davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
BY JOHN sELBY

'Blackbirds On The Lawn by
Jane Morton Coward McCannan
$3.50.
Both gentleness and strength al e
in first novel called "B1ackbirds
on the Lawn" This is not usual
combination, but then Jane Morton
is not a usual writer.
Miss Morton's book has to do
with Kentucky feud, though not
the mountain kind where the par
Elephants tote squirrel rifles ard
drink corn likker fresh from the
worm. The Merrils and the Tar
nols divided over question Of
land, after years as close neigh
bors and closer friends. The feud
ran through the generations, and
came to point where it was moy e
a formality than fighting matter
to everybody but one Tarnol,
whose name was Linda. Linda was
hard, extremely precise in ner
dealings, and bitter.
Her brother Henry had been
editor of little paper, and a good
one. He gave that up, taught a bit,
and by chance he tutored the son
OF Dagma Merrill. He was quite !
time realizing it, but he also ca,,e
to love the boys mother. The dit
1lculty. was that the thought habits
OF many years separated the
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
A Fourth Term Peril

Following General MacArthur's b u n t an
nouncement that he does not covet and would
not accept the republican nomination for the
presidency, the odds that Dewey will be the
republican nominee, despite his silence on the
subject, increase. At the same time rurnors
OF three to one odds offered in New York
that President Roosevelt will be renominated
by the democrats on the first convention bal
lot have been heard here
AS the political scene is now revealed. the
strong probability is that the contest will be
between Roosevelt and Dewey. And another
strong probability is that with these two head.
ing the tickets, Mr.. Roosevelt would be re-
turned to the White House for the. fourth time.
He is too strongly entrenched for a new
conner in national politics to have much
chance of defeating him.
There is one phase of his possible re-elec-
ton that deserves careful consideration by
democrats who retain their faith in the new
deal. 1t is that however firmly they may
cling to their faith in him personally his re-
of Harold Ickes, of Madame Perkins, of OPA,
NLRB, WPB, and other alphabetical bureau
cratic agencies which have all but robbed the
American people of their Constitutional rights.
They are urged to consider that another
new deal quadrennium might leave the coun-
try in bankruptcy and the people in economic
slavery.
They are urged to ponder the proposition
that the Chief Executive under whose leader
ship the bureaucrats have seized such wide
spread power might not be able under any
circumstances, including restoration of peace,
to restore the democracy envisioned by the
Constitution and the Bill of Rights
1t is the more important, therefore, that a
House of Representatives be elected which will
safeguard the rights and privileges of the
people.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Getting Ready

Back home from Italy, Lieut.. Ernest Chill
ders and Sgt. Charles (Commando) Kelly gave
the press in Washington an account of the
heroic soldering that won each of them the
Congressional Medal Of Honor.
What they said was made all the more in.
spring by the modest, Straightforward, un.
dramatic way in which they said it. And per-
ha2s the most memorable statement of all
was the off-hand remark with which Sgt. Kelly
finished his story: That was about all Of that
battle. We went back and got ready for the
net me. :.
Lieut. Chiders and Sgt. Kelly are on 81
day leave When that is over they'll go back
and get ready for the neg one After tho,
there viii he another raxt one and ann Ter
....tn the Wal is won Or ss long as they C III
help 20 win it. There 'su niuch time off for
& shting ruen even when they re heroes.
That light be somethin, to bear in min
when Sat,.; day sunshine ., Monday mango tl
tempts us to forget that most OF us here have
small part in getting ready for the n.x
one' 60.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Youth In The Saddle

Roger Babson shows exceedingly clear Wis
Ion when he declares that the older generation
would do well to seek advice from young folk
occasionally instead of always insisting on
giving advice to youth. Revolutionary as the
idea is, his argument for it is sound.
The future Of industry and policy, he says,
depends upon what these young persons are
going to do, or buy or vote. The views Of
persons in the twenties are more valuable
than those of persons over fifty.
This is particularly so in the case OF service
men home after overseas military duty. They
nave absorbed more wisdom than men twice
or thrice their age who have lacked their op-
portunity to find the answers in action.
Mr. Babson believes the business judgment
of young people is better than that of oldsters
beqapse of the more intensive training the|
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Flood Damage

Crumbling levies on the Mississippi indicate
in the opinion Of flood-wise persons that a
ninety nine high water record is about to be
equaled for the second time this year. AL
ready $500 families in Missouri and Illinois
and 6527 in Kansas and Oklahoma have had
to flee their homes because of infiltrating wa
tiers from rivers in the Mississippi watershed
The loss of human life has been small, various
reckonings placing it at six and eight persons
but property damage has been tremendous,
as it always is when the Father of Waters
runs wild.
1t is little less than tragic that with the food
situation what it is throughout the world, with
some ten millions in the armed forces to be
fed and civilian population requiring more
than ordinary food supplies because so many
more than usual are engagd in havy phys.
ical tasks in war industrial plants, with an in
creasing number Of people in Axis occupied
lands largely dependent upon our aid, grow
ing soil crops should be wiped out in tremen.
dous quantities. The most reliable estimates
show that 200 acres Of wheatland have
been inundated in Missouri and Illinois and
that tota, of 1,O15,oOo are flooded.
The only bright spot in the picture is that
corn had not been planted and so is no dam.
aged. But even this is overcast by the pos
sibility that the flood waters will not recede
OF corn in the customary quantity.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
The Literary Guidepost

families and made normal com
munications very difficult, even tor
a man of balanced intelligence and
even for Dagma, who, like Henry
Tarnol, had elements of greatness.
The Tarnol Merrill business
boiled up anew over a suit foy
malpractice filed by a certain no.
good against the young doctor sou
OF Dagma Merrill, at which point
Henry stopped in to help as best
he could. What he discovered was
a tragedy of almost Grecian pro-
portions which conferred on his
own sister and came close to
crushing two families, and even
the community itself. Trails of
poison-not cyanide, but poison of
the mind-ran every which way,
and sickened many mind.
Miss Morton handles this male.
ria, much better than I have sum
married it. She has the good sense
to write quietly, understanding
that understatement is more eff.
fective with such a story than tub.
humping. Her great advantage is
intimate knowledge of the sorH OF
people she manipulates, plus an
unusual willingness to give them
their head and allow them to de.
velop naturally. There is one fault
to be mentioned also. 1t is that
the chain of events is not always
kept clear. -
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
LEADER PRAISES
U. S. MISSIONARIES

KANSAS CITY, May /. -P)- It
has taken a war to make the ma
ton realize the excellent job be-
ing done by foreign missionaries,
Ralph E. Diffendorfer, executive
secretary of Methodist Foreign
Missions, said today.
And he believes the missionary
movement is the greatest guaran-
tee of success of any plan for an
International world order.
He said that the missionaries
have taught Democracy-as well
as Christianity - wherever they
have gone, and that nearly all
the natives have been sympathetic
to the Allies cause as a result OF
their efforts.
cit has simplified the soldier
job tremendously to make the CO.
operation of these Christian ma
tives," Diffendorfer said. 1.-THE ma
ton here has a by product of the
missionary movement it never sus-
pected. But in letters home, and in
news SCCIlGS, IL lids OCSull w ASoA'
ize what an asset the missionary
has BEEN"
Diffendorfer's 33-page printed
report on foreign missions was
presented to the general confer.
ence of the Methodist Church to-
day, and he said it shows three
main problems:
~ The church must press foI
an adequate world organization tc
preserve peace. And if it does that.
he added, it must make sure that
those things which might wreck
a peace are corrected.
(2) Methodists must provide
their share of money for world
relief and reconstruction. (The
church is considering a mammoth
drive to raise between 20 and sc
millions of dollars for it's postwar
work.
80 The church must crusade for
perfection in the lives of its own
members, preaching that religion
should be an integral part of every
mans life.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
A Steadfast Worker

A man named Howard Brooks died in his
sleep the other night at Washington at the
age of 70 years.
You probably never heard of him, but nine
years ago he retired from active duty after
being the Washington Stars star police re-
porter for SO years. Outside of police and
Star circles he was little known
He never sought the transient fame that
went on in the District of Columbia in which
the metropolitan police force had a hand,
openly or under cover, that escaped his eye
1t Is said of him with truth that throughout
his long and valuable service he never vlo-
lated confidence or furnished a leak of
news that the proper authorities desired to
withhold in the interest of completing case
What we would like to call to particular
attention is the type of faintfulness to duty
Mr. Brooks represented. In this day of tran
silent service, when not only reporters but en-
ployes in all callings come and go before they
can be adequately broken in on their Jobs,
it is refreshing, even hopeful, to learn that
one man could stick to one job for SO years.
In these nomadic times his record is little
less than tradition.
When this war is over and the nation set
ties down to the grind of reconstructing its
business there will be great need for many
men of the Howard Brooks stamp.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
With Ernie Pyle

Tex, as though it were House
ton," and they speak Of Columbus
Square in New York when they
mean Columbus Circle. It's tiny
little mistakes like that which null
lily propaganda program.
get lots of letters from soldiers
mentioning their little grievances
and desires. Here are just few.
An ack-ack gunner writes that
he has just listened to a BIC pro-
gram in which parents in England
send messages to their men over
seas. He continues:
GAS far as I know, our boys
have no program like that, and
while I was listening I thought how
wonderful it would be if I could
turn a dial and listen to my MON
say hello"
The Fifth Army has created a
Fifth Army Plaque" which is an
award to noncombatant units that
have d o N e meritorious service.
Now the boys of one outfit are hurt
because they are included in this
plaque. They are chemical NOR
tar outfit (combatan0 but they
come under the Chemical Warfare
Service usually noncombatant)
Being included in tn is plaque
makes these boys look like nom
combatant troops when they are
actually front-line troops, and, as
they say themselves, have been
in there punching.
An Air Corps Captain writes:
along with thousands of others,
I've learned the inexpressible value
of letters from home. Don't you
think a good slogan to pass on to
your readers would be. "A letter
is like a five-minute furlough'?"
Another boy wants me to use
some influence in the matter of
servicemen getting first chance at
the gear and clothing the Army
will dispose of after the war.
And. he concludes, What is most
likely to happen, we will be left
holding the bag while some money
making fool will get control"
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02

$50 splendidly in Wilrnington's civilian defense
activities and who is representative Of one
Of this country's largest tobacco importing
firms, indicates that there is little to choose
beween Turkey and China as far as initiation
is concerned Rents, food, clothing, all arti-
cles of commerce, have climbed to astro-
nomical prices.
One of the greatest problems that must be
solved when the fighting is over is to get
the world back on sound business basis.
This is why the present conferences in Cairo
are of world value.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
BY ERNIE PYLE

IN ITALY (by wireless) One
of our diversions while at the An
zio beachhead was listening to "Ax-
is Sally" on the radio.
Doubtless you've heard of her
back home. Hers is one Of several
German propaganda programs in
English directed at the morale OF
our troops. The thing is wonderful
but as far as I can see complete
failure, because:
1. Only tiny few of our troops
ever hear the radio.
2. For those who do, Sally's mu.
sic is so good and her jokes so
pathetic ally corny that we listen
just to be entertained. We feel like
a for enjoying Sally's music
while being unconvinced by h r
words.
Sally comes on the air five or
six times a day, starting around
6 am. and lasting through till
am. A guy named George serves
as Sally's end man. Some of the
programs are directed at the Brit
ish troops, some at ours.
Actually, it isn't the same girl on
all the programs, although they all
call themselves Sally. The program
! is emitted "Jerry's 'front.'
Early in each program they sing
the great German war song, 'Lili
Marlene," which we all love and
which we've practically a k n
away from the Germans as our
national overseas song.
Then Sally reads list of pris-
oners' names, and just as she fin
ishes a female quartet swings off
into snappy version of Happy
Days Are Here Again. The idea
being, you see, that it's all over
now for these prisoners and they're
safe and happy, so why don't we
all come and surrender and be
happy too.
The rest of the program is divid-
ed up between the by-play of Sally
and George and the playing of Ger
man and American music, includ-
ing such things as 'Star Dust
and all of Bing Crosby's records.
The news is actually funny. For
example, they would tell us of ships
sunk at Anzio t h a day. From
where We sat, we could spit into
the waters of Anzio, and we knew
that what Sally said was not true.
Both Sally and George speak
good English and claim to be
Americans. But they do make odd
mistakes. They pronounce Houston,
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Initiation In Turkey

A recent dispatch notes that financial rep
resentatives are meeting in Cairo from four
teen nid-Eastern countries to discuss infla-
tionary controls for the area stretching from
Egypt to Saudi Arabia and from Tripolitania
to Ethiopia "where prices have doubled, trip
led and finally quintupled, due to heavy AL
lied purchases and strict curtailment of i'm
ports. -
Not only this particular area but Turkey as
well is undergoing the same sort of initiation.
Recent word from Franklin Bell, who served
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02

nave received and because OF their more high
ly developed sense of proportion and keener
understanding.
His position is not to be disposed Of with
a shrug of the shoulders. Whether the an
clients like it or not, this is the dawn of an
era in which youth will have the last word
1t is only fitting, then, that youth be given
encouragement rather than encouragement by
the generation that soon must step aside.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Daily Prayer
For Clear Thinking

We want to think straight
Lord, in this tangled time We
confess that our thoughts ao0"
the war are often jumbled ana Ol'
clear, and prone to be ignoran,N
critical. Baptize us as a peoPle'
We pray, with common sense,
Teach US the larger meanings u
loyalty and of our sacred heritage
and Of the standards for when VIZ
fight. Make us acutely senS'VI'
of the tasks we may each per-
form and the sacrifices we may
endure for the sake OF Ca'sg
dear unto Thyself. Sanctity all
our service by the CONSCIOUSNESS
that we are on the Lords sac
BY Thy word and by Thy SPIRIT
lead us in plain path, ana en-
dow us with power to follow mere,
in. This we ask, for the sake oI
our Country, of the whole "oflu'
and for the glory of Thy 2fe''
Name. Amen.-W.T.E-
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Interpreting
The War
BY K1RKE L. SIMPSON
Associated Press War A.,

Cd
The hour for the Russian Aniea
nut-cracker east west att aoI.
which Stain says alone "can cor
pletely crush Hitherto Cerro o ou,.,,
drew ominously closer as AnS,
American planes from Britain go GO
the 18th consecutive day bonbh .UF
tered the continent to soften - 'a.'
for invasion. II up
Rail and road hubs in Fr,.,
and Belgium servicing the AtIa aGe
wall defense front were snsni i-I
targets of the big and mediIp a'
bombers to stir Nazi uneasino.!
that the expected assaults from lbo
west might be no longer weets
away, but only days, even bonrs
Hltler's generals can have ~
doubt that at some moment 4 nv
an effort to isolate continents
oeachheads picked for landina
operations by aerial hamstrjnpin9
OF their communications with tbe
rear. Every chance in peace or
direction of that massive bon
parchment prelude to invasion n,uss
increase nerve tension for the fo.
waiting in his deep-set batIs
zones in sleepless expectancy.
The price all ranks of the Ger.
man army is paying in frazzled
nerves for the total loss of initia-
tive In the war on all fronts i,
beyond calculation. It is still IN.
tested factor in attempting to es.
innate German resistance capaci.
ty in terms of months or wear,
until the final collapse comes. It
is also an element in the situation
upon which Stain by implicatio,
in May Day Order was counting
heavily in virtual announcement
to his p,ople that "coordinatel
blows" by Russian troops from the
east and Allied forces from the
west were about to salve the more
difficult" problem of achieving
to- al Nazi defeat
I'VE must pursue the German
beast, close on its heels, and finish
it off in its own lair" he said.
Just how Hitler's high command.
ers hope to cope with the over
powering Russian and Allied forces
is not yet clear. They can count
on neither sea or air power to aid
them and the manpower odds are
no less against them. Their single
a IS e t is interior communication
lines to shuttle waning defensive
forces from front to front as the
needs Of the two-front farfare de-
mand.
! Even that advantage is evaporat-
ing as German air defensive power
declines. The bombardment of be-
hind the front communications
from Romania and Italy to France
and Belgium is stripping the foe
of that ability to shift troops and
heavy battle equipment quickly
east, west, north or south as dan
ger threatens h is over extended
fortress walls on the continent
The logistics of the impending
Russian Allied nutcracker attack
might account for an unconfirmed
and startling Polish repor vita Lon.
don that the Germans are evacuat.
ing Lublin, far behind the indicat.
ed Nazi defense line on the Polish
Bug River in the lower central sec
tor of the eastern front. Lublin is
a critical link in Nazi communica.
tons for the whole section of the
front from Brest Litovck to Lwow.
1t is in this area, between the
pathians in the south and the
western extremity of t h Pripet
Marshes in the north, that most
military opinion holds the Russians
will launch their man drive.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
GOSS FREED

DURHAM, May 1.-P)- JOHNNY
Goss. 29-year-old resident of Dur
ham who has been held in Jail
along with three other white men
since late Friday in connection
with an alleged attack on state
Abe undercover men, today was
granted freedom by way of writ
OF habeas corpus and bond at
$3.50. Police Chief H. E. King
revealed.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
HEADQUARTERS TO OPEN

CHARLOTTE, May 1.-(P)-Sou.
thern leaders of the young repub.
lican national federation decided
at meeting here today that reg.
ional headquarters would be open
ed here or in Roanoke, Va. for
the period between now and the
November election.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
Fair Enough

CEdiotr's Note.-Ths Sta, and the News accent no
responsibility for the personal views OF Mr.. Pesler
and often disagree with them much as many Of
his readers His articles the good purpose Of
making people think.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
PASTOR COMMISSIONED

DURHAM, May 1.-(P)-Dr. John
T. Wayland, for more than seven
years pastor of Temple Baptist
church here, today was commits
stoned chaplain in the United
States Navy. DR.. Wayland, former
pastor at Monroe. was ordered to
report to William and Mary Col
lege at Williamsburg. Va. Friday
for his basic training,
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
You're Telling Me

A pet regret is that we have but one vaca-
ton to spend in our country-and no gas to
get there.
General Macarthur and Admiral Ni1nltz met
to plan blows in the Pacific. get-together
that means fau-apart for japan.
1914 bathing suits are on display Go down
to the beach, gentlemen, if you want your
head to- swim
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-05-02
rs Years Ago
Today
(FrOm the files
of the Star-News)
MAY 2, 1919

MAY 2, 1919
Mr.. and Mrs. j. B. Rice have
as their guest Mr.. F. M. Brin
ming of Nashville, Tenn.
Sgt. D. A. Lockfaw, who has
seen active service in France since
last April, arrived in Newport
News yesterday.
Prince Albert Of England works
in the British Air ministry as an
ordinary clerk, he is probably the
first of British royal family to
hold such a routine job.
Evening star., 1944-05-01
Allied Bombers Blast
Genoa and Milan
Big Italian Port Attacked
For Third Straight Night

BY the Associated FTess-
ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. Ma
pies, May 1.-Allied bombers blast
ed the big port of Genoa for the
third straight night last night after
feet of more than 500 heavy
bombers rained explosives on the
Milan railyards and other targets
in Northern Italy, headquarters
announced today.
Topping off 70 hours of blows on
shipping and communications in
Italy, the night bombers also ham
mered the much-bombed West
Coast port Of Livorno Geghorn)
and struck Monfalcone, near the
Adriatic port of Trieste.
Heavy bombers hit a plane fac
tory at Milan and others at Bresso
and Barese, struck rail targets at
Castelmaggiore and Allessandria
and dug up an airfield at Reggie
Emilia during more than l,75c
sorties from which five planes of
the Allied Mediterranean Air Force
failed to return. Twelve enemy
planes were destroyed.
Medium and light bombers at
tackled rail communication in Cen
trail Italy, scoring hits on many
bridges, mostly on the Rome Flor
ence line. A six-car train was re-
ported hit.
Ground action was limited to pa =
troll activity and artillery duels,
with the Germans firing propa-
ganda leaflets in one area.