L
Watauga democrat
# ?
An Independent Weekly Newspaper ? Established in the Year 1 888.
VOL. LVII, NO. 9 BOONE, WATAUGA COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, AUGUST 30, 1945
WATCH
on
Lea jap Conference
IX Gen. Richard E. Sutherland,
chief of staff to General MacAr
Ihur, presided over groundbreak
ing sessions with the 16-man Jap
surrender arrangement delegation,
after their arrival in Manila.
JAP SURRENDER
SIGNING SUNDAY
Mighty Battlewagon Missouri En
ters Tokyo Harbor; to Be Scene
of Formal Surrender
Manila, Aug. 29 ? General Mac
Arthur flew north today on his way
to make a triumphal entry into^ Ja
pan Thursday. As a plane earned
him to Okinawa, the mighty bat
tleship Missouri entered Tokyo
Bay where next Sunday Japan's sur
render will be signed aboard her.
Admiral Halsey rode the 45,000
ton dreadnaught into the bay while
tea and airborne forces were poised
for large scale occupational land
ings.
The unfolding of MacArthur's
master plan for the powerful occu
pation pointed toward the historic
surrender signing Sept. 2 aboard the
battleship Missouri in TokyrrbBy.
Airborne troops raised the Stars
and Stripes at Atsugi airfield, south
west of Tokyo, which they are pre
paring for the arrival Thursday of
MacArthur and thousands of troops
in air transports from Okinawa.
While advance third fleet units
rode at anchor in Tokyo Bay and
mighty battlewagons began to join
them from nearby Sagami Bay, a
pending fleet movement from the
Aleutians were disclosed.
Observers at Adak assumed that
Vice Admiral F. J. Fletcher's crui
sers, destroyers and carriers, getting
set to move west, would take part
in occupation of northern Japan ? for
which Gen. MacArthur as yet has
made no announcement
As the large scale occupation op
erations scheduled for Atsugi and
Yokosuka to the south of Tokyo, im
pended, an Associated Press corre
spondent aboard a Liberator over
Tokyo reported that a deathly still
ness gripped that metropolis. Ja
pan's defeat plainly was written in
its ruined sectors, said Spencer
Davis.
At Okinawa, Associated Press
correspondent Richard Cushing re
ported American planes will begin
evacuating 6,125 prisoners of war,
largely American, from two camps
within 10 miles of Atsugi tomorrow.
His report reemphasized American
determination to achieve such re
leases simultaneously with the oc
cupational movements.
Eighteen miles northwest of Yo
kosuka, 150 airborne troops who
landed yesterday and became the
first foreign conquerors to set foot
in Japan in modern times, , rushed
to get Atsugi air field ready for to
morrow's arrival of General MacAr
thur and 7,500 armed sky troopers
from Okinawa.
Ration Guide
RED SAAMPS
Q 2 through U2, now valid, expire
Aug. 31.
V2 through Z2, now valid, expire
Sept 30.
A1 through El, now valid, expire
Oct. 31. **
F1 through Kl, now valid, expire
Oct. 31.
F1 through Kl, now valid, expire
Nov. 30.
LI through Q1 , become valid
Sept. 1, expire December 31.
8UGAR
Sugar Satmp No. 36, good for 5
pounds, expires, Aug. 31.
Sugar stamp No. 38 becomes good
Sept 1; expires Dec. 31.
SHOES
Airplane stamps Not. 1, 2, 3, 4,
now good.
CHESTER CHOSEN
HEAD OF LOCAL
RETAIL GROUP
Manger Bek's Store Named
President of the Boone Mer
chants Association; Grady
Tugman is Vice-President
W. W. Chester, popular manager of
the Belk-White Company store, was
named president of the Boone Mer
chants Association at a meeting of
the directors held last week. Mr.
Chester received the office without
opposition, to succeed J. E. Clay,
whose term of office had expired.
Grady Tugman, of the Watauga
Hardware, was elected vice-presi
dent, while Mrs. Ruby Ellis was re
tained as secretary and treasurer.
The following standing committees
were named:
Transportation ? Russell D. Hodg
es, chairman; C. M. Wilson, Mr.
Welch, J. C. Cline, R. W. Colvard.
Legislative ? Clyde R. Greene,
chairman; B. W. Stallings, Bob
Agle, Milton Greer.
Finance ? G. K. Moose, chairman;
Dennis Townsend, D. M. Edmisten,
Bert Ellis.
Special promotion ? D. L. Wilcox,
chairman; Mrs. Goodman, Alfred
Adams, W. H. Gragg.
Membership ? S. Grady Tugman,
chairman; L. T. Tatum, C. C. Trip
lett. Dr. Mock, Mrs. Lewis Reese.
Association planning board ? Guy
Hunt, chairman; Kenneth Linney,
Owen Little, Cecil Miller.
SLOGAN CHOSEN
FOR UNITED WAR
FUND CAMPAIGN
"Be Generous in Victory" is the
slogan ohosen for the United War
and Community Fund campaign
which will be held in October with
a national budget of $1 15,000,000 set
to finance the Red dross and other
allied organizations, according to
HaiTy M. Hamilton, Jr., general
chairman for the campaign in Wat
auga county.
Mr. Hamilton explained that na
tional headquarters said victory over
Japan does not signify immediate
end of the work of member agencies
with the exception of the American
field service. Programs of USO
and USO-camp shows will continue
until demobilization is an actuali
ty and work will be maintained at
a high level for men in the forces of
occupation. United Seamen'e serv
ice will also have to continue its
work while the merchant fleets are
engaged, and no immediate change
in the budget of foreign relief agen
cies are in sight, Mr. Hamilton said.
Prizes Are Announced
In Bass Fishing Contest
Mr. B. W. Stallings has given out
the following list of prizes which
will be awarded at the close of the
bass fishing contest on November 25 :
Senior division: 1. >25 war
bond, given by B. W. Stallings; 2.
$15 cash, Watauga Wildlife Club; 3.
$10 fishing tackle, Parkway Co; 4.
hunting shoes, June Russell; 5.
sport shirt, Belk-White Co.
Junior division: 1. life insurance
policy, Frank Payne; 2. wool sweat
er, Hunt's Department store; 3.
Scout knife, Western Auto Associate
store.
As formerly, the bass caught must
be taken to the City Market, weigh
ed and officially registered in order
to compete. The bass season has
been poor thus far, it is said, but fall
usually provides the best angling,
and a number of entries should be
made soon.
Four Auction Sales
To Be Held On 6th
Four auction land sales will be
held in the county on Thursday,
September 6, it is announced by Z.
A. Robertson & Co.
The sales will start at 10 a. m.
when the Laurence Moody 7 -room
house on Cove Creek will be of
fered to the high bidder. At 10:30
a.- m. the Roy Brown property near
by, including 5-room house and two
acres of land will be sold, while at
U a. m., 84 acres of the Pies Mc
Ginn ia estate near Vilas will be of
fered. At 1:30 p. m., the same day
the 240- acre farm of Clyde R.
Greene, in Meat Camp township,
near Boone, will be auctioned.
Complete details concerning these
properties will be found in the ad
vertising columns of this newspa
per today. .
Heads Retailers
W. W. CHESTER
OLD GLORY FLIES
OVER LAND JAPS
Nips Smile and Courtesy asl Big
Transport Planes Produce
Excitement
Okinawa, Aug. 28 ? The first
American flag to be raised in oc
cupied Japan fluttered up the radio
mast at Atsugi airdrome at 12:10
p. m. (Tokyo time) today.
Col, John H. Lackey, Norfolk, Va ,
pilot of the first American occupa
tion plane to land in Japan, said
the crews of three commuuications
planes of the fifth U. S. army air
force tied the flag to their radio
mast and ran it up under a bright,
midday sun.
The flag hung briefly then flut
tered out in a light breeze while
150 airmen and more than 200 Jap
military police, civilians and photo
graphers waved.
Airmen found the Jap soldiers
swarming over the airfield eager to
help the towering men from Ameri
ca occupy their homeland. They
were all smiles and courtesy, report
ed the fliers, who returned here
from Atsugi tonight.
HALSEY MAY YET
RIDE JAFS HORSE
Admiral Carrie* Saddle on Missouri,
With Which to Rid* Hiro
hito's Steed
In Tokyo Bay, Aug. 29? .-Admiral
William F. (Bull) Halsey trium
phantly entered Tokyo Bay today
aboard his flagship, the mighty bat
tleship Missouri, as thousands of
American and British bluejackets
and marines stood by to make the
first seaborne occupation of pros
trate Japan.
Halsey, at last at the end of the
long trail, which began at Pearl
Harbor, stood on the bridge of the
45,000-ton battlewagon as it steam
ed into the bay at 7:08 a. m. Japa
nese time (6 p. m. ewt) joining Rear
Admiral Oscar C. Badger's task
force 31 which had blazed the trail
yesterday.
Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, sun
tanned Texan who commands the
Pacific fleet, was scheduled to ar
rive in the Tokyo area some time
today. Nimitz, flying from Guam,
will hoist his five-star, admiral of
the fleet flag on the mainmast of
the new battleship South Dakota.
Aboard the Missouri with Halsey
was a silver-mounted saddle from
Reno, Nev. It was sent to Halsey
to use when and if he mounts Em
peror Hirohito's white horse-, ac
cording to his frequently-expressed
intention.
Community Cannery to
Be Open Next Friday
The Boone Community Cannery
will be open to the public next Fri
day, if was announced first of the
week. All persons in this vicinity
who wish to do canning, should
corns to the cannery on this day.
SUBSIDT PAYMENTS
All sheep and lambs sold on or
after Aug. 5 to a legally authorized
slaughterer are eligible for the sub
sidy payment. Applicants for pay
ments should have a certification
signed by the slaughterer that the
sheep and lambs were purchased for
slaughter attached to their scale
ticket before presenting to the AAA
office for payment.
The Stars and Stripes carried by
the armies of the North During the
last years of the Civil War had 36
starf in the union.
BOONE MAN KNEW
STATE COUNCILLOR
OF JUNIOR ORDER
Clyde K, Greene, Long Active in
Affafira of Fraternity in State,
Gets Highest Office Within
Gift of Order; Other News of
Meeting
Clyde R. Greene, local hardware
merchant, and tor 19 years a leader
in the affairs of the Junior Order
in this community, was unanimously
elected state councillor of the or
ganization at the convention held in
High Point last week.
Mr. W H. Gragg of Boone, mem
ber of the board of trustees of. the
Junior Order Home, placed the
name of Mr. Greene in nomination,
and paid glowing tribute to his
woith as a Junior and as a citizen.
No opposition to his candidacy de
veloped.
Mr. Greene is a charter member
of the local Junior Order councill
which was founded 19 years ago.
and has held every office in the
council. He has served as district
deputy for District No. 3 for several
years, and was vice-councillor of the
state organization.
Jhe convention appropriated $5,
000 for organization work in the
state, and decided to hold the next
convention at High Point on Aug
22-23. 1946.
Following the convention Messrs.
Greene and Gragg went to Lexing
ton to attend the meeting of the
board of trustees of the Junior Or
phanage, and were priviliged to
dine with the 215 children being
cared for there. A budget was ap
proved appropriating $92,000 for the
operation of the home during the
ensuing year. Mr. Gragg is a mem
ber of the committee on buildings
and grounds, which includes main
tenance of present properties at the
institution, as well as plans for new
construction.
Roy A. Harmon of Elk Parte, was
named a member of the law com
mutee at the state convention, while
Henry Hennessee of Morgan ton,
was elected inside sentinel.
TROUT SEASON
CLOSES FRIDAY
Number of Streams Yet Open for
B??? Fishing; Penalties of
Law Cited
The trout fishing season officially
comes to an end on August 31, it is
announced by County Warden Wal
ter Edmisten, who states that bass
waters still remain open to public
fishing. Open waters are: New
River down from H. Neal Blair's;
Watauga River from the high bridge
below Shulls Mills down; Cove
Creek and Elk. Fishing in any oth
er stream will constitute a violation
or the law.
Mr. Edmisten wishes to emphasize
that those convicted of any game or
fish law violation must surrender
their license for the remainder of
the season, and cannot buy another
during the season. Conviction on a
second offense will carry a 30-day
jail sentence. These are new regu
lations made by the state board and
will be enforced strictly, Mr. Ed
misten says.
Final War Loan Drive
To Begm October 29
Washi^ton? The eighth and final
war loan drive? the "Victory Loan"
?will begin Oct 29, with a goal of
$11,000,000,000. Four billions will
be for individual purchasers ? two
billion of that in "E" bonds? and
seven billion will come from other
non-bank investors.
Secretary of the Treasury Vinson
made the announcement and noted
that although the present treasury
balance ia "large" there have been
enormous obligations incurred in
the achievement of victory, includ
ing those for materials and ammu
nition already delivered and used."
The*, he said, will drain the treas
ury baiance quickly and additional
funds wiU be needed early in De
cember.
"The aftermath of war carries
grave responsibilities that must be
met, Vinaon said in his statement
announcing the new drive. "A sub
stantial army and navy must be
maintained uAtll order is restored
throughout the world. The coat of
contract settlements, bringing our
forces home, their mustering out
Cm' refuta
tion *111 be great and will require
Urge sums for which we must plan
now."
?
Heads Junior Order
?>
?HR.y.ix
\
%
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'M
I
CLYDE R. GREENE
LEGION SPONSORS
V-J CELEBRATION
Plans B?ing Mad* to Hay* Parada,
Sp**chM Naxt Monday. C?l?
braiing Victory
Howard S. Steel man, commander
of .Watauga Post, American Legion,
announces that plans are being for
mulated to stage a parade and V-J
day celebration! next Monday, in
line with a request of the State
Legion department that celebrations
be held at that time. The truce
agreement with Japan is to be sign
ed on Sunday, it is believed.
Plans for the celebration have not
progressed sufficiently to give very
many program details, but it is stat
ed that a parade will Mature the
day, and that other Organizations
in the county are to aid the Legion
in mapping a rousing celebration.
Tentative plans call for holding the
meeting on the postoffice lawn,
where representatives of three wars
>*'111 speMtT together with a repre
sentative from the large number of
civilian war workers in Watauga.
The celebration starts at 1 o'clock.
The State department notifies Mr.
Steel man that if the signing of the
surrender documents is postponed,
local Legion posts can, in their dis
cretion, postpone their victory meet
ings.
Seventy Per Cent
Tokyo Homes Hit
Bv Yankee Bombers
San Francisco, Aug. 25 ? Sixty
three percent of Tokyo's population
and more than 70 percent of its
homes were slashed away by Ameri
can bombing raids, the Domei news
agency said today in a broadcast re
corded by the Federal Communica
tions Commission.
Of a pre-war population of 6,400,
000 only 2,400,000 now remain in the
capital; and of 1,300,000 homes only
370,000 to 380,000 still stand. The
cut in population was attributed to
"decentralization, evacuation and
removal of homes."
?
Japs In Mass Hara-Kari
Before Emperor's Palace
? ? ? _
New York, Aug. 25? -The Tokyo
raido said today that Japanese peo
ple were committing hara-kari "in
large numbers" before the imperial
palace. The broadcast, beamed in
Japanese to North America, was
radioed by the FCC.
"Everything is dark and gloomy"
in Japan today, the broadcast re
lated, although Ja)>anese authorities
are "hoping that allied occupation
forces will be welcomed peaceful
ly."
The people, "in deep sorrow and
gloominess, cannot realize they've
been beaten,' 'a Tokyo commenta
tor, Isamu Inouyoe, asserted.
"The people are hypersensitive.
Previously several hundred G rum
mans came over dropping bombs.
Now they come over dropping any
thing.
, "Groups are committing hara-kari
before the imperial palace in large
numbers. This feeling isn't under
stood by the allies, or the Western
nations. This spirit is deeper than
they can fathom. The government is
seeking to pacify the country.
"Transportation is in a confused
state. Homes are leaking with rain.
Everything is in dire straits. The
Japanese have no baths. Livelihood
i? very sad. The typhoon has devas
tated our gardens. Health condi
tions are bad ? the Japanese are tast
ing defeat"
SUPERIOR COURT
WILL CONVENE ON
MONDAY, SEPT.17
Judge Allen Gwyn to Preside
Over Two Weeks Term; Small
Number Cases on Docket, Says
Clerk; List of Jurors Given
The regular fall term of Watauga
Superior court will convene on Mon
day, Sept. 17, with Judge Allen H.
Gwyn, of Reidsville, presiding.
Austin E. South, clerk of the
court, states that there are only 25
cases on the criminal docket, which
will likely be tf-ied in about a day
and a half, and that 50 civil cases
are calendared, compartively few of
which wUl likely be disposed of.
The criminal indictments, which
have approached a new low level,
are mostly for driving automobiles
while ir toxica ted, but there arc
three cases involving the larceny of
autos, it is said.
Tha Jury
Following is a list of those sum
moned for jury duty:
J. E. Clay, Boone; Brown Miller,
Blue Bidge; Newton Eller, Beaver
Dam; Rufus Ward, Laurel Creek;
Alvin Cannon, Laurel Creek; Frank
Culler, Meat Camp; Ben H. Moody,
Blowing Rock; Ralph M. Church,
Boone; Joe WU*?, Beaver Dam;
Jim Cook, Elk; H. L. Grogan, Bald
Mountain; W. G. Eggers, Watauga;
W. L. Glenn, Laurel Creek; Clayton
Moretz, New River; A H. Craig*
Blowing Rock; Charles Icenhour,
Blowing Rock; H. A. Greer, Cove
Creek; E. F. Sherwood, Brushy
Fork; J. Frank Wilson, Brushy
Fork; Ouster G. Ward, Laurel Creak;
Berlin J. Greene, Blowing Rock; W.
A Proffitt, Meat Camp; Stanley
Critcfier, Blue Ridge; A W. Hodg
son, Meat Camp; Monroe Harmon,
Watauga; Andy A. Wellborn, Stony
Fork; C. M. Proffitt, Meat Cwnp;
David Presnell, Laurel Creak; W. R
Johnson, Beaver Dam; Arlie B. Eg
gers, Beaver Dam; Carl Hollar,
Blowing Rock; Geo. B. Wagner,
Stony Fork; Walter C. Michael,
Shawneehaw; Chester L. Smith,
Boone; Frank Hodges, New River;
W. H. Greene, Meat Camp; Paul
Gragg, Blowing Rock; McClure El
rod, Boone; J. Ernest Vanhoy, New
River; Bob Yates, Watauga; Cljpde
Tester, Shawneehaw.
Second week: Wade Hampton,
Blue "Ridge; J. A. Young, Blowing
Rock; Dayton Ward, Laurel Creek;
John C. Wilson, Meat gaitop; W. R.
McGuire, Shawneehaw; Lee Eazp,
Watauga; J. M. Burkett, Cove Creek;
Chester A. Greer, Cove Creek; Ralph
Jones, Blue Ridge; W. C. Miller,
Meat Camp; W. R. Richardson,
Boone; Ben W. Farthing, Laurel
Creek; E. E. Earp, Watauga; Elmer
Miller, Blue Ridge; Lloyd Miller,
North Fork; Russell Warren, Beaver
Dam; Reese Lookabill, Meat Camp;
Stanford Harmon, Watauga; Will D.
Harmon, Beave Dam; Roscoe Mill
saps, Beaver Dam; D. S. Ray, New
River; Nathan Hicks, Laurel Creek;
Clint Miller, Meat Camp; John T.
Howell, Boone; R. C. Holder, Blue
Ridge; A H. Hodges, Boone; Rich
ard J. Greene, Meat Camp. ?
O. W. Osborne Dies
From Brief Illness
Mr. O. W. Osborne, 78 years old,
died in Watauga Hospital last Wed
nesday from a short illness. On the
(previous Saturday "Uncle Bud," as
he was familiarly known, suffered a
paralytic stroke, and was taken to
the hospital, where no hope for his
recovery was entertained.
Funeral services wett held at the
Oak Grove Baptist CHOrch by Rev.
G. A. Hamby and Rev. R. C. Eggers,
and interment was in nearby Hine
cemetery.
Mr. Osborne, who was well-known
in this area, was born an A reared in
Ashe county. He married Miss
Mattie Nelson, who died four years
ago. To them were born six chil
n, two of whom survive: Brad
Osborne, Washington, D. C., and
Mrs. McKinley Costner, Sparks, Md.
Fifteen grandchildren and 16 great
grandchildren also survive.
_Mr. Osborne Joined the Methodist
SKurch in early We and remained
a member until death.
Job Jumpers Warned
By Selective Service
The local selective service boapd
reminds registrants in the II to SS
age group that they are still sub
ject to provisions of Section 622JO-2,
and that if they leave employment
for which they have been deferred,
without favorable determination
from their local board; Stay wfll be
placed in a class available far mm r