WEATHER Clearing today; cooler in east and cool in west followed by fair and colder tonight. Thursday,^fair and cool. Low temperatures tonight 25 30 in interior and freezing on coast. 1 Tfhe Schellli Baily Sim - State Theatre Today - “DUFFY’S TAVERN” Starring ED GARDNER, with 32 STARS CLEVELAND COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER SINCE 1894 TELEPHONE 1100 VOL XLII1— 308 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEWS SHELBY, N. C. WEDNEST \Y, Dec. 26, 1945 T7LEMAT PICTURES SINGLE COPIES— I Nation’s Holiday Death Toll Pushed By Traffic And Fires To 350 Figure Autos Claim More Than Half Of Total Deaths In Stormy •Christmas Season By The Associated Press Black crepe replaced the green holly in scores of the na tion’s homes today as mourning for victims of violent deaths over the Christmas holiday. A survey disclosed approximate ly 350 persons were killed violent ly, with more than one half of them victims of automobile acci dents. The traffic fatalities num bered 176 while at least 61 persons died in fires. Violent deaths by miscellaneous causes accounted for 111 victims. These included deaths by shootings, freezing, a tornado, train and airplane crashes and acci dents in the home. HOSPITAL FIRE The heaviest single toll over the holiday was taken In a hospital fire In Hartford. Conn., with 17 persons fatally burned. Six other ■ persons In Meriden, Conn., died In a fire at a home. Texas and California reported the most deaths by violence, 47 and 46, respectively. The fatalities In Texas were 29 victims of traf fic accidents and 18 by miscellan eous causes. Including 15 slayings. California topped the country In motor deaths with 35. In New York state 21 violent deaths were reported, including six in traffic accidents, while Illinois motor mishaps, all In Chicago, to talled three. Heavy snowfalls, rain and sleet In many parts of the country kept highway travel at a minimum over the holiday. ? The violent deaths by states, listing in order traffic, fire and miscellaneous causes: Alabama 0-1-0; Arisons 10-0-0; Arkansas 2-0-1; California 35-2-9; Colorado 10-0-0; Connecticut 0-23-2; Florida 0-0-4; Georgia 1-0-0; Ida ho 1-0-2; Illinois 3-1-11; Indiana 8-0-1; Kansas 1-0-0; Louisiana 3-2-3; Maine 0-0-5; Maryland 6-0-1; Massachusetts 0-0-2; Michi gan 8-1-2. Minnesota 2-2-0; Mississippi 3-0-3; Missouri 6-3-3; Nebraska 3-0-1; New Jersey 2-8-4; New Mex ico 9-0-3; New York 6-4-11; North Carolina 2-0-0; North Dakota 1 3-1; Ohio 9-2-1; Oklahoma 6-0-2; Oregon 1-0-4; Pennsylvania 7-3-2; South Carolina 0-0-7; South Da kota 1-0-0; Tennessee 2-0-1. Texas 29-0-18; Utah 0-0-2; Wash ington l-O-l; West Virginia 3-5-1; Washington, D. C. 0-1-0. States not listed did not report any violent deaths. SEEK STRIKE SETTLEMENTS EUctricol Workers Strike Impending As GM Ne gotiations Resume (By The Associated Press) The nation’s current major labor dispute, the General Motors strike, and a threatened walkout of 250,000 CIO Electrical Workers, held front rank in post-Christmas business along the country’s labor front to day. In Detroit, officials of General Motors and the CIO-United Auto workers planned to resume regoti ations, but the Wage issue—the un ion's demand for 30 per cent rate Increase—was not scheduled for discussion. In Washington, oflicials of the CIO United Electrical workers whose 250,000 members have authorized a strike in support of demands for a $2 a day wage hike, were sched uled to meet with labor department conciliators. The Detroit meeting said, Walter P. Reuther, UAW-CIO vice presi dent, was to deal only with pro cedure for handling local union grievances In the absence of a work ing contract. Agreements between the company and the union were cancelled after the strike of 175, 000 last Nov. 21. Meanwhile, picketing of the strike-bound GM plants, halted ov er th e Christmas-holiday , was maintained only on a token basis today. No date for a strike of the CIO Electrical workers has been set, al though a union spokesman said it might be called after the first of the year unless General Electric and Westinghouse “at least meet the offer of General Motors for 13 1-2 cents an hour increase.” Federal conciliators have invited GE and Westinghouse representa tives to meetings tomorrow and Friday. I CONGRESSMAN JOE W. ERVIN ENDS OWN LIFE Despondent Over Old In jury, Charlotte Man Sui cide At Washington CAUDLE FINDS BODY WASHINGTON, Dec. 26.— (/P)—Clutching a pistol and a razor, Rep. Joe W. Ervin, 44 year-old North Carolina dem ocrat, was found dead in the gas-filled kitchen of his home here Christmas day. Coroner A. Magruder Mac Donald issued a certificate of suicide by asphyxiation. Ervin, a first-termer, had com plained Monday night of an old leg ailment which had been com plicated by a fall last week and of a recent heart disturbance. He had just been released from Wal ter Reed array hospital after two days of treatment. The body was discovered by Theron L. Caudle, assistant attorney general and close friend who had called to take the lawmaker to Christinas dinner. THREE NOTES LEFT A note on the dodrstep address ed to Caudle warned that the house would be filled with gas. Two other notes were on the dining room table. One was ad dressed to Ervin’s widow, Susan, who had gone to Morganton, N. C„ to spend the holidays with her mother-in-law, Mrs. Samuel J. Er vin, sr. The other was to a. bro ther, Samuel, former Superior court judge at Morganton. Neith er was made public. Caudle said Ervin asked him in his note to tell his mother he had See CONGRESSMAN Page 2 WHAT’S DOING TODAY 7:30 pjn. — Student recog nition night at Methodist church. 9:30 p.m.—Jaycee Christmas benefit dance at armory. ICE STORM MAKES SHAMBLES OF COIJRT SQUARE—Cleveland’s beautiful court square had its trees broken down by the Christmas snow storm. Shown is -the courthouse with a view of a part of the d amaged trees. Photo by Floyd Willis. SEVEN KILLEDIN GAFFNEYCRASH Coroner Investigating Au tomobile Train Collision Christmas Eye CT ATTN ICY. 8. C .,*»e* Truman Defies Storm'To Fly Home For Christmas By ERNEST B. VACCARO INDEPENDENCE, MO., Dec. 26 —(A*)—President Truman went merrily about celebrating the Christmas holidays today as his home folk showed every disposi tion to allow him \ to do it in his own way. His round of Yuletide calls spread to Kansas City where friends were invited to drop into his office in the federal building for an ex change of season greetings. Mr. Truman covered plenty of territory upon his arrival here yesterday by plane from Wash ington through sleet and storm. He went immediately by automo bile over icy pavements for a 26 minute visit with his mother, 93 year-old Mrs. Martha E. Truman, at nearby Grandview. Mayor Roger T. Sermon of In dependence made it clear that there will be no> official observ ance of the President’s visit. “He came noma to spend the holidays with his family and close friends,” Sermon told reporters. ‘T expect to drop by for a handshake, that is all. We want the President to feel t Carolinas Emerging From Christmas Ice Storm Clearing Weather Helps Emergency Crews Speed Restoration Of Services (By The Associated Press) , tffldJW-amer ysaJt^..srfiW^^X>woUaiaDs today: following a severe Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ice storm that hit the two states, disrupting travel and communications. At least 12 persons were killed in accidents on slippery roads. Seven met death at Gaffney, S. C., when a passenger train struck their automobile at a grade crossing. Most of the North Carolina and the northern and western sections of South Carolina were hard hit by the ice storm, while the re mainder of South ' Carolina ex perienced heavy rains. Fair and cooler weather was pre dicted for both states tonight.and tomorrow. SECTION HIT HARDEST Asheville, Shelby and Hickory were among ttye North Caro lina cities reportedly hardest hit, being virtually isolated at the height of the storm yester Bus schedules and plane flights, almost all of which had been can celed, were gradually returning to normalcy today, while trains, still running behind scheduled, were ex periencing less difficult going. Many Christmas dinners were delayed because of power failures. Power and telephone company crews were still working today to restore facilities. Greenville and Spartanburg were among the South Carolina cities to feel the effects of the storm. Much of Greenville was without electric power for several hours yesterday morning, but slow ly rising temperatures and steady rainfall later in the day brought some relief. Damage to trees from the heavy ice burdens was widespread. GFs Reprimanded For Demonstration When Sailing Balked MANILA, Dec. 26—(fP)—Spokes man for 4,000 G.I.’s said a mass meeting would be held today to discuss cancellation of a scheduled home-bound transport sailing—af ter a mass protest march yester day brought both an explanation and a reprimand from their col onel, who was quoted as telling them: “You men forget you’re not working for General Motors—you’re still in the army.” The army newspaper Pacifican attributed the statement to Col. J. who ordered the men to their bar racks. He explained that the sail ing cancellation was in connec tion with consolidation of the 21st and 29th replacement depots. The men dispersed within 10 minutes, discarding their “we want ships” banners. FIRE HITS OLD .CHURCH PHILADELPHIA— (IP) —Old St. George’s church, Shrine of Amer ican Methodism and seven years older than the nation itself, was damaged by fire last night. The historic building, dedicated in 1769, is the second oldest Meth odist church in the world. day. C. Campbell, POLICY MAKERS OFF FORTOKYO WASHINGTON, Dec. 26 — (A*)— Nursing ambitions at policy mak ing rather than mere advice giv ing, the Allied Far Eastern com mission leaves today for Japan and a look-see at Gen. Douglas Mac Arthur’s administration. Weather permitting, commission members will board a plane here at 7:15 p. m. (EST). After flying to Pearl Harbor, they will complete the trip on the U.S.S. McKinley, a Navy command ship. They expect to return to Washington about February 15. The ifelO-nation commission made it plain in two months of deliberations in Washington that it does not expect to find any grave fault with the way MacArthur has administered Japan. Most commission mem bers have said they believe the Supreme Allied Commander has done a creditable job. What the commissioners will do is study carefully how United States directives to MacArthur have been carried out. Up to now, the commission has devoted most of its time to debat ing the directives themselves. A basic policy committee under lead ership of Australia’s foreign min ister, Herbert V. Evatt, has re written the original White House directive to MacArthur* issued shortly after the Japanese sur render. Wires Burned To Delay Warning Of Fire In Hospital HARTFORD, Conn., Dec. 26—