20 Nov 1939
Page 1
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Newspaper
Charleston Gazette
Location
Charleston, West Virginia, United States of America
Date
Nov 20, 1939
Page
1
New York dispatch reports Americans will have more money for the holiday season as Thanksgiving and Christmas buying extend by early date changes. Merchants expect higher spending as pay rolls grow, dividends rise, and corporate profits surge with GM GE Bethlehem Steel among leaders.
The sky glowed from more than 108 forest fires in West Virginia last night with no immediate relief in sight. Towermen reported smoke limiting visibility to a half mile or less, and Conservation Commissioner H. W. Shawhan said the exact number of fires was unknown. Hunting would resume when hazard passes, with the general situation little changed from yesterday.
A fragmentary quote recalls a child’s worry that a fire would be ignored while at school, with the hope that returning home would reveal a needed task to justify work. The remark hints at concern over safety and earned responsibility in a household.
In San Francisco on November 19 1940 30000 well wishers packed streets around Sts Peter and Paul church to witness Joe DiMaggio wed Dorothy Arnold The ceremony at the church was delayed as police cleared a path for the bride and her father Victor Olson of Duluth DiMaggio entered from a rear door with best man Tom DiMaggio and matron of honor Irene Morris After the ceremony the wedding party faced a cheering crowd that filled the square and required 10 minutes to depart
British War Secretary Leslie Hore-Belisha told American reporters on a Western Front tour that the Anglo French Allies can outsit and outfight Germany. He said even if stalemate ends, Allies hold manpower and resources for victory, noting Britain's patience and morale of troops remain high despite some grousing.
A government economist with 30 years study forecasts postwar Europe faces famine, tax strain, unemployment, and possible unrest. He predicts farmers may bear catastrophe while upper classes suffer most. global hardship expected with neutral countries limited buying power. Britain already cuts imports. war duration affects severity.
In CHUNGKING November 19 investigators report autumn floods in Hopeh province left 94 of 130 districts near famine. Destruction of about 500000 bushels of grain followed floods that receded leaving portions of eastern Hopeh under up to 10 feet of water. Government relief funds are exhausted amid contested control of ports cities railways between Japanese and Chinese authorities.
President Roosevelt laid the cornerstone of a library on his Hyde Park estate to house his private and official papers, dedicating it to the spirit of peace. He announced the library would be turned over to the government next summer at no tax cost and aimed for a public opening in spring 1941.
Five people were killed and at least 20 injured in weekend accidents across West Virginia. The dead include Robey Woods 22 Gassa Way national Guard William Lester Bane 40 Bluefield Wiley M Patrick 34 Kimball Ermal Hatton Pritchard Otmar Shamblin 3 Plymouth miner killed by a freight train at Bancroft Hatton fatally injured when his car collided with a train at Huntington.
South Hills councilmen plan to act tonight to add fire plugs at several locations after observing rapid woods fire spread and the threat to millions in property during the dry season. A long filed request from Harrison B. Smith and neighbors seeks a plug on Loudon Heights road.
Nazi governor of Warsaw ordered barricades to separate the Jewish quarter from the rest of the city. A Jewish ghetto will be enforced by armed storm troopers amid claims of profiteering by Jewish residents in the former Polish capital.
Prague authorities and German police imposed martial law in Prague and four industrial centers amid threats of a protest strike. Labor leaders urged workers against strikes to honor 12 Czechs executed for anti-German acts. Officials report a generally quiet Sunday after days of deaths and closures.
The Czechoslovak National Council of America protested the terror sweeping Czechoslovakia and the murder of nine Czech college students by Nazi officials. Led by Dr. Eduard Benes, the council urged true Americans and organizations to respond.
Asst. Atty. Gen. Thurman Arnold warned labor unions they face federal anti-trust prosecution if they use legal rights of association illegally. He issued a public reply to inquiries about applying anti-trust laws to unions after recent charges against some in construction and building trades. He stressed the laws should not police strikes but apply when union actions have no connection to wages hours health safety or speed-up systems.
A U S canvass of military and civilian experts in Washington reveals mixed opinions on Germany’s tolerance of adverse news from Prague and the potential power shift from the Nazi party to the army high command. Some see it as a real shift Hitler predicted, others view censorship as a strategic ploy to mislead Britain and France.
New York reports offer humorous legal quirks from across North America. Judges rule beavers may build dams in Connecticut and two women’s movie chatter earns a Bronx cheer. Other rulings cover nose-thumbing at over 10 feet, Eskimos as Indians, roosters versus chickens, and divorces amid spousal slap cases. A bear’s boxing value is set at 12000 dollars, while being sat on by a horse carries a thousand-dollar inconvenience.
The British admiralty said four merchant ships were sunk by German mines in the same area as the Simon Bolivar disaster, with at least 28 believed killed by explosion or drowning. Sixty six survivors were rescued and brought to England, many injured or left exposed to icy seas off the eastern coast.
Belgian steamer service to England halted after 12 mines washed ashore along the coast. A mine blast at Breedene damaged a military hospital in Ostend. The Belgian government warned ships from using the channel lanes. Sixty crew members of a Lithuanian steamer lost at sea were rescued at Zeebrugge. one seaman drowned. A gale drove mines and wreckage onto Antwerp docks and damaged vessels along the waterfront.
Regular city council meeting tonight will consider Kanawha parkway land deals and routine improvements. Unclear whether committees are ready on the parking meter issue. Mayor Dawson expects action on leasing parking areas and paving along the Union building and sides. City Solicitor Hill was asked to review state law regarding a possible 2 penny tax on a 25 cent fee. Acceptance of pavement sections may be approved.
Readers of The Gaselte are urged to sift war news carefully, separating facts from rumors. The edition emphasizes presenting verified details and avoiding sensational wording while sharing updates on ongoing conflicts.
A 7,206 tonne ship built last year reaches its new berth at Gieszew harbor, signaling a steady expansion in the regional maritime capacity and economic activity as port facilities onboard the vessel undergo routine checks.
A fragment notes a few hatch covers linked to Grazia’s life in Berlin with a directive to turn to page 7 column 3 for more details.
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