FORECAST:
Wilmington and vicinity: Fair and
moderate temperatures today: Saturday
fair and slightly warmer.
VOL. 80—NO. 272._~ WILMINGTON, N. C., FRIDAY, JULY 4, 1947 ~ ~ " ESTABLISHED 1867
May,Garssons
Found Guilty
Federal Jury Convicts
Former Congressman,
Brothers Of Fraud
WASHINGTON, July 3—OJ.R)— A
,,„0,.ai jury today convicted for
i:er‘ Kentucky Congressman An
arew J. May and the arms-mak
ipe Gsrsson brothers on all three
oj-nts of a $53,000 wartime brib
»' -I fraud and conspiracy charge.
Xue shaken defendants, still
protesting their innocence, an
mo meed immediately that they
would appear the verdict, which
ca-rieS a maximum sentence of
IX years in jail and a $30,000 fine
for each.
Thi date for sentencing is ex
pected to be set in about two
weeks. Pending outcome of their
appeal, May and the Garssons.
Berry A. and Murray, will remain
j,.ee In the same $2,500 bond they
posted at their arraignment last
January.
The seven men and five women
jurors spent 47 days listening to
the massive array of evidence
and argument presented by both
sides. It took them just one hour
and 50 minutes to decide that the
government had proved May sold
his high office as wartime chair
man of the House Military Af
fairs oommittee to the $78,000,000
Illinois munitions cm&bine oper
ated by the Garssons.
The jurors received their formal
charge from Federal District
Judge Henry A. Schweinhaut last
night but were not sent out to con
sider their verdict until 9:25 a.m.,
E. D. T., today.
At 11:15 a.m., they filed back
into the courtroom and the defend
ants arose nervously to face them.
Jury Foreman George E. Wells,,
a white-haired government drafts
man, announced in a clear, firm
voice that the jurors had found
ail three defendants guilty as
charged.
The 72-year-old ex-congressman
leaned heavily on the defendants’
table and his body jerked slightly,
but he showed no other sign of emo
tion.
Henry Garsson, the dapper
"brains” of the munitions com
bine, took the verdict impassively,
almost casually. He had been read
ing a book, "Saints and Strangers,”
while the jury was out.
His brother, a dark-bearded, vig
orous man, pressed his Tips into a
thin, tight line. He stared at the
jurors as each called out a firm
"guilty as charged” in response to
defense counsel's request for an
individual poll. Then he burst into
tears and shouted defiantly to the
knot of reporters crowding about
him:
"I’m still not guilty.”
He was led out of the courtroom
by a defense attorney, covering his
bespectacled eyes with his hands
and still crying out: "I'm not guil
ty.''
Her.ry Garsson, a shorter, mild
looking man, picked up his brief
case and moved toward the door.
He was smiling composedly and he
told the reporters in a well-control
led voice:
"We are not guilty. We will be
vindicated.”
May, who started in Democratic
politics as a county judge, main
tained an outward show of almost
judicial composure, although his
tor.gue kept flicking nervously over
his dry lips.
“I have no comment,” he told
See MAY on Page Two
CITY TO OBSERVE
INDEPENDENCE DAY
Patriotic Concert, Speech,
P r a y e r To Highlight
Night Program
Seats and lights are in place on
the steps of the city hall for Wil
mington’s first Fourth cf July cele
bration in several years.
Beginning at 8 p.m., tonight a
program of patriotic music, a talk
and prayer will be offered under
the sponsorship of Councilman J.
E. L. Wade. County, city officials
and representatives of patriotic
organizations will have seats of
honor.
The program will open with the
singing o{ “America”, followed by
an invocation by the Rev. R. L.
Sturgis, American Legion chap
lain. The Rev. Andrew J. Howell,
county historian, will speak for
“ve minutes on the meaning of
Independence day.
The Wilmington Community band
v'ill play a brief concert follow
by a drill and playing by the
Region drum and bugle corps. The
Program will conclude with the
s'nging of the national anthem.
The Weather
- FORECAST
south Carolina and North Carolina—
, moderate temperatures Friday,
w,1>' warmer Saturday.
(Eastern Standard Time)
Bv u. S. Weather Bureau)
Metf°roiog,Cai data for the 24 hours
dir'« 7:C0 P. m. yesterday.
. TEMPERATURES
m- 71: 7:30 a. m. 70: 1:30 p. m.
tv, ' ' 33 P m. 81; Maximum 86; Mini
m &6; Mean 76; Normal 79.
. HUMIDITY
a,. r,a- m- 88; 7:30 a. m. 68; 1:30 p.m.
’ 1:30 P- m. 52
T precipitation
t inche,t0r 24 hours ending 7:30 p. m.
1a' since the first of the month
“ inches.
(FV TIDES FOR TODAY
t; S °e ’'u' Tide Tables published by
-oast and Geodetic Survey).
'Vilmin« H,GH LOW
nington - 10:26 a.m. 5:27 a.m.
10:51 p.m. 5:25 p.m.
osonboro Inlet _ 8:05 ^ m 2:21 am
_ 8:34 p.m. 2:10 p.m.
8‘4fin- a'f Sunset 7:27; Moonrise
«P. Moorset 5:44a.
«. &~-pu4“®e at Fayettev. N. C. at 8
Th'irs. lo.i feet.
*,or» WEATHER Oa Rage Two
Rent Act Questions
Answered By
Office Of Control Breaks T'
Into Query Form For
Nation’s Tenant Mirons
WASHINGTON, July 3 — UP) —
The Office of Rent Control today
issued the following questions and
answers on the 1947 housing and
rent act which went into effect
July 1:
Lease to increase maximum
rents:
1. Q: Must a tenant sign a lease
providing for a 15 percent in
crease in rent':
A: No. The housing and rent act
of 1S47 provides that such agree
ment must be voluntary. The ten
ant who does not sign such lease
»s still protected by the rent regu
lations.
2. Q: May a tenant be evicted
if he refused to sign a lease un
der the provisions of the new act?
A: No. The signing of such lease
must be voluntary and a tenant
may be evicted only for one of
tne five specified causes set forth
in the housing and rent act of
1947.
3. Q: If a tenant does not sign
a lease providing for an increased
rent up to 15 percent, what is the
maximum rent he must pay after
July 1, 1947 and as long as the
present act continues in effect:'
A: The maximum rent in effect
on June 30, 1S47, is modified by
See BENT on Page Two
Grateful Nation Today
Celebrates Democracy
YOU SNEEZE THIS
HONOLULU, July 3—C^P)—1The
liner Matsonia is enroute to the
United States with a load o*
fish that Americans probably
will never taste but may cause
some tongue twisting.
One variety, destined for
aquariums in San Francisco and
San Diego is named “Thehum
uhumunukunukuapuaa.”
NEW TOWN BOARD
PLANS CLEANUP
Carolina Beach Council1
May Make War On Illegal
Games On Boardwalk
Carolina Beach faces a general
cleanup of games played at various
concessions along the boardwalk.
Action along this line is expected
from the new town board which
took office this week.
That was revealed yesterday in
Recorder’s court after a hearing in
which one concessioner was charg
ed with operating a gambling
game. The concessioner was found
guilty and fined $10 but Judge
Winfield Smith declined to rule
as to what actually is gambling
and suggested that the matter
should be taken to the Superior
Court.
The hearing lasting nearly two
hours, revolved around the question
of what is a gingo game. That
game is legalized at Carolina
Beach..
Still Unclarified
When yesterday’s hearing was
finished, the question as to what
a bingo game is, still was un
answered. Even a ruling—to be
more exact the lack of a ruling—
from the state attorney-general’s
office did not clarify the matter.
David Sinclair, attorney for
Glenn M. Stokes, charged with a
gambling offense, read a letter
which had been asked of the at
torney-general by his client. The
letter stated that the attorney
general can have no opinion as
to what bingo is, as the state legis
See NEW TOWN On Page Two
“LOST DUTCHMAN”
LEGEND GETS MAN
County Sheriff Starts
Search For Prospector
In Superstitutions
PHOENIX. Ariz., July 3
An amateur prospector was re
ported missing today after flying
into the forbidding Superstitution
mountains in a helicopter in
search of the fabulous Lost Dutch
man gold mine.
Sheriff Cal Bois said he had
been asked to search for James
A. Cravey, 62, retired Phoenix
photographer, reputed to have
employed a helicopter to replace
the old-time prospector’s burro as
a means of packing into the rug
ged range.
The sheriff said C. W. Vander
flute, friend of Cravey, reported
Cravey chartered the craft June
19 and had planned to walk out
of the mountains last Friday.
Vanderflute said Cravey believ
ed he had discovered the location
of the long sought Lost Dutchman
mine in a dream.
The Lost Dutchman is shroud
ed in legend, and its search has
cost the lives of many adventur
ers. Adolph Ruth, retired govern
ment clerk of Washington, D. C.,
went into the Superstitutions in
1932 in quest of the mine. His
bullet-pierced skull was found. He
was listed as the 18th victim of
the Lost Dutchman’s lure.
Americans Look Back 171
Years To Declaration
Of Independence
BY ROBERT MILLER
One hundred and seventy-one
years ago the people of the United
States were made free of the
tyranny of England with the sign
ing of the Declaration of Ind
pendence.
Since that time American citi
zens have celebrated July 4th.
First by shooting fireworks,
whose explosions symbolized the
cannon and musket fire of the
E evolution. Later the observance
was made a holiday and most of
the civic, county, state offices,
and business establishments
c'osed in order that their workers
might relax as they please.
Residents of this area as well
as others in the U. S. will flock
to the vacationlands of their de
sire. Others will remain at home
and enjoy the fredom of a demo
cracy as their ancestors did after
the hard-fought battle with Great
Britain years ago.
Six Wars
The revolution v. es the first war
the people of America fought. Af
ter 1776 there came the War of
1612; the Civil War. 1860; the
Spanish-American War, 1898;
World War I, 1917; and World
War II, 1941.
When Thomas Jefferson, author
of the Declaration of Independ
ence and John Hancock, president
of the congress in 1776, set their
signatures to the document with
the other signers, they made pos
sible the United State’s right to
fight for a freedom which has
been preserved through all the
years. But at the cost of blood
shed.
Meantime the army, the same
army which in 1776 began to bat
tle overwhelming odds, will cele
brate the first Independence Day
since 1940 on which all the men
are secured by the volunteer sys
tem.
Peace Strength
It marks the "settling down” of
the military force to 1,070,000
men, fixed by congress as the re
quired strength on July 1. The
million-man service, largest in
our peacetime history, is required
to carry out the army’s domestic
assignments plus overseas duties
in Europe and Asia.
Today also marks one of the
most disastrous of the year. De
spite pleas for “a, safe and sane
fourth” many people will die on
the highways and in other holiday
accidents.
This day is your day. The peo
ple of America fought for it. And
it will be commemorated for the
thousands who have died since
1776 in order that their country
men may enjoy peace.
SEVEN KILLED
14 INJURED
Tornado Strikes In Three
Places In North Da
kota Last Nnight
GRAND FORKS, N. D„ July 3.
—{IP)— At least seven persons were
killed and 14 hospitalized when a
tornado struck three places near
Grafton, N. D., early tonight.
Six migrant farm workers, three
of them children, were killed on
the Luther Kykken farm two miles
vest of Auburn and one man, Frank
Rogalla, died in a hospital after the
twister hit Warsaw, N. D., south
of Grafton. Mrs. Rogalla wag re
ported missing.
Nearly the entire town of War
saw was wiped out, States Attor
ney Wallace Warner said, with on
ly the Catholic church and town
hall left standing.
The migrant, laborers were all
members of several families, about
20 persons, living in one house
at the Lykken farm, seven miles
See SEVEN On Page Two
Advancing Flames Die
As Priest, Nuns Pray
BURBANK, CALIF., July3—VP)—
While a Catholic priest and two
runs knelt in prayer, a wall of
fire advancing on a wayside chap;
el suddenly halted and subsided,
leaving the little edifice unharmed,
police reported today
It was the strangest thing 1
have ever seen,” said Lieutenant
Kenneth K. Kippers of Burbank
police. “The flames came within
j 20 feet of the chapel then died
out. There was no noticeable
change in the wind.”
The flames, which had burned
dapproximately 1,200 acres, last
night swept toward the chapel, on
a hill above the Mother Cabrin
School for girls.
Father Innocent Mangus and
two nuns rushed from the school
to the chapel to remove sacred
objects but before doing so bowed
in prayer that the building be
spared.
Prayer Saves
Ailing Wife
Thousands Join In Suppli
cations For John’s
Hopkin’s Patient
BALTIMORE, Md., July 3—(U.R)
— Last week a tall, well-dressed
man walked into Johns Hopkins
hospital where his 41- year-old wife
was critically ill, and faced two
doctors.
The doctors were sympathetic
but they didn’t mince words.
“Your wife is dying,” one said
tov 51-year old Austin G. White,
a watchmaker.
They explained that an opera
tion was the only way to halt in
ternal bleeding.
‘'But she is so weax that she
probably will not survive the oper
ation,” another added.
White bowed his head. His wife
Audrey was his world. He had
spent the money he and Audrey
had saved for a home to provide
the best hospital care and doctors.
But it was not enough.
In God’s Hands
I knew then that she was in
the hands of God,” White said to
day.
‘‘I never was much of a Chris
tian and I didn’t go to church very
often.
“But, when all hope is gone, you
turn to Him.”
White prayed for his wife and
appeared to the public to pray, too.
His story has appeared in the
newspapers was picked up on the
radio, went out over the news wires
of the nation.
And all over the country, people
began to pray.
They prayed for a woman they
had never seen, whom they didn’t
know; prayed because one man
had asked for their help, the only
help they could give.
Some wrote White not to give
up hope. A school girl in Chicago
made daily trips to church. A
woman in Cleveland said morning
and evening prayers in her home.
A steel worker in Pittsburgh ask
ed St. Jude to intercede.
Thousands Pray
In Baltimore, people called
White at the hospital to tell him
they were praying, hundreds of
others visited his home to offer
See PRAYER On Page Two
INDIANASENATOR
WILL VISIT HERE
Homer E. Capehart To At
tend Meeting Of Music
Box Dealers
United States Senator Homer E.
Capehart of Indiana will arrive in
Wilmington today on a combined
business and pleasure trip and
while here, and Mrs. Capehart will
be the guests of Mr. and Mrs.
L. V. McCormack at their home
at Wrightsville Efcach.
Senator Capehart, who is «
member of the Senate Rivers and
Harbors committee of the upper
House of Congress is coming to
Wilmington to attend a meeting
of some three hundred dealers ol
coin operated music boxes who
will be here on Saturday for a
one-day showing of the new “Man
hattan” juke box. It is manufac
tured by the company which the
Indiana senator heads.
The meeting of dealers from
the three states of North and South
Carolina and Virginia will be held
Saturday under auspices of the
Whitehead Music company of Wil
mington, distributors for the three
states with headquarters in the
Jewel Box building.
While no set program has been
arranged for the entertainment of
Senator Capehart while he is in
Wilmington, it is more than likely
that an effort will be made to
take him on a tour of the lower
Cape Fear where dredging opera
tions are now going on for the
deepening of the river channel to
32 feet, and the Wilmington water
front. __
House Committee Approves
GOP - Backed Tax Slash Act;
22 Nations To Get Plan Bids
New Date Set
For Meeting
Work On Marshall Formu
la For European Recov
ery Starts July 12
PARIS, July 3. —(U.R)— France
and Great Britain today asked 22
other European nations to meet
with them here July 12 and start
work on the Marshall recovery
plan.
Russia, Franco Spain and Ger
many alone were excluded.
Russia is out by her own de
cision. Spain is out until the re
gime of Generalissimo Francisco
Franco is ousted. But the Western
occupation zones of Germany will
be brought into the conference
through the United States, British
and French Military governments.
The following 22 countries were
invited to join France and Great
Britain in the conference:
Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bul
garia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark,
Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ice
land, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Port
ugal, Romania, Sweden, Switzer
land, Turkey and Yugoslavia.
To Draw Program
The conference is to draw up the
program of self-help, mutual co
operation and relief needs for pres
entation to Secretary of State
George C. Marshall, which he ask
ed when he made the offer in his
Harvard speech June 5.
Russian Foreign Minister Viache
slav Molotov, who broke up the
Big Three Foreign Ministers con
ference yesterday by announcing
the Kremlin’s decision to boycott
the Marshall plan, left Paris for
Moscow by plane at 3:14 a. m.
without bidding farewell to French
Foreign Minister Georges Bidault
or British Foreign Secretary Ern
est Bevin.
It was believed that the Russian
Along The Cape Fear
SABATAGE DISCONVERED —
It was along about the last of
March, 1941, that Lt. Henry
Garcia, now commander, of the
Coast Guard, with Assistant Col
lector of Customs, E. C. Snead,
boarded the •‘Villarperoso”. Their
purpose was to ask the captain,
Acirianne Merlano to move the
vessel up to Horseshoe Bend.
They explained to him that the
new berth would be without
charge.
The captain agreed readily to
the suggestion but asked for 25
days to put his motors in running
condition.
As Garcia and Snead walked
ashore Garcia remarked that in
25 days all the engines could be
completely overhuled and re
assembled and then there would
be some time to spare.
Without further ado a tug was
ordered to move the “Villar
peros” to Horseshoe Bend where
no damage could be done.
This was done and shortly af
ter Lt. W. D. Shields, now com
mander, of the Coast Guard, put
a group of men on board to guard
the vessel. They found the engine
room locked.
* * *
SEIZURE — The Coast Guard
stayed on board all night and next
day they received word to seize
the ship. Snead and the Coast
Guard officers found the captain
or the craft dressed up in his
navy uniform, bedecked with
medals. He produced the key to
the engine room. All the power
plants were found to be smashed.
Later it was discovered that scrap
metal had been placed in the mo
tor blocks and the engines had
been turned over, cracking the
cylinders and the blocks. Sledge
hammers did the rest.
A search for explosives reveal
ed nothing and the searchers dis
covered that the seacocks were
undisturbed.
The crew and the captain were
arrested and sent to Charlesto:
and then to Savannah.
* * *
TRIAL—In the ensuing months
the men were arraigned <»n the
evidence found in the engine
room. At the trial the officers,
the master, the chief engineer,
tlie first, second and third assist
ant enginers were sentenced to
seven years in Atlanta. The five
men in the engine room were
given three years. The deck hands
were all released, having ben
found innocent of the scheme to
sabotage.
An interesting detail made
known at the irial was the way
the captain of the sabotaged ship
received his orders to destroy the
ship.
The Italian Naval Attache’, he
testified, met him on the street
in Wilmington and conveyed his
orders in person.
The “VOlarperoso” was towed
to New York, her engines repair
ed and she was again put into
service, this time for the United
States.
Her debt to the officials of the
Coast Guard and the customs
service for rescuing her is being
paid by the trips she makea, #ar
lying cargo for the U. V. , .
See DATE on Page Two
NO STORMDANGER
WEATHERMAN SAYS
H e s * Describes Reported
Blow As “Slight Disturb
ance At Sea”
Small coastal craft captains can
take off their oilskins and the citi
zens of Wilmington and the nearby
beaches can prepare to enjoy the
Fourth of July. _ , „ ..
The storm off the coast of North
Carolina will present no danger
here, the U. S. weather bureau at
the Custom House reported this
afternoon. .
The weather bureau reported
that the storm, which caused some
alarm when its proximity was an
nounced this afternoon, was 300
miles off the coast of North Ca-o
lina at 2 p.m. and was traveling
at about 40 miles an hour in s
northeasterly direction. Weather
man Paul Hess termed the winds
a “slight disturbance at sea” and
late this afternoon assured resi
dents of this area that there is .no
cause of worry as there is “no
indication of any trouble whatso
ever along the coast here. The
storm, he said, has been moving
northeasterly since 10:30 a.m. This
means the storm is moving furth
er out to sea.
The barometer is rising, the bu
reau said, and the forecast for to
morrow predicts partly cloudy
skies and a high temperature ol
82 degrees._
A STAR IX STRIFES Is Mary Hatcher, Hollywood movie song
bird, who demonstrates how to celebrate the Fourth of July—with
flag and flute and lots of drums,—(j-ternational).
Good Weather Due
For Holiday Today
i
RAKED BY RAKE
FACTORYVILLY, Pa., July
3—(JP)—A hay rake fatally stab
bed farmer Edmond Minick to
day.
The 32-year-old Minick was
operating the rake on his farm
when it upset and the team of
horses pulling the machine ran
away.
The horses dragged the over
turned rake nearly 400 feet and
the prongs penetrated Ninick’s
chest and body while his mother
looked on.
JUDGE SUSPENDS
DRIVING PERMITS
Motorists Feel “Fangs” Of
New Traffic Laws;
Court Perplexed
That North Carolina’s new traf
fic laws are going to make it
tough on offenders was demon
strated for the first time yester
day in Recorder’s court although
it still is not clear to either the
court or attorneys how some of
the laws are to be enforced.
Two motorists were handed stiff
fines yesterday and saw their driv
ing licenses suspended for one
year. At the same time, court
warned police, deputies and high
way patrol officers to be sure that
offenders were guilty before mak
ing arrests.
One copy of the new laws was
in the hands of the court—evident
ly the only one available here for
the present, Attorneys clamored
to read it during yesterday’s
court.
Judge Winfield Smithy said that
hereafter all offenders brought be
fore him will receive the new
penalties regardless of whether
they were arrested before July 1.
The only exception will be cases
that were continued at request of
the state.
What bothered the court and at
torneys alike was a provision
See JUDGE On Page Two
Thousands Expected To
Throng Beaches; Trans
portation Heavy
What’s your pleasure? Fishing
rods, picnic baskets, swim suits
or armchairs beside a radio.?
It’s the fourth day in July. Inde
pendence Day.
And despite the storm warning
yesterday, which bore no fruit,
the day has been forecast to be
only partly cloudy and the tem
perature is expected to rise to
82 degrees. It looks like a good day
for anything.
All over the state people are
going to vacation for a long week
end.
A great many of them are ex
pected at nearby beaches. Reser
vations at hotels and cottages for
the weekend have been above
normal and rooms are at a prem
ium at both Wrightsville and Caro
lina beaches. The largest crowds
of the summer at those places are
expected today and the following
two days.
Officials at the Union Bus termi
nal predicted larger crowds this
fourth than last. The railways ex
pect record crowds also and Na
tional Air Lines officials said their
heaviest reservations were for
See WEATHER On Page Two
INSTALLATION RITES
FEATURE MEETING OF
WILMINGTON LIONS
J. R. Benson was yesterday in
stalled as president of the Wil
mington Lions club for the coming
year in ceremonies held during
the luncheon meeting of the group
in five Friendly cafeteria.
Other officers in stalled are Fos
ter Edwards, first vice-president;
Hardy Ferguson, second vice
president; Hugh Noffsinger, tail
twister; and Sam Alexander, lion
tamer.
Roy Morgan of Greensboro spoke
to the group on his experiences
and observations while in Japan
during World War II.
Visitors at the meeting were
Frank Chandler of Front Royal,
Va., and John M. Gold, chief of
police in Winston-Salem.
WMFD Will Broadcast
Soap Box Derby Event
Kvidence of the increasing in
terest in the All-American Soap
Eox Derby to be staged here July
30, by The Star-News and Raney
Chevrolet company, was manifes
ted strongly yesterday when R. A.
Dunlea, owmer of Radio Station
WMFD announced that arrange
ments were being completed for
full radio coverage of the big
sporting event for boys.
While definate details regarding I
the broadcast of the event remain
to be worked out, it is highly
probable that the Derby from
first to final heat and the presen
tation of prizes following the
crowning of Wilmington’s Soap
Cox Derby champion for 1947, will
be fully “aired” for the large
listening family.
The cream of the WMFD sports
fee RADIO on Page Two
Rep.Doughton
Backing Bill
Surprise Shift In Demo
cratic Votes May Bring
Veto Override
WASHINGTON, July 3 - UP) —
The House Ways and Means com
mittee stamped 18-to-6 approval
on the new Republican-backed $4,
000.000,000 tax slashing bill today,
and a surprise shift in Democratic
votes prompted claims that anoth
er presidential veto can be over
ridden.
Speaker Martin (R-Mass) said
more than a two-thirds vote —
enough to override a veto—is now
available in the House. He told
reporters he expects as many as
20 Democrats to change over in
support of the bill.
Martin set next Tuesday for
the showdown vote in the House.
Senator Taft tR-Ohio) said the
senate will probably take up the
measure late next week, but there
were rumblings of a possible fili
buster to block action in the senate^
Rep. Doughton fD-NC), who
managed tax legislation when the
Democrats controlled congress,
was one of the 18 committee mem
bers who voted in favor of the
measure today. He supported Pres
ident Truman’s veto of the first
tax bill.
In the committee action months
ag0 on the original Knutson tax
bill, the vote was 16 to 9. Only
one Democrat voted with the Re
publicans. Today, Doughton and
two other Democrats joined the 15
Republicans.
All six opposing votes were by
Democrats.
One Democratic leader in the
House, who asked that his name be
withheld, told reporters following
the committee's action:
“My opinion is the president will
veto the new bill. My guess is thet
congress will pass it over his veto.’’
But a Democratic strategist in
See DOUGHTON on Page Twe
STATE REVENUES
UP NINE MILLION
Commissioner Gill Gives
This As Figure Realized
Above Estimates
RALEIGH, July 3 —W1)—Setting
a new record for North Caoina,
the general fund gross revenue at
the end of the 1946-47 fiscal year
totaled $122,486,553, state revenue
commissioner Edwin Gill an
nounced today.
The figure tops by $29,586,149 a
previous high of $92,900,404 col
lected during the fiscal year of
1945-46.
The total for the fiscal year just
completed is neariy twice the bud
get estimates made two years
ago, and is almost $9,000,000 More
than the last March estimate.
Highway fund’ also had a good
year in grossing $54,539,202. The
general and highway funds re
ceived a total of $177,025,755,
thereby topping by $39,088,097 the
$137,937,658 received during the
fiscal year of 1945-46.
_ .. Nine Millions Less .... —
Practically speaking, the dif
ference betwen net revenue and
the last March estimate will ba
less than $9,000,000 Gill said, be
cause tax refunds will reduce the
net general fund revenue to about
$119,500,000. However, this total
would over $6,000,000 of the March
figure.
The general fund received $8,»
205,545 during the past month —
this was 48.63 per cent higher
than the previous year’s collection
when $5,520,637 were received.
Income tax, representing an in
crease of $16,400,000, was the
leading item in the upward reve
nue for the state —- it accounted
for $55,139,650 of the total. The
sales tax, with $35,508,042, was
the next-high figure, and showed
an increase of about $9,000,000
from last year.
.... _Gas Tax Tops__
The highway fund received
most of its revenue from the gas
oline tax, with $39,015,746, but it
took in $15,523,456 from the motor
division. The gasoline tax showed
a gain of almost $7,000,000 from
the previous year, and tne total
highway revenue exceeded the
1945-46 fiscal year by $9,501,948—
this is a gain of 21.10 per cent.
.. See STATE on Page Two __
And So To Bed
Somewhere between Wfl
ming.on and South Carolina
there’s a happy couple today.
The Morning Star, perhaps,
had something to do with their
happiness.
Last night The Star received
a iong distance telephone call
from up-state asking about the
weather conditions in this area.
When the man was assured all
was well here, he gave a sigh
of relief, “Thank goodness,”
said he. “I was afraid the
storm might keep us from get
ting married in South Carolina
today.”
V ‘