North Carolina Newspapers

Served By Leased Wire Of The ^Dedicated To The Progress Of ASSOCIATED PRESS ^flfl i i . 1 0 . . WILMINGTON With Complete Coverage of ^F|f| fllfl f ¥| If I And Southeastern North State and National News H I Carolina VOL. 74—NO. 203 __' WILMINGTON, N. C., SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1941 * , FINAL EDITION ESTABLISHED 1867 ' / — *** ' ' ■ ■ 1— .i. ....... - —— 1 ■ 1 - .i ■ ■ 1 ■ ~ Germans Smash Allied Stand At Thermopylae, Advance Towarjjff^iens BRITISH WITHDRAWING New Zealand Anti-Tank Unit Repels Large Pan zer Attack, However 13 SHIPS DESTROYED Greeks Admit Nazi Forces Have Occupied the Is land of Lemnos (Bv the Associated Press) Smashing British resistance at strategic Thermopylae pass 100 miles north of Athens, Germany’s army was reported last night fight ing on toward the Greek capital, and Nazi spokesmen expected it to fall soon like ‘‘a ripe apple.” Nazi dive-bombers relentlessly sprayed the withdrawing British in the "valley south of the pass and ranged far ahead to cut off escape to sea by bombing shipping in Greece’s southern ports. An Athens dispatch filed yester day at 6 p.m. (11 a.m. E.S.T.) left the Allied position in doubt but said a New Zealand anti-tank unit had wrecked 23 German tanks and repelled a panzer attack near Mount Oeta whrh overhangs Ther mopylae pass Nazis Lose Men The Germans admitted that this announced victory after two days ol savage fighting cost them in men. The communique spoke of "punishing’’ machine-gun fire laid down by British mountain nests. A forced march of 50 miles by German assault troops also sug gested that the pass was taken by an encircling movement. But fighting against terific odds, the British were admitted by the Middle Eastern command in Cairo to have fallen back after inflicting heavy casualties on the Nazis. Apparently the Allied, goal was to make Germany pay as heavily as possible in men and material since eventual collapse of all Greece was a foregone conclusion. The British insisted their lines were intact but admitted the plight of their hard-pressed troops was "most serious.” The army’s evacuation by sea was considered by informed quar ters in London a safe proposition if and when it is carried out. Thus far a British radio commentator has contended no British soldiers have left Greece despite German and Italian claims that fully-laden British troopships already have been sunk off the embattled coast line to the south. Ships Destroyed In a special communique the German high command said Ger man bombers had destroyed 13 merchant ships totalling about 50, tl'oiitinued on Page Ten; Col. 4) RAF STAGES RAID ON NETHERLANDS Follows Up Attacks on Kiel With Bombing of Dutch Steel Factory LONDON. April 25.—UP)—British bombers struck heavy daylight blows today at a Netherlands plant making Nazi war steel in a quick follow-up of night attacks on the Lerman warship cradels of Kiel ,nd Wilhelmshaven, the British re ported tonight. With heavy loads of bombs, the ^ ministry’s new service said, formations blasted the fur naces and mills of Ijmuiden, steel Manufacturing city on the West L°ast of Holland. In an earlier raid, at dawn, the ntish said they bombed a supply 011 Cage Ten; Col. 8) Red The Acropolis, where ancient Athenians invoked their gods to drive out the invader, stands in ruined grandeur as new enemy horde sweeps upon it. Tali plants are called trees of destiny. Their blooms burst, and reddish substance that looks like blood spills — symbolically today — on the stony ground. First Selectees Arrive At Gamp Davis On May 6 1,000 ARE EXPECTED Young Men Scheduled to Come from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois. The first selective service men assigned to Camp Davis for their one-year military training are sche duled to arrive—1,000 in number— at the Holly Ridge anti-aircraft firing center on May 6, it was learned last night. The men will have been inducted into the service only a few days from their homes in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois when they arrive here from a Chicago re ception center. They will be fol lowed one week later by another 1,000 selectees whose induction cen ter has not been made known, locally. Units Being Formed Upon their arrival at Camp Dav is, the selectees will be assigned to training and regimental units now being formed around cadres of U. S. Army regulars, 500 of whom reported to the anti-aircraft center Thursday and yesterday. A cadre cf 228 regulars reached Davis yesterday morning after a cross-country train trip from Camp Hulen, Tex. They were immediate ly assigned to the 93rd CA (AA) regiment, commanded by Lieut. Col. Eugene Villaret. Thursday afternoon a 234-man cadre from Camp Stewart, Ga., arrived at Davis, reporting to Lieut.-Col. Clifford Jones for duty with the 97th CA (AA) regiment, a small number of them being re-assigned to the 17th training group. The cadre from Camp Hulen left Texas Tuesday midnight, ar riving in Wilmington early yester (Continued on Rage Ten; Col. 5) Hundreds Of Men Seeking Jobs At New Marine Base Jacksonville, April 25.—The rr'!1’° o£ Job seekers a thousand or ^°le £bat swarmed here yester V seeking work on the Marine thin6 Jons£ruction project began to down somewhat today. dreri'VeVer’ tllere were sti11 hun des s o£ i°b applicants on hand, Cf] J?Ue ail announcement from the trnniaClors £hat there will be no "P oyrnent before Monday. flj* 'Vork to be done is the cigh, ng. of a right of way for an »ect " • e 3pur rtack that will con lta„, r"ith the Atlantic Coast Line •wivin’ tWo miles north of Jack Tho 6 °n highway 17. toUr' spur track will follow a e across Northeast river where a trestle will have to be built into the vicinity of Paradise Point , where permanent Marine barracks are to be built. Paul N. Howard, general super intendent of the project, stated to day that two large tractors to be used in clearing the right of way will arrive soon. Other equipment is being shipped and should reach here the first of the week. The equipment will be brought in as rapidly as the site is made avail able, he said. Approximately 1,000 men will be put to-work Monday with the first construction to be the erecting of temporary office buildings in the (Continued on Page Two; Col. 2) Camp Davis Mosquito Control Job Approved RALEIGH, April 25— </P» — The Work Projects administra tion has approved a $60,006 pro ject for malaria control drainage in Onslow county, in connection with mosquito eradication at Camp Davis, State Administrator C. C. McGinnis announced today. Giant dredges will be placed in operation to cut canals through the swamplands west of the mili tary post, and man-power will be utilized in opening lateral ditches between the canals. The Civilian Conservation corps has moved approximately 200 workers into the reservation in connection with mosquito con trol. STEEL PRODUCTION CUT IS EXPECTED Is in Prospect as Result of Stoppage of Work in Soft Coal Mines WASHINGTON, April 25.—(A>)— Sharply curtailed steel production, and interrupted operations in at least 35 defense plants were in prospect tonight as a result of the stoppage of work in the soft coal mines. It was officially anrounced that the steel industry, now operating at 95 per cent of capacity, would have to be reduced to 85 per cent next week, and to 60 per cent the following week, for' lack of fuel. (Continued on Page TTwo; Col. 1) WEATHER FORECAST: North Carolina—Mostly cloudy Satur day with fog or drizzle in west portion and possibly light rain in east portion followed by clearing in afternoon or night slightly warmer in the interior Saturday. Sunday generally fair. (Meteorological data for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. yesterday). (By U. S. Weather Bureau) Temperature: 1:30 a. m. 59; 7:30 a. m. 55; 1:30 p. m. 57- 7:30 p. m. 55: maximum o7; min imum 54; mean 50: normal 65. Humidity: ' 1-30 a. m. 94; 7:30 a. m. 98; 1:30 p. m. 87; 7:30 p. m. 88. _ Precipitation: Total for flic 24 hours ending < MO p m 0.50 inches: total since the first ol the month, 2.65 inches. Tides For Today: (From Tide Tables published by U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey): High Low Wilmington - Masonboro Inlet Sunrise. 5:28a.: sunset 6:52p.; moon rise 5:41a.; moonset 7:05p. Cape Fear river stage at layette ville on April 2J>, at 8 a. m., 11.1o feet. (Continued on 1’age Ten; Col. 5) i Yugoslav Freighter Held Here Trepca Is Kept in Port by Owners Until Political Status Is Cleared CROATS FORM CREW U. S. Coast Guardsmen Aboard Ship Reported to Be on ‘Routine’ Duty That Wilmington, for the second time since the outbreak of Euro pean hositilities, has become a port of refuge for a foreign ship was a possibility expressed in well-informed circles here last night as the 9,000-ton Trepca, of Yugoslavian registry, lay idly at the Wilmington Terminal Ware house dock without indication of plans for an early departure. Reportedly, the Trepca is being held in port here on instructions of its owners, a Yugoslav shipping company, pending some clarifica tion of the political status of the latest Balkan nation overrun by the German Reich. "At Liberty to Leave Although at least three U. S. Coast Guardsmen and customs agents were aboard the vessel last night, and have been aboard since her arrival here April' 17, govern ment officials here said the Trepca was "at liberty to leave at will.” The fact that at least three gov ernment men were aboard the Trepca was termed "routine.” The Trepca arrived in Wilming ton front Chile, carrying a heavy cargo of Chilean nitrate, the same day German soldiers entered Bel grade, capital of Yugoslavia, and Berlin claimed complete capitu lation of the Yugoslavian govern ment. A majority of the Trepca’s 33 ntan crew is understood to be Croats, speaking only German. Neither the crew nor the ship’s captain, a Slav, has been detain ed or restricted in their move ments, it was understood along the waterfront. The United States government has recognized the Yugoslav gov ernment-in-exile, a recognition, it was understood, that guarantees the free movement in U. S. conti nental and territorial waters of that country's ships. Insofar as the Trepca’s status is concerned, it was said in a semi-official quar (Continued on Page TTwo; Col. 1) WORK ON HOME PROJECT SLATED Crosland Says Construction Of 100 Dwellings Here To Be Started Soon CHARLOTTE, April 25.— CT> — Plans for an approximately $400,000 residential development to be built in Wilmington were announced here to day by John Crosland, head of the John Crosland company, Charlotte real estate and building concern. Crosland said he would begin —ork in two weeks on construction of 100 houses on property he has purchased on the old Wrightsville turnpike road about two miles from the city. The development will be known as Colo nial Village. The houses will be of five and six rooms in size and some will sell for $4,808 and others for $4,250. Each house will be of attractive architec tural design planned for the comfort and convenience of families interest ed in small homes of average price. Crosland said hfc had sent some of his building force to Wilmington and that he would spend a part of his time there while the houses are being built. The first ones will be com pleted in about 90 days, he said. Roosevelt Reveals Naval Patrol Extension, Hints Of Possibility That Nazis May Be In Greenland U. S. TAKING ACTION Nye Says Roosevelt Is At tempting To Scare the American People’ SPECULATION AROUSED Some Experts Suggest That Germans May Have Set Up U-Boat Bases WASHINGTON, April 25.—(.T)— President Roosevelt spoke today of the posibility that Axis forces might be in Qreenland—and an swered affirmatively when asked whether the United States was do ing anything about it. His press conference discussion of the huge island—owned by Ger man-dominated Denmark but de clared by the United States to come within the scope of Western hemi sphere defense—evoked comment on capitol hill. Attacked By in ye Senator Nye (R.-N.D.l told re porters that the President’s dis cussion was an attempt "to scare the American people” and that there should be "less of this scare with so little to substantiate it.” Senator Lee (D.-Okla.) said that "if the Nazis try to get into Green frnd we’ve got to stop them and if they're already there we've got to throw them out.” Mr. Roosevelt and the Danish minister to the United States signed an agreement last month under which this country is permitted to establish bases on the Arctic island and otherwise take it under pro tection. Mr. Roosevelt told reporters he \yas not at all satisfied that part of Greenland was not occupied by the Axis, but added he would not say positively that" this was so. His statement, he commented, was surprising. No laucs utierca He offered no clues on the nature of the occupying force except to reply negatively when asked whether fifth columnists were in volved. That produced much speculation in the capital, some defense ex perts suggesting that U-boat bases in the remote, almost hidden Fjords, were possible. From those bases, where Axis submarines could be fueled, their crews rested and batteries charged, sallies could be made south to the great circle course of Britain-bound merchant men. Others, recalling the need for weather information in the oper ation of aerial warfare, suggested that Germany might have estab lished meteorological bases to radio weather information to the Nazi luftwaffe. In this connection, they recalled a report that last fall a German vessel had attempted to put ashore about 50 weathermen, but that a Norwegian patrol ship had captured the outfit. Still others pointed out that Ger many’s long-range bombers, en gaged in raids on shipping, would, like the U-boats, find the island a handy springboard for attack on ship lanes. The United States itself already has acquired substantial informa tion about the islands. Last year three Coast Guard vessels con ducted an “informative patrol” in Greenland waters, studying prob lems of transporting- supplies, gathering hydrographic informa tion and surveying facilities. Subsequently, it was announced the patrol would be resumed this year. The Coast Guard survey found, among other things, that winter cruising in Greenland wat ers was no more hazardous than in many areas of the North At lantic and that from June to De cember ports on the southern tip and West Coast of Greenland were reasonably open, but that the East Coast was apt to be ice-bound. 5 Mediation Board Given Threatened G. M. Strike (By The Associated Press) The National Defense Mediation board, already struggling hard to end a soft coal work stoppage which has dealt a blow to indus trial production, last night was handed another major task—the job of averting a strike in the plants of General Motors corpora tion. Secretary of Labor Perkins for mally certified fee threatened Gen eral Motors walkout to the board —a step necessary before it can take jurisdiction. The United Automobile Workers (CIO) had ordered a strike poll among the concern’s employes to enforg^ demands for wage incregs es and a union shop. The labor department said it received re ports that 41 of the 61 plants. in which the vote had been taken up to Thursday midnight had voted for a walkout. General Motors employs 160,000 men in the 61 plants and has $700, 000,000 in defense orders. Meantime a panel of the media tion board conferred late last night at Washington with soft coal ope rators of the Appalachian field and representatives of the United Mine Workers. There was no word im mediately of what took place be hind the closed doors. (Continued on Page Two; Col 7) 1 LINDBERGH TERMED APPEASER BY F. R. By KICHARI) L. TLKNLK WASHINGTON, April 25.—(/P) Asserting it was dumb to consid er a Nazi victory inevitable, President Roosevelt today classi fied Col. Charles A. Lindbergh with appeasers who urged peace during the Revolutionary and Civil wars on the ground that those wars could not be won. He spoke at a press confer ence in a discussion developing from a request for an, amplifica tion of a previous statement that the people were inadequate ly aware of the gravity of the situation. Lindbergh's name was brought into it when a reporter asked why, although he holds a commission in the army reserve, the flier had not been summoned up for service. On Wednesday night Lind bergh made a speech in New York city in which he said the “United States cannot win this ' war for England, regardless of how much assistance we ex tend.” He has repeated! as serted that Germany was almost certain to win, and has vigorous ly criticized American foreign policy. In answer to the question, why Lindbergh had not been called to the colors, Mr. Koosevelt said that during the Civil war. nu merous foreigns, liberty loving people, fought on both sides, and that at the same time, both sides let certain people go—that is, did not call them into service. The people who were thus ig nored, lie added, were the Val lamlighams. The name apparent ly meant little to the correspond ents, and the President explained that the Vallandighams were (Continued on Page Ten; Col. 5) Germ a n y Renews W arning It Will Sink British Aid . _ + BERLIN IS EMPHATIC Nazis Emphasize That They Have Laid Down Large Atlantic War Zone BERLIN, April 25.—W—Warn ings that United States war ma terials for Britain will be sent to the bottom of the«sea as fast as German military power is able to do so—convoyed or not—were re peated with increasing. ejnphasis in Berlin tonight. The general attitude was • that Germany “will not permit herself to be provoked by intemperate statements of American war agi tators.” and the reich, obviously, was trying to avoid any incident which would further strain rela tions with the United States. War Zone But it was emphasized that Ger many h; . most explicitly laid down an Atlantic war zone which now includes Iceland and extends to the territorial waters of Greenland, and it is stated here that the world long has been on notice that ships in this area taking material to England would be subject to air and naval attack. The attitude was that Germany long ago established the point that anyone sailing in these waters does so at his own peril'and that Ger many in no way accepts responsi bility for losses to anyone in the war zone. This attitude is no departure from the well known German policy, commentators were saying. All re ferred to the statement made by Adolf Hitler months ago that any vessel sailing for England—with or without convoy—will be sunk if she comes within range of German tor pedo tubes. Obviously, it was asserted, it is up to the United States whether that country cares to run this risk in carrying out provisions of the lease-lend act. Berlin Press Irked The Berlin press was angered and officialdom plainly irked by the strong declarations of Secre taries Knox and Hull in favor of decisive U. S. action to insure a maximum flow of supplies to Brit ' ain. “We hate the Knoxes, Frankfur ters, Morgenthau and that ‘smart (Continued on Page TTwo; Col. 1) Army Orders WASHINGTON, April 25.—The War Department has released the follow ing orders, dated April 22: COLONELS Lininger, C., Cav.. Governors Island, N. Y„ to Ft. Hamilton. N. Y'. Rowland. A. E„ C.A.C., Camp Hnlen, Texas, to Ft. Winfield Scott. Calif. Baird, G. H.. retired, placed on active 'dutv and assigned to Governors Is land, N. Y. Andruss. M. I*., retired, orders amended to read to active duty at Syracuse, N. Y. LIEUTENANT COLONELS Goodwin, W„ Jr., retired, placed on active duty at Ft. Sam Houston, Texas. Hawley, P. R.. Med. Corps. Camp Lee, Va., to Carlisle Barracks, I’a. Horton, P. J., retired, to active duty at New York. N. Y. Harrison, H. C.. Jr., F. A„ Jackson, Miss., to 46th F. A., Camp Livingston. La. Hickey. F. O.. F.A., Ft. Bragg, N. C., to office of Chief of Field Artillery, Washington. D. C. Chase, T.. Inf.. Ft. Ord, Calif., to Camp Robert, Calif., for temporary duty, thence to Camp Sibeit, Nev. Mabbott, II. C„ C.A.C., Ft. Belvoir, Va., to Ft. Monroe, Va. Monilian. J. G., Cav., orders amended to sail from San Francisco about June 12 for Philippines. (Continued on Page Three; Col. 6) — Italy Turns Planes On Fleeing British ROME, April 25.—(/P)—Italy turned her Balkan air squadrons today o.n the retreating British on Grecian soil and waters. With hostilities over on the Greek-italian land front, Fascist newspapers said Italian airmen pleaded not to he kept on the ground, declaring British trans ports and naval vessels now had replaced the beaten Greek army as the target. The high command reported bombing of British naval units in Suda Bay, Crete. The press continued to insist that the British were fleeing from Greece by sea despite de nials reported heard on the Lon don radio. Phrases like “Brit ain’s Balkan Dunkerque” re curred constantly in headlines and the stories of war corre spondents. WEATHER RETARDS STRAWBERRY CROP AH Markets, With Excep tion of One, Postpone Their Opening Dates Southeastern North Carolina’s spring strawberry crop, this sea son expected to provide the great est yield in recent years, is being retarded a week or more in reach ing the profitable early ndrthern markets because of a sudden cold wave enveloping the whole grow ing area, a survey of the district revealed last night. Expected to open today, all berry auction markets except one in this part of the state have moved their opening dates to next week, and some well into May because of the turn of the weather from last week’s warm to this week’s cold, chill damp. Only at Wallace were berries of fered in any quanity yesterday, and there but 12 crates went up for sale at the Wallace Strawberry Exchange. The berries, of good quality and size, brought from $5 to $7 a 24-quart crate. J. H. Bryant, vice-president of the exchange and a principal buyer, said last night that it would be at least Monday before the exchange could expect berries in appreciable quantities. He estimated that between 400 and (Continued on Page Two; Col. 8) TO SCOUT WARCRAFI Nation’s Chief Rejects Any Idea of Convoying Sup plies to Britain WILL SERVE BRITISH Sweeping Character of Pa trol Hinted at by LaGuar dia in Recent Talk By J. C. STARK WASHINGTON, April 25.— UP)— A far-flung system of United States Naval patrols to scout for ag gressor” warcraft and warn of their presence was disclosed by President Roosevelt today but he rejected at the same time any ida of convoying American sup plies to Great Britain. This patrol, the President em phasized at his press conference, is in no sense a convoy system—it is only an extension on the p*art of the United States of the “neu trality” Naval patrol established by all the American republics in 1939 soon after the outbreak of the European war. Some Purpose And it is designed for the same purpose, he said—for the protec tion of the Western hemisphere. He compared this vast extension of patrols—extension anywhere on the Seven Seas where it is con sidered necessary to protect this hemisphere—with the scout sys tem employed in the old west for the protection of wagon trains. The train had a guard around it but it got its reports from a long way off—it didn’t wait until the Indians were in sight but had to know if they were ahead, he ex plained. Would the patrol warp other wa on trains, the President was asked. All kinds of wagon trains, the President replied. This was interpreted immediate ly as meaning that the patrols would serve a useful purpose for the British by warning of the pres ence of enemy warcraft. What else an American Naval vessel would do if it encountered hostile warcraft was the major question raised by the President’s remarks. He said only that it would tell him. Extent Unexplained Also unexplained was the extent to which it might help protect British shipping crossing the At lantic—to carry out the declara tion of Secretary of the Navy Knox last night that “we cannot allow our goods to be sunk in the Atlan tic” for “we shall be beaten if they do.” The President carefully avoided (Continued on Page Two; Col. 6> CUTTER MAY GO ON PATROL DUTY Modoc Is Expected to Be Assigned to International Ice Patrol Soon Possibility that the Coast Guard cutter Modoc may be temporarily transferred to ice patrol duty in the North Atlantic was expressed in authorative quarters here last night on the eve of the cutter’s scheduled return today from a motor-overhaul stay in New Or leans. It was learned last night that Coast Guard officials of the Charleston - Savannah - Wilmington district are momentarily expect ing orders assigning the Modoc to the international ice patrol,, re placing one of the three North At (Continued on Page Ten; Col. 4) Sunset Park Area Zoning Regulations Are Retained Retention of building and zoning regulations on all of Sunset Park excepting that land south of South ern boulevard was assured in a superior court decision filed yes terday by Judge R. Hunt Parker in the action instituted to relieve the North Carolina Shipbuilding company of residential property restrictions. The decision, signed by Judge Parker and consented to by at torneys representing a majority of Sunset Park property owners and other interested parties, was filed with Thomas A. Henderson, clerk of the superior court, and climaxed a two-day superior court hearing j earlier this week. A total of 345 individual property owners in Sun-, \ set Park were affected by the ac tion, brought several weeks ago to grant the shipyard company fclief from residential zoning restrictions conveyed in titles to its 77-acre tract of land south of Southern boulevard and east of the new river road. Judge Parker’s decision, in full, follows: “That all property within the sub-division of Sunset Park lying north of Southern Bloulevard and east of Riverside Drive to where it intersects the new river road and east of the new river road and west of North Carolina high way No. 40 shall hereafter be sub (Continued on Page Ten; CoL W .