davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
AMERICAN UNITS
, ON SOUTH FRONT
THANKING NAILS
Advance Forces Reported
But IS Miles Distant
From Swiss Border

ROME, Sept. 1. - up -
American troops who drove
to Grenoble in a lightning
dash from the Riviera last
week have speared on more
than Is miles beyond that
city and are advancing with
in less than IS miles of the
Swiss border, it was official
ly disclosed today as the Sc
crecy which had shrouded
the operation of the Yank
task force was partly lifted.
An announcement said the col
umn was operating north of Voiron,
Is miles northwest of Grenoble and
but "A miles from Lyon, through
which battered remnants of h e
18th, German army were fleeing
from southern France. The Nazl
radio reported earlier in the week
that vanguards of the Grenoble
force had reached the Swiss border
near Geneva. but this was not con-
firmed by Allied sources.
Presence of the column southeast
of Lyon offered a thanking threat
to Nazi troops fighting fierce rear
guard a t i on against pursuing
Americans between Valence a d
Lyon while the main body Of enc
my troops pelted northward in a
desperate attempt to escape to Ger
many.
Capt. Ludwig Sertorious. Nazi
radio commentator, said Friday
that the increasing tendency OF
the enemy to outflank with motor
lied American formations the Ger.
man detachment movement had in
creased the difficulties of the Ger
man retreat but could not prevent
it." He declared that French pa
triot troops who temporarily es-
tablished themselves" in Lyon had
been nearly completely defeated
by German rearguards..o
Allied headquarters reported that
American troops chasing the Nazls
up the Rhone valley had made con-
tact with enemy rearguards be-
tween Touron, 10 miles above cap
tured Valence, and LIE Bourg du
PEACE. II miles northeast of Va
lence. ....,
German prisoners said that the
weary, disorganized enemy S
being hazed up the valley had been
put strictly on their own by their
commanders-told to get back to
Germany by their own resources,
They were a far cry from h e
proud legions Hitler sent chasing
into Poland five years 60. They had
lost all stomach for battle.
Allied airmen reported h avy
movement of enemy troops on high
ways leading out of Lyon to the
north. They were racing to reach
Germany before they could be cut
off BY an American column plung-
ing eastward from Paris toward the
Swiss border.
A report from 1t. Gen. Alexander
M. Patch's headquarters quoted
captured Gen. Otto Richter, COM
mander of the German 198th infan'
try division, as saying that the
| 18th army is undertaking to extri-
| cate itself from southeast France
by any means possible. -
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
SOVlETS SPEED
| TO MEET SLAVS
Russian Motorized Units
Head Westward Drive
To Join Partisans

LONDON, Saturday, Sept.
2.-<F-Russian motorized
troops speeding westward
through Romania toward a
junction with Marshal Tito's
partisan army yesterday
drove to within $50 miles of
the Yugoslav frontier and
also reached Bulgaria's Dan
ube border with the seizure
of the big river port of Giur-
giu, IS miles southwest of oc-
cupied Bucharest.
Gen. Ridion Y. Malinovsky'
Second Ukraine army swept
through more than 100 towns and
villages, tanning out west and south
of Ploesti, and south and east Of
the capitulated Romanian capital.
Darmanesti, IL miles west OF
Ploesti, was among 60 villages
taken in that area, and one report
put the Russians only 100 miles
from the Yugoslav border.
Other Soviet units striking to.
ward the Predeal and Buzau pass
es above Ploesti were reported
within 20 miles of Brasov, Tran
sylvanian city on the other side Of
the Carpathian mountains, in their
swift pursuit of the broken NaZj
Balkan forces.
Field dispatches said the bulk Of
the routed Germans were in dis.
orderly flight westward through the
Danube valley toward the 'Iron
Gate pass leading to Hungary and
southern Germany.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02

with political CONSIDERATIONS
Congress has not closed the
doors on relieving unemployment, "
Doughton said.
The House yesterday passed a
rehabilitation, reconversion bill
drafted by its ways and means
committee, headed by Doughton.
The committee agreed with the
Senate TO leave unemployment
compensation to states. but iunked
Senate provisions for retaining
war workers for other jobs. trans
portation back home. and blanket
Ing 3.50OOOO federal workers under
unemployment compensation pro-
lection.
Baruch, presidential advisor who
spent hunk out of his own funds
in buying railroad tickets to get
stranded former government work.
ers out of Washington after the
last war. said in a statement to-
day that unemployment compen-
sation is must legislation" The
House bill seems certainly made
euate," he said.
Our opinion Doughton said at
The capital, is that this is as far
awe can go at this time. I don't
say it is adequate or inadequate.
It's the best bill we can prepare
Until we know more about the &C.
.ual problem We will confront Mr..
Daflch hasn't given us plan
showing the cost or where the
money is coming from.
If there is 10 be considerable
unemployment, l hope we can see
us approach in time to provide the
necessary ng legislative remedy.
"nat we have done does not close
'nV books on relieving unemploy-
.ell, Il it occurs, but in my judg.
.Del,' We can do a better job when
~. A. KNOW just how serious, if at all,
Vic problem is likely to become.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
Oratorical Fireworks !, !
Exploded In Congress

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1. -(P)-
The 1914 presidential campaign,
thrust into the background in the
House while the members worked
On postwar bills, burst into full
flower today as soon as the legis.
lative tasks had been given their
first going-over. h:'- Z
Demo cratS and Republicans en-
gagged in slugging match that
ran the gamut of election year per
sonaAties,e including President
Roosevelt, his wife, his seotty dog
Fala, and. the Republican govern
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
American Troops Hit Belgium Front,
Ra#TNazis To Reach Seigfried Line;
zdan, Verdun, St. Mihiel Captured
Canadians Take
Bloody Dieppe.
Lightning Columns Driving On To Berlin
Operate At Double Speed Of NaZi Blitz

SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED EXPEDI-
TI0NARY FORCE Saturday, Sept. 2-tP)cAmerican
armies pounded at beyond the Belgian frontier today and
raced the Germans in attempt to reach the Segfred
line before the routed enemy beaten in the battle OF
FRANCISCAN make it for lastdth defense stand OF the
Reich @i.*
Behind these lightning columns, now operating at
double the speed of the Naz bz of France lay the fallen
forresses of Sedan Verdun and St. M and the preached
Maginot line.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
Nv The Associated Press

Sept. 2. 1913 American, troops
reached the embankments OF the
Betl1une-Soissons railway. by cut.
ting their way through acres o.
barbed wire. English, Scottish and
Canadian forces, aided by tanks
pushed back. the German defensive
system known as the Drocourt =
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
U. S. Assault Troops
Drive To Get .Brest

LONDON, Sept. 1.-(R)- .Ameri-
can dive bombers scored direct
hits on German gun emp1acements
at Brest today shortly before U. S.
ground troops began an about as
sault on the prize Atlantic port,
and $50 Flying Fortresses and Lib
orators roaring up from Italy at
tackled German supply or escape
arteries in, Hungary and Yugosla-
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
Germans Hurl Shells
Across Channel Water

+. LONDON, Sept l. -(P- The
Germans fired 100 shells into south
ern England today from their, big
gun positions across the Channel
around Boulogne in what may have
been one final defiant gesture be-
fore they set out for home with
a British army in hot pursuit.
At least one Briton was killed
as the big shells rustled over Tor
four hours. landing in a wide area
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
European War Flashback

Queant "switch" of the linden
burg line on six mile front.
Sept e., 1940-German aircraft
were sighted over London and at
least eight other British cities as
the Nazis sent perhaps 700 planes
against Britain. The Raj bombed
Munich and targets in Italy, the
Netherlands and France.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
ny, roPE IN PEACE TALK

Plus YIN wy Sept. l. - (P) - Pope
Can c Sll speaking over the vati-
on Hny radio, said tonight that
War t ,hs NTH anniversary of the
Ing on u'e :, spirit of injustice is dy-
|song w. This barbaric world is
|hunssn;;oa enc and a new world of
sreatoa ), and Christianity is to be
the pontiff declared.
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
Doughton Backs
House PayBiL

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1-lH9-Bernard M. Baruch S
comment that Houseapproved demoblzaton leglslauon IS
inadpolae brought from Rep Doughton D-NC) the re-
NV TODAY that sit is not the time to hastily enact legislation
costing untold blions-when the atmosphere is polluted
The Wilmington morning star., 1944-09-02
FORECAST

WILMINGTON AND VICINITY: Part
l.. cloudy and continued warm TODAY
With scattered afternoon and evening
thundershowers.
temperatures yesterday:
High SLOW "a
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29

ion OF the situation.
The outfit involved is what form
erly vas the 553d Pursuit squadron,
which had been stationed at Selfridge
field, Mich, until May 7 when it was
suddenly transferred to this South
South Carolina post, in the middle Of
Dixie and all it means.
The picture is not a happy one
There is indeed much room for inn
provement on the part of the army
air forces if training and the estab-
lishment-yes, the establishment-of
high morale are to be achieved among
a group of men who in a relatively
short time will eb flying high over
Germany for the cause Of America
By the same token, these men and
related ground personnel have the re-
sponsibility Of constantly exhibiting
their diligence in accordance with
army regulations, knowing as they dc
that despite the demonstrated capab-
ility Of the goth Pursuit squadron,
there is still a segment of the army
which ever now would prefer not tc
see Negroes develop in the air branch
of this country's armed services.
The 553rd. flying PAY Thunder
bolts, hadn't cracked up yet, as Maj
or Joseph B. Price, assistant director
of flying operations and training not
ed. In fact, there hadn't been a fat.
atty among the men since a short
time before leaving Selfridge field, q
favorable record.
The seed of discord took root a
Selfridge. Six officers from tn;
goth had returned from overseas Il
work with the nucleus of the 553rd
which was activated last November a
Selfridge Field and Oscoda, Mich
They we're 1st Its. Walter Lawson
Graham Smith, Louis R. Purnell
Spann Watson, Charles w. Dryder
and Lee Rayford. The outfit wa:
ultimately to be differed with al
Negro personnel.
In due course the men were uniteC
at Selfridge and for a time had Z
succession of commanding officers
The last of them, 1t. Col Sam 2
Triffy, came south with them. Under
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
Help deliver the final blow!

of a quota basis in one instance and
reject it in another.
An unofficial spokesman for the
committee also pointed out that the
War Production board might well
play an important part even row.
The suggestion was made that WIPE
might take into account, when it is
about to force employment cutbacks
due tc contract cancellation, the re
adoption qualities of the workers
layed off as a factor in determining
the final action.
Specifically, where it is fairly OBJ
vious that Negroes in a given area
are holding jobs won at great expen-
diture of effort are to be the chief
victims of a cut-back because of the
reluctance and in cases the opposition,
of other employers to absorb them,
such cutbacks ought not be made ex-
cept as a final alternative.
The observation was also made that
labor turnover may prove an import
am factor. Whereas turnover amorg
whites has been relatively high, Ne
groes who have gotten war jobs have
held onto them. The result is that
their seniority has become higher due
to requirements which have come in
behind them.
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29

pilots who would shortly thereafter
leave as requirements for men of the
goth and 332nd- The only pilots at
the base are colored, except for the
various supervisory personnel (in-
structors). Total personnel at Wal
terboro was estimated at approximate
ly 1000 men of which about one
third are Negroes.
Until July 8, the day before my
arrival. the Walterboro airbase had
been under the Command of Col. Viii
liam M. Prince. He was succeeded
on that day by Col. Guy Kirksey.
Prior to the arrival Of the former
553rd a coolred aviation squadron,
(separate) had come in. The num-
Der was no large.
Altogether, separate facilities for
almost everything but hospital care
were provided. At first no attempt
was made by public relations officers
to make distinction between the char
acter of the Negro p~ersonel, PREFER
ing tc refer to all of them as RTU
Replacement training until, and the
reason offered as justification for
separate facilities was that the RTU
has a schedule to make"
1t finally developed, however, that
as a means of getting around racial
designations for the use Of certain
facilities. two classes of individuals
were recognized and defined: RTU
for the colored; base personnel for
! the white. Hence, when the sign was
| put up, upon orders of Col. Prince,
| over the entrance to a service center
| where sodas are dispensed, it said for
base PERSONA" 1t mans Negroes
keep OUT They have been refused
service and SO have kept out.
These definitions ignored the fact
| that both the aviation squadron (sep-
arate) and the ground crew which ac-
companied the 553rd, all Negroes,
had become part of the base person
| mel. Col. Prince admitted later in my
| talk with him that these deductions
| were accurate. When he was asked
about their actual inclusion, he said
simply that they should have been
taken into the housekeeping" but re-
minded that South Carolina has al
| ways been a state which believes in
the separation of the races"
He was merely conforming.
ITO Be Continued)
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
WHEREFORE PAYS $4,000
ON 20 YEAR OLD MORTGAGE

Wherefore, Ohio-President Char
les H. Wesley, announced that on
July Is, $4,000 had been paid on the
mortgage of Wilberforce University,
the original amount of which was
$4,000. The result of gifts from
individuals, churches, alumni, and
friends had enabled this sum to be
paid and the mortgage to be reduced
to $4,000. The history-making cam
paign continues to achieve a similar
result. 1t is expected that during
1914, the entire mortgage principal
will be paid ann the institution ~releas-
ed from one of its greatest liabilities.
Under the leadership Of Bishop
Gregg and Alumni CluDss the cam
paign will be conducted in the states
of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and
the Northwest and under the leader
ship Of Bishop David Sims, the cam
paign will be conducted in the states
Of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Della
ware. New York and New England.
1t is expected that Bishop R. R.
Wright, Jr., will direct the campaign
in Kentucky and Tennessee.
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
FEPC CONSIDERS POLICY
ON NEGRO LAY-OFFS
BY ERNEST Z. N

BY ERNEST Z. JOHNSON
Washington, July "a (ANP)-Ex-
ploratory conversations were begun
at the offices of the FEPC last week
looking to the establishment Of a rol-
icy to be pursued toward restraining
disproportionate lay-offs among Ne
gro wal workers due to cutbacks and
the introduction Of r~econversion pro-
grams.
These informal talks, it is learned
unofficially, have not yet gone out
side of the agency, but ultimately will
be extended to include the viewpoints
Of other agencies which might con
ceivably have a finger in the matter,
notably the Wa Manpower commits
sion, the war and navy departments,
and perhaps the U. S. Maritime com
mission.
FEPC is keenly aware Of the say
ing that the Negro is generally tie
last hired and the first fired. Be-
cause this happens TO be the demon
strated case in their own experience,
the agency would like to find some
way of altering this tradition and
thereby aid Negroes in retaining some
OF the industrial gains which have
been made in the period IF the war.
admittedly, The Problem Is
4 Difficult One .....
One of the IDEAS advanced at the
initial discussions was one which
would call upon employers to observe
certain agreed quotas i'll the matter of
lay-offs. For example, whereas Ne
groes may have come into the employ
relatively late and SO have little SEN
iority, some basis might be found for
retaining a number ii these workers
irrespective of seniority,
Obviously this is m approach which
would have TO have the sanction Of
labor unions which IN many instances
control or police hirings and firines
Of all workers.
The problem was also recognized
that under such a quota arrangement,
other interest groups might Use the
plan as a precedented, push their own
claims for special treatment. Fur
Their. because general quotas for The
hiring of Negroes were originally de-
plored and frowned upon, it might
well Be cause for wonder as to how
FEPC could reconcile its acceptance
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29

The presentation of the Spingarn
Medal was one of the highlights. DR..
Drew, who received the medal, made
one proud to be. a Negro after listen
ing to his acceptance speech. / can
not say the same of Walter White
who reminded one of going to a ball
game heavily advertised for Satchel
Paige to pitch and suddenly Paige
goes out of the game pitching but one
inning. Walter White sold the Ne
gro down the river. instead of talk
ing about his subject mater Whats
Happening to the Negro Soldier Ov-
erseas?" He talked Roosevelt. Elean
or and Wallace, and gave the Repub-
licans Hell.
We were somewhat sore when we
read an article in the Chicago Sunday
Tribune Of July 9th, when some Chi
cago Negroes Of said branch accused
white Of planning to sell the NAA-
CP. to the New Deal. Now. we are
coninced that Walter White is in ia
vor of breaking all rules Of said or
g~anzation and doing his Masters
bidding. What he told the audience
about the Negro soldiers overseas
could be written on a single page.
He spoke of p1acards in Italy
ageing discrimination against Negro
es-started primarily by an American
born Italian. He also spoke Of the
American whites informing the Eng
lish that Negroes had tails and bark
ed like dogs and other minor incid
ents which could have been suppress
ed. He, like Bishop Gregg and the
Gen. Davis, along with Truman Glib
son, Dr., should take a plane some
where-never to returnl One thing
I noticed in White was-he either
doesn't give a damn about the little
Negro as long as he gets his salary
and bonus from the New Deal, or he
thinks the Chicago Negroes are a
bunch Of saps.
If that is all he saw after going
overseas and plans another trip so he
can bring back a story, he has accept
ed money under false pretenses. And
if | had a newspaper and had sent
White to get a story and he presented
such rot to me, to publish, | would
sue him for the return of salary and
expense money. SO, my advice to
you little fellows is not to listen to
such men as Dawson. Gibson, Gener-
al Davis or any so-called leader who
holding a job on any of the polit- .
ical payrolls-Democrat or Republic
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
BY ERNEST JOHNSON

WATERFORD AIRBASE, sc,
July "a (ANP)-Because morale of
men at this airbase was reported low
Because a hero of the goth Pursuit
squadron, back from overseas, had
been dismissed from the service thru
court-martial, and at least two other
men have been court-martialed-
And because rumors of general un-
rest and discrimination had been re-
ported, the Associated Negro Press
undertook an on-the-spot investigat-
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29

oil.
Walter White is about to tour The
Pacific area, this is his second trip
abroad. A. Philip Randolph, who I
believe would tell all he saw il he
we're allowed to 60, has had an appli-
cation on file for over a year for ov-
erseas inspection Of Negro troops.
Why has he been turned DOWN. The
answer is obvious. !.
This writer received 3 "V' mail
letters-two from England and one
fom Italy, which carried more infor-
nation about the treatment Of Negro
troops than in Walter white lies
full report.
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29

one o fthese commanders, 1t. Col.
Charles Gayle, the men observed a
tendency to place Negro officers as
assistants to white supervisory pers-
onnel in the table of organization.
Its. Rayford and Purnell decided
they preferred fighting and SO went
overseas with the 332nd Fighter
group. Trainees of the 553rd stuck
tongues in cheeks.
While at Selfridge the issue Of the
officers club arose and a plan to pro-
vide separate facilities for the races
was thwarted after the Negro filters
had voted unanimously to refuse the
separate club. The under-current of
resentment developed among the col
ored officers and evidenced itself in
sundry ways.
On May 5 the 553rd ~entrained for
Walterboro airbase. They were not
told then or since then why they had
been moved south. They accepted
opinion among them, however, is that
the move was made for the explicit
purpose of subjecting them truly to
the rigors of segregation as only the
south can practice it, and thereby kill
their spirit.
That spirit today is low, and the
transfer is a contributing factor.
None of the ranking officers with
whom | talked, from Col. Ivor Mas
sey, deputy commanding officer Of
the. first air force, down know or
was prepared to say why the trans
fer was made. An obvious explains
ton might well have been the c~onjec-
ture made by William H. HASTE, for
merly civilian aide to the secretary Of
war, a short time ago, namely that
the main stream of flight straining
is in the south, and that it proper
that Negro trainees should receive
their training where all other to-be
flying officers are schooled. But not
wen this reason was advanced by the
commanding officers. Il don't know
was generally their reply to the ques
ton.
incidentally, when the transfer was
made, none of the colored boys was
permitted to fly his craft down al
though the whites did. Reason given
was that eating facilities might not
have been available to them at tier
mediate stops enroute. THAT was a
slap in the face" was the comment
of one of the fellows with whom u
talked, especially to the boys who
had been overseas"
The fact remains that the 553rd,
officers and enlisted men, arrived at
WATERFORD on Monday, May z,
found themselves no longer a COM
plete organization but rather than the
flyers were now a replacement train
ing unit, and the ground crew a part
OF the base personnel and real segre-
cation on an army post was staring
them straight in the face.
Public relations officers at Walter
boro explained that the post had pre-
viously been a sub-base of a base
near Charleston but more recently had
been given full base status. Further,
it was explained that Walterboro had
since the arrival of the 553rd, became
a location for advanced training for
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
AMP FINDS MORALE
SHOT AMONG 553RD
filters TRAINING
IN So. CAROLINA
RACE PREJUDICE, DISCRIM-
NATION RULES AMONG
PILOTS, GROUND CREW At
DIXIE AIRFIELD- $500.

EDITORS NOTES Because of
persistent reports that the SGD
pursuit squadron had been raj
roaded" from Seifridge field,
Mich, to W0lteybovo diybdse, S.
c, for protesting segregation at
the northern training field, the
associated Negro Press sent O re-
porter to WGIfeyboro to obtain
he facts in the ease for the read
r of this newspaper. What this
correspondent, Ernest Johnson,
chief of the mp Washington
bureau, found is contained in
three articles, the first of (Which
foIlozOso.
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
BY Georqe H. Davenboyt

Chicago, III July
18th, in the city OF
Chicago, the clos
ing meeting Of the
National Associat-
ion for the Ad-
vancement of Col
ored People, which
name should read
National Associa-
tion Tor the Ad-
vancernent Of some
Colored People
was held in Wash
ington Park.
The Omaha guide., 1944-07-29
NBC PUTS RACIAL SERIES

YIN A lin
New York, New York, July IS mn
(PPNS)-Depicting the part played
BY the various racial minority groups
in building America the new NBC
series They call me joe, will re-
place American Story, July 22nd-
(NBC., 700 PM, EWT.)
Groups represented in They Call
Ne joe, include Scaninavians, Chin
csc, Negroes, Italians, Polish, Germ
ans, Mexicans, Irish, Philippines,
Greeks, Jewish, French, Spanish, Jap
anese, Slavs, British, Dutch and Am
orleans.