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Newspaper
Decatur Daily
Location
Decatur, Alabama, United States of America
Date
Jan 31, 1940
Page
1
Decaturites welcomed a thaw with sun on ice and 31 degrees at 11 30 am. The Tennessee river lay frozen for 22 years though warming sun was to melt the surface soon. Morgan County schools mostly back in session though Falkville delayed due to heating delays.
Montgomery reports January 1940 to be the coldest month since 1873 with a mean temperature near 34 degrees. Forecaster E D Bligh notes record lows across the state, including 10 degrees at Birmingham and 11 at Florence, while the Warrior River remains frozen at Tuscaloosa and the Tennessee River ice yields.Tomorrow promises a hard freeze in the north and a gradual warmup in the south as a new February begins.
Chill northerly winds swept across the South bringing freezing weather to Gulf Coast communities. Birmingham AlabamaReported a 10 degree low while parts of the northeast remained at zero. Light snow fell in the upper Mississippi Valley with a six to sixteen degree drop from yesterday.
The county tax office reported heavy payments on poll taxes with residents settling back taxes for many years. Charles G. Hardwick extended hours to Thursday night to accommodate taxpayers. Payments included 24 years for $36 in Decatur and 20 years for $30 in Hartselle, with additional dues at Falkville and Parkville locations.
The Daily does not publish Paul Mallon column today because Mr. Mallon is seriously ill. King Features Syndicate hopes he can resume work soon.
In Quarryville Pennsylvania the groundhog lodge vows faith in predicting weather on February 2. Members claim scientists err and note that a shadow means winter lasts longer. Lodge has few members with only 92 admitted in 30 years and lists notable names in lore.
R L Bob Murphy of Somerville route three enters the Democratic primary for a seat on the Morgan County Board of Revenue in District 4. A thirty year merchant farmer in the county's eastern area he has never held public office and is a Christian church member with strong local support.
Federal Court of Appeals ruled in a Georgia case that a broker acting as buyer cannot accept fees or commissions from a seller of goods under interstate commerce law. The decision clarifies commission ethics for brokers engaged in cross state trade.
The American Federation of Labor executive council urged President Roosevelt and Congress to restore business confidence. It called for government actions that encourage industrial activity and prevent profit and job losses, saying opportunities for profit affect employment. The statement signals labor pushing both parties to act.
Tokyo says a Pittman bill granting the president power to halt U S embargoes on Japan would be a serious affront. The foreign office spokesman Yukichi Rosuma warns passage could provoke Japan and notes opposition from three foreign relations committee senators. He cites China policy aims and suggests limited progress in deescalation.
On a sharp Birmingham Highway curve a lumber truck left the road, struck a concrete culvert, and pitched into a ravine. Quilford Smith aged 22 of Plantersville and Jesse J. Adams aged 55 of Pletcher were killed. Henry E. Owens the truck owner and Smith's father in law remained hospitalized with a fractured skull.
At Columbus the United Mine Workers failed to back a Roosevelt third term, sending the matter to the International Executive Committee. John L. Lewis led a fiery debate over the New Deal and labor loyalty, while the substitute resolution urged unity behind liberal candidates and a coordinated party program.
In Hendersonville North Carolina on January 31 police stopped a suspicious man. He claimed to have a social security card somewhere in his pocket after being asked to identify himself. He wore multiple layers and produced the card after a lengthy search.
In response to a starvation appeal a two coach emergency train reached Glasgow delivering relief to about 400 people weather bound since Saturday at Crawford on Deatock moor Lanarkshire. The hotel faced food shortages and overcrowding as transport ties remained cut across Britain and livelihoods dwindled.
Decatur Boys Club fighters won two matches in the State Golden Gloves tournament at Birmingham. Eugene Worley defeated Harold Gooch of Florence in bantamweight action, and Dewey Clayton beat Henry Lorenzo of the Alabama Industrial School by decision.
The 1940 Spring term of circuit court will open February 19 for two weeks with Judge A A Griffith presiding. Jury drawn for two weeks. civil and criminal dockets to hear criminal cases. Docket is light. several capital offense defendants are jailed, service of papers has begun.
The Finnish army says it destroyed nine Russian tanks and downed five planes during renewed fighting near Lake Ladoga. About 50 Russians were killed at Taipale as Soviet thrusts on the Karelian Isthmus were repelled. Unofficial reports claim Pitkaranta was retaken, and Finnish officers note Soviet food shortages in the Kitela sector while maintaining pressure.
The Associated Press reports Hitler used his seventh anniversary speech to signal no clear plans yet for war in Europe while calling on France and England to face them. He praised Italy and Russia ties, claimed Allied hopes to split Britain and France are dead, and Nazi raids on British shipping continued with 18 vessels sunk in two days. Finnish recapture of Pitkaranta toward the Soviet frontier is noted in unofficial front reports.
Weather report notes the Tennessee River at 16.7 feet and falling with 38 degrees and no rainfall in 24 hours. Alabama sees frost in the south, hard freezes in the north, temps 18 to 24, with fair skies and slow warming into Thursday.
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