Watauga democrat
? An Independent Weekly Newspaper?Established in the Year 1888. ?
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fOL. LVII, NO. 42 . V. BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, APRIL 19, 1945 $1.50 A YEAR?5c A CCfPY
?YANKS CONTINUE
DRIVE; GERMANY
SEEN BISECTED
American Armies Break Into
Other German Prize Cities, as
British Tanks Close in On
Hamburg Port City; Germany
Cut in Half, Fighting on Two
Fronts
Paris. April 18?American armies,
which already have virtually bi
sected Germany, broke into the prize
cities of Leipzig and Magdeburg
yesterday as British tanks tore loose
on a 22-mile sweep that carried
within 25 miles of the great port of
Hamburg.
Dusseldorf, last major city in the
Rhur still held by the Germans, also
was entered by doughboys who now
have whittled down the Rhur pock-1
et to 125 square miles from its ori
ginal 3.000 square miles.
The U. S. Third army stabbed to
a point four miles from the Czech-1
oslovak border, with one or more of |
its armored columns operating un-1
der a news blackout and was be- i
lieved to be about 75 miles from
Russian positions on the eastern
front.
Says Berlin Halved
A Berlin military commentator
asserted that Germany had been
cut in half and now was forced to
fight on two separate battlefields.
He did not say whether this meant
that American and Russian forces
had linked up or merely that the
Reich had been cut in two geo
graphically by American units
reaching Czechoslovakia.
For the most part the American
armies concentrated their might on
clearing out fierce pockets of Nazi
resistance which have developed in
the big cities and there was no in
dication that the final drive on
Berlin had begun?although the U.
S. Ninth army enlarged its bridge
head across the Elbe river south of
Magdeburg to a depth of five mUes.
Supreme headquarters disclosed
today that these bridgehead forces
ol Lt. William H. Simpson had beat
off the heaviest counterattack
t.jrown against the allies since their
crossing to the east bank of the
Rhine weeks ago.
SHAEF said the Germans launch
ed their counteratta?k some time
Monday and the battle raged into
the night, but by Tuesday morning
it had been thoroughly repulsed
CLOTTDNGSOUGHT
FOR WAR VICTIMS
Local Women * Club Asks for Cloth-1
ing; "Clean Up Your Closet
Week" Announced
The Worthwhile Club, in an effort i
to secure quantities of used clothing
for the destitute people of the na
tions overrun by the dictator coun
tries. has announced "Clean Up
Your Closet Week" beginning next
Monday, states Mrs Ralph Greer.
It is thus hoped that all clothing i
not in use can be secured to provide j
aid for the many victims of the war
throughout the world. All clothing
should be clean and mended, and
the garments will be sent immedi
ately to the war-ravaged countries.
Beach Keller USES
Interviewer as Love
Goes To Raleigh Post
Mr. Beach Keller, of Boone, has
been named interviewer in charge
of the Boone office of the United
States Employment Service, to suc
ceed Mr C. C. Love, who has been
promoted to the position of occupa
tional analysist at the state admin
istrative office in Raleigh.
Mr Love states that the USES is
fortunate in having secured the
services of Mr Keller, who is ad
mirably fitted for his new position
by training ;>nd experience. For
more than a 'year he was employed
in the Boone postoffice. He served
for almost three years in the navy
during the present war, which will
stand him in good s,ead. since in
addition to his other duties he is a
veterans employment representa
tive.
Mr. Keller states that the office
>vhich is located upstairs iri the
courthouse will continue to be open
daily from 8:30 a. m. to 1:00 p m..
and that the office desires to be of
the greatest possible service to em
ployers and-those seeking work.
Hoy W. Norris Dies
In Statesville Hospital
Hoy W. Norris, prominent resi
dent of Meat Camp township, died
ut a Statesville hospital on Tuesday
of last week, after an illness of sev
eral weeks He was 43 yean old.
Funeral services were conducted
from the Fairview Methodist chufeh
Thursday afternoon by Rev. Mr.
Winkler, and interment was in the
nearby cemetery 1
Mr. Norris is survived by the
widow, the former Miss Lizzie Wil
liams; two sons, two daughters, the
father, six sisters and one brother.
Killed In Action
PFC. FRED M. ASHLEY
FRED M. ASHLEY
KILLED IN ACTION
Son oi Mr. and Mrs. Spaocar Ashlar
of Boon*. Lo*m Life On
German Front
? Pfc. Fred M. Ashley, 19 years old,
son of Mr. and Mrs. Spencer Ash
ley of Route 1, Boone, was Tolled
In action in Germany on March ?>.
according to official word receiwa
from the War Department by the
family.
Pfc. Ashley went into the army
in July, 1943, and had been with
the Ninth army oversea^ for eight
fnonths.
He is survived by his parents, one
brother and two sisters: Greene
Ashley, Bessie Jean Ashley and
Judy Ashley.
To Be Memorialized
PFC. JOHN M. EDMISTEN
PFC. WILLIAM H. VINES
SERVICE SLATED
FOR LOCAL MEN
Sugar Grove Men. Lifelong Friends.
Killed in Action, to Be Honored
On April 29
Memorial services will be held at
the Bethel Baptist churcn Sunday,
April 29, for Pvt. John M. Edmisten,
and Pfc. William H. Vines, of Sugar
Grove, lifelong friends and comrades
in arms, who were killed on differ
ent fighting fronts within a 30-day
period.
The pastor of the church, Rev.
Robert H. Shore; Rev. W. D. Ashley
and others will appear on the pro
gram of tribute to the local men, and
the American Legion will take part
in the service. The public is invited.
Pfc. Edmsten, 21. was killed in
Italy on February 25. while Pfc.
Vines lost his life in the fighting
in Franco on January 29 The young
men who were lifelong friends, en
listed on April 12, 1944, were train
ed at Camp Blanding, Fla., and in
September, 1944, were separated for
the first time in their lives, and sent
to different sectors of the global
battlefront. Mr. and Mrs. M. H.
Ednusten and Mr and Mrr W. R.
Vines are the parents Of the young
men who gave their lives in the
cause of freedom.
Superforts Hit Kyushu
Base of Suicide Planes
American B-29's bombed six Jap
airfields on Kyushu Tuesday and
Wednesday as the air war against
Japan swung into a climatic phase
after a month of unceasing blows
which have destroyed or damaged
more than 2,813 enemy planes.
The Superforts struck at the
source of enemy suicide planes at
tacking fleet units off Okinawa,
following two fire raids on Tokyo
within 72 hours. Those fire assault?
bumed out 8.1 square miles of To
kyo and Kawashaki?raising to more
than 52 square miles the total area
wiped out in four of Japan's great
est cities since the Superforts open
ed their offensive.
TRIBUTE IS PAID
LATE PRESIDENT
I
Memorial Services An Held Her*
Honoring Memory of Former
President Roosevelt
Fitting memorial services were
held in front of the Boone postofficc
Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock, out
of respect to the memory of Presi-'
dent Franklin D. Roosevelt, who
died suddenly Thursday afternoon
at Warm Springs, Ga.
"At this critical time in our na
tion's history," said Mayor Winkler,
"when our armies and navies and
those of our allies are knocking at
the doors of Berlin and Tokyo, and
on the eve of the great peace confer
ence at San Francisco, it is indeed
tragic that we should lose the serv
ices of our great leader. Franklin D.
Roosevelt, President of the United
States.
"As a man he was loved and ad
mired by friends, and as our Presi
dent for many years he steered us
times our country has seen. His
torians of the future will fix his true
thrgugh one of the most troubled
pltffc in history according to his ac
complishments and worth to his fel
low man. He was a great leader
and his place at this time cannot be
filled with ease.
"Our new President faces great
problems," continued the mayor,
"and he has asked for the prayers
of his people, It is fitting that dur
ing this hour we should grieve for 1
?oss of our great leader, and j
support the one who takes his j
and asks for our prayers that1
he may be able to meet with wis
dom and courage, the problems that
will confront him in his new duties
as leader of our great country and
the world."
The program consisted of sacred
music by the college and high school
band; prayer by Dr. F. E. Warman;
Scripture reading by Dr. E. K. Mc
Larty; short talk by Rev. Edwin F.
Troutman; talk by Rev. J. C. Ca
nipe; prayer by Rev. J. K# Parker,
Jr. ,and benediction by Rev. Robt.
Brown.
Honor guests were Sergeant Clyde
Rominger and chief Chief Petty Of
ficer Homer Brown, who made some
timely remarks.
Store* At* Closed
The stores of the city were closed
for one hour during the course of
the services, in line with the re
quest of Clyde R. Greene, president
of the State Merchants Association,
who had asked that all stores of the
state close their doors out of res
pect to the late President, while the
services were being held in the
White House. Some cities of the
state, notably Charlotte, went even
farther, and remained closed
throughout the day..
ASSOCIATION TO
HOLD SPRING MEET
Three Forks Baptist Association to'
Hold Spring Meeting at Meat
Camp Church May 4
The spring session of the Three
Forks Baptist Association will con
vene with Meat Camp Baptist
church on May 4, at 10 a. m., with
the moderator, Rev. J. C. Canipe
presiding. The session will last
only one day and the following pro
gram will be carried out:
10 a. m.?Song service by Meat
Camp choir, Grady Wilson, leader.
10:15 ? Devotional, Rev. Tipton
Greene.
10:30?Program presented, Rev. R.
C Eggers. chairman executive com
mittee. and roll call of churches.
10:40?The Southern Baptist Cen
tennial Crusade, S. C. Eggers.
11:10?Southern Baptists Winning
a Million Souls in 1945, Rev Zeb
A. Caudle, pastor Lower Creek
Baptist church, Lenoir.
Noon Receu
1:00 p. m.?Devotional, Rev. G. A.
Hamby.
1:15?The Place of Teaching in,
the Centennial Crusade, Miss Kath-1
leen Frink.
1:35?The Place of the Holy Spir
it in the Centennial Crusade, Rev.
Raymond Hendrix.
1:55?The Place of Prayer in the
Centennial Crusade, Rev. Ben Lee
Ray.
2:15?What Part Should We Play
in the Centennial Crusade, Rev. J.
C. Cani
Adjourn.
Pfc. Willis Swift Is . ?
Wounded in Germany
Mrs. Willis B. Swift, of Sugar
Grove, has received a message from
the War Department stating that
her husband, Pfc. Willis B. Swift,
was slightly wounded in Germany
on March 23.
A brother, Pfc. Paul G. Swift, who
was wounded in Belgium Feb. 3, is
back on duty.
, The brothers received their basic
training at Camp Blanding, Fla., at
the same time, went overseas in De
cember, sailing about the tame time,
and both are in Gen. Patton's Third
army.
BAHX DIRECTORS MEEET
The directors of the Northwestern
Bank system were in session in the
offices of the Boone unit of the In
stitution on Tuesday.
PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT DEAD
i? 11 ii ? - vmuniiV HUUOL VLLii
Franklin D. Roosevelt. four times elected President of the United
State*, and laadar of the plans for world security, who died almost
suddenly at Warm Springs, Ga.. last Thursday afternoon from a cere
bral hemorrhage. Simple funeral services were conducted in the Cast
room of the White House Saturday afternoon at 4 o'clock, and the
body of the late chief executive was Interred in the roae garden of
his Hyde Park. N. Y., aetata Sunday morning.
Farm Boy To President?Thai's Record
Of Truman, Now In Historical Role
Chief Executive
HARRY 8. TRUMAN
President Harry S. Truman, of
Missouri, who took the oath of of
fice as i ha 32nd President of the
United States, Thursday evening,
following the receipt of news of
President Roeerelt's death. Presi
dent Truman asked the Roosevelt
cabinet to stay on, but said little
at the time other than that he
would try to carry to fulfillment
the policies of his predecessor.
This position was elaborated upon
in an address to the congress
Monday.
DEMOCRATS NAME
CITY CANDIDATES
Mayor Winkler Chosen to Head j
Municipal Democratic Slate;
Aldermen Nominated
Mayor Gordon H. Winkler was I
unanimously chosen as candidate to |
succeed himself in the Democratic ]
convention held in the courthouse
last Thursday evening by a repie- I
sentative group of local Democratic I
partisans.
Named as candidates for aldermen
were Owen Wilson and Dr. Mathe
son, incumbents, and Joe Crawford.
Mr. Crawford was nominated over
Lee Stout, of the present board, by
a two-vote margin.
Candidates Selected at
Blowing Rock Monday
At press time The Democrat 1 earns
| that Major G rover C. Robbins was
renominated for mayor of Blowing
Rock at the citizens mass meeting
held Monday evening, together with
all the members of the present' city
council, as follows: H. P. Holshous
er, F. B. Hartley and J. H. Wink
ler. No other candidates were plac
ed before the convention, which is
conducted without regard to parti
san politic*.
Independence, Mo., April 13?The
long corn row down which he
wearily plodded a half-century ago
behind a pair of Missouri mules?
just a plain, poor country boy whose
ambition had not yet soared beyond
the evening sunset?led Harry S.
Truman straight on to the White
House and the mantle of leadership
at a turning point in world history.
Harry Truman today is President
of the United States, the third of
three increasingly important jobs he
didn't want and which he was con
tent to let another have if he could
take a lesser job more to his lik
ing.
Twelve years ago, not a dozen
influential persons in Washington,
and almost nobody in other world
capitals, knew even of the existence I
of the man who today occupies the |
White House.
Obscure Judo*
Truman was then an obscure
county judge (county commissioner)
in Jackson county, Mo., a job .he
held off and on for ten years, and he
aspired to higher things?say, the
county collector. He went to Boss
Tom Pendergrast, his political men
tor, early in 1934 seeking Pendee
gsast's machine support for candi
dacy for the collectorship.
"No, I ain't going to support you,"
Pendergrast told the surprised and
disappointed Truman, who rose to
go and cooldn't believe his ears
when Pendergrast continued, "You
are going to run for the United
States senate."
Ten years in the senate found
Truman in 1944 busy and contented
with that job and wanting no other.
Only a week before his nomination
lo the vice-presidency on the Demo
cratic ticket in Chicago last July 21,
Trnman said in a statement in Kan
sas City, "I do not want the vice
I presidency. I am absolutely honest
in my often reiterated statement
| that it is my personal preference
I and desire to remain in the senate."
Today Truman steps up to his
first day in a historical role and
Missouri sees its first native son in
j the "presidency.
The boy whose mother orvce
1 boasted he could plow the straightest
furrow in the state of Missouri got
i away from the farm actually only
a decade ago when he checked into
| Washington as a . freshman senator.
He never got to college bec.iuse
of lack of funds, and he pulled his
way upward the hard way and
through unbelievable political luck.
Mother Is 12
Born at Lamar, Mo., 120 miles
south of Kansas City, Truman went
(CONTDTOTD ON PAGE SIX)
W. B. AUSTI* APPOINTED OH
STATE AGRICULTURE BOARD
Raleigh, April 17?Gov. R. Gregg
Cherry today said that he has nam
ed W. B. Austin, West Jefferson, as
a member of the state board of agri
culture. ?
Austin will fill the unexpired
term left by L. L. Burgin, Horse
shoe, whose membership oft the
board wai automatically voided by
his election as a member of the
IMS general assembly.
CMC GROUP ACTS
ON HIGHWAY AND
OTHER PROJECTS
Recreational Center, Develop
ment of Highways, and Other
Matters Come Up for Diseas
sion at Chamber of Commerce
Meeting Monday Evening
The possibility of securing the
construction of a new highway from
Blowing Rock to the Tennessee line,
together with a thoroughfare from
this city into Linville, took the at
tention of the Chamber of Commerce
at a banquet session held Monday
evening, and there was preliminary
discussion of a proposal to provide
the city with a recreational center
when construction of this sort is
feasible.
Mr. H. W. Wilcox, president of the
organization, submitted a letter from
Mr. Z. V. Stewart, division engineer
with the state highway system, rela
tive to the highways in which the
local people are most in teres td. Mr.
Stewart explains that at the start
of the war a survey had been made
from Blowing Rock to the intersec
tion of the Blue Ridge Parkway and
:onstruction work started. It is also
pointed out that a survey order has
>een secured on the same route from
Boone city limits a difpmce of two
ind one-half miles K5 the Payne
Branch road.
As to the Boone-Linville route,
Mr. Stewart states that the depart
ment has recommended that this
road be added to the secondary
federal aid system and that nothing
will be knoywn until the federal
authorities are heard from. The of
ficial suggested that sentiment se
cured to back a request for a sur
vey on 421 from Vilas to the state
line, would be a good thing, so that
citizens along the route would
know where the ? road would be re
built, and govern their improve
ments accordingly.
In line with Mr. Stewart's sug
gestion. President Wilcox appointed
the following resolutions commit
tee to further impress the authori
ties with the desire for a survey on
421: Russell D. Hodges, Alfred Ad
ams and W. H. Wilcox. Petitions
will likely be circulated in the area
affected by the road for signatures
urging its construction.
Recreational Project
A number of members of the com
merce organization briefly discussed
the need for a recreational project,
and Ralph G. Greer, past comman
der of the American Legion, specu
lated on whether or not 4he Legion
Park property might be developed
to fit in with this ? proposal.
A committee to further study the
recreation program was appointed
by Chairman Wilcox and consists
of Willis Chester, M. R. Maddux and
Barnard Dougherty.
New Bus Station
During the course of the meeting
H. W. Wilcox stated that plans are
almost completed by him for the
construction of a modern and com
modious bus station for the city, just
as quickly as the necessary federal
permit can be secured.
PFCNEDAUSTIN
IS LIBERATED
Shulls Mills Man. Reported Missing
in Action, Rescued From
German Prison Camp
Pfc. Ned P. Austin, son of Mr.
and Mrs. S. M. Austin, of Shulls
Mills Route 1, who was reported
missing in action in Germany since
March 4, was captured by the Ger
mans instead, and the family has re
ceived the welcome news that the
local man was liberated from a Nazi
prison camp by the victorious Amer
ican armies on March 29.
It is stated that during the 25 days
spent in the German camp, Pfc. Aus
tin lost 25 pounds in weigttt, but that
he is rapidly regaining his strength
and vigor in a convalescent camp in
France.
Pfc. Austin, who "is unmarried,
went into the army last July and
has been on active duty since the
first of the year.
GREENE RENAMED
I BY N.C. MERCHANTS
Local Man to Again Head Stat*
Merchants Association; Other
Officers At* Named
At a meeting of the North Caro
line Merchants Association held in
Raleigh Monday, Clyde R. Greene,
local hardware merchant and civic
leader, was re-elected president of
the association for a second one
year term.
Other officers named are: First
vice-president, O. P. Matthews, Gas
ton la: second vice-president, G C.
Courtney. Lenotr; executive secre
tary, Willard L. Do well. Raleigh;
treasurer, T. C. Henkel, Lexington.
The directors voted to di?p?ns*
with the usual state convention this
year due t* travel restriction*. ?