FOR ICTORY BUY UNITED STATES BONDS * STAMPS (V VOLUMN LXXIV $1.50 per year In Advance LOUISBURG, N. CAROLINA A BLACK TOWN_ Louisburg Has First Blackout 4 First Signal Given 9:05 P. M. Tuesday Night; Black At 9:25 and Clear at 9:55; State Guard Assists Civil ian Defense; Chief War den W. B. Barrow Well Pleased With Coopera tion; It Was a Practice ' Blackout Louisburg experienced its first war time blackout Tuesday night when the Sirene announced the approach of enemy planes, the Civilian Defense mobilized and made their appearance with the aid of the State (Home) Guard, lights begun to go out, traffic stopped and the town apparently . was asleep. This alarm was sounded at 9:05, with a long ' sharp Sirene call, and represent- ] ed a real blackout call, taking the populace by utter surprise, which - without full understanding of ^ just what to do, accounted for the lack of immediate action on the j part of some, but Chief Air Raid ( Warden, W. B. Barrow, consider ed he had one hundred per cent cooperation and was especially well pleased. The red or immediate danger sign, several short blasts from Sirene, was sounded at 9:25 and all was black, movements stopped, " people took shelter for protection and awaited the final "blow-up." At 9:35 the third signal, an other long steady blast from the Sirene, was sounded informing the people that the enemy had passed, but might return. It al so informed them they might venture out, drive with dim lights, go back to work, or move about, but not to turn on lights, and to be ready, to take safety again on the return of the enemy, The Civilian Defense and its as sistants begun to checft up for possible damage. At 9:55 the All Clear sign, which was given over radio was sounded and the town came alive v' agkin with lights and activity as usual. This being Louisburg's first practice blackout, and entirely unexpected, some errors were I made, but were soon corrected. The Civilian Defense organiza- I tion and its assistants checked on i and put out several lights, but as 1 a whole the experience should be considered successful. The next i will be more perfect, as the peo- J * pie are daily becoming more con-i vinced that an air raid from the ' enemy is easily possible in Louis burg. Chief Warden Barrow was very enthusiastic In his appreci?tionsT of the splendid cooperatifrti given! him in this blackout both to the general public and the many war-! dens, the State Guard and all as- 1 sistants. * This should be repeated that \ we may perfect the system before we have actual need. There is little doubt, but as the enemy loses more it will become more desperate, and since It has been demonstrated that this country is easily accessible by plane from enemy bases, it is possible they will turn to retaliation by resort ing to any and all kinds of des truction possible. _ Therefore, the air raid is the most feasible and possible method to look forward for. We have no assurance who will be the victim so all should coop erate fully in the protection for all: JOINS WAACS *H Miss Helen Reynolds (Teeney) Allen, daughter of Mrs. F. H. ' Allen, Sr., and the late Mr. Al len, has Joined the WAAC's and ? is awaiting call with assignment. PROGRAM AT THE LOUISBURG THEATRE ! The following is the programl: at the Loulsburg Theatre, begin ning Saturday, Feb. 27th: Saturday ? Roy Rogers and ] Gabby Hayes in 'Riding Down The Canyon' and Alan Mowbray | in 'The Devil With Hitler.' Also i a new chapter of 'G Men vs. hTe I Black Dragon.' Sunday-Monday ? Ginger . Rog- i ers and Cary Grant in 'Once Up- I on A Honeymoon.' i Tuesday ? Frank Buc's newest ] Jungle adventure 'Jacare', also a i new chapter if Bill Elliott in i 'The Valley of Vanishing Men.' i Wednesday ? Fredric March and Veronica Lake in 'I Married I A Witch.' i Thursday-Friday ? Ida Luplno ' and Dennis Morgan in 'The Hard I Way.' I ?On Pay Daft Boy Bonds ? RETIRED FROM ACTIVE - DUTY Lt. Wilbur A. Raynor arrived 1 home Sunday night from his Coastal Air Patrol base after hav-j nig received his release to fecup jrate his health. He was accom panied by his wife, who had been with him since the first of the i rear. The following letter from Maj.| Frank E. Dawson, his Comman ler, will be read with interest by lis many friends in Franklin | bounty, who will regret to learn >f his physical condition. Office of Civilian Defense Washington, D. C. : Civil Coastal Patrol Base February 21, 1943. < Subject: Release from Active duty a"S Assistant Operations Officer of 'Civil Coastal Con -trol. 11 To: Lt. ..Wilbur A. Raynor. To Whom It May Concern: 1. Lt. Wilbur A. Raynor, | Serial No. 4-4-428, was given at his request his release from 1 active duty from Civil Coastal Patrol Base No. 21, due to a physical cohdition whereby his physician, after an examina- j tion, advised him that it would be necessary for him to return ' home and rest for sl certain j number of .hours each day in order to regain his health. 2. We are releasing Lt. Ray- I nor with regrets, as his ser- j vices as Assistant Operations j Officer at this base were most ; satisfactory. Sincerely yours, MAJOR FRANK E. DAWSON, Base Commander. Lt. Raynor informs the FRANKLIN TIMES that he will esume the management of hisj Radio and Jewelry shop. o Red Cross War Drive The Rod Cross War Drive for tile lyouisburg Areit begins (? March 1 in all the districts outside of Louisburg proper. It will begin March 15 in Ijouis biftg. l'iease take notice of j this. In order to reach our goal, $3,1)00.00, it is necessary that great giving he done. There will have to be a number of $50.00 gifts, and at least one hundred $25.00 gifts. Those who gave $1.00 last year should give from $5.00 to $10.00 this year. Our soldiers are fighting for us. The Red Cross Is the only organization, which serves them without reserve in every phase of their lives. We must match our soldiers' lives with our money. Your Red Cross Chairman expects to do his full part. Will you . A. PAUL BAGBY, Chm'n. Louisburg Red Cross. ? . 1 o Dr. Bagby To Attend Buie's Creek, Feb. 23. ? Camp bell College Is to entertain a group of Baptist pastors from sastern Carolina in a Pastor's Conference beginning March 1, it 3 p. m., and continuing through aoon, Friday the 5th. Among the leaders who will be present are Dr. S. L. Blanton. Wilmington; Dr. A. Paul Bagby, Louisburg; Rev. E. Norfleet 3ardner, Henderson; and Mr. I. 3. Greer, Mills Home, Thomas rille. Dr. Bagby will introduce the Sermon on the Mount; E. N. 3ardner is to speak on "Furth- ! srahce of the Gospel Through Missions"; and Dr. Blanton will conduct open forum discussions md deliver two or three ad dresses. Campbell College and Buie's Creek church are to furnish bed ind breakfast to the visitors. The other mealB can be obtained In the college dining hall for forty cents each. ?On fay Day, Bay Bonds? 850 LIVES LOST In Sinking Of Two Ships U-Boats Sink Passenger Cargo Craft In North At lantic; Officers, Fighting Men ^ and Civilian War Workers Among Victims; Worst Disaster In Battle Of Atlantic Washington, Feb. 22. ? More than 850 persons were lost in the North Atlantic early this pionth, the Navy announced to day, when enemy submarines tor pedoed two American passenger cargo ships taking military p*er sonnel and civilian war workers overseas. This twin blow constituted the1 worst disaster, measured in loss of life, suffered by the United; States in the Battle of the Atlan tic. Most of the ?50 casualties were Army and Navy officers and men or members of the Marine Corps and Coast Guard. They were listed by thfe Navy as "known dead or missing, "but there was little hope that many of the missing could have surviv ed the wintry gales and violent seas of the North Atlantic at this season. The two ships were sunk in a four-day period. The submarines attacked under coyer of night. The torpedoes hit with deadly ac curacy and each ship went down, within 30 minutes. Heavy Loss The condition of the weather) jt the time was not reported, but storms may have hindered the successful launching of lifeboats; and this, coupled with the swift ness with which the vessels sank, may have accounted, at least in ( part, for the heavy loss of life. < The" first ship attacked had i more than 900 persons aboard,' including the crew. More .than 600 were lost ? either killed by j the torpedo explosion or other- j wise, or considered officially to j be missing. There were about 500 persons aboard the second ship. More than 250 of these also are dead or missing. The Navy spokesman said he lacked any amplifying details as to the loss of the vessels. He was unable to say whether they were traveling in convoy or alone. The names of the ships were not made public. Not Official Ships The spokesman said the vessels were not Navy or Army trans- j ports, at least 111 a technical' sense. They were privately-op erated passenger-cargo ships not., under the direct control of either1 of the armed services. Thus, it was not possible to say accurate ly, without further 'details, how these losses affect the Navy's boast, made particularly wih ref erence to World War I operations, that no troopships had been lost while under the protection of American naval escort. The British and some other United Nations have suffered hea vy casualties from U-boat at tacks in the Atlantic, but losses of life aboard American merchant ships have been invariably small in relation to the number of troops and civilian war" workers transported by ship. One sink ing which American naval offi cers recall is that of a medium sized merchant vessel which went down off the east coast last June In which 88 persons were lost. They could not recall the sinking of any American merchantman with a loss of life running into the hundreds. , > o Recorder's Court Franklin Recorder's Court held regular session >on Tuesday and disposed of cases as follows: George Thurston Allen plead guilty as to violation of motor ve hicle law and was found not guil ty as to speeding, to be discharg ed on payment of costs. W. B. Privett was found not guilty of public drunkenness, buj guilty of allowing minor to op erate car without license, was discharged upon payment of costs. Vance Lee Denton was found guilty of no drivers license, to be discharged on payment of costs. * W. M. Stallings plead guilty to public drunkenness, using pro fane language, was given 30 days on each coutit to run concurrent ly. upon payment of costs, execu tion to issue at any time within two years, \ipon request of Solic itor. * A nolle pros was taken in the case of motor vehicle violatoin against Nora McGowan. A nolle pros was taken in the case of no drivers license against Elmo McGowan. ? o RENEW TOUR SUBSCRIPTION . per year in Advance PRICE MEETING To Be Held in Louisburg March 1st, at 8 P. M.; All Merchants Expected To Be Present The Office of Price Adminis tration announces an important Price meeting for the merchants of Franklin County to be lieid in the Court House in Louisbtirg on Monday night, March 1st, at S o'clock. The notices sent out state: "The Price Division staff of the State Office of Pttfce Admin istration in Haleigh, made u-p of Business Specialists for particu lar lines who have studied and analyzed the various regulations, will discuss such regulations as they apply to your business and answer your questions. "The meeting will be brief but clear and to the point. The price regulations applicable to your business will be explained fully. YOU should ^attend if you are a etailer of coni you render a ser ection with a com modity. "The Office of Price Adminis tration has .ruled that this is a meeting on important "govern ment business and you are enti tled to use your car for the pur pose of driving to the meeting." Your War Price and Rationing Board for Franklin County is composed of Asher Frank John son, Chairman, Philip Hay Inscoe, F. C. Winston. Your price Panel for Franklin] County is composed of W. B.I Barrow, Chairman, P. P. Purnell, Mrs. Ben Holden^l All persons affected by the Price ceiling rules are urged to | be present. i iuu snoiua atte wholesaler^!1 re modifies tfmif y< vice in coimectio State Guard The 8th Company of the State Suard was mobilized last Tuesday svening for the test black-out. Orders for the mobilization were f< not issued until late in tl^e after- j noon but all texcept four members fl of the Company were present and p on time at the designated hour. It is believed that the full d strength of the Second Platoon, commanded by R. Lee Johnson. g was present. This is the first occasion on ( which the 8th Company has been mobilized on short notice. In f( view of the fact that many of the men live long distances from j the Armory ? about a third of t| the membership lives from ten to w eighteen miles away ? it is great ly to the credit of the organiza- s tion and (particularly of the in- a dividual members of the Company j, that the mobilization was so nearly complete, said Capt. Yar- v borough. Lt. P. W. Klam and Lt. R. Lee a Johnson travelled this week over f( the area assigned to this Com pany in order to familiarize 0 themselves with the roads and j towns and to prepare for mobili zation of the Company in any|Q part of the area. ' j0 The territory i. extends from j, Franklin County eastward to Bertie County, and it was an ex-1,} tensive trip, for the officers. The v report of their survey indicates | that they made a thorough inves? a tigation and preparation, and|w they "are to be highly commend- s] ed for their efforts. s, It is understood that those few men who joined the Company in B, a temporary burst of patriotic enthusiasm have now been dis charged, and that th6 present membership, with only one or |c, two exceptions is composed of j, men who are sincere in their ef forts to attend all drills and as semblies, are perform the duties assigned to them conscientiously and ably, and are anxious and desirous of making the 8th Com pany one of the outstanding com panies in the entire First Regi ment, stated Capt. Yarborough. Miss Cooke Gets j* Recreation Post ? Greensboro, Feb. 10. ? Ap-[ pointment of Miss' Frances Tullj0 Cooke, of Franklinton, a gradu-.T ate of Woman's College, to fill d the recreation department vacan-j c y created by resignation of Mrs. 9 Ed Oliver, was announced yester- ^ day by Tom S. Jenrette, head of( the department. |P Miss Cooke, who received her|6 bachelor of arts degree at Wom-j an's College and her master's de- t gree, with major in sociology, at * the University of North Carolina. 1 Chapel Hill, has also had exten-l Bive training in physical educa-l tion at both schools. She will be 'si assigned to social recreation dl-iK vision of the department and will ii be primarily in charge of Glen- r! wootl iommunity tenter and play- S grounds. A o w Rancher Preddy of ' Franklin- & ton, Route 1, is on his way to a d good record. Hig prize sow far rowed 11 pigs the first time and . 15 the ?econd time. COMMANDER OK ALLIED FORCES IN NORTH AFRICA? Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, promoted to the highest U. S* military rank on February 11, directs the operations of the combined American, British and French armies in ousting the Axis from Africa. He was born in Tyler, Texas, in 1890, graduated from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1915, and during the World War was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for "his unusual zeal, fore sight and marked administrative ability" while commanding officer of the Tank Corps Training Center at Camp Colt, Gettysburg, I'a. He has filled many important posts in the War Deparuti nt and while serving as Assistant Chief of S'alT in charge of !.??? u|m-i;. mis <: vi sion. Office of the Chief of Stutf, Washington, l>. in June, li'Ji, he was designated as commanding general of the European tin *.-r with headquarters in London. H- organized and coir inandod li.b American forces in landing in Noil'.i Africa Novel i ; i X. lO'.J. iVar Book 1 Persons who did not register )r War Book 1 before January 5, 1943, may obtain this Book rom his local War Price and Lationing Board on or after Feb uary 22. The following proce ure will be fallowed: The regular application Form hall be submitted, and shall be ccompanied by a Form on which he applicant shall state: 1. The names of the consumers or whom the application is filed. 2. .Their addresses on May 4, 042, all their addresses since hat date, and the date during fhich they lived at each address. 3. A statemerffthat such per ons have not been, registered nd a statement of the reasons] or such .failure to register. 4. Sufch other facts or affida its as the Board may require. The Board may not grant the' pplication until it has taken the allowing action: 1. Received satisfactory proof f identity, such as Draft card.! river's license, etc. 2. Received ? satisfactory ? proof f his present address, such as a urrently dated utilities bill, ' ank statement) etc. 3. Received satisfactory evi-j ence that there has been no pre-j ious registration. 4. Received a statement from 11 Rationing Boards in areas in '.hich the applicant formerly re Ided that no books have been is ued to the applicant. Upon issuing the Book,, sugar tamps shall be removed, if nec ssary, on the basis of the sugar iventory as of May 4, 1942. Cof ee stamps shall be tailored ac ording to Instructions for tssu ig War Ration Book 2, and ringing tjieir record up to date f issue. [.OUISBURG METHODIST CHURCH "Week of Dedication" Is being bserved all over Methodism this reek. Sunday morning in the lethodlst Church two of the lay len, W. C. Stroud, and V. R. kilby, and Dr. Walter Patten of he College, will participate in he service. Special services in observance f this week will be held Sunday, uesday, Wednesday and Thurs ay nights at 7:45. Church School convenes at :45 a. m., led by Prof. I. D. [oon. - . Intermediate and^ Young Peo le's services meet at' 2:30 and :45 respectfully. ? : , ? n .OUISBURG JAPTIST CHURCH The subject of the morning srvlce nextLSunday will be 'The lodern Goliath." In the even lg the pastor continues the se les of sermons on Old Testament alnts, preaching on Abraham. warm welcome awaits all those ho attend. We should fill the; hurches of Louisburg each_J3iyi- 1 ay. 9:45 a. m. Sabbath School. 11:00 a. m. Morning Worship. 7:30 p. m Evti.inb iVorsiiop. Mrs. S. C. Foster, Sr., Dead Mrs. S. C. Foster, Sr., died all her home on Kenmore Ayenuej Sunday afternoon following mi illness of several months. She was B2 years of age and besides her hushand, is survived by one son, S. C. Foster, Jr.; two daugh-j ters. Mrs. Lee Johnson, of Mt. Gilead, and Mrs. J. S. Boone, of Chapel Hill; an adopted son. James B. Foster; and one grand-l child. Mrs. Foster was the former Maggie Lena Roberts, of- Trail- J ^ylvania County, Virginia. She was a registered nurse, a gradu ! ate of Rex Hospital, and had done nursing work for 20 years. In 19:14 she became Franklin County health nurse, which of fice she resigned in September of last year because of ill health. I Funeral services were held from the home Monday afternoon at 4:30 o'clock, conducted by I Rev. A. Paul Bagby, pastor of thej Louisburg Baptist Church, of! which the deceased was a faithful I and consistent member. Inter-! ment was made in Oakwood Cemetery. Both services were largely at tended and the floral tribute was1 especially large and beautiful. | The jj&llbearers were: C. H. Murphy, H. C. Taylor, Jr., Numa Freeman, W. B. Barrow, J. P. Timberlake, Jr., and Guy Stewart, of Coats. n Navy Recruiting W. K. Crawley, 1st Class Petty ' Officer of the1 U. S. Navy, an nounces that he will be in Louis burg at the Post Office, Friday and Saturday of this week to in terview all who are Interested in joining the Navy, including la dies who wish to become WAVES, and will accept applications from boys 17 years old. Gets Still Officer K. E. Joyner reports the destruction of. a steel drum still outfit at the head of Mitchi-, ner's pond in Franklintqji town-' ship, "fuesday morning and thel turning out of about one hundred gallons of mash. The mash he said contained black molasses. He was assisted by Officer R. E. Neal, Patrolman Bynum and State enforcement officer Greer. o ??????????? ERROR The statement in lust * week's FRANKLIN * that Coffee Coupon No. 15 is * valid till March 21, for one * pound of Coffee was in error * as it should have been No. 25. * This error was handed us in * the copy and we just naturnl- * ly failed to catch it. Jour * Coupon No. 125 is good for a * pound of Coffee until .March * 21st, Including children who * were 14 years of age when'* registering. ? Editor. * WAR NEWS Allied Headquarters in North Africa, Feb. 24. ? Combined Brit ish and American forces threw Field Mashal Rommel's tank col umns into full retreat from the outskirts of Thala today, handing them their first defeat in Tunisia, and tonight Allied artillery lob bed tons of explosive steel into German positions in the narrow Kasserine Pass and on the beaten rear-guard columns withdrawing through it. The big guns were giving the German tank columns twisting through the pass no chance to rest and reform, arid hundreds of Allied planes racing overhead left a trail of smoking Axis transport and dying German soldiers all the way from Thala's approaches to Feriana far south of the opposite fend of Kasserine Pass. ? Planes Pound Germans Hundreds of Allied planes and Allied ground forces began hit ting Marshal Rommel yesterday morning, inflicting the first ma jor setback on the Axis troops since they lashed out on. their offensive 11 days ago. Then the Allied artillery hast ened the Axis retreat into the mouth of the pass. The American-British aerial smash far overwhelmed the initi al German Stuka efforts in the recent fight at Faid. and was con tinuing. Rommel's retreat ? ajid it was by field accounts a full retreat ? began yesterday and by today at least 300 Axis prisoners and large quantities of German material had fallen into Allied hands. London, Thursday. Feb. 25. ? The Red army surging westward over a 300-mile front in a race against spring mud was reported early today to have toppled sev eral moi'^Axis strongholds in the drive toward Poltava and Kono top, Ukraine rail junctions guard ing the approaches to the Nazi ' Dnieper River line. The regular midnight Moscow communique recorded by the So viet monitors said another large populated place west of Kharkov had fallen, reported fresh gains in the effort to encircle Orel, hinge of the southern and central fronts, and told of the trapping of two German battalions (approxi mately 1,600 men) in the western Caucasus. Refused To Surrender The Russians said those two battalions now were being an nihilated after refusing surren der. Intensive German counterat tacks with tank and plane sup port were acknowledged in the Donets Basin. While claiming the repulse of most of these, the Rus sians admitted German units had driven a wedgjVinto their lines southwest of Wramatorsk. This town is about n<0 miles > above Stalino whence the Nazi escape raihyay runs out of the Donets Basin. Thirteen German tanks were destroyed in the fighting, but the bulletin did not tell of the final outcome. O " New Draft Proposal Washington, Feb. 24. ? A House Military Affairs subcom mittee today disclosed plans for a complete investigation of selec tive service operations after Rep. Forest A. Harness, R., Ind., Re manded that "desk heroes" '^and "draft dodgers" deferred for gov ernment and war industry jobs be turned out to Jight. In a formal statement after its - first executive session at which Harness testified, the subcommit tee said the inquiry is intended to "force the '"privileged deferred" into uniform. Large Group "Undoubtedly,1" it said, "there must be a large group of people eligible for the draft who are evading military service through unjustified deferment. "The cimmittee intends 'to re place this group with those not eligible for military service." Harness, who introduced the resolution proposing the probe, said induction of the "young, able-bodied white collar workers and so-called irreplaceables in government and industry, would add 500,000 men to the armed forces and go a long way in solv ing the manpower problem. "It also will put off drafting fathers for at least until after summer he said. LIBRARY HOURS CURTAILED The schedule at the Franklin County I-ibraiy has been cut con siderably. This has been due to the withdrawal ctf all WPA help. The library will be closed on Mondays, i On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays', the li brary will be opened from one to five in the afternoons, and on Saturdays, from ten to three. The county will continue to be serviced as usual by a library as sistant traveling with Miss Brax ton.