North Carolina Newspapers

FORECAST + 4[A- ^ j fgH tlmtmjfcm iUnrttttt^ ^ttU* | “““j \JiUTt. . / _____WILMINGTON, N. C., FRIDAY, MAY 5, 1944_ FINAL EDITION ESTABLISHED 1867 \ Kwajalein Becomes Base For Navy Task Force p j . ww , .TlakTawBmts&Lr ■^^MWKm^mSSBS^^ AH types of ships comprising a large U. S. Navy task force in the central Pacific are anchored off Kwajalien Island former Jap base in the heart of the Marshall Islands. The tents in the foreground house Seabees who are rebuilding the stronghold. Some of these ships may have taken part in the raid on Truk last week in which 126 Jap planes were destroyed. No American ship was damaged. Navy photo. JN.L-. Democrats Back 4th 1 erm; Broughton Wanted As FR’s Mate 4iO DELEGATES BACK ROOSEVELT Belated Florida Returns Cut Into Senator Claude Pepper's Lead BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS North Carolina Democrats en dorsed a fourth term for President Roosevelt yesterday and lined up 30 more national convention dele gates behind him. This brought to 410 the number jf delegate? already pledged or claimed for Mr. Roosevelt out of 510 thus far selected. It requires :89 to nominate- — one more than naif the 1176 convention votes. The 410 figure excludes four pro spective Florida delegates who are pledged to Senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia but whose votes may go to Mr. Roosevelt under ’.he unit system. Florida democratic party rules require that the state’s 18 nation al convention votes must be cast as a unit if two-thirds of the dele gates agree on a candidate. Late returns from Tuesday’s pri mary indicate 14 delegates favor ing a fourth term and four pledg ed to Byrd were elected. The belated returns cut into Senator Claude Pepper’s lead over four opponents, but it still appeared probably he would win renomina tion and avoid a run-off primary. The North Carolina Democrats, in state convention, voted to sup port Gov. J. M. Broughton for the vice presidential nomination. The Tar Heel executive also has been endorsed by the Oklahoma league of young Democrats for the vice presidency and friends are trying to line up a Southern bloc behind aim. (Continued on Page Three; Col. 2) -v WAR BUND MEET SLATED SATURDAY WINSTON-SALEM, May 4'. Clarence T. Leinbach of Winston Salem, chairman of the North Car olina war finance committee today called a meeting to be held in Ra leigh Saturday at 11 a.m. of all area and regional war bond man ners to make initial plans for the Chh war loan drive in this state. At the conference Leinbach will Pass along to war bond officials information he obtained at a meet ing of representatives of the Treas ury Department with war finance chairmen from southeastern states ieId at Atlanta, Ga., April 24. Within a week to 10 days follow ing the Raleigh meeting, Leinbach expects to arrange for regional meetings to be held throughout the •fate along the lines of those cop ied prior o the launching of he fourth war loan. In the regional meetings, plans or the fifth war loan wjll be trans mitted to county war finance chair men, women and campaign work ers. The’ fifth war loan is scheduled to begin June 12 and run through JUly g. 30 VOTES PLEDGED State Convention Upholds Party’s Record In Past 12 Years By BLOYS W. BRITT RALEIGH, May 4. —ffl— North Carolina’s 30 votes in the Nation al Democratic Convention were pledged today to a foarth term for President Roosevelt and to Governor J. M. Broughton for the vice presidency by a state conven tion which vigorously upheld the party’s record in the last 12 years of Democratic administration. The delegates were instructed to support, Mr. Roosevelt as long as his name is before the convention and to “place the name of your governor before the convention and work in his behalf until his nomina tion is secured. Minimum of Debate The platform, adopted with a minimum of debate, included a plank declaring that “the provi sion in thg federal constitution re quiring a two-thirds majority of the senators present for the rati fication of treaties has enabled a minority of the senators to thwart the will of a great majority of their colleagues, to disregard the con sidered opinion of the American people and to defeat the best in terests of the United States. “We strongly approve and urge an amendment to the federal con stitution that will make the pro cess of ratification more democra tic in nature.’’ 3,500 Delegates More than 3,500 delegates from the state’s 100 counties filled the floor of the convention hall and thunderously applauded Mr. Roos evelt and Governor Broughton when the resolutions were pres ented. Willis Smith, Raleigh attorney and life-long friend of the govern or made the endorsing speech after the resolution was offered by State Senator Rivers D. Johnson of Warsaw. Acceptable Speaking extemporaneously, (Continued on Page Eight; Col. 3) METHODISTS VOTE TO SUPPORT WAR ■ KANSAS' CITY; May 5.— UP) — Methodists voted today to support the war because “God himself has a stake in the struggle.” The resolution adopted after lengthy debate by the first genera! conference since Pearl Harbor said “God himself has a stake in the •struggle. We repudiate the theory that a state, even though imper fect in itself, must pot fight against intolerable wrongs.” The action, exact vote of which was not announced, repudiates the church’s stand taken in 1940, which "aid the church would “not official ly -endorse, support, or participate in war.” Today s decision was reached after more than five hours of ora tory and more than 30 speeches. So hot was the debate that at times more than a dozen delegates were on their feet, shouting "Mr. Chair man.” Charles C. Parlin, Englewood, N. J„ lawyer, led the successful fight for a committee minority report. DEMOCRATS NAME THEIR DELEGATES Wilmington Men Are Among Officials Elect ed At State Meet RALEIGH, May 4.— (PI —The State Democratic Convention today elected 24 delegates and 12 dele gates-at-large to the national con vention in Chicago in July, while congressional caucuses named members of the State Democratic Executive committee, officers and other committees. The entire delegation to the na tional convention was instructed to cast its 30 votes in favor of Gover nor Broughton for the vice-presi dency and for a fourth term for President Roosevelt. Delegates-at-large, each of whom will have a one-half vote, include: Governor Broughton, Rep. Cam eron Morrison of the 10th district; former Governors O. Max Gardner, Clyde R. Hoey and J. C. B Ehring haus; Mrs. E. L. McGee of Sylva, Lieutenant Governor R. L. Harris of Roxboro, Josephus Daniels, Miss Beatrice Cobb of Morganton, Mrs. W. T. Bost of Raleigh, Mrs. B. B. Everett of Palmyra, and Mon roe Redden of Hendersonville, chairman of the Democratic execu tive Committee. Robert R. Williams of Asheville and W. B. Rodman, Jr., of Wash ington were elected by the conven tion as electors at large. The following congressional offi cials and committees were elected for the Seventh District: District —C. Davis Jones, Wilmington, vice president; Robert St. George, Southport, secretary; Delegates, (Continued on Page Five; Col. 7) -v NO NEW WHISKEY SEEN FOR MONTHS WASHINGTON, May 4— (fl) — Chairman Donald M. Nelson of the War Production Board blasted pro spects for an early resumption of whisky making today with the de claration it would be “gambling with the war program.” He told the senate’s special liquor shortage investigating com mittee he saw no immediate chance for even a brief “holiday” from the manufacture of industrial alchohol to permit distillers to make whiskey _ “unless there is sudden reduction in requirement for alcohol for synthetic rubber and other war needs.” “I’ve never opposed a holiday,” he testified. “I’m opposed to the use of any facilities for production of civilian commodities if it is not feasible and might interfere with necessary war production.” He told Senator Ferguson CR Mich., there is no propect for a holiday for at least “three or four months.” “WPB reviews very carefully the situation on industrial alcohol monthly,” Nelson said. “At one time (last August) it looked as if we might be able to permit a two week holiday. About then increas ed requirements came in for but adiene and other rubber needs.” V Setzer Given If Years For * Manslaughter BURGAW TRIAL ENDS Judge Harris Immediately Passes Sentence On 20 Year Old Youth BURGAW, May 4.—UPl-The baf fling murder trial of Richard Set zer, charged with the New Year’s eve slaying of Stedman Hall Carr ended tonight in Pender County Su perior court, with the youth being found guilty of manslaughter He was immediately sentenced to 20 years at hard labor in the state penitentiary by Judge W. C. Har ris, who told the jurors, that con sidering all the evidence which had been presented by the state,they had been “Exceedingly merciful.” A. W. Shaw acted as foreman for the 13 man jury, summoned on a special venire from Bladen coun ty because of the impossibility of securing an impartial jury in this county. Before the judge pronounced sen tence, R. W. Brandis, a defense attorney, read a letter from Judge E. T. Allen of the western district of North Carolina, who said he knew the defendent’s family quite well and any clemency Judge Har ris could show would be appreciat The Willard youth took the ver dict quite calmly, as he had the entire trial. Present for the final stages were Mrs. Carr, wife of the slain man, together with several members of her family, and numerous specta tors. The jury had deliberated for seven hours, and returned the ver dict of manslaughter at 9:45 p.m. The case had been given them at 1:45 p. m. This afternoon and they had taken an hour out for supper. ' The 20 year sentence was the maximum for manslaughter. The baffling mystery was given the juror* at 1:45 p.m. today after Jnidge W. C. Harris had told the men they had four possible ver dicts: first degree murder, second degree murder, manslaughter or not guilty, Sptzer was being tried on charges of first degree murder. In his message to the jury this morning, Defense Attorney Roy Francis said the state was basing its case entirely upon circumstan tial evidence, and that the evidence as presented was not enough for a first degree verdict. The defense, closed its case with out submitting any evidence or calling any witnesses. Solicitor Clifton Moore told the 13 men in the box of the “mass” of evidence which the state had presented and contended that it was sufficient for a verdict of first degree murder. For the second time, Sheriff J. T. Brown quoted the youth as ad mitting his guilt, The sheriff said this second admission was made yesterday when he carried Setzer’s lunch to him in the cell where he is being held. Shortly after Setzer was arrested last January, the sheriff said that he had admitted shooting the well known merchant. -V SEDITION TRIAL DEFENDANT DIES WASHINGTON, May 4— UP) — Elmer J. Garner of Wichita, Kas. one of the defendants in the gov ernment’s trial of 30 men and women accused of sedition was found dead in bed in his Washing ton room today. Garner, 80, was listed by the Department of Justice as the editor of ’Publicity”. His lawyer, Marvin F. Bischoff, said Garner’s body was found in a Washington rooming house late today. The defendant was in court yesterday, the attorney said, and appeared to “be in good spirits.” The indictment against Garner probably will be nolle prossed and the government will go ahead with the trial of the other 29 defendants. The case is temporarily in abey ance now during a hearing on a contempt of court citation against James J. Laughlin, one of the de fense attorneys. STETTINIUS RETURNS WASHINGTON, May 4— UP — Undersecretary of State Edward R. Stettinius, Jr., returned today from a “most successful” five-week trip during which he held pre-invasion diplomatic discussions in London and met American diplomats in Marrakech, Morocco. During his three weeks stay in London, he saw all the principal United Nations Diplomats, includ ing British Prime Minister Chur chill and Foreign Secretary Eden. According to a statement issued there he was successful in ironing out Anglo-American diplomatic wrinkles and the Soviet and Chinese governments were kept in formed of his discussions with the British. Two More Landings Made On Dutch New Guinea By U. S. Sixth Army Troops 1,750 Bombers Plaster European Targets With 6,000 Tons Of Bombs LONDON, May 4.—UP)—American Flyng Fortresses delivered a sharp attack on a Nazi airdrome in Holland today* highlighting the 20th straight day of the Allied aer ! ial offensive — a day in which 1, 750 bombers striking from Britain and Italy by night and day drop ped 6,000 tons of explosives on Hitler’s Europe. American Marauders and Hav oc light bombers and RAF Mitch ells struck a wide variety of sup ply depots and military installa tions in northern France by day light and American Mustangs con ducted an offensive sweep over Brunswick, Germany, All the Fortresses, about 250 in number, returned safely, as did the medium and light bombers. Their fighter escort lost three planes and downed nine Nazis, while the fighters over Germany shot down the only German plane sighted. The RAF sent out a fleet of 750 heavy bombers in a series of ear ly-morning moonlight raids on France and Ludwigshaven, Ger many, losing 49, and the Mediter ranean air forces staged their first night attack on Bucharest, Rumania. The Budapest radio went off the air with an air raid warning late tonight, indicating that the Allied air forces based in Italy were re turning to the Balkans for the second straight night. Alarms of Allied planes also were sounded from the Balkans northward to the Alps and in west ern Germany. After the Budapest radio had fallen silent, the Berlin station announced, “several ene my bombers are over the Danube and the Alps area. Nuisance raid ers are approaching western Ger many.” Then the Frankfurt radio likewise called out, “inemy raid-] ers are approaching.” • While the overall scope of the day’s raids was light in compari son with recent mass assaults, the nature of the targets was notable Having directed a long and shat tering campaign against Gasman factories, then against rail trans port, the air forces now were cen tering their blows on German de fensive installations and vital front supply dumps which the en emy will need instantly the mo ment invasion comes. The opening of the western land front was being drawn percepti bly closer while the bulk of the heavy bomber forces rested from their prodigious labors in antici pation of new efforts to come. The mediuum bomber attacks today raised such clouds of dust and smoke that accompanying fighters said damage was difficult to assess. WARD EXECUTIVE 1 ARRESTED BY U .S. Sowell Charged With Re moving Government Poster From Wall CHICAGO, May 4.—— FBI agents arrested an official of Montgomery Ward and company today as he was removing a gov ernment poster in one of the firm’s Chicago plants that have been hnder federal control for eight days. The official, Paul D. Sowell, as sistant mail order operating man ager of the concern, told report ers he saw the poster — a mime ographed notice that no workers were to be dismissed without the approval of the federal operating manager — and ascertained that it dealt with employe-management relations. He added: “Rather than stand in the hall reading it, I was removing the thumb tacks in order to take the poster into my office and read it in its entirety, and abide by it, of course. After all, I have quite a few employes under my direction. Sowell was taken into custody by the agents, who, Richard Hos teny, acting chief of the Federal Bureau of Investigation here, re-, ported, were stationed at the Ward facilities “at the direction of At torney General Francis Biddle.” Hosteny said Sowell was not handcuffed when he was taken from the building. He was brought to the U. S. District Attorney’s office, and then to the U. S. Mar shal’s office. His attorney, James C. Leaton, said he was finger printed “before service of any warrant.” Sowell was handcuffed as he (Continued on Page Five; Col. 3) ir YESTERDAY'S RESULTS National League Pittsburgh 6; St. Louis 3. Boston 8: New York 4. Cincinnati at Chicago (postpon ed.) Brooklyn at Philadelphia 'not scheduled) American League Chicago 2; Cleveland 1. St. Louis 2; Detroit 0 (Only games scheduled.) German Fighter Planes Whittled WASHINGTON, May 4. — (/P) — German fighter plane strength and replacement ability has been whit tled down so far, Secretary Stim son said today, that the enemy is now relying chiefly on anti-aircraft batteries for defense against large formations of American bombers. In a news conference discussion, the war secretary also expressed the opinion that damage already done to German transportation fa cilities is beyond the Nazis’ ability to repair. Such communications are a vital spot in the German de fenses. The enemy must maintain them insofar as possible for move ment of armies and supplies to combat any Allied invasion. In order to conserve their re maining pursuit planes, Stimson said, the Nazis send them mainly against small groups of bombers ir crippled or straggling planes. As a result, he said, American aomber formations now return from missions in many instances with no losses while doing greater damage than ever. The mark of our progress is that die opposition is less continuous and the damage we inflict is great er,” he said, but added that the German air force is still capable if putting up bitter opposition when Ulied planes make very deep pen etrations of Germany to strike at /ital targets. TT_ BAILEY PLANNING NEW DRAFT BILL WASHINGTON, May 4.—(Spe cial) — A “work-or-be-drafted” proposal, by North Carolina’s Sen ator Josiah W. Bailey, heads a list jf measures to be given primary consideration by the Senate Mili tary Affairs committee, Senator Robert R. Reynolds, his colleague and committee chairman said to iay. Returning from a Florida vaca tion, Reynolds declared his com nittee would immediately tackle ;he Bailey bill, a modified version )f a National Service Law propos ed by the War Department. The Tar Heel senion senator’s proposal would subject any draft registrant between the ages of 18 and 45 to possible military service if such registrant should shift from essential to non-essential employ (Continued on Page Three; Col. 7) NAZIS BEING FED SOOTHING SYRUP Propaganda Minister Tells Germans They Have Nothing To Fear LONDON, May 4 —W —Nazi pro paganda Minister Paul Joseph Goebbels fed the Germans soothing syrup for their nerves today with the promise of “trump cards up our sleeves” when the invasion strikes. “There exist innumerable de fense measures and weapons so far unknown,” Goebbels wrote in an article in this week’s editon of the German magazine “Das Reich,” broadcast over the Ger man radio. Reports from other sections of Europe showed the anxiety of the Germans, now living in anticipa tion of early Allied multiple land blows. The Ankara radio said “The em pire premiers’ agreement on in vasion plans” brings the blow “even nearer.” Reports from the Norwegian underground said the Germans are bolstering the far north defenses with troops tested in Russia. The Belgian under ground revealed new Gestapo roundups, and the Germans, them selves, forecast that “Alexander will strike shortly on the Italian front.” “We know the enemy’s prepara tions for invasion are practically completed,” Goebbels wrote, “But Continued on Page Three; Col. 5) -V Rep. Clark To Support ' Government’s Seizure Of Mail Order House WASHINGTON, May 4.—(Spe cial)—Representative J. Bayard Clark, of Fayetteville, today re vealed plans to take the House floor Friday in support of the ad ministration’s action in seizing Montgomery Ward and company’s Chicago plant. Clark has been in conference during the past few days with Jus tice Department legal experts in efforts to obtain available informa tion that may enable him to pre senthis case, a resolution provid ing for investigation of the Ward seizure by a special House Com mittee, which is now pending. U. S. And Britain Tighten Economic Blockade On Axis As Attack Nears WASHINGTON, May 4.—<£>—The United States and Britain tightened their economic blockade of Ger many today with a warning to neu tral European businesses not to as sist the enemy in its final struggle for existence. The warning was sounded in ad vance of the final Allied military drive to victory. It was based on a policy statement for 15,000 busi ness concerns and individuals which have already been black list ed because of their cooperation or trade with the Axis. Under this iron - handed policy sanctions against those firms will be maintained after the war for an indefinite time, thus giving con cerns which have cooperated with the Allies an initial advantage in competing for post-war markets. Ten thousand of the black list firms are in Latin America and it was indicated that sanctions against those would be eased first because Axis commercial intrigue has generally been brought under control in areas remote from the war zones. The remaining 5,000 firms are in European neutral countries. They Face the possibility of prolonged sanctions which include restrictions to prevent their doing business with British or American concerns. By a rough estimate, officials said, they represent a third or less of the fjrms still operating in that part of the world. The remainder includes about 5,000 companies and individuals which have cooperated with the Allies, and a somewhat larger group which has stayed more or less in the middle. It is this latter group that the Allied economic warfare directors / - , I are seeking to reach, with their warning that if those fi^ms play ball with the United Nations they need not fear economic sanctions after the war but that if they give assistance to the enemy they too will be blacklisted. Francis H. Russell, chief of the State Department’s division of world trade intelligence said in a speech to the American drug man ufacturers association at Hot Springs, Va., today that sanctions will have to be continued during the period of transition back to peacetime economy. As for the long range policy, Rus .sell made it clear that sanctions eventually would be lifted, saying that this government “does not consider the proclaimed list (the blacklist) as an appropriate part of the type of normal peacetime trade policies which it hopes even tually will be established. ft - } EXTEND HOLDINGS One Force Lands At Demta As Other Goes Ashore At Torare Bay BY LEONARD MILLIMAN Associated Press War Editor American Sixth Army troops made two new landings on Dutch New Guinea to consolidate and ex tend their holdings in the Hollandia area, Gen. Douglas MacArthur an nounced today. The new landings were made by the same forces that less than two weeks ago swept 500 miles up the New Guinea coast to seize the Hollandia sector and its four air dromes, within bombing range of the Philippines. One force landed at Demta, extending American control of the coast 16 miles deeper into Japanese occupied territory. The other splashed ashore on Tor are Bay, 12 miles from the town of Hollandia and midway between the original invasion points. Infantrymen Protected Protecting the seaborne infantry men, Allied bombers heavily blast ed the Wakde airdrome, nearest Japanese base still in operation. Other heavy bombers smashed at Wewak, by-passed New Guinea air base, and Timor in the Dutch East Indies, while other air sweeps and motor torpedo boat patrols ac counted for one enemy ship, three planes and nine barges. Emphasizing the increasing Am erican threat to Japanese conquer ors in the Philippines, Mitchell bombers from China have sunk an enemy ship in Amoy harbor, 450 miles northwest of the Philippines, 1 and Central Pacific Liberators | have made a heavy land based raid _ m_i U1I X X ux\, Truk Also Hit Truk, 1700 miles east of the Philippines, was hit in a quick fol low-up of the devastating carrier raid last weekend. The defending, garrison, still suffering from the shock of that 800-ton bombardment, put up only “moderate” anti-air craft fire, Adm. Chester W. Nimitz announced yesterday. The usual two Japanese night fighters watch ed the Americans set off explosions and start fires in ground installa tions, but did nothing about it. The attack on Amoy was part of an offensive by Maj. Gen. Claire L. Chennault’s China-based Ameri can bombers. They also made sweeps over enemy rail facilities in Indo-China. Chungking conceded the 80,000 Japanese troops overrunning north ern Honan province had made fur ther gains. In the last two weeks the invaders have whittled down the Chinese-held segment of the Peiping-Hankow trackless railway from 175 miles to 60. This' remnant, lying between Japanese-captured Minkiang and threatened Yen cheng, is caught between pincers drives from the north and south. To the north the Chinese garrison (Continued on Page Five; Col. 1) -V SETTLEMENT MADE IN BABY MIX-UP LOS ANGELES, May 4.-*S’> An out-of-court settlement was ef fected today in the $500,000 suit of Mr. and Mrs. James Hardwig, Jr., against the hospital they claimed gave them a baby girl to take home after Mrs. Hardwig contends she gave birth to a son last sum mer. The settlement was announced shortly before Mrs. Hardwig was to have taken the stand in Judge Charles E. Haas’ court. Attorneys announced the ad justment was “satisfactory to all concerned,’’ but they declined to discuss its terms. The father, executive of a wholesale concern, was asked by newsmen if he approved the set tlement. “Well,” he said, “even if it was proved we didn’t have the right baby, we wouldn’t give up the one we have under any circumstan ces.” Hardwig wouldn t discuss the terms of the compromise, but he said “the education of our daugh ter, Patricia Lynn, is assured.” The Hardwigs sent announce m«it cards *o their friends after the birth, saying they had a boy. They named the child Richard Al len Hardwig. They sued the South Hoover Hospital on the grounds that Mrs. Hardwig was given the wrong baby. Dr. John M. Andrews, the at tending physician, had testified that his concern over the mother’s condition, rather than any lack of professional skill, caused him to mistake the sex of the baby at time of the birth.