THURSDAY, SEPT. 15, 1938. PLATTSMOUTH SEKI - WEEKLY JOURNAL PAGE FIVE French Report Ships' Tonnage Continues Rise Government 05ers Aid for Ship building and Trade 1937 Favorable Year. PARIS (UP) Coincident with an nouncement by the French govern ment that 100,000 tons of new war chips will be laid down in dock yards before winter, comes the report that the improvement in French ship ping, which began in 1936, still is on the rise. The report, from the French Mer chant Marine Owners committee, classifies "the year 1937 as among the most favorable we have exper ienced." This is the first improvement in Trench shipping profits since the World war. The crisis was sharpest in 1930, and it led to a law in 1934 granting a state subsidy to French clappers and another in 1936 to com pensate for a further drop in French shipping tonnage due to the internal l i.:e in prices. The present improvement, which permitted the government to end its subsidies in 1937 is attributed to the favorable influence on world trans port due to the two sharp devalu ations in the franc in 193G and 1937. The Spanish and Sino-Japanese wars have been a further stimulant to shipping. However, rhe report also contains two major criticisms. First, that the merchant marine fleet was diminish ed by 6G.51C tons in 1937 due to the impossibility of financing replace ment. Second, tliat the margin of profit has been reduced in the last year by a rise in international prices and an increase of wages due to the r.3W social laws. However, a study of individual companies reports for 1937 contradict these criticisms to a certain extent. Sums expended for amortization have increased by four and five million francs in each case. Dividends have risen an average of 30 per cent. Moreover, when the Ministry of Merchant Marine, study ing these complaints in view of ask ing for a new subsidy from the state, requested reports on all voy ages indicating costs and profits as compared with 1929 and 1935, no answers were forthcoming. As this request was made in Octover, 1937. and as no answers were received be fore the closing of Parliament, the j ministry regarded the complaints as unfounded. It did not propose special subsidies to cover the supposed dim inution of profits. Government Halts Decline The government has acted, how ever, to check the falling off in gross tonnage in the French Merchant Ma rine. Tonnage engaged in world trade was registered at 2,887,990 at the end of 1937. The decree-laws of last May raised the funds of mari time credit from four to twenty mil lions for three years to aid shippers to expand. They likewise raised from one and a half millions to ten millions the subsidy for improve ments for increasing the speed of ships engaged in maritime trade. Both measures are extended for a period of three years and will permit the construction in three years of 500.000 tons of new commercial ships. Another decree-law passed at the end of May created free zones in the principal French ports, stimu lating trans-shipments through French ports and thus favoring the French shippers on the world market. The French government regards its program for increasing and improv ing the merchant fleet, which is of vital necessity in case of war, as fully successful and it is not likely that there will be many changes in this program for the coming year. Phone news Items to Tio. E. STAR AT OAT.' Dependable hitting makes him a star performer at bat! Dependable edges make Star Single edge Blades star per formers on your face! Made by the inventors of the original safety rasor. BIRD DEFENDER PRESENTS "CASE STATE COLLEGE. Pa. (UP) Farmers and city dwellers who grow irritated when they hear the familiar rat-tat-tat of a woodpecker on their liX vol lie iiuu ui ououc n j don't understand woodpeckers. Dr. J. Logan Bennett, director of the wildlife research unit at the Pennsylvania State College, has found that each hole the woodpeckers drill means the bird has located the larva of a destructive wood-boring insect. With their heavy bills, they are able to kill many insects other birds cannot reach. Dr. Bennett believes that birds in general are misjudged by Americans. They really are great friends sav ing millions of dollars in crops an nually. Good Mosquito Killers "Martins around buildings often consume as many as 1,000 mosqui toes a day," he said. "Many birds aid in the control of such pests as the Japanese beetle, corn ear worm, June bug and aphid." The Baltimore oriole, often ac cused of damaging grapes and gar den peas, has food habits that are largely beneficial, he said. Caterpil lars are its favorite food but it also eats numbers of plant and bark lice, ants, wasps, grasshoppers, spiders and weevils. "Those who discourage the nest ing of swallows are turning out their best friends," Dr. Bennett con tinued. "They consume vast num bers of harmful flying insects. Young birds in their nests often eat more insects than their parents. Defends Orchard Robins "Fruit growers bejieve robins arc their enemies because of their appe tite for cherries, yet robins consume insects harmful to fruit throughout the year. Only during July and August do they eat cultivated fruit to any great extent. "Farmers interested in protect ing their crops against insects by having large numbers of birds around the farm will do well to leave a swath of small grain in a corner of a field next to protective cover. "The grain will provide food for both game and song birds this winter. If left near clover it will aid materially in carry ing the birds through the winter and insure their aid next summer in the war against harmful insects." POLICE EDIT RADIO CALLS FOR RECEPTION IN HOMES NEW ORLEANS (UP) The po lice department hopes its home-listening public will notice somu improve ment 5n radio calls. It used to be when a man got so soused he couldn't keep his feet, he went on the air like this: "Patrol wagon so-and-so, pick up a drunk who is down at ." Under new regulations the oper ator says something like this: "Pa trol car so-and-so, a man is down at the corner of ." There can be no mention of drunk eness or anvthing that is likely tc offend the ears of home listeners. "You'd be surprised how many people listen to those calls at home,' one police official said. "Now it wouldn't sound right to talk about a man being drunk in front of women and children." However, if a man is murdered with an axe, it is still murdered with, an axe on the police radio. But the killer couldn't by any means be de ribed as "drunk." 200 SPARROWS KILLED RED WING. Minn. UP) Ole Ringen, caretaker at Levee park here. found 200 English sparrows dead be neath a tree the morning after a storm. Examination failed to re veal a visible cause of death. Despite the fact that the feathers of the dead birds were intact, park officials be lieved a lightning bolt killed the birds as they slept in the tree. THE AWFUL PRICE YOU PAY FOR BEING NERVOUS Quivering nerval can make you old and haggard looking, cranky and hard to live with can keep you awake nights and rob you of good health, good times and jobs. What you may need fa a particularly (rood ronuiii'i Untie and could you ask tor anything whose benefits are better proved than famous Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable Compound? Let its whole some herbs and roots help Nature build up more physical resistance and thus help calm your shrieking nerves, give mora energy and make life worth Living again. More than a million women have re ported benefit why not let Pinkham's Compound hs'.p YOU, too, to ra "smil ing thru"' tryiag times like it fcas other rrsteful women for the past 3 genera tions? IT MUST BE GOOD! m . a. m rV f? I LX South America Buys Warships from England Argentina, Brazil, Chile Indulge in Minor Naval Race Equip Ships for War. LONDON (UP) South America is indulging in a minor naval race, with approximately $30,607,500 worth cf vessels under construction in British shipbuilding yards. Argentina leads with about $22, 067,500 worth of ships, all of which are nearing completion, followed by Brazil, with $13,500,000 worth, con struction of which started a few days ago. whilst Chile is consider ing tenders for two 8,000-ton cruis ers. At present, Argentina has. the 31 knot 7.000-ton cruiser schoolship "La Argentina" under construction at Vickers-Armstrong's shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness and seven destroy ers divided between three yards. "La Argentina" was laid down in 1935 to replace the 40-year-old "Presider.tc Sarmiento" and is ex pected to be finished in December. Its cost will be approximately $S, 4S7.500. Equip Ships for War Although described as a s.hool ship, with accommodation for 60 cadets, "La Argentina" will have six torpedo tubes, nine six-inch guns, four four-inch anti-aircraft guns, eight two-pounder anti-arcraft guns and will carry two amphibian planes which will be catapulted from the deck. The seven destroyers belong to the G class used in the British navy. They have all been launched, and al though five have yet to undergo trials, it is expected that all seven will be ready to leave for Buenos Aires at the end of September. The "Buenos Aires," "Entre Rios" and "Corrientes" ere being finished at Vi;kers-Armstrong's Barrow-in-Furness yard, the "San Juan" and "San Luis" at John Brown's Clyde bank yard and the "Missiones" and "Santa Cruz" at Cammell Laird's Birkenhead yard. All the seven captains, most of the officers and 500 members of the crews have arrived in Britain aboard the transport "Pampa" ready to take over the vessels on completion. Ad ditional crews for the "Corrientes" and "Santa Cruz" will be brought on the "Pampa's" sister ship "Chaco." Carry Crews of 145 All seven destroyers, the total cost of which will be approximately $13, 580.000. were laid down in 1936. They will displace 1.335 tons, have a speed of 35.5 knots and carry crews of 145. Some slight modifications have been made to make them con form to Argentina's special require ments, necessitated by climati; con siderations. They will be fitted with four 4.7 guns and seven smaller, as well as eight torpedo tubes. Brazil's six destroyers will be similar to the British Navy II class, one of which, the "Hacock" was badly mined in the Mediterranean while on Nyon patrol duty, but kept afloat. Construction is divided equally be tween Vickers-Armstrong's Barrow-in-Furness yard, J. Samuel White's yard at Cowes. and Thornycroft's Southampton yard. It is expected that they will be completed in 1940 at an approximate total cost of $8, 730,000. Their specification is similar to the seven destroyers being built for the Argentine government. Chile is at present considering tenders from several firms, including British. German. Italian. United States and Danish for two 8.000-ton cruisers armed with six-inch guns. At present, the Chilean navy has only three cruisers, the newest of which, the "Chacabuco." was completed in 1898. BE SURE TO GET AN AMERICA'S ' STANDARD TIME! ' Get trustworthy time in a smart Ingersoll watcb. Yankee is the smallest and thinnest pocket atch at 9120. Chrome -plat case, dear numerals, unbreak able crystal. HENPECKED MEN FIND PARADISE SYDNEY, Australia (UP) A paradise for henpecked husbands, whose wives are fined for bad cooking and nagging, exists on the island of Badu in the Torres Straits between Northern Australia and New Guinea. The strangest part of this strange state of affairs lies in the fact that the penalties against wives in favor of their husbands have been provided by a woman herself. She is Mrs. Ethel May Rahel, the "ruler" of the island, which has a population of 520 natives and five whites. Twenty-nine years ago, the Queens land government appointed Mrs. Rahel superintendent of this primi tive remote island. As governmental assistants, Mrs. Rahal has three native councillors and three members of the native po- ilice force to help her superintend the general conduct of the natives. This task does not overwork the three policemen. The island's 520 "subjects" are a rather happy, law abiding class. They have a shrewd sense of humor, she states, and some very amusing customs. According to the laws created by the councillors, a woman can be charged for nagging, for cooking her husband's food badly, or for other wise failing in her domestic duties. She is fined according to the seriousness of the offense, the hus band cheerfully paying the fine as a consequence of being relieved of the annoyances that displeased him. The island has an $S,000 church, for which the natives themselves sub scribed the money. During services, a native walks up and dow nthe aisle with a huge stick. If anyone shows signs of sleeping, he is poked sharply in the ribs by this self-appointed monitor. Mrs. Rehal reports the island is self-supporting. The inhabitants grow their own sweet potatoes, yams, bananas, and pineapples. One of the staple diets on Badu Island, also known as Mulgrave Is land, is the flesh of the dugong or sea cow which when young is like veal, and when mature similar to beef. CAHNERS WANT MORE WORKERS WASHINGTON (UP) The Na tional Youth Administration has sug gested to unemployed young people that the canning: industry is a good place to look for jobs. The Indiana NYA concluded from the first scries of occupational surveys that vegetable canning is increasing and offers more and more jobs, not only for youths but for untrained workers and older women. The seasonal nature of the work is a disadvantage, a report made public by Robert S. Richey, state NYA director, admitted. But this may eventually be overcome by develop ment of freezing as a preservative measure, permitting the work to be spread over the year, the report point ed out. "A consolidation of the industry would also improve the employment situation, it is noted, as it is the small ceasonal plants which can promise nc future to their employes, where as large concerns can maintain a year 'round force, rotate workers and ad vance them to higher positions," the report said. The canning industry, nevertheless appears to offer no great solution for the unemployment problem because of its size in comparison wth the great "heavy" industries. There are 2.744 canning: establishments in the United States employing 116,29s wage earn ers and 10,206 salaried workers, with an annual income of about $70,600,000. Indicating the importance of the industry .to the farmer, the report said that in 1934 21.5 per cent of the grower's income from vegetable crop? came from sales to canneries. According to the Indiana report Columbus discovered the tomato now one of the most universally popular vegetables, in America; it was grown in Europe for 300 years before any one would eat it and was not used for food in this country until 1830 because of the belief it war, poisonous. The largest iannipg states, in order are California, New York, Maryland, Indiana, Virgina, Wisconsin. Illinois, Ohio Pennsylvania and Washington. YOUR BACK IF RATS MONEY r. VV " " M1 'Ifttr K R-0 madeU rfr'tfft?l;3r Red Sqaill. a II f ''j.' ljr raticide recommended 11 On fl V US DepL Act. (Bui If ,if '533). Ready-M.iSd. fo If f '""wy tonwOVand JI.00;Pov. alulir d". r farms. 7S. All I , 1 Drug nd Seed Store. I S Damage each rat does AJ Jf coato you 1200 a I W-5, year. K-R-OCo, J i 1 la. cyy Springfield, Of EAGLE NEWS ITEMS Mrs. Mary Wachter spent Sunday and Monday with relatives in Lin coln. Mr. and Mrs. Kastner of Alliance called on Mr. and Mrs. William Hud son last Friday morning. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Thomson and son Gary of Palmyra spent Sun day at the J. L. Wall home. Mrs. I. R. Dana, of Lincoln, was in town on Friday of last week, looking after some matters of busi ness. Mrs. Ivan Caddy worked at the bank while her sister. Miss Maxine Wetenkamp, was away on her va cation. Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Gerd and son. Elliott, of Cook, were in town last Sunday afternoon calling on old friends. Mr. and Mrs. Howard Mick, of Lincoln spent Sunday with Mrs. Louisa Wachter and Mrs. Marie Hamilton. Mr. and Mrs. Paul B. Johnson were dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Hiers near Alvo on Tuesday evening of this week. Miss Maxine Wetenkamp has been vacationing in Colorado for the past ten days, deturning home on Tuesday of this week. Miss LaVonna Gray, of Douglas, will attend high school here again this year and live at the home of her aunt, Mrs. E. H. May. Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Muenchau and son spent Sunday afternoon with Mrs. Lydia Muenchau and Miss Lil lie Muenchau of Elmwood. Mrs. Bertha Wulf and Mrs. Carrie Daugherty of Lincoln called at the home of Mrs. Wulfs mother, Mrs. Pauline Ollerman last Sunday even ing. J. L. Wall and Alton Haase re turned Friday evening from the west, where they have been threshing dur ing the past several weeks, near Alliance. Mrs. Emma Chapman and son. Ray and Mrs. Vern Robinson and daugh ter, Irene, of Lincoln, visited Mrs. Fred Smith and mother,"'r'I:t Bur dick, last Sunday. Miss Jean Marie Stewart and Bill Jack will attend Nebraska Wesleyan University this school term. Rev. Don Springer enrolled on Tuesday of this week for his senior year. Sunday evening guests at the W. B. Hursh home were Mr. and Mrs. Francis Ferguson and children of Lincoln. Mr. and Mrs. Will Ossen kop of Walton and Mr. and Mrs. E. C Oberle. Sympathy is extended to Mr. and Mrs. John Rockenbach. Sr., grand parents, "and other relatives, who so suddenly lost their grandson, Ches ter, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Rockenbach. of near Waverly. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Root and fam ily and Mr. and Mrs. William Hud son motored to Rokeby last Sunday and visited Mr. and Mi's'. Frank Run die and Mrs. Peterson and daughter. Mrs. Rundle is an aunt of Mr. Root and Mr. Hudson. Rev. and Mrs. Springer returned the first of this week from Omaha, where they attended the annual Ne braska conference of the Methodist church and also visited Mr. Spring er's mother and sister. W. E. Muen chau represented the local church at the conference on Friday of last week. Chas. Renner disposed of his household goods at public auction last Saturday afternoon. Mrs. Cook and Mrs. Herman Swanson, of At chison Kansas, were here and help ed their father prepare for the sale. Both Mr. and Mrs. Rentier are in ill health. They plan to live with Mr. and Mrs. Herman Swanson in Atchison. Rally Day The Trinity Lutheran church held their Rally Day services last Sun day. There was special music. At 12:15 the congregation gathered at the Eagle Fire Hall and enjoyed a basket diner together. Methodist Aid Mrs. J. L. Wall entertained the Methodist Ladies Aid in the church parlors last Wednesday afternoon. Mrs. Orin Lanning presented the missionary lesson. A plan of re-organization of the Aid was discussed. Mrs. J. L. Wall declined to serve as president of the organization for the coming year and Mrs. Guy Jones was elected. The hostess, assisted by her daugh ter, Mrs. Paul B. Johnson served dainty refreshments. Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Henry Fin land were guests. Used cars, livestock, houseriofd goods all can to sold through inexpensive Journal Want Ads. Rubber Stamps, Targe or small, at right prices at the Journal. PUBLIC LIBRARY NOTES i The report of the Plattsmouth public library for August shows eight new borrowers and 2,457 book3 cir culated, an increase over August, 1937, of 351 books, and over July, 1938, of 240 books. Out of 115 children who started the Summer Reading club, 74 finish ed the required reading. These children will be given a treat, which will be announced later. Mrs. Earl Sipple gave the library ! a number of western story books,, which will be very ui?ful in re-1 placing worn copies of some old favorites. Two new books on the pay shelf are highly recommended. "My Son, My Son," by Harold Spring, was given special mention by Walter Winchell in his radio hour, and is among the 10 most called for books in libraries everywhere. "The Year ling," by Majorie Kinnan Rawlings, is the beautiful and moving story of an adolescent youth coming to man hood in the primitive environment : of the Florida swamps and pine lands. The descriptions of natural beau ties are splendid, and when you lay the book down you feel a new kin ship with bird and animal life, as well as human life. The simple folk dialect used in the story adds much to its pungency. It is a fine book for young people as well as adults. "The Blue Mittens." by Mary K. Reeby, illustrated by Kurt Wiese, is a charming child's stc-y, telling of the every day happenings on a farm and at school. Very young children will enjoy it as a read-aloud book and third graders can read it for themselves with a little help. A beautiful book is "The White Stag," written and illustrated by Kate Seredy. It is a legend of the Huns and Mazyars. and begins with Nimrod, the mighty hunter. Then it tells of Hunor and Mazyard, turn eagles of Hadur, who married the moon maidens and led their people to a promised land, always shown the way by the white stag. And finally Attila is born Attila the Cui.veor, king of the promised land. I.." illustrations are fs much of the book as the legend itself. They show all the mighty strengii. "( the warriors, the grace of the morv maidens. the mysterious glory of the white stag. Whoever likes artistic beauty, either child or adult, will enjoy "The White Stag." DISCOVER OIL ON OCEAN BED AT DEPTH OF 2,200 FT. INVERNESS, N. S. (UP) What is believed to be the first submarine oil bed in the world has been found here. A diamond crew 'seeking new coal seams in a government-operated col liery came across flowing oil a mile from the mainland and 2,2000 feet vertically below the sea surface. The crew had penetrated 233 feet horizon tally in coarse sandstone formation when they found dipplcs of oil and water. Confirming the find, Dr. Alan Cam eron, provincial deputy minister of mines, said: We're going to carry the drill hole on further. According to the geolo gist and- engineer there are definite showings of oil. If it Is petroleum it will be hard to get it." TRAPS INQUISITIVE SKUNK OAKLAND, Cal. (UP) Mrs. James Moulton saw a skunk stalking across her lawn. She waited until it climb ed into the garbage can. Then she clamped on the lid and notified the poundmaster and the police that the rest was up to them. JUDGE REPRIMANDS HIMSELF KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UP) Fed eral Judge Merrill E. Otis issued a judicial reprimand to himself re cently. He incurred his own dis pleasure over a four-year delay in settling a case on his docket. IT takes about 1500 nuts to hold an automobile to gether, but it takes only one nut to smash a car wide apart. Don't take chances with crazy driv ers. See me for automo bile insurance. Scarl S. Davis OFFICES I 'D FLOOR Platts. State Bank Bldg. dl w Tf raj M u Chicago Turns 'Murder Mart' in to a Playground Near North Side Once Scene of 42 Deaths in 18 Months Mil ton Street Renamed. CHICAGO (UP) Chicago's bloody "Little Hell" where 42 men were slsin in 18 months two decades ago is a paradise for youngsters today. Softball, baseball, boxing and bowl ing have replaced shotgun slugs, pis tol bullets and stilettos in the old murdrer-mart. "Death Corner," hub of "Little Hell" by virtue of its high death rate, has lost its chill magic in the Chicago Avenue police station. But Police Capt. Tom Harrison remem bers when the half square-mile on the Near North Side was the hotbed cf unsolved murders instead of the home of Seward Park. Ely Beach, and numerous playing fields. "It's all been changed now, even the names of the streets," he said. "And the greatest change has been brought about by a number of doc tors and lawyers. They have substi tuted active sports clubs for the street gangs that formerly provided train ing in car-stealing and petty thievery." Milton Street Renamed The intersection of Milton and Oak streets, "Death Corner," is now Cleveland and Oak. Townsend street, for many years the address of numer ous victims of mysterious murders, now is Hudson avenue. Even a decade ago, Harrison said, the trouble calls from "Little Hell," whkh usually mean murder, were so frequent that special details were assigned to various corners. In contrast, Patrick Congdon. who has been the juvenile officer at th Chicago avenue station for a number of years, says today: "If things keep on as quiet as they have, we won't even need a juvenile officer here." 42 Murders in 18 Months Unsolved killings In "Little Hell" in pre-war days included that of Giuseppe Giglio, whose death in 1911 was the 42nd in 18 months. The murder of Santo Lubruzzio in his doorway in 1914 was the 28th of that year. "nd the leaders of this sevtion are stilf "'"Hans," Harrison told the interviewer. Vr?,ut these young men who have change' Little Hell' are professional men who want' to kcc the youngsters get a break." "La manero nera" or Black Hand was the terror of the district during the big-profit days in the bootleg trade after prohibition. The young fellows, once recruited to fill the gaps in the gunmen ranks, are now more interested in Joe DiMaggio than their forerunners were in AI Capone, Harrison said. WORKMEN FIND OLD GOLD PRAIRIE DU CHEN. Wis. (UP) Workmen excavating the ruins of old Fort Crawford unearthed a gold half dollar of 185G which bore the In scription "California Gold." The. thin coin is less than half an inch in diameter. Three Spanish coins also were found on the site of the 120-year-old fort. They are dated 1781. 1784 and 1794 and bear the Image of King Charles III. We v.-ill apprecTate phone calls of news items from our readers. NOW is tHie Now is the time to check your heating system chimneys ... and stoves. Help prevent dangerous winter fires by having a careful Fall check-up ! Insure for Safety For Certain Protection against Financial Loss from Fire . . Insure your Property NOW with this Dependable Agency! Call or See TIME insurance- "1 Plattsmouth v