North Carolina Newspapers

yOl . 79.—-NO. 227. WILMINGTON, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 5, 1946 ESTABLISHED 1867 COST OF LIVING Spot Check Shows Nation Pays Increasing Prices Americans, marking the 170th birthday of the United State?- were asked higher rents ar,d were paying bigger prices /or meat, butter and milk than they did a week ago und er OFA regulated prices, a spot check of some of the na tion's leading cities and small er towns disclosed. A Few Oases There were some oases still nipre or less untouched by the rn ;.s price trend begun Mon day, first day of free markets since early in the war. Prices of meat, butter, bread, jnilk, restaurant meals, cloth ing and rent were described as generally steady in such cities as Chicago. Shreveport, La., j Columbus, Atlanta, Birming ham and the Arkansas cities of Little Rock, Fort Smith, Tex arkana and Hot Springs. Elsewhere, an Associated Press survey showed the cost of basic commodities generally was up. Individual Cities ’New York—Meat and butter up, the latter increase ranging from 13 to 17 cents a pound. Wholesale food price index of 31 commodities was $4.54, the highest since July 29, 1920, when it was $4.57. Los Angeles—Meat up 50 per cent, butter steady, bread up nine percent, clothing up, as high as five percent, milk up See PRICES on Page Three authority seeks FUND OF $30,000 Members To Petition Coun ty Board For That A mount For Airport \ 1946-47 budget in the neighbor hood of 530,000 for the operation and maintenance of $11,000,000 Bluethenthal airport is expected to be submitted to the New Han oi County Board of Commission ers this morning by ths Wilming ton-New Hanover Airport authori ;v. The full authority, composed of Albert F. Perry, chairman, Hamil ton E. Hicks, secretary. Harry Gardner, Hargrove Bellamy, and Lenox Cooper, and Airport Manag er Jesse C. Parker, Jr., are ex pec ed to present the proposal to the board. Revenue Expected Although the S30.000 figure looks . lane, the authority members have p f-.ted out that at least two-thirds, [ 1 rot all, of the sum will be re acted through revenue. The two-thirds estimate is has-1 ed on revenue currently being col- j leered from National Airlines, Snn East Airlines, Penningtons , Eying Service, charter planes, and | the sale of gasoline. New Lines Probable With about a dozen other air- \ lir.es and airplane companies seek ir.j to establish themselves at the airport in the coming air age, the autaority members have grounds to: hope that the airport, one of i the five largest fields in the nation \ may be self-supporting by the end of the 1946-47 fiscal year. -V HOLIDAY DEATHS MAY REACH 800 <14 Fatalities Reported On First Of Four-Day “Vacation” BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Deaths from accidents mounted slowly yesterday as the nation started a four day holiday which ™ National Safety council fore cast would produce 800 immediate deaths, fatalities reported from traffic, drowning and miscellaneous causes totaled 34. Mostly Traffic •lost of the deaths resulted from , c accidents as the sunny, j c°0‘ weather attracted throngs of j •ly dwellers to celebrate Indepen, j e'<ce Day with drives into the c-,try or to lake and seashore re-1 sorts. Traffic deaths totaled 24, drown-1 Is 1 an|l miscellaneous 3. ‘Ceord toll over the July 4th holi J was in 1941, when deaths *’®'d to 628. The Fourth fell ; ,, riday that year. The high war 4'S° r-33 w£len the toll was' * nl inat year the Fourth was on 1 Tuesday. (J"‘4 fear’s four-day holiday will 800~e T,300 violent deaths, 'about °t which will be immediate tt'ui-IDAY on Page Three The Weather North FORECAST farmer a°? South Carolina:— Friday, Mattered -l partJy cloudy with widely •^thundershowers. tBva!ter*'. Standard Time) *»Ieto0r* , • s- Weather Bureau) endl!‘g 7-Sf" Hl data lor thc 24 hours 1p- m. yesterday. 1:30a -o - * emPeratures o^.mu'n1 l:!H 72; }-30P 82; 7:30p 78. ™ri»a] 79' " Minimum 70; Mean 78; l:30a w. . Humidity ' J''a 08; ] :30p 75; 7 :30p 72. Total for ’Tecipitotion -to inch 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m. Thai f. nches nre lhe first of the month 2.56 /Film th/r? f"r Tod»y ' s Coast - ‘lr e Tables published by L a'' Geodetic Survey). High Low - 2:28a 9:48a ^nbo* t 3:06p 10:lip 1:,c . 12:27a 6:41a ^nrist S.0R. c 1:00p 7:05p 'jfe Mf I) ,Te, Sunset 7:27P; Moonrise ! T”fi weather on Pare Two SUBSIDIES SAVED CONSUMER MONEY Government Estimates Average Grocery Bill Less By $12 Year WASHINGTON, July 4. — (AP) — Food subsidies which expired with the OPA made the average con sumer’s grocery bill about $12 a year lower than it would otherwise have been, food officials estimated Thursday. The subsidies were paid by the government which, of course, rais. es its money through taxes on the public and through borrowing. Cri tics of the subsidies stressed that they would come out of the pub lic’s pocket eventually: supporters replied that they were a necessary part of a temporary control sys tem designed to prevent runaway inflation. Billion And Half Subsidies in effect June 30, when they were witndrawn pending con gressional action on re-establish ment of price control and continu ance of subsidies, were costing the government at the rate of about $1,455,000,000 a year. Last fall, before subsidies on butter_ cheese and peanut butter were ended, erst to the government was at the rate of more than $1 , 700.000.000 a year. Most of the subsidies were start ed in 1943 under an order of the late President Roosevelt rolling back consumer prices of important food items. The subsidies w’ere in troduced for the purpose of prev. enting a corresponding reduction in prices to food producers—de creases which might have discour aged production at a time when maximum output was needed for the war. Meats And Milk The bulk of the subsidy money was being spent on meats and milk. The annual outlay on these foods exceeded $1,100,000,000. The meat subsidies included about $535,000,000 a vear to slaugh terers, and about $76,000,000 a year to livestock feeders. Of the latter, one costing about $40,000,000 a year and designed to encourage feeders to fatter cattle to heavier weights, had previously been sche duled to end June 30. Because of the nation’? grain' shortage, the government no longer wants to encourage production of heavy cattle. Officials esiimate that the meat and livestock subsidies were sav ing consumers an average of at least five cents a pound on their meat bills. The “saving” varied by types and cuts of meat—that is, from 3.7 cent? a pound for salt pork to nine cents for steak. Five Cent Increase Thus in order to provide the meat industry—farmers as well as slaughterers and merchandisers — the same return as under OPA. re. tail meat would have to go up an average of at least five cents a pound. Milk payments, made to dairy farmers were costing at the rate of about $535,000,000 a year. These subsidies were inaugurated for the purpose of compensating dairymen See SUBSIDIES on Page Three NEW, ONE-YEAR PRICE CONTROL MEASURE S/f/f TO SENA TE BY BANKING COMMITTEE; "/VACATION FLYING SERVICE GETS BOOST ___ 1 - 11 —— Plane Flight Gets Inquiry In Midwest Kalamazoo, Chicago Resi dents Want To Make Trips STARTED BY TURNER Plans For Shuttle Service Here Given New Impetus By LARRY HIRSCH The Lower Cape Fear re sort area, breaking into the summer vacation spotlight last week-end when Col. Ros coe Turner flew a party of Hoosiers from sweltering In dianapolis to air-conditioned Wrightsville Beach in three hours, is well on its way toward becoming one of the outstanding Atlantic Seaboard holiday spots, according to disclosures made by the flying colonel himself and John H. Far rell, secretary of the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce. Farrell revealed yesterday that residents of Kalamazoo, Mich., have sent “very-much-interested" inquiries about the colonel's now famous three-hour trip. News Spread “The news of Colonel Turner’s flight initial week - end vacation seems to have spread around the country, particularly the Middle west, in a big hurry,” Farrell said. “The people in Kalamazoo want ed full details on the subject—the climate down here, the various kinds of recreation, and, of course, the colonel’s round-trip fare. “I sent them everything they asked for tha* I could and advised that they got in touch with the See SHUTTLE on Page Three ARTHUR C. DIEHL DIES IN HOSPITAL Prominent Business Men Was Fertilizer Com pany Executive --i Arthur C. Diehl, 60, prominent Wilmington businessman, died last night at 6:40 in James Walker Memorial hospital following a brief illness. At the time of his death he was vice president of the Naco Ferti lizer Company, a subsidiary of the W. R. Grace company, with which he had served for the past 37 years. He came to Wilmington from the company’s San Juar,, Porto Rico, offices in 1923. Surviving are his wife, the form er Miss Victoria Lynch, native of New York City, whom he married Jan. 31, 1921; one son A. C. Diehl, Jr., of Wilmington and two daugh ters, Mrs. Jackson Balch, Hunts ville, Ala., and Mrs. Robert W. Blake, Canton, Ohio. Born in New York city, Dec. 27, 1885, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Diehl, he attended New York University, after which he went to work for the Grace com pany, serving as manager of its New Orleans, La., and Houston Texas offices, in addition to the San Juan office. See DIEHL On Page Three Today and Tomovvow By WALTER LIPPMANN The other day a distinguished Russian writer, Mr. Ilya Ehren burg, who had been touring this country, said farewell in an article in which he talked back at those who criticize his own country. He touched neatly and deftly on some of the more obviously embarras sing aspects of our civilization on Bilboism, for example, which certainly impairs our title to be regarded as the champions among mankind of human rights and of free elections and of law and order and of government with the con sent of the governed. Yet in sp.te of this Mr. Ehren burg says f at he found much to admire and much that he liked: “The most beautiful 'hing I have seen,” he said, “are the spiritual possibilities of the American peo ple . . . This people . . . has many high qualities: it is straighforwaril and daring, industrious and ener getic.” This is not exactly our own unqualified estimate of ourselves, and when Mr. Ehrenburg has visited us ofrener he will under stand the one most important thing about the spiritual possibilities of the American people that he over looked. It is that they regard the exposure of their vices and their failings not rnly as a right to be guarded jealous!* but as a duty which, as they perform it, proves their manhood. See LIPPMANN on Page Ten INTERNATIONAL BIRTHDAY PARTY World. Citizens Join United States In Celebration OflndependenceDay By The Associated Press Americans the world over celebrated yesterday the na tion’s 170th birthday, the first peacelime Independence Day in five years. While those at home played at coast and country resorts, in dulged in sports and participat ed in patriotic exercises, Amer ican occupation troops in Eu rope and the Orient put on military displays. Philippine Independence While observing its own an niversary, the United States participated in the birth of the Philippine nation which receiv ed its independence after 43 years under the American flag. President Truman in Wash ington formally proclaimed in dependence of the islands, act ing under the Independence Act of March 24, 1934. In the islands themselves hundreds of thou sands of Filipinos and repre sentatives of 50 nations saw the American flag lowered and the banner of the new republic raised. Six thousand occupation troops paraded before Gen. Joseph T. McNarney in Frank furt in celebration of the day, and then like relatives at home, relaxed in a variety of recrea tions. Bolster Patriotism In occupied Japan, Lieut. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, commander of the U. S. Eighth army, asked his troops to bol See INDEPENDENCE On Page 3 RAIN PUTS CR1 P IN CELEBRATIONS Crowds Flock To Beach, Though, Despite Bad Weather It was Independence Day yester day, and the weather set a wonder, ful example as it celebrated the occasion like a true rugged indi-1 vidual. The day dawned and died under ; a sky as dark and wet as a drench, ed wool blanket. It was too damp for fire crack ers. and there were no fire-crack ers to be had anyway. Sun t omes uut But somewhere in the day’s mid dle age, somewhere around two o’clock in the afternoon, the timid sun suddenly became as aggres sive as a troop of Minute-Men. And at that moment the citizens of Wilmington declared their inde pendence against the drab Tory weather slipped quickly into their holiday clofhes, and lit the wet streets with the radiance of their own rugged individualism. By the thousands, in automobiles of vintages '26 to ’46, they stormed the beach bastions. And they held their position from then till dusk like the soldiers of Bunker Hill. Thousands At Beaches There are no turnstiles at Wrightsville Beach or Carolina Beach. It wa simpossible to count the number of legs, clothed and bare, and divide by two. But that there were thousands is beyond dispute. They lined the sound side of Wrightsville Beach like a solid wall of humanity as they watched the sailboat regatta and the mo torboat races. They jammed the bowling alleys like oversize 10-pins, and they bobbed in the surf like corks from a thousand fishing poles. At Carolina Beach it was the same picture with only a sligh'// different background. They were the same people here as at Wrightsville, as at Atlantic City. New York. Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles aid Podunk Hollow. Weather No Match They were an awfully free peo ple having an awfully good time on the 170ih anniversary of an awfully important day. And they couldn’t have celebrat ed it better than the way they did. The weather, like a number of past enemies, was no match for them. _ NAVY RESEARCHERS SHOW HUMAN SHOCK ABSORBER TO AMA SAN FRANCISCO, July 4. — (IP) — An ingenious human sock absorber designed to save lives and minimize injury in airplane crashes was introduc ed before the American Medi cal association Thursday by Navy researchers. It is a harness which utilizes the stretchability of nylon to cushion impacts of approxi mately the same magnitude as airplane occupants rece i v e when their plane crashes nose first. In tests the device protected volunteers against impacts °f 2500 foot pound , which means a force sufficient to lift that much weight one foot off the ground. That same impact is See RESEARCHERS on Page 3 MARINE OFFICER HELD IN THEFTS FBI Probing Diversion Of $1,000,000 Worth Of Government Bonds SAN FRANCISCO, July 4.—(^P)— Channels through which $1,000,000 worth of government property in cluding 200,000 cases of beer, dis appeared were checked by the FBI Thursday night in an investiga tion which already has resulted in the detention of a Marine corps officer at Camp Pendleton, near Oceanside, Calif. The Navy, in confirming the broad outlines of the case, said in quiry is being made into the ac tivities of several San Franciico, and Los Angeles firms as possible outlets for the suspected diversion. The government goods also in cluded 2,000 wrist watches, textiles and leather goods. Turn Offer Down Two San Francisco men, sub poenaed as witnesses at a federal grand jury session unexpectedly cancelled Wednesday, were report ed to have made statements to the FBI that they turned down an offer for the sale of beer to civilian outlets in return for $31,000 cash. The FBI’s only comment was that the investigation is continuing. Suggesting the rase may involve See MARINK on Page Three Along The Cape Fear BACK TO THE WALL — Like Raferty, the Irish poet, we find ourself with our back to the wall this morning. Unlike Raferty, however, we do not find ourself “with our back to the wall, a-playing music unto empty pockets.” On the contrary, we find ourself with our back to the wall a-saying abject apologies unto two irate citi zens of Columbus county. Compared with us, Raferty was in an exceedingly enviable position. * * * RAMROD POSITION — Yester day and the day before, you may recall, we wrote at some length about the Sampson County Year Book of 1946, by_ Mrs. Taft Bass. We lauded the tome, and we chid other Southeastern North Carolina counties for not publishing similar books. Suppose, now, that we write out for you the letters we received from the two irate citizens of Col umbus county, difficult though it is to do so in this ramrod position against the wall. * * * LEADING SAMPSON — “Dear| Cape Fear—I’m going to tell Editor Jim Rogers of the News Reporter in Whiteville to come down and bite you. Columbus coun ty, through aforesaid Grade A Citi zen Rogers, is not going to fol low Sampson county in publishing. “It is leading Sampson county so far out in front that perhaps you have lost sight. Our recent book — Columbus County — has elicited praise from all over North Carolina, west as well as east. “Seriously, if you do not have a copy I will remedy that defect. “Sincerely, E. Evans Ulrich, Box 66, Lake Waccamaw, N. C.’’ * * * NARY A CHIRP — That’s the first letter. Here’s the second: “Along the Cape Fear—Weeks ago we sent The Star a copy of ‘Columbus County, North Carolina,' but nary a chirp did we hear. Now comes ‘Along the Cape Fear’ wondering if any other Southeast ern North Carolina county has published anything comparable to Mrs. Taft Bass’ admirable book about Sampson county. “Since the copy I sent you prob ably found a place in the waste See CAPE FEAR on Page Three FILIPINOS SHOUT “RAYALAN” CRIES Islands Formally Observe Independence Granted By U. S. MANILA, July 4 —VP)—Cries of “Kalayan” (freedom) rang from Barrio to Barrio, from island to island, throughout the Philippines Thursday night as Filipinos cele brated their newly gained inde pendence. The festivities, some of which will continue for several days, were topped by the official ball at Mala canan palace. 27 Nations Represented There, President and Mrs. Man uel A. Roxas received the rep resentatives of 27 nations, includ ing scores from the United States whose solemn independence cove nant with the Philippines was ful filled earlier at colorful ceremonies at Luenta Plaza bordering Manila Bay. From Washington came word that President Truman had formally proclaimed the independence of the islands. His proclamation was read at the headquarters of the termi nated commonwealth government. It recognized the new republic and officially surrendered on behalf of the United States "all rights of pos session, supervision, jurisdiction, control or sovereignty” over the archipelago. Among those welcomed at Mala canan was Paul V. McNutt, who earlier had presented his creden tials as the first American ambas sador, and General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, on his first visit to Manila since leaving last August for the surrender of Japan. In receiving the new ambassador during the afternoon President Rox_ as said: “Our two countries will be u"ited by the unbreakable bonds of mu tual respect and affection — bonds forged in the common struggle in peace and war for the greater hap 1 piness and welfare of our two peo ples.’’ The United States congressional delegation tentatively planned to leave Friday, but some members were uncertain whether they would continue their world tour via Asia and Europe. Delegates of other nations plan ned to leave over the weekend A full round of events on Man ila’s social calendar will celebrate the occasion through Saturday night. As Filipinos commemorated the day anticipated for years since breaking the Spanish rule mar y a thought turned to their former great champion of freedom, Manuel Quezon. He died in the United States during the war before see ing his cherished idea! fulfilled. His body is being returned on the U. S. Aircraft Carrier Prince ton for burial in the soil he work ed so hard to free. Barkley Predicts Bill Will Get Quick Approval Measure Would Be Effective Until June 80, 1947, And Be Retroactive To Death Of Old Control Act WASHINGTON, July 4.—(AP)—A new one-year price control bill was approved by the Senate Banking committee Thursday night. Democratic Leader Barkley (Ky.), announced he has “every reason to believe” it will be enacted. The committee approved it by a vote of 12 to 5. Barkley said he hopes to call it up for action on the BIG FOUR COUNCIL SETS PEACE DATE July 29 Announced Fori Opening Of 21-Nation European Meeting PARIS, July 4. —(£>)— The For eign Ministers council fixed July 29 as the date for the opening of the 21-nation European peace con ference, British sources said, and then continued in session Thursday night wrestling with the tough question of Italian reparations. The council agreed to award Rus sia $100,000,000 in reparations from Italy but clashed repeatedly on the sources from which to obtain these payments, informants reported. French Foreign Minister Georges Bidault proposed the July 29 date following a recess of an hour and a half in which the four ministers conferred in Bidault’s office. Only interpreters were with the minis ters, British sources said. British Foreign Secretary Ernest Bevin, Soviet Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov and U. S. Secretary of State James F. Byrnes approved the motion in that order. The council then instructed the deputy ministers to draft by Fri day the text of the invitations which are to be sent out to the other Allied nations as soon as possible. Taking up the Italian reparations issue, Byrnes made one concession to Soviet claims in agreeing to al low the Russians to draw some of See BIG FOUR On Page Three ACL TAXES HELP COUNTY SCHOOLS 51.33 Per Cent Of Pay ments Go To Education Purposes Combined taxes paid by local railroads +o New Hanover county for the county general budget fund during'the fiscal year just passed, totaled $15,093.72, figures obtained from the county auditor, show. Of this total amount exactly 51.. 33 per cent was alloted for opera tion of the county’s schools. The school fund, divided into three major allotments, is com posed of the general school fund; the school supplement and the school sinking fund. Auditor’s Clerk T. C. Ellers pointed out. Tax Division Of the railroad dollars paid into the county treasury during 1945 for operation of schools in the fiscal year 10 per cent was allcted to the general school fund; 33 1-2 per cent was channeled for 1he school supplement, and eight per cent for the school sinking fund, making a See ACL On Page Three UNSEEN FORCES LETHAL Radio-Activity Makes A-Bomb Fleet Killer __ - ! ABOARD THE U.S.S. AP PALACHIAN, Friday, July 5— (/P)—The unseen forces of the atomic, bomb — blast and lethal rays _ portrayed it today as a fleet killer even though ships came through its unearthly fire. Capt. George Lyon, a radio logical safety officer, declar ed that the entire fleet of 73 ships would have been left help less by Monday’s atomic ex plosion had it been fully man ned. “Many not killed by the blast would have been unable to carry on their duties because of illness from the radiation.” he told a news conference. What might have happened to men at battle stations above or below decks was unfolding in the story of the test animals still alive after the bomb let go in a blinding flash off the Nevada’s stern. Although 90 per cent of the animals came through alive, many were beginning to show a falling blood count, the deadly after-effect of exposure to radi ation. See KILLER on Page Three Senate floor t may. The bill differs in two important respects from the measure vetoed by President Truman last Saturday as “an impossible bill.” Modifications These are modifications sponsor ed by Barkley in pricing provisions covering manufacturers, whole salers and retailers. Ten Democrats and two Repub licans—Senators Buck of Delaware and Capehart of Indiana—voted to report tbe bill favorably. Five Republicans opposed it. Two members of the committee were absent. The bill would renew price and rent control until June 30, 1947. Bar Prosecutions It would be retroactive to the death of the old price control law as far as regulations prevailing June 30 were concerned. However, it contains a clause which would bar civil or criminal prosecution for any price rises above the June 30 ceilings during the interim be tween death cf the old law and enactment of the new. Barkley reported that Price Ad ministrator Paul Porter, who sat with the committee most of its long holiday session, said the com mittee’s revision of the pricing provisions would be “workable and he could administer them.” See OPA on Page Three BENSONLEADING IN MANAGER RACE City Council May Select Permanent Man At To day’s Meeting With Acting City Manager J. ... Benson leading the list of about a dozen candidates, the city council may select a permanent city manager in a special council ses sion this morning, Mayor W. Ron. aid Lane announced yesterday. With the exception of Benson and a few others, most of the candi dates are out-of-towners, the may or said. Well Qualified A majority of the applicants, Mayor Lane continued, seem well qualified for the position, but he reiterated that he and four of the councilmen are strongly in favor of Benson. If the seven-man board votes unanimously for him, Benson has said he will accept the post origi nally offered to him late last April. To Review Budget Today's special council session will also function as the first con ference on the 1946-47 municipal budget. With tentative proposals already sending the new budget $150,000 over last year’s, Benson has Mid there must be several drastic cut* made in order not to overburden city funds. Contract Renewal It is also expected that today's meeting will bring forth a renewal of the city’s street-lighting con. tract with the Tide Water Power company. And So To Bed This letter from Ben R. Clay ton is so good that we pass it on to you unedited: “A few mornings ago two of my friends and I drove to Wrightsville Beach for a swim and parked just south of the fishing pier at Lumina. Upon enr- return to the car we found a folded piece of paper under the windshield wiper. When we opened it up a dime dropped out and the following message was written on the crumpled piece of paper: “ ‘Dear Sir: Just to be honest —we borrowed a valve cap off of your front right tire. Here is 10 cents in payment. It was an emergency, sir. We had to have it. (Signed) A Friend’.”