand right now, this gentleman
probably would find it easier to gear alien
prisoners than American conscientious objec-
tors to this part of our war production ma
chinery. That is, if the objectors didn't want
to do it.
The reason is that the so-called Geneva
Convention of 1929 clearly states that Bel
ligerents may utilize the labor of able pris-
oners of war; Except officers), whereas the
Selective Service Act rarroWs that down to
work of national Importance in the case
of conscientious objectors
So far, work of national Importance has
been interpreted to mean large-scale conser-
walton and land reclamation jobs-'just about
the same work the CCC does," as one Sc
lective Service official explained it to me.
That kind of work is done with the gov
ernment as employer. The Geneva Conven.
ton allows prisoners to be farmed out to
private employers Right now the agencies
concerned are scanning the idea of putting
conscientious objectors to work private
farms, but it's not quite clear what can be
DONE 1t may take new legislation. Even So
there are only about 1900 objectors in the
25 government camps at this time, and thai
wouldn't be much help in case of a real
farm labor shortage.
AS far as is known, Japan is the only
country holding any American prisoners Gas
distinguished from interned civilians). japan
| is not among the II nations that ratified the
Geneva Convention, but Tokyo has notified
| this country through the International Rec
Cross, which sponsored the Convention, thai
| it will live up to it-and it's a pretty safe
| bet it will, because if it violates its promise
Nippon is taking the chance that we will
reply in kind.
The U. S. has informed Japan by the Rec
Cross route that we will observe the agree
ment, which we (and Germany and italy, die
ratify.
The Convention is an interesting document
It requires that prisoners food and Twins
quarters be as good 'for troops at bast
camps of the OBTAINING power and tha
they be generally 'humanely treated and pro
| tected."
AS for labor it provides that prisoners no
be required to work longer hours than ci
villains doing the same work, that thew b,
paid wages fixed by agreements between
the belligerents'' and that they not be com
PEELED to do unhealthful >or dangerous work
The International Red Cross, in Geneva
Switzerland acts as clearing house for let
Z ters and packages for prisoners, but camps
are inspected by representatives of neutra
countries. Swiss ministers inspect camps fo
the U. S., Germany md Italy. Japan ha
placed her affairs in the hands of Spanish
ministers.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Sirens On Telephones

Helsinki has new method Of spreading air
raid alarms. 1t is to attach a siren to every
telephone. All that is necessary is for a des.
ignated warden to press single Lutton and
every telephone in Helsinki will blare its un.
mistakable warning
This would be effective unless the ctv's
telephone system were put out of commission
in advance of raid, an act within the sphere
of Fifth Columnists. Barring this, the system
seems to fit the need better than any that ha:
thus far come to light in America.
In conjunction with few outdoor sirens fol-
the benefit OF persons lacking telephone serv
ice, it ought to be fully effective.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
New Nazi Battleship

It may be due to a censorship leak, or ever
to the Nazi lust for boasting. In any event il
has become known that the 35,000-ton Ger
man battleship Graf Zeppelin has been com.
missioned and is now stationed at Nordfjord
Norway This is the fourth battleship con.
structed under Hitler's 1886 naval program
Started in 1889, the Graf Zeppelin carries
eight 15-inch guns and twelve 5.9-inch guns
From the same source, a brief dispatch
from Berne, it is learned that the Scharnhorst
and the Gnesenau and the cruiser Prnz Eu.
gen are also in Norwegian waters, at Trond-
helm, undergoing repairs after running the
gauntlet in Dover strait.
When spring finally arrives, and while Hit
ler is making his all-or-nothing drive in Rus
sia and the Japanese are meeting new sue
cesses or being beaten in the Orient, it is OBJ
vious that the Atlantic will be third major
battle area with the Nazis employing these
powerful vessels in conjunction with her air
force and U-boats to close its lanes to United
Nations transport.
How well prepared the United States and
Britain are to meet this onslaught will be re-
vealed, we may assume, in a short time.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
A German In Charge

The story is told of chaplain with the
American forces in the Philippines who was
captured in the early fighting on Luzon ano
was put first in a concentration camp ano
later to work helping repair a bridge wrecked
during the retreat to Bataan. This chaplain
with few other prisoners, escaped and made
his way to the American forces by devious
routes after great suffering and is now with
General Macarthur.
He says that the man directing repairs at
the bridge is German, recognized as a for
mer resident of Manila, that he wears Jap.
anese uniform, and the Jap engineer pre-.
sumably in charge of the job takes orders
from him.
Just another Of the ties that bind Berlin and
Tokyo. Just another reason why Macarthur
must get the support he needs to drive the
japanese and their German aides into the
sea.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Thieving U-Boats

Enemy submarines are declared on reliable
authority to have halted fishing boats off the
Georgia coast, stolen their gasoline and oil
and left them flat at sea after making off
with the loot.
On par with stealing pennies from child.
this action on the part of enemy U-boat com.
manders is significant.
Is Germany using small submarines in the
Atlantic, as this would indicate, and if she is
where are the boats based? Fishing boats that
operate off the Georgia coast do not carry q
large supply of gasoline and oil. What they dc
carry could not spark submarines motors
for any long period of time or enable it tt
travel a long distance. If the thieving was
done as reported, it must be obvious that the
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
AS Others Say 1t
BETTER CO.ORDINATION
NEEDED

Despite the setting up of a Brit
ish-American war strategy board in
Washington, frequent conferences
between Messrs. Churchill ant
Roosevelt, the establishment of {
United Command in the Far East,
and other evidences of a mutua
desire to get together on the ways
and means of winning the war, the
Allies still appear to be without g
completely co-ordinated working
plan.
Thus the Free French forces, with
the sanction of Britain but without
the foreknowledge of the United
States, seized the Vichy islands OF
Miquelon and st. Pierre in this
hemisphere.
Thus the British air force at
tackled military objectives in Paris,
an act which our State department
feared would cause Vichy to flop
completely into the arms of Hitler.
Thus an English reporter appar.
entity revealed an important military
secret regarding the flow of Ameri
can troops and equipment to the
Far East.
Thus from London recently came
story revealing the development
of an American supply base in the
Near East. This story had beer
scrupulously kept out of American
newspapers at the request of the
government.
These conflicts, especially those
relating to the release of news, in.
dubitably are purely accidental. Bu1
they ought not to happen. On the
larger issues having to do with the
formulation and execution of mill
tary plans, there ought to be TIL,
closest sort Of coordination and sin
gleness of purpose.
A nation like Germany or Japa1
in fighting a coalition of powers al
ways has the initial advantages o.
unified command and singleness ol
aim and strategy. TO match the.s
advantages is difficult at best. Tt
lumber along without full agreemen
on strategy, tactics and general co
| ordination of all matters relating tt
the war and its conduct could prove
-Winston-Salem Journal.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
The Literary Guidepost

not evenly distributed-some com.
munities suffer very badly, d
from these we occasionally hear
complaints. But some suffer more
indirectly, and do not even know
they are being MIXED.
The crux of the whole thing is,
he indicates, the change-over from
frontier farming to modern farm
ing. Mr.. McWilliams is not con-
vlnced that subsistence farming is
the answer, and for that reason
does not believe that "resettle-
ment' is the answer-or all of it..
Farm unemployment is inevitable
under present conditions, and it
will not get better, except tempo
rarily. But (and this is important.
the author adds) unemployed
farm laborers do not show up WV
idly; they almost never collect in
large numbers to demonstrate on
legislative doorsleps. They drift.
They drift from melon country to
grain country, to truck-garden
country, to hop country - and so
on. Sometimes hundreds are in
small town without the towns
knowing it. They make little or
nothing, they have nothing. They
seep through the barriers some
states have erected. And they are
forever hungry.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Interpreting The War
Attempt Made To Halt
Anti-Churchill Drive
By KIRKE L. SIMPSON
wide World War Analyst

could only impair to some extent
the unity Of action and strategic
purpose sealed by the U nlted
Nations pact.
The logic of the Cripps assign
ment, however, is even more ap-
pealing from purely military
standpoint than from its political
aspects. He is the vital link be-
tween Russia and the rest of the
Allies; the prophet of Russian mil
itary capacity to beat back any
future German onslaught.
What Sir Stafford has to say in
India as to Russian war capacities
and purposes could go far to in.
duce full Indian cooperation. Ano
India, with japanese aggressors
already approaching her frontiers
in Burma, contains one of the
greatest man-power pools in the
world.
For stated reasons that were per
suasive, Churchill did not revea
the conclusions" which have beer
reached in London and which
Cripps carries to India for dis
cussion with all national groups
there. 1t is clear, however, thai
the way has been paved for prompt
and drastic revision of British
Indian relations on a pattern &C.
ceptable to Indian aspirations for
independence within the shelter oil
the British commonwealth. Chur,
chilPs statement leaves an i'm
preston that Cripps goes armed
with virtual blank check as tc
details and timing.
The recent visit of the Chinese
Generalisimo, Chang Kai-S h e k,
to India is an integral part of the
picture, just as is the timing ol
Washingtcn's announcement of the
commission to India. Concerted
United Nation action focusing on
the Indian political segment of the
battle front is obvious.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
BY JOHN SELBY
'TLL FARES THE LAND" by
Carey McWilliams; Nittle,
RrOwn. COY

Carey McWilliams; Nittle,
Brown; $3).
1t depends upon how tough you
are, what your reaction will be to
Carey McWilllams' ell Fares the
Land The book is direct slap
in the face for go per cent of this
country, all the more arresting be-
cause it is unexpected. We are,
Mr.. McWilliams says, creating a
peon class in the United States.
linen he tells how, and why, and
what he thinks can be done about
1t. But he is no dictator, and he
does not think his solutions are
infallible.
FIRST literary, study of Mr.. Nc.
Williams poems began with pub
llcation of John Steinbeck's "The
Grapes of WRATH three years
ago. But this produced limited
understanding, because it pro-
duced the idea in most mems
minds that dust storms and such
were responsible for the Joad
and that tn eproblem was centered
on U. S. Highway &c.. and in Cali
fornia. 1t concerns three fourths
OF the country directly, Mr.. Nc
Williams asserts, and all the coun-
try indirectly.
" concerns you, Mr.. McWil-
mans says, because the present
condition of migratory labor is
putting a load on your pocketbook
beyond all reason, especially now
that your pocketbook must also
carry a war. This financial load is
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12

vantage of starting on soil adjoining Ger
manv. whereas attack from the west woulc
first have to cross Belgium, Holland or
France. where the Nazis maintain strong
forces.
There is no way of knowing now what
Stalin's spring strategy is, except that he
will bend every effort with the Russian
neop1e's cooperation, to defeat Hitler on
Russian soil But the fact that the Soviets
have been so successful in counter-offensive
as to create threat against Germany al
home is not only encouraging. 1t is actually
thrilling.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12

Whether or not Sir st f
Grips succeeds in bringing In
dia's hundreds of millions whole
heartedly into the war against the
Axis, his forthcoming journey to
India appears to stop the anti
Churchill drive in London in its
tracks indefinitely.
By that move (and the No.
man in the Churchill war cabinet
volunteered for duty the only man
mentioned in London dispatches as
a possible successor to Churchill
as prime minister, steps off the
home front political stage. He re
moves himself not only physically
from the parliamentary S or m
center; but accepts a role cal
culated to test his statesmanship
to the limit
The result could make or break
him as Britain's man of the fu.
ture. Sir Stafford could not be un
aware of that in offering to take
the thorny Indian problem off
Churchill's hands for negotiation
In so doing he pointedly reaffirm.
ed his own faith in the Churchill
leadership, and knocked the props
out from under home critics de-
manding ChurchilIs scalp.
There is much to suggest official
foreknoWledge in Washington of
what was to happen in London.
President Roosevelt appointed an
American commission to help de-
velop India's war resources only
few days before Churchill's S
eagerly awaited policy declaration
The implication is inescapable
that Washington not only regards
Cripps as the logical Britisher for
the difficult task he undertakes in
India; but also welcomes indef-
mite deferment of a leadership cri-
sis in London. A change in British
leadership at this critical t i m e
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Spring In Russia

The spring thaw has set in in son+hern
h'usSia' report IS made that the Red army
advance is already slowed down. If this is
correct, natural conclusion is that if tho
Russians cannot advance, neither can +bo
Nazls' and for the present at least Hitler
IS no better off than he has been durino tho
long freeze while his forces have hoo, -
retreat,
Inc same reports that indicate slower
war tempo in south Russia also declare +b.+
RUSSIAN artillery is pounding awav at Axis
FORCES on the White Russia line but the Of
1ect OF the bombardment is not revealed
out hot even successful artillery fire alone
IS sut1lclent to drive the enemy off. 1t can
oe help1ul IN softening resistance but 4he
loilo"-tnrough must be by mechanical
troops And if these cannot advance bec,,so
OIL mud the cleanup except for one thing
becomes a hope deferred. The alternative
Is air attack-clouds of planes bonobers +,
4eS'oy stores and munitions and fighters
W S"oop low over enemy lines with ma
chlne guns ablaze. Mud offers no imnedi
ment to planes aloft.
Lie oattle IN south Russia, therefore, an
pears TO depend in large measure on Rus
sia air strength. A Gripping blow n w
while the enemy is mired down. would re-
'"iu Hltlers spring offensive in that arena
IN the north, where winter still holds sway
'iae Germans are pouring in reserves re
pu1edly In great number, to halt the Rus
Sian success around Leningrad. It is sait
mat Germany fears if the Reds are no
matted in the north now they will invade
Germany itself by way of the Baltic state
and further complicate Hitler's CROWN,
problem An invasion of Germany from tn
. north would be about as troublesome
from the west, and would have the ad
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Star-News Program

To aid in every way the prosecution OF
the war to complete victory.
Public Port Terminals.
Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving
and Marketing Facilities.
Seaside Highway from Wrightsville
Beach to Bald Head Island.
Extension of City Limits.
35-Foot Cape Fear River channel,
wider Turning Basin, with ship lanes
into industrial sites along Eastern bank
south OF Wilmington.
Paved River Road to Southport, via
Orton Plantation.
Development of Pulp Wood Production
through sustained-yield methods through
out Southeastern North Carolina.
Unified Industrial and Resort Promo
tional Agency supported by one county
wide tax.
Shipyards and Drydocks.
Negro health Center for Southeast
North Carolina, developed around the
Community Hospital
Adequate hospital facilities for white.
Junior High School
Tobacco Warehouses for Export Buy.
ers
Development of native grape growing
throughout Southeastern North Carolina.
Modern tuberculosis Sanatorium.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Is That So!

We see by the papers where
Emperor Hirohito of Japan has
lost another big batch of ships.
Hi, it seems, has hit a new low!
The fellow who always has
preferred his coffee black has
been intensely patriotic for
years without knowing it.
Moving the clocks forward an
hour was good idea, but how
about moving up spring - say by
a month Or two?
A British noblewoman saws
that too much playing of CON
tract pridge aided the fall of Sim
gapore. Well-we did notice the
Japs, in that fight, held all tho
trunps!
A job we wouldn't want.
being press agent for that town
of Vlchy, France, after the war
Even the disappearance of the
auto INDUSTRY has its bright side
Think OF the thrill YOUR eres+
grandchildren will get o,,t n0af ae
their tlrst horseless carriage.
Tolu1nnla university, we read
VIII no longer issue decorations
maoe OF metal. At last the leo.
eaoary leather medal seems on
.ne point Of changing from gag.
hood to reality. VII gag
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
TOP o. THE MORNING

o troubled soul, beneath the rod,
Thy Father speaks, be still, be still;
Learn to be silent unto God,
o praying soul, be still, be still,
He cannot break His plighted word;
Sink down into His blessed will,
And wait in patience on the Lord.
QUOTED BY COWMAN
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
Photographs

Nepal is an independent Sale
on the southern slope Of me
Himalayas, bounded by Imoe.
on the north, by Sikkim and
Bengal on the east, and by Ben,
gal and the United Provinces o.
British India on the SCUM sl4
west.
Deposits in the United S'a'"
treasury from sales of big galE
and other products OF n3Ho.1' VIZ
wildlifo refugees totaled q"
676.52 in 1940-41.
Rawhide is an American tel1|
applied to cattlehide LINED s'
prepared in the simple eleAs'
tary processes, but not tallheu'
Parchment is sheepskin Tnl,
has not been tanned II Inc us'''
manner, but treated with alulL'
One of the richest sources
fine mahogany today is the Va, Va
jungle forest on the upper Al-, !,
zon, in western Brazil any u
Peru. 1t was discovered ohl5 :,
years ago, and has never w. =.
completely explored and It's eA''-
is unknown.
Lake Mattamuskceol No..
Carolina, $4,000 acre 1eo''.
waterfowl refuge. dropped
nine inches below sea leyel ~ =.
ing the 1941 drought. me .s. ,%,
level is normally seven I','"'
above sea level.
One of the new scientific a.; j;
is urea-treatea wv, wv,
which can be twisted like TGS, y,
bent like steel, or mo-aeo .,,, ,,,
dough, while at the same .as' .
it is given the hardness OF 81"
One of the richest sources Of H.. ~
today is the vast J,,.s ...
forest on the upper Amazon II f,,
ern Brazil and in Peru, IL wa" va, la
only 20 years ago, anu spl
never been completely eXpioleu
ts extent is unknown.
Lake Mattamuskeet, North ClI :, ~.
ina, 5o,Ooo.acre federal Wals..y s.los
'efuge, dropped to nine inehes ,,r,t.
'ea level during the 194l ",o ,n ID
The lake level is normally FV'
hes above sen level
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
EDITORIAL

their base.
1t looks very much as if the Nazis are using
Martinique as Uboat base as has been long
suspected.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12

one of the new scientific discover.
les is urea-treated wood, which can
oe aWlsted like rope, bent like steel.
or nodded like dough, while at tile
same time it is given the hardness
of steel.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12
ANONYMOUS LETTERS

The Star-News Is always pleased to receive
letters from It's readers written for publication
but will reproduce none that are anonymous.
The Wilmington morning star., 1942-03-12

With confidence in our armed
forces-with the unbounding de-
termination of our people-we will
gain the inevitable triumph so
help us God.
-Roosevelt's War Message
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-02-21
An Irate Ohio Girl Breaks
And Eats A Drinking Glass

you'll then be willing to use glass as
a substitute.
Our authority. and leading ex-
ounent NJ the aforementioned tech
nquc Is l9-ycar-old Nellie Arnold
who according TO police reports
Swallowed quantity Of glass. in
the Globe restaurant. earlier this
week Witnesses say that Miss Ar
mold hacanna son1sWhsI gzaevAd over
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-02-21

CLEVELAND, Ohio.-Eat-
ing glass is not a circus spe-
cialty. There's no trick to it
at ALL il you become angry
enough.
OF course. YOU have TO become
mad enough to chew nails-but no
nails being vsilso.e-g5vernment
prioriues, and all that sort Of thing
The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1942-02-21

CLEVELAND, ohio.-Miss
Marion Cuthbert. New York
City, a member Of the national
executive boali of The Ma
tioEal Association for the
Evening star., 1942-06-21
General Motors Lists
4l4,852 Stockholders

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, June 20.-The total
number of General Motors common
and preferred stockholders for the
second quarter of 1912 was 414,852
compared with 413,276 for the first
quarter of 1912 and with 41l,372 for
the second quarter of 1941. The 1912
second quarter total is the highest
in history.
There were 393615 holders of
common stock and the balance of
2l,237 represents holders of pre-
ferred stock. These figures COM
pare with 392,040 common stock
holders and 21.236 preferred for the
first quarter of 1912.
Evening star., 1942-06-21
Bond Prices Remain
In Narrow Range;
Changes Mixed
$1,94e, 900 Saturday
Volume Is Smallest
In Nearly q Year
r, TIE Associated Press.

r, the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 20.-Price
changes were narrow and irregular
in todays bond market, which was
the quietest in nearly a year.
Volume of 81 ,9460 900. face value,
compared with $2,421 900 the pre-
vious Saturday.
A few rails moved up a little and
some were under pressure. Rock
Island General As dropped Ia to 2l-
"a and Baltimore & Ohio convertl-
bles at 10. Erie AIS at 46 and Nickel
Plate AIS at 595s were down frac-
tionS.
Slightly improved were Nickel
Plate 5l2s at 1885, Columbia Gas
e. Electric SIS of 50 at 86i4 and At
lantic Coast Line 4l2S at 58A !.
Brooklyn Union Gas IS of ST moved
up 2 on small trades.
South American issues led a fairly
broad upturn in the foreign division.
Gains in loans of Brazil, Belgium
and Norway ran to a point or more,
Australia 4i2s fell back about 2.
U. S. Governments were inactive
and steady.
Evening star., 1942-06-21
Industrial Index Shows
Decline During Week
e, tie Associated Press.

Ep TIE Associated Press.
NEW YORK, June 20.-The Asso-
ciated Press index of industrial
activity declined this week to 1865
per cent of the 1929-30 average
compared with lat per cent a week
ago and l347 per cent a year ago.
Reduced steel operations and
freight carloadings more than offset
sharp increase in electric power
production.
Steel mill schedules were re-
ported / per cent under last week
and carloadings had a contra-se
sonal drop to a new low as miscel-
laneous and ore shipments fell off.
Electric power output, vital to
many war industries, reached new
1912 high on the Associated Press
index.
Components of the seasonally ad-
justed industrial activity measure,
with comparisons, were: