WEATHER
Increasing: cloudiness today follow
ed by light snow in west tonight.
Saturday, cloudy with snow chang
ing to rain. Cold today. Lowest
temperatures 26-30 tonight.
Tslje
Hhelhy Baily
Stett
— STATE THEATRE TODAY —
"SERGEANT MIKE"
Starring
Larry Parks — Jeanne Bates
and Mike
News—Screen SnaDshnt—Tnmedv
CLEVELAND COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894
TELEPHONES 1100
vuj-fc ajlih—zy
ASSOCIATED FKESS N1SWS
SHELBY, N. C.
FRIDAY, FEB. 2, 1945
TELEMAT PICTURES
SINGLE COPIES—6c 1
GERMANS PUT
NEWS BLACKOUT ON
#
ALLIED TROOPS
CLEAR 30 MILES OF RHINE BANK
U. 5. First And Third
Armies Probe Into
Thinly-Manned Line
PARIS, Feb. 2.—(IP)—American and French troops broke
into the northern end of Colmar, provincial French capital
400 miles south of Strasbourg, at noon today after clearing
30 miles of the left bank of the Rhine and laying siege to the
Neufbrisach bridge from a mile away.
In the center of the western front, the American First
and Third armies probed deeper into the thinly manned Sieg
fried line and advanced up to two miles in its fringes on the
western slopes of the Eifel mountains opposite the late Ar
dennes bulge.
Half a dozen hamlets were taken; more lines of dragon
teeth tank barriers were passed; scores of pillboxes—many
undefended—were captured.
The passive German resistance in the center strength
ened the suspicion that the enemy might be falling back to
the Rhine, from 20 to 60 miles east of present battle lines in
me cemei ttnu norm.
An announcement Irom Lt. Gen.
Jacob L. Devers’ Sixth Army
group told of the victory below
Strasbourg in an area manned un
til recently by 25,000 resolute Ger
man troops.
The threat to the Alsation cap
ital was all but dissipated, for
gains also were made on the
north, pushing the Germans to
points about 15 miles away from
Strasbourg.
The U. S. 3rd and 28th divis
ions and French First Army
troops fought to near Biesheim, a
mile from Neufbrisach. These, one
of the few standing Rhine rail
road bridges crosses to Breisach
in Germany, protected by fortress
es atop the 1,500-foot Kaiserstuhl
See U. S. Page
Gardner-Webb Fund
Above $300,000
Gardner Tails Trustees Half Million Moximum Goal
Definitely Attainable
I 1
Trustees of Gardner-Webb Junior College in session at
Boiling Springs this afternoon raised their sights to the
$500,000 maximum goal of the Memorial Expansion Fund
as the total swept past the $300,000 mark and assurance
was given that the $350,000 minimum goal Would be resell*
ed by July just as each period’s quota has been attained on
WPB Orders
Embargo On
Use Of Gas
WASHINGTON, Peb. 2. —(JP,—
The War Production board today
ordered a 72 hour embargo on the
use of natural and mixed gas in
amusement places In all or parts
of ten states and the District o/
Columbia. The order is effective at
3 p.m.. Central War Time today.
The ban on theatres, moving pic
ture houses, night clubs, bars and
other entertainment establishments
will last until 3 pun. Sunday or
“until further notice." WPB said.
It was accompanied by an appeal
to householders, schools and Insti
tutions to conserve gas.
Precipitated by prolonged
cold weather, the emergency ac
tion affects Pennsylvania, Ohio,
West Virginia, Illinois. Indiana,
Michigan, Kentucky and parts
of Maryland and Virginia, and
Washington, D. C.
The ban applies to the use of
natural or mixed gas for cooking,
heating or any other purpose.
ARTIFICIAL GAS
It does not apply where strictly
artificial gas Is used, but forbids the
use or artificial gas when it is mix
ed with natural gas.
Presumably all amusement places
In the affected area which draw
on natural gas In any way will have
to close, unless their patrons are
willing to shiver and eat cold food.
A number of big cities in the af
fected area, New York City for
example, use only artificial gas and
thus do not come under the ban.
Other developments in the fuel
shortage which has enveloped
much of the country as a result
of severe weather, transportation
' and manpower difficulties includ
ed these:
1. An embargo on civilian
freight, except for coal, was or
dered for four days beginning to
morrow in eight states In the
north and east.
OFFICES CLOSE
2. Ohio’s Gov. Frank J. Laus
che ordered all state offices clos
ed for three days starting tomor
g row. He also asked all Ohio
schools to close Monday.
3. The solid fuels administra
tion asked all Pennsylvania an
thracite miners to work a full day
tomorrow. Miners in the Appa
See WPB Page 2
lime.
Reporting $52,000, or $550 per
day, raised In the past three
months, former Governor O. Max
Gardner as chairman of the fin
ance committee said he expects the
remaining $48,000 of the minimum
goal to be raised without great
difficulty before building condi
tions will warrant going ahead
with construction.
He pointed out that It Is now
apparent half a mllliorv dollars will
be required to carry out the ex
pansion program needed to meet
the post-war challenge of the in
stitution which he sees as provid
ing "grass roots" educational op
portunity under Joint sponsorship
of the church and home for the
young people of this community
who desire college training.
ENROLLMENT
President Phil Elliott reported
enrollment of the college at an
all-time high mark, not counting
the nearly 30 ministers who are
taking the newly-instituted even
ing courses of Rev. J. L. Jenkins
in a field In which the Institution’s
head sees a field of expansing
usefulness and challenge.
In the financial phase of the re
port it developed that of the
$302,000 gathered since September,
1943, when the campaign was
launched under Joint chairman
ship of Horace Easom and Mai
Spangler that $110,000 had been
put into government bonds, $90,
000 into railroad first mortgage
bonds carried at cost and listed
stocks donated to the fund, while
$102,432 is cash held in the bank.
The executive committee of the
school met this morning and went
over the reports which were pre
pared for the trustees session this
afternoon.
Rescued Prisoners Hope
To Fight Japanese
am
By FRED HAMPSON
Evacuation hospital, Lu
zon, Philippines, Feb. 2. —
They want their health back. They
want to see their folks. Then they
want to come back and fight the
Japanese.
Those are the prevailing senti
ments of the 486 Americans and
more than a score of Allied prison
ers who were rescued by a picked
band of fighting men Tuesday night
from a stockade near Cabanatuan.
They have bitter memories of
capitulation at Bataan and
Corregidor. Many had to un
dergo the "death march" from
Bataan. For nearly three yean
as prisoners of the Japanese,
they subsisted largely on a rise
diet
Yes, many would like to fight
again. ' ■<’
Their memories goad them.
"The Japs always liked to slap us
and sometime they'd give us a pret
ty stiff beating," recalled Pvt. Tra
vis W. Flowers, of Scranton, N. C.,
an aviation engineer captured on
Corregidor. , *
Another prisoner recalled how the
Japanese guards tried to lure the
See RESCUEDUTage 2
BITTER FIGHT
THREATENS IN
LEGISLATURE
Rep. Pritchett Moves To
Annex Port Of Wilkes
To Caldwell
SAYS MOVE REQUESTED
RALEIGH, Feb. 2.—(£>)—
What might develop into one
of the bitterest fights of the
1945 legislative Session de
veloped today when Rep.
Pritchett introduced a bill to
annex part of Wilkes county
to Caldwell county.
Pritchett, a Democrat, represents
Caldwell. T. E. Story, a Republi
can, represents Wilkes. Pritchett
said he was requested by a dele
gation representing approximately
2,000 persons to Introduce the bin.
Story said that no part light was
involved, but that the measure was
not necessary.
Alter sending up the bill, Prit
chett told newsmen that a delega
tion visited him last Saturday
night, saying it represented about
2,000 persons residing in Elk, Bea
ver Creek and Booner townships in
Wilkes county, all located in a cor
ner bounded by Caldwell, Alexan
der and WUkes counties. Spokes
men lor the delegation said they
were not getting proper benelits in
Wilkes county and had to send
their children to school in Cald
well. They also added that a dam
on this Yadkin, wpjgxwt ta.Jt. WU
supported-bf Senator Josiah W.
Bailey of North Carolina, would
Hood part of their section, where
as the bill specifically says that
Caldwell county is not to be af
fected by the flood waters.
Pritchett said his county com
missioners were not asking the
See BITTER Page 2
PFC. COUCH IS
KILLED IN ITALY
Ambulanco Driver Dies
Of Injuries Suffered
In Wreck
Pfc. Ralph Couch, 24, son of
Mr. and Mrs. C. N. Couch of near
Gainesville, Ga., who made his
home with his uncle, R. L. Couch
and Mrs. Couch of 113 Shull St.,
Shelby, before entering the Army,
was reported killed in an accident
in Italy on OctoAr 28 while per
forming his dutieMs an ambulance
driver, according^ to a telegram
received by his parents from the
war department, and later con
firmed by a letter written from
the chaplain of his medical bat
talion in the Fifth Army.
Pfc. Couch was employed by the
Cleveland Lumber Co. two years
prior to entering the Army in
June, 1942. He received his train
ing at Camp Grata, IU„ before be
ing 'sent oversea* in September,
1942. He was stationed in England
and participated In the Invasion
of North Africa as an Ambulance
driver.
Pfc. Couch is survived by his
parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. N.
Couch of near Gainesville, his un
cle, R. L. Couch of Shelby, two
sisters and five brothers all of
Gainesville.
-WHAT'S DOING
TODAY
7:30 P. M.—Young adult fel
lowship supper at Central Meth
odist church.
Pierlot Government In
Belgium Faces Test;
Ministers Under Fire
BRUSSELS, Feb. 2.—(/P)—All five socialist members of
the Pierlot government offered their resignations last night
but agreed today to stay in the cabinet until Tuesday, when
the question of continuance of the government may be de
craea.
Before it was announced that
the five socialists had agreed to
stay in office for the time being
it was said that there was a pos
sibility that as many as five other
ministers also would resign.
Two of the latter five have been
under heavy criticism — Maurice
Verbaet, minister of justice, and
Jules Delruelle, minister of econo
mic affairs.
Verbaet has come under fire
particularly in connection with
the justice department’s prose
cution of collaborators. His op
ponents have accused him of
going after the small fry while
largely ignoring the more im
portant figures.
Delruelle has been unpopular be
cause it has been next to impos
sible for householders to obtain
coal through legal channels at
legal prices although fuel is avail
able in the black market.
VOTE TUESDAY
At the end of an extraordinary
cabinet session, in which officials
had issued and then cancelled an
announcement saying the whole
cabinet had resigned. Deputy Pre
mier Auguste de Schrijer announc
ed ministers would go before the
house of representatives Tuesday
to “answer interpolations directed
against the government.”
The deputy premier said Belgian
parliamentary procedure permitted
a vote of confidence or no confi
dence in the government, and it
was possible such a vote would
take place Tuesday.
The possibility that the Pierlot
cabinet would remain intact af
ter the parliamentary debate ap
peared remote, particularly in
view of the firm mandate from
the Socialist committee calling
cn party ministers to resign.
Another communique issued and
cancelled during the cabinet ses
sion said Prince Charles had ask
ed Premier Hubert Pierlot to re
turn the reins of the government.
De Schrijver said the Socialist
ministers, in agreeing to stay in
service, heeded a request of the
Premier that “constitutional prin
ciples” be observed, in effect a
request that “the fall of his gov
ernment should be decided in a
legislative assembly, and not out
side.”
New Luzon Landing
Puts Manila In Trap
GENERAL MacARTRUR’S HEADQUARTERS, Luzon,
Feb. 2.-^(/P)—Manila was in a deadly American trap today.
U» S. Eighth Army invasion troops fashioned a pincers
on the Philippines capital Wednesday morning by landing on
the Batangas Province coast 67 road miles southwest of the
city while Sixth Army spearheads drove to within a bare 20
miles on the north.
The eleventh airborne division
swept ashore from landing craft
virtually unopposed along five miles
of Batangas beach near Masugbu
and quickly pressed eastward to
ward 2.000-foot Tagaytay ridge,
which commands fine highways
leading to Manila and the Cavite
naval base in Manila bay, 82 miles
away.
Gen. Douglas MacArthur re
ported today that this third
Luzon invasion—the second by
the newly-formed eighth army
in 48 hours—again caught the
Japanese by surprise.
“We landed without loss,’* he
announced, explaining that the
landing “largely seals off the pos
sibility of the enemy troops south
of Manila joining those in the
north, and definitely outflanks the
enemy’s defense lines in southern
Luzon."
The first wave of Maj. Gen. J. M.
Swing’s 11th division troops hit
the shore without firing a shot at
8:30 a. m. and took the town of
Nasugbu where happ^ Filipinos
welcomed them with offers of hot
coffee, wine and rum.
NOT BLOODLESS
It wasn’t a totally bloodless land
ing as was Monday’s invasoin of the
Zambales coastline to the north. A
half hour after the first Yanks
were ashore, Japanese in caves to
the north brought machinegun and
77 mm fire to bear on the landing
beach. This was quickly silenced by
See NEW LANDING Page 2
Equal Rights For
RALEIGH, Feb. *.
The Senate today passed a bill
granting equal rights to North
Carolina women and providing
specifically against the exclu
sion of women from jury serv
ice.
The senate measure, intro
duced on the third day of the
session, amends certain sections
of the state constitution, chang
ing the word “men” to “per
sons” throughout.
Thus, one branch of the gen
eral assembly granted to women
the right to vote, to worship
God according to their own con
sciences, and to enjoy life, li
berty and the pursuit of hap
piness—prlveleges formerly de
nied them by the constitution.
Women Given
Government Sees
Errors In Ward
Case Judgment
CHICAGO, Feb. 2 —(#)— The
government contended today Fed
eral Judge Philip L. Sullivan had
erred on 29 point*—12 findings ol
fact and 17 conclusions of law and
judgment—in dismissing suits a
gainst Montgomery Ward and
company.
The 29 points were listed by U,
S. Attorney J. Albert Woll as
ground for an appeal when he
asked the Federal Court clerk yes
terday to certify the entire record
to the U. S. Circuit Court of Ap
peals.
Judge Sullivan ruled President
Roosevelt lacked either statutory
or constitutional authority to or
der seizure of 16 Ward properties
in seven cities. The Army torts
possession Dec. 28 after the mail
order firm declined to cotnply
with War Labor board directives
ordering, among other things
maintenance of union member
ship.
ERRED
The 29 points included state
ments that Julge Sullivan erred
when he found the President’s
See GOVERNMENT Page 2
Germans Said Ready
For New U-Boat War
LONDON, Feb. 2. —<JP>— Infor
mation received from neutral anc
underground sources indicates that
the Germans are ready to send 20(
U-boats out into the sea lanes foi
a large scale attack on convoys en
route to France and Russia, the
Daily Telegraph said today.
Estimates have been made is
Stockholm, the newspaper said
that the German navy has a total
of 400 serviceable submarines and
is building hew ones at the rate oi
20 monthly. A report from the Nor
wegian underground said many
were based at Bergen and Trond
heim.
The new submarines, many oi
them long range 1,500-tonners, were
said to be fitted with a number ol
new devices.
if
MISSING—Pfc. Ben G. Sisk, sor
of Mr. and Mrs. Roy L. Sisk of 12!
Textile Street, is reported missinf
in action in Belgium since Decem
ber 18, according to word receiver
by his parents from the war de
partment. His wife, the former Mis;
Annie Embry, is making her hom<
with her parents on route 2, Shel
BERLIN BOMBED
BEFORE DAWN
Destructive Raids Made
On Ludwighhafen
Mainz, Siegen
LONDON, Feb. 2—{&)—Berlii
was bombed twice before dayrn to
day after,v®A^« night attacks li
which the major rail centers o:
Mainz, Ludwigshafen and Sieger
were attacked heavily to disrupi
German movements from the wes
tern to eastern front.
Thick weather over parts of th<
Reich slowed the aerial attack!
In the last day and a half, 3,20(
planes have hammered the over
burdened German rail system, t
dozen bombers and four fighter!
were lost.
Ludwigshafen and Mainz are or
the Rhine; Siegen is 40 mile!
southeast of Cologne.
The U. S. Ninth air force at
tacked a Rhine bridge near Cob
lenz and another over the Mos
elle 27 miles to the -southwest. Si:
barges on the Rhine were destroy
ed. X
British rocket jplanes strucl
railroads in the Dulman, Coes
feld and Bergstein triangle nortl
of the Ruhr. i
GROUNDHOG HA!
HISJtEVEilGE
With his eyes blinking angril;
in the beautiful sunlight of a ty
pical North Carolina day, Mr
Groundhog gave His whiskers om
twirl, gruffly dismissed reporter
who tried to interview him on hi;
International Weather conference
pulled his fur coat about him an<
stalked back into his hole witl
high dudgeon. *.*y
Thus it is, the amateur weathe
prophets, who put great faith u
that old wives tale, that sunshin
on Groundhog day means si
more weeks of winter, called u]
their coal man and laid out an
other suit of heavies.
Old Man Groundhog seemed t
get revenge Immediately for th
sunshine that was heaped upoi
him. The weather bureau, whicl
puts no faith at all in this le
gend, nevertheless predicted snoi
flurries for the JWestern portion
tonight and coldff weather.
1 NOMINATION ON ICE:
i Senate Votes T<
Lending From C
I WASHINGTONS Feb. 2 — (#)
1 Big names In ajul out of govern
ment were mentioned today fo
the big job of ginning the gov
ernment’s lending agencies.
These were among those talke<
of for the post which the Senat
voted overwhelmingly to keep ou
of the hands of Henry A. Wallac
as prospective secretary of com
merce:
Fred M. Vinson, economic
stabilization director; Joseph
P. Kennedy, former ambassa
dor to London; Marriner S.
Eccles, .chairman of the fed
One Russian Attempt
To Storm Across Oder
Said Blocked By Nazis
i
LONDON, Feb. 2.—(/P)—Russian forces have made one
attempt to storm across the Oder in their onslaught toward
Berlin, a German broadcast said today, and other Berlin re
ports indicated Soviet patrols might already have crossed.
The German high command clamped a blackout on news
from the sector as one military commentator told of the at
tempted crossing in the area of Kustrin, 40 miles east of
Berlin.
Berlin radio accounts said Marshal Gregory Zhukov had
i brought up strong forces along the Oder on both sides of
Frankfurt and that assaults to reduce the fortress of Kus
trin, were underway.
The German communique, however, completely omitting
mention of the sector, said the Russians everywhere else
except in East Prussia, had been checked after hard fighting
and Moscow dispatches said Zhukov had run into thick mine
fields and a hard shell of German armor along the 90-mile
front threatening the German capital.
--f Zhllknv’s tnnlr*: bnvp slipprf hP-.
14th Air Force
Base In China
Is Abandoned
CHUNGKING, Feb 2—(fP)—'The
U. S. 14th air force base at Suich
1 wan, east of Japan’s China-Irtdo
Chlna corridor, has been destroy
i ed and abandoned, American
> headquarters announced today.
The base was east of the Japa
nese “corridor of occupation” and
southwest of Hengyang, the com
munique announced. It was de
stroyed Jan. 24. Suichwan is in
western Kiangsi, roughly midway
between Hankow and Hongkong^
The new Chinese army spokes*
man, Maj. Gen. Kung Chi Kuang
denied that the Japanese, as
claimed, have gained full control
of the 685-mile Canton-Hankow
railroad. He said fighting still
was in progress at several points
between Kukong, 125 miles north
of Canton, and Chensien, 80 miles
of Kengyang.
FIGHTING
Fighting also continued on the
; coastal region between Hongkong
and Swatow, he said.
The American communique said
: Japanese divisional headquarters
south of Nanning were strafed
i yesterday and that nearby river
shipping was damaged heavily.
Weather closed down most air op
I erations in China,
k A Japanese freighter driven
I aground by U. S. naval forces 70
miles south of Tourane in French
Indo-China was destroyed. An
other ocean-going vessel steam
ing along the coast was damaged,
the bulletin added.
Two Tar Heels Among
Rescued. Prisoners
, CHARLOTTE, Feb. 2.— (£>) —At
1 least two Tar Heels were among
1 the American soldiers liberated in
the daring ranger raid on the Ja
' panese prisoner of war camp on
i Luzon Tuesday night.
! They were Pvt. Herman J. Kel
c ler of Pineola, in Avery county,
) and Pvt. Travis W. Flowers oi
■ Scranton, in Hyde county.
Flowers was at Clark Field the
1 day before the Japs spilled their
2 first bombs there in December
i 1941. His mother, who hadn’t seen
i him since September 1941, said
- last night “it was the most excit
v ing moment of my life,” when
s she heard her son had been res
cued.
i Divorce
ommerce Post
-1 eral reserve board, and Henry
J. Kaiser, shipbuilder, who was
: active in the fight to give
Wallace the lending as well as
the commerce post,
i Whoever President Roosevelt
:: names will have to be confirmed
t; by the senate.
! 1 Into cold storage until March 1
’ went Wallace’s nomination for
secretary of commerce while the
senate sent to the house by a 74 to
12 vote a bill to clip from the de
partment authority over the gov
Sm SENATE Pm* •
tween German strongpoints to
within sight of the Oder and have
reached highly important opera
tional areas in the region or
Frankfurt and Kustrin, Moscow
dispatches said.
Stalin’.-* ace field commander
shoved his heaviest artillery up
close behind the front to shell
Frankfurt. Moscow said Kustrin
had been under an all-day bom
bardment. Berlin declared the Kus
trin garrison was ‘^t grips with
the enemy at close quarters, but
we still hold tHe town.” '
Across the river fresh re
serves of Volkssturmers and
Volkssturm Grenadiers, along
with “alarm battalions” from
Stettin, were reported taking
their place in deep fortlfica
tions.
Declaring the capital could arid
would be defended. Hitler’s news
paper said “German armed forces
are in a position to build barriers
which the enemy, who has cross
ed the Oder with very small forces
only, cannot tpven threaten.”
Heavy fighting raged on a line
from the area of Glogau, on the
Oder 115 miles southeast of Ber
lin, to Kustrin, in the angle of the
Oder and Warthe east and slight
ly north of Berlin.
THROWN OUT
The Germans declared they had
thrown the Russians out of Kus
trin, and that thousands of Ger
man men, women and children
were being rushed to the east to
dig a great system of trenches to
make Berlin a “bloody disap
pointment” for the Russians.
Moscow dispatches reported,
however, that Zhukov was work
ing to bring up stronger forces,
was massing his infantry and
storm guns close behind his tank
See ONE Page 2
ACTION LIGHT
IN ITALY
Improved Weather Puts
U. S. 15th Air Force
Back In Skies
ROME, Feb. 2 —(&)— Activity
dwindled nearly to an all-time low
along the entire Italian front to
day with only minor patrol actions
reported by both the Fifth and
Eighth armies.
Along the Eighth Army’s Senio
river line in northeastern Italy
there were a few grenade-tossing
duels, and casualties were inflict
ed on one German group a mile
northwest of Tossignano.
Improved weather enabled the
Allied air force to step up its aer
ial operations yesterday. For the
second straight day heavy bomb
ers of the U. S. 15th air force
hammered the Moosbierbaun oil
refinery 22 miles northwest of Vie
nna through clouds, finding their
targets with instruments.
PLANES SEEN
Liberators also bombed Austrian
rail yards at Graz and Klagen
furt. About 50 German planes
were seen, but none attacked.
Thunderbolts of the U. S. 12th
air force made their deepest pene
tration yet into Axis territory by
bombing and strafing important
rail targets in Austria. A forma
tion led by Lt. Alfred C. Hearne,
Booker, Okla., destroyed or dam- ,
aged a number of locomotives and
railroad cars between Villach and
| Klagenfurt.