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This newspaper page contains 18 articles. Subscribers can read the full text of each article.
Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
Dec 20, 1940
Page
4
The fragment discusses Christmas shopping urgency and festive events in Decatur, mentions a Christmas decor contest, a sales comparison year over year, and questions about a British aid plan. It references Franklin D Roosevelt, the Christmas Eve city celebration, and broad 1940 1941 industrial context in North Alabama.
Industrialist LeTourneau planned to fly to Muscle Shoals and drive to Decatur to deliver three speaking engagements. The local note expresses optimism about the lessons from the airport visit and its potential impact on expanding the industry he leads. It also reflects hope that the positive impression would persist with LeTourneau and influence future aviation development.
The Alabama Journal argues against abolishing the Electoral College citing constitutional apportionment. It notes electors equal the sum of senators and representatives, which is driven by population, not voting power, implying abolition would reduce the South’s relative influence.
Salvation Army plans a Christmas Eve event for 700 to 1000 youngsters at the armory. The article notes a new vice probe in Phenix City and ongoing friction among military and civil authorities across Phenix City Columbus and Fort Benning over responsibility for disorder. It also references Truce seeking help after earlier threats against Greece.
The piece argues Mussolini is cornered while Hitler struggles to manage two fronts and domestic unrest. Britain’s blockade saps Axis strength, with Germany forced to divert attention to Africa Albania and air and sea fronts as Allied pressure intensifies.
Washington forecasts a sharp rise in hog prices later this winter based on strong consumer demand and a 1940 fall pig crop 12 percent smaller than last year. The piece urges Morgan and Lawrence counties to boost milk production as a cash income hedge and notes Alabama farmers shifting from cotton to other crops for steadier incomes.
Washington lawmakers clash over Roosevelt's proposal to supply war materiel to Britain on an open ended basis. Critics warn of infinite costs and loss of control while supporters argue for commercial leasing and future repayment in kind. The discussion covers loans, collateral, and strategic defense.
The article explains how most people exposed to tuberculosis never develop disease, comparing it to seeds in different soils. It notes shifts in understanding that adults can catch TB and warns about virulence if exposed in adulthood, plus a note on Christmas seal funding. It also includes reader questions on coffee, editor notes, and seasonal poems.
A collage of humorous snippets and verses on Christmas and daily life. Jokes cover fitness boasts, insurance pitches, and playful exchanges about stockings and stockings, with light banter among unnamed speakers and characters.
Report from Annagh village in Northern Ireland states residents slept peacefully after investigators determined the nightly sound labeled an air raid siren was actually a donkey bray.
Walter Winchell faces rebuke from Herbert Bayard Swope over accuracy in gossip journalism. The Private Papers recounts pushback on hiring gossipists, notes the tension between gossip appeal and factual reporting, and cites examples from Variety and Miami papers.
Virginia Gayda, Benito’s boy, faces a challenge to prove his editing skill by explaining to fellow Italians what happened to his noted phrase “The soft, decadent British Empire.”
The United Press declares among its ten best stories the Enigma of Russia and notes no press from Russia since Stalin’s censorship began in January. The suggested big story is that Russia “keeps its mouth shut” amid secrecy and control.
Hallie Flanagan recounts a congressman phoning after the Federal Theater was abolished to discuss the theater for his state. She notes the lasting impact of Arena and the ongoing interest in the program's history.
At the 5 O'Clock Club a girl fell from a high bar stool and was carried out limp by escorts. Sam Barken, proprietor, reacted with astonishment noting an unexpectedly large check in the joint.
The London correspondent depicts shelter life during raids with wit and grit. Descriptions include old women feeding pigeons in Trafalgar Square under bombs, newsboys recounting halftime scores, incendiaries sold for candy tokens, a bustling shelter vending trade, and a Savoy Hotel booking beds in shelters.
The slugging Paul Waner, longtime Pittsburgh star, has been fired. Reports say he was once guaranteed a life position in the owner's will, but now he joins Babe Ruth in idleness. Yet baseball keeps its crowd-getters, who later enter the Hall of Fame.
A Brooklyn team bench recollection highlights aging in sports. A veteran notes aging appears first in the eyes, another in the legs, while Waite Hoyt quips that the first sign is in a player’s write ups. The exchange captures veteran perspective on decline.
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