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y^JST-i-sQ. 24.-WILMINGTON, N. C., SUNDAY, JUNE 2,' 1946 SECTION-A PRICE 10 CENTS ’
Wagner Urges
Final Action
For OPA Bill
Expresses Hope Past Ac
tion Lifting Ceilings
Can Be Rescinded
ASKS ACTION TUESDAY
OPA Exponents Claim
House Action Severe Blow
To All Controls
WASHINGTON, June 1—(/P)—
Chairman Wagner (D.-N.Y.) called
today for a final Banking commit,
toe decision Tuesday on remaining
points at issue in the price con
trol extension bill.
At the same time, he said an
attempt will be made to void the
committee’s decision—reached a
week ago—removing price controls
from meat, poultry and dairy pro
ducts July 1. A two-vote switch
would be required to overturn the
decision. Since it was made, the
committee has lost one of its
members, the late Carter Glass of
Virginia, whose proxy Wagner
held.
The chairman said he was ’“very
hopeful" that the committee can
be persuaded to back-track. OPA
officials, with whom Wagner works
closely, contend that food prices
would sky-rocket if meat and dairy
pros cts were taken off the ceil.
ing chart.
While the committee recessed
from today until Tuesday, a group
of members including representa
tives of both parties have arranged
to confer vvitn OPA officials Mon
on the knotty question of
price margins.
Protit Clause Inserted
The House voted to give every
prod.iher, processor and dealer—
including retailers—cost plus ‘‘a
reasonable profit.” OPA officials
called the provision a death wal
lop.
Several alternate plans have
been discussed by the Senate com
mittee. One would allow manufac
turers to add to their proven 1941
price the weighted average unit
cost increase in their industry.
Republicans, who origmated that
proposal, also are packing another
which would bid OPA to maintain
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 6)
COUNTY SUPERIOR
COURT SCHEDULED
Trial Of Brunswick Negro
Murder Suspect To High
light Term Here
The trial of Leon Gause, Bruns
wick county Negro, will highlight
the June term of Superior court
which opens tomorrow with Judge
It. Hunt Parker, Roanoke Rapids,
presiding,
Gause is accused of the shotgun
slaying of Jim Williamson, white,
Shallotte farmer last Feb. 23 as
the Brunswick county resident sat
in his kitchen shelling peanuts.
A four-day manhunt followed the
shootin. with Gause being cap
tured on Feb. 27 after he had been
chased f. ough Brunswick county
swampland by a posse of law en
forcement officers and citizens.
The trial will be held during the
second week of court, the clerk of
c°urt, said yesterday. The case
was moved here for trail after
Cause's attorney asked for a
change of venue.
addition to the trial of Gause,
additional cases await hearing
according to the court calender.
Amono the cases to be heard are
those of L. L. Milliken, charged
wuh murder; Johr. Floyd, attempt
fu criminal assault; Murray Al
‘s°n, four charges of forgery;
,arnes Johnson, six charges of
forgery; Beatrice McCrae, mur
“er; Robert J. Brown, attempted
n-minai assault; Rosa Lee Mc
MUlan' murder, and R. H. Thomp
L^manslaughter.
-—-. I
Degree And A Hug For Margaret
President Truman embraces his daughter, Margaret, at com
mencement exercises of George Washington university in Wash
ington where she received an A. B. degree in history. The Presi
dent, himself, received an honorary degree of doctor of laws.
Pope Pius Scath ingly
Decries Communism
VOTERS HEAR APPEAL
Address Comes On Eve Of
Important French, Ital
ian Elections
By J. EDWARD MURRAY
United Press Staff Correspondent
VATICAN CITY, June 1.—(U.R)—
Pope Pius XII, in a scathing de
nunciation of Communism of the
eve of national elections in Italy
and France, urged today a world
league of Christian nations to op
pose “the band of those who blas
pheme the name of God and trans
gress his law.”
His address, a traditional kune
pronouncement in international re
lations, was formally addressed to
the college of Cardinals, but, be
yond them, he appealed to the
heavily Catholic electorates of
Italy and France and to statesmen
of the Christian world.
He did not mention Russia or
Communism, as such. But his ref
erences were frequent, strong and
unmistakeable.
The Pope was extremely pessi
mistic about peace. He said the
world was moving farther away
from peace, rather than closer to
it, and that a year after the defeat
of Germany no “decisive step to
ward a just peace” has been taken.
“Tomorrow, the citizens of two
great nations go in compact array
to the polling booths,” he said.
“What is really at issue? It is to
be decided if the one and the oth
er of these two nations, of these
two sister nations of Latin culture
of more than a millenary of Chris
tian civilization, will continue to
rest on the firm rock of Christia
nity; on the acknowledgement of a
personal God, on belief in the
spiritual dignity and the eternal
dignity of man; or, if, instead,
they will choose to entrust their lot
for the future to the unfeeling im
portance of a materialistic state
without any ideal beyond this
world, without religion and without
God.
“The one or the other of these
two possibilities will come to be,
according as the nanjes victorious
at the polling booths will be
chosen of the champions or the
wreckers of Christian civilization.
The answer is in the electors’
hands, theirs is the high responsi
bility, and how serious it is.”
Italy will decide tomorrow in a
national referendum whether it
wants to continue a monarchy, and
will elect 573 deputies for a con
stitutional assembly. France will
elect an assembly to write a new
constitution. An earlier constitu
tion, prepared by a Communist
Socialist dominated assembly was
refused by the people in a referen
dum.
The Pope said that, more than a
(Continued on Page Two; Col. I)
Soap Box Derby Entries
Coming In At Fast Clip
BY JACK LUNAN
A°rd received national Soap Box
Headquarters yesterday is
aat applications for the first post
, ar running of the “Greatest Ama
‘6ar Racing Event in the World”
‘e Pouring in as never before. My.
■ ^ E Scott, national Derby direc
“r. informed the local sponsors,
e Wilmington Star-News and Ra
c-' Chevrolet company, by letter,
v.a during the four war-time years
,'“en ‘here was no race, keen in.
n the Derby was maintained
„0n8 America’s schoolboys.
°day, with an entire new group
of boys of Derby age — 11 to 15
years — the number of applicants
for the race has so far exceeded
all previous years. And entries for
the local race are being received
every day in gratifying numbers
—an assurance of‘som# real com
petition and fast racing come
Derby day, July 24-31.
There will be two divisions for
the Wilmington district Soap Box
Derby and the ultimate winner for
that big trip to the National finals
will come from one of the other.
j (Continued on Page 4, Column 1)
New Maritime Chairman
Scheduled To Receive
State Port Proposition
WILMINGTON STAR-NEWS
Washington, D. C., Bureau
WASHINGTON, June 1—Vice
Admiral William W'ard Smith,
USN, retired, who will be
sworn in as chairman of the
United States Maritime com
mission Monday, will be urged
to endorse a proposal for the
transfer of the Wilmington, N.
C. shipyard to the North Car
olina State Ports authority in
exchange for construction of a
drylock there fo both commer
cial and government shipping.
Rep. J. Bayard Clark of the
Seventh N. C. district, will seek
the new chairman’s approval of
the plan, which already has
been discussed at length with
other commission members.
Representative Clark, accom
panied by Gov. R. Gregg
Cherry, J. M. Broughton, form
er governor and attorney for
the Stave Ports authority, and
R. B. Page, Wilmington pub
lisher and Ports authorit’
chairman, discussed the pro
posal with the commission re
cently and reported a favorable
reaction.
VITAL EUROPEAN
ELECTIONS HELD
Voters In France And Italy
Go To Polls As World
Watches
By United Press
The political chips were down in
the Latin countries of Europe Sat
urday night as France and Italy
went to the polls to choose the
kind 6f leadership they wanted,
and Spain faced United Nations
urging to rid herself of the Franco
government.
Fope Pius XII speaking from
the Vatican on the eve of national
elections in France and Italy which
will determine the strength of
Communism and the fate of the
House of Savoy, delivered a scath
ing denunciation of Communists.
Although he did not once mention
Russia or Communism by name,
he appealed to the heavily Catholic
electorate of France and Italy to
defeat “the band of those who
blaspheme the name of God and
transgress His law.”
In France and throughout her
empire an estimated 25,000,000 (Ml
men and women will elect a second
constituent as&pmbly whose chief
task will be to\ draft a new con
stitution.
The election wa^ made necessary
after the French vbters performed
a political paradox at the popl
in October they voted the Com
munists into power as the strong
est single party. On May 5 they
overwhelmingly rejected a new
constituti framed l\y the Com
munists and their leftwing politi
cal ally, the Socialists.
In the campaign just past the
Socialists broke from the Com
munists and political observers
pronounced the electioneering one
of the most bitter ever waged in
the nation.
In Italy an estimated 26.000.000
Italians—a half of them women—
will select 556 deputies for a con
stituent assembly in the nation’s
quarter of a century.
At the same time Italians will
vote on their future form of gov
ernment—Monarchy or Republic.
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 5)
UN Committee
Terms Franco
>^ce Menace
v<\
^commends World-Wide
Diplomatic Break Un
less Falangists Ousted
TIME LIMIT SET
Action By 51-Nation Gen
eral Assembly On Case
Sept. 3 Advocated
BY MAX HARRELSON
NEW YORK, June 1—UP)— The
United Nations sub-committee on
Spain today declared that the
Franco regime was a “potential
menace to international peace”
and recommended a worldwide
diplomatic break with Spain unless
the Falangist government is oust
ed by September.
The sub-committee, which has
had the question under investiga
tion for the past month, said that
the Franco governmet was not
“at present a threat to peace,”
but added that its activities were
such that they might easily be
come a threat.
it recommended tnat tne se
curity council transfer the case to
tlje 51-nation general assembly
which meets in New York Septem
ber 3, with a suggestion that the
assembly call upon all members
of the United Nations to sever re
lations with Spain uless the Fran
co regime “is withdrawn.”
The next meeting of the Security
council is scheduled for 3 p. m.
(feastern Daylight Time) June 6.
The report also recommended
that the Security council endorse
the March 4 anti-Franco declara
tion of the United States, Great
Britain and France, which called
upon the Spanish people to oust
Generalissimo Francisco Franco
by peaceful means ad set up a
“caretaker” government to rule
until free elections could be held. !
The five members of the sub
committee were unanimous in their
approval of the report except for
reservations by Poland and Brazil.
Poland took exception to the ■
finding that Franco was not at
present a threat to peace and that!
the Security council, as a result ;
had no jurisdiction to direct, in
this case, severance of diplo
matic relations. The case was rais
ed originally by Polish Delegate,
Oscar Lange.
Brazilian Delegate Pedro Vel
loso reserved his position on the
recommendation that the case be
referred to the general assembly
with recommendations that the as
sembly call on its member na
tions for a break with Franco.
The report declared in its con
clusions:
“Although the activities of the
Franco regime do not at present
constitute aji existing threat to
(Continued on Page 4, Column 3)
PERON SEEKS ARMS
FOR DEFENSE USES
Declares Airplanes, War
ships Necessary For
Hemisphere Bulwarks
By JULIO P. MONASSO
United Press Staff Correspondent
BUENOS AIRIHS, June 1.—(U.R)—
Usually reliable quarters reported
today that President-elect Juan D.
Peron has sent Gen. Carlos Von
Der Becke to Washington to out
line Argentina’s need for a Unit
ed States loan and arnaments if
the country is to participate in
President Truman’s hemisphere
defense plans.
These sources said Argentina’s
particular need was airplanes and
warships.
Von Der Becke, until recently
Army chief of staff, is enroute to
Washington, reportedly carrying a
message from Peron assuring U.
S. officials that Argentina is firm
(Continued on Page Two; Col 4)
MARITIME UNION PROPOSALS
ARE REJECTED BY SHIPPERS
AS STRIKE DEADLINE NEARS
Senate Bill Clamps Controls
On Atomic Energy Production
BY JOHN L. STEELE
United Press Staff Corespondent
WASHINGTON, June 1—(UR)
—The Senate, seeking a for
mula against world devasta
tion,” today passed by voice
vote and sent to the House a
bill to clamp tight government
controls over domestic pro
duction of atomic energy.
The action was described as
a first step toward making the
awesome cosmic force work
for peace and avert a de
vastating atomic war.
Approval came after chair
man Brien K. McMahon, D.,
Conn., of the Senate’s spec
ial atomic committee, which
drafted the bill, termed the
atomic control “the greatest
ever to challenge the mind of
man.’’
The bill would provide gov
ernment monopoly on owner
ship and production of mater
ials from which the dread
bomb is made. It also would
vest in a presidentially-ap
pointed five-man civilian com
mission vast control powers,
including authority to produce
atomic bombs.
Senate consideration and ap
proval of the measure came in
a surprise move which saw
the chamber put aside until
Monday draft extension legis
lation to act immediately on
the atomic bill.
Just before passage, Sen. L.
Arthur H. Vandenberg, R.,
Mich., told the senate he hop
ed the domestic atomic pro
gram provided in the bill
would be matched by the
United Nations in finding “a
formula against world de
vastation.”
He warned that UN failure
to adopt an adequate inter
national control program would
lead to a “war of minutes in
stead of months” in which the
first casualty list would be
the last.
McMahon said this country’s
atomic policy would deter
m i n e whether civilization
would be headed for complete
destruction or a new golden
age of advancement.
Before passing the bill, the
Senate approved amendments
that would:
1. Make it unlawful, except
as authorized by the commis
sion, to manufacture devices
utilizing atomic energy for
military purposes.
2. Forbid any private firm
connected with the atomic
bomb project to acquire spec
ial rights to deposits of fission
(Continueci on Page Two; Col. 2)
Future Of Anti-Strike Bill
Causes Capital Speculation
SUMMER SCHOOL
ENROLLMENT UP
87 Pupils Register For
Lower Grade Work; High
Registration Tomorrow
Announcements pertaining to
summer school work for element,
tary and nigh school students and
commercial classes for adults were
made oy school officials yester
day.
Registration for the elementary
school work was held Friday at
Tileston school, and will be con
tinued through tomorrow. Eighty
seven pupils have enrolled to date
for the summer session, which will
consist of work for grades one
through eight.
The only summer school being
conducted in the county for ele
mentary students, the course is
being offered for pupils who need
to pass a subject in order to be
promoted and for those who wish
to be strengthened in a subject.
Only one major subject and, in a
few cases, one minor subject, may
be taken.
The fee is $20. Classes will con
sist of 15 students for each in.
structor.
The faculty will be the same as
last year, except that Miss Thelma
Edgerton is replacing Mrs. Davis
Polvogt. The school is under the
direction of Mrs. Lucille Schuffler,
principal of Sunset Park school.
Registration of adults for the
summer commercial classes will
be continued in the office of the
Isaac Bear school through Monday
morning. After that time, all who
have registered will be notified
either by telephone or through the
newspapers as to the schedule of
classes.
High Registration
The high school summer school
registration will begin at 9 o’clock
tomorrow morning in the high
school.
The first term of the summer
session, corresponding to a semes
ter’s work, will continue from June
3 through June 27. The second
term, also equivalent to a semester,
will extend from June 28 through
July 25.
Summer courses are being offer
ed in the ninth, 10th, 11th and 12th
(Continued on Page Two; Col 4)
Historic Thalian Hall
Closed During Survey
Thalian hall—Wilmington's only
auditorium space and historical
scene of little theater activities
for many years—has been tem
porarily closed, pending final re
ports next week of a five-man com
mittee of building experts.
The temporary suspension of ac
tivities in Thalian Hall was deem
ed advisable Friday by the local
investigating committee, until the
inspectors can determine whether
minor repairs to the structure will
be sufficient or whether major im
provements will be required be
fore the auditorium can be used
again.
The inspection has been under
way for several weeks and is ex
pected to be concluded next week
The committee’s report is sched
uled to be submitted to Acting
City Manager J. R. Benson, who,
in turn, will present the matter to
the City council at next Wednes
day’s meeting.
The building is leased from the
city by the Thalian association and
the undertaking of improvements
would rest with the city.
When advised of the committee’s
(Continued on Page Two; Col. 2)
TRUMAN MAY VETO
Sponsor Of Bill Says It Ad
heres To President’s
Recommendations
By DEAN W. DITTMER
United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 1.—(U.FO—
Speculation developed tonight on
what President Truman would do
with the Case anti-strike bill as
his request for emergency pow
ers to deal with strikes against
the government faced at least a
five-day further delay in con
gress.
Both house and senate now
i have approved the emergency
legislation Mr. Truman asked a
week ago, but the senate clipped
out some of its more drastic pro
visions, including the “work-or
be-drafted” clause. , .
The house now must decide
whether to approve the senate
changes or send the measure to
conference. Because the house
has a gentlemen’s agreement to
take up no controversial matters
until next Thursday, the emergen
cy bill must wait until then.
The Case bill, which is a per
manent measure for strike con
trol, is on Mr. Truman’s desk. He
has until June 12 either to ap
prove it or veto it. If he fails to
act, it becomes law without his
signature.
While there was speculation over
the likelihood of a veto, Rep.
FrantMs Case, R., S. D.. author of
the bill, said the measure follow
ed Mr. Truman’s recommenda
tions almost to the letter.
He said it is “inconceivable”
that the President would veto it.
But it was learned that Secre
tary of Labor Lewis B. Schwell
(Continucd on Page Two; Col. 3)
ISLAND SHIPYARD
SOLD FOR $50,000
Wilmingtonian Buys Ham
me Marine Railway ; Ex
pansion Planned
In a transaction involving ap
proximately $50.GOO, J. Paddison
Pretlow, 305 N. 15th street, Wil
mington businessman, yesterday
purchased the Hamme Marine
Railway company located on Eagle
island, Brunswick county.
Included in the sale, according
to Pretlow and R. F. Hamnfe,
was 12 acres of Eagle island land,
two marine railways, one of 400.
ton capacity, the other a 100-ton
way, machine shop, wood-working
shop, paint shop and two yacht
storage basins, together with the
name, accounts and goodwill 0f
the former owner. The property
possesses a 500-foot frontage on
the west bank of the Cape Fear
river approximately opposite Nun
and Church streets in Wilmington.
Hamme, well-known in bo-ating
circles along the coast, will remain
with the company and continue
active in its management.
Remaining with the company,
also, will be John Wooten, for
(Continued on Page Two; Col; 7)
COAL SETTLEMENT
IS NOT IN SIGHT
Saturday Conference Be
tween Operators, Min
ers Fruitless
NEW YORK. June 1.—(TP)-While
most of the nation’s hard coal
mines remained idle, negotiators
for mine opeators and 75,000 strik
ing miners met for two hours and
adjourned today, stating no con
clusions had been reached.
Spokesmen for both the opera
tors and the United Mine workers
(AFL) have declined to comment
on a report that toe miners seek
a five-day work week with conti
nuation of six-day pay and an in
dustry-supported health and wel
fare fund of $10,000,000 a year.
UMW President John L. Lewis is
expected to enter the negotations
soon, a union spokesman said.
The strike became effective yes
terday as negotiators entered their
fourth week of conferences in
search of a new pact. Leaders of
both the union and the operators
agreed that the strike was com
pletely effective.
Independent anthracite miners
around Shamokin, Pa., operating
on a lease or royalty basis, con
tinued to work, but gave no esti
mate of their daily tonnage. Tnere
are also about 500 anthracite min.
ers in Virginia who are not involv
ed in the negotiations here.
Moon And Venus Play
Optical Trick On U. S.
To hundreds and perhaps
thousands of Wilmingtonians,
the heavens presented an odd
sight last night. Elsewhere, too,
throughout the United States,
the same sight was witnessed.
It was Venus, the planet,
seemingly perching atop the
thin crescent moon. Actually,
according to astronomers, the
moon and Venus were millions
of miles apart—but from Wil
mington and a few other earth
points, the two appeared to be
almost one.
It happens once a year, as
tronomers said, but is visible
only in few parts of the world.
DEMANDS EXCEED
PAST PROPOSALS
Conference Held In At
tempt To Avert Nation
al Shipping Crisis
By CHARLES H. HERROLH
United Press Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 1.—
(UP)—Ship owners tonight
rejected the wage and hour
demands of seven seamen’s
unions, asserting that accept
ance would “torpedo the Am
erican merchant marine” and
cause the American flag to
“disappear from the sea lanes
of the world.”
The unions have demanded
wage increases of 22 to 35
cents an hour, a 40-hour
week, overtime rates of $1.25 to
$1.75 an hour and retroactivity on
increases to last Oct. 1. They
have threatened to strike June 5
if their demands are not met.
The operators’ statement was
made by Frank J. Taylor, chair
man of the negotiating committee
for Atlantic and Gulf coast ship
owners, as negotiating sessions
were resumed between operators
and unions here tonight.
Taylor presumably consulted
with Pacific ship owners before
issuing his rejection. It did not
rule out company proposals.
Using the same words the un
ions pronounced in denouncing
President Truman’s threat to call
on the Navy, Coast Guard and
War Shipping administration to
keep ships moving, Taylor declar
ed that union demands would
“virtually torpedo and eliminate
the American merchant marine
as a factor in our world trade
and national defense.”
“Impossible Position”
“Acceptance of the staggering
wage increases along with re
duced working hours designed
solely to produce added overtime
pay will place our merchant ma
rine in an impossible competitive
position and the American flag
will soon disappear from the sea
lanes of the world," Taylor said.
He declared that the union de
mands “far exceed those previous
ly demanded and were made
without any consideration of their
possible effect on the future oper
ations of the American merchant
marine.”
“The increased cost of opera
tion can not be passed on to those
who ordinarily use American
ships as shippers, and travelers
will naturally turn to foreign ves
sels which have in many instances
100 per cent lower costs.”
Union Demands
Taylor said that ^then negotia
tions began the national maritime
union, one of those involved, want
ed a 30 per cent wage increase.
“Now they are seeking increases
that average about 100 per cent
over present wages which were
increased 45 per cent as recently
as last October,” he raid.
He termed the union’s demands
for a 40-hour work week for sea
going personnel “impossible of ap
plication.”
“A 40 hour work week at sea
would mean carrying additional
crew members for whom addi
tional quarters would have to be
found only by reducing the cargo
and earning capacity of the ves
sels,' he said. “If no additional
crew members were carried, 16
hours overtime compensation
would have to be paid each week.”
Taylor noted that v/hen the fair
labor standards act was amended
by Congress “the question of the
40-hour week for seamen was again
studied and Congress decided to
continue exemption of seamen
(Continued on Page Two; Col 4)
Harbor Islanders Study
Beach Merger Proposal
Consolidation of Harbor Island
into the town limits of Wrightsville
Beach will be discussed by island
residents at a meeting Thursday
night, June 13, in the Adams House.
The pros and cons of the con
templated consolidation with their
resort neighbors will be discussed
from every angle, Walter Cartier,
said yesterday. Cartier, a resident
of the Island and currently serv
ing as secretary of the Wrightsville
Beach Chamber of Commerce, said
that about 350 year-a-round resi
dents of the island, would be ef
fected by the proposed change.
In calling the meeting, interest
ed property owners on Harbor Is
land, have declared themselves as
favoring such a move.
William M. Hill, local real estate
operator and resident of the is
land. will present a compilation ol
facts gathered to show reasons for
the incorporating of the properties
into the Town of Wrightsvillt.
Not Incopporated
Since the Island is not incoi-pora
ted, property owners have not been
able to avail themselves of proper
fire and police protection, sewage,
and, water without paying near
(Continued on Page 4, Column 2)