davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
The GasOcutiOns

Many states electrocute convicted MIR
derers. In North Carolina the gas chamber
h the popular of the two. And now the state
has gassed its largest number at one time,
five.
The executions did not 90 off as planned.
men. But one of them became afraid. He
jammed the lock on his cell door. So two
Negroes left this earthly domain first
What terrible scene this must have been
Up there in the state prison. A man who
could KILL himself cowed in the presence of
death. What story could be told Of the
feelings of the condemned man trying to
hold on to life just wee bit longer and of
open the door and drag him to the chamber.
Taking a mans life, no matter how legal
the whole thing maybe, always has its sad
side. While it is necessary to enforce the
old eye for an eye law, we suppose, still there
turks always in the minds of many the
thought that, society itself, may have had
some influence on the lives of the condemned
and not always to the good
Four OF the five men to die did so for
murder. The fifth for criminal assault The
state has exacted its greatest penalties But
murder will no doubt continue in spite Of
the fact capital punishment was supposed to
stop It. This being true, perhaps there is
another cause; deeper underlying cause.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
Too Mild A Prescription

There was something confusing, if not
disconcerting, in the diagnosis and prescr!p-
ton for Europe's critical ills which came
forth from the meeting of President Truman
and congressional leaders.
1t was as if doctor, called to see patient
approaching the crisis of peneumonia, had
told him to lie down and take an aspirin,
and had promised to drop in next week to
see how he was getting on.
Mr.. Truman said after the meeting, that
no money for emergency aid would be
available after Dec. l. But he explained that
it would be useless for him to call special
session of Congress if the chairmen of the
foreign relations and appropriation COM
rnittees of the Senate and House were against
lit.
The President said that France and Italy
were without enough food and fuel for the
fall and winter and had no money to buy
them. He also said that he was writing to the
chairmen of the above committees requesting
that they convene to consider the present
crisis.
Mr. Truman said that, unless aid for
there would be nothing in western Europe
for the Marshall plan to reconstruct But
Chairman Vanderberg, of the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee, said his group could
not meet before Nov. l, because the State
Department would have nothing concrete
before Nov. l.
Mr.. Vandenberg said that the question in
emergency aid to Europe was one OF "elemen-
tai human survival in a free society" But
Senator Taft on tour of the west,
said he didn't think Congress could
do much before January because many
members couldn't get back III time
for a special session. Some Of them, he
pointed out, were touring throughout the
world.
The congressional leaders were impressed
by Mr.. Truman with the choice of ap-
propriating $5sO0oo,ooo for emergency re-
lief or seeing communism sweep Europe.
But Senator Lucas said that, unless Congress
got some facts it didn't already know, he
was afraid that a special session would be
devoted largely to politics and the 1s48
elections.
| Surely if all these dire warnings are true,
lit is time for something little more drastic
than committee meetings. Aid to Europe,
aid which is important to this country as
well ~ 70 Exrope's cold and hungry, cannot
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
BY PETER EDISON

| WASHINGTON - The job
ahead of Secretary of Com
merce Averell Hartman s
"Committee Of 49," in trying to
work out recommendations for
carrying on the Marshall plan
to aid Europe, is as tough an
assignment as was ever hand.
ed any presidential advisers.
The group is made up Of "a
big-shot bankers and business
men, like Owen D. Young, six
nationally known economists OF
the caliber of DR.. Harold G.
Moulton Of Brookings Institute,
two representatives of labor Or
CARNATIONS and one lone repre-
sentative of the public, ex-Sena.
tor Bob LaFollette, Jr., of Wis
consin.
Since it was named three
months ago, the Committee of
19 has had two meetings. and
done practically nothing. There
is little chance that the Paris
report on requirements for the
16 western European nations
will be broken down in enough
detail for the committee to do
anything about it at its next
meeting. That means action will
have to be postponed until the
end of October. If the commit
tee meets it's present self. i'm
posed deadline of having rec
concentrations ready for the
President by Nov. i, it will have
accomplished wonders.
That means congressional
committees can't he called IN
before that date. Allowing them
a month for hearings, it almost
rules out the possibility of Con-
gress meeting in special session
on this issue before Dec. /. To
consider high prices. it could,
of course, meet earlier.
In the meantime. small
staff under young Richard M.
Bissell has been doing Commit
/ tee of 10 spade work. He is a
Yale economist, a Connecticut
Republican who has written
widely against public spending,
made work and such theories.
Reports from technical commit
tees, which advised the Paris
conference on VIII at Europe
would need in the next four
years, have been coming into
1.-THE Bissell staff for some
weeks.
The work of the Committee of
10 has broadened considerably
since. it was named last June.
Then it was assumed that all
the committee would have to do
was balance re quirements
against the availability of U. S.
surpluses for export.
It is now realized the Mar
lshall plan won't work that way.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
BY STEWART ALSOP

To satisfy this appetite, hard
ly less than ninety million tons
of grain were fed to beasts and
fowls in the year 1947-8. Had
the Americans been able to di-
vert no more than three or four
million of these tons of grain to
the feeding Of the famished peo-
pies of Europe, the disaster
which shortly overcame the
United States might clearly
have been averted. It is a re-
markable fact that the Ameri-
can leaders, or at least the
most powerful and informed
amongst them, were wholly
alive to this crucial Importance
Of a few million tons of grain.
Yet they were, or believed
themselves to be, powerless to
act.
Difficult as it now is to credit,
the area then known as the
United States was at that time
wealthy, populous, and enor-
mously productive. So industri-
Gus were its people, and so vast
it's natural riches, that the coun-
try emerged from the second
German war more prosperous
than it had ever been before.
BY contrast the nations of west
ern Europe had been crippled
hv the long conflict. The gov
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
Decline And Fall?

WASHINGTON With in
finite reluctance, the Presi-
dent and the Congressional
leaders have taken the first
hesitating steps towards
dealing with the crisis
abroad. It now seems pos
sible that bare minimum
of the necessary dollars will
be forthcoming. But dollars
are only half the problem.
Dollars are not edible. That
is why, in moments of
gloom, those close to the
Washington scene are some
. times tempted to suspect
that some future Gibbon, in
dustriously compiling his
''Decline and Fall ef the
United States," might write
as follows:
Many causes lave been ad
for the extraordinar,
events which occurred in tn,
middle years of the twentieth
century. Yet a close study o
the contemporary records lead
the honest historian inescapabl,
to the conclusion that the Unit
ed States (together with west
ern civilization as a whole) wa!
destroyed by reason of the in
ordinate appetite of the Aneri
can people for meat.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
Continued On Page 10)

had been struck by the same
policeman, G.. H. Hines.
The Wilmington morning pa
per properly condemns the con-
duct of the policeman and com
mends the attitude of the judge,
who made Especial effort to oo-
tain as many facts as possible
in the case" The Prisoner was
mot a hardened criminal; II
was his first brush with the
law. Yet he was apparently
treated as if he were a danger
Gus desperado."
The Wilmington case is men.
toned here as an instance Of
abuse of police AUTHORITY
against which the municipal
county and state authorities N
North Carolina should be on
guard.
Ever so often one hears OF
instances of police mistreat-
ment of prisoners and of peE-
sons they are attempting to
rest. Police officers Fo'e TO
lawful right or authority u MS
treat convicted criminals alio'
least of all those who have rol
been convicted.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
Hartman Committee

Anything sent to Europe is 60
ing to have to be taken out
|of Americans hides, because
there won't be any surpluses
The function of the Committee
of 10 may thus become one o1
justifying Marshall plan re.
quireraents. before Congress.
The most acute problem is
grain. 1t is now known tha,
there isn't going to be enough
grain grown to meet all de-
mands. The question therefore
boils down to relative needs.
What is the minimum that Eu-
rope can get by on? How can
u. S. consumption be cut to
meet that need?
Secondary questions arise on
whether the U. S. should ship
raw materials or finished goods.
If the U. S. sends raw cotton
to Europe, and it's made into
cloth to sell to Latin-America,
that may destroy a foreign mar
ket for U. S. textiles. On the
other hand, since the only way
to put Europe on it's feet and
make it self-supporting is to
build up it's industries, it may
be found that the smart thing
to do is ship the raw cotton.
The same thing applies to
steel bars, plates and shapes.
Shall they be sent to Europe
to be made into farm and min
ing machinery? Or shall the
machines be made here?
Increasing U. S. production
and European dependence on
American output is contrary to
the spirit of the Marshall plan.
Administration of these pro-
grams provides another head
ache. Will Congress want to
make grants of money to Eu-
rope and let the continent plan
and execute it's own recovery?
Or should the money be appro-
priated to an American govern
ment corporation or agency
which can continuously review
and control expenditures, as
the Lend-Lease Administr alton
did in wartime? Or shall the
job be broken up, with parts
given to Departments of State,
Agriculture, the Export-Import
Bank and the International
Bank for Reconstruction?
One trouble with having a
public group like the Committee
of 10 make these recommends
tions is that it's members are
all outside the government,
working part time, but forced to
make decisions on highly COM
plex issues. It's six-month
job for a big group of full-time
experts. The Committee of 10 IS
supposed to do it in a month.
And it dare not 60 before Con-
gress with any idea that IL half
baked.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04

ernments of those nations were
reduced to reliance on the Unit
ed States for wheat With which
to feed their populace, and coal
with which to sustain their man.
ufactures.
Since the end of the war the
Soviet Union, now also waste
land, but then second in power
and resources only to the United
States, had been attempting by
every means to extend its area
of power and influence. The
chief instrument to this end was
the International communist
parties, directed from Moscow.
In 1947, these parties were ex-
erting all their energies to seize
control of the nations Of western
Europe, and particularly of
France and Italy. They found
an ally in the western European
weather. Following a disastrous
harvest, it became evident by
the autumn of 1o47 that the
French and Italian people were
menaced with starvation in the
approaching winter months.
1t was clear 10 the American.
leaders that unless something
were done, this circumstance
would lead to communist, and
thus Soviet, control of all Eu-
rope. The foreign policy of the
United States, for evident stra-
tegic reasons, had been shaped
to avert precisely this end. Thus
it is with amazement that the
historian comes upon the an
nouncement of an American Of
ficial, known as 1.-THE Secretary
of Agriculture" in the month of
September, 1947. This official,
named Clinton Anderson, an
nounced at that time that ex-
ports of grains to Europe must
necessarily be reduced.
Whereas fifteen million tons
OF grain had been shipped to
Europe and elsewhere in the
preceding year, this amount
must be decreased to approx
mately twelve million tons. Lit
tie short of ninety million tons
was to be fed to the beasts, to
satisfy the American appetite
for meat.
1t is with a sense OF wonder
also that one reads the opinions
credited to Anderson in certain
reputable journals of the day.
Anderson was said to have in
formed the President of the
United Sites that neither the
Congress nor the people would
approve such extreme meas
ures" as a reduction in the size
of the bread loaf, limitation
in the feeding of wheat to ami
mails, or decrease in the use
of grain for manufacture of
spirituous liquors, copiously
consumed in the United States
in those days. Thus, although
the Congress was asked to ap-
prove such sums as were need
ed by the European countries
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
5 about s2,2oo,ooo less on $113,ooo,ooo

was about $2200,000 less on $113,o0o,0 900
more business.
These figures won't make the milk bill any
easier to pay, though they may indicate why
the milk bill is higher. They won't explain
the high cost of eating. But they might sug-
gest that the full explanation doesn't lie in
the frequent assertion that high corporate
profits are the chief or only cause Of. the
inflated price of victuals
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04

to purchase the necessary food
stuffs, no serious measures,
other than an appeal fcr self
restraint, were taken to assure
that these foodstuffs would
available. Not unexpectedly ii
appeal, in time of paace
largely fruitless.
The inevitable political and
economic chaos in Europe thas
supervened, with the inevitable
consequences. A now forgotten
doctrine then known as the
Marshall Plan," which had
been designed to save tie sitr5-
ton, had to be Discarded The
United States soon found itsef
a continental island, set in the
Continued On Page 1O)
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
6delight On Prices

A profit- and loss statement Of the National
Dairy Products Corp show: that In the
first SIX months of 1947, income was $113,
900 900 greater than in the first half Of 1946
But the corporations expenses increased
$1l6, 6,000, 900. The net preiit for ne period
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-10-04
GOOD MORNING

The true reformer will not only hate
evil but will earnestly endeavor to fill
its place with good.-C. Simmons.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27
Judge Bramham Rules Five Louisiana
Diamond Players On Ineligible List

HOUMA. La. Jan. 26-(P-Two
questions popped up in the Evange
line League Sunday following the
declaration by Judge W. G. Bran
ham that five players in the league
are ineligible fo~ further participa
ton in the game because Of
charges they c%onspired to throw
l game in a post season series be-
tween Houma and Abbeville, La
They were:
/. Who else will be implicated
in the scandal?
2. How many of the players.
who have denied any guilt, will ap-
peal to baseball's high commission
er, A. B. Happy" Chandler?
The first question arose from
the statement of Judge Bramham
that action in the matter is not
complete and that he is turning
the case ove- to- George Trautman.
incoming president of the National
Association (minor leaguesl.
This decision does not purport
to be complete" Bramham said in
declaring four Houma and one Alb
beville player ineligible. There
ere other parties connected with
the Evangeline league clubs, testi-
mony concerning which has beer
revealed in my examination o.
recent Witnesses.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27

Club heads We're expecting more
people to be implicated than the
five named by Bramham, as
indicated by the question of L.. E.
Lapeyrouse. president of the
Houna club when he was inform
ed of the action taken by Bran
ham.
Told the names of the five men
declared ineligible, he queried:
rs that all? How about the rest
of the Abbeville boys?'
But as the league watched to
see what other heads would roll, it
became apparent all the players
declared Ineligible would not take
the ruling lying down.
Don Vetorel, sole Abbeville play
e. declared Ineligible, at George
town, ILL.,. where he is employed
as mine foreman, said Sunday
I'm ready to fight this to the
finish because l have never gam
bled at home or away from home
He said that in the third game
Of the playoffs, two unidentified
men came to the dugout and ask
ed how the game was going. Man
ager Harry Strohm gave them
the worst cussing out l have ever
heard. and they left. I assumed
they were gamblers and l immedi-
ately took off my shoes ard said
| wouldn't play even if there were
the slightest hint of gambling. ]
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27

finished the playoffs only because
Strohm and other players begged
me to-"
But others declared ineligible
were not available for comment
on their future plans.
But as far as the Houma club
is concerned, it appeared the play,
ers declared ineligible are finish.
ed regardless of any decision from
Chandler.
L. E. Papeyrouse, club president.
announced all had been replaced.
with Copeland Goss, a native OF
Laurel, Miss, who played last for
Natchez. Miss, replacing playing
Manager Fugit.
The five players were declared
Ineligible Saturday by B-amham
following investigation of alleged
Irregularities in the leagues post
season series between Houma and
Abbeville.
Bramham said the investigation
revealed some players had been
approached by gamblers with
propositions and the failure of
the players to inform league and
club officials was "rep~ehensible
conduct"
He said that "other conduct detri-
mental to baseball" including as
ISOLATION with known gamblers and
betting On horse races, "justifies
the decision now rendered.;
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27
UPSETS FEATURE
TENNIS TOURM
Top Ranked Perfornu
Defeated In Florida St,,
Tournament

Fla. Jan. g. p,
Two upsets marked the tiaals
the goth annual Florida State Te
mis- Tournament here Sunday asst
ranked performers in botn d
mems and women's division ge
defeated.
Frank Guernsey. il. of 0flald
seeded No, l. fell before seNl
seeded Jack Tuero of New 0tlea-
Ga. rs. in a match which saw d
improving New Orleans PLAY
turn in d steadier performaa
than his rival.
The finals victory was T0en
second win Of the day. In d delay
semi-final match. he eliminat
third seeded Bruce Thomas Of W
Palm Beach. g., rs, -. In
other semi-finals clash. Guefni
defeated fourth seeded Henri
Buse of Rollins College. 81 ~.
The tournaments other up
was produced by l9-year-old SAE
Fry of Rollins College who v
over top seeded Doris Hart
Miami. 6-4, SO, in the women'
vision.
Miss Fry, a Rollins sopnom'
from Akron Ohio, played some
the best tennis of her career
turn back Miss Hart. ranked lO1
nationally. Miss Fry. who was 81
ed second in local play, is TaHA
in seventh place nationally
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27
CAPE FEAR LOOP
MEETS WEDNESDAY
Directors To Hear Reports
Of Various Committees
AT Parley

Originally scheduled for tonight
the meeting of Cape Fear Semi-Pro
Baseball league directors has been
postponed until Wednesday night
at 8 o'clock in the Recorders
courtroom at the county court
house, Addison Hewlett, Jr., cir
cult president, has announced.
The meeting vas postponed be-
cause OF the Monday night parley
OF the New Hanover county Fishing
Club.
Suspended during the war, the 10.
cal semi-pro league will be re-
organized this year, and the meet
ing Wednesday will be chiefly to lay
plans for the coming season. Play
ing sites and equipment problems
will also be discussed.
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27
ANGLERS lNVI1ED
TO ATTEND NEl,
SLATED FORsP
Election Oh Officer, ,
l947 To Highlight Con,
house Session

The annual meeting If II.
hers o. the New Raaoye. ~.
club will De aelo .aS..l Nm
o'clock in the Recorders.
room Of the New IIsnor..' 4. G
courthouse, it tay ocey s.,S 10,
ey T.. /. Watkins. n-o s-.,o0.
the club. '''ue.t
The board Of directors
club held d fa.. 6r,as. u
Ing Friday nigh and bs... j.
ports from me vsr.cu. ro r,-l
The election OF officers 5s.s.
club agenda % toai.b, "'''t
President Watkins rars..,
an outboard motor nr9 1 AZ
the member Hao sod t5e ..-
amount OF membe ship ticss ,s
Jig 1916. He declined. 5oTs~..
announce the ZANE of tho r,
AT the meeting Friday. w w..
termed the 1916 season as "
ner year as he predicted an =
greater season in l947.
1t was also learned a, t,o r
ing that the prize lists for Ig4- =
be greatly increased.
The entire membership sod ,
members are invited 10 at.a~s
nights gathering. Refres5m,
will be served at the close of
business session.
The annual membership 70.
ten New Hanover FishiYa cT,b
S1.50 per year 1t was erronpn,
reported in the Sunday Star,Ns
that the lee was Sl.OO The 4
was informed last night fiat
correct membership fee is sl.jO'
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27

day night in order TO come up TO
next weekend in front of the
Blue Devils. .
Duke. meanwhile, will be stand
ing by with an interested eye since
the Blu eDevils will keep on TAX
ing mid-term examinations and
won't see any action at all ex-
cept for a Saturday night contest
at Durham, With Navy. a matter
that will have no bearing on the
family fuedin'.
The current third place outfit,
North Carolina State. risks its po-
sition twice this week, first on
Tuesday night at home where the
Wolfpack takes on Furman and
again Saturday night when the
lanky Red Terrors invade Chapel
Hill for a tussle with North Car
Dina.
This weeks Southern Conference
%-chedule:
Monday - George Washington at Vir-
ginis: Furman at Wake Forest; Cita-
del at Newberry.
Tuesday Hampden-Sydney at Vir-
ginia Tech; South Carolina at North
The Wilmington morning star., 1947-01-27
tide WATER QUINT
TO PLAY RESERVES
Firemen Battle Post Office
In Opening Contest Al
Lake Forest

The Wilmington Fire Department
will collide with the Wilmington
Post Office basketball aggregation
tonight at the Lake Forest gym.
nasium at 7:30 o'clock in the first
contest of a City Municipal league
doubleheader. The Naval Reserve
will tangle with Tide Water in the
second affray.
The Firemen, who are leading the
league with four straight victories.
are out for victory number five,
while the Postmen are seeking to
bounce back from a defeat hand.
ed them by Tide Water last Thurs.
day night.
In the secound encounter the Ma
val Reserve, spanked by high scor.
ing Lassiter and Peterson will be
seeking to down Tide Water, which
boasts Irwin Piggy" Gore, MINIS
football star.