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PROGRESSIVE . LIBERAL - -INDEPENDENT
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VOL. LV, NO. 52
FRANKLIN, N. C. THURSDAY, DEC. 26, 1944
$1.50 PER YEAR
DEFENSE LAGS
KNUDSENSAYS
Defense Billions Will Help
Unemployment And
Agriculture
Preparations for national defense
thus far are "not satisfactory
enough to warrant hopes that
everything is all well" William S.
Knudsen, production chief of the
National Defease Advisory com
mission, warned the nation last
week.
"The public generally is sold on
defense." he said, "but have the
two most important elements, in
dustry and labor, been fully sold
on the serious side of the job?"
Knudsen stated that thev hoped
fcr production figures; of 1,000
planes a month by January 1
would have to be scaled down by
30 per Vent, although big guns,
machine guns and tanks faced bet
ter prospects. Blaming lack of co
operation on the part of labor and I
industry for the delay, he plead
for "more steam and "speed and
more seed full-time operation of
all machines." '
35 Billion Dollar For Defense
The cost of the present defease
program for the next five years
was estimated at $35,000,000,000 in
a report by Department of Agri
culture economist, titled. "The Im
pact of War and the Defense Pro
gram ,on Agriculture." The report
placed the cost of defense at an
average of $7,000,000,000 a . year :
seven and one-half billion in 1941 ;
nine billion in 1942; seven and one
Jialf billion in 1943; six billion in
1944; and five billion in 1945.
Higher Price For Farm Product
The report predicted that defense
spending will cut unemployment roils
an half by 1942 and that the indU
cated increase in purchasing power
would be reflected in higher prices
for most farm products, particular
ly meats, some fruits, dairy prod
ucts and truck crops. The report
paid, however, farmers ' may find
Wild Doe
Makes Friends With Cows
On Moore Farm
that 'most of the rise in "farm itj
come will be eaten up by probable
advances in farm wages and ma
terial and equipment costs.
War And Navy Report
While Secretary of the Treasury
; . Morgenthau and Federal Loan Ad
ministrator Jones began discussions
With British financial representa
tives concerning the financial status
of that country the War Depart
ment revealed the Army Air Corps
Jiad released to Great Britain a
"flashlight bomb," which makes
possible the taking of aerial photo
graphs at' night even from high
altitudes. Also formally released
were 20 bombers of the flying
fortress type.
The War Department estimated
that by June 30, 1941 the United
JStatetf Army will include 1,400,000
men as follows: Infantry. 290,000;
field Artillery, 141,000; Coast
Artillery, including anti-aircraft,
331,000; Air Corps, I 128,000; Med
ical Department, 76,000; Quarter
master Corps, 69,000; Corps of
Engineers, 61,000; Cavalry, 29,000;
signal Corps. 29,000; Armored
Corps, 22,000; Ordnance Depart
ment, 18,000; Chemical Warfare
Service, 4,000; and Finance De
partment, 2,000.
In his annual report to the Pres
ident, Secretary Knox declared the
American people "may feel fully
confident of their Navy. ... In my
opinion the loyalty, morale, and
. technical ability of the personnel
are without superior.' On any com
parable basis the United States is
second to hone."
The report further stated that
recent Congressional appropriations
will finance the world' largest
Navy; 645 combat vessels, includ
ing 33 battleships, 18 aircraft car
Tiers, 91 cruisers, 325 destroyers
find 185 submarines.
Apparently unable to find com
panions to its liking in t,he Wayah
game management area, a. doe has
struck up a firm friendship with
a heard of three dairy cows on
the farm of Fred Moore at the en
trance to Gibson cove on the Mur
phy highway. '
The deer was first observed with
the herd 'last summer and has
rarely missed .a day since. Possibly
attracted by the sound of the
cow bell as the herd grazes, it usu
ally puts in its appearance around
noon, leaping agilely over the pas
ture fence to join the cows. It
spends the afternoon moving about
over the pasture with the herd, dis
appearing into the, woods for the
night around 5 p. , m.
Upon several occasions when the
cows were in the barnyard lot,
the doe has joined them there
and followed them into the barn
for the night.
It has grown tamer during its
stay with the cows, and will .now
allow a human to come within 50
feet of it before moving off slow
ly. The Moores have avoided any
attempts to domesticate it for fear
that , they might frighten it away,
Several times a buck with six
pointed antlers has appeared with
the doe, and once was so bold as
to join the doe and the cows in
the barnyard lot. It is much wilder
than the doe and flees at -the first
sign of a human' being.
Mr. Moore thinks that he saw
a fawn with the doe once last
summer. The fawn has not reap
peared since.
Incidentally, Mr. Moore points
out that it is against the law to
shoot a doe, and says that he will
personally attend to anyone he
catches nosing around the vicinity
of the deer with a gun.
To be Uncle Sam's Guests
. Mf' WF&' " V J ' '" I '4 BLACKBURN W. JOHNSON '
f f ' ' ' - ' "" A -i-- , . , ' , ,:.:s
I . ' ,
Photo b Kanh. OtUw. Canada
This is the latest portrait of Her Royal Highness, Princess Juliana of
the Netherlands, and her two daughters, Princess Beatrix (left) and
Princess Irene. Princess Juliana will be the guest of the President and
Mrs. Roosevelt at the White House.
Potts Named Chairman
.Of President's Birth
day Parties In County
Dr. Julian Miller of Charlotte,
ttate chairman of the President's
birthday parties which will be held
January 30 for the benefit of the
infantile paralysis fund, announced
Shis week that 54 county chairmen
had been appointed and ' the re
mainder would be named in a few
days.
Jack H. Potts was made county
chairman for Macon.
Miller said that North Carolina
is expected to raise around $35,000
this year. One-half of the total
amount raised will remain in North
jCarolina to be used for infantile
jparalysU cates.
Funeral Services Held
For Mrs. F. M. Porter
Funeral services for Mrs. Flor
ence Meroney Porter, 7b, were
held at the Franklin Methodist
church here Saturday afternoon at
2:30 o'clock. 1
The Kev. J. L. Stokes 11, con
ducted the services assisted by
the Rev. C. F. Rogers, pastor of
the Franklin Baptist church, and
the Rev. A. Rufus Morgan, rector
of St. Agnes Episcopal church.
Burial was in the Franklin cemetery.
Mrs. Porter died at the home of
her daughter, Mrs. Worth McKin
ney, at 28 Washington road, Ashe-
ville, last Friday morning, follow
ing an illness of three months.
The daughter of the late Bailey
B. and Martha Ann Welch
Meroney, she was born in Murphy
in 1864. 'in 1888 she was married
to K. L. Porter of Franklin who
preceded her in death a number
of years ago.
Mrs. Porter was owner and pro
prietress of the Oak Hill Tourist
camp near here for a long while,
having lived in Franklin until about
10 years ago when she moved to
Asheville. She was a member of
the Franklin Methodist church for
many years.
The active pallbearers were W.
T. Moore, R. L. Porter, Jess S.
Conley, Harry S. Higgins, Carl S.
Slagle and Grover Lewis.
The honorary pallbearers includ
ed Dr. Frank T. Smith, Dr. W.
A. Rogers, John 0. Harrison, Gus
Leach. Tom Leach, M. D. Billings
and Robert A, Pattern.
Surviving are a son, James D.
Porter, of Bryson City; one daugh-'
ter, Mrs. McKmney, of Asheville;
two brothers, Dr. B. B. Meroney,
of Murphy and W- H. Meroney, of
Greensboro, and two sisters, Mrs.
J., B. Sudderth, of Albuquerque,
N. M, and Mrs. Robert L. Crooks,
of Asheville. v
Singing Convention
Meets Sunday, Dec. 29
The fifth Sunday Singing Con-
tion will mpit in th Mamn rnnn'tT'' nf, . .. . .... . . . '.
c . i Z weal aratt ooara is seeking
29, at 10 o'clock, it has been an
rtounced by James M.'Kaby, presi
dent. Mr. Raby stated that he expected
singers to be present from Geor
gia and South Carolina Also from
Swain, Cherokee", Jackson, Clay,
Hazelwood and Macon counties.
The public is cordially invited to
attend.
Draft Board Seeks
Perry Epps Merritt
to. locate Perry Epps Merritt' who,
after being mailed a questionnaire,
failed to fill it out and return it
to the board.
Perry was last known to be
working On " the Nantahala dam
Anyone knowing his present ad
dress is asked to get in touch with
the local board at its offices
As The World Turns
A Brief Survey of Current Events In State, Nation
and Abroad.
CHRISTMAS IN BRITAIN
Christinas carols are being sung
througlwut Britain above the . roar
of bombs. In churches, social
gathering places and in the under
ground air raid shelters is heard
this strange mixture of joy and
tragedy. Parallels in history are re
called when tlie early Christians
gathered in the catacombs of Rome
to escape their persecutors. . Thus
has the world turned backward.
Forest Service Needs A
Carpenter, Spray Painter
The United States Civil Service
commission this week announced
an open competitive examination
for the positions of painter (spray
gun), foreman carpenter, and car
penter for the purpose of filling
vacancies in the Forest service
here in Franklin.
The usual entrance salary for a
spray gun painter is $4 a day; for
a foreman carpenter, $5 a day when
actually employed;, and for a car
penter, $4 a day when actually
employed.
Applications for the positions
must be on file with the manager,
4th U. S. Civil Service district
Washington. . D. C, not later than
January 11, 1941. Competitors will
not be required to report for a
written examination but will be
rated on their training and experience.
Full information and application
blanks may be obtained from the
pottoffice berc,
LONDON
In a surprise speech on Monday,
Prime Minister Churchill address
ed himself directly to the Italian
people, King Victor Emmanuel and
the army. He plead with them to
overthrow Mussolini, whom he
called a "criminal" who had left
them only the "iiard choice" of
standing up to the might of the
'British Empire or calling in "the
hordes of Attila over the Brenna
Pass" and the " gestapo "to occupy,
bold down and protect" Italy.
As the British had comparative
quite in London, with warning that
Hitler may make an early invasion
effort, RAF made the seventh
heavy raid on Rhine munition and
railway centers. River and railway
traffic were seriously imeped and
great destruction reported.
ATHENS .
The Greeks continue to advance
in Albania, as their forces sweep
closer to Valona, key port on the
Adriatic closest to the heel of
Italy's boot.
Mussolini's crack battalion of 800
men and 130 officers, veterans of
other wars, were captured when
the Greeks took Khitnara, Fascist
coastal base, south of Valona.
LORD HALIFAX APPOINTED
BRITISH ENVOY TO U. S.
Lord Halifax, British foreign
secretary, was appointed to what
Prime Minister Churchill termed
"the most important post any Brit
ish citizen, can fill outside this
country," the ambassadorship to
the United Stales. He succeeds the
late Lord Lothian, who died in
Washington. December 12.
Anthony Eden, whom Halifax
succeeded in 1938, again becomes
foreign secretary. A bitter oponent
of "appeasement," Eden's appoint
ment is expected to herald better
relations with Soviet Russia.
JOHNSON GOES
TO RALEIGH
Will Head Credit Union
Division Of Dept. Of
Agriculture
Appointment of Blackburn W.
Johnson of Asheville as superin
tendent of the Credit Union Divi
sion of the State Department of
Agriculture was announced last
Saturday by Commissioner of
Agriculture W. Kerr Scott of
Raleigh. He will assume his duties
with the Department on January
2, succeeding C. C. Booker of
Hendersonville, who resigned to ca
cept other work.
Mr. Johnson moved to Franklin
in January 1931 when he purchas
ed The Franklin Press, later ac
quiring' The Highlands Maconian
and combining the two papers
which he edited until 1937 when
he became editor of the Farmers
Federation News of Asheville.
Prior: to his coming to Franklin
Mr. Johnson was a newspaper man
connected with leading dailies in
North Carolina and the Associated
Press in New York. He received
his education at the Virginia Epis
copal School, University of North
Carolina, and Columbia University.
New York. He has recently been
prominent in the Credit Union
movement in North Carolina. ,
CHRISTTiIASCLUB
REACHESMANY
Workers Say Club Plan
More Efficient Than
Past Methods
Plant To ExtractEpsom
baits From Nickel Ore
Is Built At Webster
FOUR-MAN COMMITTEE
TAKES CHARGE OF
NATIONAL DEFENSE
Four men we're personally select
ed by President Roosevelt Friday
to form a defense "High Com
mand" to take full charge of the
task of arming America. They are :
William . S. Knudsen and Sidney
Hillman of the present defease
commission; Secretary of War
Stimson and Secretary of the Navy
Knox.
RAF and Italians fought the
biggest aerial dogfight so far. Out
numbered five to one, RAF shot
down 11 of 50 planes, losing two.
over Argirocastro.
CAIRO. EGYPT
The British army of the Nile,
with 36,000 Italian prisoners moved
to the . rear, prepared with rein
forcements to close in on the port
of Bardia in Lybia and its 20,000
defenders. RAF reports air fight
ing which is augmented by the
South African air force.
PRESIDENT TO BROADCAST
ON PRESENT EMERGENCY
President Roosevelt will address
the people of the nation Sunday
night, December 29, on the state
of the defense program and ' on
the administration's foreign policy
in general, especially the Aid-To-Britain
program.
His speech will be carried on all
major networks from 9:30 to 10
p. m. (EST.)
SUPREME COURT INVALI
DATES N. C LICENSE
TAX LAW
The Supreme Court oh Monday
invalidated the state's $250 license
tax on out-of-state retailers,, and
warned that inter-state commerce
can hardly survive In so hostile
an atmosphere" as that created by
the levy.
ADMIRAL LEAHY
LEAVES FOR VICHY
Admiral Wm. D. Leahy, newly
appointed U. S. Ambassador to
France, sailed Monday with Mrs.
Leahy aboard a naval cruiser from
Norfolk to assume his new duties
in Vichy, the present capital under
Nazi domination.
LONGEST CONGRESS
IN HISTORY
Congress has passed its 354th
day of continuous sesswn, thus
becoming the longest congress in
the history of the United States.
The old record of 354 days was
set in 1917-18.
A small plant for the purpose
of extracting sulphate of magne
sium, or Epsom Salts as it is fa
miliarly known, from nickel ore on
an experimental basis ii now under
construction . at the nickle mines
at Webster. Operations are ex
pected to begin around January 15.
laboratory tests have proved that
the salts can be produced from the
Webster ore, and if the experi
mental plant is successful, the pro
cess may turn out to be of more
value than : the nickle ' mines. If
so, two larger plants would be built
at the Webster mines ; one for
extracting the salts and another
for . reducing the nickle ore.
The experimental plant is under
the direction of J. H. Gillis.
Approximately 1,250 ' Christmas
bags and 140 Christmas baskets
have been distributed over the
county either through Christmas;
trees or individually, as reported
by the newly-organized Christmas
club chairman.
As in past . years, presents were
also distributed among the men at
the state prison camp here.
Workers who have been active
in spreading Christmaji cheer in
past years say that the Christmas
club plan has worked more effi
ciently and with more good will
than., any other method tried here
tofore. Religious and civic organi
zations, merchants and individuals
have cooperated freely to insure a
merry Christmas for every family
in the county as far as possible.
Instead of having one Ghristnws
tree here in Franklin for all the
children in the county, individual
trees were set up in each com
munity, thus making it pissible
to reach more children than in
past years. Arrangements for the
time and place of each tree were
worked out in conjunction with
members of the various commun
ities to avoid misunderstandings.
Organized at a meetinc called
by the American Legion earlier in
tlie month, the Christmas club
works through a central committee.
Membership cards were available
for groups and individuals. 1
The central committee this year
consisted of Mr. Cabe. chairman.
Dr. W. E. Furr, treasurer, Mis
Gladys Guffey, secretary, Miss
Eloise G. Franks Paul Carpenter,
J. .Mann, and Clyde Gailey.
Well Known Clay County
nysician Les In Ueorgia
Dr. J. M. May. 49. well known
physician of Hayesvillei died Wed
nesday morning in a hospital at
Marietta, Ga., following .an illness
for several months.
Funeral services were held Thurs
day afternoon at the Hayesville
Baptist church.
Surviving are his widow; two
sons, Jack and Joe, one daughter,
Beatrice, all of Hayesville; his
mother, Mrs. S. J. May, of Flat;
four sisters, Mrs. L. A. Boone, of
Flats; Mrs. B. C. Jones, of Bry
son City; Airs, J. B. Gray, of
Murphy, and Mrs. J. H. Hoyle. of
Asheville, and one brother, T. A. .
May, of Hayesville.
Large Audience Attends
Choral Society's Debut
The Franklin Choral society, as
its director states it is named in
stead of the Franklin glee club as
was, previously reported, appeared
in its first recital here last Wed
nesday night.
Included on the program was
"Christ Has Come," the words and
music of which were written by
the Rev. Philip L. Green, the so
ciety's director, "Star of the East,"
"Cantique de Noel," "Song of
Mary," "Hark Now, O Shepherds,"
and "Beautiful Savior."
Rev. and Mrs. L. A. Joiiay of
Johnson City, Tenn, are spending
the Christmas holidays, with Mrs.
Jollay's parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.
L. Young, of Franklin Route 2.
Catherine Young, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Young, of
Franklin Route 2L left Friday for
Athens, Ga.. to a-company her
brother, Johnny Young and Mrs.
Young to Miami. Fl, for the
Christmas holidays. They, will visit
their aunt, Mrs. D. W. McCoy and
Mr. McCoy while there. '
Weimar Jones Undergoes
Eye Operation
The condition of Weimar Jones,
member of tlie Gtizen-Times staff,
a former Franklin citizen, who
underwent an operation for the re
moval of his right eye at Mission
hospital, Asheville, last Friday, is
reported to be satisfactory.
His mother, Mrs. George A.
Jones, went to Asheville to be
with her son.
Dillsboro Man Caught
Transporting Whiskey
State Highway Patrolman Guy
and Deputy Sherjff Dills overhaul
ed and searched an automobile
driven by Harley Childers, of
Dillsboro, five miles out on the
Georgia highway early Saturday
morning.
Twenty gallons of non-tax paid
whiskey were found in Childers
car. He was placed in the county
jail here and released on bond
Monday.
Wayah District
Recreational Areas Show
Increased Popularity
Actual registrations at the five
recreational areas in the Wayah
district of Nantahala national for
est have reached a total of 41,
292 thus far this year,- Ranger
John Wasilik, Jr., stated this week.
Since it estimated that only 75
per cent of the visitors to recre
ational areas take the trouble to
register, this would indicate that
approximately 68,000 persons visited
the five pleasure spots in the dis
trict Dry Falls led all areas with a
total registration of 29.268, more
than the combined registrations of
the four other areas. Cliff side Lake
was second with 5,367 registration,
Arrowood Glade third with 4,233
registrants. Van Hook Glade fourth
with 1,515 registrants, and Amnions
Camp Ground fifth with 909 regis
trants. .
Nantahala
National Forest
Did
You
Know
That
A recent count of. the fish being
reared at Arrowood Glade, eight
miles west of Franklin, disclosed
that 41,847 brook trout are on hand
at the present time. The number
of trout weigh 1.919 pounds, or
slightly under one 'ton.
There are, in addition, at Ar
rowood Glade 10.000 brown trout
and 20,000 rainbow trout All the
f,s,hJ rear.ed season will be
held until next spring when they
will be placed in the streams of
the cooperative game areas of the
Nantahala National Forest The
fish are being held over the sea
son in order to bring them all up
to legal size at the time of plant
ing and to insure a much better
survival by planting at a time of
the year when food more plenti
ful m tie stream.