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REMEMBER Ml ■■ MB m ■ ■ v ■ —ZS^^mSR'Sfr w m m b m Served by Leased wire of the .»b!hi THE SUNDA^ 5TAR-NEW5 -—--^BME.IP®RT elWQFg’TOQBlEa'a /AMIS) IPIUgAgyil^g Stole and National New, |0t>r:NO ^ i — -_____ WILMINGTON, N. C., SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1942 FINAL EDITION PRICE FIVE CENTS yKK) Slated l’i Register lire Monday praft Boards Report 'J|, Readiness For Important Job ^ioTtosp.m. M* i„T° Registrars Needed In City, County Tie Wilmington and New Hano veVconnty draft boards reported Saturday that all is m readiness s ® thW registration to be for 17 designated places, conducted shipvard, Monday S'Un anticipated registration of % registration will be in accor JSffies will be given -Stents when they register of. jjcisis explained, nor will they jo required at that time to under m anv physical examination A questionaire will be sent to each registrant when his order number has been determined by his draft board. Physical exami nation wi« be made only after the board has passed on his general qualifications and availability and j is determined that he should mt be deferred from military service for any reason other than possible disability. Registrars Take Oath Eighteen draft registrars icok the oath of office Thursday night and will be on hand at the regis tration places Monday from 7 a. m. to 9 p. m. to register all un registered men born on or after February 17. 1897, or on or after December 31,1921. ' Ttegistraticn for Draft Board No. T/which has jurisdiction in the city, will be conducted at Corne ! )ius Harnett school, 920 North Sixth, Lloyd Moore, chief regis trar; ffementray school, 210 North Fifth, W. ?. McGlaughon; court house, S, M. Boatwright; O’Crow ley’s cleaners, 718 Princess, J. E. Hearn; Isaac Bear school, 1210 Market,Lee 0. E. Sykes; Tileston school, comer Fifth and Ann streets, L. C. LeGwynn; Fifth and Castle fire station, A. J. Hum phrey; William Hooper school, 410 fares, H. L, Herrin: New Hano (Continued on Page Two; Col. 2) m to Control 1942 RAW SUGAR Program Of Allocation To Refineries Is Instituted By Agency > WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.-I/P ( ! ar Production Board today n' iojo°ntro1 of available supplies raw cane sugar, and insti releriesPr0gram °f allocations *° J!'fneries were told that they • o be g]ven a total of 2,567,3^8 iPB‘-'tnS i° cover their require 06or ®*e Jan- 1-Sept. 30 peri »t!i'kr^tl'3oard's orders, no per fi(ttt(e‘n?,an a refiner or manu a«ert a ry purchasei import or Ci tey ,0f raw sugar this port? “ refmer may buy, im Latis.]l(.Ctc®pt deliyery of more [ Cffleht edt0 him by the WPB. tte ailocau^dlCated the Purpose of ,,»ti 'r«nu,?1’0gram was to Pre f°r avai’ab1 mb)^e aro°ng refineries ‘»*SSKs-Apirice cei1-' Pur canp na been piaced on ted Pounds S-f,r at $3'74 a bun alt NeW York basis. tte refineri° ,ments Were fixed for American sUIJa_ „ . P®y, 66» u?al Refining com ^ Company T0lt ^ J’ Aron Puny, Inc., 23,992; Cali Two; Col. 1) ‘A Nation Indivisible .. Braving a biting wind, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, above, unbowed by the cares of office, stands at attention in Washington dur ing wreath-laying ceremonies at the Lincoln. Memorial. With the Presi dent is his new naval aide, Capt. .John MeCrea. Post-War Planning Body Is Named By A. E. Jones -- • 12 MEN APPOINTED Chamber 0 f Commerce Group Will Seek To ‘Cush ion Era After War President A. E. Jones Saturday announced the appointment of 12 men to serve on the Post War Planning committee of the Great er 'Wilmington Chamber of Com merce to plan the post-war future of this area and to pruvide a “cushion” for the grim era that is expected to follow the war. Mr. Jones selected the following men to represent the various phases of business life here: Mayor Hargrove Bellamy, rep resenting the city government; Ad dison Hewlett, Sr., chairman of county board of commissioners, to represent county government; At torney Harriss Newman, as na tional councillor of the Greater Wilmington Chamber of Com merce; George Trask, prominent farmer and member of the county board of commissioners, agricul tural phases; J. G. Thornton, presi dent Wilmington Savings an dTrust company, banking; Karl Fern strom, general manager of N. C. Shipbuilding' company, marine in terests; Frederick Willetts, Real Estate Development, real estate; J. C. Williams, of Belk-Williams, retail trade; Bruce Cameron, of MacMillan-Cameron firm and oth er interests, wholesale trade; J. Holmes Davis, Sr., president of Spofford Mills, manufacturing; C. McD. Davis, executive vice-presi dent of Atlantic Coastline Railroad, transportation; and J. L. Smith, district manager of Wilmington branch of Southern Bell Telephone company, utilities. Duties of Committee “It is doubtful if ever in the his tory of Wilmington there was a committee of more importance named to serve than the Post War Planning committee,” Mr. Jones said. “This committee will plan the post-war future of this area; pro vide a “cushion” for that grim era which is to come; plan now where by our businesses, industrial en terprises, agriculturists may con tinue to earn a livelihood; prepare now whereby our economic struc ture may be developed to absorb (Continued on Page Nine; Col. 6) par§e Defense Housing ^r°gram Completed Here ^S°proe>illion dol,ar defense Sty ofl”1 o£ the Housing f-vCity of Wilming k of I.27I fi e Pr°Jects with a y't’Cght tj, ' £arr>ily units, was P>g withCTPletion Saturday iSt 183 home, e Tdelivery of the ! authoritv Village to .take vm y he contractor, b Projects56' lhe last of t h e K^elj ]aJ’ the vicinity of Bs 0n °f the citv"- lhe southern iOte0PrefabriCa1’ la composed of CHS0 built tu’ demountable C4 down a n a hey can be should thnd erected else ^ her, 3 the »eed for them The entire program was brought from start to finish in a little over eight months, Henry R. Emory, executive director of the housing authority, said. He also revealed that approxi mately 70 per cent of the 1,275 units are occupied. The housing authority was au thorized to begin construction of the first two projects, Lake Forest for white non-commissioned offi cers and Hillcrest for negro non commissioned officers, on March 15. The land for the projects was acquired through condemnation (Continued on Page Nine; Col. 8) Three Navy Airplanes Missing In Mountains SAN DIEGO, Calif., Feb. 1. —C/R)—The Navy reported to day that three of its planes were missing in the rugged, mountainous San Diego back country. The 11th district said the planes had been missing since yesterday afternoon in the La guna mountain area. Aerial and ground searchers are un der way for the craft. The planes, all single-seater fighters, were enroute from Tucson to San Diego on a rou tine flight when they apparent ly encountered difficulties, of ficers reported. NORMANDIE FIRE PROBE STARTED Demands Develop For Con gressional Inquiry Into Liner Disaster WASHINGTON, Feb. 14.— W - Secretary of the Navy-Knox dis closed today that a naval court has begun an investigation of the Nor mandie disaster while at the Capi tol demands developed for a con gressional inquiry into the fire which swept the former French liner last Monday. A three-man court of inquiry headed by Rear Admiral Lamar R. Leahy, retired, is investigating, the Navy announced, and informa tion “compatible with military se curity will be released as s o on as available.” It was added that if the court determined that offenses “have been committed or serious blame incurred it will recommend what (Continued on Piute Nine; Col. 8) WEATHER FORECASTS: NORTH CAROLINA. SOUTH CAROLINA and GEORGIA — Slightly higher temperatures Sun day. FLORIDA — Slightly higher temperatures over north portion and little change in temperature south portion Sunday. (Meteorological data for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. yesterday): (By U. S. Weather Bureau) Temperature: 1:30 a. m. 34; 7:30 a. m. 30; 1:30 p. m. 50; 7:30 p. m. 45; maximum 55; min imum 28; mean 42; normal 48. Humidity: 1:30 a. m. 49; 7:30 a. m. 76; 1:30 p. m. 39; 7:30 p. m. 65. Precipitation: Total, for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m., 0.00 inches; total since the first of the month, 1.47 inches. Tides For Today: (From Tide Tables published by u. b. Coast and Geodetic Survey): High Low Wilmington - 9:55a. 4:^a 10:llp. 4 :o3p. Masonboro Inlet - 7:46a. J:£4a 7:59p. 1:50p. Sunrise 6:57a; sunset 5:56p; moonrise 6:59a; moonset 6:26p. (All Times Eastern Standard) Cape Fear river stage at Fayette ville on Feb. 14, at 8 a. m., UaO feet. (Continued on Page Nine; Cot. 6' 1 Big Shakeup In Churchill CabinetAsked Prime Minister Faces De mand As Result Of Es cape Of Nazi Ships NATION AWAITS WORD Investigation To Be Made By Navy, Air Force Into Channel Fiasco BY E. C. DANIEL LONDON, Feb. 14.—Prime Minister Churchill faced a menac ing opposition demand tonight to reorganize his cabinet in the wake of the humiliating Dover straits dash by German battleships and the disastrous turn of the Battle of Singapore. The threat came barely two weeks after the greatest vote of confidence ever given his 21 months-old government. There was general indignation and dismay at the feat of the German squadron which fought its way past Britain’s front gate and escaped to the safety of German haven in the North sea, 700 miles from Brest, where it started. Singapore Tottering With Singapore city tottering and Cirenaica again largely over run by Axis armored legions, the anxious nation awaited some word of explanation from Churchill him self for the latest and greatest blots on empire prestige. Churchill, whose virile oratory often has stilled his critics, tenta tively scheduled a radio address for Sunday at 9 p.m. (4 p.m. East ern war time). An investigation will be made by the Navy and air force into the channel Fiasco and their re ports, if necessary, will be exam ined by higher authorities. More than one member of parliament, however, said an in quiry similar to the American in vestigation of the Pearl Harbor disaster would be the “best thing possible to show the people that mistakes do not go unpunished.” A British authority disclosing that the British used 600 planes in a vain effort to wreck the Ger man squadron, said the Dover straits battle proved that “aircraft alone cannot prevent enemy sur face ships from making a descent on our shores.” Invasion Fear Renewed The fear of invasion arose once more, added to the probability that a powerful German fleet could strike at vital Atlantic sup ply lines frem the Baltic to Long Island, N. Y. A German radio commentator said this: “We see proof that today pas sage around the northern part of England by German sea forces is decidedly within the realm of pos sibility.” 'The German squadron now is either at much-bombed Wilhelm shaven or Kiel, a British authority said, promising that heavy air raids will seek to keep the ships in “ aconstant state of repair” and prevent their joining the powerful 35,000-ton battleship Tirpitz for a foray against Allied lines of com munications. Informed parliamentary sources mentioned with increasing fre quency the name of Sir Stafford Cripps, until recently Britain’s ambassador to Moscow. He was boomed for a place in the war cab inet. Some politicians forecast that the reverses in the channel, Singa pore and Libya would break the Churchill cabinet but it was be lieved that Churchill, as head of the conservative government, was the only man able to form a new government. The conservatives hold a topheavy majority in parlia ment. Cripps Mentioned Cripps was mentioned as a pos sible minister of defense oversee ing the Army, Navy md air force —a job which Churchill now holds. Leslie Hore-Belisha, who was war minister under Neville Cham berlain, was the first political (Continued on Page Five; Col. 1) Government Rejects Bids On Large Durham Camp The bids received Wednesday by the Wilmington district army engi neers for construction of the Dur ham Triangular Division camp have been rejected by the govern ment and will be re-advertised, di viding the project into fifteen parts, Lieut. Col. R. A. Sharrer, acting district engineer, announced Satur day. Five of the fifteen parts will be for utilities and the remaining ten will be for housing, it was said. Dates for opening of bids on the varouis sectons range from Feb ruary 26 to March 9, according to the schedule given by the engi neers The final completion date for the entire work has been set for Au gust 1. However, earlier comple tion dates will be specified for va rious parts of the project, accord ing from the statement from Col. Sharrer. The camp will be located 12 miles northeast of Durham. It will con sist of 1,600 buildings and will pro vide for “about 35,000 people.” The hospital will be of semi-fire proof construction. The entire work will be divided into the following parts: (Continued on Page Nine: Col. 71 JAPS OPEN MAJOR BATTLE FOR NETHERLANDS INDIES; SINGAPORE STILL RESISTS BRITISH USE TANKS Nipponese Forces Finding Singapore Exceedingly Tough Nut To Crack HOLD RESERVOIRS Imperials Counter -Attack At One Point And Estab lish New Line LONDON, Feb. 14.—C^)— Singapore’s defenders fought back in a blazing hell tonight, using tanks for the first time and subjecting the constrict ing Japanese lines to violent shelling from big shore guns, field batteries and warships. After six days of terrific battle, with the advantages of overwhelming numbers and of continuous high, low and dive bombing to shatter a gallant foe, the Japanese were find ing Singapore an exceedingly tough nut to crack. In fact, the defenders even regained some ground in counter-at tacks. Hold Reservoirs The British Imperials still held at least two of the water reservoirs from which to quench the thirst of thousands of civilians at their back, the Singapore radio was heard to say in Batavia tonight. ‘‘Our troops counter-attacked at one point at least and established a new line,” the broadcast an nounced. .Japanese, broadcasts heard here admitted they had encountered ter rific barrages laid down from big coastal guns on Changi Point at the northeastern tip of the island and from other forts in that area, from Blakang Mati island south of Singapore city, from warships around the city and from mass artilery in the reservoir section northwest of the city. The Changi and Blakang Mati island forts were erected to repel seaborne invasion, but the Japanese broarcasts did not make clear whether it was the bigger 14 and 18-inch artillery which were ham mering their lines or the lesser batteries. Tanks In Action The Singapore broadcast heard in Batavia said British tanks went (Continued on Page Five; Col, 2) AUSTRALIAN FORCE SENT INTOJNDIES Government Weighs Ques tion Of Calling Airmen Home From England SYDNEY, Australia, Feb. 14 — (IP)—Strong Australian reinforce ments poured into the Netherlands East Indies today and the govern ment weighed the question of call ing home Aussie airmen from Eng land to join in the United Nations defense of the southwest Pacific. The commonwealth forces, ac companied by other Empire and Allied troops, were moving into defense positions on Java, site of the United Nations general staff headquarters and vital island base expected to be the target soon of a Japanese invasion thrust. Importance of Java to the whole Allied cause was stressed by some commentators who said its reten tion would shorten the Pacific con flict by two years. “Java can be defended if fight ers and bombers arrive in time,” (Continued on Page Two; Col. 1) i Jap Shipping Attacked By Large U. S. Bombers WASHINGTON', Feb. 14.—WP) —The biggest concentration of huge, four-engined United States Army bombers yet reported in the Pacific campaign attacked Japanese shipping today in the Macassar area, a theatre iij which the United Nations have struck some of their hardest blows at the enemy. A War department communi que said that 13 bombers of the flying fortress type attacked enemy shipping and that “while results were not completely ascertained” it was believed that at least one ship was hit. Subsequently a large fire was observed in the area of attack, the department said. The presence of 12 of the big planes in one group led to be lief in some quarters here that this indicated reinforcements of heavy aircraft were reaching the Indies area. The biggest previously reported flight was on January 28, when eight four engined army planes engaged in one operation. Enemy aircraft were active on all parts of the Philippine front defended by General Mac Art hur and his men, as com munique said, without disclos (Continued on Page Nine; Col. 8) Russian Troops Advance On North Central Front _ x NAZIS MEET ATTACKS* ‘Kalinin Front’ Now Within 100 Miles Of Latvia And Estonia By EDDIE GILMORE. MOSCOW. Feb. 14.—CP)—An ad vance on the north central front measured in “tens of kilometers” was reported today in Red army dispatches, but German counter-at tacks persisted in many sectors and at one point west of Moscow both German and Finnish ski troops were thrown into action. Troops of Lieut. Col. Gorbunov made the westward advance at an unspecified point on what is called the “Kalinin front,” although it now stretches to within about 100 miles of the Latvian and Estonian borders. Boots Worn Out “During the march the soldiers’ felt boots were worn out,” the front-line dispatch said in illustrat ing the rate of the advance. Many villages w^ere reported recaptured and freshly-built German fortifica tions overrun. An official announcement tonight said that on this front 1,600 Ger man officers and men were killed and six inhabited places recaptured by Soviet forces. At one fortified junction the Ger mans were said to have lost 200 troops; at another, Russian ski troops accounted for 170; in a third encounter, the 323rd German infan try regiment was scattered. Gueril las aided the operaf'ns. Ski Troops Used German counter-attacks wrere de tailed on the southwest, northwest and the southern part of the central front. In the latter area Finnish and German ski roops tried to rush a Russian-held village, but were dis persed. The night Soviet information bu reau communique was confined to the usual generalization that during the day “our troops, overcoming enemy resistance, continued to ad vance.” A Red cavalry unit which broke the German Leningrad front recent ly was reported by the army news (Continued on Page Five; Col. 3) MOOREQUITSCIVIL SERVICE POSITION Prominent Physician Re signs As Chairman Of The Wilmington Board Dr. W. Houston Moore, chair man of the Wilmington Civil Serv ice board since its establishment in June of 1941, has resigned from the group, according to a letter he sent the New Hanover county Medical society Saturday. The res ignation is effective immediately. Dr. Moore was appointed by the Medical society as its representa tives on the board and he was elected chairman by the other members. In a letter to the medical so ciety, Dr. Moore pointed out that his various civic duties and the calls of his practice do not allow him time enough to fulfill his work in the civil service board. Ed Carr, secretary of the board, in commenting on the resignation of Dr. Moore, declared that his services had been of the highest quality, and that the organization would miss him very much. A successor to Dr. Moore, to represent the medical society, is expected to be appointed at the next meeting of that body. Navy’s Newest Cruiser Commissioned At N. Y. NEW YORK, Feb. 14.— </P> — With the hope that she would be more of “a terror and scourge to the enemy than Moby Dick ever was to the whaling fleets,” Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews, commandant of the Third Naval District, today placed in commission the Navy’s newest cruiser, the fi,(IO(Mon Juneau. As the $13,000000 craft, first American warship to be named for an Alaskan city, was turned over to Capt. L. K. Swenson, of Provo, Utah, the Admiral told the ship’s company: “The courageous and fabulous exploits of the men who opened that rich untouched land and built the City of Juneau are a matter of Alaska’s glorious rec ord. From those pioneers you men may take a new inspira tion. You must secure for pos terity the America they helped to build.” JAPANESE CROSS SALWEEN AGAIN Bombs From British Planes Thin Their Ranks Near Paan, However RANGOON, Burma, Feb. 14—(ffl —Japanese troops have forced a second crossing of the Salween river near Paan but the fragmen tation bombs of a squadron of Brit ish Blenheims have thinned their ranks so frightfully that enemy pressure eased tonight along the entire east Burma front. Flying at. treetop level over the Pagoda-studded jungle hills, a heavy force of Blenheim bombers dropped thousands of pounds of de layed action fragmentation bombs on the main Japanese forces two miles from Paan on the road to Thaton, important railroad town on the line that skirts the Gulf of Martaban fron Rangoon. American fliers of the volunteer group and RAF fighters escorted the bombers. Huge explosions crisscrossed the jungle clearing as the last of the Blenheims turned home, unofficial reports said. A communique from battle headquarters of the Burma com mand said some of the most bit ter fighting of the war in Burma had taken place in the last few days. The Japanese made thrusts across the Salween at Paan and Martaban with Indian troops bear ing the brunt of the attack at each point. (Continued on Page Two; Cot. 1) ATTACK IN SUMATRA Defenders Of Oil-Refining Area Of Palembang Wipe Out Parachutists MORE NEW EXPECTED Pladju, Along Musi River, Believed To Be One Of Main Goals Of Drive Bv WITT HANCOCK BATAVIA, N. E. I., Feb'. 14.—(/P)—The battle for the Netherlands East Indies be gan in earnest today even be fore the Battle of Singapore was finished when Japanese assault troops in 100 fighter protected planes attacked the oil-refining area of Palem bang in Sumatra. They were met by defenders who wiped out parachutists by the “dozens.” (That a stubborn fight for the Indies is impending was indicated too by Australian broadcasts which declared that Australian troops and other British Imperials—pre sumably Indians—were arriv ing in Batavia and “are tak ing up positions for the de fense” of the key island of Java.) The invasion of the 1,000-mile long island of Sumatra had touched off one of the hottest fights yet in the Indies. The communique, say ing that the parachutists were be ing killed by the dozens, added that “our troops have done excellent work and it may be assumed that the situation is not unfavorable.” ‘'Further news is expected” the communique added, thus indicating that communications were in work ing order and that the Dutch were pressing counter-measures. Whether the Japanese were using plane-landed troops was not known although this would be the tactical sequel to seizure of any landing field by the parachutists. Center Of Rich Field Palembang itself, center of what probably is the richest single oil field between the Persian gulf and the United States, was not entered by the Japanese and was not im mediately threatened, the communi que said, but three places in the area were attacked by the Japanese who drifted from the dawn sky and received reinforcement from suc ceeding waves of air-borne fighters. There was no word yet of the Dutch applying their scorched earth policy to the refineries and oil fields, representing an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars, but it was assumed the defenders would not hesitate to apply the torch if the plants actually became endangered by the Japanese in vaders. Prime Objective It was believed that one of tho prime objectives of the attack was Pladju, about three miles west ot Palembang along the Musi river, an important refining center for the south Sumatra oil fields. Observers said the Japanese ap parently had resorted to aid inva sion because Palembang is difficult to attack from the sea. More than 300 miles south of Singapore and about 2")0 miles northwest of Batavia, tile city lies HG miles in land. It is connected with the Strait of Bangka, which lies be tween Sumatra and the tin smelt ing island of Bangka, by the Musi river which threads almost impene trable marsh and jungle. Capital of the Palembang resi dency, Palembang is a city of about 110,000 which spreads on both sides of the river, with many of the na (Continuod on Pago Five; Col. Sj Civilian Pilot Released By Authorities At Davis An incident illustrating the thor oughness with which the coastline in the vicinity of Camp Davis is being guarded was disclosed by camp authorities Saturday follow ing the release from technical cus tody of a New Yorker whose air plane was forced down at Fulch er’s Landing, fishing community located near Snead’s Ferry, last Wednesday. The civilian pilot was detained until Friday afternoon while his case was investigated. When he was released, a Camp Davis spokesman announced: “As far as this camp is concerned, the case is closed,” putting an end to a wild series of rumors beginning to circulate in this section of the state regarding the incident. Notwithstanding the pilot’s story that he was flying from New York to Florida cn business, ,'rmy of ficers emphasized the importance of investigating the presence of strange aircraft in the vicinity ei military installations and paid high tribute to the residents of Fulcher’s Landing for the presence of mind they displayed in reporting the landing to Camp Davis. Late Wednesday afternoon, ac cording to the official account, the aviator, whose name is being with* (Continued on Page Nine; Col. 7)
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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