RAILROAD STRIKE
CALLED OFF
r .
Wage Question
To Be Argued
At White House
Washington, Dec. 29. ? Tha
threat of a crippling wartime
strike of railroad employes ended
today when three holdout unions
assured the War Department that
they "will take no action that
will imperil the successful prose
cution of the war and that they
will immediately cancel the strike
order."
The unions' promise was an
nounced in that language by Sec
retary of War Henry L. Stimson
alter their presidents had spent
60 minutes in conference with!
Lt. Gen. Brehon B. Somervell, '
Federal operator of the railroads.
The unions? Firemen and En
ginemen. Switchmen, and Con-!
dudtors ? had precipitated Feder
al se'izure of the railroads on
Monday by refusing to follow the
suit of 17 other rail unions in
accepting Presidential arbitration
of their wage dispute. t
With only 18 hours remaining
before the deadline at 6 A. M.
tomorrow, the 'three unions res
cinded their strike call as the
Army prepared to keep the rail
roads going With soldiers if nec
essary.
In releasing Stimson's announ
cement, the War Department said
it was approved by the three un
ion chiefs.
Wage Issue
The Question Immediately arose
as to how long the Government
will reta'in control of the carriers.
It was assumed that Federal op
eration, technically speaking,
would continue until the wage
dispute is finally settled.
President Roosevelt said at his
, pews conference yesterday that
Federal operat'ion would last on
ly until the emergency was over.
He added that he wanted to res
tore the roads to private manage
ment as soon as it became certain
there would be no strike.
Inasmuch as he ? already has
embarked upon arbitration of the
wage issue, however, It was be
lieved he might wish to settle it
finally before relinquishing Fed
eral control.
Thus far he has made an arbi
tration award to two operating
unions which previously rescind
ed their strike call. He Is ready
to arbitrate for the carriers and
the 15 nonoperatlng unions as
soon as these groups agree on the
scope of issues to be arbitrated.
To the two operating unions ?
Engineers and Trainmen ? he
awarded Increases totaling nine
cents an hour-four cents straight
time and five cents overtime. All
five operating unions originally
bad asked' an increase of $3 a 'day.
The War Department said:
"The Secretary of War announ
ced today that there will be no
railroad strike. Representatives
of the Order of Railway Conduc
tors, the Brotherhood of Locomo
tive Firemen and Englnemen and
the Switchmen's Union of North
America today assured General
Somervell that they and' the or
ganizations they represent will
take no action that will Imperil
the successful prosecution of the
war, and that they will immedi
ately cancel the strike order."
The three union presidents did
not immediately issue any sepa
rate statement. They disclosed,
however, that they would go to
? the White House at 2 P. M. to
discuss wages with War Stabiliza
tion Director James F. Byrnes.
?u
NEED KNITTERS
The Red Cross needs knitters.
There are 66 pairs of gloves to
be knitted and more than a hun
dred sweaters. If yon can knit
gloves, won't you knit some?
Please return all wool on hand
whether used' or nftt and get a
fresh supply. We must make a
check on wool.
There are Kit Bags to make
and we want these bags ready to
ship by the middle of February.
Help sew and knit for Red
Crom during the holidays.
- Mrs. R. W. Smlthwick.
*07 Church Street, *
Pro. Chairman.
- 1
Americans Bomb
Rome Outskirts
Nazi Airdromes Object Of
Raid; Canadians Advance
Beyond Ortona
Allied Headquarters, Algiers,
Dec. 29. ? American two-engined
Mitchell and Marauder bombers
of the 15th Air Force struck hard
at three Nazi airdromes on the
outskirts of Rome yesterday, tear
ing up hangars and other in
stallations and destroying at least
five parked enemy planes, it was
announced today.
(A German news agency broad
oast said that Rome was bombed
at noon yesterday. The Nazi-con
i rolled Paris rad'io asserted heavy
bombs fell near St. Peter's Basi
lica while the Pope watched from
a Vatican window and asked to
be informed. of any damage.
Not Confirmed
(The German broadcast said
that Allied planes dropped heavy
bombs on an outlying res'idential
quarter, and that six hits near the
Basilica of San Polo killed and
injured many persons. It added
that about BO were wounded by
I machine-gun fire. There was no
(Confirmation of these Ails reports
from any Allied source.)
Marauders attacked the Guid
onia and Centocelle airfields east
of Rome, while Mitchells swept
over the Ciampino field, south of
the capital, In two waves, spread
ing havoc with high-explosive and
fragmentation bombs. The Mar
auders reported five enemy planes
destroyed for sure, and Mitchell
crewmen sa'ld they saw several
craft burning. An Allied com
munique said the three fields |
were "accurately bombed."
Crews of American medium 1
bombers which dropped hundreds
of tons of bombs on rail and alr-|
field 'installations at Rome July
19 and Aug. 13, while Italy still I
was in the war, were specially
trained to carry out precision at
tacks and were instructed to avoid
historical and religious points.
They were remarkably successful
| in this respect.
LOUISBURG
BAPTIST CHURCH
There will be the Annual Roll
Call and the Celebration of the
[Lord's Supper at the 11 o'clock
[worship hour Sunday. Let every
church member be present to an
swer the roll call. This is a most
important service. In the even
ing the pastor will speak on the
subject, "Making 1944 a Year of
Worship and Prayer, and thus
Getting Ready for Peace."
Start the New Year right. Get
right with God. It is a terrible
thing to be out of harmony with
Him.
9:45 a. m. ? Bible School.
' 11:00 a. m. ? Morning worship.
7:30 p. m. ? Evening worship.
LOUISBURG
METHODIST CHURCH
There will not be a Watch
Night service Friday night, as
was previously announced.
"The Star Leads Us On," Is
the sermon subject for the 11:00
o'clock service Sunday morning.
Sunday evening at 7:30 the
Pastor will speak on the subject,
"This Can Be Your New Year."
Sunday. School, convenes, at
9:45 a. m. led by Prof. 1. D.
Moon.
The Methodist Youth Fellow
ship Groups will meet at 6:45 p.
m. You are welcomed to these
services.
ST. PAUL'S
EPISCOPAL CHURCH
The second Sunday after Christ
mas will be observed with the
following services :
Church School and Bible Class
at 9:45 a. m.
Holy Communion and sermon ;
? 11:00 a. m. Subject of ser
mon: "In the Name of God." The
hymns will be appropriate to the
Mew Year.
Y. P. 8. L.? 7:00 p. m.
Britons Added to
Allies Team
Ramsay and Lehigh-Mal
lory To Head Allied Na
vies and Air Forces For
Invasion
London. Dec. 29. ? Two Britons
filled with a spirit of audacity
and attack were appointed today
to stand at (the s'ide of Gen.
Dwight D. Eisenhower as top of
ficers of the grand arms that
will support the Allied invasion
of western Europe: Admiral Sir
Bertram Ramsay as commander
in-chief of the Allied navies and
Air Marshal Trafford L. Leigh
Mallory as commander-in-chief of
I Allied air forces.
These selections, announced at
Prime Minister Churchill's offic
ial residence at No. 10 Downing
Street, completed the team of the
top command for the victory as
sault directly against Hitler's in
ner barricades, and they brought
measurably nearer the fateful
hour of attack for which prepara
tions are proceeding at a marked
ly quickened pace.
Ready To Go
American and British plans are
being drawn closely together so
that General Eisenhower will step
into an organization that in many|
senses 'is all ready to go now.
' Both Admiral Ra/nsay, who is
60 and Marshall Leigh-Mallory,
who is 51, are improv'isers and
both represent the most aggres- :
t;ive traditions of the British mil-;
itary forces.
From the beginning of the war.]
through the All'ied operations in
North Africa and Italy Admiral
Kamsay, nicknamed "Dynamo,"
has fought his ships to the ut
most and laid his plans with cal
culated daring.
It was he who brought the Brit- j
'ish home from the tragedy o?
Flanders and Dunkerque, some
how assembling a fleet of nonde
script ships that took 335,000 ex-|
hausted British troops off beaches
shaking under the fury of the
German attack.
He also helped plan and com
mand the greatest naval opera
tions in history ? those that land-1
ed the Allied arm'ies in Tunisia
and then carried forward through
Sicily and Italy.
"Brains Officer"
Marshal Leigh-Mallory is the
sort of commander known in his
profession as a "brains officer." |
He fought in the RAF during the
Battle of Britain in command of
some of those ^few to whom
Churchill said so many owed so
much. He had been the head of|
Britain's school of army coopera-!
tion and now heads the RAF
fighter command.
Nation Urged
To Stay Home
On New Year's
Washington. ? Defense Trans
portation Director Joseph B. East
man today praised as "good Am
ericans" those civilians who re- J
trained from travelling during
the Christmas holiday, and urged
that unnecessary travel be avoid
ed during the New Year's week
end.
He said travel conditions would
remain tight until at least Jan.
10.
Eastman revealed that though
holiday train travel this Christ
mas was 10 to 20 per cent higher
than last year, civilian travel |
amounted to as little as 30 per
cent on some trains.
. "I am grateful to those who
gave up holiday trips that they
would have taken had conditions
been otherwise," he said. "They
are good Americans. They have
made a real contribution to the
war effort."
HALEY BRIDGERS
Funeral services for Haley Brid
ge?, who died Monday night at
Mary Elizabeth Hospital In Ral
eigh, were held Tuesday after
noon at Flat Rock Baptist Church.
The Rev. Oliver Icard and the
Rev. William Cone officiated.
Burial was in the church ceme
tery.
Surviving are a brother, Q. T.
Brldgers of Youngsvllle; three
ilsters, Mrs. W. O. Wiggins, Mrs.
J. W. Wiggins, and Mrs. J. M.
Beddingfleld, all of Franklin
[bounty. ?
J.I.WELDON
DIES
Funeral Held Friday After-;
noon at 3:30 O'clock ?
Large Number Present
W^dondm,th John Thomas
weldon, one of Franklin Countv'H
pr?Sre"8iv? planters and
| business men, and Epsom com
m"n'ty'8 most Popular citizens
which occurred at Maria Parhani
hospital at Henderson at 4:46 on
Wednesday afternoon of last
ove^the8^, gIO?m of
over the entire community and
hin K?me .county of Franklin. He
had been in ill health for two1
years or more, but his sudden
passing was unexpected and a
friend 8 ?^ '? hU anS
rriends. He was bom in Frank
lin County on October 3, 1866
ter WpnM?fnDaV!f "nd Mar* Las?,:
ii/L , 'ion an<? had lived all his
life in Franklin County amid the
scenes of his childhood He was
77 years of age and is survived
Weldon "'I0*' ;MlS; Lucy Hamm
weidon, 74, and nine sons, Tol
lian ^i>y' a' ?bed> Kinchau Ju
all of the6?' and Benne? Weldon,
Weldon ipn? community, Hill
weidon, of Detroit, Mich and
?"e.,da"ghter, Mrs. T. w.' En"s
J W !?dr?ni ?ne brother- Ollle
f'?. ! ' Louisburg, and'
four sisters, Mrs. J. T Thariinir !
Wn.iaMn''8nP- D" Deinent and Mrs!
William Dunn, all of the Epsom
community, and Mrs. Ed Elling
ton, of Creedmoor.
On February 12, 1890, he was
thevrel 'i? Hani in, an3
din* ^J)rate the,r golden wed
if ann*versary in 1940.
Mr. Weldon had engaged in
'arming all his life, and was an
?aUrmearndJn^ ^V^"' 3 Prosperous
'aimer and a large landowner in
111 h? JUld Was 3 stockholder
Hen^I business enterprises of
Henderson. He was a man who
numbered his friends by his ac
quaintances, and was widely
??
Mr. Weldon had all his life ta
5- ? active 'merest in affairs
which L?~,ly and co""'y in
which he lived, and was promi
noHHr?|agrlCUUUraI' rel|8'ous and
political movements in his day.
Mr. Weldon lived a long and
very active life, and his death
was a shock to a host of friends!
as well as the family.
Mr Weldon was a lifelong
a7 ?hbHHf Li^rty Congregation
and Church, at Epsom,
?? for many years was finance
officer of the church.
Funeral services were held
from Liberty Church Friday af
y?0D at 3:30 o'clock, in charge
of the pastor, Rev. J. E. McCau
Rey a8 Et6M dy a f0rmer pastor'
iin^? r "adren' now of Frank
Iinton. Interment was made in
the family cemetery near the
home of the deceased.
Pallbearers were as follows:
Active? James Malone, W. J.
Alston, W. S. Ayscue, W p wil
S,nTJS?'5m,tf' H" A" Faulkner,
D. T. Dickie, J. H. Zollicoffer.
Honorary? J. p. Zollicoffer, J.I
B. Owen, W. A. Hunt, J. T. Grif
fin, Rob Fuller, Leola Stainback,
w(i? ^?80m^.G- W- Macon,
Willie Winn, Charlie Eaves, K.
L. Burton, W. E. Moss, H. E.
Pernell, Ross Thompson, Dr W
H Furman, J. C. Ooodson, j. s.
Wilson, Tom C. Wilson, A. F
Johnson, L. T. Hayes, D. T.
MHchan6 i ^ Harr'son, John
Mitchell, John Tarwater R. K
?a?0li,' P," ?* Currin, Lee Gooch,
J. T Collins, Clyde Collins, Wil
' Wiley P- Mitchell/
L M Rollins, D. J. Dark, B. A.
Tharrington, Walter Roberts,
Clarence Finch, George A. hose,
Ed Dixon, O. W. Knott, R. c.
Ausborn, C. J. Fleming, C. T.
Hudson, S. F. Journigan, W D
Foster, Paul W. Elam.
Large numbers of friends of
the family attended both services
to pay a last tribute of love and
respect and the floral tribute was
very large and beautiful
THIRD DEGREE
Worshipful Master W. B. Bar
row of Louisburg Lodge No. 413
A. F. ft A. M. announces that
there will be a regular communi
cation of the lodge on Tuesday
evening, January 4th, at 7:30,
for work in the third degree. All
Master Masons are requested to
be present.
- o
? O* Pay Day, Buy Honda?
I
Lions Club Will
Sponsor Citizen
ship Award
The Loulsburg Lions Club met
Tuesday night at Mrs. Beasley's
Dining Room for the last meet
ing of the year. It was announ
ced that the Milvin Jones (Poun
der of Lionlsm) Birthday Pro
gram would be observed during
the month of January and every
Lion securing a new member dur
ing that time would be given a
special award by Lions Interna
tional.
Motion was made by Lion Moon
and unanimously carried that
Tail Twister, Edgar Fullac, fine
Hon Joe Tonkel' $.10 for forget
ting the date and missing a prev
ious meeting.
Lion I. D. Moon, Chairman of
the Program Committee, distrib
uted blanks of paper and asked
that each Lion make one sugges
tion as to how the Club could be
improved during the coming year.
Many fine suggestions were offer
ed that will enable the Club to
be of service to the Community
during 1 ?14 4 .
The Secretary announced that
the Board o(, Directors at a recent
meeting had decided that the
Club would give an award to the
boy or girl in the Mills High]
School Senior Class who was:
judged to be the best citizen dur
ing the present school year. De
tails as to this award and the
rules governing it to be worked j
out Jointly by the Boys' and j
Girls' Committee and the Citizen-'
ship and Patriotism Committee
composed of Dr. A. Paul Bagby.l
V. R. Kilby, Rev. Harry S. Cobey, j
Wiley F. Mitchell and W. L. i
Lumpkin.
Lion President Beam announ-.
ced that the Loulsburg Club had i
tied with the Kinston Club fori
top honors among the 42 clubs in
District 31-C for the months of j
October and November in atten-:
dance, membership, and reports j
in on time. Motion was made,
by Lion Tucker that Secretary W.
0. Lambeth be extended a vote
of thanks for having submitted
all reports to the District und In
ternational Offices on time since
the beginning of the contest.
Lion Beam also announced that
the next meeting would be heldi
at the County Agricultural Build
ing at which time the Lions
would be guests of the Mills High
School Home Economics Class.
Walter Fuller, Assistant Coun
ty Agent, was a guest of the Club
for the meeting.
MISSING
Information has been received
that Lt. Herbert A. Carter, U. 8.
Army Air Corps, has been miss
ing in action since November 17,
1943.
Lt. Carter was 25 years of age,
and the son of Mr. and Mrs. H.
A. Carter, of Greenville, S. C.
His wife is the former Miss Fred
die Faye Holmes, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Walter C. Holmes,
of Louisburg, to whom he was
married September 14, 1942.
Lt. Carter was shipped over
sea the first part of 1943, shortly
after he had been commissioned
to the rank of Second Lieutenant.
CHRISTMAS DANCE
Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Thomas
were hosts on Monday night, De
cember 27, at the Green Hill
Country Club to the younger set.
The occasion was In honor of the
sixteenth birthday ot their daugh
ter, Miss Talmadge Thomas.
The club house was festively
decorated for the occasion with
red and green ribbon crep^ paper
streamers swinging from the
chandelier to all corners of the
room. Long leaf pine was bank
ed In the .four corners and on
the mantel.
The table was centered with a
facsimile b'irthday cake, bearing
sixteen lighted tapers and the
figure "16" inscribed thereon
with red cardboard. Refresh
ments consisted of orange ice
punch and homemade cookies.
Mayor and Mrs. W. C. Webb,
Miss Elizabeth Best, Misp Ann
Barnhill and Dr. J. B. Wheless
assisted the hosts. Dancing was
enjoyed from 9 till 1 o'clock.
o
Poultrymen are caught between
an ever Increasing price for mix
ed feed and fixed ceilings on poul-1
try products, points oat Prof.1
Roy S. Dears tyne of State Col-;
Sam Ruffin Dead
Raleigh. ? Funeral services for
Samuel Ruffin were held Monday
afternoon from Christ Church,
conducted by the Rev. John A.
Wright, rector. Burial was in
Oakfwood cemetery.
From the close of World War
I until his death failed in 1936,
Mr. Ruffin was engaged in the
general insurance business in
Raleigh.
Mr. Ruffin, who was 55 years
of age, died Saturday night in
Veterans' Hospital at FayetteviUe.
He was a member of the Ameri
can Legion, and the Legion had
charge of military rites at his
burial Monday.
Surviving are his wife, the for
mer Lucy Moore, and a daughter,
Betsy, both of Raleigh.
Active pallbearers were Fred
F. Drake, J. Cooper Young, Wil
liam P. Little, N. E. Edgerton,
Clifton Beckwith, William C.
Bowen and Thomas H. Dorth, all
of Raleigh; and W. S. Markham,
of Durham. There were honor
ary pallbearers.
Mr. Ruffin was a former resl-l
dent of Louisburg. He was a
nephew of the late Wm. H. Ruf
fln. His many friends here, es
pecially the Veterans of World
War I will learn of his death with
regrets.
Japs Increase
Barbarism
Changteh, Dec. 22. ? (Delayed)
? The Japanese murdered and
kidnapped rtiore th'ttn 6,000 civil
tans during their recent occupa
tion of Changteh and then looted
the area of gill foodstuffs and lev
eled the once-prosperous "rice
bowl" c'lty before withdrawing, a
Chinese official charged today.
"Changteh's unprecedented cat
astrophe cannot be compared with
the destruction of any other city
since the start of the war in the
whele of China," Magistrate Tai
Chiu-Feng told foreign correspon-l
dents touring the Tungting Lake
battlefront. "Changteh was wip
ed out physically, our town was
thoroughly looted, and my peo
ple have been left homeless and
starving."
Tai. who made a survey of the
damage caused by the invaders,
said the Japanese had massacred 1
2,300 men in and around Chang- <
teh and had raped 5,080 women. I
of whom 164 died. In addition, <
the enemy took along wih him in i
his retreat 3,400 able-bodied men
and 3_20 children for forced mili
tary labor or service w'lth the i
Chinese puppet troops.
The Japanese also kidnapped
181 women to be used as "camp
followers," Tai said.
BED CROSS INFORMATION
The office hours for the Home
Service Department of the Red
Cross are from 10:00 in the mor
ning until 1:00 in the afternoon.
This office is located on Main
Street in the building immediate
ly North of Roses Store. Mr.
F. D. Hedden, acting chairman,
will be glad to help you during
these hours with any of your
problems relative to men and wo
men in thfe armed services.
The peel of oranges, lemons
and other citrus fruits contain
about 3 tlm^s as much vitamin C
as the pulp and .the juice. Add
gratings of the peel to sauces,
spreads and desserts.
Patronise TIMES AuvertlMfn
o
PROGRAM AT THE
LOUISBURG THEATRE
The following is the program
at the Loulsburg Theatre, begin
ning Friday, Dec. 31:
Friday- ? Midnite Show ? Ken
ny Baker, Patricia Morrison and
Belita in 'Silver Skater'
Saturday ? Gene Autry in 'Ride
Tenderfoot Ride," and Chester
Morris in 'Chance of A Lifetime.'
Also 'Masked Marvel.'
Sunday-Monday ? Don Ameche,
Frances Dee, Harry Carey and
Ann Rutherford in a premiere!
showing of 'Happy Land.'
Tuesday ? Ann Sheridan and
Richard Carlson in 'Winter Car
nival,' also 'Bat Man'.
Wednesday ? Virginia Weidler
and Edward Arnold in 'The
Youngest Profession.'
Thursday-Friday ? Nelson Eddy
and Susanna Foster in 'Phantom
of The Opera.'
LESLIE NELMS
KILLED
Somewhere Near Bobbitt's
On Sunday Night ? Coro
ner Bobbitt Holds Inquest
Leslie Nelms, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Thomas Nelms, of Louis
burg, R 2, and member of the
United States fighting forces lo
cated at Port Bragg died from a
rifle bullet wound through the
heart while on a vacation fur
lough to spend the Christmas
holidays with his parents. Leav
ing home Sunday afternoon to go
to Henderson to take the train
for his post of duty at Fort Bragg,
and not being able to get aboard'
the train or secure passage on a"
bus he in company with his bro
ther, John R. Nelms, visited
friends near Kittrell. Later on
and sometime during the night
he either committed suicide or
was murdered in the Bobbitt
community. The exact place or
time has not been fully determin
ed yet, as his brother who was
supposed to be with him said he
was asleep under the influence of
intoxicants. Public opinion dif
fers in the solution, some think
it was suic'ide as the boy had been
heard to make such a threat ra
ther than be in camp. Others
think it was a crime committed
at or near an illicit whiskey joint
or still, while others are Inclined
to the belief that the care of the
deceased was in the hands of his
brother. Those who heard the
evidence at the inquest are not
satisfied that the full evidence
has been brought out. Seeking
further clearing of the tragedy
the assistance of the State Bureau
of Investigation at the Instance
of the Army has taken up the
case.
The following Is the summary
of the evidence at the inquest con
ducted by Coroner R. A. Bobbitt.
aftec he had empanelled a jury
of inquest composed of W. D.
Egerton, F. B. Leonard, J. E.
Perry, W. H. Ferrell, D. E.
Moore, Fred Frazier.
John R. Nelms stated that Les
lie and I left home about 12
3'clock and come by Loulsburg.
and we picked up a sailor and
carried him on to Henderson, got
there about one o'clock, and from
Henderson we went to Oeorge
Smith's, near Klttrell, and we
stayed there until about 3 o'clock.
George Smith. Leslie and myself
went back to Henderson to carry
Leslie so that he could catch a
train to go back to Fort Bragg.
Leslie went in the station and
came back and Bald that they
would not sell him a ticket as the
train was crowded. I had been
drinking and by the time Leslie
went in the bus station and came
back I was asleep. Oeorge Smith
drove us back to his house (bo
he said). I didn't remember
anything from my going to sleep
in Henderson, until about 1 : 20
in the morning of Dec. 27th, 1943,
and that was when 1 woke up
and found that my brother was
dead. When I woke up I did
not know where I was. The car
was sitting on the side of the
road. I started up the engine,
and it knocked off on me. About
that time someone came by and
helped me get it started again. 1
then turned the car around and
went back to highway No. 1, and
went to Franklinton. I got back
on the highway above Klttrell
near the high bridge, and I want
to Franklinton to J. A. Huff's and
S. Upchurches, and asked Mr.
Upchurch to go out to the car
and see if Leslie wasn't dead.
He. soon came back and told me
that he was dead. 1 found out
he was dead when I first woke
up about 1:80. I got Mr. Huff
to drive me to Louisburg and Mr. .
Upchurch drove Mr. Huff's car
that Mr. Huff could go back ;
Franklinton. In answer to que
tion, he said they were sho
at a tin can at Mr. Smith's
that he killed a chicken for
Smith, we then went /back
Henderson. I was so drunk
that Mr. Smith had to drive
car. I didn't remember i
else from the time that I
Henderson till I woke up
1:30 the morning of the 17
Oeorge Smith stated
ert and Leslie Nelms
house about 1:30 p. m.
(Continued oa