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VOLUMN LXXIV
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LOUISBURG, N. CAROLINA 'kHIDAY, APRIL 2, 1043
(Eight Pages)
NUMBER 8
AMERICANS
AND BRITISH
NEAR MEET
British Smash Ga
bes Bottleneck and
Take Two More
Towns as Ameri
cans Drive to With
in 45 Miles of Junc
tion; British First
Army and French
Also Advancing
Allied Headquarters, North Af
rica, March 31. ? British Eighth
Army forces, smashing through
the Gabes bottleneck and seizing
two more towns, were reported
holding a highway terminal
tonight only a 45-mlnute Jeep
drive from American troops forg
ing ahead southeast of El Guet
tar.
A juncture of the two Allied
armies was believed Imminent.
The Eighth Army captured Me
touia and Oudref, at the head of
the bottleneck seven ... and nine
miles above Gabes, yesterday, an
Allied communique said, and was
continuing to advance northward
despite hastily thrown up Axis
rearguard defenses.
Ourdref is the coastal terminal
of the hard-surface road to Eq
Guettar and the Americans, hav
ing ended organized Axis resist
ance in that sector with the cap
ture of a road junction 15 miles
to the southeast, now were be
lieved within less than 40 miles
of the British and still advancing.
Axis troops from the El Guet
tar sector w?re reported fleeing
northeastward and their retreat,
together with the loss of Ouderf,
appeared to have ended Field
Marshal Erwin Rommel's last
hope of keeping the two Allied
forces apart.
Only rearguard resistance or
heavy mining of the El Guettar
Oudref road could delay the
meeting of the main American
and Eighth Army forces and
their continuance side by side of
the battle to drive Rommel into
the sea or force his surrender.
Advance In North
The synchronized Anglo-Amer
ican advances pinched off all re
maining Axis positions below the
Gafsa-Oudref line; and on the far
north front, British and French
forces helped Intensify the
squeeze with powerful attacks
which regained the Seduanane
road junction in a 10-mile drive.
Preponderent Allied air
strength continued to bomb and
gtfh Rommel's forces as they
streamed beyond the bottleneck
toward the next Axis supply port,
Sfax, 75 miles above Gabes,
where they may reorganize for
a new defense.
(The Algiers Radio said that
many enemy troops in southern
Tunisia were cut off and threaten
ed with encirclement. The Al
giers station said that French
forces were closing in on Kebili,
in the desert 50 miles south of
Gafsa, where an Italian garrison
was reported holding out.)
(Tlrere still was no confirma
tion of an Algiers Radio report
yesterday that the British navy
had landed forces at Sfax- and
London authorities advised that
it be treated with reserve. The!
London Daily Sketch speculated
that Royal Marines may have
raided the port in Commando
fashion.) ?
(Other London -reports said
that Rommel had ordered Sfax's
port Installations demolished,
taking a lesson from Gabes,
where the swif$ advance of the
Eighth Army was said to have
forced evacuation of the town be
fore destruction could be carried
out.)
o
PROGRAM AT THE
LOUISBURG THEATRE
The following: Is the program
at the Loulaburg Theatre, begin
ning Saturday, April 3:
Saturday ? -William Boyd In
'Undercover Man' and Bert Gor
don In 'Let's Hare Fun.' Also
'G Men vs Black Dragon.' .
Sun.-Mon.-Tues. ? James Cag
ney In 'Yankee Doodle Dandy.'
Wednesday ? Ralph Bellamy
and Evelyn Ankers in 'The Great
Impersonation.'
Thursday-Friday^ ? Jack Benny,
Prlscllla Lane and* Rochester in
'The Meanest Man In The World.'
Alao 'At the Front In North Afri
ca' Aimed In technic?! by 42
Fighting U. S. cameramen.
GASOLINE
When the invasion of Europe
begins people of the eastern At
lantic Seaboard may expect/ to
have to do without gasoline- for
from one week to a month at a
time throughout the invasion and
immediate fighting period, is the
opinion of A. F. Johnsno, Chair
man of the local War Price and
Rationing Board. This opinion
is based upon the Increased num
ber of men and equipment that
will be put Into foreign service,
all of which is operated and pro
tected with gasoline. Of course
this is a question of transporta
tion and not of gasoline resour
ces. If we could drive about the
oil wells we could get all we
want with little restrictions or
cost. Therefore it would be well
for all who are depending upon
gasoline to make some other ar
rangements for transportation
and power that can be used in an
emergency. "Prepare for war
in time of peace" is a wise adage
and makes a wise suggestion at
this time.
The serious tire situation is
not only becoming embarrassing
to provide necessary tires but it
is also reflecting itself in the
ever increasing tightness of the
gasoline situatibn. Latest infor-!
mation in the tire situation is
"nothing favorable in sight." At
present there are permits out in
Franklin County for about 400
grade 3 tires with none to be
found in the State.
Recently members of the Board
have seen and many reports have'
been received of different persons |
using their tractors-. for highway'
hauling and riding. One was
seen driving up and down the!
I highway pulling a wagon about;
j 12 to 15 miles from home, an-,
i other pulling a wagon loaded with
wood and others just riding down
the highway. The owners of
these tractors evidently don't
realize they are violating the
rules upon which they were gran
i ted this gasoline. Gasoline for
tractors is non-highway gasoline!
and is not intended to be used on
highway. The highway use is
restricted to moving the tractor1
from one farm to another for
working purposes on the particu
lar farm. These practices had '
best be stopped as it may lead to
the stoppage of the gasoline and;
the adoption of State highway li-j
cense upon tractors.
Automobile owners are becom
j ing more used to and many are
appreciating the system, of giv
ing full information in their ap
plication for supplemental ra
I tioning. Several failed to give
Sufficient information to get the
necessary gasoline and upon In
vestigation found they had been
given about what they had asked
for.
Information comes, to the Board
that many In the County make
application with representations
that gtye them much more gaso
line than they need, and they
either .sell the coupons or tear
them out of ?the book and make
additional applications for more.
Tnese matters are being placed
in line for enforcement investi
gations, as it is a violation.
Radio spates that grumblers of
the Ration system ought to visit j
the boys in battle overseas for
awhile to become convinced that
it is unpatriotic, unfair and un
appreciatlve to deny the boys
who are facing death the gaso
line they need, by wasting gaso
line at home, making misrepre
sentations to get gasoline not
needed and otherwise not cooper
ating with the boys on the bat
tlefront.'
? ? ^
Jeanette Johnson
To Appear In
C o n c e r t
Jeanette Johnson, mezzo so
prano of a New York concert as
sociation, will appear in the sec
ond of the current concert series
in Louisburg College auditorium,
Tuesday evening, April 6.
Miss Johnson is a regular star
at the annual Spring Festival at
Brenau College in her native
state, Georgia; and, in addition
to her nation-wide appearances
and tours, she has been soloist for
several seasons at St. James Epis
copal Church in Brooklyn. She
has also sung in several operas
including "Lohengrin," and "The
Bohemian Girl." Recently she
became a member of the Phila
delphia La Scara Opera Company
and will make her debut in "Cav
alleria Rusticana" this season.
The public is cordially invited
to hear this outstand stage and
radio artist at her appearance in
the college auditorium at 8 p. m.
on April 6. Admission is 35
cents. ?
o
THANKS
I wish to extend my deepest
appreciations to all those who
rendered sucb valuable help in
saving my home and outbuildings
from forest fire Wednesday.
Mrs. W. A. Jones.
o
RKNKW TOUR SUBSCRIPTION ;
?1.50 per year in Antral*. ,
A PROCLAMATION
By The Mayor of The Town of Louisburg,
V North Carolina
WHEREAS, the United States
Navy has seen fit to name one ot
its Liberty Ships in honor of a
former citizen of the Town of
Louisburg, the late Honorable
Thomas Walter Bickett, North
Carolina War Governor.
AND WHEREAS, the Town of
Louisburg. in recognition of its
former first citizen, the late Hon
orable Thomas Walter Bickett,
desires to acknowledge the wor
thy recognition of its former citi
zen:
NOW. THEREFORE, the May
| or of the Town of Louisburg
hereby appoints the following cit
izens of Louisburg and Franklin
1 County as an official delegation
and committee, to represent the
Town of Louisburg at the launch
ing of the ship, "Thomas Walter
Bickett," to be held in the City
of Wilmington, N. C., April 9,
1943:
R. V. Collie, honor guest.
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Beck.
Hon. W. L.- Lumpkin and Wife.
Hon. A. F. Johnson and Wife.
Hon. W. H. Yarborough and
Wife.
T. Mortimer Harris, P. M.
Hon. J. T. Inscoe and Wife.
E. H. Malone.
J. H. Boone.
Mrs. B. T. Holden.
Mrs. A. M. Hall.
Rev. E. H. Davis.
Dr. and Mrs. R. F. Yarborough.
Dr. and Mrs. S. P. Burt.
W. F. Mitchell, Supt County
Schools.
S. T. Wilder.
T. W. Boone.
J. Z. Terrell, Chairman Board
County Commissioners.
Dr. and Mrs. D. T. Smithwick.
Mrs. J. B. Yarborough.
Mrs. W. P. Neal.
Mr. and Mrs. S. S. Meadows.
Mrs. Fannie B. Spivey,
Mr. and Mrs. A. W Person.
J. P. Moore. Sheriff.
Joe and Fannie Mumford.
Mr. A. E. Henderson.
Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Lancaster.
Mrs. J. J. Barrow.
Mr. and Mrs. Malcolm McKinne.
F. H. Allen.
Miss Virginia Foster.
Mrs. A. W. Alston.
Mrs. Ned Ford.
Dr. VV. C.' Perry.
Dr. H. G. Perry.
Dr. J. B. Wheless.
Mr. and Mrs. Thornton Jeffress.
? W. H. Allen.
Mrs. L. L. Joyner.
M. C. Pleasants.
C. K. Cooke.
Mr. and Mrs. W. D. Egerton. i
Mr. and Mrs. E. F. Thomas.
Percy White.
Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Taylor. i
G. W. Murphy.
Mrs. S. P. Boddie.
Mr. and Mrs. Blair Tucker.
Mr. and Mrs. John Williamson.
Mrs. Hugh W. Perry.
Misses Mary and Edith Yar
borough.
William Neal and Miss Annie
Perry Neal.
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Cooper. |
Mrs. J. F. Mitchiner.
Dated this March 30th. 1943.
W. C. WEBB. Mayor.
(See Mr. W. B. Tucker as to
transportation.)
NOTE: If there are others
who wish to go to Wilmington,
they ma|y obtain proxies.
RED CROSS WAR DRIVE
I
The latest returns froin the Red Cross War Drive
show that the Louisburg Chapter has gone several
hundred dollars beyond its quota. There is little
doubt in the minds of the leaders that $5,000.00
will have been raised when all returns are in. The
list of donors will be published as soon as possible
- in the FRANKLIN TIMES. There has been great
giving to a worthy cause by a fine people.
A. PAUL BAGBY,
T. M. HARRIS. !
IN NORTH AFRICA
Below is a paragraph taken
from a letter received by Mrs.
Hufh H. Perry from Sgt. J. A.
Newell:
"I am situated in a large city
in North Africa. Most of the
population is made up of Arabs
and French. We h^ve a "vary
hard time talking to them but
usually can make signs enough to
make them understand what we
want. The Arabs are filthy and
you feel as though you need a
bath every time you pass one."
Best regards,
"AT."
TRAINING UNION DIRECTOR
Miss Elizabeth Pearce, of
Franklinton. has been appointed
Training Union Director, of the
Baptist Student Union Senior
Council, at W. C. U. N. C., at
Greensboro.
DENTISTS TO TAKE
HOLIDAY
Beginning April 7th the Den-|
tists in Louisburg announce they
will close their offices at 12:00 j
o'clock each Wednesday until1
November 1st.
Captain Cobb
CAPT. W. ALLEN COBB
Information was received this!
week that Lt. W. Allen Cobb, had
been promoted to Captain. He
is the son of Mr. aitd Mrs. G. W.i
Cobb, of Louisburg.
Japanese Relics
Taken From Japanese Sol
diers and Sent Home By
Lieut. George T. Lumpkin
One of the most interesting
collections of war articles seen in
Louisburg is on display at Bod- J
die's Drug Store in Louisburg.
It is a collection of articles taken
from Japanese soldiers and other i
articles and sent home by Lieut.
George T. Lumpkin to his brother!
Rep. Willie Lee Lumpkin. Con-]
stituting the display is several
bill's of Japanese money, a thous-j
and stitch sash, upon which is a;
lot of stitches one of which was;
placed therein by eacli soldier in
the owners outfit, two Japanese
battle flags, also a piece of a Jap
airplane and a miniature bomb,
used in practice dive bombing.
Also on this display is the Navy
Cross and Citation awarded Lt.
Lumpkin for distinguished ser
vice in the battle of Midway Is
land.
This is a most interesting ex
hibit and should be seen by all
people in Franklin County. It]
helps greatly lo ??bring home to j
you the real facts that our home
boys are engaged in deadly bat
tle across the ocean to protect
our lives, our property and our
liberty.
It is a worthy tribute to the
heroism and bravery of Frank
lin's son, Lt. Lumpkin.
-o
CARD OK THANKS
We cannot express in words
how much we appreciated the aid
given^us during the illness of our
daughter by many citizens of
Franklin County. It showed that
they were cooperative and had a
spirit of good will. . Their kind
ness shall never be forgotten.
S. E. <jupton and Family.
? ? o
? On Pay Day, Buy Bonds ?
More Vaccination
Board of Health To Require
All Children Attending
School To Be Vaccinated
For Small-pox, or Show
They Have Been or Had
The Disease
The Franklin County Board of
Health met In regular session in
the office of the Board of Health,
with all members present.
Minutes of the last meeting
were read and ordered approved.
Dr. Burt's report for the month
of March was read and ordered
filed. ?
Dr. Burt read a letter he had
recently received from Dr. Rob
ert _F. Young, Senior Health Phy
sician, Divison of County Health
Work of the State Board of
Health, requesting that Franklin
County Board of Health adopt
the Smallpox Ordinance as provi
ded in the Public Health Laws of
tjie State of North Carolina, sub
chapter 3, article 10, section 7162,
which provides that any town,
city or county shall have author
ity to require children attending
the public schools to present a
certificate of immunity from
smallpox either through recent
vaccination or previous attack of
the disease. Upon motion of Dr.
Smithwick, seconded by Dr.
Green, the Board voted to adopt
such an ordinance for Franklin
County, making it nianditory that
all children present a certificate
of immunity from smallpox be
fore entering the public schools
of this county beginning with the
school year 1.43-44. Any viola
tion of this ordinance l>y any par
ent. guardian, school committee
man, principal or teacher shall
be guilty of a misdemeanor.
There being no further busi
ness to acclaim the attention of
the Board at this time, upon mo
tion of Dr. Smithwick. seconded
by Mr. Webb, the Board voted to,
adjourn. v<,
Cub Pack To Be
Organized
A Boy Scout Cub-Pack will be,
organized to be made up of boys
in and around Louisburg. Those i
boys between the ages of 9 and
12 who are interested in Scout j
movement please contact Mr. W. j
B. Barrow or W. J. (Pete) Shear
in, Scoutmaster.
Boys 12 years of age and old
der are eligible for membership
in our local Scout Troop No. 20.
Now is the time to join and en
joy Scout activities during the!
summer months.
R. C. T. C. ALUMNI MEETS
The last meeting this season of
Franklin County's E. C. T. C.
Alumni Chapter will be held in]
of Mills School. Tuesday after- 1
noon, April 6, 1943, at 3:30. E.
C. T. C. Alumni, your support is(
needed.
Marjorie Gardner, Sec. & Treas,]
RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION
$1.50 per year in Advance
NEWSPRINT SITPATIOH BECOMING SERIOUS
Publications Will Have To Reduce Use of Print Paper ? Sub- ::
scribers Will Have to Pay Up ;;|
Sharp Paper
Cut Expected
Canadian Warns
U. S. Newspapers
PHILADELPHIA, March 23. ?
Ralph Cowan, circulation direc
tor of The Toronto (Canada)
Star, told the Interstate Circula
tion Managers' Association yes
terday that newsprint would be
cut drastically by July 1. He
said there would be "one sweet
honey of a cut" in newsprint by
that date.
"U. S. publishers are overlook
ing the facts of very real short
ages in Canadian wood, wood cut
ters, power, transport and pro
duction facilities." said Cowan,
who formerly was president of
the Circulation Managers' Inter
national Association.
The second 10 per cent, due
April l.'Was postponed, he said,
because the price of newsprint
went up M a ton and because of
reports of Canadian supplies
"that do not exist."
Newspaper is advancing in price and the war situation is causing a
serious shortage necessitating a reduction in the amount that is' used.
Therefore the War Board has issued notice that all publications will
havie to work out some plan to reduce the amount of newsprint it has
been using. . . The first effort will be to stop all papers to subscribers
who are not paid up and in advance. Then will follow a reduction in
size. Other methods may have to be resorted to.
The FRANKLIN TIMES is very appreciative of the fine spirit its
subscribers showed the past fall in paying up their subscriptions. It
appreciates the support its subscribers have given. We now, how
ever, have a few on our list that are much behind in their subscription
account. In order for us to continue to mail them the paper it will be
necessary for them to pay up this back subscription, or Uncle Sam will
deny us the use of the mails to send it to you.
With this issue we have corrected all dates on your labels. Check
them If you think they are wrong tell us so we can adjust any errors
that exist. If they ate right, come in and pay up, so we will not have
the embarrassment of stopping the paper. We have shown our faith
in you and our appreciation for your patronage by continuing your
paper. We feel sure you will show your appreciation for this cour
tesy by coming in and paying up. Thank you!
WAR NEWS
Bern, Switzerland,. March 31.
- ? Persons recently in Berlin said
today that German officialdom is
making energetic efforts to pro
vide new housing for bombed-cut
citizens who have suffered from
the RAF's massed raids this
month.
Wooden barracks begun! three
weeks ago were said to be taking
shape outside the town, side by
side with foreign workers' camps
and more have been ordered'.
One report said' 20,000 persons
had been given new housing after
the March 1 raid, when persons
in Berlin could see hundreds of
?fires in the western residential
section.
Prison sentences were reported
given to some hotel owners who
refused shelter to bombed-out
families. The closing down of
businesses was said to be facili
tating the conversion of many of
fices to apartments.
Some witnesses of damage to
industrial objectives estimated
that the bombing of Berlin was
only about 15 per cent as effec
tive as that in the Rurh and not
ed that the big Siemens electrical
works and new Krupp plant were
untouched.
Madrid, March 31. ? German
naval authorities have made a
pre-emptory demand that French
merchant ships idle at three
Mediterranean ports be refitted
for immediate use and that em
ergency crews be found to sail
them to Italian ports, advices
from France said tonight,
It was believed that the ships
were earmarked for urgent opera
tions in the Mediterranean with
in the next few weeks and the
adviees reached here as specula
tion increased over the possibility
of an Axis Dunkerque in Tunisian
Advices said that the Germans
had demanded all idle French
ships at La Nouvelle, Sete and
Marseille. Emergency French
crews would sail them to Genoa
and ports in Sicily and Sardinia
where they would he given full
crews, it was added.
All Affected
(A London Daily Mail dispatch
from Madrid said that all French
ships in Mediterranean ports, im
mobilized when their crews de
serted after the German occupa
tion of Vichy territory, were af
fected and that about 350,000
tons of ships were involved.
London. Thursday, April 1. ?
Red Army troops, resuming their
Kuban River offensive as the
swampy terrain along the stream
dried, have captured a ba.,e of
the utmost importance to the re
mnants of the Axis Caucasus
army holding -the Novorossisk
bridgehead, Russia announced to
day.
Advancing 11 miles in marshy
country, the Russiahs captured
heavily defended Anastasevskaya,
the Russian Wednesday midnight
communique announced, in a
threat to dfive a wedge between
the German forces north and
south of the Kuban River.
. Germany had reported, in a
special Transfrtean Agency broad
cast, that in the Kuban area and
terrain was beginning to dry and
that the Russians had started to
intensify their offensive.
The midnight communique re
vealed that in taking Anastasev
skaya, the Red army had reached
a point 38 miles north of Novo
rossisk and only 12 miles north
east of Verenikovskaya, the last
main highway which joins the
Germans north and south of the
Kuban.
Washington, March 31. ? Hope
appears to be rising in United
Nations circles that Axis reverses
in Tunisia will fray Italian nerves
perhaps to the breaking point, as
the hour for invasion of the Con
tinent from Africa draws nearer.
Both here and in London, of
ficials emphasize that Italian
troops in Tunisia again are being
sacrificed to save German hides,
as they were in Egypt. The of
ficials obviously hope that their
words will percolate through to
the Italian people.
Prime Minister Churchill gave
such a twist to his announcement
to parliament of the occupation
of Gabes by British Eighth Army
troops following collapse of the
Mareth Line defenses. He said it
was too early to say how many
Italians had been left holding
the bag in Tunisia, as at El Ala
mein, while their Nazi masters
escaped.
In Washington, Director Elmer
Davis of the Office of War Infor
mation capped that today. Speak
ing of Rommel's retreat out of
the Mareth trap, leaving sacrifici
al Italian rear guards to help his
getaway, pavis said.
o --
CARD OF THANKS
We wls^h to express our many
thanks and appreciations to those
who were so kind to us during
the illness and recent death of
our father and grandfather. They
will be long and tenderly remem
bered.
O. E. Wood and Family.
?On fay Day, Bay