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FORECAST yjJU ^ > BEHEMBEB •wrspjss Mnrttmn atc to heavy rains in west portion. ^ ^ AND BATAAN VOF- 7t).---',O.Ji30-- C., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1944 FINALEDIT10N ESTABLISHED 1867 Bond Buyer When Pvt. Jack Delvin of the 351st Ordnance Company at Camp Davis presented his check to Brig. Gen. C. V. R. Schuyler, commanding gerural of the AAATC, for a $7,500 war bond, he made the largest purchase to date in the Fourth War Loan Drive. Setting such a record is not new to Pvt. Delvin, however, for the outstanding individual purchase in the last war loan drive was a $10,000 bond bought by this soldier. _ Alii HOSPITAL IIEP BY NAZIS 21 Killed In Attack—Wit nesses Say Bombing Was Deliberate WITH THE FIFTH ARMY ON THE ANZIO BEACHHEAD. Feb. 8 —'.F—A j a m m e d beachhead evacuation hospital — so plainly marked with red crosses it coul-'n’t have been mistaken for anything else—was bombed by a German dive bombsr yesterday, and today the death toll lrom Yhe attack had reached 27. with 65 wounded still in a critical condi tion. Although first reports indicated the attack was deliberate, acting commander Lt. Col. Hubert L. Binkley of Denver, Col., said today a summary of eye-witness reports collected after the first shock of the tragedy had passed indicated the German bomber may have jettisoned his bombs while trying to escape from a Spitfire on his tail. Two American nurses lost their lives, the first to die through di rect enemy action in this war. Four doctors and four wounded doughboys, who had just been car red in from the front, also were among the dead. And today, in a ' canvas tent, memorial services were held for the victims. But the chapel was far too small to ac comodate the several hundred who "'anted to attend, and many stood outside. A mass burial will be held to (Continued on Page Five; Col. 3) Draft Board To Crack Down On Unregistered 18 Year Old Youths An extensive drive is under 'vay by the Selective Service ‘’'stem to list all bbys of this area who have reached 18 ^ars of age and have not reg istered at the Local Draft B°ard No. One, it was announc 'd Tuesday. The law requires 18 year old men to register on the date ”r birthday, unless it falls On hunday and in such case to ''Sister on the following Men s'- The local board officials ’tated that many Wilmington .“'shave been evading this s®ue, and measures will be a*en to enlist these persons. GOAL $4,859,000 r '• ■ ' •• - -. - - —$4,000,000 ■ —$3,000,000 I—$2,000,000 —$1,000,000 $ FDR WILL STUDY NEW TAX MEASURE WASHINGTON, Feb. 8. —W) — Philip Murray, president of the CIO, urged President Roosevelt to day to veto the new $2,315,200,000 tax bill, terming it “a betrayal of every principle of sound wartime taxation.” The bill which Mr. Roosevelt once termed "unrealistic” reached the White House today. The Presi dent told his news conference he would study it over the week-end, but he gave no indication what he will do with it. He criticized the measure while it was still pending in Congress be (ContinuecF. on Page Five; Col, 5) Progress In Fourth War Loan Continues To Lag Progress in New Hanover County in the Fourth War Loan drive continued to lag Tuesday, and county officials stated that they were still hoping that sales might pick up before the closing date of the campaign next Tuesday. The goal set for the county — $4,859,000 — seemed to be re ceding further into the distance, however, and many more bonds must be bought by all public-spir ited citizens if the county is to meet the quota placed upon it by Treasury officials in Washington. Although the overall picture is discouraging, bulletins from organ i ..I iiiiTniiqpMii 111111i111n’i to pour in Tuesday, Indicating that some Wlmingtonians are working overtime in the campaign while others are obviously shirking their obligation to back up the fighting forces. A war bond dance sponsored by the Cape Fear Artillery will be held Wednesday night at the Ar moyr at 814 Market street for the benefit of the bond drive. A booth will be opened at the Tide Water Power company sales floor Wed nesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Only pledges will be taken at this booth, with tickets and table reservations obtainable as long as available. The dance is expected to be a highly entertaining affair, pattern ed on the Stage Door Canteen Lo i aj officials and businessmen will serve as busboys and waiters, and (Continued on Page Three; Col. 2) We Are Not Doing Enough, State War WINSTON-SALEM, Feb. 8 — (£>) —Clarence T. Leinbach, North Carolina war finance chairman, said today "ales of War Bonds to individual pur chasers are continuing to In crease slowly, with sales to individuals through February , 7 in the Fourth War Loan total ing $41,000,000 or 58 per cent of the $70,000,000 individual quota. Included in this figure are “E” bond sales totaling $22, 800,000 or 52 per cent of the $44,000,000 “E” bond quota. Leinbach indicated that indi vidual sales are lagging throughout the nation. “North Carolina is just about on par with national reports reaching me,” he said, “but this is small consolation. The simple truth is, we aren’t doing enough.” I Applications For Mustering Out ray Will Be Available Here After Today eterans of World War II may fr eiVe a*d in filing applications of 3Us‘ering-out pay in the hal) ter q%a°^ c°t*rthouse building af ir» | o’clock Wednesday morn can i°m mem!>ers of the Amer; For Legion an<^ the Veterans of fUp *,®n Wars, it was announced K.QaF afternoon by Commander ton S' Westbrook, Wilming ost No. 10, American Legion. ]v ie, organizations will joint jn„ 1CJ . 1 eligible veterans in fil AcrnraIms for mustering-out pay ffcleac ng to. a i°int Army ■ Navy Amp,6 received Tuesday by the maki‘Can Legion- the plans for er 5 Payments to eligible vel sotir <vescri'oes completely all per in„ 0 shaH receive the muster g'out Payments. ‘ Veterans to be eligible for the mustering-out payment must have jeen honorably discharged oT re eased from active service on or ?ftei December 7, 1941, from the \rmy, Navy, Marine Corps or roast Guard or one of the com penants thereof.” says the< release, 'including the female reserve in ;ach branch of the service. Only these members of the Women's Ar my Auxiliary Corps who were dis charged under honorable conditions pn account of disability are entitled tc the payment.” According to the special release there have been approximately 1,300,000 discharges or releases Erom active duty from all branches cf the service. The bill provides fcr payment1 of $100 to veterans with less than 60 days’ active service; those with active service of 60 days or more and with no foreign service are entitled to $200, payable in two monthly installments of $100; and veterans with 60 days or more and who have had foreign service will receive $300, payable in three equal monthly installments: Commander Westbrook urges all persons who have become eligible tor mustering-out pay, to see rep resentatives of the American Le gion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars in the courthouse Wednesday morning. It is necessary to submit a certificate of discharge or serv ice The veteran is asked to sub (Continued on Page Two; Col. 4) In Wilmington Said Success WAS 6 MINUTES LATE Citizens Responded Very Nicely, Army Officer Declares The blackout staged in Wilming Lon and vicinity Tuesday night was declared successful by Lieut. Col. D. C. France, of the Intern al Security Office for the North Carolina district at Fort Bragg, official Army observer in charge lere. It was the first complete mobilization test since December 3 of the New Hanover county Civilian Defense officials. Despite the fact that the black out did not start until six minutes after schedule, and the city street lights were not turned out until seven minutes after the red sig nal, Col. France stated, “the blackout, in my estimation, was very thorough; it was as com plete as any I have observed in Wilmington." The majority of citizens adhered to the signals rapidly. “Pedestrain traffic was excellent”, said George K. Snow, assistant director of ci vilian defense for North Carolina. Two distinct lights, one on the corner of Front and Princess streets and another in the middle >f the block on Second between Priqcess and Chestnut street, were the only blots in the entire area, with the exception of the shipyard, Atlantic Coast Line rail road, and war prisoner camp, cx •mpted from the drill b> the Army and Navy. The red signal, scheduled to sound at 9:30 p. m.. was sounded an siress and whistles at 9:36 p. m„ followed later by the blue signal at 9:49 p. m. The white, all clear, was sounded at 10:16 p. m. The Wilmington blackout was a part of a tset of civilian personnel along the coast from Elizabeth City through Key West, Fla., in the most extensive coastlong blackout over held in the United States. _ .y— - . % rAR HEEL CLAIMS JAPS IMPROVING RALEIGH, Feb. 8.— UP)—Instead 3f deteriorating, Japanese pilots and planes are improving, and are keeping abreast of American aircraft, Col. Arthur H. Rogers, commander of the South Pacific’s famous “Jolly Rogers” bombard ment group, said here today. Col. Rogers, who is visiting his mc'her, Mrs. Charles H. Rogers, aere while on leave, said that ‘when a Jap attacks he means ausiness — it’s do or die with Jap fighter and bomber crews, and :bey bore into the attack without apparent regard for personal safety.” The Pacific war is “tough busi ness,” he said, adding that in con versations with men who have served in the Europearf area it was agreed that there’s no tough er, hotter spot in all the war zones than in the skies over the island jungles. The young colonel expressed the hope that more of our military strength will be concentrated against the enemy in the Pacific. Atrocity stories are nothing new to him. He told of seeing numbers of our boys machine-gunned as they leaped from planes in para chutes. (Continued on Page Three; Col. 3) XT’ PRESIDENT ASKED TO WARN M.E,S.A. WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—(TP) — The War Labor Board announced tonight it is calling President Roosevelt’s attention to the war plant strikes of the Mechanics Ed ucational Society of America (Mesa) so that criminal penalties may be Invoked promptly in the event of another interruption. The board said its action also would permit immediate consider ation of civil sanctions of the War Labor Disputes Act. The board acted within a few Ininutes after a public hearing at which Matthew Smith, British born leader of the Mesa, virtual ly threatened a resumption of the strike which the union leadership called off “temporarily” yester day. Smith talked to the board in tones of defiance and sarcasm, and before the hearing ended he had obtained assurance of consid eration of his demands for unaf filiated union presentation on the board. “We called off the strike tem porarily,” said Smith, “and we will iio doubt call it on again when we report the pious promises of this board to our committee.” NIKOPOL, BIG MANGANESE CENTER, FALLS TO REDS; 15,000 NAZIS ARE SLAIN BRIDGEHEAD CLEARED Seven German Divisions Soundly Defeated By 1 Russians LONDON, Feb. 8.—UP)—1The big manganese center of Nikopol fell to storming assault by the Red army today after a great four-day battle in which the Russians an nounced they cleared the extensive Nazi bridgehead on the opposite bank by soundly defeating seven German divisions, killing 15,000 Nazis and capturing 2,000, along with much booty. Premier Marshal Joseph Stalin issued two orders of the day to announce these victories, which nipped off the tip of the Germans’ easternmost penetration into Rus sia and took from the Nazi mili tary machine probablv its biggest single source of manganese, used in making steel and prized as one of the most vital cf all the raw materials of modern war. Gen." Feodor 7. Tolbukhin and his Fourth Ukrainian Army first cleared the bridgehead opposite Nikopol, a stubbornly-held stretch of territory more than 75 miles wide and 22 miles deep, and thus wiped out the last German hold on the left bank of the Dnieper except for pos' 'ons along the riv er’s upper reaches above Gomel. The Russians inflictec a heavy defeat on seven German infantry divisions in four days of battle to take this "strategically important” bridgehead, Stalin announced. They also captured the district center of Kamenka, 25 miles north west of Nikopol. Then the Third Ukrainian/''Army of Gen. Rodion Y. Malinovsky, which already had fought its way into Nikopol’s streets, captured the city by storm with aid from Gen. Tolbukhin’s men, Stalin announced in his second order of the day. Forty other, towns fell in the drive, and a great amount of booty was captured or destroyed. The Russians listed 53 tanks destroyed, along with 217 gv: -, 118 mortars, 370 machine-guns, 1,277 motor trucks and 770 truckloads of mili : tary supplies. In addition they counted 24 tanks captured, along with 392 guns, 180 mortars, 473 machine-guns, more than 4,000 rifles and tommyguns, 1,686 motor trucks, 86 tractors, 18 radio trans mitters, 1,118 truckloads of mili (Continued on Page Three; Col. 1) -y F. D. R. SIDESTEPS 4TH TERM ISSUE WASHINGTON, Feb. 8— (tf>) — President Roosevelt turned away at his press-radio conference to day a direct question whether he would accept a fourth term, but in an ensuing political discussion: 1. Described as hoary with age a proposal that he run with a Republican vice-presidential nomi nee on a coalition ticket. 2. Scoffed at reports that the elections might be put off a year. People who talk that way, he com mented, have not read the Con stitution. To the question whether he would accept a fourth nomination, he re plied that that was one of them things and he would have to go back to the usual old story which he said is the killer of stories. Then he added there was no news on that today. James L. .Wright, correspondent of the Buffalo Evening News, call ed the President’s attention to what he termed two “weird” stories. One, he said, was a report that the elections would be put off a year. The President wanted to known how that could be done and Wright (Continued on Page Two; Col. 6) U. S. WarnsFinnsGe t Out Of Warl WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—UP!—The United States has renewed a warn ing to Finland that she must shoul der all responsibility for fighting at the side of the Nazis, Secretary of State Hull disclosed today. This darkened the dire picture painted for the Finns by Moscow which broadcast a threat that two devastating Russian . air raids on Helsinki over the week end were only the prelude to greater blows aimed at knocking Finland out of the war. “The crazy Finnish imperialists will likely awaken to see the Red army before the gates of Helsinki,” the Moscow radio said, quoting the official newspaper Izvestia. Hull’s statement, which came in answer to a reporter’s question about communications between the American and Finnish govern ments, said that this government has recently taken occasion to tell Finland, as it has on a number of occasions in the past, that the re sponsibility for the consequences of Finland’s collab ration with Ger many and continuance in a state of war with a number of our Allies must be borne solely by the Fin nish government. The United States maintains dip lomatic relations with Finland, at war with Russia and Great Britain. The American statement serves to dampen Finnish hop*s that this government might seek to softer Russia’s stand. The Allies- never have told Fin land one way or the other aboul the manner in which she must gel out of the war, Finnish spokes men say here. They maintain that the Moscow Pact on unconditional surrender is directed at the Axis powers, and that Finland is not in cluded since she has not signed the Axis pact. In August, 1941, the United States' forwarded a Russian offer to ne gotiate peace with Finland, but the Finns turned it down. It is known that up to about a year ago, this government made several attempts to promote peace that time, there has been no an nouncement of further efforts. Finland’s military situation has changed vastly with Russian ad vances menacing Nazi domination of the Baltic Sea and thus Fin land’s communications with Ger many. _ Allied Hope For Early Conquest Of Rome Fades ALLIED HEADQUARTERS, Algiers, Feb. 8.—(/P)— The Allied air force once again has demonstrated its abso lute mastery over the Anzio beachhead by shooting down 19 out of a force of 70 attacking Nazi planes but any hopes Allied commanders may have had of an early conquest of Rome now are gone. Eighteen ' days after the initial landings, the American and Brit ish force on the beachhead has a firm hold on an area enclosed by an arc some 30 miles in length and extending inland about eight miles, but it is faced by a prob ably superior German force that is girding for new assaults. With Nazi resistance showing no signs of diminishing, the prospect of an early junction of the main Fifth Army force with troops on the beachhead is dim. And, since the Germans are massing an ever Stronger containing army around the' beachhead^ the prospect of a major Allied push on Rome is equally remote. After five days of fierce fighting in the streets of Cassino on the main front, the German still hold three-fourths of the shattered town, including its center. They also hold open a supply corridor into the embattled place, though Amer ican infantry is slowly closing in on this passage in a grim, uphill struggle. Wave after wave of bomb-car rying Focke-Wulf fighters swept over the Anzio beachhead yester day in a savage attempt to wreck Allied landing operations and harass defending troops, but Americans and British fighters ripped into them so effectively that most enemy formations were brok (Continued on Page Five; Col. 3) -V U. S. POWER PINS DOWN JAP FLEET WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.-The American warship assault on Par amus.hiro island has nailed Japan s fleet inescapably to the narrow cot fines of Japanese home waters. Naval experts say this was one of the most important strategical cesujts of the bold foray which carried United States surface units across waters of the North Pacific to bombard a key enemy base only 1,300 miles northeast of Tokyo. The raid profoundly changes the strategic picture of the wav for the Japanese, as much so as does the conquest of the Marshall islands which first bvoke the real outer ring of Japan’s 25-year-old Central Pacific defenses. The Paramushiro raid was in no way decisive and was ncrt intended to be. It does, however, present the enemy with a vivid new threat of danger to the heart of his em pive. It means that from now on the admirals in Tokyo cannot afford to risk sending their battlefleet steaming to the South or Southeast in hopes of catching United States forces off balance. They cannot necause they can never know when an American task group might take advantage of the ab sence to strike at the central ve gion of Japan with either surface vessels or carrier borne aircraft. Japanese propaganda bvoadcasts reflect this fear by emphasizing that the raid must not be regarded lightly. With the surface attack on the island the Japanese defense peri meter in the Pacific must now be considered under pressure along a hugh arch from Wewak in New Guinea, through Rabaul and the Marshalls all the way to the north ern Kuriles. The United States naval strength is probably twice as gveat as that of ttie Japanese—in terms of mod (Continued on Tage Three; Col. 1) PACIFIC INVASION IS NOW FINISHED Adm. Nimitz Writes Simple End To Kwa jalein Fighting U. S. PACIFIC FLEET HEAD QUARTERS, Pearl Harbor, Feb. R.— iiV)—Adm. Chester W. Nimitz wrote a simple finish to the Kwa jalrin invasion lr the Marsh“11 is lands with the brief announcement today that organized resistance on the atoll “has ceased and its cap lure and occupation have been completed.” Hi ere still was no mention cj ground (action on 1he extreme west ern portion of the atoll, in tne Ebadon island area. It was as sumed this had been cleaned out by Fourth Division Marines who originally larded in the Ro'-Na mur sector to the north. The statement by the supreme commander in the Central Pacific that “organized resistance" had ended indicated individual Japa nese probably were still holding out in dugouts and sniping posi tions. Their presence, however, was only a minor mopping-up prob lem. At Tarawa in the Gilberts, for instance. Japanese were pulled from holes weeks after organized resistance had ceased. The end of the Kwajalein opera tion came eight days after United States forces had landed on islets adjacent to the main objectives Roi and Kwajalein islands. After setting up artillery at these beach heads. the Marines landed on Rf>i and Namur and the Seventh Divi sion Infantry hit the Kwajalein teaches the next day. The victory give the United States more than 80 islands in 1he ii0 mile long atoll—the most impor tant base in the Marshalls. 13 Planes Downed ALLIED HEADQUARTERS IN THE SOUTHWEST PACIFIC Wed nesday Feb. 9.—(IP—Headquarters renorted today that 13 more planes have been shot down at Rabaul. New Britain, a fortress being hit almost daily by Solomons based aircraft. As has been the case on so many da>s, the enemy’s principal fighter base of Lukunai was the target in the latest reported raid, which oc curred Sunday. One hundred and .wen ty-four torts of explosives hit that field. FRANKFORT TORN BY AIR ASSAULT Big Formations Of Fly ing Forts Batter In dustrial City LONDON, Feb. 8.—(iP)—Strong formations of Flying Fortresses supported by long-range Light nings, Thunderbolts and Mustangs smashed at the great industria: city of Frankfurt in western Ger many again today, climaxing all day Allied air opei^itions in which perhaps 2,500 offensive sorties were flown from British bases. Indicating that the RAF mighi be carrying on the continental at tack around the clock, the Berlir radio left the air tonight shortly after stations in western Germa ny warned listeners that Alliec aircraft were approaching th< Reich from Belgium. The RAF’; last heavy night assault was or Berlin Jan. 30. A joint U. S. Army Air Fores and British Air Ministry communi que said American fighters escort ing the Fortresses to Frankfur shot down 16 German planes anc the heavy bombers accounted foi three others. RAF Typhoons addec to. the day’s bag by downing twe enemy planes during patrols ovei Brittany. The cost of all the day’s com' (Continued on Page Three; Col. 4] Maffitt Village Post Office Near Completion Opening Seen Soon The Maffitt Village Post Of fice is nearing completion, the Wilmington Postmaster an nounced Tuesday, adding that1 most of the furniture and equip ment have arrived, and that it looks at present as though the new Post Office will be opened during the month of February. James A. Price, now foreman of carriers in the Wilmington post office, will be station su perintendent in charge of the Maffitt Village Post Office. Mr, Price has had over 30 years experience in all branches of post office work. “It is our intention to give the patrons of the new office the best service possible,” said the Postmaster. “We are satis fied that we will be accorded full cooperation and that the people will be served efficient ly. “We are deeply indebted to Henry Emory, executive direc tor of the Housing Authority in Wilmington, for the cooperation / of his department in making this new office possible,” the Postmaster concluded. Watered Down Version Of Vote Bill Is Finally Passed By The Senate WASHINGTON, Feb. 8.—UP)—1The Senate finally passed a watered down version of the Green-Lucas Federal ballot bill today and tossed it over to the House which al ready is on record in favor of ’eaving 10 the States the machi nery for voting by members of the armed services. House iejection is in prospect, to be followed by appointment of a joint Senate-House conference committee to try to work out some sort of measure acceptable to both. The Senate action was a double barreled affair: First, it attached the Green-Lu cas bill to the House-approved States’ Rights measure as an amendment on a roll call vote of 46 to 40 and passed the amended bill by a voice vote. Then, in what was regarded as a “back-stopping” maneuver, it passed the modified Green-Lucas bill separately by a vote of 7 to 38. The separate Green-Lucas bill is expected to be sent to a House committee to repose until final dis position of the other measure. Thus administration leaders in rhe House will have it in reserve in event the conference procedure re sults in some version of a “states Rights” bill and it is vetoed by President Roosevelt. As originally introduced, the Green-Lucas bill provided for Fed eral absentee ballots—for voting for president, vice president and •i members of congress—for all per sonnel of the armed forces. It was advanced with White House support and the argument that State absentee balloting pro cedure was too complicated; that thousands of men and women in the services would not be able to vote in this year’s election unless given a short form Federal ballot. Opponents denied it was imprac ticable to have State absentee vot ing, contended the Federal ballot would deprive service personnel of the chance to vote for state and local offices, and argued a Fed eral ballot wpuld be an unconsti tutional invasion of rights of the (Continued on Page Three; CoL 5)
Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, N.C.)
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Feb. 9, 1944, edition 1
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