The Alamance Gleaner
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VoL LXX GRAHAM, N. C., THURSDAY, JULY. 27, 1944 No. 25
FDR-Truman
Top '44 Slate
Of Democrats
Campaigns for Fourth Term
FRANKLIN DELANO ROOSEVELT
SEN. HARRY S. TRUMAN
Platform Stresses Interna
tional Post-War Organ
ization for Peace.
By GEORGE A. BARCLAY
Amid historic demonstrations
acclaiming his 12-year record in
the White House and the prom
ise of his future service, Presi
dent Roosevelt was renominated
for a fourth term by the Demo
cratic national convention in
Chicago.
Only one ballot was necessary to
give the President 1,086 votes.
Senator Harry F. Byrd of Virginia
received 89 votes, his support com
ing chiefly from Southern delega
tions who registered a protest
against the fourth term and the New
Deal. James A. Farley, former na
tional committee chairman and
manager of Mr. Roosevelt's first two
campaigns, received one vote. His
name had not been placed in nomi
nation.
In nnp nf mnct hntlv mntpst.
ed battles for the vice presidential
nomination in the history of the
party. Sen. Harry S. Truman of
Missouri, whose chairmanship of
the senate committee investigating
the war program had won him na
tional recognition, captured the po
sition. The Missourian won on the
second ballot when he overcame a
long lead piled up by Vice President
Henry A. Wallace on the first poll.
A crowd which jammed every seat
and flowed over into the aisles and
galleries of the Chicago Stadium
cheered the President's acceptance
speech which he delivered by radio
from an undisclosed Pacific coast
naval base, whither he had arrived
from a cross-country trip. The
President described this journey as
"in the performance of my duties
under the Constitution." Senator
Samuel D. Jackson of Indiana, per
manent chairman of the convention,
introduced the President.
Nation's Choice.
In outlining the future as he saw
it, and stressing the necessity of
fanning for forthcoming eventuali
ties, Mr. Roosevelt declared:
"Th< war waits for no elections."
"The people of the United
States," he added, "will decide
this fall. whether to turn this
1944 job ? this worldwide Job ?
to inexperienced and immature
hands, tat'those who opposed
lend-lea>e and international co- :
operation against forces of ag
gression and tyranny until they
eouid read the polls of popu
lar sentiment, or whether they
wish to leave it to those who
saw the danger from abroad,
who met it bead-on and who
now have seised the offensive
and carried the war to its pres
ent stages of success."
No. 1 item in the Presi
dent's analysis of "the job before us
in 1944" is fast and overpowering
victory over the Axis. Next is the
formation of an international or
ganization which would make future
wars impossible, and third is the
building of a firm economy for re
turning veterans of the war.
/S r?l if
v/uucise riationn
President Roosevelt's desire for a
concise platform was fulfilled when
the convention ratified by acclama
tion the 1,500-word document pre
sented by the resolutions committee.
It was one of the shortest in modem
times, with most of its planks single
sentences.
Chief interest centered in the plat
form's declaration for a postwar in
ternational organization based on
sovereign equality and with power
to use armed forces if necessary to
preserve peace.
On the face question, the plat
form declared:
"We believe that racial and reli
gious minorities have the right to
five, develop and vote equally with
all citizens and share the rights that
are guaranteed by our constitution.
Congress should exert its full con
stitutional power to protect those
rights."
The platform urged steps pro
moting the encouragement of
i risk capital and new enterprise
and promised special attention
to the natural resources of the
west. It urged reduction or re
peal at wartime taxes as soon
as possible.
Relaxation of wartime controls at
the earliest possible moment was
promised, along with a pledge of
special aid to small business and a
declaration against monopolies, car
tels "or any arbitrary private or
public authority."
For agriculture, the platform
pledged: price guarantees and crop
insurance; farm parity with labor
and industry; steps to foster the
success of the small independent
farmer; aid for the ownership of
family - sized farms; broader mar
kets; extension of rural electrifica
tion.
Continuation of the administra
tion's policy of full benefits for ex
service men and women with spe
cial consideration for the disabled
was promised.
"We make it oar first daty to
assare employment and eco
nomic security to all who have
served in the defense of onr
country," the platform added.
The labor plank pledged the en
actment of additional legislation as
experience may require, including
amendments or repeal of any law
which has failed in its purpose.
Barkley's Tribute.
Dramatic scenes accompanied the
nominating speech by Senator Alben
Barkley of Kentucky. President
Roosevelt's service, he said, is a
"record of achievement in national
and international affairs so amazing
and successful that his friends pro
claim it and his enemies dare not
threaten it with destruction."
Senator Barkley's address precipi
tated a demonstration which lasted
more than half an hour. This was
followed by four seconding
speeches.
Truman became a bandwagon
candidate after southern states
which had scattered their votes be
tween Senator Bankhead of Ala
bama, Senator Berkley of Ken
tucky and a long list of favorite
sons began to switch their votes to
Truman.
Preeonvention Interest bad
centered on this contest far the
vice presidency and excitement
mounted as the three-day meet
ing progressed. While the dele
gates had before them President
Roosevelt's statement that be
wonld vote personally for Mr.
Wallace if he were a convention
delegate, they also were In
formed that be likewise thought
Senator Truman?or Supreme
Court Justice William O. Dong
las?would add strength to the
ticket that will oppose the Re
publicans' Thomas E. Dewey
and John W. Brieker.
The official tabulation of the sec
ond ballot for the vice presidency,
taken on the evening of the conven
tion's third day, after more than
four hours of oratory was: Truman,
1.078; Wallace, 86; Justice William
O. Douglas, 4; and Gov. Prentice
Cooper of Tennessee, 22. Vice Pres
ident Wallace had received 429W
votes on the first ballot, compared
to Truman's 319V4.
Mr. Wallace was quick to con
gratulate the winner and urge his
support. "My own defeat is not ?
loss to the cause of liberalism," he
said. "That is obvious in what hap
pened here at the convention."
Following his nomination, Mr.
Truman was escorted to the plat
form amid the cheers of the
overflow crowd. In a speech last
ing hardly a minute, he said he
would continue his efforts "to
help shorten the war and win the
peace under the gTeat leadership
of President Roosevelt," and
then, stating that he did so
"with humility," he accepted
the nomination.
Those suggested for the nomina
tion, in addition to Truman and
Wallace, were: Sen. Scott S. Lucas
of Illinois; Supreme Court Justice
Frank Murphy; Gov. J. M. Brough
ton of North Carolina; Gov. Robert
S. Kerr of Oklahoma; Paul V. Mc
Nutt of Indiana, War Manpower
commissioner; Sen. John H. Bank
head of Alabama; Sen. Alben Bark
ley of Kentucky; Gov. Prentice
Cooper of Tennessee; Sen. Joseph
C. O'Mahony of Wyoming, and Sen.
Elbert Thomas of Utah. Added
starters were Gov. Herbert O'Con
nor of Maryland and Sen. Claude
Pepper of Florida, who were put
in the race by flrst-ballot votes.
Political observers were definite
in their belief that Truman would
strengthen the Democratic national
ticket. They pointed out that in
choosing the Missouri an the party
had a candidate whose voting rec
ora in ine senate nas Deen consist
ently pro-Roosevelt and friendly to
labor. The fact that Truman' is a
veteran of World War I, with a dis
tinguished record, is likewise re
garded as a strong asset. That he
is acceptable to labor was Indicated
by the action of Sidney Hillman,
chairman of the CIO Political Ac
tion committee, one of Wallace's
chief supporters, who declared that
Truman was satisfactory to his
group. In the South, Truman like
wise should attract support. It was
southern delegations which started
the Truman stampede that culminat
ed in his nomination.
Gov. Kerr's Keynote.
Unusual interest had focussed on
the keynote speech delivered by
Gov. Robert S. Kerr of Oklahoma,
for it was the first time the West
erner had faced a national party
meeting.
Veteran convention attendants
were agreed that the Ohio bo
man's performance ranked high
among snch performances In
their memory. Canstie in his de- ]
nonciations of the opposing
party and fervent in his praise
of the Roosevelt administration,
Governor Kerr brought cheers
from the delegates time after
time.
Enunciating traditional party doc
trine, he declared that the election
of a Republican administration this
year would bring about "the certain
return of 1932" and would "invito
disaster."
Robert E. Hannegan, national
chairman, told the delegates and
guests that "the fortunes of war
have been too hard to win to be
gambled away in the inexperienced
bands of a new commander-in-chief."
Note* of an
Innocent Bystander :
The Intelligentsia: Sumner Welles'
"Time of Decision," ? Book-of-the
Month special, is rated in Washing
ton and London as the most impor
tant book yet on the diplomatic his
tory of this war and the diplomatic
future of the world. . . . Look mag's
color photo of FDR was taken since
his recent illness?the best of him
yet. And you can't retouch techni
color I . . . Anita Colby, the darling
of the Stork, Morocco and Colony
set (who made the Powers girl
famous), is now feminine director of
the Selznick Studios, if you will
pod'n their lorgnette. . . . Eth Barry
more is being booked for a lecture
tour. Her subject will be the "high
points in the life of the Barry
mores" ... "A Soldier's Letter to
Mrs. Luce," in the Nation, should
be read by everybody. ... A Water
bury editorialist complained about a
New Yorker's one unimportant error
in the same edition the editorialist's
own paper apologized for three of its
own. Haw! . . . Hero Commando
Kelly's Satevepost fee ($25,000) and
the $25,000 from Zanuck were taxed
$13,000!
"Do Nothing Till Yon Hear From
Me," which was high on the Hit
Parade only a few broadcasts ago
(and has garnered a mint for Duke
Ellington), was written by Cootie
Williams, Duke's ex-trumpet genius.
Cootie peddled it to Ellington for
$25. ... Its real name is: "Con
certo for Cootie" . . . Rooms are so
Bcarce in navy-crowded Norfolk,
Va., that Herb Fields and his band
(playing at the Palomar) had to
rent six motor cars to sleep in. . . .
The name Winchell appeared in the
Congressional Record long before
the current one started worrying
those in Washington, who have good
reason to worry. His name was
Benj. Winchell. The oldest papers
in the files of Congress relate to Ben
and his son Ruggles. The papers
date back to 1758. . . . Radio net
works have altered the well-known
lines of the song, "Beyond the Blue
Horizon." The wordage?lies the ris
ing sun?has been switched to "the
setting sun."
Mid town Vignette: It happened in
the Stork Club the other night. . . .
Corp. Brod Crawford, former Holly
wood actor, saw a lieutenant at the
bar, a buddy from Movietown. . . .
He greeted him by his first name,
of course. . . . The lieutenant stif
fened and in tones colder than
Sophie Tucker's ice-box replied:
"Address your superior officer as a
soldier." . . . After 15 minutes of
heated argument the session ended
when the officer gave the corporal
a direct order. . . . Infringement of
which is punishable by a court mar
tial. ... A witness to the episode
relayed it to a colonel seated in the
rear. He was CoL Butch Morgan,
one of the real tough guys who fly
our fighting planes. He is the most
decorated hero in this war. . . .
Colonel Morgan walked over to the
lieutenant and said: "Lieutenant,
where do you know Corporal Craw
ford from?" . . . "Hollywood, air,"
was the reply. . . . "What did you
call him in Hollywood?" asked
Colonel Morgan ... "I celled him
Brod," was the answer "Well."
said the Colonel, "when you meet a
friend off post, you address him by
his first name, and don't go pulling
your rank on him?and that's a di
rect order from your superior offi
cer."
It has been estimated that 55,000,
000 Americans go to the movies
every week. The film industry is
one place where mediocrity pays
handsome dividends. Producers of
B films are among America's high
est paid executives. Those celluloids
also reap the most loot. . . . Too
many ambitious youngsters believe
that beauty is the only qualification
for film success.
Qsetstloa Marksmanship: Ray
mond Moley: Walks as if balancing
the family tree on his nose. ... V.
Kitchen: There's no use itching for
something unless you're willing to
scratch for it. ... H. Savoy: She
eras as light as a feather, and she
didn't weigh much either. . . .
A. Bierce: A fork Is an implement
used by a civilized man to put dead
things in his mouth. . . . Toni Eden:
An American who takes off his coat
(or bis country is worth 10 who just
take off their hats to the flag. . . .
Billy Sunday: Try praising your
wile, even if it does frighten her at
first. ... J. Lorimer: The best way
to hold a man is to make him want
to hold you. . . . Maude Warren
der: Everybody is able to give
pleasure in some way. One person
may do it by coming into a room,
another by going out.
WEEKLY NEWS ANALYSIS
Germany Admits 'GraveSituatiori
As Allies Continue to Advance;
Study World Oil Marketing
Ralsaaad by Weatarn Nawspapar Union. ? '
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Whan ? platans ars sxprsssed In >b#ss cstamas. thsy ars lhaaa af
Waatarn Nswspapar Unlsa's naws analysts a>4 ast aasaoaartly.af this nawspapar.)
F'MCe Surprised by sniper while on patrol, U. S. Douyhboys make far
ditch aad prepare to return enemy's fire.
SECOND FRONT:
Hedgerow Battle
Beautiful in peace, treacherous In
war, the hedgerowed fields checker
ing Normandy's picturesque coun
tryside were the scene of some of
the bitterest fighting of World War
II, with desperate Nazis using them
to conceal their rifles, machine guns
and artillery to impede the relent
less advance of the American
doughboys.
Farther to the .east, Gen. Bernard
L. Montgomery's British and Cana
dian forces girded for a large-scale
assault against strong concentra
Shortly after he had told hli
son, CapL Quentin Roosevelt,
that "the old machine Is pretty
well worn out," M-year-old Brig.
Gen. Theodore Roosevelt Jr.,
son of the Immortal "Teddy,"
quietly succumbed to a heart at
tach In an army tent on the
Normandy battlefront, where he
had been assistant commanding
general of the 4th Infantry di
vlslon.
tions of German armor in the plains
below Caen, while enemy units con
tinued to Jab into their flanka to un
settle their positions.
As the Allies edged forward in
northern France and received a con
tinuing stream of reenforcements,
some allegedly direct from the
U. S., American and British avi
ators were swooping down on Ger
man communications lines in efforts
to disrupt the flow of enemy re
1 serves and supplies to the flaming
; front.
! German Soil
No longer able to maneuver freely
on the vast spaces of Russia, and
I with its back to its own homeland,
the German army on the northern
sector of the eastern front found it
self confronted with the problem
of being forced to stand up and
fight or allow the Reds to carry the
war into their own country.
As the Russian army became the
first Allied force to approach the
threshold of Germany, bitter fight
ing continued to rage before the
enemy's "Gothic line" in northern
Italy, where the Nazis again took
advantage of the high mountain
country to slow up the Fifth and
Eighth armies advance to the rich
agricultural and industrial regions
I beyond.
As the Germans fell beck toward
their East Prussian border in the
north, German propagandists made
no bones about the critical aituatioo,
declaring that the time bad come
for the complete industrial and mili
tary mobilization at every man in
the Raich capable of working or
bearing arms.
PACIFIC:
Spotlight Shifts
The spotlight In the ever widen
ing Pacific warfare shifted beck to
northern New Guinea, where 45,000
desperate Japanese sandwiched be
tween U. S. beachheads all along the
coast, repeatedly attempted to break
through the iron ring being forged
1 around them.
In the islands farther to the north,
U. S. warships and planes con
tinued to pepper the important step
ping stones to the Japanese main
land. with Guam below captured
Saipan the major target.
Despite the ferocity of their at
tacks in New Guinea, the position
of the Japanese forces was hopeless,
with Yanks occupying large patches
all along the 600 miles of coastline
to their west, and other Allied forces
firmly entrenched to their east
FOURTH TERM: WKB
F.D.R. Willing
One week before the Democratic
national convention met in Chicago,
Franklin D. Roosevelt, looking cool
in his seersucker pants and white
shirt, but wriggling nervously, told
a gathering of 200 quiet newspaper
men that if the people of the U. S.
decreed, he would be willing to
serve a fourth term as president.
With the country's objective being
a speedy end to the war, a durable
peace and the creation of a prosper
ous economy, F. D. R. said that he
would have to accept a fourth term
as a "good soldier" if the people
again called upon .him to remain at
the helm of state.
F. D. R.'s announcement was
front page news the world over, with
both British and Russian papers
playing it up without comment. The
German radio disclaimed interest,
saying: " , . . One is convinced
here (in Berlin) that military and
political issues which are |>ow at
stake are not to be influenced by this
or that President of the United
States."
DIPLOMACY:
Good Neighbors
Provision of American transporta
tion facilities for movement of goods
to Mwipn ? n H
close economic co
operation between
the two countries in
peace as well as
war, dominated the
formal discussions
of U. S. Secretary
of State Cordell Hull
and Mexican For
eign Minister Eze
quiel Padilla.
Not only did the
U. S. promise to
helD hold I in th?
Secretary Bell
Mexican economy by maintaining
the ihipment of gooda to the good
neighbor, but it also agreed to fur
nish technicians and equipment for
bolstering the country's own sag
ging railway system.
Basing their discussions on a pro
gram drawn up by a U. S.-Mexican
commission created as an out
growth of President Roosevelt's
visit with President Camacho in
1M3, Hull and Padiila announced
that the two governments agreed to
"discourage trade barriers which
may unduly interfere with the eco
nomic development of Mexico and
trade between the two countries."
Oil Parley
Organization of an International
administrative agency to provide
orderly mtrl?tin?
and development of
world oil resource*
will be the principal
topic oif discuasion
of a formal oil con
ference between the
U. S. and Britain.
T h a conference
promises to be of
particular interest
in the U. S. with
depletion of Ameri
can reaerves as a
result of record war
time production for
Lord
BciTfrbfMk
the supply of the major bulk of Al
lied needa, and with the projected
construction of a private pipe-line
across Arabia to the Mediterranean
with U. S. government funds.
The conference will follow techni
cal discussions between petroleum
experts of the two countries, with
Secretary of State Cordell Hull and
Lord Beaverbrook being in charge
of the U. 8. and British delegations.
AGRICULTURE: V,
Bumper Crops
Overcoming machinery and man*
power difficulties, U. S. farmers are
expected to turn in bumper crops in
1944, the department of agriculture
reported, with the whept harvest
anticipated at an all-time high of
1,128,000,000 bushels, 119,000,000
over the former top of 1915.
Prospects were reported good for
all grains, with the corn crop ex
pected to approximate 2,960,090,000,
the fifth largest in U. S, history.
Although near record harvests were
predicted for hay, fruits, vege
tables and soybeans, and a 20 per
cent increase in truck produce for .
the fresh market is anticipated, the
department looks for smaller dry
beans and peas, peanuts and potato
crops.
Harvested acreage was set at
355,000,000 acres for the 52 principal
crops, largest since 1932, and 2 per
cent over last year.
Unloading Trouble
Latest problem to arise as a re
sult of the manpower complications
resulting from the nrnr im 4ks n?
loading of grain cars at wheat mar*
kets, with permits needed for ship
ments from 11 points in the south
west.
With no less than 22,000,000 bush
els of wheat standing in Kansas,
Oklahoma and Texas because of the
unloading situation, it was predicted
that about six months would be -re
quired to move the crops from these
states and Colorado instead of the
usual 00 to 90 days.
Large crops and insufficient rail
cars were said to be contributing
factors to the terminal crisis, but.
except for bad weather, there is no
threat of grain spoiling in the fields.
Rare Twins
In on* of the rarest esses la
medical annals, Mrs. Frederick
D. Smith of East Port Chester.
Conn., (la picture) fare birth to
twins II days apart, with a 4
pound, 12 ounce girl follesrinr a
4 pound, 7K ounce boy.
DRAFT:
Depends on War
Future induction of the over SO
group depends entirely upon the
course of the war. Selective Service
Director Lewis Hershey declared, tat
discussing present draft policies
calling for the induction at all pos
sible able-bodied men under 26, and
all men between 24 and 29 not neces
sary to an essential industry.
In revealing that there were
4,217,000 4-Fs, selective service offi
cials told a congressional subcom
mittee that one-third of the U. S.
population was physically or men
tally unfit, and recommended a pro
gram of public clinics tied in with
private doctors, to improve civilian
health.
In commenting on draft policies,
Hershey said that unless the mili
tary situation should take unfore
seen turns, maintenance of the site
of the present army would continue
to determine induction calls.
POPULATION:
Big Shifts
As a result of military and civilian
migrations in the U. S. between 1940
and 1943, the south and west gained
more than 4,000,000 inhabitants
while the north-central and north
eastern states lost approximately
2,000,000. :
Twenty per cent increases were
noted for Arizona, Florida, Nevada
and California, with the latter state
alone, with its great shipbuilding
and aircraft industries, showing a
boost of 1,599,139.
.Montana, North Dakota and South
Dakota lost more than 10 per cent
of their populations, but New York
showed the greatest numerical de
crease, with (20,939,