flUl Wilmington Horning &tar IsS VQlTtG-—NO. 259 WILMINGTON, N. C., TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1943___FINAL EDITION ESTABLISHED 1867 Sforza Cheered In Naples Standing in the midst of a group of Neapolitans, Count Carlo siorza. who recently returned to Italy from the U. S. after a long exile, drives home a point in his plans for the future of his native land. It is reported that he may replace Badoglio as premier. (In ternational Radiophoto). SupremeCourtT oReview Rent Control Regulations WASHINGTON, Nov. 15.— ^ k'». r„ . . 10:57p 4:34p ■Ktoic'sf311 Inlet - 10:35a 4:7®a -HI r” , - ll:02p 4:39p Smi: 5 ll't,rn Standard) KwnrUe’9M? 3' "Jv Sunset 5:08 p’ m” Can. kr12 h " Moonset. 10:43 a. o Rt1Ver sta8e at Fayetteville --^a\, at 3 a. m., 915 feet. FIRE DAMAGES LOCAL GARAGE Two Seashore Buses Con siderably Burned In Conflagration A fire of undetermined origin spread rapidly trough the stor age and repair garage of the Sea shore transportation company shortly aftar noon Monday caus ing considerable damage to two buses and several stacks of tires. Chester Hawkins, manager of the company, said iate Monday that the amount of damage had nnt been estimated nor* an inven tory made yet, but office records and furniture were completely de stroyed and one bus seriously damaged. He expressed the be lief, however, that the remaining bus and tires might be salvaged. He attributed the prompt work of firemen to the prevention of seri ous damages. n-' • I. x wu cuiujjaiiico nut vnuvu n/ the fire and were able to control it in a short time without the use of chemicals. Firemen said the blaze may have been due to an oil stove explosion because of the rapidity with which the fire spread. Eleven fire alarms were sound ed over the week-end in Wilming ton and Fire Chief Croom Monday issued an urgent plea to residents to take advantage of the present moderate temperatures to inspect and repair heating equipment. During Fire Prevention Week is October a complete survey of the city was conducted and recommen dations made in many instances for repairs and corrections. Chief Croom said Monday that many of these corrections had never been made in spite of urging on the part of the fire department. He called upon residents to cooperate with the fire department for the safety of their own and others’ individual property as well as in the interest of public safety be cause of crowded war time con ditions. Chief Croom also pointed out that now was an opportune time for business firms to inspect their furnaces and heating devices and if necessary replace rusted pipes and make other repairs before colder weather works a hardship. All flues should be carefully check ed. Many times, the chief added, a small effort at inspection with consequent minor repairs will re sult in preventing great loss from fires. He also warned the public (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 6) ■ Blasting Of Sofia May Be Forerunner Of Push Through Southern Europe 1J MKKE L. SIMPSON - American bombing of Sofia, ” ?dliaD caPital, may be the tenBr?rUc'e ’n a &wift Ameri k;iockn |ShM USSian drive t0 deal £ ■£ SraTeS deadly n*16'c3t ^eaKt- iust as the in the kT S°Vlet westward surge cut t /Ti sentor bade fair to enemy, flank of the cape 'evr-ent lan llne off from es‘ wme m!P • Vla the Balkans. It lePortin° ’ 1USt wRe,; BerHn was thro'afih ’ir. e Russian break -~-rLln t°rce in the Dnieper bend north and northwest of the Nazi anchor point of Krivoi Rog, obviously increasing the peril of all German forces east of that point and in the Crimea. The guns of Moscow may be only waiting to boom out a new victory salute, celebrating the en trapment or destruction of a Nazi army probably greater than was lost at Stalingrad or in Tunisia. There are no authoritative esti mates ol the number of German troops still in the Dnieper bend pocket or in the Crimea. The ag gregate cannot be less than half e million, however, and probably exceeds that figure. In the circumstances, tne sur prise mass air raid on Sofia can not fail to increase apprehension in' both Bulgaria ar.d Rumania. The war is rolling close upon both, upon Rumania from the east as the German retreat into that coun try from Russia to escape whole sale entrapment is foreshadowed, and upon Bulgaria from the west by Allied action. The synchronizing of the two phases 'of the fight would over come the obstacle tc joint Rus sian-Allied action in the Balkan theater raised by the fact that Russia and Bulgaria are not at (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 6) HULL ASKS ACCEPTANCE OF MOSCOW PACT; RED,l ISOLA TE GERMAN FORCES A T GOMEL; AFRICANS REPLUSE ENEMY NEAR M/GNANO . —-—- * t _ NEAR _ Mm Armored Unit Sent Streak ing Toward Pre-War Boundary DRIVE ON KOROSTEN Fall Of Vital Ukraine Rail Bastion Expected At Any Time LONDON, Tuesday, Nov. 16.—(IP)—The Red army iso lated the big German garri son at Gomel in White Rus sia yesterday, sent an armor ed spearhead to within strik ing distance of the pre-war Polish border, and converged on the northern Ukraine rail bastion of Korosten, whose fall is expected momentarily. Berlin said nearly 500,000 Russians had punched out initial gains near Krivoi Rog, in the Dnieper bend, in an effort to break through to the Black Sea and trap enor mous German forces. The Na zi high command said a Ger man counter-attack had stem med the Russians, but Mos cow remained silent for the second day about this fight entering its third day. 3,000 Germans Killed Successfully outflanking Gomel, the Russians killed 3,000 Germans to seize 14 villages, including the rail station of Demekhi, 34 miles west of Gomel, and only eight miles west of Rechitsa. said a mid night Moscow broadcast bulletin recorder by the Soviet monitor. This action cut. the Gomel-Kalin kovichi railway and highway. Leav ing the Germans only one perilous avenge of escape by railway,from Gomel, the line running northwest to Zhlomin. But that line already is under Red artillery fire by Rus sian troops drawn up north and south of Gomel. In addition to killing 3,000 Ger (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 8) --.-—-1 Ohio Governor Says He Will Run In '44; Criticizes New Deal COLUMBUS, O., Nov. 15— i/pi—Gov. John W. Bricker, saying that ‘confusion and distrust reign throughout the land,” asserted today the. na tion needs “a change of phi losphy of government” and an nounced formally he was a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination in 1944. The governor’s station said he woifld enter the Ohio pri maries and put his name “be fore the Republican national convention.” He told a press conference he had received much encouragement” from states outside Ohio. He renounced any bid for re election to a fourth term and washed his hands of the mixed Republican gubernatorial pic ture in Ohio by telling news men, “I suppose the gover nor’s race is wide open now— it isn’t my problem any long er.” Bricker was critical of the New Deal in his statement, saying it had come to “the j end of its service to the 1 people.” “If* ■" ■ '■ German Labor Draft Leaves North Italy In State Of Chaos ON THE GERMAN - SWISS FRONTIER, Nov. 15 —W— Chaos exists in northern Italy where the Germans have failed in their ef forts to conscript Italian men as both soldiers and workers, a for eign diplomat who left there Sun day said today. At the same time new stories of harsh repressive measures used by the Nazis against increasing sabo tage and guerrilla resistance came out of France, and from Germany new accounts of Nazi measures to stiffen their hold on the home front were reported. A Swiss telegraph agency dis patch said four French Partisans had been shot by Nazi authorities in the Toulouse area in retaliation for large-scale terrorizing of col laborationists, of which 25 were killed in the past ten days. The diplomat who just returned from northern Italy said youths were growing beards and using other disquises to make them ap pear old so they could avoid Nazi military or labor conscription. _v_ SPECIAL PARLEY URGED ON FOOD Texan Denounces Subsi dies As ‘Bribery And Blackmail’ WASHINGTON. Nov. 15.—(ff)—A New England governor who said milk production has declined crit ically appealed tonight for an emergency conference on food troubles, while a Texas leader oi the livestock industry denounced food subsidies as "bribery and blackmail” smelling of dictator ship. The appeal came from Gover nor Baldwin of Connecticut in a telegram to Piesident Roosevelt, disclosed by Senator Danaher (R. Conn.). The denunciation was by Joe Montague. Fort Worth lawyer. Senator Aiken (R.-Vt.). respond ed to Danaher's disclosure on the Senate floor by declaring milk pro duction was declining despite the Federal dairy feed subsidy pro gram inaugurated October 1. He said he did not believe any con ference of subordinate officials would "do a bit of good because I think they are all operating un der directives from the White House, and the president is the only one whose mind has to be changed.” Delegations from many states, including heads of state agricul ture departments and spokesmei for producers’ organizations, con verged on the capital for the Sen ate Agriculture committee’s heal ings which were resumed tonighl and will continue tomorrow. Coupled with Montague's attack on the $800,000,000 food subsidy pro gram was a prediction by another livestock spokesman, P. O. Wil son of Chicago, that a continuation of present price regulations will bring about an acute beef short age next year. Montague and Wilson were the first of a group of farm leaders to testify before the Senate Agri culture committee on proposals for expanding the subsidy program, which President Roosevelt has said is necessary to check inflation. Some infhience within the gov ernment or "closely attached” tc those in power, he declared, is seeking to revolutionize the “so cial, economic and political struc ture of this country.” i FreshNaziTroops Hurled BackThreeTimesBy U. S. ALLIED HEADQUARTERS ALGIERS, Nov. 15 — OP) — American troops in the moun tains near Mignano have hurl ed back three sharp counter attacks by refreshed Nazi troops making determined stabs to wipe out the Allied threat to their “winter line” in Italy) Allied headquarters disclosed today. Generally, there was little change around in Italy yes terday. The Nazi assaults against Americans in the heights about Mignano were thrown in by a regiment of the 29th armored grenadier division, recalled in to battle after resting behind the lines. Three times the crack enemy unit charged the slopes, and three times it was driven back by searing American rifle, machinegun and artil lery fire that left many dead among the rocks and crags. Prisoners were taken. Otherwise the rainy, cold day Other wise the rainy, cold day duels and patrol activity. Near the center of the front, Eighth Army troops advanced north ward of Rionero to occupy some high ground. Both the ! (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 5) SOFIA POUNDED j IN HEAVY RAID Two Waves Of American I Bombers Smash Rail Yards In Bulgaria ALLIED HEADQUARTERS. AL GIERS, Nov. 15.—(#)—Two waves of American medium bombers es corted by fighters smashed rail way yards in the heart of Sofia, Eulgana.. yesteroay in what an of ficial Allied announcement termed the ‘‘successful opening of the Bal kan offensive.” Official reports of the assault on Sofia—the first direct blow at Bul garia since that country declared war on the United States Decern her 13, 1941—described the homo igag as “extremely accurate, ’ with, the Mite;1 ells laying thousands of pounds of explosives squarely on locomotive repair shops, car as isernbly snops, a main line depot land me? of trackage. The Ualy-based bombers and their Lightning escorts shot down nine of approximately 24 N a z 5 fighters that engaged them in a fierce battle over the target. The raid on the Bulgarian capital came as the Germans were reported us ing all available rail routes to rush men and supplies south for the fighting in the Dodecanese islands. “Through this immensely impor (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 4) -V COUNTY APPROVES RAT CONTROL PLAN Health Department Will In vestigate Infested Buildings --- Death warrants were served on the rats of New Hanover county Monday at the weekly meeting of the New Hanover Board of Coun ty Commissioners when the com missioners agreed to pass the rat control program which has been in the offing for some months. The program is county-wide and is almost compulsory in its scope. As it was explained by a repre sentative of the Health Depart ment, each rat-infested building will be investigated and an esti mate of extermination cost will be presented to the building owner. If the owner of the building does not approve of the estimate or of (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 4) Consoling Each Other I t These two fellows have a lot in common. And most of it has to do with “ill-treatment” in a country called Italy. The photo was taken, says Berlin, when Mussolini (left) welcomed Marshal Rom mel. commander in chief in North Italy, to his“ Headquarters. CATROUX SEEKING PEACE IN LEBANON Trouble-Shooter Of Fight ing French Arrives In Beirut CAIRO, Nov. 10.— un — Lienerai Georges Catroux. ace trouble shooter for the Fighting French, arrived in Beirut tonight empower ed to make peace with the Le banese in the name of the French Committee of National Liberation, after being bluntly told by the British to settle the dispute quick ly. While the French kept protest ing that the situation was exag gerated. the British made it clear that they regarded the flare-up as serious in an area militarily stra tegic and Dolitically important in view of the Arab situation. Emile Eddeh, former Lebanese president, was variously reported to have farmed a temporary gov ernment. but the Arab news agen cy at Cairo said he had failed in such an attempt. (The London press adopted the attitude that Britain had no de sire to enter formally into the dis pute, but would not hesitate if Ca troux did not act immediately. Ca troux, who played an important part in bringing Generals Charles de Gaulle and Henri Giraud to gether, is highlj regarded in Lon don both as an administrator and as a person well acquainted with the Moslem world.) Expressions of teai that the out break in Lebanon might spread to adjoining Syria were heard, but a French communique asserted that an effort by Lebanese deputies to have Syria intervene in their favor had failed. (IDn saua, King oi oauaia aiauw and the most powerful of the Arab leaders, sent Prime Minister Churchill a message protesting the French action in Lebanon which he said ‘has created the worst impression on the Arab peoples” and he urged the prime minister to use nis influence for the re lease of the persons arrested by the French. Similar messages were reported sent by the Arab leader to President Roosevelt and Gen. de Gaulle.) Curtis Ryan, controller of t h e British Ministry of Information in the Middle East, w h o returned from Beirut, said the situation in Lebanon was “potentially grave” and that a real clash between na tives and the French might come at any lime—no one knows.” He said casualties in the political con troversy already have totalled 140, including 10 or 12 dead. Rumania Said Afraid Of Russian Invasion Within A Short Period BERN, Switzerland, Nov. 15— t?)—Influential military leaders at Bucharest have urged the with drawal of German and satellite troops to the Bug river line for a stronger defense against Soviet armies, private advices from the Rumanian capital said today. Some Rumanians fear Russian invasion of their territory may be only a matter of days. While these reports through a diplomatic channel came in part by way of Budapest and there fore were subject to cautious ap praisal, there was no doubt that extreme nervousness existed in the Rumanian capital. The ad vices pictured this situation: The Rumanian royal palace has been placed und°r heavy guard by political police to prevent op position parties from getting the ear of young King Mihai. The organized evacuation of Rumanians from Transnistria — the territory across the Dniester, pre-war frontier, which Germany allotted to Rumania from her 1941 conquests—has extended to Bes sarabia which Russia seized from Rumania in August, 1940. From Bessarabia peasants pour ed into Bucharest, jamming the capital. They came without direc tion or general plan, individually fleeing in front of the threatened Red army advance. -V JAP CRUISER HIT BY ALLIED BOMBS Big Navy Catalinas Score Direct Strike On En emy Ship SOUTHWEST PACIFIC ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Tuesday. Nov. If). —OR)— A Japanese cruiser — latest in a series of cruisers to be smashed by Allied planes—has been directly hit and severely damaged by Catalinas off Rabaul, New Bri tain. Headquarters, in reporting the air action today, also reported a large merchantman bombed by the Catalinas. The cruiser was hit on the stern by a 1,000 pound bomb A 500 pounder hit the merchantman a midships. At Empress Augusta Bay the American beachhead on the west central coast of Bougainville island in the northern Solomons, the Marines and soldiers have cJashed with Japanese patrols on the flanks. Coiron onomv nlonPc oftnolror) tne American positions ai night, causing minor casualties Allied planes, attacking Japan ese air bases at Buka, on Bou gainville’s northern tip, dropped 51 tons of bombs and destroyed four Zeros on the ground. Since a 350-ton bombing attack on Rabaul on October 12 touched off the current operations in the Bougainville-New Britain sector, two cruisers have been sunk and more than 10 damaged by Allied planes at Rabaul. The latest blows by the Catalina ilying boats were scored Saturday right and in the pre-dawn of Sun day. The cruiser was in a convoy spotted 18 miles northwest of Ra baul and coving toward that base. The 1,000 pound bomb penetrated the cruiser’s armament and ex ploded inside. Anti aircraft fire on the ships and enemy fighter planes forced the Catalinas to leave before tney could determine if the cruiser sank. IS FOREIGN PLAN Secretary Of State Terms Document Free Fron Secrets PEOPLE MUST ASSIST Program Will Fall Througli Unless Nations Give Help WASHINGTON, Nov. 15— (TP) — Secretary of State Hull asked Americans today to ac cept as their non - political foreign policy the charter of international unity laid down in the Moscow pact, a docu ment he termed free from se cret commitments. ’The people, he said at a press conference in which he made his first public report on the Moscow meeting, must carry forward the program of international cooperation for peace established at the Am erican-British-Russian dis cussions last month, or they will have no program. A reporter asked if he be lieved foreign policy should be taken out of politics, and he replied affirmatively. For a year, the secretary report he has been working toward a united foreign policy by conferring with leaders of all parties. ui-i-arnsan approval «otea There has been generally bi partisan approval in Congress of the Moscow agreement. Hull is to address a joint session of the House and Senate Thursday at noon, and in commenting on this today Senator Lucas CD-Ill) said, “I think his appearance will dem onstrate the solidarity of Amer ican peace aims.” Lucas could recall no other occasion in history when a cabinet member was in vited to make such an appear ance. Among other points mentioned by Hull in his hour-long and un usually informal meeting with the press: 1. He is confident that the sound view of the American public is for creation of agencies to insure national security and world oi'der under law. 2. The war-and-peace unity de claration of Moscow came about (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 2) ■—-— Community War Chest Facts The American friends of Czechoslovakia sponsor the United Chechoslovak Relief Fund. Food, clothing, medical supplies, nurseries, and health clinics for refugees in Russia, Switzerland, England, North Africa, Spain. Tnr'-igal, Swed en, and Mauritius are the pri I mary objectives of this fine organization. In addition, spec ial kits and packages for mem > bers of the Czechosloval- Army. To jo Has Become National Jap Hero And Unchallenged Dictatorial Chief BY RUSSELL BRINES RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Nov. 14 —— Stern-faced Gen. Hideki Tojo, Japan’s most active and most publicized premier, has become the empire’s outstanding war hero and at least outwardly its unchalleng ed dictatorial leader. As a general and war-time pre mier, Tojo escapes the criticism the Japanese usually level against their commoner rulers. An inten sive press campaign is building him up as a symbol of stern de votion to duty and the frugal living which the times demand of all sub jects. His outward power is tremen dous, for he completely dominates a cabinet which rules the country firmly. Other cabinet members, even the navy minister, are of re latively little importance amid the fanfare of the government-inspir ed propaganda surrounding Tojo. His picture is constantly in the newspapers showing him visiting wounded soldiers and sailors, ad dressing factory workers, visiting youthful war orphans. Tojo is never shown smiling. He always wears the same expression — solemn and severe, with out thrust jaw and squared shoulders, accepting homage with condescen sion and a brief salute. Newsreels show him marching briskly during reviews so that his aids, some of whom are large physically, have to step lively to keep pace. Some pictures of the premier conferring with his subordinates give the premier an expression of hurried impatience. Other shots show a striking similarity to the emperor. Japan’s war leader has traveled widely in the past two years al most always by air, so that he has become Japan’s first premier to fly while in office. In addition to numerous trips to (Continued on Page. Eight; Col. S) 11,000 War Chest Volunteer Workers Open $145,399 Campaign In City