FORECAST Served By Leased Wires •t the Wilmington and vicinity: Rain and UNITED PRESS slightly colder tonight; Thursday cloudy g,( and continued cold with possible light ASSOCIATED PRESS snow‘ With Complete Coverage of . State and National New* YOLT80.—NO. 67. WILMINGTON, N. C., WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 1947 ~ ESTABLISHED 18fi7 I i ' -- 1 ■ —— - - - _ HISTORIC ACT Truman Shifts Atom Program To People Executive Order Places Nation’s Vast ‘Energy’ Facilities In Hands Of New Civilion Commission WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.—OT —President Truman, in a his toric year-end ceremony, Tues day signed an executive order shifting control over the na tion’s $2,250,000,000 atomic energy program from military to exilian hands. Coinciding with his procla mation declaring the World War II “period of hostilities” ended, Mr. Truman turned over the Army’s famed Manhattan project to the new Civilian Atomic commission. The order, effective at mid night also transfers possession of atomic weapons, fissionable materials, equipment and re search scattered over 18 slates. " In the future, the President is empowered by Congress to authorize the production of atomic bombs or other atomic weapons, but Tuesday’s cere mony placed emphasis on the productive peace-time use of atomic energy. Chairman David E. Lilienthal and other members of the civil ian group looked on as Mr. Truman signed the formal or der. Also present was Maj. Gen. Leslie Groves, head of the Army’s wartime district which developed the atomic bomb. Groves’ part in the program is now ended. Conscious of the dramatic overtones, Lilienthal told news men.: “Tonight at midnight, the people of the United States turn over to five civilians the most potent weapon of all times. With a Congressional charter, they take direction of a program to develop the peaceful and beneficial possi bilities of this great discovery developed before the war.’’ City Bond Sale Slated For Approval By Council THOUSANDS GREET ARRIVAL OF 1947 Light Mist Fails To Dampen Celebration Here On New Year’s Eve A light mist was falling at the stroke of midnight last night, but the spirits of thousands of merry makers was not dampened, as car after car passed along Front street with their horns blowing. Still hundreds of residents and service men-visitors walked up and down the “main drag” blowing horns and taking advantage of other methods of making noise to Usher in 1947. While many lined the streets, other Wilmingtonians attend watch night services in many churches throughout the city. Night clubs reported a brisk busi ness. Private parties were being held in many homes throughout the city. Last night’s celebration, the sec ond New Year’s since the end of World War II, was much larger than last year. More people, auto mobiles and more noise was noted in the down-town area. Many retail stores and govern ment offices will be closed today, it has been previously announced. The post office will observe the day by closing, although the parcel post window and the general de livery windows will be open from 10 a. m. until 12 o’clock noon. There will be no home deliveries by carriers, Postmaster Wilbur Dosher said. The county courthouse, city hall and customshouse will join with the offices of the Community Chest, the Veterans administration, N. C. Veteran’s commission and North Carolina Employment service in closing. The Community Center will be closed for the day as the USO takes over to entertain visiting service men. Many hunters are expected to take advantage of the extra day hunting allowed in lay-day counties. (Continued On Page 2; Col. 4) BANBONE’S MENTATIONS By Alley ----- 1 1 U>0K UK A HEAP o' £AN'l PATES DON' 4»T MANS VOTES IN DES HOME TOVSN 10O MANS K»N FOU4S, I KECK'Nl (Released by Tbe Bell Syn Inc.) Trade Mark . - - - w See. u. b. Pat, Office) J Local Government Commit tee Expected To Offer Issue January 14 The form in detail for the sale of $1,003,000 in city bonds is slated for approval at a meeting of the city council Thursday morning, City Manager J. R. Benson said last night. Benson explained that the bonds will be sold in Raleigh January 14 by the local government commit tee, with a good deal of interest in the issuance of the bonds ex pected from individuals and syn dicates throughout the area. The council, which will hold its regular bi-monthly meeting Thurs day instead of today in view of New Year’s day holiday, is ex pected to approve final arrange ments for the sale of the bonds and associated coupons. Delivery is scheduled for February 4, with the bonds going to the bidder of fering the lowest interest rate. Also included on the Thursday agenda is action on a raised bid for steam radiators recently offer ed for sale by the city. A bid high er than the one tenatively accept ed at the sale has been received and consequently another sale is required. Benson said. Bids for a mess hall building at tile Marine hospital site were re ceived at the same time as bids for the radiators but since no higher price has been offered and since the time limit for consideration of other offers has expired, then the building is in another status and is not scheduled to be offered for sale again. Bids on cast iron piping, used by the city for extending water into new areas, will also be opened at the council session. Benson pointed out that even though a cer tain amount of pipe is now on hand for the city, more will be needed and bids will be considered with this in view. “Dates” Galore NEW YORK, Dec. 31. — (TP)— If you don’t have a nice glossy 1947 calendar to brighten your wall Wednesday, it won’t be the fault of the nation’s remembrance ad vertising industry. Approximately 150,000,000 calen dars have been made and distribu ted for the new year, mohe than enough to provide one for every person in the United States. An industry spokesman it sure that this is an all-time mark. He estimates that the banks, railroad companies, insurance firms and others who like to have their names before your eyes all year have spent $100,000,000 on the 1947 calendars, another neiV record. fPeels Potatoes Pvt. James M. Hill, 18, of Robin son, 111., wtio earned the praise of his commanding officer by a tale of balking bandits attempting a payroll robbery at Hamilton Field, San Francisco, last night was do ing KP after the FBI proved that his story was just brilliant imagi nation. WOMAN WOUNDED BY FAKE CAMERA Allegedly Hired By Man, To Take Picture, Blonde Shoots Young Wife NEW YORK, Dec. 31 — (jP) — An attractive blonde — who said she apparently had been duped by a vengeful husband — snapped what she thought was a concealed camera’s shutter in a crowded Times Square subway station Tuesday and critically wounded a young Brooklyn housewife with a terrific shotgun blast. Mrs. Olga Rocco, 28, her right thigh torn by the full charge from a 12 guage sawed-off shotgun hid den in a package trimmed with gay Christmas wrapping, fell to the platform in an agonizing scream as startled subway passen gers scurried to cover. Police took into custody Miss Pearl Lusk, 19, a well dressed, pretty blonde who, still standing stunned with the package in her hands, told them she thought she was taking a picture of Mrs. Rocco. Patrolman William V/alsh, the first policeman on the scene, said he asked the wounded woman, “Why did this woman shoot you?” Mrs. Rocco replied, he said: “You fool, she didn’t shoot me. My husband did.” Police said Miss Lusk then said (Continued On Page 2; Col. 5) BIRDCOUNTHERE MAY WIN TITLE Local Club Tabulates 97 Species During Annual Census Wilmington’s chances of leading the entire state in the annual Christmas bird census for 1946 are extremely bright following the release last night of the report on the December 28 count made in this area. Each year all over the nation local bird clubs, groups and indi viduals cooperate with the National Auduborn society in making the Christmas count of the number and kinds of birds in their respective communities. The count made here last week showed 97 species and 3402 in dividual birds, according to Mrs. Cecil Appleberry, president of the local bird club. Other officers in the organization are Miss Helen Lovering, vice president; Miss Marjory Voss, secretary; and R. Warwick Baker, treasurer. In 1945 when the first bird cen sus was taken here a total of 61 species was tabulated. And accord ing to the current issue of “The (Continued on Page 2, Col. 1) Today And Tomorrow By WALTER LIPPMANN BARUCH’S EITHER—OR If it were true—as Mr. Baruch declared the other day—that “it is either — or,” everlasting peace would be just around the corner. But in fact it is neither the one nor the other. , It is not true, and it was never true, that the Canadians, the Brit ish, and the French, who have been disposed towards “voting against our (Mr. Baruch’s) posi tion,” thereby “agree that a crim inal” should have the “right” to “nullification of punishment by what can be called a subterfuge.” Not even in the heat of debate was Mr. Baruch entitled to suggest that General McNaughton, Sir Alex ander Codogan, and M. Parodi have been trying to help criminal governments to resort to subter fuges. Nor is his alternative — as Mr. Baruch has stated it—a true one. He said that he would not recom mend to the Senate a treaty on atomic energy “which is open to nullification of punishment.” His argument is that if “a violator” does “not have a veto to protect himself against the consequences Continued On Page 5; Col. 3 Utility Firmj Reveals Plan Of Expansion One And A Half Million Dollar Program Told By Tide Water RATES CUT TODAY Consumers In Area To Save $60,000 Under New Re duction Schedule A new construction ana general improvement program involving the expenditure of one and a half million dollars and covering ali phases of operation in southeastern North Carolina was revealed yes terday by officials of the Tide Water Power company. It was pointed out at the time of the announcement that plans for the program had been mapped for some time but delays followed on the heels of war and post-war shortage of materials and equip mes. At the same time, rate reductions effecting savings of $60,000 a year to consumer* was announced by company president Warren Bell, with the reduction to go into effect today. The rate cut followed discussion by the city council of the utility’s proposal for a reduction in the basic power rate on March 13 of this year. The proposal had been placed before the state utilities commission at an earlier date. Four hundred and fifty miles of electrical service extensions, large ly in rural areas, figure prominent ly in expansion plans announced by the company. Among other major projects is (Continued On Page 2; Col. 4) NEW YEAR CALLED FINE OPPORTUNITY Dr. John Glenn Addresses Methodist Youth * At Night Services "The New Year affords us the opportunity of making 1947 better than the past one,” Dr. John C. Glenn, superintendent of the Wil mington District of the Methodist church, said in his New Year’s message to the Methodist youth of Wilmington at a watch-night service in the Grace Methodist church here last night. Dr. Glenn spoke on the subject: "1947—A Golden Gate of Oppor tunity.” “We are facing the new year in the midst of a world filled with many difficulties. The problems incident to the period of re-adjust ment, strikes, civil wars in distant lands, universal peace efforts, and domestic ills have caused many Americans to degenerate into a hysteria of fear. They see only the black spots on the checker-board of life,” Dr. Glenn stated. “As we face 1947, let us learn the Master’s secret. We cannot control international events, strikes, floods and earthquakes, but there are many things we can control. Here is where Christian ity comes in,” Dr. Glenn Con tinued. "We cannot control the length of our days, but we can determine the breadth and quality of life. No man can determine his physical height, but he has all to do with the height of his thoughts. "Man cannot determine the phys ical atmosphere of his city or na tion, but he can determine the moral atmosphere. It can be warm, radiant and pleasant, so I regard 1947 as the Golden Gate of Opportunity,” Dr. Glenn con cluded. LABOR GOVERNMENT TAKES OVER BRITISH COAL MINES; TRUMAN ORDER CUTS TAXES - i,----- - Proclamation By President Big Surprise Presidential Action Yields Many Government War Powers At Midnight CONTROT. SCRAPPED Unless Congress Acts, Rev enues Will Be Lowered As Of June 30, 1947 WASHINGTON, Dec. 31_ (/P) — President Truman sprang a major New Year’s Eve surprise Tuesday by yield ing many of the government’s war powers—an action which means a $1,500,000,000 tax cut and scrapping of the biggest strike control weapon. The White House bomb shell took the form of a procla mation which declared that "hostilities of World War II” ceas ed as of noon Tuesday. The result of this legal recogni tion that the shooting was over was that 18 extraordinary laws died forthwith. The proclamation also meant that 33 others are doom ed to die next June 31, or later. About $1,500,000,000 a year will be knocked, off the nation’s tax bill six months hence—unless Con gress legislates otherwise—by the (Continued On Page 2; Col. 3) GROUnO LAUNCH FIGHT FOR FUNDS Wilmington Port Commis sion Joins Forces With Other Eastern Ports A proposal that the Wilmington Port Commission join other eastern ports in seeking the release of riv ers and harbors funds, now frozen by the federal government, was adopted yesterday at a meeting of the commission. Members of the group indicated their approval of a program initiat ed by the American Merchant Ma rine' institute whereby all ports on the Atlantic combine forces in ef forts to have money for port im provement released. Meanwhile, the decision was reached to seek the aid of the North Carolina congressional dele gation in filing a complaint that the local port has suffered from dis crimination as concerns water borne commerce. The port commission is prepar ing to present a formal complaint to the Interstate Commerce com mission charging that Wilmington is faced with discrimination by shippers as regards service and rates. C. D. Hogue, chariman of the local body, suggested that a con ference of tobacco and textile offi cials of the state might result in bringing more tonnage to Wilming ton. Along The Cape Fear HAPPY NEW YEAR — Amid the usual quandary that Along The Cape Fear finds itself when we start the arduous task of making New Year resolutions, we wish to pause to wish each of you a most joyous New Year. And we sincerely hope that high on your list of New Year resolu tions is to continue the most gra cious aid and assistance that you have given Along The Cape Fear. Without the encouragement we receive in the form of letters, postal cards, telephone calls, per sonal visits, and tire loan of valu able old photographs and booklets, plus the kind words that float our way Along The Cape Fear’s daily chore would become a burden. As it is, we look forward each day to seeing what local lore, in danger of being forgotten in the Port City, we can dish up for our readers. So again let us extend a most hearty Happy New Year to you and yours. RAIL CHATTER—The Port City without the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad company is just about as conceivable as Wilmington without the Cape Fear river. So important is the ACL to Southeastern North Carolina that anything about rail roads is always of interest. Thanks to Forrest Hull writing in the current issue of “Tracks Chesapeake and Ohio Lines Maga zine,” we can bring you these notes on the early days of rail travel: Strong drafts created by the great balloon or diamond-shaped smoke stacks of pre-War Between the States trains sent live sparks from the wood-burning fires flying over the countryside, setting fire to woods and fields, and also to clothing and whiskers of bearded passengers. In those days trainmen refused to wear uniforms, objecting to them on the grounds that they smacked of English servants’ “livery.” (Continued on Page 2, Col. 2) In Spotlight Show These swans are one of the main feature attractions at the annual poultry show being held in Madison Square Garden, New York City. They were hatched in a special incubator. (International) The Weather FORECAST South Carolina — Rain Wednesday and Thursday mixed with sleet and snow extreme northwest portion Wednesday night and Thursday. Slightly colder Wednesday and Wednesday night and continued cold Thursday. North Carolina—Rain on the coast and freezing rain, in interior Wednesday changing to snow in mountains Wednes day and over central portion Wednesday night. Slightly colder Wednesday and Wednesday night, Thursday cloudy and continued cold with light snow. (Eastern Standard Time) (By U. S. Weather Bureau) Meteorological data for the 24 hours ending 7:30 p.m. yesterday. Temperatures 1:30 a.m. 42; 7:30 a m. 44; 1:30 p.m. 48. 7:30 p.m. 49. Maximum 50; Minimum 41; Mean 46; Normal 47. Humidity 1:30 a.m. 82; 7:30 a.m. 72; 1:30 p.m. 74; 7:30 p.m. 71. Precipitation Total for 24 hours ending 7:30 p.m. — 0.00 inches. Total since the first oft he month — 2.10 inches. Tides For Today (From the Tide Tables published by U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey). High Low Wilmington - 4:06 a.m. 11:27 a.m. 4:28 p.m. 11:47 p.m. Masonboro Inlet - 1:40 a.m. 8:05 a.m. 2:00 p.m. 8:32 p.m. Sunrise 7:18; Sunset 5:14; Moonrise 12:55 p.m.; Moonset 12:58 a.m. River stage at Fayetteville, N. C. at 8 a.m. Tuesday, 11.2 feet. SNAPPYNEWYEAR GREETS AMERICA Weatherman Offers Chilly Greeting To Most Of Nation Today By The Associated Press The Weather man wished most of the nation a very snappy New Year today. There was plenty of warmth—in side both America’s homes and its citizens—but Little Kid 1947 walk ed in on a chilly reception from mother, nature. The old year blustered out, leav ing most of the country covered with a cold air mass stretching from the Rockies to the Atlantic coast and even dipping into some normally balmy areas. Texas was gripped by one of its worst snow storms in recent years, with the heaviest fall reported as seven inches at Dennison on the Red River in North Texas. Cotton Bowl fans at Dallas found numer ous highways into the city impass able because of an icy coating. Texas cities receiving sizable snowfalls included Fort Worth, Waco, San Antonio, Big Springs, Abilene and Brady. GOP TO ATTEMPT OUSTER OF BILBO Senate Steering Committee Votes To Start Proceed ings Against ‘The Man’ WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 — (U.R) - The Republican drive to bar Sen. Theodore G. Bilbo, D., Miss., from the Senate went into high gear Tuesday night with a unanimous decision by the GOP Steering com mittee to start ouster proceedings against “the man." Sen. Robert A. Taft, R., O., chair man of the committee, said his group will make its recommenda tion to the POG conference when it meets Thursday afternoon. The Ohioan said it is now “cer tain" that Bilbo’s right to his seat will be challenged and that the only point unsettled is the tim ing of the move. He said the Steering committee has not decided yet whether to challenge Bilbo before he is sworn in for his third Senate term Fri day or to seek his removal after he is seated. Taft said he intends to discuss the question with both Republican and Democratic Senators, includ ing Senate Democrat Leader Al ben W. Barkley of Kentucky. Word of the GOP strategy lead ers’ decision came after the Sen ate Campaign Investigating com mittee divided along party lines on the question whether Bilbo should forfiet his place in Congress for raising the white supremacy is sue in last July’s Mississippi pri mary. TWO BOYS BORN AFTER MIDNIGHT IN STORK DERBY Baby boys were born at 12:01 a.rn. this morning in James Walker Memorial hospital to share honors as Wilmington’s first arrival for 1947-. Hospital attaches reported that both Mrs. Evelyn Bland, 231 Vance street, Maffitt Vil lage, and Mrs. Daphene Scruggs, 23 North Jackson street gave birth to a son be fore the New Year was two minutes old. Mrs. Bland was attended by Dr. William Dosher and Mrs. Scruggs by Dr. George John son. Both mothers and sons were reported “doing fine’’ early this morning. PAGE MARS Huge Warhead Goes Up But Hasn't Come Down I WASHINGTON, Dec. 31.—(ff)— Scientists and War department ordnance experts faced the New Year Tuesday night with a worry never before experienced by man since Newton went to sleep under an apple tree. What goes up must come down. That’s the law of gravity, discov ered when the falling apple hit Newton. But does it always That’s what baffles the experts in trying to account for a one-ton warhead which disappeared off a modified German V-2 rocket out in “the wild blue yonder” over New Mexico. Lt. Col. Harvey Rivkins of Ordnance headquarters disclosed Tuesday that the warhead vanish ed ten days ago when the rocket “blew its top” at an altitude of 114 miles—the highest ever at tained by a man-made contrivance. Col. Rivkins, just returned from (Continued On Page 2; Col. 5) Attlee Faces Supreme Test Of Socialism World-Girdling Communi cations Network Also Passes To People CABINET “HUDDLES” Lord Hyndley Declares New Move Is “Great Adven ture By Public” LONDON, Dec. 31_(>P)_ Ownership of Britain’s vast coal industries and world girdling communications net work pass to the government as the New Year’s bells ring Tuesday night, heralding a supreme test of socialism on which the Labor government will stand or fall. Operating the coal mines successfully, in the face of an unprecedented shortage of fuel which