WEATHER
Cloudy with showers warmer cen
tral portion, cooler on coast today
followed by clearing and colder to
night. Tuesday cloudy, warmer, fol
lowed by showers and colder.
STATE THEATRE TODAY
JON HALL In
"THE INVISIBLE MAN'S
REVENGE"
Also News, 3 Stooges Comedy
CLEVELAND COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894
TELEPHONES 1100
VOL. XLIII—7 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS . SHELBY, N. C. MONDAY, JAN. 8, 1945
TELEMAT PICTURES
SINGLE COPIES—5c
Germans Claim 25-Mile Gain In Eastern Front Counteroffensive
• «******••#• ********
» GARRISON IN
BUDAPEST IS
HOLDING FIRM
Russian Forces Ousted
From Danube Bastion
Of Esztergom
NAZI LOSSES HEAVY
LONDON, Jan. 8.—,7P)—
The German high command
declared today its counter
offensive northwest of Buda
pest had gained up to 25 miles
and that the garrison of the
Hungarian capital was still
holding its own.
Berlin commentators, however,
said the “beginning of a major mi
litary operation” might be fore
shadowed in fighting activity reviv
ed In the Russian bridgehead at
Baranov and Sandomierz about 120
miles south of Warsaw where the
Russians several months ago punch
ed to within 35 miles northeast of
Krakow.
Russian force* have been
ousted from the key Danube
bastion of Esztergom by power
ful Nail counterattacks bent on
relieving the trapped Axis gar
rison at Budapest, 20 miles to
the south, but have registered
a 12 1-2 mile gain north of the
1 Danube in an outflanking
threat to the attacking Ger
mans, Moscow said today.
A broadcast Soviet communique
said 1,400 Germans had been killed.
300 captured and 40 tanks and 16
armored troop carriers knocked out
before the evacuation of Esztergom,
and reputed German progress had
been checked below the city.
RIVER CROSSED
The same communique said the
Red army had crossed the Hron
iGarom) river to the north and.
driving along the Danube, had
reached a point 10 miles from Ko
marom, west of Esztergom.
In a Budapest, the Nazi garrison
launched 12 consecutive counterat
Se* GARRISON Page 2
DEATH CLAIMS
L A. BLANTON
Leading Farmer And
Stock Dealer Of Zion
Section Died Today
Lawson Albert Blanton, 63, a
leading farmer and stock dealer of
the Zion community, died this
morning at 8:30 In the Shelby Hos
pital after an Illness of over a
year.
Mr. Blanton kas the oldest son
of the late Mr. and Mrs. J. S.
Blanton and took an active part
In the civic and religious activities
In the community where he has
lived all his life. He has been a
member of the Zion Baptist church
since early manhood.
The funeral service will be held
Tuesday afternoon at 4 o’clock at
the Zion Baptist church, conducted
by the Rev. J. L. Jenkins, pastor
of the church, who will be assisted
by Rev. J. W. Suttle and Rev". R.
M. Hauss.
Mr. Blanton Is survived by his
widow, the former Miss Dorcas
Packard; five children: Mrs. Lee
Cornwell, Miss Jonnie Blanton and
Joe Z. Blanton of Shelby, A. B.
Blanton of Bristol, Va., and Mrs.
Hall P. Beck of Lexington; one
brother, Coleman Blanton and one
sister, Mrs. Prank Cornwell, both
of Shelby, and three grand-chil
dren.
i ■ ■ . - -- -- -- . .
I ‘FLOATING RESORT* FOR SUBMARINES LAUNCHED—A barracks ship goes down the ways in a launch
i ing at Seattle, Wash. The ship will be a “floating resort”—providing recreation and relaxation for sub
marine crews at sea.
SIX CASUALTIES
ARE REPORTED
Two From This Area Kill
ed, Two Missing, Two
Wounded
Six casualties from this section
have been reported over the week
end, all of them coming from the
European theatre of operations.
There were two killed, two missing,
and two wounded.
Cpl. Arthur F. Price, 20, husband
i of Mrs. Nellie G. Price of route 1,
Moores boro, has been reported kill
ed in action, December 28, in Ger
many. He was serving with the
first army in a combat engineers
company.
Cpl. Price is the son of Mr. and
Mrs. P. R. Price of route 1, Moores
boro, and is a graduate of the El
lenboro high school. He was em
ployed as a clerk in Grindstaffs
store at Ellenboro, prior to his in
duction into the army in August,
1943. He was stationed at Camp
Ureckenridge, Ky„ before going
overseas in September, 1944.
He is survived by his parents,
Mr. and Mrs. P. R. Price, his wife
and small daughter, Anita, who
are making their home with his
parents, one sister, Mrs. Ervin
Grlndstaff of Ellenboro, and three
brothers, Edward Price of Ellen
boro, Cpl. Falls W. Price, serving
with the first army in Belgium,
and Sgt. Roy D. Price, who was
wounded in action and is now re
cuperating in hospital in Eng
See SIX Page X
WHAT’S DOING
TODAY
7:00 p.m.—Chamber of Com
merce directors meet at Charles
Hotel.
7:30 p.m.—Board of deacons
of First Baptist church meets
at the church.
TUESDAY
7:00 p. m—Rotary direc
tors meet at Hotel Charles.
7:00 p.m.—Lions club meets
at Hotel Charles.
7:30 p.m.—C. A. P. members
meet at armory.
7:30 pm.—Regular meeting
of Shelby chapter 110 Order of
Eastern Star in chapter room
at Masonic Temple.
Legislative Committee
Appointments All Ready
RALEIGH, Jan. 8.—(/P)—Com
mittee appointments probably will
be read in the Senate tonight and
in the House tomorrow, thus com
pleting organization of the assem
bly under the direction of Presi
dent L. Y. Ballentine and Speaker
Oscar Richardson.
With the introduction of the
appropriations and finance bills
and Governor Cherry’s budget
message scheduled for Wednes
day, the assembly will be in posi
tion to start the grind that some
members believe will continue un
til well into March.
The overwhelmingly Democratic
legislature already has heeded two
of the recommendations which the
new governor outlined In his In
augural address of last Thursday
It enacted a measure continuing
the war bonus to teachers and
state employes to the end of this
fiscal year; and referred to Its con
stitutional amendments commit
tees measures to allow equal rights
including jury service, to women.
The assembly also followed th<
dictate of the people in allowing
See LEGISLATURE Page X
U. S. Bombers Strike
In Daylight Today
Follow-Up To Two Raids Made During Night By Large
Fleets Of RAF Bombers
LONDON, Jan. 8.—(/P)—British-based American heavy
bombers struck at Germany in daylight today, after twc
great fleets of RAF bombers, totalling probably more thar
11,000 planes, bombed Munich twice last night within twc
nours.
Today’s raid was the 16th by
Fortresses and Liberators of the
U. S. Eighth Air Force in the past
17 days.
Enemy reports indicated that the
heavy bombers were again sup
porting Allied troops on the snow
swept western front by bombing
supply channels behind the Nazi
lines.
Yesterday more than 2,100 heavy
bombers and fighters of the Eighth
Air Force dumped over 3,000 tons
of high explosives on five freight
yards, two Rhine MflgM and six
railyards between HWmh and Karls
ruhe in western Germany.
Nine bombers and one fighter
were missing in y^terday’s opera
tions, carried out through blizzards
and in temperatures of 50 below
zero.
revjjlgoode
DEATH VICTIM
Well-Known Retired Bap
tist Minister Dies,
Rites Tuesday
Rev. J. M. Goode, 91, a well
known retired Baptist minister of
Cleveland and Rutherford counties,
died at his home in Boiling Springs
Saturday night at seven o'clock.
The funeral service will be con
ducted by Rev. J. L>. Jenkins, pas
tor of the Zion Baptist church, in
the home Tuesday afternoon at
two o’clock. Mr. Jenkins will be
assisted by Rev. J. '7. Gillespie of
Tigerville, S. C., and Rev. Charles
Gillespie of Smithfi^Jd.
Mr. Goode, was aj minister in
Cleveland and RutHjrford county
churches for 60 yean and retired
from the ministry six years ago.
He is the last member of his im
mediate family and is survived by
seven children. They are Rev. W.
E. Goode of Scotland Neck; Miss
Mable Goode of the home; Mrs.
R. E. Broach of Murray, Ky.;
Miss Velma Goode of Carlton,
Ohio; Miss Mildred Goode of Fu
quay Springs, N. C.; Mrs. James
H. McBrayer of Hampton, Va., and
Cecil C. Goode of Boiling Springs.
He is also survived by six grand
children and twq great grand
children His wife died .16 years
ago.
IRVIN GRAND
JURY FOREMAN
I
Judge William H. Bobbitt,
Of Charlotte Opens
Term Of Court
Instead of excusing James T.
Irvin from jury duty as Mr. Irvin
had requested on account of the
pressure of his duties at the Union
Trust company. Judge William H.
Bobbitt of Charlotte, who opened
a term of Superior court here this
morning, made him foreman of
the grand jury which is to serve
for the next six months.
It is thought that the grand jury
will complete its work for this term
of court today. Other members are
Howard Morris, Route 1, Casar;
Paul Pendleton, Route 1, Lawndale;
Gaylen G. Covington, Route 1,
Lawnc|ple; Rastus B. Dixon, Route
2, Kings Mountain; W. L. Souther
land, Route 2, Shelby; Ira Dixon,
Route 2, Kings Mountain; Will L.
Kendrick, Shelby; C. L. Rhymer,
Cliff side; T. D. Rudasill, Cliff side;
E. G. Whitaker, Boiling Springs; J.
C. Keller, Kings Mountain; Minor
W. Lowery, Route 2, Shelby; W. R.
Heafner, Route 1, Lawndale; O. C.
Cook, Route 1, Belwood, W. W.
Jenkins, Route 4, Shelby ; Harley J.
McIntosh, Route 2, Kings Moun
tain; Grady H. McMurry, Route 1,
Lawndale.
ACTING SOLICITOR
Judge Bobbitt appointed Polyer
Townsend, of Lenoir, actlny soli
citor to replace L. S. Spurling, who
is seriously ill.
“Citizen participation in the court
See IRVIN Page 2
TOKYO REPORTS
450 U.S. SHIPS
NEARING LUZON
Enemy Radio Also Tells
Of Bombardment Of
/ Lingayen Gulf
invasionTorecast
Tokyo radio reported to
day more than 450 American
transports “are streaming
north towards Luzon” island
in the Philippines where Jap
anese broadcasts said more
than 70 warships and swarms
of carrier planes bombarded
Lingayen Gulf, 120 miles
north of Manila, continuously
for two days.
The Tokyo broadcast, recorded
by the federal communications
commission, said that whether the
transports would be “poured into
Lingayen or in the vicinity of Ma
nila remains a question, but in
either case it is a surety that the
enemy will play right into the
waiting Japanese hands.”
In the two day duel be
tween warships and shore bat
teries at Lingayen gulf, Japa
nese broadcasts said defend
ing batteries gave the Ameri
can flotilla “the hottest recep
tion ever .recorded in the an
nals of war."
Propaganda broadcasts describ
ed the air and naval bombard
ment as “first enemy’s usual
tactics preceding a landing” and
forecast Yank assault troops might
storm "the shore at any time.”
“The whole gulf roared with the
blasts of gunfire from both sides”
throughout Saturday and Sunday,
said a frontier dispatch of the Jap
anese Domei news agency.
3 CONVOYS
Other broadcasts reported three
powerful American convoys speed
ing northward to join the assault
—one qf undisclosed size west of
Mindoro, 150 transports south of
Mindoro and 25 warships farther
south, all headed in the general di
1 rection of Manila.
An Imperial communique
claimed that since last Wed
nesday Japanese have sunk
seven first line warships and
16 transports; and damaged
i nine other vessels in the vari
ous convoys.
. Japanese troops guarding ling
ayen gulf who could see the long
: line of American warships were
described as "awaiting the enemy
! with resolute determination. There
, fore it is anticipated that a greal
enemy annihilation battle will be
, unrolled” as soon as amphibious
, troops strike.
, The Tokyo newspaper Asahl, re
■ calling the thousands of Japanese
See TOKYO Page 2
Waste Paper Drive
Sunday Successful;
Bolt Appreciative
Between 10 and 12 tons of waste
paper were gathered in Sunday’s
scrap paper round-up it was re
ported today by Doris Bolt, presi
dent of the junior chamber of
commerce, as he expressed appre
ciation to the public generally for
what he termed ‘‘swell coopera
tion.”
The paper was gathered and
baled at Grover Hamrick’s and will
be shipped along with additional
paper in a full carload within the
next few days, Mr. Bolt said.
'E# BONDS OVERSUBSCRIBED:
Sixth War Loan Over Top
By 255 Per Cent Of Quota
Record bond buying to
the tune of $4,742,996.50 by
Clevelanders swelled the Sixth
War Loan over the top by 255
per cent of the $1,860,000 quota,
it was announced today by War
Finance Chairman George Blan
ton.
Sale of E bonds, which lag
ged badly until late December,
reached $552,315, oversubscrib
ing the $491,000 quota to that
extent. Assignment to Cleve
land of $56,000 of purchases by
Army and Navy personnel boost
ed that figure, but the county
was safely over tne top witn
out that boost.
Chairman Blanton paid tri
bute to campaign Chairman
Jack Dover and his stall of
workers, to the merchants group
which strongly supported the
drive and to all who contributed
to success of the greatest bond
selling effort of any of the six
drives thus far waged. It was
the largest total and lifted past
$15,000,000 the total of bonds
bought by Clevelanders in the
course of the war financing ap
peals.
I
PFC. HULICK
JACK HULICK IS
WAR PRISONER
Word Received Through
Short-Wave Broadcast
From Germany
A short-wave broadcast from
Germany Saturday night saying
that Pfc. Jack Hulick, son of Mr.
and Mrs. B. D. Hulick of Shelby,
who had been reported missing in
action in France since November
26, now in a German prison camp,
-set--of* -».41ock*flr long distance
telephone calls from various parts
of the country to tell his wife, Mrs.
Elizabeth Thompson Hulick, the
news.
Mrs. Thompson was so thrilled
by the word that her husband was
alive and by the kindness of the
many people who called or wrote
her that she was almost overcome
with joy. The message, spoken by
a woman who said she represent
ed prisoners of war in Germany
and was commissioned by them to
transmit the messages, said that
one of them was from Pfc. Hulick
who sent his love to his wife and
family and asked them to kiss his
daughter. Carol, for him.
MANY CALLS
The broadcast was hardly over
before a long distance phone call
came from Pinehurst telling of
the report which Mrs. Hulick had
not herself heard; that was fol
lowed by numerous other calls
from Jersey City, Wlorence, S. C.,
Stokes, N. C., to mention a few,
and today brought letters from
others who had hifeard the broad
cast and sought to get the mes
sage to the relatives here.
Mrs. Hulick, a daughter of Mr
and Mrs. Rtjsh Thompson, is mak
ing her home with her parents on
Gold street. The broadcast was
the first word she had had of
her husband since early December
when the War department mes
sage announced him as missing in
action.
Moratorium
For Insurance
Favored By F.R.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 8.—(JP)
President Roosevelt favors the
general principle of legislator
giving the insurance business t
moratorium from the Shermar
Anti-Trust Act until March 1, 1946
except for acts of boycott, coer
cion or intimidation.
The White House made publii
correspondence between the Pres
ident and Senator. Radcliffe (D
Md). Mr. Roosevma in a Januar;
2 letter said such a moratorium
as provided in the bill of Senato
O’Mahoney (D-Wyo) would givi
the insurance business sufficien
time to readjust it*elf to the Su
preme court decisfcm holding in
surance is “in commerce” an<
therefore subject to the anti-trus
laws.
The President said the adminis
tration is not sponsoring federa
legislation to regulate insurance o
to interfere with the continue!
regulation and taxation by th
states of the business of insur
ance. ' <
NO CONFLICT
"But there is no conflict” h
added, “between the application o
anti-trust laws and effective stat
regulation of insurance compan
ies, and there is no valid reasoi
for giving any special exemptioi
from the anti-trust laws to th
business of insurance.”
Von Rundstedt Believed
Withdrawing Survivors
From Tip Of Salient
PARIS, Jan. 8.—(fP)—Mile or more advances by the
American First and Third armies in the worst blizzard of
the winter narrowed the waist of the Belgian salient to less
than ten miles tonight and caused Field Marshal Von Rund
stedt to speed the withdrawal of his survivors from the west
ern tip of the salient.
Lt. Gen. Courtney H. Hodges’ First Army captured five
villages and won domination of 15 miles of the St. Vith
Laroche highway, one of the two last escape routes for three
crack panzer divisions in the toe of the sock of the bulge.
The other road, leading up through Ouffalize was under artil
lery fire from both sides of the salient.
l lit' most impunaut ijiiui uu uk
First Army front was made by
the 82nd airborne division, led by
37-year-old Maj. Gen. James N.
Gavin. The sky troops seized the
Thierdumont ridge northwest of
Salchateau, which commands much
of the St. Vith-Laroche road.
The highway was under Ameri
can domination from Vielsalm,
north of Salmchateau to a point
beyond Dochamps. The hell on
wheels 2nd armored division occu
pied Dochamps itself. The high
way cut in numerous places and
under artillery range for the rest
of the 15 mile gap.
Maj. Gen. Maurice Rose’s Third
armored division completed the
occupation of Joubieval in the
highway three miles west of Sal
mchateau and fought into nearby
Hebronval.
See VON RUNDSTEDT Page 2
Yanks On Mindoro
Capture Palaun
Entire West Coast Of Island Now In U. S. Hands; Jap
Invasion Reports Unconfirmed
GENERAL MacARTHUR’S HEADQUARTERS, Philip
pinets, Jan. 8.—(JP)—American troops were within 90 miles of
Manila today but army and navy communiques offered no
support to Japanese claims the Yanks were actually prepar
ing- anv immediate invasion of Luzon Island.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s Mon
day communique said his forces
have moved 15 miles up the west
coast of Mindoro island to capture
Palaun town. Palaun is 30 miles
from Luzon, Manila is less than
60 miles further north.
The communique said air pound
ing of enemy installations on Lu
zon was continuing.
Navy carrier planes also attack
ed Luzon. Fleet Adm. Chester W.
Nimitz announced at Pacific fleet
headquarters, Pearl Harbor, that
the attack was made Saturday
(Philippine time).
This was the same date given
by Tokyo radio in first reporting
United States warships were in
Lingayen gulf bombarding Luzon
defenses and ‘‘apparently planning
a landing thtre.” The Japanese
said the bombardment continued
all day Sunday (Philippine time',
accompanied by carrier plane
harassment.)
CARRIERS
Vice Adm. John S. McCain’s
carriers swung south to help Mac
Arthur's airmen cripple the ene
my on Luzon after a two-day raid
on Formosa and the Ryukyus.
The Navy communique said in
complete reports showed 28 Japa
nese planes destroyed, eight in the
air and 19 on the ground.
MacArthur’s communique said
heavy bombers of his command
destroyed 18 enemy planes in the
latest attacks on airdromes on Lu
zon.
This made a total of 45 planes
See YANKS Page 2
I
TWO KILLED AT
GRADECROSSING
Another Injured When
Train Hits Auto In
KimK Mountain
Two members of the same fam
ily were killed and another seri
ously injured when Southern pas
senger train No. 20, northbound,
struck an automobile at the Mau
ney Mill crossing in Kings Moun
tain Saturday night at 11 o’clock.
The dead are Nesbitt Blackwell of
Gaffney and his sister-in-law,
Mrs. Margaret Blackwell, of Rock
Hill, S. C.’ Roy Blackwell, who
was understood to be driving the
car when it was hit, is in a Gas
tonia hospital critically injured.
They are sons and daughter-in
law of Mr. and Mrs. Dillard Black
well of Kings Mountain.
They had been to the home of
Mr. and Mrs. Dillard Blackwell
and were on their way home when
the tragedy occurred. The ex
press train was late and was un
derstood to have been traveling
at high speed when it struck the
Blackwell car, a Ford Model A
coach.
This is the same grade crossing
at which Gus Adams was killed in
a train-auto accident several
months ago.
THE WAR TODAY:
No Allied Generals To Bear
Brunt Of Breakthrough Blame
By DeWITT MacKENZIE, AP Writer
The hind-sight calamity howlers
1 who have been feverishly seeking a
: victim for public sacrifice, because
I of the German surprise break
» through in France, have their an
. swer—and now maybe they can get
ahead with their personal contribu
tions towards winning the war.
; President Roosevelt says
f “General Eisenhower has faced
; this period of trial with admir
able calm and resolution and
1 with steadily increasing suc
1 cess,” and “he has my complete
; confidence.” Simultaneously we
learn from Allied supreme
headquarters not only that there
won’t be any sacking of Allied
generals but that General Ike
himself thinks his commanders
have done a remarkable job in
stemming the drive,
i All this fits into today’s picture
of the battle of the bulge. Ahead,
the Allies are doing well. Field
Marshal Montgomery sums the
situation up succinctly by saying
that while the battle is "far from
over,” the Hitlerites “have been
halted, then sealed off, and we are
■' :
See NO ALLIED Fag* X