North Carolina Newspapers

! ? ? ? ? ? 1 ' - Judge Fines Man $500.00 For 'Joke' - - . Mitchell Farris Also Is Piit on Probation In fktorthm Case Wilson, April 16.?Mitchell Paul J Farris, 24-year-old Wilson and Farm ville matt, was ordered to pay a $500 fine and placed on probation for five years by Judge I. M. Meekins in U. S. District Court here today after he pleaded guilty to attempting to extort $600 from Nassif Cannon, Fannville storekeeper, by asking him for the money in a threatening letter sent through the mails. In sentencing Farris, Judge Meek ins called the case "one of the most outrageous things I have ever heard of and declared that "the jury would have probably found you guilty." He said that he was plac ing Farris on probation at the recom mendation of Assistant District At torney John Hall Manning of Ra leigh. The guilty plea came at the end of the evidence after Farris, through his attorney?, had pled not guilty at the start of the trial, which took up most of the day in Federal Court. Farris was arrested by Federal agents last October when the Farm ville and Wilson man went to a bridge on * the Farmville-Fountain road one night to collect the $500 v~ n* in o bv Can W UC UVW AU ?? e p, non as ordered by Farris. Farris characterized the whole af fair as a "joke" when he took the stand in court today and said he had - not ? meant to keep the money if he got it, but had simply meant to "tea* Cannon for a few days and then give it back to him." But the story that was unfolded ! on the stand had all the aspects of a "G-Man" thriller of movieland According- to the evidence, Farris wrote a letter to Cannon and signed it "A friend in need" He ordered Cannon to place the money in a package at a certain place or "you'll be sorry." A few days later Can non received another message sim ply saying "don't forget tonight at 7:15." Farris then adm'.i.d that he had mispelled the wording in the letters on purpose "so that Cannon wouldn't suspect anything." He also admitted he had borrowed the automobile of' William B. Fisher, Farmville store- j keep*, that "Cannon wouldn't reeof*2hfcjfi? car if he saw it." He then, according to Farris, borrowed a typewriter from a place in Farm vilie to write the letter on. Through a letter to his brother, Robert Farris, in Chapel Hill, was admitted in evidence and indicated that he had written to Robert before * ' * * * 1 ^ f\iof hfi tue incident occurmt ?? was going to play a trick on Can non, the letter di<f not contain any detailed information. The story of his capture was also | told on the stand and Special Agent he and another agent and Fannville J. D. Sullivan of the FBI told how officers planned to trap Farris on the bridge and how they had the road fixed so that when the extortionist's car got on the bridge a shot would catch him in a trap. Farris came to the scene with Fisher, whom he completely exoner ated from any blame in the affair, and officers signaled to others with a shot and yelled at the Farris ear to halt. From then bn it was a chase by FBI agents, with Fisher, not knowing what it was all about, hanging on to the front bumper of the car while the car sped away from the FBI men. at 80 miles an hour. The Federal agents finally pushed the car into a ditch and stopped it. r Hie Lucille Shop SHfar Fashion Show A Fashion Revue, in which several of Farmville's charming young ladies acted as models, was presented , at the Wilson. Theatre Monday evening. Among the Farmville girls who gracefully modeled the evening gowns W*e: Misses Mildred Vaan, Eva Mae Turnage, Elsie Carraway, Basel . Mshk, Iona 'Green sad Margaret Thfgpen. Other towns represented in the Revue included Wilson, Elm <3ty, Black Creek, Walstonburg, New Mtln and others. A beautiful wedding scene climax id the show, which was received with * ansilar? : mwcn appiMMh I - ' > ? ? >> . ! ? * _ j. tb? tJ. S. Department at Agricul tore has announced that the work carry wer at American cotton ot Angus'. 1 would, likely be about U 000,00f bales smaller than the recorc carryover of August 1; MS* POWER teMHli the number ofao-ceUet ? ' ? ?? j ftilftli Warning Given Mussolini * ?. # Minister Cross Declares "We Should Like To Know Where We Stand j With Italy;" Observers Predict Early Italian Step ? i London* April 17.?Britain's Minis ter of Economic Warfare, Ronald C. Cross, declared tonight he believed that Italy wanted to be treated as a( neutral, bat warned her that she must behave as one. "We have-no quarrel with Italy," he said. "We have every wish to be friends. But we are plain-dealing and pi&in-seeking people, and we should like to know where we stand with Italy." Cross also expressed the opinion that Germany might invade Sweden within a month to get supplies of iron ore. Britain, he added, is ready +*? Sweden, "but she must be ready to help herself." The 43-year-old minister, taking cognizance of the strongly pro-Ger man tone of the Italian press in the last few days, declared this tone as "hostile." "That makes us reflect," he said, "upon the attitude of Italy toward us." London has cast anxious and hurt eyes toward Italy for several days, and the Cross speech may have dip lomatic repercussions, at least. But Britain is anxious to determine whether the tone of the Italian press, which is playing up German claims of victory in the North and minimizing Allied military prowess, clearly reflects the viewpoint of Mussolini, or whether Mussolini has a more subtle purpose in mind for which he is using the controlled papers. Some informed Britons predicted that the Italian press reaction to war developments might improve in a tew aays. The war reviewer, W. N. Ewer, said in the Daily Herald' "that the Allies "are watching Italy very closely ... We still cannot be real ly sure about II Duce's intentions." The writer said that all necessary protective naval, military and air arrangements are being made on the hypothesis that Mussolini means to join in; and that if he does, "we must strike hard and swiftly." He added that "all this Italian raging and threatening may be sim ply a diplomatic offensive in the aid of the Fuehrer; an attempt to frighten the Allies into diverting ships to "the Mediterranean from the North Sea. If so, it is more noisy than serious." Pitt TIG Pirns For Hift Rail)! U. S. Senator Josh Lee To Speak at Greenville Monday; Big Crowd Expected Greenville, April 16.?Officials of the Pitt County Young1 Democratic Club last night made plans and an nounced committee assignments for the Fifth District Y. D. C. rally to be held here next Monday and to be addressed by U. S. Senator Josh Lee of Oklahoma, a native of Union County, North Carolina. Hoover Taft, State Y. D. C. organ iser, said the Pitt Young Democrats 1 J mnlr? tftifl ATM oi the biggest political gatherings oi the year in Eastern Nozth Carolina The address and a banquet are to k be held in the City-County Armory Candidates for various key State offices will be on hind, but will d< no speaking. u Committee assignments announced , by S. B. Underwood, Jr., Pitt Y. D. C president, are. Eli Bloom, Ptaan Cog L. C. Skinner and Bruce Sugg, Jr. . arrangements; James Whitfield am [ Dave Mosier of Greenville, and Biv Liverman of Plymouth, publicity; T E. Wilson, Ed. Waldrpp, M. 0. Blount H, Jack Edwards and J. R. Taylo; of Ayden, entertainment; Jake Had ley, chairman of the ticket commit tee; EH Joyner, Miss Hazel Mori 1 and George Mpore of Farmville 1 Richard Nelson and Ivan Bissette o ' Grifton, John Hooker and J. C 1 Wynne, Jr., of Bethel, out-of-towi committee. ?? ?ATn* <?M? t Comity0are the W*in*ta?e Bittte Between GermmMBBrir fsft In Prospect Nazi Force SaidTo Be P u s li ing Northward Along: Norwegian Coast to Meet British Forces Landed At Namsos I ? ' V " Stockholm, April 17. ? German forces reinforced by troops brought from Denmark in huge transport planes tonight were reported to be striking northward along the Nor wegian coast toward Namaos for a battle with a British force landed there. The Germans* pushing northward from the Trondheim zone, where they already have succeeded in cut ting Norway in half, were said in - a ? press dispatches to be encountering strong Norwegian resistance. The Norwegian defenders, accord ing to . the newspaper Allehanda, have at least temporarily halted the Germans at Steinkjer, 60 miles northeast of Trondheim and about 30 miles from Namsos. It was indicated that the Nor wegians wtere attempting to stall the German push at Steinkjer until the British forces can secure their hold on Namsos and come to their aid. The Germans, according to fron tier reports reaching- Stockholm, I were trying to occupy Namsos be fore the British can bring it under control and set up an air base. Namsos, lying deep behind & net work of islands and fjords, has been regarded as a likely place for the landing of Allied troops, but there was no official confirmation to night of the Allehanda's report that the British had landed there. However, strong British naval forces had been reported off Nam sos earlier, whiio the Vnrwwrians battled the advancing Germans at Steinkjer, a small, bat desperately fighting force of Norwegian soldiers held out in the surrounding fortress, of Hegre about SO miles east of Trondheim toward the Swedish border. Cut off when the Germans struck across to the Swedish border at the Storlien Heights with amazingj speed?some went by special train ?the Norwegian forces at Hegre, which is along the main railroad line, continued to resist. Norwegian reinforcements from north and south of the railroad line! attempted today to break through and relieve the fortress, but the task( seemed almost impossible. German planes heavily bombed the fortress during the day, according to frontier reports. The German 50-mile line from Trondheim to the Swedish border was said to be under almost con-1 stant guerillo-like attacks ^fey the Norwegians, striking -fiVm both the north and-south. The Germans reached the border in a final push from Skurdalsvol den, which they had taken yester day. The Norwegian high, command, in a communique tonight, admitted the loss of Kangsvinger, an important fortified city northeast of Oslo and about 13 miles form the Swedish border, and vsaid the Norwegian forces were being compelled to re treat in most other sectors under the superiority of German arms. Trevathan Seeks Pitt Board Post ; ? -v G. E. Trevathai> mayor of Foun tain and prominent in farm organi zation circles, has formally an , nounced his candidacy for the board of county commissioners from the Third District, which embraces , ParmviUe, Fountain, Falkland and ! Beaver Dam townships. Mr. Trevathan declared that this , was his first entry into politics, t> other than in his home fawn, where , he has been mayor for the past , three , Active in the Farm Bureau Fed eration since the state organization I was formed several years ago, i|| . TTevathan at the present is president , of the county organization. He also , is a member of the local AAA com I mittee and has served on the couas^f j committee. Mr. Trevathan, who is a farmer, , said that he devoted all his span r time to projects which he consider . ed to-be for the betterment of Pitt ? county and Ha farmers. t - i >: . j ? '* The domestic wheat supply fti l940 i 41 is expected! to total ao proximately K ^00,000^00 boahels, estpmted the U C ^ nanifi j! f A in ..f 1 i ilj <i i ? ^ m ? in n M i It ? ? g^ Agrtco'torm' Bronomice e You never can telj^whftt some peo (Washington Correspondent) ! '? |V.?- ,,; _ NAZI MOVE AFFECTS U. S. NORMAL TRADE SUFFERS. NEW WORLD CONDITIONS. CLOSED ECONOMY FEARS. PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES. MORE MONET FOR WPA. ABOUT RE-APPORTIONMENT. COTTON STAMP, PLAN. Germany's sudden [invasion of both Denmark and Norway last week over shadowed all doniee&c issues in the nation's capital. Official reaction to the surprising German aggression was guarded. Proclamations were is sued by the President extending the I ban on American shipping to the new I beligerent areas and, impounding the money and assets of [the nationals of the two countries attacked. L j . I The German attempt to incorporate these two small neutral nations into the economic regime of the Reich created a profound impression. Slow ly^the idea is becoming accepted that after the war, regardless of which I side wins, the world will be divided ' into closely organized economic | groups. Just what position the Unit ed States will occupy in relation to the groups depends f of course, upon how the war culminates. ) If Germany wins, at is a foregone conclusion that world trade as it was known twenty-five ypars ago, will be seriously crippled i& not almost de stroyed. If Great Bgftain and France win, it is argued, thf war effort will produce such economic strain that these nations will be compelled to adopt methods heretofore used by the totalitarian states. In the light of theee facts, there is some speculation as to the future effectiveness of the ?rade agreement act, recently extended by Congress until June 12, 1943. Unless the na tions of the world return to some thing like normal jtrade relations, there will be many difficulties in the way of successfully, promoting , the Hull trade program." While progress may be made in thejWsstern Hemis phere, there is doubt as to what may be done in the other regions of the world. In the Far East, the Japanese cam paign against China is designed to capture control of Chinese raw ma terials and trade. If Japan wins, the Japanese will claim exclusive control of Far Eastern commerce. The in terests of the United States will be seriously affected and our future trading rights trill be dependent upon the whim of the Tokyo Government It is already apparent that Soviet Russia, doe to various reasons is fol lowing- a policy of nationally con trolled trade. There is little pros pect that there will be any reversion to normal commercial practicies so far as Soviet Russia is concerned. There will be, and there has been, some buying and selling to foreign nations, but the bulk of Russian econ omy is geared to the system develop ed in Germany, with its controls, re strictions, quotas, embargoes and bartering. ? If Germany succeeds in her present effort to incorporate various neutral nations In the economic organization of the Reich, the commercial inter ests of the United States will be curtailed, Back of the sudden inva sion of Denmark and Norway is the effort of Germany to extend her economic frontier, to secure a source of supply which can be compelled to work in harmony with German pur poses. Without adequate credit, and unable to hufitl up sufficient foreign exchange to facilitate the natural commerce, Germany is grabbing ad jacent territory in order- to control the raw material and trade of the area. 5 ? ??? r . - It is hard to imagine that Italy, under Mussolini, will'continue the t development of her economic attain : in close harmony with those of Ger ; many. Consequently, not only tin r domestic trade of Italy but cher for i eign commerce will be organized upor f the Nazi pattern. Gradually, the pressure of Russia, Germany anc \ Italy, exerted upon the smaller Bal \ kan powers, will infold them into tin ' new economic scheme. ? IE Every time this happens, the pros pact <rf the United States and om hope that foreign markets for oi? product. m.y*v?kpto ft. fcrtar. are given a serious setback. If thi t process continues long enough, then i will be nobody for us to trade witl ? except South America sad we ma: E have to resort to drastip methods ti r protect this market _____ *U<^Mee * TWrtf Set of Pinna Canal Locks Okehed Senate Approves Appro priation of $15,00<?WM>; Fund Inserted In HeuseBiU Washington, April 17.?The Senate approved today a 115,000,000 initial appropriation for construction of a third set of Panama canal locks. The action came on a committee amendment to the $223,362,517 House approved appropriation for non-mili tary expenditures of the War De partment. Economy advocates still clung to a hope of preventing an increase of $55,000,000 the bill carries for water ways. As it stands, the appropriation measure would provide $19,889,950 more than a similar bill approved by the House and $2,069,917 more than President Eoosevelt's budget estimates. The House worked toward a vote on the Logan-Walter bill drafted to ? inannnAO Bet up a Single ptM>ueiu ivi iwuaw.^ of rules and regulations by ad ministrative agencies and to expedite court reviews of f.uch orders. Representative Rogers (RMass.) broke into the Logan-Walter dis cussion with a speech proposing that Congress direct the State Depart ment to establish a protectorate over Greenland "until such time as Denmark regains her sovereignty" from Germany. Admiral Harold R. Stark told the Senate Affairs committee that the navy would welcome a genuine at tempt at disarmament when the Eu ropean war ends. The chief of naval -operations as serted, however, that if a disarma ment conference were called, the United States should insist that other nations make "a clean breast" of their naval strength. Quota Provisions. Upheld By Court The provisions of the Agricultural Adjustment Act which will govern marketings of the fine-cured and Barley tobacco and cotton in 1940 have been completely upheld in a criminal case against a group of Cleveland County farmers, accord ing to E. Y. Floyd, AAA exective officer of N. C. State College. In the first criminal prosecution in the Nation involving cotton under the Farm Act, Federal Judge E. Yates Webb levied a $25 fine on each of the 10 defendants who pleaded guilty to charges of aiding* and abet ting evasion of penalties incurred op cotton marketed in excess of their marketing quotas. In addition, the court ordered the defendants to pay approximately $4,500 to the Cleve land County Agricultural Conserva tion Committee as unpaid penalties. "This decision is of great signifi cance to farmers who have Voted f<>r and will use the National marketing quotas for 1940," Floyd commented. "The way is cleared to enforce the law against any person who has. sought or will attempt to evade the provisions and penalties of the mar keting quotas for.cotton and tobacco. Cooperators in the farm program can be assured that they will have the full protection of the law in their efforts to obtain better net income and avoid wasteful surpluses." Floyd urged farmers and business men who are in doubt about their1 responsibilities under the marketing 1 kuota provisions to consult their county AAA committees for further 1 information. The quota provisions of the farm program will be enforced by both civil and criminal action ' whenever necessary, he said. i tHAWtrli ? .. How the change from horse to 1 mechanical power has affected farm demand is shown in the fact that it took 82,000,000 acres to feed, work ? stock in 1910, while in 1986 only 46, fj 000,000 acres were required, i ?;? . SEQUOIA W. I'M. H. Neil Blair has -been able to ue i core 100 pounds of the high-produc ' ing new Sequoia Irish potato variety I for demonstration purposes on hii - Watauga County farm in Boone town s' ship. WORKSTOCK r Since a high-grade jack was .plac r ed <m the farm of N. H. Perry oi i Erwin, Harnett County farmers hay? i exhibited greater interest in raistaf s their own workstock. M ?: ?rri??=r~-':: r I TOBACCO - > J! Barring uxiw blue mold attacki ' and inclement wnatheri tobacco planto a should be t; in Wilson County between May .1 ?fr t 10, says Assistant Farm Agent J SAM B. UNDERWOOD, Jr. Candidate for Solicitor of the County Court of Pitt County. LUNCH BOOM NOTES ? ? ' ? J ? . * v Menu for Week Beginning April 22 Monday?Meat loaf, tomato sauce, creamed potatoes, slaw and biscuits, 10c. \ ' - Tuesday?Snapbeans, smoked m'eat, candid yams, corn bread and apple sauce, -10c. Wednesday ? Salmon croquettes,' pork and beans, fruit salad, biscuits, 10c. Thursday ? Spaghetti, vegetable salad, corn bread aiid stewed prunes, 10c. i Friday ? Scalloped corn, greens, I graham muffins and baked apples, 10c. / ? Served Daily ? Vegetable soup, crackers, 5c. ? Plain and chocolate milk, 5c.?Ice cream, 5c.?sandwiches,. 5c. The school lunch room has been opened this week from 9 to 3, for the people of. this community to see just how it is being operated. Thurs ^Allnnrmor P-T A., the! Uft/ CVCIUIlg XVtlV??41*Q ? ? ? - ~?T . members and guests were invited to visit the lunch room and were served punch and wafers. Those in charge of the lunch room appreciate the interest that the citi zens of the towir have shown in this J project, which has "been made possi ble by the W. P. A. and individual gifts. The chief aim of the project is to help our children build healthy bodies and sound minds by giving them the food and milk that they need. About 90 free lunches along with 30 to 40 paid ones are. served daily. Each one is urged to visit the lunch room and see the wonderful work that is being done there. The lunch room has four workers and in addition to these there are two matrons, who are also rendering a needed service on the Matrons ?proj ect, for the children. /V" I Belter Business Picture Painted Federal Bureau Predicts Improvement in "Gen eral Economic Condi tions Soon Washington, April 17. ? The Bu reau of Agricultural Economics predicted today an improvement in general economic conditions by Sum mer. The bureau's view was set out in a statement which noted that the sharp Winter downswing in indus trial production had leveled off. The Federal Reserve Board con ' 4 curred in this latter observation with an announcement that the industrial , activity rate of decline had slowed down, in March and that there was fiittle farther decrease" in the first half of April. , The seasonally adjusted index of ? ,j- 1?-1 nMo 1fi& fnr industrial pruauguuu -? March, the board said, compared with the record high o' 128 in De cember, 109 in February and 98 in March, 1989. The Economics Bureau said that Litis prediction of business betterment was supported by "signs of better 11 demand far steel and textiles than * since last Fail, reviving interest in home building and an increase in industrial exports relative to pro duction." Pointing out that the industrial ' production decline during the first - three months of this year .was one 1 of the most - rapid of record, the ' bureau said that ordinarily this con dition ? would have developed , a "vicious downward spinu"r ana pos sibly a severe depression. Several factors prevented such an i outcome; the bureau said, adding J that: f "Inventories were increased last I Pall,, but nt prices which were not ? sufficiently higher than those at I present to cause apprehension of a* vere:losse?. 'Another^factor fcfilppg to' prevent *fce development of a depression peycholo^ Hull Calls on Japan^ ^ Netherlands East Indies '..... ? ?%?' 1 .-' . . Vigorous and Unexpect ed Washington State ment Will Be Handed To Tokyo Foreign Of fice; Hull's Declaration Follows Statement By Japanese Leader Washington, April 17.?Vigorous ly, if indirectly, the United States, ?called on Japan tonight to keep her hands off the Butch East Indies, vital source of rubber, tin and other raw materials for America and other nations. * Secretary Hull issued a formal statement, which is to be handed to the Japanese foreign office by Am bassador Joseph C. Grew, asserting that any intervention there "would be prejudicial to the cause of sabilfty, peace and security in the entire Pacific area." His pronouncement was preface! with the remark that he had "noted with interest" - a recent Japanese statement expressing concern for the maintenance of the status quo in the Netherlands Indies. This state ment, made by Foreign Minister * Arita, had raised some speculation as to whether Japan might move to "protect" the Indies in case their mother country, Holland, became involved in the European war. While1 Hull's statement was being issued, news despatches from Shanghai stated that authorities of the British, French and American fleets in that area of the world had said there was a "serious possibil ity of a Japanese attempt to seize the Dutch East Indies in the event of a German invasion of the Nether lands. Tonisrht's statement by Hull was in preparation during most of the day, and 'although newspapermen made many inquiries, there had been no intimation that it would be forthcoming. 'But for many days there had been much concern, the world over, aa to what fate Japan's expansion in the Orient might hold for the vastly rich chaww/pf tropical' islands which for yeais tarve been the source of much of BPouand's wealth and main- ' tained her status as a world power. Before the outbreak of the Eu ropean war, the British fleet?Brit ain, too, draws heavily upon the is lands for raw materials?had been . counted upon to maintain the statute quo there in the event of any emerg ency. But with England preoccupied | with her war with Germany, a dif ferent situation was presented. " American relation with Japan have been strained since her invasion of China. Widespread demands for an embargo on shipments, especially Tim., cunnlipfl. to the island empire vr* n?M , ?, and a boycott upon Her essential Bilk exports were raised. When it was found that the Japanese-American commercial treaty of 1911 would pre vent any such action,'the treaty was abrogated by the United States, after legal notice. It expired in January; No embargo has been imposed, or other action taken. Since then, commercial rela tions with Japan have been upon a day-to-day basis. . The board basis of Hull's statement of tonight was his confidence that no matter what might happen to Hol land, the East Indies with their popu lation of 60 millions were capable of 1 governing themselves. For some years, the islands have had virtually., J'a dominion status. WHO KNOWS ? 1. What is the official pqsition of Thomas C. Corcoran? 2. When will the Census Bureau ?announce total" population figures? 8. What is the birth rata in the United States? , 4.. What is the life expectancy of & white baby born in 1940? 5. How much is the government spending for relief? : ~ 6. How old is Ifrs^Sara Delano Roosevelt, the President's mother? x 7. Does the HOLC continue to maLie loans on homes? 8. What is the largest chainsiore system in the United States? 9. What is the pay of census enumerators? 10. When did Congress authorise reciprocal trade agreements ? ' (See "The Answers" on page 4) - - ? . CORK ir - ?* :. L. . 'j Ordinarily the United States can be expected to consume domestically and sell abroad about 2,450,000,000 bushels of corn, or about 19 bushels for every man, woman, and chfld in thtif country. ^ r