davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
FRONT IN NORTH
BURMA IS OPENED
British Columns Cross
Chindwin River, Some
Force Near Tamanthi

NEW DELHI. March 14.-R-
Another new front in north Burma
exploded in the faces of the JAP
anese today when British columns
crossed the Chindwin River in
some force above Tamanthi, ITO
miles southwest of the Maingkwan-
Walawbum front where Chinese
American forces are hopping up
in the Hukawng Valley.
The hard-hitting British report
ed the Chindwin crossing, made
about 40 miles east of the Assam
border, was much easier than SIM
liar action last year when Maj.
Gen. Orde Charles ~Wingate led his
raiders on their foray into the
Burma jungles. The Southeastern
Asia Command communique today
reported the columns We're well
advanced" eastward after cross
ing the Chindwin, but did not in
dictate detectives of the new
thrust.
Successful patrol penetration TO
the two new sectors also indicated
imminent further extension of the
British Chinese American often
sives which are harassing the JAP
anese on half a dozen separate
fronts in Burma
One patrol was reported in con-
tact with the enemy along the
main trail to Taro Mountain Ia
miles southeast of Taro, which is
roughly Is miles west of Maing-
kWan.
Another Allied patrol established
road block and turned back a
northbound Japanese force south
east of Sumprabum, approximate.
ly go miles east and slightly north
of Maingkwan. It was the first
Allied penetration of the Mali Kha
River valley, the narrow defile
east of the Hukawng Valley which
winds southwark toward Myitkyi-
ma and the Upper Irrawaddy.
New Delhi military sources said
the opening of new fronts presents
the japanese with situation
where they must launch serious
operations in the north or face
the loss Of nortf, Burma. The Al
lied actions, if successful, would
not only open a new land. route
to China but greatly facilitate air
transport to Chungking.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
VIRCINI0 CAYD0
REPORTED SLAIN

LONDON, March 14.-(R-The
Nazi controlled Rome radio said
tonight that Virginia Gayda, Fas-
cist editor who became famous as
the principal journalistic spokes.
man for the Mussolini regime.
was killed today in an Allied
bombing of Rome.
(Allied headquarters at Naples
announced a raid by U. S. Medi-
UNI Marauders on Rome railway
yards today)
Frequently rumored slain or a
suicide since II Duce was ousted
last July, Gayda had remained in
retirement at Rome for many
months. According to the broad
cast report he was killed in the
study of his home when a direct
bomb-hit demolished the building.
The Swiss radio said Gayda's en-
tire family was killed.
The radio account, stressing CT
villain casualties, also said that a
"Signor Gaetini," prominent gyne-
cologist and director of the wom-
ems hospital of Rome University,
also had been killed when a bomb
destroyed his house, and the paint
err Guido Sfarolini was said to
fCon.unued m PAGE Three. Col ~
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
CRASH IS FATAL
T02 MECHANICS

NEW YORK, March 14.-R-
Two civilian mechanics making a
flight described as unauthorized"
in twin-enginer Army cargo
plane were killed today when the
huge ship crashed and burned at
La Guardia airport.
The Air Transport Command de-
scribed the hop as ''unscheduled. =
A spokesman for the mechanics
employers, carrier under con
tract to the Army, added that the
flight was unauthorized and that
the men had no right to fly a
plane.
The victims were the only oc.
cupants of the craft, a 'C47" Il
passenger transport converted for
cargo use.
The Army began an investiga,
ton of the flight-the first to end
fatally at La Guardia airport since
it was opened four years ago.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
Midnight Is Dead Line
For Filing Tax Blanks

simply to mail their returns and
go home because refunds cannot
be made on the spot. In general
waiting period of from 2 to 4
months is expected, and the gov
eminent will pay interest at a 6
per cent annual rate beginning
Thursday.
Although pay-as-you-go left most
individuals with smaller sums to
pay before the deadline, tax re-
ceipts, from both individuals and
corporations are running ahead of
last years previous record.
In the first eleven days of
March, latest period for which fig
ures are available, payments ex.
elusive of payroll Withholding have
aggregated 1899 818, 1000 compared
with $685., Gil 900 in the same peri
cd of 1913. For the fiscal year
from last July l to date-such
payments have totaled $14,018. 00O,.
600 in comparison with SIS, 983. 0OO..
900 in the same period a year
ago.
In addition, income tax with.
holding, inaugurated last July, has
brought $5,446, 100000 into the
Treasury's till -$213, 00O.0 900 of that
amount SO far this month.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
nv RALPH L. ROWLAND

GREENVILLE, N. c., March IA.
-lREDr. Leon R. Meadows, presi-
dent of East Carolina Teachers
College here, told his board of trus-
tees today that although a state
auditors report showed he had
handled $26,066.42 from July 1,
1884 to June 30, 1943, he actually
handled $32, 304.69 and could ac-
count for every cent.
He. reiterated a statement he
made at the boards first meeting
last Friday in Raleigh: IT have
never at any time misused, mis-
spent, misapplied, or used for my
personal benefit any college funds,
state or non state. am prepared
to clarity and will clarity every
item in this report"
DR.. Meadows said that the audi
tors report did not include an item
of $11, 500. 80, known as the campus
fund and including commercial de-
partment fees, the Paul T. Kicks
Tours for students and faculty
members, and music fees.
OF the $37. 304.69 which had bee
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
BY The Associated Press

Midnight tonight is the dead line
for so, 900, 900 Americans to file the
toughest income tax returns ever
showed at them, and collectors of.
fees throughout the country Tues
day had mounting piles of mail
sacks and lengthening lines Of
help-seeking late payers.
AS in past years all offices will
be open until midnight, local time,
tonight, but it will be business-as.
usual again on Thursday.
Treasury officials voiced salts
faction with their efforts to induce
tax payers to file early but said
the numerical Jump in returns
from $4,000, 1000 last year to So.
900, 000-in itsef was enough to
cause the usual eleventh hour pile.
up.
They added, too, that inquiries
showed many of the waiting per.
sons had filled out their own re.
turns, found they were entitled to
refunds and were on hand to seek
their money.
These, among the 100000 ex.
pected to share an estimated $780,.
100000 in refund checks, were told
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
Russians F orce Bug River
In Push Toward Rumania;
Allies To Isolate Ireland
New Vessel Joins Fleet
'OnceEvery Tw0H0urs'

WASHINGTON. March 14.-R-
Once every two hours the Amer
lean flag is run up on a mast and
new ship joins the gigantic Unit
ed States Fleet
This rate of commissioning was
disclosed today by Secretary of the
Navy Knox at a news conference.
He coupled to it an emphatic re-
statement of his opinion that man.
ming so many. ships and at the
same time meeting Army and in
dustry manpower needs is too big
a job for anything but national
service law.
Knox and Vice Admiral Randall
Jacobs chief of the Nays bu-
reau of personnel, said that the
present strength of the Navy
2,51O,OOO officers and enlisted per
sonnet including Waves-must be
expanded to somewhat over 3,000,-
600 by the end of the year. ia
cobs estimated that the end Of the
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
WORKERS LEAVING
BALTIMORE FIRMS

BALTIMORE, March 14.-lR-
Metropolitan Baltimore's inmi-
grant population, which at the
height of the war production boom
had reached nearly 10000 is de-
clining with increasing rapidity,
War Manpower Commission Off
Gals said today
More than 100000 of these were
workers, the rest members of their
families.
An estimated $1,000 persons al
ready have left the city, site OF
many of the WINGS early exper-
iments in manpower control and
the home of the first sterilization
plan in the country, while thou
sands more are preparing to
leave, the VINO said.
Many are going back to farms
with the approach of growing sea.
son, while others are leaving to
take jobs in newly developed in
dustries nearer their homes.
Indicating there was a compar-
able trend nationally, the VINO
said, however, that it did not ex-
pect the situation to reach such
proportions as to impede serious.
~ war production.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
NAILS ARE ENCIRCLED
10000 Enemy Troops Are
Already Reported Kill
ed In Advance

MOSCOW, Wednesday, March
I5.-lA The Red army encircled
several Nazi divisions" in the
southern Ukraine and has already
killed 10000 and captured another
1000 while other Soviet forces
reached a point 81 miles from the
Black Sea port OF Nikolaev and
smashed across the Bug River in
an area 60 miles from the Ru-
manian frontier, the Russians an
nounced todav
More than 230 localities were de-
cared captured by Soviet forces
on three Ukrainlan fronts, with the
most important gains made in the
southeast and northcentral area.
Divisions Trapped
The Soviet connmunique, and its
midnight supplement, disclosed
that several German divisions had
been trapped by two arms of Gen.
Rodion Y. Malinovsky's Third
Ukrainian Front forces and in
their frantic efforts to break out
had already lost thousands of dead
and wounded.
"Our troops reached the Ingu-
lets river from the west and cut
off the road of retreat of a large
enemy grouping" the commune
que said, lat a1e same time other
of our formations, developing their
offensive along the left bank of
the Ingulets River, captured dis
trict center of tn eNikolaev re-
gion, Bolshaya Seideminukha, the
populated places of Vasileyvka
and Pavlovka and thus closed a
ring around the German divisions
in the area of Bereznegovati
Snigerevka.'
Reds Press On
desperate attempts of the en-.
envy to break cut of encirclem ent
failed. Our troops are pressing in
on the encircled German divisions
and inflicting huge losses on them
in manpower and MATERIAL
The Russians also captured Kis-
elevka, 81 miles east of Nikolaev
and the railroad station of Chek-
hovichi, about rs miles southeast
OF Nikolaev, it was announced.
The crossing of the Bug River
was reported by the communique
supplement which said one forma-
Continued on Page Three; Col. y
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
Occupational Draft
Defernents For MeIx
Under Is Outlaws
TIGHT REQUIREMENTS
State Chief Must Approve
Deferment, Or Must
Be On List
Rv The Associated Press

WASHINGTON, March 14.-R-
splective Service tonight prohibit
ID occupational draft deferments
for men aged 10 to Is, inclusive,
except when approved by state
draft directors or when engaged in
an occupation specifically except
cd from this policy by the director
Of selective service.
This extended to men aged 3d.
% inclusive, policy already in
effect for those 10 to q.
The move was announced coinci-
dent with reports that new plan
is in the making to ration" &C.
cupational deferments to wa r
nlants in much the same manner
that scarce materials are now ra-
toned to them-on the basis of the
greatest need at the moment in the
light of shifting trends in arms
production.
FDR Favors Idea
President Roosevelt indicated IA
vor for this idea.
Announcing the tighter restric-
tons on occupational deferment for
men under 26, Maj. Gen. Lewis
B Hershey, Selective Service di-
rector, said state directors are ex-
pected to recommend deferments
in the case of men without whose
services the production require
ments of critical industry cannot
be met
The making available for induc-
ton Of registrants under 26 years
Of age will permit deferment of
registrants rs years of age and
over in critical industries with pro-
gressive consideration for their rel
alive irreplaceability and incease
in age" Hershey said.
The idea of 'rationing" defer
ments developed as a result of
concern by production officials that
many key industries would be hard
hit by recent orders for review
Of all occupational deferments.
The proposal has been put for
ward by production and manpow-
er officials. At his press radio
conference, Mr.. Roosevelt made no
direct reference to it but in dis
cussion of the deferment problem
indicated he was thinking along the
same line.
The plan calls for establishment
Continued on Page Three; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
NEW STEPS PLANNED
Critical Period Now Ap.
preaching, Churchill
Tells Commons

LONDON, March 14.@RHPrime
Minister Churchill announced il
Commons today that the Allies in
tend TO "isolate southern Ireland
from the outer world during the
critical period which is now ap.
preaching" and declared that the
virtual suspension of travel into
Fire announced Sunday was but
the first step in the carrying out
Of this policy.
The next steps were not dis.
closed, but Churchill's grave dec.
laration, defining the Irish prob.
lem as being entirely one of Sc.
curity for General Dwight D. Els
enhower's troops and plans, i'm.
piled an extension of restrictions
to the border between northern
and southern Ireland and perhaps
even a semi-blockade of Fire
Practical steps
Qn Washington Secretary oil
State Hull said that British meas.
ures to restrict Ireland's contacts
with the rest OF the British Isles
were practical steps to safeguard
the lives Of American soldiers. HI
said that at the moment he hac
nothing to add on further steps
which might be taken.)
1--WE have for some time pas
taken a number OF measures te
minimize the dangers arising from
the substantial disservice to the
Allied cause involved in the re
tention by Mr.. De Valera's gov
eminent of the German ministe.
and the japanese consul, with
their stats, in Dublin" the Prime
Minister said.
Time Has Come
'The time has now come wher
these measures must be strength
ened, and the restrictions on trav
el to Ireland announced in the
press yesterday are the first ster
in a policy designed to isolate
Great Britain from southern Ire
land and also to isolate southern
Ireland from the outer world dur
ing the critical period which j!
now approaching.
SIN view of the fact thai
both British and British Dominion
lives and the lives of the soldiers
Of our Allies are imperined, We
are bound to do our utmost to OBJ
Continued on Page Two; Col. y
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
NAILS, Use OF
ROME DENOUNCED
FDR Reaffirms Allies In
tentions To Spare City
If Possible

WASHINGTON, March 14.-lR-
President Roosevelt assailed today
German use of Rome as mill
tary center" and reaffirmed the
intention of the Allies to spare re-
igious monuments if possible.
The Chief Executive said in a
formal statement at his Press-ra-
dio conference that use of the Holy
City by the German army was only
the latest of Hitler's many affronts
to religion and "a logical step in
the Nazi policy of total war - a
policy which treats nothing as sa-
cred"
1--WE on our side,' he added,
''have made freedom of religion
one of the principles for which we
are fighting this war"
The text of the statement:
Everyone KNOWS the Nazi rec
ord on religion. Both at home and
abroad Hitler and his followers
have waged ruthless war against
the churches of all faiths.
'Now the German army has used
the Holy City Of Rome as a militia
ry center. No one could have been
surprised by this-it is only the
latest of Hitler's many affronts to
religion. It is logical step in the
Nazi policy of total war-a policy
which treats nothing as sacred.
1--WE on our side have made free
dom of religion one of the prin-
ciples for which we are fighting
this war. We have tried scrupu-
lously-often at considerable sacri-
fice-to spare religious and cul-
tural monuments, and we shall con-
tinue to do So"
fContinued IN Page Three; Col. 81
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
100000 RAILROAD
| WORKERS SERVING

CHICAGO, March 14.-RNSe-
lective Service took 100000 rail-
road employees up to the end OF
1943 and estimates are that 50,-
600 more will ne lost in the first
six months OF 1914, H. L. Garter,
director, bureau of employment
and claims Of the Railroad Re-
tirement Board, said today.
Carter told the 44th annual
meeting of the American Railway
Engineering Association that 9TH
er manpower losses were caused
by transfers to other employment
service for assistance in request
ing deferments.
Carter said the board had taken
steps to recruit students for sum-
mer employment, agricultural
workers in between-season periods
and war veterans.
T. A. Blair, assistant chief en-
gineer, Atchison, Topeka and San
ia Fe System, discussing employ
ment Of Mexican nationals foc ex-
ira gang work, said 1.-THE Mexi-
can is willing worker and he
likes to work as a member of
an organized gang. Those We have
used to date have turned in as
good a safety record as have our
other men,"
w. G. Powrie, engineer. mainte-
nance of way, Chicago, Milwau-
kee, St. Paul and Pacific Rail-
road, declared the Milwaukee road
partly solved the manpower prob
lem last summer by employing 16
and II year old boys in bridge
and building work, section crews
and large extra gangs"
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
WAR SECRETARY
SEES Fl. BRAGG

FORT BRAGG, March 14.-lRL
Secretary of War Henry L. Slim
son, in brief visit to this post
Today, witnessed the firing Of
heavy Thirteenth Corps Artillery
ana the concentrated attack of a
IUUth Division regiment.
Secretary Stimson, with party
including Maj. Gen. Alexander y.
Sufles, director of the War De-
partment bureau of public rela-
uohs, viewed from a high vantage
I,9, the tremendous fire of ar
!allery and all infantry weapons
III an advance over the forts
sandy soil against an assumed en-
envy position.
Heavy corps artillery opened the
s sos followed by artillery of the
iOOth Divisions 375th Field Artil-
lefy. AS the barrage subsidized, the
men OF the 399th Infantry Regi-
nent' commanded by Col. Andrew
T. lychsen, blazed fire from NOR
ss7s' machine guns and all small
arms Waves Of infantryrnen then
sped forward under the protective
'ae OF the supporting weapons.
PREVIOUS to the attack demon
sIatlon, Secretary Stimson had
peeh greeted at Pope Field by a
ccelcoming party headed by Maj.
t uen' Avian c. Gillem, Jr., Thir-
zenith Corps commander; Mai.
uen' Withers A. Burress, Tooth Di-
n nSlon Commander; Mai. Gen.
lL o c. Cubbison, Field Artil-
tesy Replacement Training Center
rrYn1lmrander; ard Brig. Gen. John
l. Kennedy, post commander.
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
SENATE APPROVES
STATE VOTE BILL
Measure Expected To Be
Passed In House With
out Much Trouble

WASHINGTON, March 14.-tR-
A service ballot bill accenting state
rights and alternately described as
an air and bar to voting by mil
lions of uniformed Americans pass.
ed the Senate At to 81 today and
moved toward the House for final
Congressional action.
The end product of weeks of de-
bate in both Houses and lengthy
arguments in a conference COM
mittee. the measure gives State
absentee ballots preferential stand
ing and offers a short form Fed
eral ballot only as a last resort
with a State approval string attach
ed for overseas troops.
Twenty three Democrats, "a Re-
publicans voted for the compro-
mise bill. with "a Democrats, six
Republicans and one progressive
opposing passage.
Opponents gained half a dozen
more votes than they had counted
in their polls, including that Of Ma
jority Leader Barley, who declar-
ed the measure was held together
with more legal adhesive tape'
than he had ever seen before.
House acceptance of the bill,
probably tomorrow, was conceded
by virtually all factions. House Ma
jority Leader Mccormack predict
ed it's adoption although stating he
would vote against it. Many Re-
publicans were ready to support
it. and Rep. Rankin D.-Miss.) fore
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
WEWAK IS GIVEN
2l0-T0N FASTING
Enemy Air And Supply
Base On New Guinea
Under Allied Fire

ALLIED HEADQUARTERS,
SOUTHWEST PACIFIC, Wednes-
day, March Is Up "A 210-ton
bombing of Wewak, New Guinea,
enemy air and supply base was
announced today by Gen. Douglas
Macarthur. During the attack
Monday, eight enemy planes were
shot down.
In a second attack, more than
100 bombers hit that base the same
day and 10 enemy planes were
shot down.
The day before, bombers and
fighters swarmed up from the
Solomons for their continuous as
sault of Rabaul, New Britain, and
for the first time in several days
encountered air opposition. Four
of the enemy were downed.
Approximately ITO miles from
Rabaul on the New Britain north
coast, Marines landed IS miles
southwest of Talasea and wiped
out enemy stragglers. The Ameri-
cans already hold Talasea, which
is on Willaumez Peninsula.
On the New Guinea coast above
Wewak, Allied planes encountered
more shipping in the Hollandia
area, a favorite hunting ground
recently.
A Catalina destroyed three small
cargo vessels in convoy in the
latest attack, reported today.
Headquarters announced today
that the Japanese dead in suicidal
attacks on the Empress Augusta
Bay on Bougainville in the north
ern Solomons exceed 1000. (The
estimate previously was reported
from Guadalcanal)
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15

calendar year would bring a total
of 3,700,000 in the Navy, Marines
and Coast Guard.
my personal view," Knox said,
is that before we are through we
will have to face the larger phase
of the whole problem and enact
some kind of national service law
that can check and halt the most
serious feature of the whole man
power problem which is turn
over"
THE Navy is still expanding
and will not reach it's maximum
strength until some time in 1915
under present plans" Knox said,
and added that until that point is
reached there can be no leveling
off in inductions for sea service.
Now, he reported, the fleet in
cludes 4,167 vessels and an aver
age of ILL., ships a day are ex-
Continued m Page Three. Col. ~
The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990, 1944-03-15
Ionsairway Is Claiming
Another R ecord For
Crossing The P acifie

sAN FRANCISCO, March IA.
..HJ-Consairway penned an
o'iier record in its flight log
today:
Dan Francisco-t0-Australia-
.o-san Francisco-3 days, 20
nodrs' 20 minutes for the
found-trip.
oonsairway, Air Transport
DIVISION Of Consolidated Vul-
zee, announced that one of its
L'oerator transports set the
new time as It landed at a
pase near here yesterday. The
oia record was 4 days and 30
minutes, also held by Consair-
Wav,