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------WILMINGTON, N. C„ WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 1942_ ~ FINAL EDITION ESTABLISHED 1867.
Jeffers And Senators Exchange Quick Words
Quick questions and answers marked the appearance of Rubber Administrator William M. Jeffers before the
Senate Agriculture Committee in Washington to discuss a WPB order to substitute rayon for cotton in heavy
tire manufacture. To questions of Senators Ellison D. Smith of South Carolina (left), and Kenneth McKellar of
Tennessee (next to Smith), Jeffers (right) replied “the whole damned thing has been muddled up for months . . .
and I'm going through with this thing or else.” Seated, next to Jeffers is Senator George A. Aiken,, Republican, of
Vermont_
u. S. WILL LEASE
PRIVATE HOMES
To Get Quarters For War
Workers; Requisition
Houses If Needed
WASHINGTON, Oct. .13.— (IP —
Ti- government announced today
jt mould lease privately - owned
j, es and buildings to house war
workers, reciuisitioning the struc
tures and billeting the workers in
them if necessary.
National Housing Administrator
John B. Blandford said this step
would be taken in addition to the
1.009.000 new construction pro
gram now under way Because de
mands for war housing accomo
dations could not be supplied in
time through new construction.
Blandford said all the new hous
ing which could be built by June,
1943. either through public or pri
vate resources, could not possibly
care for the 1.600.000 new workers
expected to be drawn into war
production centers before that
time.
At least 650.000 workers must
be cared for through existing hous
ing. and experience has shown
that only a program to convert
and remodel the housing can sup
ply enough family accommoda
tions, he said.
Blandfora said the government
would offer to lease private homes
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 4)
-V
Vcfoiifary Manpower
Program Not Working
Right, Declares FDR
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 — UP) —
President Roosevelt told a press
conference today that the volun
tary manpower program was not
working satisfactorily.
He gave no indication, however,
that any immediate request might
be made for legislation to put job
alignments on a compulsory
basis.
Mr. Roosevelt was asked wheth
er he saw any indication that vol
untary controls might have to be
replaced by compulsory controls
through the medium of legislation
“Possibility he suggested in a fire
!'he chat last night.
“bat is the whole point, he re
marked, adding that the matter
•■art not been decided yet.
•Vw Senate Chaplain
• Frederick Brown Harris, pas
1)1 the Foundary Methodist
- ,u,'eh ()f Washington, D. C.. was
Wiointed Chaplain ot the United
a,J's Senate. He succeeds the
^l»te |)r. Zebarney Phillips.
German Attacks On Stalingrad
Die Down To Artillery Fire
- ★ --•- -
YOUTH DRAFT LAW
PLANS ARE BEGUN
Congress Gets Up Speed
To Soon Pass Measure
On 18-19 Year Olds
WASHINGTON. Oct. 13.— UP —
With speed reminiscent of that
with which it declared war last
December on Germany, Italy and
J.apan, Congress went into high
gear today to put 18 and 19-year
old boys into Army uniforms.
Respond’ng to President Roose
velt’s fireside chat, and to an ap
peal by Secretary of War Stimson
that it help build up “with the
minimum delay the finest army
in the world,” Congressional lead
ers disclosed plans to rush to
House passage this week legisla
tion lowering the draft age from
20 years to 18.
Announcing plans for hearings
tomorrow and Thursday and a
House vote Saturday. Chairman
May (D.-Ky.) of the House Mili
tary Committe, said the legisla
tion to be considered would pro
vide that ’teen-age soldiers be kept
out of combat until they have had
at least twelve months of training.
On the Senate side, Chairman
Reynolds (D.-N. C.) of the Military
Affairs Committee, said he agreed
with President Roosevelt that low
ering of the draft age was inevita
ble. Although Reynolds at first
estimated that Senate hearings
might take four or five weeks, he
later expressed hope that action
might be obtained much sooner.
For his part, he said, he was
ready to vote tomorrow.
Some Senators, notably Vanden
berg (R.-Mich.), said there was
considerable “public anxiety” over
reports that the Army might be
built up to ten to thirteen million
men, and expressed hope that the
hearings would bring out “as clear
a prospectus as possible” of even
tual military needs.
Senator Barkley of Kentucky,
Democratic leader, told the Sen
at6:
“I assume we’re going to pass
a law. When the President, after
consultation with his military and
naval advisors, says we need the
(Continued on Page Two; Col. C)
WEATHER
forecast
TUm-th Carolina: Occasional ram to
day with little change in temperature.
(EASTERN STANDARD TIME)
(Bv U. S. Weather Bureau)
Meteorological data for the 24 hours,
ending 7:30 p. m., yesterday.
Temperature
1-30 a m, 59; 7:30 a. m„ 60; 1:30
„ m 66- 7:30 p. m., 70; maximum 70
minimum 58; mean 64; normal 66.
Humidity
1-30 a. m., 93; 7:30 a. m„ 96; 1:30
Precipitation
rr 93‘ 7'30 P* m-. 93.
P Total for ’ the 24 hours ending 7:30
d m 2.95 inches. To*=l since the first
of the month, 3.54 incnes.
Tides For Today
(From the Tide Tables published by
tt s Coast and Geodetic Survey).
High Low
Wilmington -0:3*. 7:27a.
Masonboro Inlet-10:4£ 4:20a
Moore’s inlet -^ 4:25a
New Topsail Inlet -10:57a. 4:30a.
(Elmore’s) -5’ P
Sunrise, 6:17a; sunset, 5:40p; moon
rise, 10:53a; moonset 9:32p.
Cape Fear river stage at Fayette
ville on Tuesday at 8 a. m., 9.35
feet.
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 4,
Reds Recapture Street In
City; Push Enemy
Back Slightly
MOSCOW, Wednesday, Oct. 14—
(iP)—German attacks on the Stalin
grad front died down again today
and the Soviet midnight commu
nique said Red army troops had
recaptured a street given up the
previous day and pushed the Ger
mans back slightly in one sector
northwest of the battered city.
Beyond the isolated Soviet action
in which the street was recaptured
the communique said, activity in
side the rubble-strewn city again
was confined to artillery after a
one-day renewal of German as
saults.
Action northwest of Stalingrad al
so appeared to have been restrict
ed to local engagements. The com
munique said one unit of Elite
Guardsmen “pressed back the Ger
mans somewhat” in one engage
ment and in other sectors the Rus
sians “continued to defend their
former positions” and “carried out
reconnaissance raids.”
Fighting, however continued
heavy in the Mozdok area of the
Caucasus and along the Black Sea.
In the Mozdok area the com
munique said, two battalions of
German infantry supported by
tanks and aircraft, attacked Rus
sians positions but w’ere hurled
back to their original positions by
fierce artillery and mortar fire af
ter losing 300 men.
Southeast of the German-occupied
Black Sea base of Novorossisk, it
said, Soviet Marines repelled an
enemy attack and “improved their
positions.” In this engagement two
companies of enemy infantry were
said to have been wiped out.
Fighting also was renewed on
the northwest front, between Mos
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 8)
-V
COUNCIL TO OPEN
WATER WORK BIDS
Proposals To Build Pipe
Line From King’s Bluff
To Be Seen Today
Bids for the contract for the
construction of the salt-free King’s
Bluff municipal water supply pro
ject will be opened this morning
at the regular bi-weekly meeting
of the city council.
Before contracts for the con
struction, which includes a 22-mile
pipeline from King’s bluff here,
are awarded, they will be referred
to City Manager A. C. Nichols
and other department heads, it is
expected.
The Federal Works agencies,
sponsors of the city’s waterworks
improvement project which is fur
nishing 60 per cent of the funds,
must also pW their stamp of ap
proval on the contracts.
An A-A-4 priority rating was
awarded to the project last week
by the War Production aboard
which is expected to release criti
cal material needed in the construc
tion.
More than 10 contractors have
requested specifications for the pro
ject, J. A. Loughlj A city engineer,
said. There is no* mdication, how
ever, how many will submit bids,
he declared.
Since the council has not held
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 7)
FIVE TIRE LIMIT
ORDERED BY 0PA
Henderson Declares Mo
torists Can Not Have
More Than Number
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13.— W —
The Office of Price Administration
formally announced today that mo
torists would be limited to five
tires per car beginning next month
and at the same time, disclosed
that registration for gasoline ra
tion books would start November
9 in the 31 states where gasoline
is now unrationed.
Every car owner in these states
will be entitled, as in the rationed
East, to at least enough gas, to
drive 2,880 miles per year—slight
ly less than four gallons per week.
Supplemental rations will be pro
vided for necessary purposes upon
application to local boards. It had
previously been disclosed that ac
tual rationing in the 31 states
would become effective Nobem
ber 22.
Nationwide gasoline rationing
was recommended by the Baruch
Rubber Committee to save the
rubber on existing tires.
Henderson said issuance of ra
tion books would be contingent on
these two provisions:
1— The car owner must swear
he has no more than five tires.
2— He mus agree to periodic in
spection of his tires.
These provisions also will be ex
tended to the East. Although in
those 17 states, motorists will not
have to register again for gasoline
(Continued on Page Three: Col. 2)
_It_
8th Practice Air-Raid
Drill Slated For City
The Civilian Protection Corps
of New Hanover county will
conduct its eighth practice
drill tonight between the hours
of 8 and 9:30 o’clock.
All incident officers and oth
er civilian protection person
nel are requested to be at their
posts, Commander C. David
Jones said, at 8 o’clock to re
ceive instructions.
There will not be a blackout
or test of the siren, he said.
Eight incidents will be handled
in the city and five in the
county.
After the drill the time and
type of future practices will be
discussed. _
Cruiser Astoria Shot
Full Of Holes By Japs
DES MOINES, la., Oct. 13.— UP)—
“The Astoria was shot so full of
holes she looked like a punchboard
and the fire that raged through
her was so hot you actually could
see trough the metal.’’
Lyle Davis, 20, seaman first
class, bounced his 19 - month - old
baby on his knee as he told today
of the battle in which the Astoria,
a United States heavy cruiser, was
sunk in the battle for the Solomon
Islands last month. He’s home on
furlough.
“I might as well admit I was
plenty scared,” he smiled. ‘ I
didn’t think I was going to get
out of it alive and I still don’t
see how I ever did—just luck, I
guess.”
The Astoria was drawn up in
the channel between Guadalcanal
and Tulagi Islands, he recalled.
“We had been laying a lot of
steel into Guadalcanal tp help cov
er the landing of Marines,” he
related.
“Japanese seaplanes suddenly
flew over and dropped a lot of
flares and lit us up like Broadway.
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 2)
UNITED STATES FORCES HAND
JAPS TERRIFIC BEA TING FROM
SOLOMON ISLES TO ALEUTIANS
ARMY AIR FORCE
HITS KISKA BASE
Many Planes Raid Foe’s
Aleutian Stronghold;
Little Opposition
RETURN HOME SAFELY
No Enemy Planes Meet
Americans And Anti
Aircraft Fire Small
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13—
(AP)—Army heavy bombers
have made successful new
raids on Japanese ships and
shore installations at Kiska
in the Aleutian Islands while
encountering only light oppo
sition, the Navy announced
tonight.
No enemy planes rose to
meet the American raiders
and anti-aircraft fire was de
scribed as “moderate.”
Navy communique No. 150 said:
“North Pacific:
Demolition Bombs Used
“1. On the 8th, 9th and 10th of
October, Army heavy bombers, es
corted by fighters, continued to
bomb enemy installations and
ships in the harbor of Kiska. Both
demolition and incendiary bombs
were used.
“2. Targets for these bombings
were chiefly the camp and hangar
area and enemy ships in the har
bor. Fires were observed ashore
and damage was reported on ships
in the harbor. In these attacks
only moderate anti-aircraft oppo
sition was experienced and no hos
tle planes were observed in the
air. Although receiving minor
damage, all of our planes return
ed.
“3. The various types of Army
aircraft employed in these raids
were: , , , .
“Consolidated ‘Liberator bomb
ers.
“Boeing ‘Flying Fortress’ bomb
ers. , ,
“Lockheed ‘Lightning’ fighters.
“Bell ‘Airacobra’ fighters.” 1
_\r_
RABAUL SMASHED
AGAIN BY ALLIES
MacArthur Sends B i g
Bombers Over Jap Base
With Much Success
GEN. Mac ARTHUR’S _ HEAD
QUARTERS, Australia Wednesday,
0ct. 14.— (ff>) —Supporting Allied
naval forces in the Solomon Islands
battle area, Gen. Douglas MacArthur
sent a large formation of heavy
bombers into smashing attacks on
the Japanese airdrome at Rabaul,
New Britain, again yesterday for
the third time in a week, a com
munique said today.
The big bombers attacked during
darkness, dropping “many tons” o£
bombs, including 1,000-pounders, on
runways and dispersal areas of the
air fields of the great Japanese
base where at least 30,000 troops
and many planes have been as
sembled.
In a similar raid announced m
last Saturday’s communique sixty
tons of bombs were dropped on
Rabaul and the following day forty
tons were dropped.
Today’s communique did not say
whether the latest attack equalled
the previous in extent, but said
(Continued on Page Two: Col. 7)
.---*
The Well-Dressed Cotton Picker
Well protected from the hot sun by a huge hat,
Eloise Bethell from Wilmington, was among the students
and faculty members of Converse college at Spartan -
burg, S. C., who helped farmers pick their cotton in the
surrounding countryside. The girls were paid wages
which they promptly gave to the Red Cross._
Appeal For More Trucks
In Scrap Drive Is Made
An urgent appeal to private
business concerns and individ
uals for trucks and crews to
aid in collecting heavy ma
chinery donated to the scrap
metal drive here was sent out
last night by salvage commit
tee heads.
JWith only four Army trucks
available today to be used for
collection in the city, the drive
is slowed up consderably, it
was pointed out. With more
trucks and men to handle the
heavy pieces of scrap the col
lection could be speeded up
considerably, drive officials
stressed. Persons who have
trucks that can be used for
the drive are asked to con
tact either the Star-News or
W. A. Stewart at the Brigade
Boy’s Club.
With inclement weather inter
fering in the collection yester
day, the total for New Han
over county remains at 2,769,
776 pounds this morning. Both
the army and brigade club
trucks were idle yesterday,
Mr. Stewart said. About 350
phone calls reporting scrap
will be answered during the
next few days, Mr. Stewart
said, as fast as the limited
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 2)
WILLKIE TO MEET
WITH FDR TODAY
Special Envoy Will Arrive
In Capital At Roose
velt Request
MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 13.— OT —
Changing his plans in response to
a suggestion from the White House
Wendell Willkie said tonight he
would end his precedent - setting
world air tour, during which he
undertook missions for the Presi
dent, at Washington, instead of
New York.
Willkie arrived here at 2:22 p.m.
(C.W.T.) from Edmonton, Alta.,
aboard the “Gulliver,” an Army
plane which carried him and his
party over 17 countries and terri
tories. On his arrival he an
nounced he planned tc go on to
New York tomorrow and thence
to Indiana for a rest.
At a press conference tonight,
however, he disclosed he had re
ceived a message a short time
before from the W7hite House, sug
gsting that the President would
like to see him tonight or tomor
row. Therefore, he said, he plan
ned to leave about 9 a.m. tomor
row to fly non-stop to Washington
and would advise the President’s
secretary when he arrived. Aides
indicated the plane would reach
National Airport about 3 p.m. to
morrow.
The 1940 Republican presidential
nominee, who had indicated in Ed
monton last night, that he would
have something to say when he
reached the United States about
“flippant statements made by cer
tain public officials” concerning
his second front statement in Mos
cow, limited himself at his press
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 5)
BILL TO OUTLAW
POLL TAX PASSED
Measure Bitterly Contested
By Southern Solons;
Will Go To Senate
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13.— (IT)—A
measure outlawing the poll tax as
a prerequisite for voting was pass
ed overwhelmingly by the House
late today after a bitter sectional
fight centering around the issues
of states’ rights, the bill’s consti
tutionality, and the vote for the
negro.
Fiercely but futilely, a Southern
bloc battled the measure down to
the final 252 to 84 rollcall vote
which sent it on to the Senate,
with Rep. Colmer (D.-Miss.) as
sailing his Northern Democratic
colleagues for their “ingratitude”
to the solid South.
But, from the measure’s sup
porters came the cry that the ne
gro now is fighting for this coun
try, that he is entitled to vote for
its officials; that the legislation
would carry this country’s mes
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 1)
NOTICE!
If your carrier fails to
leave your copy of the Wil
mington Morning Star,
Phone 3311 before 9:00 a.
m. and one will be sent to
you by special messenger.
U. S. TASK FORCE
WAYLAYS ENEMY
Sink Nipponese Cruiser,
Four Destroyers And
[Transport In Pacific
MARINES PRESSING ON
Clinching Hold Around
Airfield On Guadal
canal Island
WASHINGTON. Oct. 13—
(AP)—From the tropic jun
gles of the Solomon Islands
to the chill shores of the
Aleutians. United States
Forces have dealt the Japan
ese enemy a terrific beating
by land, sea and air in the
last six days, it was revealed
tonight.
Three Navy communiques
gave this account of Ameri
can onslaughts at both ends
of the far-flung Pacific bat
tle front:
A task fqrce of U. S. cruis
ers and destroyers waylaid
an enemy force trying to land
troop reinforcements on Gua
dalcanal Island in the Solo
mons Sunday night and sank
one 10,000 ton heavy cruiser,
four destroyers and a 5,000
ton transport. One unidenti
fied IT. S. destroyer was sunk.
Chase Fleeing Japs
Navy and Marine Corps torpedo
planes and dive bombers, chasing
the fleeing remnants of the enemy
fleet next day, badly damaged at
least one more cruiser and prob
ably sank a destroyer. Total ene
my ship losses for these sea and
air actions were six ships sunk,
(Continued on Page Three; Col. 3y
\T
MALTA DEFENDERS
BAG MORE NAZIS
Tiny Island’s Garrison
Knocks Down 47 Axis
Planes In 3 Days
CAIRO, Oct. 13. - Malta’s
defenders bagged eight more Nazi
planes today, bringing a three-day
total to 47 definitely destroyed and
about 50 more so badly damaged
that some probably never regained
their Sicilian bases.
Only six Spitfier pilots of the
RAF were downed in this sustained
struggle over the tiny sentinel
island which has impeded Nazi
seaborne supplies from Italy to
Marshal Rommel’s Axis North
African troops. Of the downed pi
lots two were rescued from the
sea. Only a few casualties have
been suffered and property damage
was described as slight.
Only a few of the Junkers 88
bombers which were heavily es
(Continued on Pace Three: Col. S)
Vanity, Improvised
Showing glamorizing herself for
and evening out is Lieut. Arnot
Todd of New l’ork City, one of
the American nurses serving with
Uncle Sam’s Army in Northern
Ireland. She uses an upended
crate for a vanity table, ,a trunk
for a seat and a borrowed shav
ing mirror for her looking glass.
Will A Soldier CIj ‘ In Battle Because You Didn't Give Your Scrap?