smtitersnn Hailtj Dispatch
ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THIS SECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA.
N -SEVENTH year
IXFZSSSSSl&S HENDERSON, N. C., THURSDAY AFTERNOON, APRIL 18, 1040
PUBLISHED EVERY AFTERNOON
EXCEPT SUNDAY.
FIVE CENTS COPY
'U
fs Stand
Pacific Is
ked By FR
Seeking A Bi^er Navy
Netherlands
Want No Aid
In Pacific
Statement To Japan
Says Netherlands Has
od No Intervention
and Would Not Ac
cept Any; Japanese
Action Is Feared.
April 18—t AD —
• . i\t expressed a hope |
■ quo in the whole ■
v uUi bo maintained in!
ot peact\
• • - v;t .. to a press eon
• •• . - .ed tor comment on ]
! is»- shuue. April i8.— lAI'l —
1 . v th» r lamls government has
intormed Japan that it neither
will .i-k an> foreign government
protect the Netherlands East
Indies in case the war should
>pre.ui t<> Holland, nor accept an
otter «>t" protection if it was
made. |
ttranuhiie the Dutch received
wiili guarded satisfaction the
sLit-mcnt l>\ l aiied States Sec
retin i t State Hull insisting that
the interest ot many countries"
would be affected by any at
tempt to intervene in the affairs
«>! the Indies.
»rv Hull's statement yesterday!
riirb; nee ot the status quo |
ji: ,'iudice the cause ot "sta-!
;c? and security not only |
>^ >n of the Netherlands
■ :: the entire Pacific area."
statement in effect was a
• . nations to keep hands
Dutch East Indies.
i: >evelt told reporters that
>n had covered the
thoroughly.
* c gnizance of Japan's ex
l ( ricern tor the future of the
ild the European war en
Xetherlands. Secretary Hull
■ ;i in the domestic at
• >. Xet her lands Indies or
' • of their status quo by j
. pe-.ceful processes would I
i ■■ .1 to the cause of sta-;
• ct i;!id security, not only j
ot the Netherlands
the entire Pacific area."
• . :ed his pronouncement.
. !'.t:.ch and American fleet)
><.:d in Shanghai that a!
'Vi :>t to sieze the Dutch)
::i the event of a Ger-j
the Netherlands was i
u possibility."
comment at Tokyo was;
-'•■itement coincided withj
un M inKter's views on the j
' \: - dt iralty spokesman de-;
• •' pan had "no territorial
on the Dutch possessions.
Norse Attack
Predicted
April 18.—(AP)—Ke
,10 here from the Nor
.utier said today it was
« ti«.n of hours before a
attack started against
.<n:> ill the Trondheim
; pa per correspondents
v.vgians were concentrat
:inner part ot Trondheim
;t railroad junction con
v Xamsos. about 100 miles
north on the coast.
'•pot ts said it was believed
• . has landed at Namsos.
British Bomb
German Planes
April 18.—(AP)—The air
:: nounced today that Gel -
s'- 011 the ground and in
• u destroyed yesterday in
on the airdrome at
in Norway.
nts also were raided and
- observed" in an attack
nine, the ministry said,
-;aig that three British
•-•re lost.
astry statement said di
< *• made on runways ot
'.drome and that bombs
' • burst among transport
on the lieid.
Nazi Invaders
Roll Nearer To
j
SwedishBorder
Stockholm. April 18.—(AP)—'The
German imaders of Norway today
rolled closer to Sweden, who clamp
ed new restrictions on foreigners
within her territory in hope of main
taining her neutrality.
Halden. close to the southern Nor
wegian-Swedish frontier, was cap-j
tured by tho Germans. Other invad
ing forces were threatening the Fos
>uiii lot tifications in the Mysen
neighborhood. about .">•» miles south-[
cast of Oslo.
Norwegian cirles said the fortifica- |
tions lino, a row of concrete forts, i
was equipped with guns, ammuni
tion:- and provisions to withstand a
long siege.
Reports from Halden said a force
of 2Di) Germans first occupied tilt
city and later were reinforced by,
I.ikiu more.
In the north, allied and Nor
wegian forces battled with Germany |
for control of the Narvik area.
Deutschland Is
Reported Ashore
Captain Charles M. Cooke, Jr., (left). naval operations officer, and
Admiral Harold I!. Stark, chief of naval opention.-'. surrounded by photo
graphers, appear before tlie Semite naval affairs committee in Washington.
The naval authorities, requesting additional funds, declared the European
war shows that despite improved aircraft, the battleship still is the back
bone of naval forces. This i; a phonephotu.
Chamberlain Tells
Balkans Of Amity
i "
Stockholm, April 18.— (AP)—
A Norwegian reaching Sweden
from Trondheim today reported
the German pocket battleship
Dcutschland was ashore in a
fjord northeast of Trondheim.
There was no confirmation of
the Norwegian's report.
All News Is
War News
Events Abroad Have
Increasing Amount of
Effect on American
Situation.
By CHARLES P. STEWART
Central Press Columnist
Washington, April 18.—News is
all war news, in one way or another.
President Roosevelt has been
making a big clean-up in the pre
national convention primaries. That
generally is interpreted as an Ame
rican "don't change horses in mid
stream" complex—war being the
stream that we shouldn't change
horses in the middle of.
If F. D. R. is drafted again the as
sumption is that the war's status
next November will be largely de
cisive as to the election outcome.
It's been suggested that Herr Hit
ler preferred not to launch a blitz
kreig until after our election's over,
being anxious to see, in advance,
what Yankee reaction looks like to
ward European war conditions. But,
just because Adolf did want to wait,
it'< sensed that the Allies were get
ting ready to call his hand by hurry
ing him. It's taken for granted that
he realized it, too, therefore tore loose
(Continued on page two)
State Income Tax
Collections Hit
New Hi^h Mark
Raleigh. April 18.—(AP) —
State income tax collections set
a new record today at SI 1,365,
895.45 for this fiscal year. The
best previous fiscal year record
was SI 1.364.508.28 in 1937-38. |
Last fiscal year the income tax
yield was S9.783.000.
Income tax payments arc still
comins in steadily.
Nazis Claim
Stronger Grip
Berlin, April 18.—(AP)—Germany j
declared today that her forces repell
ing Britain on land, in the air and |
| on the sea steadily were strengthen- j
ing their grip on Norway, political i
as well as military.
Authorized sources said Norwe
gian King Haakon VI1 had rccog- [
nized the provisional government |
commisison set up by Germany.
Although he acknowledged the
regime merely as an administrative
committee, they said it is accepted
here as the legally constitutedgov
ernment.
CIO UNION WINS
Detroit, April 18.— (AIM —
The United Automobile Work
ers CIO won 13 of the first 15
General Motors plants to report
today in yesterday's bargaining
election among more than 100.
000 of the corporation's em
ployees.
The AI'L-alfiliated United Au
tomobile Workers gained ma
' jorities in two plants.
Reorganization Of Rails
Recommended By Babson
By ROGER H. BABSOX,
Copyright 1940 Publishers
Financial Bureau.
New Yurk City, April 18.—Only
I reorganization of the railroads' cap
ital set-up and policies can prevent
| the air lines, buses, and trucks from
eventually making nearly one-half
j the railroad mileage useless. For
that reason, I believe the Wheeler
Lea bill, or some similar friendly
legislation, should be pushed through
| this session of Congress. The rail
roads should be unshackled to give
I them an even break in their life and
| death battle with other carriers.
The railroads are the nation's sec
! ond biggest taxpayers, biggest cust
j omers. and biggest investment. II
; the railroads could get back on their
J feet, they could provide thousands
! of new jobs, put millions of dollars
i in investors* pockets and give busi
j ness a tremendous hypodermic. To
I day, hampered by I. C. C. regula
I tions. top-heavy capitalization, short
; sighted labor leaders, and antiquat
ed rate schedules, the railroads are
i being battered into a pulp by their
1 aggressive competitors. Pullman
' traffic is going to the air lines;
coach traffic to the buses; lucrative
freight and express business to the
trucks.
Air Line Load Double
1 have no particular love for the
I railroads, but 1 hate to see u 20-bil
lion-dollar industry die; 1 hate to
see a million-dollar-a-day taxpayer
sandbagged; I hate to sec an em
ployer of a million men hog-tied.
But that is exactly what is happen
1 ing every minute. In the last two
] years, the air lines more than doub
led their passenger load. Their rates
are dropping steadily—now are on
even terms with Pullman rates on
many a jump. Like the railroads,
they are soon to segregate their
mail, express, and passenger busi
ness. A year or two more and we
will see freight trains of the air!
This is the subrosa idea for using
the thousands of military airplanes
which, after the European War.
will be available for commercial
purposes.
The planes are great time-savers.
; Their safety record gets better every
| year,—-actually beat the railroads
(Continued P^.ge Two)
Southeastern Nations
Told That Allies Will
Not Threaten Their
Independence; Allies
Fight To Break Ger
man Ho?d On Norway.
London, April 18.—(AP)—Prime !
Minister Chamberliin today gave as
surances against any allied menace to
the southeastern European nations,
while in the nortn Britain's forces j
by land, sea, and air l'ought to break '
Germany's grip on Norway.
Following a hint to non-belliger
ent Italy by Minister of Economic
Warfare Ronald H. Cross to watch
her step, and to Sweden that she
might be the next target of Nazi
lightning, Chamberlain sought to
calm some of the war worries of
southeastern Europe where Britain
is launching an economic offensive.
lie told the House of Commons
that British envoys to southeastern
European nations were leaving for j
their posts after some nine days of j
London conferences on "outstanding j
problems" there.
"The purpose of the discussions",
he said, "has been in accordance with
the settied policy of His Majesty's
government — the preservation of
peace and promotion of security in
the Balkans and the Danube coun
tries.
"Not one of these states, xxx has
any cause to fear that the allies or
other forces will ever threaten their
independence or integrity."
Official silence continued on the
activities and locations of the Brit
ish forces in Norway, but it was
pointed out that the first move like
ly would be to sever German com
munication lines.
SEA WARFARE
London, April 18.—(AP;—The ad
miralty announced tonight that a
German transport and a submarine
had been hit in the Norwegian port
(>!' Bergen during an attack by Brit
ish planes.
1\ 111 .»ir* 1/ i i/u/11/.
iJetroil, April 18. — (AP)- Norman
Selliy. the Kid McCoy of Hie ring,
wiis found dead today in a downtown
hotel and Oeputy Coroner I.yle C.
Ling said he had token an overdose
of sleeping medicine.
TO UK TROOP SHIP.
New York, April 18.—(AP)—A re
port from the British broadcasting
company said today the liner Isle de
France would soon follow the Queen
Mary into sen-ice.
Noted Viennese
Beaut} Is Dead
Vienna, April 18.—(AP)—Kath
crina Schratt. a friend of Emperor
Franz Josef in the days when she
was a celebrated beauty, and later a
friend ol Vienna beggars, died last
night.
She died at the age of 87 after an
illness of several weeks.
Katherina Schratt became a legend.
Gossipy Vienna never tired of dis
cussing the extraordinary influence
she had over the emperor or her
friendship with Empress Elizabeth.
uJoaihsih
FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Cloudy with occasional show
ers tonight and Friday: cooler in
mountains and northwest por
tions Fririiij.
Roosevelt Asks WPA
Fund Of $975,000,000
Without Added Taxes
Balkans May
TurnToReds
For Support
Agreements With
Russia Sought T o
Ward Off Possible
German Invasion of
Southeastern Europe,
Reports State.
Budapest April Ui.—(Al') - Hun
gary is contemplating talks with
Soviet Russia to ward off a possible
German invasion of southeastern
Europe, it was reported authorita
tively today.
Just as Rumania and Yugoslavia
are feared to be turning toward Mos
cow for support of their neutrality
Hungary, long regarded as the most
anti-Soviet nation in Europe, was be
lieved planning to follow a similar
course.
The hope for Russian support was
based principally on the belief thai
the Russians, despite their non-ag
gression and trade alliance with the
Reicii, arc against any German ad
vance into the Balkans and may be
able to bring enough pressure on
Germany to hold her off.
Rumania, winch in recent days has
been beset by an increased fear of a
Russian attack on Bessarabia— Ru
manian territory which has had a
period under Russian rule—was re
ported to have reached a tentative
agreement with Russia.
There is much less faith now—in
Hungary's case especially—in Italy's
influence to keep Germany out of the
Balkans. In some quarters there is
a growing suspicion that if Germany
were to drive into southeastern Eu
rope, Italy rather than oppose i1
would move into sections of Yugo
slavia to "protect her interests" there.
Nazi-Italian
Cooperation
Rome, April 18.—(AP)—An ex
change of military commissions be
tween Germany and Italy was au
thoritatively announced here today.
The first members of the German
mission already have arrived in
Rome, where it was said their visit
was "part of a general program un
der way since 1938, the purpose of
which is to maintain constant con
tacts between the armou forces ol
the two countries."
British Occupy
Norse Cities
Bv J. NORMAN LODGE
Vannas, Sweden, April 18.—(AP.)
—British marines and soldiers are
consolidating their foothold in north
ern Norway as Germans, driving
Norwegian defense troops before
them retreat to the south.
1 have just returned after a jour
ney# afoot through Norwegian fron
tier areas which took me to the out
skirts of Narvik before f was arrest
ed by British troops.
A show of my passport gave me
my freedom—but that was short liv
ed. As 1 Started out in an effort
to tour the region to determine the
situation, I was arrested again and
turned over to the Norwegian mili
tary authorities back in Narvik.
I ascertained that the British are
occupying E?jorksden, a short dis
tance this side of the Swedish bord
er; Oyjord, Gratanjen and three
places to the north and south of
Narvik, Elvegaard, Elvegaardsmoen,
and Harslad, the British landing
point.
GOP Keynoter
Gov. Ilarold E. Stasecn
Governor Harold E. Stassen, 33, «f
Minnesota, has been selected to de
liver the keynote address at the Re
publican national convention in
Philadelphia, June 21. Rep. Joe
Martin, of Mass., was recommend
ed as permanent chairman.
Bremen Said
To Be Sunk
Survivor of Torpe
doed British Steamer
Says 15,000 Germans
On Bremen When
Sunk.
London, April 1H.—(AP)— Ex
change Telegraph today quoted a
Norwegian survivor of the torpedoed
British steamer Staneliffe as saying
the German liner Bremen had sunk
off Norway with 15.000 troops.
The seaman, named Rydningen,
was saved after the Stancliffe was
torpedoed oil the north Scottish
coast last Friday.
The agency quoted the seaman as
saying that a telegram announcing
safe arrival at a Norwegian port had
been found in the Bremen captain's
pocket and that it was sent to Ger
many by Norwegian authorities.
(German authorities in Herlin last
week denied reports that the Bremen
had been sunt: early in tin; occupa
tion of Denmark and Norway. To
day authorized (iinnaii sources said
they had no information on the liner
but that tin.* laic; t report sounds like
"the same old swindle which has
been frequently revived by the Bri
tish.")
PLANKS I'l IM IIASEJ)
Washington. April 18.—(AI*)—
Arthur J. Purvis, head of the
Anglo-French purchasing mis
sion, announced today that the j
allies already have purchased
"huge quantities" of three of the I
latest type American military j
aircraft. ^
L nrcstrictcd Sub
W arfare Predicted
London. April 18.—(AI')—The
British Press Association carried
a report today that Germany
would launch unrestricted sub
marine warfare "after May".
A survivor of the torpedoed
British steamer Stancliffe was I
quoted as saying that the com- I
mandcr of the attacking Ger- |
man submarine had said that the !
Germans "would sink every ship
at sight and spare nobody after j
! May". I
_ J
Big Ships Contemplated
To Meet Japanese Menace
I
Washington, April 13.—(AP)—i
Convinced that Japan is building at
least 43.000-ton battleships. Admiral
Harold R. Stark said today, that the
Navy contemplated future construc
tion oi' superdreadnaughts of 50.000
to 52.000 tons.
The chief of naval operations told;
the Senate naval affairs committee
that he believed that Japan was
building eight of the large type ves
sels.
Earlier in a statement the Navy,
revived its advocacy of a major air |
and submarine base at Guam, tiny j
American island outpost 1,500 miles >
from Tokyo.
Budget Cuts
And Larger
Returns Seen
President Requests
Permission To Spend
W P A Appropriation
Within Eight Months
I f "Necessary T o
Avoid Suffering"
Washington, April 18.—(AP)—
President Roosevelt asked today tor
$975,0(10,000 to run YVPA next year
and simultaneously abandoned hope
of getting from Congress the $460,
000,000 in new taxes revested last
January.
In a letter to the speaker of the
House. Mr. Roosevelt hold to his ori
ginal budget figure for WPA with one
major exception — he asked permis
sion to spend the entire $975,000,000
in eight mouths if "necessary to avoid
suffering and hardship". Last year's
relief law required that the WPA ap
propriation be spread over the entire
twelve months fiscal period.
The President's remarks on taxes
! were made to a press conference. In
connection with the possibility of lar
ger relief appropriations to cover the
lull year beginning July 1, Mr.
Roosevelt was asked what might hap
pen to the public debt, which is Hear
ing the $45000,000,000 legal limit.
The President replied that Con
gress might cut his budget estimates
for 1941 by a couple of hundred mil
lion, that all appropriations voted
this session would not necessarily be
i actually spent in the fiscal year and
I that it was possible that tax receipts
j would be up perhaps $200,000,000
| over estimates.
I From a reduction in a budget and
j higher revenues, he explained, an
amount might be provided equal to
j the $400,000,000 asked in taxes.
Federal Aid
For Education
Is Advocated
11 i«h Point, April ]'<>.—(AP)—
Federal aid lor education was ad
vocated as the only moan.; of equal
izing child opportunity in the st;ite
in this morning's session of the
Congress of Parents and Teachers by
Dr. Howard A. Dawson, director of
rural service of the National Kduca
tion Association, and Lloyd Griffin,
secretary of the State school com
mission.
Meeting in a forum on federal aid,
Dr. Dawson emphasized that the
matter of "educating children of all
the people is a national as well as
state problem." Objections to fed
eral aid, lie said, were the old issue
of state's rights, and separation of
church and state. He said "there
are more need- for federal aid than
we are aware of."
British Sub
Reported Sunk
New York, April 1H.—(AP;—
D.JK, Berlin radio station, reported
that German planes today sank a
British submarine off the Norwegian
coast.
After sighting tiie submarine the
planes "dived low over the water
and dropped heavy bombs", the
broadcast said.
Gotten Defense
Pleas Offered
Raleigh, April 18.—(AP)—Counsel
for Woodrow Gotten expressed dif
ferent opinions today in arguments
to the jury as to how Mrs. Mary
Lee Herndon was killed.
Last night and this morning Joe
Douglass and Ben Templeton, two
of Cotten's lawyers, argi*3 that the
wife of the young Wake county
farmer, Margaret Herndon Cotton,
shot her mother but the third lawyer,
Sam Morris, told the jury "it was
physically impossible for either to
have committed this crime."
The state charges that the Cottens
shot Mrs. Herndon la.st February 19.