North Carolina Newspapers

Served By Leased Wire Of The Dedicated To The Progress Of ASSOCIATED PRESS WILMINGTON With Complete Coverage of And Southeastern North Stale and National News • ! Carolina vOLjf—N0- 89_1______WILMINGTON, N. C., FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1940 _FINAL EDITION_ ESTABLISHED 1867 Applies Today For $635,000 For Project To Be Built On Part Of Shipyard Not Leased To Jaylor-Colquitt Co. INCLUDES WAREHOUSE Application Calls For Loan To Be Repaid Ovver Period Of 25 Years The City of Wilmington today will file with the Reconstruc tion Finance Corporation an appli cation for a loan of $635,000 with which to erect municipal port ter minals and a tobacco storage warehouse. The terminals, if the loan is granted, will be erected on that portion of the old shipyard proper ty owned by the city and not leased to the Taylor-Colquitt Cre osoting company. They would be gin at the northern side of the southern slip on the property and would extend across the northern slip to the Bate Lumber company p"'-nerty line. The tobacco warehouse would be erected on property in the vicinity of Fourth gnd Greenfield streets. Self-Liquidating Bonds The application calls for the loan to be repaid over a period of 25 years and to be secured with self-liquidating bonds. The bonds would not be an obligation of the City of Wilmington, though if the terminals are constructed, they will become the property of the city. The terminals would have 140, 000 square feet of space inside and 52,000 on the aprons and would be of modern, fire-proof construction. If built they will be available for lease by any concern wanting to lease terminal warehouse space. The application names J. T. Heirs, executive general agent of the Wilmington Port Commission, the engineering firm of Shourds and Bean, C. D. Hogue, and J. R Benson as persons authorized to give the RFC any additional data that agency may require. The application was worked up by Hiers under the direction of the Wilmington Port Commission and (Continued on Page Three; Col. 3) CONTRIBUTE TODAY TO STOCKING FUND Only $485.92 On Hand At Date For Santa’s Visit But 12 Days Away If you are planning to contribute to the Star-News Empty-Stocking fund, please’ do so today because the amount now on hand is only about one-fourth that which will be needed and Christmas is but 12 days away. Fourteen contributions yester day increased the fund to $485.92 with a donation of $50 by "A Bach elor” being the largest of the day. Creating much interest, was the contribution of $3.68 in small coins by George Bailey Autry, who brought in that amount which he had saved over the past year in a little “monkey” bank. The total so far, however, is for short of the amount needed to fill the many demands being made on (Continued on Page Three; Col. 2) Holly Ridge Wc i Scheduled To Start Saturday _ -___—x _ I Arrives COLONEL MONTGOMERY flames destroy PHILLIPS’ HOME Fire, Originating In Rear Room, Levels The $20, 000 Residence The residence of C. N. Phillips, valued at more than $20,000, in Highwood Park was destroyed by a fire of undetermined origin late yesterday afternoon. ' The blaze, originating in a rear upper story room in the northeast corner of the house, had gained considerable headway when first discovered about 4:30 o’clock. JWell beyond control before fire ’headquarters could be notified, the fire quickly leveled the house to the ground and left only two chim ney stacks standing. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips were at Ocean Drive, Myrtle Beach, S. C. on a hunting trip at the time of the fire. Phillips said the house was covered by $10,000 insurance and the furniture by $1,000 insur ance. The house, located on the old Wrightsvi’/e Beach turnpike just beyond the Forest Hills section in Highwood Park and i ar Garden City, was a total loss as the result of the fire. The flames were first noticed by Jtqueline Hewett, 11, daughter of continued on Page Two; Col. 2) MARIONHARRISS GRANTED PAROLE Wilmington Man Was Serv ing Five-Year Term For Attempted Burglary Marion S. Harriss, former depu ^ clerk of New Hanover county superior court, who was sentenced to five years in state’s prison from t"*is county in February, 1939, on an attempted burglary charge, was Paroled in Raleigh yesterday by Governor Hoey, according to an Associated Press dispatch. Harriss had been convicted of '"c charge in the summer of 1938 placed under a suspended sen l®ce, with the judgment including provision that he remain out 01 the county for a year. However, several months after conviction he was arrested here ® a rcinor charge and the sus Jtontmucd on Page 12; Col. 2) Montgomery, Lee Officials Confer Here Army Officers View Site; Spees Says ‘Dirt Will Be Moving By Saturday’ GRADING NECESSARY Contracts Are Awaiting Signature Of Assistant Secretary Of War Uncle Sam’s new anti-aircraft firing center at Holly Ridge is soon to be an actuality, with the break ing of ground which will start the construction of the $10,000,000 base scheduled for Saturday morning. Lieut. Col. Albertis Montgomery, construction quartermaster who will be in charge of building the new post, arrived in Wilmington yesterday morning and immediate ly started work on getting the pro ject under way. The base is to be completed with in 90 days after work is started and engineers on the job said last night “we’ll do it in that time.” Confer The W. S. Lee Engineering cor poration, of Charlotte, will have charge of the engineer work at the camp and officials of the corpor ation conferred with Col. Montgom ery on plans yesterdaay. Lieut. Alden E. Spees, aide to Col. Montgomery, said last night that they looked over the Holly Ridge site yesterday afternoon and that “dirt will be moving by Satur day.” J. A. Stewman, Jr., local repre sentative on the job for the Lee Engineering corporation, said that a large amount of grading will be necessary before actual construc tion work is started. Lieut. Spees said that he was un able to give any information as yet on the awarding of other con tracts for the camp coonstruction. From Washington, D. C., last night came a report that con tracts for constAiction at the firing center have been approved by the quartermaster corps and are awaiting the signature of the as sistant Secretary of War. Until he signed them, however, officials would not disclose any information about them. However, C. P. Street, a repre sentative of a contracting firm, was in Wilmington last night for a conference with Col. Montgomery. The contractor with whom he is connected was not disclosed. Temporary unice Lieut. Spees said last night that they will open a temporary office in Wilmington until quarters can be set up at Holly Ridge, but that no definite location has been ac quired as yet The Lee Engineering corporation will set up a temporary office in the Tide Water Power company building. A. C. Lee, president of the corporation, was in Wilmington yesterday to help make arrange ments for starting work and for a conference with Col. Montgomery. The Charlotte company will be as sisted in the work by William M. Piatt, consulting engineer of Dur ham. P. D. Davis will have charge of engineering designs and Stewman, (Continued on Page Three; Col. Si Greeks Crush ‘Desperate’ Resistance Near Tepeleni &reelfENS' DeC' 12' ~ (}p> ~ The iu *’ s°uthern army has crushed ^heratr" Kalian resistance in the rn(.10n.tjf Tepeleni and has stormed ^.f^ts to the northeast of that p,' ,'ar,tu,'ing a considerable num 6rnr|f,t Ital>'s Alpine troops, a gov .^nent spokesman said tonight, it firive toward both Tepeleni and ***** town of Chimara went on 'Tlout setback, he added, that' v,ere unconfirmed reports W ,an Italian colonel of Alpine bn I*' "as cne of those who had fal a the day’s fighting. “is6 news,” said the spokesman, fron'tWy 80°d from all sectors of the °U1 alTny is continuing its ^Everywhere the Italians attempt tJ counter-attack they have failed. * • > Thrusts against the Italian army continue in the direction of Chimara. More to the right the Ital ns are in retreat in the direction of Tei ' ni. In this region the re sistance has been stiff and some times desperate but has been crushed. “Further to the right the Italians offered strong resistance. They em ployed Alpine troops. Neverthelers our army was able to occupy one after another of the heights which select units defended, and we captur ed a considerable number of them.’’ Two counter-attacks launched by the Italians on the northern 'ront were declared thrown back and the Italians to have lost even their origi nal positions. The capture of a large (Continued on Page 12; Col. 2) L :**.^<£*1_ LORD LOTHIAN LORD LOTHIAN, 58 CLAIMED BY DEATH U. S. Warship May Trans port Body Of British En voy To His Homeland WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.—UP)— The unexpected death of Lord Lothian in the midst of burden some duties as British ambassador created the possibility tonight that a United States warship might transport his body through the At lantic war zone to his embattled homeland. Both British and American of ficials, however, awaited word from Lothian’s relatives in Eng land before arranging a funeral for the 58-year-old bachelor diplo mat, who died of uremic poisoning at 2 a. m. EST. Secretary of State Hull, calling at the sprawling red brick em bassy to extend condolences, of fered “all facilities at our dis posal.” State department officials declined to elaborate on the state ment. Customarily a warship is made available for taking a foreign envoy’s body home. In view of wartime conditions, it was general ly believed that a decision would be left up to President Roosevelt should burial in England be de sired. ' The President, from his cruiser in the Caribbean, sent King George (Continued on Page 12; Col. 3) CONTROL OF VOTE COSTS CONSIDERED Some Solons Protesting That $20,000,000 Spent In Last Election WASHINGTON, Dec. 12— <£>> — Protesting that more than $20,000, 000 was spent in the recent presi dential election, - some of the na tion’s lawmakers are considering means of curbing and controlling costs of all future political cam paigns. They predict that the next con gress will revise and tighten up (Continued on Page 12; Col. 4) WEATHER FORECAST North Carolina: Cloudy, occasional rain, cooler extreme west portion; Sat urday, cloudy and preceded by rain in east portion. (By tT. S. Weather Bureau) (Meteorological data for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. yesterday). Temperature 1:30 a. m. 54; 7:30 a. m. 54; 1:30 p. m. 71; 7:30 p. m. 63; maximum 73; mini mum 49; mean 61; normal 50. Humidity 1 ;30 a. m. 87 : 7:30 a. m 91; 1:30 p. m. 66; 7:30 p. m. 71. Precipitation 1 Total for 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. 0.00 inches. Total since first of the month 0.29 inches. Tides For Today (From Tide Tables published by U. S. Coast and GeoCetic Survey). High Low Wilmnigton- 8:45a 3:29a 9:01a 4:08a Masonboro Inlet- 6:32a 12:17a < 6:49p 12 :55p Sunrise 7:09a: sunset 5:04p; moonrise 4:33p; moonset 5:49a. ^ River stage at Fayetteville, N. C., i at 8 a. m., Dec. 10, 9.0 feet. (Continued on Part Three: Col. 1). British Rout Italians Near Sidi Barrani Thousands Of Italian Pri soners Of War Falling Into British Hands CLEAR BATTLEFIELD Fascists Who Escaped En circlement Pursued West ward Toward Libya CAIRO, Egypt, Dec. 12.— UP) — Italian prisoners of war were de clared tonight by a British spokes man to be falling so rapidly by thou sands into British hands that the problem of feeding and eventually moving them out of the desert is be coming troublesome. The day’s operations were two-fold: Around Sidi Barrani, the Italian base that fell yesterday, the British were occupied with clearing up a battlefield which had extended over 200 square miles. Harassed By RAF Those Fascists who had escaped the British encirclement—and their number was said here to be small— were being pursued westward toward Italian Libya, harassed by the Royal Air Force and the navy as well as the land forces. A spokesman at British headquar ters said the official estimate of at least 20,000 Italians already captured could not yet be extended because of the difficulty of keeping in touch with the continuing successes of British troops. Among the vast quantities of tanks, lorries and arms of all sorts captured from the fleeing Italians, he said, the lorries would be especial (Continued on Page Three; Col. 1} BOARD TO ENFORCE AUTO CAMP LAWS Creation Of Trailer Camps Expected Here As Result Of Defense Work ■ » County health regulations for trailer camps, which may be creat ed in large numbers in the Wil mington section in providing space tor national defense project work ers, in the immediate future, will be rigidly enforced, Dr. A. H. El liot, health officer, told the board of health in monthly session yes terday afternoon. Dr. Elliot said staff members of the county and state boards of health were now in the field ad vising store keepers and filling station operators on highway lead ing into the city in the matter of proper health standards for any trailer camps that may develop. County health regulations, he said, require that all trailer camps have proper toilet facilities, ade quate disposal of garbage and trash, and safeguards for prob lems of sanitation in general. The drinking water of any trail er camps that may be established (Continued on Page 12; Col. 5) Where Proposed Terminals Would Be Built Terminals wnicli tne city oi Wilmington would ouiid on tne old i.inerty nmpyaru property n me nrr lends it $635,000, as requested, would be erected on property west of that now occupied under lease by the Taylor-Colquitt Creosote company. The terminals would begin at the northern side of the southern slip (see arrow) on the property and would extend across the no rtfcern slip to the Bate Lumber company property line. The terminals would have 140,000 square feet of storage space inside and would have 52,000 feet of space on aprons on the front and rear of the building. Railroad tracks would be brought down the Bate property line to both the front and rear of the terminal building, allowing ship-side loading of freight cars. Marines Considering Base Near Here; Holcomb Urges Corps Of 50,000 Men IS ‘VERY PROMISING* Establishment Of Base De pends On Funds And Ex pansion Of The Corps Col. W. C. James, of the marine corps in Washington, D. C-. said yesterday afternoon in a telephone conversation with the Star-News that a site for the possible erection of a marine corps base in the vicin ity of Marines, in Onslow county, has “been looked over and looks very promising.” An inspection board of navy and marine corps officers investigated the section recently to determine the availability of land “in the event it becomes necessary to establish a new marine corps training base.” Depends Oil Money Col. James said that a report of the investigation has been made to the department but decision as to where the base will be located or if it will be located, depends upon the future allocation of funds and a pos sible expansion of the marine corps. He said that the site looked at is near Marines which is on the north side of New river, not greatly dis tant from Holly Ridge, where the army is preparing- to build a $10, 000,000 anti-ai'-waft base. It would be partly on the river and partly on the ocean, he said, and would more than likely afford maneuver grounds, training grounds and space for aviation activities. Asked if the base, if it is erected, will be permanent, he replied, “That of course depends on what happens to the marine corps in the future.” Asked if reports that 11,000 acres (Continued on Page Two; Col. 1) Italy Says British Agents Spreading ‘False News’ ROME, Dec. 12.—UP)—Fascist lewspapers warned the Italian people tonight against “false news >f imaginary catastrophes” for Italian arms, which, it was ;harged, British agents inside Italy jre spreading in an attempt to lestroy morale. Widespread publication was ;iven to news that Adelchi Serena, ;ecretary of the Fascist party, had alked with the former leaders of fascist “action squads.” These vere the party’s street fighting orces in the early days of Fas :ism. The Rome radio tonight con :eded the fall of Sidi Barrani, the tey Italian base in Egypt, although he high command did not. The ipeaker added: “What of it?” Outward signs of alarm over the British attack were lacking. However, Virginio Gayda, the frequent press voice of Premier Mussolini, used three columns in II D’ltalia to accuse British propa ganda agents inside this country of combining with the foreign radio to retail “insidious” reports of Fascist reverses. These agents are “more or less identified,” he said, and are back ing up an unusual concentra tion of armed forces with which the British hope to break Italy. Gayda declared this under ground action was motivated by the British “need for good news,” British desire to increase Ameri can faith in a British victory and a British design to impose “a war of nerves” on Italy. U. S. Puts Armored Division Into Field ABBEVILLE, Ala., Dec. 12.— (/P)—The United States Army put a full armored division into the field today, writing a new page i in Western hemisphere military history with what officers called the world’s most powerful strik ing force. Ten thousand men moved out of Fort Benning after a leisure ly breakfast, roared ninety miles in parallel columns by lunchtime and settled down in bivouac areas at Blakely, Ga., and Abbe ville, Ala. The troops making up the sec ond armored division, traveled-in 1102 vehicles, tanks, combat trucks, motorcycles and a few airplanes. Commanded by Brigadier Gen eral George S. Patton, Jr., the march set several records. DELAY IN CALLING GUARDS ORDERED Action Taken Because New Camps Will Not Be Ready By Original Dates WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.— UP) — The War department today order ed delays ranging upward to two months in mobilizing remaining units of the national guard because new camps will not be ready by the dates originally set. (Continued on Page Two; Col. 3) IS MINIMUM FIGURE Reports Improvement In Numbers Of Efficiency Of Marine Corps Reserve WASHINGTON, Dec. 12— UP) — A marine crops force of at least 50,000 men was urged today by Major General Thomas Holcomb, marine commandant, in his annual report. Holcomb said he considered this figure to be a minimum “in view of the existing situation and the projected expansion of the naval establishment as a whole.” The current strength of the marine corps is about 38,600. His report, covering the fiscal year ending last July 1, said there had been satisfactory improvement during this period "in numbers and efficiency of the marine corps reserve.” Sheffield Is Center Of Nazi Air Attack BERLIN, Dec. 13.—(Friday)—(/PI Large German bombing units picked Sheffield, the great steel center in the east English midlands, as the center of their night attacks on Britain, informed sources reported early today. Since the fall of darkness, it was stated, German planes had been leaving bases in France and Bel gium in uninterrupted succession for the assault. The weather was re ported bad in the channel region, but more favorable over the mid lands. War . Interpretive BY KIRKE L. SIMPSON Steel-shod jaws of a carefully prepared British trap have sprung shut to bite off the head of Italy’s boasted army of attack in Egypt, and rock Rome anew with tidings of disaster. A grim story of defeat, more crushing perhaps in its potential effect upon the course of the Brit ish-Axis war than the Greek rout I of Italian invading hosts, awaits ■ official telling in Italy. It will test i rigorously II Duce Mussolini’s ooast that his war bulletins to his ' people are “documentations of 1 ;ruth”. ; British estimates of the number 1 of prisoners taken are soaring into tens-of-thousands figures. Each ! lew Cairo bulletin steps up the j » (Continued on Page 12; Col. 1) German Bombers Attack New Industrial Sections LONDON, Dec. 13— (Friday)— UP) —German bombers, guided to their targets by incendiaries, inflicted damage and a number of casual ties last night and early today in raids on east midlands and north eastern industrial areas which hitherto had escaped bombings. (The Germans reported that Shef field, world’s largest steel produc ing center, was singled out for the night’s heaviest raid.) British fighter planes went up to challenge the waves of Nazi craft which poured across the east coast and spread out to raid scattered areas. Additional waves came over the southeast coast, and the midlands again appeared to be getting it hard. Fierce anti-aircraft bareges fol-( i \ lowed the path of high-flying raid ers. London’s night time alert was followed by hours of intermittent gunfire. (Continued on Page Three a Col. 2)