North Carolina Newspapers

I WEATHER Partly cloudy and rather warm today, tonight and Tuesday; scattered afternoon and evening thundershowers. The Hhelhy Bnily Stett CLEVELAND COUNTY’S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894 TELEPHONES 1100 STATE THEATRE TODAY "SALOME, WHERE SHE DANCED" Starring YVONNE DeCARLO VOL. XL1II—163 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS SHELBY, N. C. MONDAY, JULY 9, 1945 TELEMAT PICTURES SINGLE COPIES—6c JAPANESE FIGHTER PILOTS RETURN TO AERIAL WAR CELEBRATION ON OKINAWA'S HILL 89-First d'- '-.ion Marines and 7th division soldiers on June 27 celebrated the At -an victory atop Okinawa's Hill 89. Sign reads: "Within this hill is ed the command post where Lt. Gen. Ushijima, commander of the Japanese army, sur rounded by his senior officers, made his final organized stand. This hill was seized by troops of the Seventh infantry’ division on June 21, 1945, thus ending the battle of Okinawa."—iAP Wirephoto) Cotton Acreage Off Two Million Acres Total Scheduled For Harvest Would Be Smallest In U. S. Since 1885 WASHINGTON, July 9.—(#*)—The acreage of cotton in cultivation July 1 was estimated by the agriculture de partment today at 18,355,000 acres. This was two million acres, or 9.8 per cent, less than last year—and 30 per-cent less than the ten year (1934-43) average. CHINESE TAKE CHENNAKWAN High Command Reports Japanese Retreating A South Of Frontier By SPENCER MOOSA CHUNGKING, July 0—(AV-'The Chinese high command announced today that Chinese forces had captured South Guard Pass (Chen nakwan) on the border between China and French Indo-China and said the Japanese were retreating In confusion toward Dong Dang, south of the frontier. With the capture of the Pass, gateway to Indo-China. the whole of southwestern Kwangsi province has been cleared of the enemy, the high command said. Chinese forces striking from re cently-recaptured Liuchow along the Hunan-Kwangsl railroad to ward its northern terminal at Hengyang, recaptured Lojung, 20 miles northeast of Liuchow, on Saturday. Enemy forces retreated toward Luchai, 28 miles northeast >of Liuchow on the highway to Kweilin, with the Chinese in hot pursuit, the high command said. SOUTHEAST OF UUCHOW Belated announcement was made of the recapture July 1 of Tanchuk, a former U. S. 14th Air Force base city which was abandoned Sept. 21. Tanchuk is situated on the west (Si) river, a little more than 100 miles southeast of Liu chow. It was the fourth abandon ed American air base to rdvert to Chinese control. Liuchow, Yung ning (Nanning) and Suichwan were recaptured previously. The Chinese also announced the recapture on July 2 of Tengyun, some 20 miles east of Tanchuk on the west river and about 40 miles west of the Important inland and former treaty pprt of Wuchow. The high command declared that enemy remnants at Mosun, strate gic highway center 55 miles south southeast of Liuchow and approxi mately the same distance west of Tanchuk, had been completely mopped up by Chinese forces strik ing eastward from Laipin and northward from Kweihsien. JAPANESE LANDING Chinese forces have Inflicted heavy casualties on Japanese ma rine raiders who landed on south east China’s “invasion” coast south west of Amoy and have driven them nearly 30 miles from the scene of the original landings, the high command said. Confirming front dispatches re porting enemy beachheads on the coast below Japanese-held Amoy, a former treaty port 140 miles west ft of Formosa, the Chinese an ” nouncement said enemy raiders U- lee CHINESE Page 2 * •*«- Hvitagc JJIBUICU 111 linu u only 40 per cent of the record of 45, 968.000 acres planted in 1925. Assuming an acreage abandon ment at the average of the last 10 years, a total of 18,034,000 acres is indicated for harvest. This would be the smallest acreage of cotton harvested in the United S' tes since 1885. All states e: it the western Ir rigated states low smaller acre ages than last } _.ir. Almost one hal; of the total acreage reduction is ir Texas, largely as a result of extremi drought in the nc’-thwestern pari of the state. Substantial decreases are also in dicated for the Mississippi river del ta areas of Missouri, Arkansas anc Louisiana, where excessive and con tinued rainfall during the spring interferred with planting. N. C„ GEORGIA, AND FLORIDA North Carolina, Georgia and Florida also show sharp reductions With smaller reductions indicated for Mississippi, Alabama and Soutt Carolina. The total acreage planted to Am erican-Egyptian cotton is estimated at 6,400 acres, compared with 14,70( last year and the 10-year average of 75,300. In addition to unfavorable plant ing weather difficulties In securing adequate labor was given as one ol the reasons for the reduction ir planting. The acreage In cultivation July 1 for Missouri was 270,000, or 66 pel cent of last year’s acreage, Virgink 27.000 or 87 per cent; North Caro lina 595,000 or 78; South Carolina 1.020.000 or 94; Georgia 1,250,000 oi 91; Florida 25,000 or 74; Tennessee See COTTON Page 2 IVHAT’S DOING TUESDAY 10:30 a. m.—Members Cleve land county bar meet at court house to fix calendar for civil term of court. 8.00 p.m.—Regular meeting of Eastern Star in lodge room at Masonic Temple. 8:00 p.m. — Legion junior baseball game between Shelby and Gastonia City. Guard At German P W Camp Kills 8, Injures 20 (Others, SAUNA, ucan, jrny a. — Machinegun bullets fired by an American soldier killed eight Ger mans and injured 20 others asleep in a prisoner of war camp. Why the soldier turned loose the barrage was a question still public ly unanswered today. The shooting occurred early yes terday, a half hour after Pfc. Clar ence Bertucci of New Orleans, La., had gone on duty as a guard at the camp housing prisoners working in central Utah farm fields. Col. Arthur Ericcson, commander of the prisoner of war camp at Og aen, oi wmcn me camp uere is i branch, said Bertucci, 23, suddenlj fired from his post in a guarc tower into a tent area in which th( prisoners were housed. Three bursts of tire, including ir all 250 shots and lasting no mor« than 15 seconds, ripped into thi tents. UNDER ARREST His ammunition expended, Bertuc ci yielded fOr more, Erlccson said but was placed, instead, under ar rest on orders of the branch cami See GUARD Page 2 DEADLOCK IN RULE OF BERLIN STILL UNBROKEN High Diplomats Begin Ar riving For Big-Three Meeting FOOD, FUEL IMPASSE By Daniel De Luce BERLIN, July 9.—(JP)— The Inter - Allied deadlock over the government of Ber lin continued unbroken today as high diplomats began ar riving for the impending big three meeting. Avereil Harriman, U. S. ambas sador to Moscow, is to land at the Tempelhof airdrome this after noon and take quarters near the "Little White House” prepared for President Truman in the heavily guarded Potsdam area. American army signal experts virtually completed stringing a thick network of cables and wires by which Mr. Truman will be in touch with Washington while he confers with Generalissimo Stalin and Prime Minister Churchill. The Berlin governmental impasse over the issue of supplying food and fuel for the districts occupied by the Americans and British still was unsettled and the possibility Increased that the Big Three might have to resolve it. Col. Frank Howley, chief of the military government of the United States occupation zone, declared last night he expected the major powers to decide within a few days on an overall plan of gov ernment for Berlin, but he dis claimed personal knowledge of the immediate issues of food and fuel. DEMAND CHANGE Earlier American and British sources asserted that unless they have control over the food and fuel situation in thrtr respective zones | there can be no real British and American military governments in the German capital. The issue which may be giver the Big Three to decide, was view ed by American and British offi cials as so serious that withdrawal by the western Allies from Berlin may be considered unless a prac tical solution is reached. The question to be decided was whether the «reas of Berlin taker over by the British and Americans shall receive food from thj Rus sian-held outskirts, where British American experts say the Germar capital normally gets most of edibles. These experts said it would impractical for the western Alliee to truck in supplies from hundreds of miles away. SOVIET ORDERS Col. Howley would not commenl on what was discussed at a con ference attended by Soviet Mar shal Georgi K. Zhukov, who has ordered his commanders to retair control of the entire Berlin mu nicipal administration, Lt. Gen Lucius D. Clay mr the United States. Lt. Gen. S^Umald Weefcs for Great Britain, The conference enqpd wittibul having reached any agreement but Col. Howley odjknistically pre dicted that “when UM overall plar for the city is approved, we will get functioning.” There are an civilians in the See DEADLOCK Page 2 -{ 3 approved, we wm tfttl&ed 750,00( Ameri^m zondNIr I ruman Learns tor Big-Three Meeting WASHINGTON, July 9—(fP) —President Truman is enroute today to Europe for the Biff Three meetiSK with Prime Minister ChurqPll and Premier Stalin. The president left Newport News by ship Saturday. Ac companyinff him was a staff of advisers includinff Secretary of State James F. Byrnes. The Biff Three meeting will be held In the Potsdam area near Berlin. Commissioners Move To Set Plan For Hospital Improvements In Motion Plans for enlarging and improving the Shelby hospital and constructing a new hospital at Kings Mountain moved apace this morning as the Cleveland county commissioners canvassed the vote from Saturday’s election, registering an overwhelming majority in favor of the hospital bonds and proceeded immediately to the naming of the board of trus i tees as prescribed by the act passed by the 1945 general i assemuij'. Three trustees were named from each of No. 4 and No. 6 townships in which hospitals are located and one each from the other townships. Five trustees are to serve for one year; five for two years and five for three years with no trustee being allowed to succeed himself. The trustees are: No. 1 township—Henry Wood, one year. No. 2 township—Clifford E. Ham rick, three years. No. 3 township—John Crawley, two years. No. 4 township—C. E. Neisler, W. A. Williams and Arnold Kiser, for one, two and three years respective ly. No. 5 township—M. C. Whitworth, two years. IN NO. 6 No. 6 township—Dr. S. S. Royster, one year; J. D. Lineberger, two years, and O. M. Mull, three years. No. 7 township—Tom Lattimore, two years. No. 8 township—Ivey Whisnant, three years. No. 9 township—Everett Spurling, three years. No. 10 township—E. L. Propst, one year. No. 11 township, A. E. Elmore, one year. MUST MEET SOON The new board under the act passed by the last legislature must meet within 10 days, organize, name a treasurer for each hospital .and make arrangements as to how it will proceed with the hospital im provements. There will probably be some federal aid or aid from the Duke foundation available, it was ir iicated today and there is the possibility that the full limit of $400,000 in bonds may not have to be issued. Of the total bonds authorized $240,000 has been earmarked for the improvements at the Shelby hospi tal and $160,000 for the hospital at Kings Mountain. Kings Mountain already has a trust fun to supple ment the bond issue for its hospital. Enemy Dead In Philippines Now At 423,245 MANILA. July »—(£>)—Counting of 3,824 Japanese dead in the Philippines in the past week* and capture of 386 has raised total enemy casualties in the campaign to 423,245 Gen. Douglas MacAr thur disclosed today. American casualties for the week' were plact!ld at 34 killed and 210 wounded for a campaign total of 54,000.1 While MacArthur announced formal liberation of the Philippin es July 5, the cleanup continued. Associated Press Correspondent Richard Bergholz reported from northern Luzon that rains and ■landslides of the typhoon season were impeding but not stopping American flamethrowing tanks in the wild mountains east of Ba guio. FUGITIVE REMNANTS Igofht tribesmen, who use spears as weli'as modern carbines, are co operating with the American reg ulars in hunting down the fugi tive enemy remnants. Air supply is the key to opera tions in the mountains, Bergholz said, with an average of 60 big fly ing boxcars delivering supplies daily. On Mindanao, in some of th$. world’s worst fighting terrjttfl, MaJ. Gen. Roscoe N. Woodruff’s 24th Infantry division continued probing through the forests *nd jungles in pursuit of the remnants of the ,pnce-proud Japanese jlOOth division 1&n hiding northwest* oL Davao, „ \ ' ■' - No SUgar To Be Issued Alter July 14 Applications for home canning sugar will not be received by the Shelby rationing board after July I 14, it was stated this morning by J. J. Hartigan, secretary. Most of the applications for sugar have already been processed and cou-1 pons isssued 1 OVERWHELMING VICTORY FOR BOND ISSUE $400,000 Hospital Pro ject Gets 80 Per Cent 'Yes' From Voters An overwhelming victory for the Cleveland county hospital project, calling for the issuing of up to 1400,000 in bonds for the enlarge ment and improvement of the Shelby hospital and the erection Df a new hospital at Kings Moun tain when more than 80 percent of the registered voters went to the polls Saturday and voted ‘Yes” on all four questions on the ballot. The books showed there was a total of 4,293 voters registered. Of this number 3,490 voted in the af firmative. The negative vote in cluding those who stayed away from the polls was only 795. IN HIGH GEAR The organization for getting out the vote was working in high gear TBlephdfiST were kept busy ir Shelby, Kings Mountain and ir other parts of the county calling voters who delayed their voting until late in the day. In one pre cinct the registrar out of more than 500 registered voters had only 15 who did not show up and this morning she told the elections board where these voters were and what they were doing. Efficiency marked every other step in the conduct of this election. The voting results are shown by precincts as follows: Not Re*. Yes Votg Holly Springs . 33 26 7 Youngs .... _. __ 35 20 15 Boiling Springs ... 90 76 14 Sharon — - *75 51 24 Patterson Springs.. 68 50 18 Earl .. 91 42 49 E. Kfhgs Mtn. _580 561 19 W. Kings Mtn.773 686 87 Drover .. ..120 112 8 Waco.51 36 15 Shelby No. 1 *.368 298 68 Shelby No. 2 *.-279 230 49 Shelby No. '3 .188 162 25 Shelby No. 4 .. ..321 264 57 South Shelby — —266 207 59 Queens .. - 53 47 f Double Springs - 93 79 14 Lattimore ... 65 43 22 Mooresboro .. — .. 38 22 16 Polkville .. 139 101 38 Delight. 46 24 22 Lawndale_— —176 136 40 Fallston__ 191 126 65 Double Shoals .... 49 35 14 Casaf — 61 46 15 Mulls . 44 15 29 Totals. 4293 3495 795 REPORT SUBS IN JAP WATERS SAN FRANCISCO, July 9—Tok yo radio retorted a “considerable number” of* America* submarines and mine-laying Suferforts at tempted to blockade Japanese har bors while raiding planes swept widely over Ahe home islands to day in thekrfcaily strikes. The nunei news agency claimed that “at least seven” submarines have been sunk in Japanese waters since the be ginning of June and Nippon ese planes were “continuing their assaults on enemy sub marines.” TTHs Mm reports of JPPwfBWb' WW’ without American confirma tion. Ah' raiders from Iwo Jima hunt ed %ew targets, Tokyo said, ir their daily attacks on Honshu and Kyushu islands. Fifty Okinawa-based Liberators escorted by 40 Thunderbolts anc Lightnings, reportedly raided the vicinity of Omura, naval air statior guarding the Saesbo naval bast on northwestern Kyushu. See REPORT Page 2 AUSSIES NEAR BALIKPAPAN SCORE GAINS Japanese Resistance Spot ty On All Fronts In Invasion Area SUPPORT FROM NAVY By Hamilton W. Farron MANILA, July 9.—(fP)— j Closely supported by Ameri can warships and aircraft, Australian jungle veterans advanced against sporadic' Japanese resistance today on j all fronts of the southeast Borneo invasion coast around Balikpapan. The naval units ranged the length of the coast, pounding Jap anese gun positions while Mus tangs, Spitfires, Kittyhawkr and Liberators of the Australian and American Air Forces kept up a steady attack on Japanese posi tions, smashing guns, warehouses, ! barracks and small coastwise craft. One column of the Aussie Sev enth Division Infantry, driving in ' land from captured Balikpapan, completed isolation of the Pandan 1 sari refinery area in the northwest 1 tip of the town where the Jap anese death-stand rear guard has ' put up its stiffest fight. | Across Balikpapan Bay, where * Nipponese fieldpieces harassed the 1 Australians in the early days of the invasion, another column of \ Seventh Division advanced inland • from one to two miles without op ■ position. Northeast of the rich oil port, ’ forces which overran Sepinggang and Manggar airfields pushed ahead toward the great oil producing re t gions of Sambodja and Samarinda, \ which extend 55 miles up the l coast from Balikpapan in an area l of salt marshes and swamps. ; Dauntless Dottie, | And Ten Of Crew Lost In Pacific SAIPAN, July 9. —(£•)— “Daunt [ less Dottle”, the Superfortress that led the first B-29 strike against , Tokyo and for 53 missions carried | without faltering the high spirit of ; her name, has been lost in the Pa , cific, carrying to their deaths 10 of the 13 men aboard. Like “Dauntless Dottie,” those who lost their lives had completed their combat missions and were re turning to the United States. One of those, killed was Pfc. Low 1 ell B. Spivey of Windsor, N. C„ ’ who was being returned to “non 1 hazardous duty” because his two | brothers had been killed in action. > The plane crashed shortly after 1 taking off from, Kwajalein for Ha I wail, the announcement yesterday > said. Date of tbe accident was not 1 revealed. ! RAID ON TOKYO i Brig. Gen. Emmett (Rosy! O’Don ! nell, commander of the 73rd bom ! bardment wing, flew in the “Dottie” I on her first mission, leading the i first strike of the 21st bomber com [ mand against Tokyo last Nov. 24. i Lt. Col. Robert K. Morgan of I Asheville, N. C., the plane's first commander, (then a major), named ■ her for his wife. Since then Lt. An drew G. Mayse of Tulsa, Okla., has been “Dottie’s” skipper, but the re gular crew staged behind to com plete their combat tours when the plane started home—loaded with men who had completed 30 missions or more against the Japanese. “Dauntless Dottie,” after her first mission, flew 43 other bombing as signments and made nine recon ■ naissance flights over the Nipponese > islands. Mustangs From Iwo Jima Ravage Tokyo Airfields Fourth Time In 5 Days By A1 Dopking GUAM, July 9.—(/P)—Plying new “Jack” fighter planes, Japan’s recently-idle combat pilots, jumped into the aerial warfare over the homeland again Sunday, trying vainly to ^tem the assault of long-range American Mustangs from Iwo Jima, which ravaged Tokyo airfields for the fourth time L-ii live uajo. The Iwo-based Mustangs, Oki iawa-based Marine Corsairs and j \rmy search planes destroyed or I iamaged 50 Nipponese planes— I many on the ground—sank eight j small coastal ships and damaged six i others. Seven Mustangs were the; ■)ther American planes reported i s missing from the day’s far-reaching j t forays which struck nearly every j i section of Japan's shrinking empire.1 \ Fifth Air force Mustangs from j t Okinawa swept Kyushu for the ] fourth straight day after Gen. ! George C. Kenney told them: 1 c “You are on Japan's doorstep and j 0 no holds are barred now, for every- i ood.v’s an enemy up there." j t Until now, he said, fighting has t been over Japanese-subjugated ter- ! ritory where caution was necessary ( to avoiding injury friendly popula- ] tions—but now “the bars are down j —go and get them!” ( Marine Maj. Gen. Louis Woods, tactical air force com fander, complained: “Good tar gets are growing scarce even in the heart of the Japanese em pire. Our pilots really have to search for targets now but we will do anything to kill more Japs because that's our job.” Fliers of Woods' force hit Kyu hu island and nearby waters des roying four vessels and damaging 9 craft. Seven grounded planes /ere riddled and airfields were embed, rocketed ^nd strafed. AST PLANES “Jack" fighter planes encounter d by Mustang pilots from Iwo ima's Seventh fighter command iave been described as navy in erceptors capable of more than 00 miles per hour. While his Fifth Air Force fight rs were hammering Kyshu, Gen. iouglas MacArthur reported from .fanila, Far East Air Force fight rs and bombers pummeled other See MUSTANGS Page l Stettinius Has High Praise For Charter Agreement Starts On Way Through Senate; May Be Ratified Without Amendment By Jack Bell WASHINGTON, July 9.—(/P)—Edward R. Stettinius, Jr., told the senate foreign relations committee today that the United Nations charter offers “a truly effective instru ment for lasting peace.” The silver-haired former secre tary of state testified as the first witness as the 50-nation agree ment reached at San Francisco, started officially through the sen ate amid indications it may be ratified without amendment or reservation. The historic session got under way four minutes late. Chairman Connally (D-Tex) opened the pro ceedings by inserting in the rec ord the speech of President Tru man to the senate the day the treaty was delivered, together with a copy of the treaty itself. The caucus room was jammed with visitors. Nineteen of the 23 committee members were present and several other senators sat on the sidelines. Connally formally announced that 50 United Nations had approved the charter in San Francisco. By a slip of the tongue he called it “ratified” and quickly caught himself. Speaking from a prepared man uscript in a large caucus room where the late Wendell L. Willkie expounded his one-world views, Stettinius declared: IN UNITY “I believe the five major nations proved at San Francisco beyond the shadow of any doubt that they can work successfully in unity with each other and with the other United Nations under this char ter.” No country has a greater stake, he continued, than the United States “in a speedy beginning up on the task of realizing in fact the promise which the United Na tions charter offers to the world.” The former secretary, designated by President Truman as the Am erican representative on the pro See STETTINIUS Page 2 COUNTY TAX RATES FIXED County - Wide Levy 36 Cents For General And 32 Cents For Schools County tax rates were fixed for the county as whole townships and special school taxing districts by th« Cleveland county commissioners sitting in special session this morn ing. Chairman Glee A. Bridges presided with Max Washburn and D. D. Lattimore, the other twc members attending. The county-wide rate is 36 cents for general purposes and 32 cents for schools. The general purposi rate is the same as last year while the school rate has been increased by seven cents. However, in Shelby the special school tax has been reduced by three cents to 22 cents and the hospital tax of five cents has been eliminated making the rate to apply in Shelby 90 cents instead of 91 cents as last year. ROAD TAXES Road taxes were levied in tin various townships as follows: No. 1 four cents; No. 1 24 cents; No. 3 eliminated; No. 5, 15 cents; No. 7 25 cents; No. 8. 36 cents; No. 9, 15 cents; No. 10, six cents; No. 11. 3C cents. Special school taxes were levied as follows: No. 1. two cents; No. 2, 10 cents; No. 3, three cents: Boil ing Springs. 40 cents; Grover, five cents; Bethware. 15 cents: Waco. 15 cents; Lattimore, 3 cents: Fallston 10 cents; Belwood, 10 cents; Pied mont, eliminated: Casar. 10 cents Polkville, 10 cents; Park Grace, t cents; Mooresboro. 3 cents; Shelby, S: THE WAR TODAY: ’■ Nomura Obviously Fishing In International Peace Pool By DeVVITT MacKENZIE, \P Writer of Ja paburo the most interesting spec ths week-end has been that in’p notorious Admiral Kichi Nomura doing a bit of vi gorous fishing in the peace pool. Nomura is by way of being an expert on peace—that is, on some aspects of it. He’s the fellow who was in Washington as the Mikado’s special envoy, talking peace and ex pressing Nippon’s deep affection for Uncle Sam, when the Taps made m | their treacherous attack at Pearl se Harbor. His name is deeply engrav ed on American memory. The admiral—casting a long line in the hope of hooking a bit of information—says that the Allies’ policy of unconditional surrender is only costing them higher casualties, j He admits there’s no sign that they are suffering from war-weariness, but declared: “As long as the enemy asks for Japan’s unconditional surrender she will have to shed blood proportion ate to the time and intensity of each battle.” WANTS INFORMATION | Nomura has been about a bit and isn't silly enough to think that any such statement would affect the See NOMURA Page 2 zz cents; ivings ivxuumtuu, ueuid Race Trouble Threatens In Ala. EUFAULA, Ala., July 9. -(&* With tension subsided, city police conducted an investigation today into a racial disturbance which flared here Saturday night and re sulted in the injury of a negro man Police Chief H. L. McCullohs said no further trouble was anticipated. No arrests have been made. The officer said fighting between whites and negroes broke out as an aftermath of the arrest of a negrc earlier in the week on a charge of raping and drowning a young white girl. A negro identified by McCullohs as Peter Paul Hall. 22. was arrested here last Thursday on charges of raping and drowning a young cotton mill worker. McCullohs said Hall had confessed and had been moved to another town tor safekeeping.