ITALY ENTERS WAR
ROME, June 10. ? Italy joined the war tonight at |
the side of the German Nazi legions which are pressing !
down perilously on France and Paris itself.
A communique said Foreign Minister Count Gale
azzo Ciano had handed the British and French Ambas
sadors identical notes declaring Italy's determination
to go to war before II Duce spoke.
It said Italy considered herself at war against the
Allies effective tomorrow, June 11.
(Presumably, this would mean at midnight ? 6 P. M.
EST., tonight. In Germany, however, it was announced
that Italian troops already had invaded French soil on
the Riviera, France's Mediterranean coast, at 6 P. M.
Berlin Time ? 11:30 A. M., EST., today.)
Notice of the plunge into hostilities, after months
of teetering on the brink, was made in a wildly cheer
ed, bombastic speech by Premier Mussolini from the
balcony of the Palazzo Venezia.
His announced war aims called chiefly for recover
ed control of the Mediterranean.
PEACE IN BALKAN
He declared for preservation of peace in the Bal
kans and in Turkey and Egypt, all factors in Mediterran
ean control.
"Our will," he said, "is that Italy does not intend
to bring other people into the conflict.
"Yugoslavia, Greece, Turkey and Egypt will take i
notice of this fact." He also mentioned Switzerland in
this connection.
Speaking from the balcony to Fascist Blackshirts
crowded by the thousands in the Square below and in
other squares throughout the kingdom where loud
speakers were rigged up at his urgent behest to "lis
ten!" The Premier declared:
"We are descending to battlefields against pluto
cratic reactionary democracies."
Where Italy would strike its first blow he did not
say, but it long has been said in Fascist circles that the
first act of war would be a surprise, sprung probably be
fore the actual declaration of war.
WARNS LITTLE COUNTRIES
Mussolini warned the Balkans and the Mediterran
ean nations that any breach of neutrality would spread
the war to them.
His pronouncement affecting Egypt and Turkey was
seen as an attempt to divert them from pledges to as
sist the Allies.
Overtures to Egypt were made by the ItfiMan press
last week but were generally rejected.
Italians have attempted to break up the mutual as
sistance pact the Allies have with Turkey, a vital point
in the control of the eastern Mediterranean.
With Turkey favorable or acquiescent to the Axis
aims, Italy might open up for itself the British controled
gateway to the rewards of its conquest of Ethiopia.
EUROPEAN
WAR NEWS
Tours, France. June 12. ? Ger
man troops crossed the Marne at
Chateau-Thierry In a storm of
fire tonight, and, other forces
struck down from the north to
within 20 miles of the h^art of
Paris.
They pushed forward on the
capital in three main thrusts, and
completed almost half of a ring
about It, swinging from the Seine
to Persan-Beaumont and Senlls
and then down to Chateau-Thelrry
the field where American Ma
rines helped break another Ger
man advance of 22 years ago.
In Chantilly. near Senlls and
Persan-Beaumont in the region!
M miles north of Paris, the fight
ing raged over the very gardens
of United States Ambassador Wil
liam C. Bullitt's chateau.
(Bullitt Is understood to be In
Parte. )
Into a mighty battle to take
Reims, above the Marne, the Na
zis threw a whole mechanised
army corps numbering SO, 000
men or more and about 3.0M
tanks, armoured cars and shield
ed machine gun-bearing motor
oycles.
Not Admitted
The French did not acknow
ledge the loss of Reims, which
the Germans claim, but tbey did
concede that some forces had
swept past it and across the
Marne at Chatean-Thlerry.
German efforts along the Seine
likewise were spectacular. They
put on all possible pressure from
Rouen to Vernon In an effort to
enlarRe a bridgehead they had
established on the south side of
the river.
In that area, the French high
command declared the Invaders
ware being held In the region of
Pacy Sur Euro and Bxreux.
German scouting parties, how
ever, were acknowledged to have
?truck off from the main body
northwest toward Caudebec,
which U only about SO miles from
the vital French port of Havre.
Between the Olse and Ourcq
rivers. Nazi advance units attack-:
ed violently around Crepy-en
Vaiois and Betz ? a town some 30
miles northeast of Paris.
London. June 13. ? (Thursday) [
? Great Britain poured men and
guns across the English Channel
to the aid of her hard-pressed
French ally today, backing up
far-ranging air raids pressed
against the enemy from equatori
al Africa to Arctic Norway.
"Every gun that could shoot,"
every available soldier and tank
headed for the continental battle
field to fight the Germans, while
Italy replied to British air forays
with deadly attacks on Malta.
Britain's island' fortress in the
Medlteranean.
The British, counting their suc
cesses from tons of bombs aimed
at the acts powers, also counted
30 of her civilians 'dead and 30
injured from the eighth Italian
air raid on Malta. Seven soldiers
also were wounded. The Italians
returned to the Mediterranean Is
land early this morning and made
two more raids? Che ninth and
tenth ? and ran into a blaze of
anti-aircraft gunfire.
The Germans feinted at Britain
with a series of flights over the
southern coast during the night
and early morning, but no bombs
were dropped and ground defenses
drove the raiders off.
Rome, June 12. ? Italy tonight
claimed to have cut the Mediter
ranean In half with a mine field
which completely^ encircles Great
Britain's Malta naval base and
isolates the great French naval
base of Blzerta on the African
coast.
Flying columns of Italian na
tive troops, Including Libyan
camel cavalry, were reported to
be attacking the frontier defenses
of Kenya and British Somaliland
in Fast Africa while a fleet of
1,000 Italian planes scouted the
African defenses of Britain and
France.
The mining of the Mediterran
ean at ita narrowest point was re
ported In an official announce
ment which said that the mine
AUDITOR
B. Hf. (Pier) WILLI AMSAN, JR.
who was honored by Franklin
County Citizens with the nomina
tion for Auditor and County Ac
countant without opposition.
chain extended Tor 160 miles from
the western point of Sicily to
westward of Rizerta. reaching the
African coast at a point near the
border of Tunisia and Algeria.
Berlin. June 12. ? German ar
tillery opened up tonight on the
long-quiet upper Rhine front ?
perhaps as the prelude to an
effort to drive one last decisive
wedge into France ? while divi
sions of the Nazi center were
smashing within 12 V4 miles of
Paris along the Oise.
At the same time, the German
west wing claimed to have knock
ed out an importan French force
on the English Channel, taking
20.000 prisoners.
The artillery action on the far
east of the German line was dis
cussed cautiously by an authoriz
ed spokesman only thusly:
"It may be that the front of the
upper Rhine is being brought into
motion."
The exact location of the firing
and the French replies was not
disclosed, the spokesman declin
ing to elaborate beyond saying
that wide rivers had been proved
in the Polish, Dutch and Belgian
campaigns to be no obstacles to
the Germans.
PLEASANTS DRUG
STORE MOVED
F. R. Pleasants moved his
drug store to' the M. C. Pleasants
Book Store on Market Street
while the former location was un
dergoing repairs and remodeling.
See his advertisement in another
column.
GLICKMAN MOVES
The Bargain Shoe Shop opera
ted by Harry Ulickman has mov
ed Its stock to the Wheless-Bur
gess stand on Market Street
where he Is conducting a Are
sale of salvaged goods. Look up
his advertisement.
War Summary
London ? Britain rushes thou
sands of men, guns and tanks
to aid hard-pressed French bat
tling before the Rates of Paris;
air force carries war to north
ern Italy. Africa. Germany and
against Germans In France;
empire marshals war machines.
i nlro ? Kjc> pt breaks off dip
lomatic relations with Italy.
Valet ta, Malta ? New Italian
air raids follow those which
killed 80 civilians and injured
SO Tuesday.
Tours, France ? Germans
cross Marne at Chateau-Thier
ry^ others drive to SSO miles
from center of Paris; three
main thrusts nearly complete
half-circle about French capi
tal; French defenders Inflict
great losses on Nazis.
Berlin? Germans claim their
divisions are 18 H miles from
Paris; report another French
force blasted out of combat In
channel drive; Germait artillery*
action on upper Rhine may be
prelude to another drive.
Rome ? Italians sow mines to
halve Mediterranean; Allies
bomb Milan, Turin, other in
dustrial renters; Italian high
command silent on operations;
between AO and 70 divisions
mass on French frontier.
Ankara ? - Turkey, watching
Russia, withholding action fol
lowing Italy's entry.
Moscow ? New Ambassadors
from Italy, Britain and Fraaee
arrivs to woo 8ori?t Rusftia.
FDR HIGHLIGHTS
Washington, June 10.? Here are some excerpts from |
President Roosevelt's address at Charlottesville, Virginia:
The government of Italy has now chosen to preserve what U |
terms its 'freedom of action" aud to fulfill what it states are its
promises to Germany. In so doing it has manifested disregard |
for the rights and security of other nations, for the lives of the
peoples of those nations which are directly threatened by this
spread of the war.
1 offered, in u message addressed to the chief of the Italian
government, to send to the governments of France and Great
Britain such specific indications of the desires of Italy to obtain
readjustment* with regard to her position as the chief of the
Italian government might desire to transmit through me. Un
fortunately, the chief of the Italian government was unwilling
i to accept the procedure suggested.
Let us not hesitate? ^all of us to proclaim certain truths*
. Overwhelmingly we, as a nation, and this applies to all the other"
.American nations, are convinced that military and naval victory
for the gods of force and hate would endanger the institutions of
democracy in the western worldBand that equally, therefore, the
whole of our sympathies lie with those nations which are giving
their lifeblood in combat against those forces.
We send forth our prayers an^l our hopes to those beyond
the seas who are maintaining with magnificent Valor their bat
tle for freedom.
Perception of danger to our institutions may come slowly or
it may come with a rush and shock as it iias to the public of the
United States in the |?ast few months. This preception of dan
ger has cotee to us clearly, and overwhelmingly ; and we perceive
the peril in n world-wide arena ? an arena which may become so
narrowed that only the Americans would retain the ancient
faiths.
Some indeed may still hold to the now obvious delusion that
we of the United States can safely permit the United States to
become a lone island in a world dominated by the philosophy of
forre. Such an island may be the dream of those who still talk
and vote as isolationists. Such an island represents to me and
i to the overwhelming majority of Americans today a helpless
nightmare of a people without freedom.
In our American unity, we will pursue two obvious and
simultaneous coiirses: We will extend to the op|>onent? of force
the material resources of this nation and, at the same time, we
will harness and speed up the use of those resources in order
that we ourselves In the Americas may luive equipment and
training equal to the task of any emergency and every defense.
Lightning Kills
Farmer In Home
j .litme* K. Leonard, <>f Near War
ronton, l)ie? Inatuntly; Kunml
Monday
! Warrenton. June 9. ? Jamea E.
! Leonard, age 25. was struck and
killed by lightning at 4 o'clock at
his home near Warrentoa in the
Oakville Macon section of Warren
County on Saturday afternoon,
during a severe storm.
Mr. Leonard was in the kitchen
when the ball of lightning came
through the closed back door.
Mrs. Leonard was in the front
part of the home and was stun
ned for several minutes. After
recovering she went to look for
her husband and found him bare
ly breathing. He lived a few min
utes.
The survivors are his wife, the
former Miss Blanche Wood, of
Warrenton, and a small son. Don
ald Wood: his parents and a num
ber of sisters and brothers in
Warren County.
Funeral rites were held Mon
day at 3 p. m. at the home of hls|
father, T. C. Leonard, near Ma
con, and burial was In the Brame
Cemetery. Surviving also are
three brothers, O. C., R. C. and
J. H. Leonard, all of Macon; and
four slaters. Mrs. J. L. Painter,
Miss Virginia Leonard. Mrs. Nor
man Armstrong, of Rocky Mount,
and Mrs. Larry Nelms. of Red
Oak.
GETS POSITION
WITH U. S. STEEL
?
Mr. Charles M Qattls, Jr., who
has recently graduated from the
Ceramic Engineering Department
at State College. Raleigh, has tak
en a position with the United
8tate? Steel Corporation in Chi
cago. in the Ceramic Laborator
ies. He is a son of Mr. Charles
M. Oattls, of Loulsburg.
PROGRAM AT THE
LOUISBURG THEATRE
The following is the progran*
at the Loulsburg Theatre begin
ning Saturday. June 15th:
Saturday ? Double f eature ?
George O'Brien in "Marshall of
Mesa City" and Hugh Herbert
and Dennis O'Keefe in "La Conga
Nights," also Chapter No. 8
"Drums of Fu Manchu."
Sunday-Monday ?? Alice Faye,
Don Ameche and Henry Fonda In
"Lillian Russell."
Tuesday ? Gene Autry and Smi
ley Burnette In "Oaucho Sere
nade."
Wednesday Richard Greene
and Zorhi* In "1 Was An Adven
turess."
Thursday - Friday ? Loretta
Young and Ray Mllland in "The I
Doctor Takes a Wife."
RJ5NKW TOUR SUBSCRIPTION.'
PHONIC SM-1
Lightning Bolt
Fatal to Farmer
Herman May, of Near Franklin
ton. Struck While in Field;
Funeral Sunday
Frankllnton. June 8. ? Herman
May, 29-year-old farmer living
about three miles from town, was
struck and instantly killed by
lightning late Friday while plow
ing in a field near his home. - His
mule. also, was killed by the bolt.
May had almost completed his
day's work, having only a few
rows left to plow. Rain had not
started and he decided to finish
the field that afternoon.
May was a son of Mr. and Mrs.
Ira May and is survived by his
wife and a small daughter; one
sister. Mrs. H. B. Kearney; and j
four brothers. Fred, Roy, Sanford
and Otha. all of Frankllnton.
Funeral services were held atj
the graveside In Fatrview Ceme
tery here Sunday at 4:30 o'clock!
with the Rev. 3. K. Mercer of the!
Methodist Church in charge.
SELLS INTEREST
IN LUMBER CO.
Mr. Clyde Burgess announced
the past week that he has sold
his interests in the Burgess Lum
ber Co., of Louisburg and Suffolk.
Va., to the South Atlantic Lum
ber Co., of Greensboro. It is un
derstood tbe lumber plant at
Louisburg will be continued.
Mr. Burgess says he has not de
cided at this time just what ac
tion for the future he will take
but will probably continue his in
terest in the lumber trade iu this
section, announcing his future
activity in the near future.
His many friends here will be
glad to know It U not his inten
tions to leave Louisburg.
BRANTLEY HURLS WIN
OVER LOirtSBURG, 1 1-0
Pilot defeated Louisburg. 11-6,
Sunday afternoon. The locals
made Ave runs In the first inning,
but thereafter they were held In
check by Brantley of the visitor*.
Batting leader* for Pilot were
Stott, with a triple and a single
for five, and Brantley, with a dou
ble and a single for five.
Jack Mitchell paced Louisburg.
He hit a double and two alnglea.
Telephone Service
An effort In now being made
to get. rural telephone service
to all homes in the County who
wish It. Already representa
tives of the Carolina Telephone
A Telegraph Co., are In the
County looking into this mat
ter. Any person in the County
wishing rural telephone sendee
Is Invited to write and see A. F.
Johnson, Editor of the FRANK
LIN TIMES, and msko such
wishes known. If it is possible
to do so he will see that yon get
service. Write or see hint at
once.
GRADUATES
MISS GERTRUDE FOSTER
Meredifh College, Raleigh. N.
C.. June 10. ? Miss Gertrude Fos-I
ter, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
S. C. Foster, of Louisburg, who
was graduated last Monday from
Meredith College at the close of
the college's forty-first commence
ment program. Diplomas were
awarded to 89 seniors following
the baccalaureate address by Jo
siah W. Bailey. United States
Senator from North Carolina.
Miss Foster received a Bache
lor of Arts degree with a major
in home economics. She was a
member of the Honifk Economics
Clutr, participated actively in the
Baptist Training Union for four
years, and won a place on the
senior class hockey team.
Mrs. G. D. Taylor
Dead
Funeral services were conduct*!
ed from the home in Louisburg j
at 10:30 Tuesday morning for
Mrs. Anna Collins Taylor 68 who
succumbed to a short illness at
Parkview Hospital in Rocky
Mount at 8:17 Sunday night. The
I service* were conducted by Rev.
J. G. Phillips and burial wa? In j
the, family plot in Castalia. Her
husband the late George Dunham
Taylor preceeded her to the grave
several years ago. She is survived
by three daughters Mrs. George
W. Weaver of Louisburg, Mrs.
Louis B. Perk of Albermarle and
Mrs. George H. Bruton of Mt.
Gllead: Three sons George D.
Taylor Jr., of Hickory, Jonah C.
Taylor of Louisburg and Greens
boro. and William H. Taylor, of
Louisburg: Three sisters. Mrs. J.
E. Goddard and Miss Fannie j
Davis, of Rocky Mount, Mrs.
Clara Drake, of Nashville: Three
brothers. Hampton and Joe Cor
lins of Castalia and Howard Col
lins, of Rocky Mount.
The pallbearers were J. H.
Boone. Sammie O'Neal. William
Collins. Linwood Oupton. Eugene
Collins. Gus Drake. Jr.
Quite a number attended both
services and the floral tribute was
especially large and pretty.
New Bus Schedule
A letter twflffd by the 1
FRANKLIN TIMKH the put 1
week from Mr. W. G. Hum
phreys. Traffic Manager of the
Carolina Coach Co., the new j
bus line to serve this section on
a North-South schedule, in
forms the TIMES that they will
very likely inform the public
next week as to the time the
service will begin and the sched
ule to be maintained, He says
the Company has not received
the certificate from Washing
ton, but * experts to be permitted
to begin service in the next
weft or ten days.
REX INGRAM VISITING
LpUISBURG RKLATlVtai
, . i ? ?
Rex Ingram, well-knpwn Ne
gro actor is visiting relatives Id j
Louisburg. It is thought that
Ingram will purchase a farm In
the county on which to retire at
a later date. He is particularly
noted for his role of "De Lawd"
In both the stage and screen pro
ductions of "Green Pastures." He
has also played several other mo
vie parts the latest of which was
a featured role in "The Adven
tures of Huckleberry Finn."
W. T. SHORT
Final rites were conducted at
the Sulphur Springs Church at
El heron at 3:30 Monday by Rev.
Mr. Barnett for W. T. Short, 70,
who died at his home Bandar af
ternoon in the Elberon commun
ity. Burial was la the charch
cemetery. Survivors Include, his
itldow and two brothers, R. A.
Short and E. L. Short.
Few of us know where we are
or where we're going.
TO ISSUE BONDS
Make Wiring Amendment;
Take Steps Regarding
Employees and Accounts
The Board ~~ ot Town COrThlv
sioners met in regular monthly
session June 7, at < ..50 p. ?
members were present except Mr.
w B. Barrow. .
Mr Hobart Roberson complain
ed to the Board that a Job ot
electric wiring had been done In
the Fire District, and that this
job did not meet the requirements
of the National Electric Code and
the Town Ordinance 8ove?inK
electric wiring. This complaint
was referred to the Light & Wa
ter Committee for investigation
and settlement. . ?
The Board adopted the 'olio
Ing amendment to section 1 o
tht Town Uniform Electrical O -
dinance. by a unanimous vote:
Amendment: "That minor chan
ges in 'existing wiring within the
Fire District may be done in ap
proved flexible conduit, provided
that such changes do not requira
a load necessitating a new cir
cuit. All new circuits in new ' or
existing wiring and build ng?
within the Fire District must be
installed in rigid conduit."
The monthly reports of the
Chief of Police. Tax
Supt. of Light and Water Depig
ments, and Town Clerk were read
and approved.
The following motion was un
animously passed: "If It becomes
necessary to employ a Town ^ En
gineer. Mr. F. N. Egerton will be
given consideration for the pos
tl0^he Board adopted the follow
ing resolution. "That it is tho
sentiment of this Board, and hew
by adopted as it's policy, that all
employees of the Town of Louis
burg be required to pay the
just debts and obligations in so
far as they are reasonably ablo
do so. That in the future u?
on complaint being made to this
Board of any violation or
fringement of this policy by any
of it's employees, that such e -
ployee be allowed a hearing b >
fore this Board to the end that
such just, fair and proper action
may be taken as the circumstan
ces ot each case may justify.
The Board agreed to permit the
Louisburg Chamber of Commerce
to use the small office in the ? rear
of the Franklin County Library,
fi%e of rent.
Commissioner P. W. Elam pre
sented a Financial Statement to
the Town Clerk. This F'^ncial
Statement was reviewed ?nd?tud
ied by the Board, after which a
Resolution and Ordinance author
izing the issuance of
Water and Electric Light Bonds
were unanimously adopted by the
B The Board approved a number
of invoices for payment and
thereafter adjourned.
NEW CONCERN
The Western Auto Supply Co.,
It is understood, has leased the
building on Main Street recently
vacated by the City Barber Shop
and after remodeling and repair
ing same will open a line ot au
tomobile supplies and accessories.
MOVES
The City Barbershop and Pur
gurson's Beauty Shop hare moved
to the vacant room adjoining
White Furniture Store, recently
remodeled. In the move many
changes have been made lit more
thoroughly modernize these pop
ular places. ^
Tobacco Vote
Washington, June 18.? Sec
retary of Agriculture Henry A.
Wallace today stated definitely
that the flue-cured marketing
referendum is being planned for
July 20.
Pointing out that the date
ran not be set before July 1,
Wallace nevertheless gave as
surance that department offic
ials ar_" planning for Hie voto
to be held July 80. This date,
he Mid, Is in accordance with
the reqaest of growers, ware
housemen and business men
in the flue-cured area that the
vote be held before the market.
Present stocks of flue-cured
tobacco make It certain that
the total supply will exceed the
quota level and that a referen
dum will be required, Wallace
?aid. I k
The present stocks of bright
tobacco are the largest on re
cord as a result of the huge
1089 crop aad sharply reduced
exports. Present indications are
that the July 1 carryover will
be around 1,480,000,000 lbs. .