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Wtlmtngtmt fronting #tar North Carolina's Oldest Daily Newspaper Published Daily Except Sunday By The Wilmington Star-Newt At The Murchison Building R. B. Page, Owner and Publisher Telephone AU Departments DIAL 3311 Entered as Second Class Matter at Wilmlng on. N. C., Postoffice Under Act ol Congress of March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY CARRIER * Payable Weekly Or In Advance Comblna Time Star News tion 1 Week .$ 25 $ 20 $ .35 1 Month . 1.10 90 1.50 3 Month. 3.25 2.60 4.55 6 Months . 6.50 5.20 9.10 1 Year .13.00 10.40 18.20 News rates entitle subscriber to Sunday .issue at Star-News BY MAIL Payable Strictly in Advance Combine Star News ticn i Month ..........$ -75 $ .50 $ .90 3 Months . 2.00 1.5C 2.75 6 Months . 4.00 3.80 9.90 1 year . 3 00 6.00 10.00 News rates entitle subscriber to Sunday issue of Star-News Card of Thanks charged for at the rate of 25 cents per line. Count Pve words to line. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Is entitled to the exclusive use of all news itories appearing in The Wilmington Star. SATURDAY, MAY 9. 1942 With confidence In our armed forces—with the unbounding de termination of our people—we will gain the inevitable triumph — so help us God. —Roosevelt’s War Message Star-N e ws Program To aid in every way the prosecution o* the war to complete victory. Public Port Terminals. Perfected Truck and Berry Preserving and Marketing Facilities. Seaside Highway from Wrightsville Beach to Bald Head Island. Extension of City Limits. 35-Foot Cape Fear Kiver channel, wider Turning Basin, with ship lanes 'into industrial sites along Eastern bank south of Wilmington. Paved River Road to Southport, via Orton Plantation. Development of Pulp Wood Production through sustained-yield methods through out Southeastern North Carolina. Unified Industrial and Resort Promo tional Agency, supported by one county wide tax. Shipyards and Drydocks. Negro Health Center for Southeastern North Carolina, developed around the Community Hospital. Adequate hospital facilities for white. Jun'or High School. Tobacco Warehouses for Export Buy ers. Development of native grape growing throughout Southeastern North Carolina. Modern Tuberculosis Sanatorium. _ TOP O’ THE MORNING So live today that when the morrow comes Thou shalt not cloud the sun with vain regret; But let thy hand and heart commit those deeds That love for man, and faith in God beget. —“So Live Today,” by Osgood Elliott -V Just A Starter The naval engagement roughly located in or near the Solomon islands apparently was but the opening phase of a great battle which is expected to outrank the Battle of Jutland. Japan is reported to have assembled a large fleet, or distributed it among island hideouts, in the southwest Pacific, apparently for a sea thrust by which it hopes to put Australia and the increasing Allied strength there out of ac tion. And it seems that the United States and Britain have massed naval strength in the same waters for a showdown. The first brush, therefore, may prove to have been the naval equivalen tof an outpost skirmish, with the main engagement still to come. It may be days before it ends. And when it is over we may know whether the Jap anese are to hold undisputed control of the seas and their commerce lanes in the vast southwest Pacific or whether the war in the Orient will take a turn in our favor. If the enemy is successful, Australia will lie in line with Burma and the Philippines for enemy conquest. There can be no doubt any longer that the Japanese are mustering pow erful forces for its subjugation, because it has become a definite and potent threat to their ambitions. As long as it is held by MacArthur end his rapidly growing forces,, any Japa nese success elsewhere can be of little per manent worth. Tokyo knows this and knows that if Australia is not taken the United Na tions will inevitably launch from its bases a counter-offensive which will put an end to the spread of Japan’s “new order” and end in complete defeat of her armies, fleets, air force and power. Thus far, the battle has been going our way. Japanese losses have been heavy. With the Java naval battle and its consequences fresh in mind, it is not probable that our naval commanders will allow themselves or any ships under their command to be trapped again. It is not too optimistic to believe that the job in the Solomon islands will. se1 the -“ti'T Critic 1 * It’s Bonds Or Taxes There are two primary reasons for keeping the cost of living at a low level. One is to block inflation after the war. The other is to make the large bulk of private earnings avail able for the nation's war costs. Both are good reasons. We must dodge in flation or go through a more trying period than it created following the former World war. And certainly the incomes of the people must be dedicated in whatever percentage is needed to paying for the war through which they will perpetuate their freedom. This leads to one obvious conclusion. If wages and salaries continue at present levels and the cost of living is held at a low level, it will be necessary to apply stiffer taxes both to meet war costs and to prevent wasteful spending—a sure step toward inflation. Taxes will have to go up, in one form or another if we, as a nation and a people, are to travel the stormy seas ahead on an even keel. The chief question, therefore, is how the taxes are to be applied and what alternative can be offered. The war savings bonds which are being offered, without pressure, offer one means of accomplishing the purpose. The peo ple are being urged to set aside a definite portion of their earnings at regular periods for the purchase of these bonds. Locally, it is understood, the pledge campaign is making headway. With the cooperation of companies and firms, employes are signing up for pay roll deductions in larger numbers than dur ing previous similar crusades. When the cam paign ends there will be many firms in Wil mington with 100 per cent records. Presum ably equally good results will be obtained through the country. Whether the revenue thus created will be sufficient to meet the government’s needs is not apparent, if the amount of the contribu tions is left to the subscribers’ own inclina tion or judgment. It is because of this un certainty that a broad appeal has been is sued for all workers of every type to turn at least 10 per cent of their earnings into war bonds. There is no present effort to compel acceptance of this proposal. But it would be well for everybody to consider that if the re sponse is not unanimous it may be made com pulsory, or, if not that, tax levels will be raised to produce the same results. If the decision is for straight taxation the taxpayers will lose the advantage of receiv ing their money back in a decade with good interest. That deserves more than passing consideration. -V Travel Rationing Travel on highways has been materially re duced as a result of the federal ban on new and retreaded tires. It will be further cur tailed, when gasoline rationing is put into ef fect. Use of motor cars anywhere is to be cut, apparently and perhaps necessarily, to a point bordering on abandonment. But that is only half the story, if the govern ment also rations train travel, a hint of which is issued from Washington. Who will be per mitted to ride the cushions, and why, is not revealed, but we may take it for granted that when this supervision of private perigri nations starts a person will have to give a very good reason before he can buy a ticket. Obviously we are to become a people of stay at-home, whether we like it or not That may not be so bad, after all. It will reduce individual spending, and inasmuch as the government is using rolling stock prac tically at peak capacity it will not cut the lines’ revenues materially. Private ji.nketeer ing will stop but the railroads will still have all the business they can do. And there is no danger that the reduction in private spending for railway travel will give anyone a chance to hoard the money thus saved. If the purchase of war bonds does not absorb it, it will be caught in the tax net. If the American people are still reluctant to accept the obligations imposed by this war, the expanding rationing program ought to con vince them that nothing less than all-out shar ing of sacrifices will be tolerated. The war must be won, at whatever cost in comfort and convenience to the people. The sooner we understand this, and make the best of it, the easier will be the victory. -V Siren Makes Good Spotters stationed in far quarters of the city reported hearing the test blasts of the air raid warning siren installed at fire head quarters, but all did not hear it with equal distinctness. The fact that it was heard at the city limits, however, is a point in its favor, as indicating that when the other three sirens are set up at the three other fire stations, each in widely separated sections of the city, there will be no difficulty in giving an alarm that can be heard by everybody. We may take it for granted that with their installation Wilmington will have taken an other advantageous step in its defense system. In conjunction with the progress in reorgan izing the air raid warden corps, at last being trained for its highly responsible and special ized task, this city will have better than aver age protection in case of actual air raid or shelling, so far as its warning service is con cerned. With the evacuation set-up for children com pleted, the filter center and control room staffed, the Red Cross motor corps trained and ready, first aid graduates in large num bers prepared to serve at a moment’s notice and a business area fire warning corps being [organized, the care of the people victimized by any possible attack seems to have beer thoroughly provided for. If the general population will realize that it can help by remaining calm and obeying com mon-sense rules for public conduct by avoid ing panic or hysteria, the provisions'made for safety by the Defense Council will be about as effectual as human effort and planning can make them. -V Silver The strange situation of being unable to supply the demand for silver after the metal has been like a step-child for many years has arisen because foreign production is too small and our own output is by law absorbed by the government. The New York Times has this to say about t it: . At last it appears that the demand for silver has outstripped the supplies imme diately available. This situation is caused, not by any lack of production, but because the United States Treasury must buy all domestically mined silver at 71.11 cents an ounce. With demand running about 40 per cent in excess of foreign production acces sible to this market, it now seems likely that some change must be made in exist ing silver legislation or else some indus tries are going to go without silver unless they bid above the 71.11-cent level. How ever, under the price-freezing Order, which goes into effect on Monday, silver is fixed at the March level, or 35 3-8 cents an ounce to the trade. This applies to for eign-mined silver, the only metal which has been available to domestic industry for several years. The question immedi ately arises whether foreign producers are going to be willing to sell their metal at the March price, particularly in view of the fact that the Treasury is paying more than twice that amount for the domestic output. -V Washington Daybook BY JACK STINNETT WASHINGTON, May 8—“Yoo-hoo, Skinnay —school’s out” used to be the June cry of American youth, but it won’t be this year. Commissioner John W. Studebaker’s Office of Education has issued this pronouncement: “This summer comes not as a time for vaca tion but as an opportunity for (the schools’) pointing up their services toward certain basic objectives highlighted b ythe needs of the armed forces and of war production.” As President Roosevelt once pointed out, the educators just have to say it the hard way. All that means is that any school that doesn’t keep open this summer and contribute its plant and personnel in some way to the war effort is skipping its opportunity to be of important use to the community and the na tion. * » * Just so those opportunities won't be over looked, the Office of Education’s wartime com mission has outlined them and they are worth repeating. For example, schools, which here tofore have gathered nothing but dust and broken windows through the summer heat, can touch off a little T.N.T. under the enemy this year (so the commission says) by offer ing their buildings and staffs for— ll) Courses in mathematics, English, social studies and science. (2) Aviation education—from model build ing on up. (3) Training of women and girls for all trade and clerical occupations. (4) Courses in nursing, nutrition, first aid. (5) Intensive physical fitness courses for lads and lassies who will be up for military training or war work within the next three years. (6) Office of Civilian Defense (OCD) courses for air raid wardens, auxiliary fire and police wardens and other OCD jobs as may be need ed in those areas. (7) Continuation and expansion of such vo cational and agricultural courses as now are offered under the federal aid program. ♦ * * The Office of Education already is batting off outlines for all courses suggested in the first six recommendations. But it is pointed out that each local school administration must decide its own needs and adapt its summer schol program so its own community re quirements. Time was when summer school was some thing to be attended by the laggards who couldn’t keep up with the rest of the class or some smart Johnny or Mary who wanted to reach high school or college at the prodigy age. The latter may sneak in this summer—if their particular talents apply to the war ef fort—but there will be no dumb clucks in this wartime summer school. The office of educa tion recommends that counselors be appointed to select only those who will benefit most and those who will benefit the country’s all-out military program must by this special sum mer school training. (Tomorrow: Extra-curricular activities) 2 -V Editorial Comment COOPERATIVE SPIRIT Durham Herald It is distinctly a minority opinion, we are confident, and no doubt the few who somehow or other developed that false impressin now know better. But it seems that a few who visited the schools to register for sugar ration books and weren’t accommodated on the dot labored un der the impression teachers doing the regis tering were being paid and were to blame fop delays that occasioned some mild inconven ience. That, of course, lacks foundation On the contrary teachers, principals and other school personnel, assumed the not pleasant or easy assignment gladly without thought or promise of compensation, worked hard at it, registered not the slightest complaint and all things con sidered turned in a wonderful job of coopera tive community service. At times at some schools registrants did have to stand in line. For most it was a mere inconvenience and for a few mild hardship. Longer registration hours in the beginning might have eliminated some of the conges tion and lightened the load of teachers. But it seems to us a bit out of bounds for people who had to stand in line, say, an hour to get all wrought up over the delay and take it out on -the teachers. Or, for that matter, on any one connected with the rationing set-up. This is the first time we in this country have undertaken to ration a universally used food. Our people, naturally, aren’t enthusias tic about it and besides are inclined to com plain whether the excuse is big or small legitimate or flimsy. Chances are the sugar experience is but the beginning. We shall learn as we go along, both those in charge of reg istration and consumers now so ready to oom plain. TO SPITE HIS FACE The Editor’s Letter Box The editor does not necessarily endorse any article appearing in this department. They represent the views of the individual readers. Correspondents and warned that all communications must contain the correct name and address for our records, though the latter may he signed as the writer sees fit. The Star-News reserves the right to alter any text that for any rea son is objectionable. Tetters on controversial subjects will not be published. To the Star: Last month I had the privilege of going back to the North Caro lina State Baptist hospital at Win ston-Salem. How my heart thrills as I think of that great building dedicated to the service of our God in healing the bodies and souls of men and women, regard less of who they are and from whence they come. If they need help they will get it to the extent that our people give it. Only recently the new part of the hospital has been completed. Today it stands,' the result of the prayers, the sacrifice, the devo tion to Christ, of the leaders of the hospital, and a few of our many North Carolina Baptist peo ple. A bit of the courage and hero ism in building this addition comes out in this little story that I pick ed up. On the ni,rht of the banquet given in Winston-Salem for start ing the campaign for the money to enlarge, Dr. Hagaman. the su perintendent of the hospital, was called to the “mike.” Standing there before the microphone Dr. Hagaman took a coin from h i s pocket, and holding it up he said that recently to the hospital had come a grandfather for needed medical attention. The hospital was so crowded it was impossible to admit him. The grandfather had to go home, where he died not long after returning. One dav a man and boy entered his office. The father said the boy wdnted to tell Dr. Hagaman something. The boy walked to Dr. Hagaman, placed a coin (if I recall correct ly, it was a dime") in his hand. The boy said he wanted to help build the hospital, so that other boys would not lose their grand father. Telling that story. Dr. Hag aman’s voice shook with emotion, for he recalled others—many others—who needed help, and lack of room and equipment, made it impossible. Several days later Dr. Hagaman opened a letter from a prominent doctor, in which the doctor said he wanted to help that boy en large the hospital. There was a large check enclosed. Mother’s Day is hospital day. And as we Baptists go to our Sunday schools and churches we are not going to let them down. We are going to express to the world our love and devotion for souls of men and women. Woodrow W. Robbins Ash, N. C. May 8, 1942. 4 -V Factographs » The man in uniform of the United States Army walks through a year of training with the wool of 26 sheep on his back, according to a booklet, “The Sol dier and His Uniform,*’ recently issued by the women’s interest section of the War Department, Bureau of Public Relations. * * * The greatest number of pearls were, before the war, brought up from the floor of the Indian ocean and East Indies, and found their way to market through a central clearing house in London. * * * * New Zealand was discovered in 1642 by Abel Janszoon Tasman, a Dutch navigator, and its coasts were explored by Capt. James Cook—1769-70. * * « Grandpappy Jenkins says a real old timer is a fellow who can remember ’way back when the tariff question was the big topic of the day. Raymond Clapper Says: Madagascar Reflects Offensive Spirit By RAYMOND CLAPPERE WASHINGTON, May 8.—The new offensive spirit that is taking hold of the United Nations is ex pressed in the timely forehanded occupation of Madagascar. This is once the United Nations got there first. It is the kind of thing that the British attempted in 1940 when they made their un successful assault on Dakar. Fail ing in that because the attack was not made with sufficient force, the British lapsed into a defensive psychology. It was understand able, especially in view of th e peril which England barely es caped after Dunkirk. Nevertheless for nearly two years there has been little initiative on our side, and the lack of it has been costly. Now United Nations strength is growing rapidly. There are signs that new naval strength is com ing into the picture on our side. President Roosevelt recently men tioned that American naval forces were operating in the Mediterran ean and now Berlin says two American battleships have passed through Suez into the Indian ocean. The British were outclassed re cently by the Japanese naval forces in the Bay of Bengal but they have since mustered enough force to occupy Madagascar. The United States announces its inten tion of giving any assistance need ed to hold Madagascar. Thus by joint naval action Great Britain and the United States are moving to prevent the Japanese from accomplishing their fatal purpose of closing the Indian ocean. New naval strength now coming and due to come in the next few weeks gives our side greater freedom of action. We are taking the first opportunity to ex ercise it in the critical area on the other side of Africa. * » * No development could be of greater encouragement to Russia. For Madagascar lies directly on the supply line to Russia. Your geography is correct. Madagascar is way down-on the lower eastern coast of Africa. You might think it was of little concern except to South Africa. But this is a world wide war and supplies to Russia go around the Cape of Good Hope and up through the Indian ocean. Japan is trying to edge over and take Ceylon, off the lower tip of India. That would enable her to point out across the Indian ocean from the eastern side. She already has acquired some stepping stones toward Madagascar, and if she could have gone on across a n tl occupied this Vichy French island, Japan would have been able to close the gate. From Tokyo to Madagascar is as far as from New York to Mad agascar. Few places in the world are without importance to both sides in this war. * * * We are in the midst of a battle for these strategic places. Japan has most of them in the south west Pacific. She is trying to get those in the Indian ocean. We may expect that Laval’s new power will mean German use of Dakar, a key point on the west coast of Africa. Long ago President Roosevelt was foresighted enough to occupy Greenland and to join the British in Iceland. As American and Brit ish naval strength increases from the furious building of the last year, we may expect the United Nations to become more aggres sive in this Battle of the Bases. It may be that the first sign of a decisive turn in the course of the war will come through the Battle of the Bases. Certainly, before the United Nations can hope to be effective in land campaigns, they must re gain superiority on the seas and hold and regain bases vital to the protection of our supply routes, particularly those that feed Russia and those that will be necessary in supplying a continental offen sive in Europe. Immediate reverses in Burma are heart-breaking for the Chi nese. Loss of eastern India would add to the difficulty of China con tinuing her resistance. Yet those are incidents in the larger scheme of the war. Victory for the United Nations will come only after we have made safe the sea routes over which we can send the stream of supplies and men for the land of fensives. That is why this recov ery of initiative, as illustrated by the occupation of Madagascar, is a hopeful sign. 4 -V New Jersey held a beauty con test for girls who wear glasses and, we understand, it was quite The Literary Guidepost By JOHN SELBY Four brief glances at four re cent novels— Elizabeth Goudge is the latest English novelist to go into the matter of the war and its effect on the future, as well as the pres ent, of Britain and the British “The Castle on the Hill” is a gen tle treatment of exceedingly stern realities, full of people of widely different types, the whole set in a castle. The plan of the book is shrewd, and the prose has the expertness and the distinction that are characteristic of Miss Goudge. (Putnam: $2.50). It may not be quite possible to justify some of the attitudes of Margaret Duley’s characters in “Novelty on Earth,” but most of her readers will feel that she has done as well at the job as most writers could. The book is con cerned with the problem of adult love, and the limits of the emo tion. It does not drop into the fa miliar triangle pattern; instead, the third and disturbing element is the son of the hero. Miss Duley lives in Newfoundland, has pub lished a ndmber of books in Eng land, and “Novelty on Earth” is her second in this country. (Mac millan; $2.50) It began when the Victor fam ily, lots of them, came together to celebrate Grandpa and Grandma Victor’s golden wedding. The Vic tors were a varied and remark able family, given to tangentif" action at times, and when the black sheep of the family return ed to yank the best of the family skeletons out of the wardrobe the action speeded up considerably. There is not only much good character drawing in Harriet Ball’s “Each Alone”—there is a fast pace and true cleverness. (Harpers; $2,501. The inescapable war underlies Arthur Stringer’s “Intruders in Eden.” First there is Peter Judd, who came back to New York from Crete to find he had lost his wife. Next there is Joyce Landis, who went to England to marry an avi ator, and found him already mar ried to another girl; her situation was further complicated by Dun kirk and the fact that on her voy age back to Canada her ship was torpedoed and her only brother lost. And then, one day, she went to sleep on Peter Judd’s doorstep, situated in Kent County, on t h e Canadian shore of Lake Erie. There followed love and i t s numerous problems. (Bobbs Merrill; $2,501 4 Interpreting The War True Significance Of Pacific Battle Must Await Facts By KIRKE L. SIMPSON’ Wide World War Analyst The true significance of th American-Japanese sea battle that has raged since Monday off L, tralia cannot be calculated u n t n the circumstances that brought ; on are revealed. There is no question, however that it represents the onset of y ' Battle of Australia and that jap!,0 has suffered heavy, if not crip' pling, naval losses in its first phases. Pearl Harbor has bcPp partially avenged by comrades nf American naval personnel w;lr) died there that Sunday of Japa. nese infamy last December Utterly conflicting American and Japanese accounts make If impossible at this wrif'ng to eva] uate the scope of the action aV curately. There is the same con flict as to which side was the in terceptor and which the interceiv. ed or as to just where the action has been taking place. Tokyo dubs it the "Battle of the Coral Sea.” From Tokyo, also comes the only intimation that battleships have been enva-cH The Tokyo claim that BrilaV Warspite had been destroyed v.a< promptly scotched in London lo an admiralty announcement that neither the Warspite nor any other British battleship was sunk nr damaged. Tokyo has thus far done mm-* than either Washington or Amevi. can headouarters in Australia to ooint un the fight as a major sea battle. There is obvious pro-iagan. da as well as fishing for ■'ofonrrt. tion in the naming of the War spite. an American battlesh'n of the California class and the Artier, ican Dlane-carriers Saratoga and Yorktown as casualties. An effort to cover up heavy Jananese losses as well as to elicit information in the form of denials may well be suspected. There is no doubt, however, that nearlv a score of Jananese craft engaged on some offensive mis. sion. including light and heavy cruisers, lesser viar craft, trans norts and supply shms. have been sunk or damaged heyond parly rp. oair. That virtually confirms tin assumption that an American fn-' force of relatively light ?trpn?t'i intercented a well guarded .Tn"-. nese invasion convoy near fv>e Solomons and snored heavily -i the first clash. The running fi«M followed, although there is stin little to suggest a major fleet action. That may be in progress or im oending. It would depend upon the disposition of the main ele ments of the Japanese and Ameri. can fleets. That Japan is readv to risk her battle fleet far down ro the southwest, corner of the P?e;. fie, leaving the approaches to Jo. nan itself and her China sea life lines screened onlv by her north and centra' Pacific island outposts is hardly believable. Whether the intercepted Japa nese convoy was headed toward Australia or New Guinea nr mere ly endeavoring to expand south ward a chain of island bases designed to cut American-Austra lian communication*: remains un known. That last objective seems the logical Jananese course and an American-Jananese clash for control of those islands that frine° the Coral sea to the east has been inevitable. The continuing sea action tends to confirm the impression that the Japanese have shifted their main war effort from the Indian ocean front to the Pacific. It goes far to warrant previous predic tions that with the conquest of Burma complete, Japan mu‘t pause there and turn to protec tion of her vulnerable Pacific flank against an ever growing American threat. ^Regardless of its f'nal outcome, that unfinished fight is definite further notice to Tokyo of an ex panding American war machine. Taken even at face value desn’t* their untrustworthiness, the Tokyo claims of ships sunk chalk tm against the American reports of enemy ships downed as a further progress've naval attrition for Jo- s pan. And British sea power is be ginning to close in on her al n from the west in the Indian ocean. Yesteryears I 10 YEARS AGO TODAY A disastrous fire at Dunn de stroyed an entire city business bloek. Fathers and sons of the Olean der section fought each other a sandlot baseball game today. which ended in a 10-10 t;e. i * * * 25 YEARS AGO TODAY Herbert Hoover, of the f o ” council of the Committee of tional Defense, asked the govern ment to prohibit for the duration of the war the use of grains e any kind in the manufacture 0 whiskies or beer. * * • 50 YEARS AGO TODAY Cows and goats are attackiiv the plaza on Third street, to ' ^ annoyance of persons who sperd their monev to beautify it. 4 --V BETTER TO MARRY HIS STENOG. Ever since the boys read t n e story from an Ohio arms p'?nt about the boss’s secretary getting $39,356 last year they are not ' sure about marrying the boss s daughter.—Salem News *
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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May 9, 1942, edition 1
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