davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
SPAIN DECIDES
TO STAY NEUTRAL

MADRID, Feb. 3. -R- The
Spanish cabinet tonight ratified a
policy of strict neutrality and an
;1ounced it would demand the
strictest conformity not only for
its on nationals but from for
eign subjects.
Furthermore" communique
said, ''the government has dis
cussed all precautionary measures
that may be necessary to see that
Spanish neutrality is respected"
The communique said that Gen.
eralissimo Francisco Frances gov
eminent sis prepared to submit to
nc pressure under any. circum-
stances whatever against its right
to maintain firmly such position
Of neutrality. Every country is
obliged to respect this attitude as
IN act of indisputable sovereignty
"Spain's good will, which she has
shown on as many occasions as
she was able, toward cooperating
in preventing this great world con-
flict from spreading, constitutes a
guarantee that she will face with
the maximum serenity of patriot.
ism any obstacles which she may
find in her way. In doing so she
trusts her government which full.
ly shares the unanimous wish Of
the country-namely to SEE that
our sovereignty and dignity is re.
spected."
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
NaZiS Retreat 50 Miles
In Old Polish Territory
Between 100000 And 100000 Troops Trap
ped By Twin Russian Offensive

breakthrough to join forces along
the Zvenigorodka-Shpola line, As
miles below the Middle Dnieper
River.
The two armies thus closed a
ring of enlightenment around an
enemy group operating north OF
this line, numbering nine infan-
try and one tank divisions" Stain
said in an order of the day broad
cast by Moscow and recorded by
the Soviet monitor.
The ten German divisions were
clicked in a circular pocket ap'
proximately so miles in diameter
They now face humiliation. II
seemed unlikely the German com
mand could muster sufficient re
serves to break the Soviet ring
engaged heavily as it is on virtual
ly every sector of the long east
ern front.
Stain ordered 20 salvoes from
224 Moscow cannon to celebrate
Continued on Page Two; Col. g.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
LlBERAT0RS HIT
new CUINEABASE

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN
THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Fri
day. Feb. 4.-lR-Liberator heavy
bombers plastered Alexishafen,
one of the few remaining Japa-
nese strongholds on the northeast
New Guinea coast, with n tons
of bombs and left huge fires burn
ing at the aircraft and supply base,
Allied headquarters said today.
The attack Wednesday was the
principal one recorded in Gen.
Douglas Macarthur communicate,
which noted that adverse weather
hampered air operations in the
South and Southwest Pacific.
Other Allied planes hit En- Amele
and Nabanob missions in the Ale1-
ishafen Madang area, dropping ~
tons of bombs and strafing the tar
gets. Eenemy supply areas at Aar-
ong, on the northwestern tip OF
Dutch New Guinea, were attacked
by heav., bombers.
Allied light naval units mean
while gave enemy bases and in
stallations in the Solomons a past
ing in three separate attacks. De-
stroyers bomba-ded Buka, air and
supply base on the nothern tip of
Bougainville island, Tuesday and
drew shellfire from the beach,
where the japanese have strong
batteries. No damage to Allied
Warships were reported.
Tuesday night ~ BOATS came
close inshore a THE mouth of Mi
BIO River, on the southwest coast
of Bougainville, and poured steel
into installations there without
drawing return fire.
ZAWhile Americans have firmly
established themselves in the EN-
press Augusta Bay area on the
southwest coast of Bougainville,
and have two air fields in opera
ton there, the enemy still occupies
points on e northern, southern
and eastern coasts. Heavy air and
sea bombardment of these places,
however, have made them useless
to the enemy as bases for aerial
operation against the Allies.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
STUDY
GAS SHORTAGE

RALEIGH, Feb 3-LR-Governor
Broughton said today that early
farming operations and other es-
sential industrial activity in North
Carolina "would be seriously ham,
pered within the next few days
if a serious shortage of gasoline
and oil is not relieved Immediate
ly"
The governor made this state
ment after an hour-long confer
ence with representatives of the
gasoline and oil distributing indus
try and members Of the farm bu-
reau federation.
The governor said he was in
formed at the conference that So
per cent of all early farming oper-
atoms had stopped in the eastern
truck farming belt. This is par
ticularly true, he said, in Wayne
and Sampson counties.
In addition, he said, several east
ern North Carolina pulpwood plants
(COntinued IN Page Two; Col. IL
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
LEGION MEMBERS
HEAR COMMANDER

10y, opeaklng before more than $50
1T of the American Legion
Ing ~ I ~ Auxiliary, R. E. Stew
n n North Carolina departmental
En- 0nn III from Goldsboro said
-;n me Legionnaires of this state
III 40 Everything possible for
c men lighting in this war"
h. commander Stevens stated that
american Legion is dedicated
w service c, in cooperation
(on. lou all recall that certain per-
|ba as made it public statement
Ill., W.. diler the veterans of World
nan4 received their bonus pay
n len,s from the last war, that the
[aiil0erShlp of the Legion would
F l. to DROP he said. To-day
h. nave a grown from $1,000 mem
H. ~ throughout North Carolina to
Tha pS more than $4,000"
bos+ e commander congratulated
evnoo NO. 10 for taking what he
|rar lt :; the most progressive step
H. III the purchase of the Bridg-
NV, '.o'le IN ordez, to give those
NJ w. returning home from the war
c Slace to call their own.
! n o4unihander Stevens recalled the
(,5lt 'H "a Legionaires in Wilmington
h, lae first hut in North Caro-.
Est d dller the last war. He said
M 'ne Legion members in Colds
h. en- MS home post, constructed
'4S' community building in the
''H''nued on Page Three; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
WAR BOND
SALES ARE SHORT

With eleven days remaining I'M
|tl the end of the Fourth War
toan drive, and only so per cent
! of Wilmington's quota so far
achieved, some concern was ex-
pressed Thursday afternoon by j.
EG. Thornton, chairman of the cam
Ipaign for New Hanover county.
All those who are backing the
campaign are working hard" Mr..
Thornton said. IF they keep on
zgoing as they have been going,
1--WE may reach the quota. If they
let down, | don't know"
q To date the total investments in
bonds by local citizens as recorded
IN the official report, amounts to
~ 946, 1880, o. roughly half Of the
hoped-for goal of $4,859, 900.
S'O7, 662. 50 in E bonds, or about
ohe'thlrd Of the E bond quota, has
oeen purchased in the county up
to the present time.
Mr.. Thornton extended high
i praise to a number of civic groups
Wnleh nave been backing the cam
palgh with effective enthusiasm.
Inc ITALIAN association have
.,oW SOLD out all their tickets for
.ieAf performance of This Amt
1ie army" scheduled to be per-
'0ohtlnued on Page Eight: Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
DREXLER ELECTED
CHEST PRESIDENT
Rev. Freed Reelected Vice.
President - Reports
Are Given

N. E. Drexler, president OF the
Tide Water Power company, was
elected president of the Whining
ton Community Chest at the
Board Of Director meeting i'm
mediately following the annua
Community Chest meeting held in
the Tide Water assembly hal
Thursday at pm.
Drexler succeeds Harriss New
man, who has served as president
since its organization. The Rev.
Walter B. Freed was reelected
vice president; Fred B. Graham
succeeds E. A. Laney as treasur-
err; George L. Stearns was re-
elected executive secretary.
E. A. Laney presided over the
annual Community Chest meeting.
He gave the treasurer's report for
the fiscal year ending December
81, 1913: Money in bank-$143,
565.07; Pledges received-$37 sos;
Postwar contingencies-$65, 200.
George L. Stearns, secretary,
announced the directors appointed
by agencies of the Chest as fol-
lows: The Rev. w. B. Freed,
Salvation Army; Mrs. J. H Fus-
sell, Sorosis Child Care Associa-
ton; Addison Hewlett, Associated
Charities; L. D. Latta, Public
Health Nursing association; W.
D. McCaig, YMCA; Mrs. Albert
Perry, Catherine Kennedy Home;
L. A. Raney, Brigade Boys Club;
]. E. L. Wade, Travellers Aid So
ciety; Mrs. J. S. Webb, Girl
Scouts; and Nice. B. Wilson, Boy
Scouts. Directors at large elect
ed: N. E. Drexler, E. A. Laney,
Harriss Newman, Alex Sprunt,
Ranald Stewart, c. Van Leuven,
Continued on Page Three: Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Federal Ballot
bill Rejected
BY The House
ON ROLL CALL VOTE
Members Want To Leave
Matter Up To The In
dividual States

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3. = Up =
n,o House voted on a roll call VOTE
=. 32s to SO tonight to leave with
.,o States, rather than the Fed
eral government, the election ma
,binerv for soldier voting in this
falls elections.
Previously the House members
nod refused to stand up and be-
, n@,nted, as President Roosevelt
had suggested in saying that any
1 llI merely leaving the ser
wee e vote responsibility to the
States was "a fraud.
'' But tonight, in long session
snarkIed through its dragging
hours only by outbursts of sharp
feeling, the members went on re-
cord twice. Before getting to a
Anal vote. they had rejected 224
~ 1853 on roll call proposal by
Rem Worley DTex) to provide
The federal ballot plan.
On both lineups,, Republicans
and Southern Democrats teamed
IN with the winning side. although
in in both instances there were some
penublicans and some Democrats
from the South who voted for the
Federal ballot the administration
sought. ;,
"We're not afraid to be counted, -
shouted Republican Leader Martin
/ Of Massachusetts,.
Before getting to the roll calls,
the House rejected an amendment
SIMILAR to one which Senate Admin
;stration leaders agreed to during
the day. limiting use OF a Federal
ballot largely to military person
mel overseas.
The House on Tuesday voted
l53 to 100 against proposal to
provide separate vote on the
Worley bill. The record vote was
possible by a parliamentary man.
euver by the Republican side.
Working toward a vote on the
Estates Rights" bill, the House
Continued on Page Three; Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Germans Expected To Retreat
Deeper Into Vaunted East Wall

flight to the shelter of the "east
wall'' from which Hitler launched
his ill-fated Russian campaign.
There is a broad intimation in
the Berlin staff disclosure of this
new retreat that the Nazi center
had been bled of the reserves need
to bolster the tottering northern
and southern flanks in Russia. The
Russians have ripped the German
center apart to within three-score
miles or less of the Polish Bug.
And the German collapse at that
point adds UNNECESSARILY to an i'm
mediate prospect that all Nazi ar
mics on the Baltic and Black Sea
flanks might be caught in annihila-
ton traps.
That Nazi retreat in the center
virtually nullifies the German
stand below Vinnitsa which has
baked for many days Russian cut
Continued on Page Three; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
DRAFT CASE ENDS
AFTER Il YEARS

I,EAVENWORTH, Kas., Feb. 3
-R-Grover Cleveland BergdoH'
80 most notorious draft dodger
in U. S. history, was released
from the Fl. Leavenworth dis
culinary barracks today, and the
government closed its books on
the 27-year-old case.
The man who has spent half
his. life evading officers was just
as elusive with reporters. But a
fellow prisoner, Arthur Staffard.
who was released with Bergdoll
today, said Bergdoll was met at
the prison gates by his wife and
the couples youngest child.
They went to Kansas City by
taxicab, Stafford said, and from
there Bergdoll planned to 60 to
Washington, D. c., by train and
then on to his 260-acre farm near
Philadelphia.
Son of wealthy Philadelphia
brewer, BergdoH ignored his draft
call during the First World War.
He was % at the time. Hiding
from authorities, usually at the
huge estate of his mother, Mrs.
Emma Bergdoll, he finally was
captured in 1920.
After serving six months of a
five-years- at-hard-labor sentence,
he received permission to leave
prison on the pretext of uncov-
ering hidden gold. Escaping from
his guard, he fled to Canada,
sailing soon afterward for Ger
many.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Great Battles Are Impending
II, Europe, Gen. Marshall Says

Legion dinner in a speech broad.
cast over CHS, Marshall said his
demands fo. stern resolution" al
home are pardonable ''in one who
has terrible responsibility for the
lives of many men,
Said the general:
1.-The Allied avalanche is at last
in motion and it will gather head.
way with each succeeding month.
What is now required is the ardent
support of our forces by the people
at home. I am not referring mere.
ly to the production of equipment
rather to the need of stern reso.
luton on the part of the whole
Dr. to the purchases of, bonds, bu,
people of the United States to
make every sacrifice. that will con-
tribute to the victory. feel
that here at home we are not yet
facing the realities of war, the
Continued on Page Two; Col. y
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04

LONDON, Friday Feb. 4.-tR-
Premier Marshal Stain announced
last night that ten German divi-
sions - probably between 100000
and 100000 men-have been trap
ped by an overwhelming twin
Red army offensive in the Ukraine,
while Berlin announced the evacu-
alton of the strongholds of Rovno
and Lutsk Guck) in sensational
50-mile Axis retreat deep inside old
Poland.
Gaping these staggering Ger
man reverses along a 1,0OO-mile
front was late Associated Press
Moscow dispatch saying that the
Soviet Leningrad army had smash
ed across the Estonian frontier to
take four villages inside Estonia.
Springing the greatest trap since
Stalingrad, the First and Second
Ukraine armies under Generals Nj
kolai F, Vatutin and Ivan S. Konev
captured 300 towns and villages in
shattering five-day 100 mile
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
WASHINGTON Feb. g. tR

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 Up -
General George c. Marshall told
he nation tonight that great bat
ties" impend in Europe and the
Marshall islands thrust in the Pa
ciflc is only the preview to more
action there but he asserted that
the people at home still fail to
grasp the magnitude of the effort
needed for victory.
The U. S. Chief of Staff, disclos-
ing he had received vehement
protests" from the public because
flame throwers were used against
the Japanese, said that this shows
lack of understanding of the
meaning of our dead on the beach
es at Tarawa."
Marshall was widely credited
weeks ago as being the source OF
the statement by a high authority
that strikes and threats OF strikes
had given the Axis propaganda
fuel.
Tonight, addressing an American
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04

ing and naval base of Wilhelm
shaven today.
This assault, made in the fore
noon, was followed by an afternoon
attack on the mysterious military
detectives of the French invasion
coast by American Marauder and
Boston medium bombers along
with Mitchells of the Raj and the
Dutch naval air service, Mosquitoes
of the Raj and the Royal Aus
tralian Air Force and Typhoon
ighter-bombers of the Raj.
The A m er ans attacking
Wilhelmshaven defied thick cloud
cover, intense cold and sleet and
snow. Flying in what joint Amer
ican-B ri t ish communique de-
scribed as very large forma-
TONS" the airrten met only weak
German fighter opposition. The
fighter escort shot down eight Ger
man interceptor planes and the
Fortresses got one, while four of
the American heavy bombers were
lost.
From all the days operations,
which also included an Raj Ty-
phoon fighter-bomber patrol action
in which three enemy barges were
sunk off the Dutch coast, nine
fighters and two fighter bomberS
were missing.
At least 1900 Allied planes were
used in the days wide spread op-
erations. A large number of new
American combat crews, fresh to
the European air war, were given
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Report Protested
BY Bataar1 Clan

PORT CLINTON, O., Feb. g.
The kin of 80 Port Clinton mer
who fell to the Japanese on Ba.
taan protested to President Roose'
welt tonight it was "grievous err
ror" to wait 81 months before dis.
closing Japanese atrocities on pris.
oners of war.
The message, which also went
to Secretary of War Stimson, was
signed by Mrs, Agnes Below, pres
1dent of the Port Clinton Bataan
Clan.
we, the members of the Bataan
Clan of Port Clinton, Ohio, protest
the withholding of information con-
corning japanese atrocities until
this late date" the message said.
1T has been a grievous error
TO wait for psychological mo-
ment' before unloosening n e
screws on the lid of censorship.
We gave our boys, and we had a
right to know what was happening
to them then, not 81 months later"
The message added demand
that reinforcements be sent Gen.
eral Douglas Macarthur $50 our
boys may be freed from the hor-
rors OF Japanese Imprisonment as
soon as possible"
we are tired of red tape and
promises. We want action" the
telegram concluded.
The Bataan Clan is made up of
parents, wives, sisters and broth
ers of the 80 soldiers, who were
members of Co. c, 192nd tank bat
talon, on Bataan.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
COP IS ACCUSED
OF OBSTRUCTION
flanagan Says FDR Saved
Nation From Dreaded
Initiation

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Feb. s.
R-Robert E. Hannegan, new
chairman of the Democratic Ma.
tional Committee, tonight credited
the Roosevelt administration with
saving America from the disaster
of initiation and accused Republi.
cans of never offering construc.
tive help
flanagan missed his plane for
Birmingham and his speech, his
first formal one since he succeed
ed Frank C.. Walker as party
chairman Jan. %, was read to a
Jackson Day Dinner by Edwin w.
Pauley, national committee treas
urer.
''The Democratic administration
and the opposition flanagan
said in apparent reply to Republi-
can charges of domestic bungling,
now have a clear-cut record on
the issue of initiation control. We
make the statement that we saved
the country from the disaster of
initiation.
1--WE call upon the record to con-
vict the opposition on this score
to convict them of never offer
ing constructive help, of never
pointing to better or more eff
ficient way, of always and forever
scolding and belittling."
Heretofore, Democrats have en-
phasized the presidents win-the-
war appeal. But Hannegan tonight
devoted much s..ace to domestic
questions.
''At time when the Democratic
administration manifested patri-
otto desire to take initiation con-
troll out Of the realm of politics,
at time when the administration
CONTINUED OH Page Eight: Col. g.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
RAYMOND CLAPPER
C0LUMNIST KILLED
Writer Was Aboard Plane
Which Crashed In Mar
shall Islands

WASHINGTON, Feb. B. Up -
Raymond Clapper, whose tireless
energy as reporter won him the
title OF 1.-THE newspaperman's col
unnist," has been killed in plane
crash over the Marshall islands
victim of his own BELIZE that the
only way to write wartime col
umn was to see some OF the war
first-hand.
The Nays announcement that
Clapper was a passenger in one OF
two planes that collided, crashed
into a lagoon and left no survivors,
Immediately evoked expressions OF
regret from many high Washington
officials who knew the writer and
radio commentator for score OF
years.
What may have been Clapper $
last column for the Scripps-HoWard
chain was published today. 1t was
devoted to assuring Americans
that their soldiers are getting the
best of care possible in Pacific
hospitals.
Clapper's trip to the Pacific a
month ago was his fourth visit to
the war theatres. He had been m
Europe three times and when ne
left San Francisco Jan. l ne
wrote:
VERY frankly l would rather 60
back to Europe for the big cross
Channel show than be starting out
into this somewhat neglected war
in the Godforsaken wastes of the
Pacific which is being fought over
CONTINUED on Page Two; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Even In The Pacific
Salty Military Lingo
Identifies Americans

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC de
layed)-lRELt Col. Clinton U.
True of Montgomery, Ala, and
five crew members were shot
down in flight over Cape
Gloucester.
They spent IL hours drifting
in a rubber boat before land
ing smack on the post Of
Marine sentry who demanded
the password. 1t was too dark
for recognition. and. of course,
no one knew the password.
One of True's crew began to
swear disgustedly.
pass, Americans" the SEN
try said.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
ADM. LAND ARGUES
FOR SERVICE ACT
Says Ship Construction In
January Declined
Sharply

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8 tR -
Rear Admiral Emory S. Land,
chairman of the Maritime Gem
mission, tonight reported a steep
decline in ship construction in Jan.
uary and cited it as an argument
for eactment of national service
legislation.
Production in merchant ship
yards dropped to IL vessels last
month, compared with 208 deliver
les in December, Land reported in
a speech prepared for broadcast
over CHS from an American Le-
gion dinner.
The output was the lowest since
last February, Land said. Some
drop was expected because of the
conversion of yards from Liberty
to Victory ships and the concen-
tration of other yards on military
instead of cargo vessels, he de-
clared, but the decline was much
sharper than we had reason to ex-
pect.
President Roosevelt has asked
for national service legislation,
which would permit the draft OF
men and women for war work
when necessary, but Congress has
shown no inclination to comply
with the request. Congressional
leaders said recently there ap.
peared' to be no chance for it I'm
less a major strike or some war
development produced strong
public demand.
Land said the January shipbuild.
ing record was not up to war
needs.
1--WE cannot keep pace with the
fTArSfsySrv0L
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
By KIRK L. SIMPSON
Press War Analyst


The slow paced German and
Japanese retreats from their high
water marks of victories reached
more than year ago at Ell Ala
mein, on New Guinea, in the Solo,
mons and at Stalingrad may be
stepped up into progressive routes
this year.
A startling Berlin admission OF
a new and deep Nazi retreat, al
most to the Bug River line in Po-
land, seems to indicate disintegra.
ton of the German canter. Capped
by new entrapment disaster in
it's Dnieper end, Nazi "evacua-
ton of the most critical communi-
cations hubs in east central Po-
land, Rovno and Lutsk, and indi.
Gated abandonment of the Narva
bastion in northeastern Estonia,
can have no other meaning than
an attempted continent-wide Nazl
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Husband And His Wife
Purchase $8,000,O00
In u. S. War Bonds

ATLANTA, Feb. 3-(R)-Mrs.
Dewitt King Of Atlanta and
Miami today purchased $S,00o'-
900 in war bonds, half CT the
amount to be credited to the
Mani district fourth war loan
drive, where they maintain .
uart-time residence.
King is president of the
Family Finance Cooperation Of
Wilmington, Del, which has
branches in several states.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04
Over I, 100 Planes Hit
Bic German Naval Base

LONDON, Feb. 3-QP)-A nearrecord force of LOO
Flying Fortresses and escortng underbot, Lightning
more than 700 miles through bad weather and dumped
perhaps 1900 of bombs the big German shpbuild
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04

Continued on Page Two; Col
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-02-04

NORTH CAROLINA: Slightly cloudy
friday, with rain along coast ending
in morning, little change in temperature,
fair and cooler Friday night and Satur-
day.