always abreast with
the changing time
in RANDOLPH COUNTY
THE COURIER LEADS
THE COURIER AND
ASHEBORO MARCH
IN STEP—AHEAD
BOTH ARE LEADERS
TBI.WEEKLY
mjmf.lx
&t. As The Regulator
February 2. 1876
Oldest Paper Published In Randolph County
princifx.es, not men
ASHEBORO, N. C., TUESDAY, DEC! 22, 1936.'
Changed To The Courier
September 13. 1879
$2.00 A YEAR IN ADVANCE
PUBLISHED TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SUNDAY
NUMBER 94
Carolina Power
Light Co. Reduces
Rates Next Year
seduction Makes Consider
able Difference In Light
And Power Rates
General Reduction j
Affects Cost Of Residential,
Farm And Commercial
Electrical Service
An important rate reduction has
been announced by the Utilities
Commissions, which affects the
cost of electrical service to resi
dential, farm and commercial cus
tomers throughout the territory
served by the Carolina Power fz
Light Company. The new top rate
is now down to 5c. An estimated
saving of more than $700,000 will
result for company patrons during
the next twelve months.
Under the new rate schedule all
residential, farm and commercial
customers are granted definite
benefits without exception and re
gardless of the amount of electri
city used in the past or consumed
in the future.
The new rate replaces and is i
lower than the inducement rates
already enjoyed in the past.
The action of the utility in re
ducing rates at this time comes as
a surprise to the majority of pat
rons as the drastic reductions in
1K!5 and 1936 were thought to re
present the climax of a series of
rate cuts made over a long period
of years. The cuts of last year and
the ycSr before made cheap elec
tricity a reality and many suppos
ed that the lowest possible level rn
cost hud been reached.
Effective on all bills rendered on
or after January' 26, all domestic
users will be billed as per the fol
lowing schedule: 5c per KWH for
first 50 KWH used, 3c per KW11
for next 50 KWH used, 2c per
KWH for next 150 KWH used, 1.5c
per KWH for all additional KWH
used.
The monthly minimum charge
will he $1.00 which includes the
use of 20 WH.
’ The new rate schedule reveals
that the tpp price of electricity to
domestic customers Is only a
nickel which is exactly one-third
of the top rate in 1916 and only
one half that of the top rate
charged only a few years ago.
The fact that the rate drops us
low as ltic per KWH enables
many users to purchase a large
portion of their current at a figure
considerably lower than in many
Sections of the country. The top
He of only 5c per KWH with
fcharp reductions in the schedule
down to the 114c per KWH mini
mum is evidence that cheap elec
tricity is a reality in this territory.
It is understood that the latest
r*tc reduction hAs been brought
about by the ready reception which
the public has given cheap electri
city.
FIND WRECK OF
ONE AIRLINER
Salt Lake City, Utah.—A north
west airlines transport, one of two
planes missing since • last week
?ver the Rockies, was sighted ly
ng wrecked in the wilds of north
Idaho Monday. The pilot was dis
•vcred the wreckage from the air
could not land to investigate but
»aid there was no doubt that both
of its occupants werfe' dead.
Hr. vestal back- •
AT HIS OFFICE
Karl Vestal, manager of tbj
Auman-Vestal Fjord agency, has re
overcd sufficiently from a some
what severe attack of influenza, to
he back at his office aft^r a ten
day absence.
Clement Clarke Moore
XXVI
He sprung to hts sleigh, to
his team gave a whittle,
And away they all flew like
the down of a ihittle.
(Continued in Next Issue}
Response Is Excellent
Post Card Cheer Fund
Says Local Welfare Head
_ 1
Chiang Release
_Expected Soon
Release of Premier Chiang Kai
shck of China, shown in his moat
recent picture, was believed im
minent, with the report that hia
abductor, Marshall Chang Hsueh
liang, had resigned all his offices
in Shensi province and would gw
abroad. Chang’s capital of Sian Fu
was threatened by Nanking armies
after tlie kidnaping, which was
staged in an' effort to force Chi
ang to declare war on Japan.
Secretary Of War
Asks More Troops
Alarming International Situa
tion Calls For Modern
Military Set Up
Larger Reserve
Sec. Woodring Wants Air
craft Building Program To
Be Accelerated
Making his annual report, Sec
retary of War Harry Wood ring
advised continuance of the present
policy of building up a moderniz
ed military establishment. In view
of the disturbed international
situation he recommended unrelax
ed vigor in the pursuance of this
objective and asked for increases
in trained reserve manpower,
fighting airplanes, and other
equipment.
"In the light of present world
conditions," he declared, “we can
not afford to neglect measures for
our own national safety. A secure
defense is our most dependable
guaranty against aggression by |
Others.
“Those who interpret the mea- j
sures of preparedness advocated by'
this department as provocative of
war are uninformed upon the true
nature of those measures. They are
ones which, menacing none, are
solely for. our own protection.
“They involve the maintenance
of only a small regular army, but
one which must be well trained and
well equipped so that in war it may
serve as the nucleus of our citizen
forces.”
Woodring advocated the creation
of an enlisted reserve of 150,000,
expansion of the national guard to
210,000 from its present strength
of 187,000 and maintenance of the
regular army at its present
authorized minimum enlisted
strength.
He also asked for 2,000 more re
gular odicers, to be added during
the next five years, and increased
sum,mer training facilities to care
for an expansion of 10,000 in the
number of reserve officers and 20,
000 in the number of youths train
ed annually.
The war secretary said of the
air force:
“The program for procurement
of aircraft should be accelerated to
provide for the delivery of sufficient
combat airplanes annually to reach
the authorized total of 2,320 serv
iceable military airplanes as early
as practicable."
Woodring recently said he hoped
congress would provide funds for
the purchase of 700 new planes in
(Please turn to Page 6)
Treats Have Been
Given For Needy
Fruits, Nuts, Candies And
Small Toys Included In
Christmas Cheer Bag's
Kiwanis & Scouts
Have Also Helped
Response Generous, But More
Needed To Fill All Empty
Stockings
Robert Lloyd, county welfare
officei, said Tuesday morning that
the response to the Post Cant
Christmas Cheer Fund has been
very good. With a little more help
he will be able to cover the county
so that every needy child will
have a treat on Christmas day, and
this help seems assured from the
manner in which people have al
ready been contributing.
Mr. Lloyd purchased this morn
ing enough for 100 children to be
gin with. Apples, oranges, candy,
nuts, and small toys will "be pro
vided the less fortunately situated
children of Randolph county
through the fund.
Many parents have already be
gun to come in for this Christmas
treat and many more are expected
daily from now on, but Mr. Lloyd
will send the gifts to those who
cannot come to Asheboro from
out in the county. Most of the
children will receive the treat
Christmas morning as if the re
sult of a regular Santa Claus visit
without knowing where it came
from, but the parents may give
the presents to the children in any
guise they wish without any
necessity of having the origin dis
closed.
The welfare office'Has also r
its Christmas pr
ceived aid
*
j>6t_Ca
eer Fund. A runttber
of toys have been secured through
the Kiwanis club and the Boy
Scouts. Several individuals have
made donations, and others have
signified their intentions of fur
nishing some needy family with a
Christmas basket. “As a whole the
response has been very gratify
ing.” said Mr. Lloyd.
While preparations for making
children cheerful and happy at
Christmas time are going along so
well, the ordinary needs of the wel
fare department should not be
overlooked. There is still a need for
boys’ and girls’ shoes and coats
for school children.
Officers Trying
Solve A Mystery
Asheboro police officers were
notified Tuesday morning of tne
finding of a hat lying in a pool of
blood and have been trying to un
ravel the mystery ever since. The
hat was found lying near the
bridge less than a mile from town
on the old Farmer road, near the
Frank Ridge home.
Officers have made contact with
the doctors of Asheboro to see if
anyone was treated for an injury
during the night or early morn
ing, but no clue has come from
that source. Neither did anyone in
that neighborhood hear a noise
during the night, which leaves the
mystery still a mystery. A citizen
from that section brought the hat
to the local officers who went* at
once to investigate.
B. S. MOFFITT OF
COLERIDGE HERE TUES.
B. S. Moffitt, prominent farmer
of Coleridge, was in Asheboro
Tuesday. Mr. Moffitt is among the
leading members of the Shiloh
Christian church. Mr. Moffitt is SO
years old but is very active for
his age and still takes part in all
church and community affairs.
Christmas Gre<
The Courier rJ
To our friends who are so far
away that our Christmas eve issue
will not reach in time, The Courier
staff—one and all—wish our many
friends a very happy Christmas.
To those who travel, we wish
safety. To those who remain at
home, we wish peace and joy with
their friends and loved ones about
then). Those who are too far away
to be with friends and at home,
we wish a deep contentment and
happiness and for the several be
reaved friends we wish comfort
and peace within. For young, folk,
we wish joy unbounded st this
glad season. And, in the vtords of
some wise person, "Thine own
wish, wish I thee,” is the senti
' '?■ ■
Earthquake’s Toll
Of Sunday Mounts
In San Salvador
Two Hundred Bodies Remov
ed In Early Hours Follow
ing Terrible Quake
- * *’4
Toll Increasing
Reaches To Nearby Villages;
Telephone And Telegraph
Connections Cut
With death tolls mounting every;
several hours, the city in ruins, the
dead lying about the streets, Sah
Salvador, Salvador, is a stricken
land. Officials feared Monday nigh§
that the death toll would continue
to mount after ZOO hundred bodies
were recovered as speedily as pos
sible from the wreckage of the
Sunday morning earthquake.
How high the deaths would reach
no one would estimate, but govern^
ment officials dispatched all relief
available to the area.
Accurate reports were made in-'
creasingly difficult to obtain be
cause of the disrupted communica
tions between the quake area and'
San Salvador.
Telephone and telegraph lines;
were ripped down by the quakea
and information could be had only'
from those who fled inland front
the scene.
The quake, which first struck the
sleeping city of San Cicente Satur
day night, crashed buildings and
shook the earth in villages nearby,
eyewitnesses said.
Refugees, with their families and
household belongings fled along
rural roads trying to reach safety
from the ever-menacing volcano
Sana Rita, southeast of San Vicen
te which some refugees said whs
erupting.
Adding to the fears of moltfen
lava pouring from the volcano over
the wrecked city was the specter of
epidemics. Much of San Vincente's
supply of drinking water was
poisoned by sulphur apparently
exuding from the smoking volcano
after the quake.
Government officials returning
'test night from the disaster area
said the widespread wreckage was
-impeding Teacoe’dlfcwfr and-waking*
virtually impossibly any accurate
estimate of the property damage
and loss of life.
T. D. McMasters
In Town Monday
T. D. McMastcre of Staley, route
two, one of Randolph county’s few
remaining grand old Confederate
veterans, was in Asheboro Monday
to collect his pension. Mr. McMast
ers will be 92 in the spring, but he»
is still active and alert physically
and mentally.
While in Asheboro Mr. McMast
ers stopped in The Courier office
for a few minutes. He has been a
subscriber to The Courier since it
was first published as The Regulat
or by M. S. Robins.
Accompanying him on his visit
to Asheboro were his daughter,
Mrs. J. C. Edwards, and Mr. Ed
wards, who make their home with
Mr. McMasters.
LIBRARY WILL CLOSE
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
The Randolph Public Library
will observe Christmas holidays
during a two day period. The
library will be closed on Friday
and Saturday of this week,
December 25-26, and those who
wish to secure books are urged to
do so, before closing hour Thurs
day. The library will reopen Mon
day, December 28.
DR. SIDNEY ROBINS
VISITING IN TOWN
Dr. Sidney Robins and two sons,
Richard and Ralph, of Canton, N.
Y., are visiting in the home of Dr.
Robins’ brother, H. M. Robins of
Asheboro. Dr. Robins is a son of
the late Marmaduke Robins, found
er of The Courier, and the late
Mrs. Annie Moring Robins. Dr
Robins is a teacher of philosophy
at the St. Lawrence University at
Canton, N. Y.
■tings From
o Our Friends
ment of The Courier staff.
In order that we, too, may have
a brief holiday we plan to issue a
newspaper 'on Thursday morning,
instead of Thursday afternoon, as
usual. This earlier issuance will
serve a two-fold purpose. It will
enable the advertisers to get a
last-minute message to their
customers and give The Courier
staff a holiday on Christmas eve
and Christmas day. On Saturday
the job department will again be
open and a Sunday paper will be
issued.
Again, may we wish you—one
and all—a very happy Christmas
and a pleasant holiday season!
He Didn’t DuckL^**
Life Sentence
-■
Harry Brunette, desperado cap
tured by G-Men in a spectacular
raid in New York, ducks the cam
era above, but he couldn’t duck
the. life term to which he was sen
tenced in federal court at Trenton,
N. J.. when he pleaded guilty to
kidnaping a state trooper. Note
the leg irons that shackle him.
TENTATIVE AGREEMENT
IN SHIP STRIKE
I S311 Francisco.—The first break
in the Pacific coast shipping strike
canie Sunday when Harry Lunde
berg, head of the sailors’ union,
statod that a tentative agreement
had been made with shipowners'
representatives. Ft is hoped thst
■terms will be reached soon that are'
agreeable to the other seamen’s
unions.
STRIKES TIE UP
AUTO INDUSTRY
Detroit.—Disputes in a score of
scattered factories making auto
mobile parts have resulted in near
ly 30,000 workers being on strike
and has caused major concerns con •
siderable worry. Strikes in glass
plants are bothering the Chrysler
-corporation, which is said to have
only enough glass to last until
January, and a tie up in a wheel
factory forced Ford to shut down
early last week.
ETHIOPIA READY
TO PROTEST AGAIN
London,—Ethiopia is preparing
a protest to the League of Nations
against the setting up of diplo
matic . posts by England and
France at Addis Ababa, which
would amount to formal recogni
tion of the Italian conquest,
Ethiopa holds. France has an
nounced that it will reduce its
Ethiopian legation to a consulate
general, usually established in
colonies of other powers, and Eng
land is expected to do the same.
Car Demolished
In Wreck Monday
What Highway Patrolman H. V.
Norris termed the worst wreck he
had ever seen for no one to be
seriously hurt occurred about 6:30
Monday on Highway 62, about
two miles west of town. A Ford
V-8 driven by C. S. Fowler ol
Asheboro and Charlotte struck a
Chevrolet belonging to Frank
'Sherly of Asheboro, the Ford be
ing damaged slightly and the
Chevrolet being completely de
"molished. Fowler sustained a few
cuts, but Sherly escaped unhurt
from the wreckage of his car.
The accident is said to ha ve
happened as Sherly, pulling back
onto the highway after being
parked on the shoulders of the
road, was struck by Fowler, who
was going west. After investigat
ing, Patrolman Norris charged
Fowler with reckless driving. Trial
has been .set for January 4, before
Justice of the Peace R. A. Colvin.
'* 5^3$*.'*/' .i.; v
Town Officers Con Mr
With PWA Director (m
Proposed PWA ProjecM
Mayor W. A. Bunch [
Is Making Plans
Walter Yew, City Treasurer,
Assisting In Plans For
town’s Progress
Two PWA Projects
Being Considered
City Fathers Have Ordered
Issuance Of $100,000 Bonds
For Improvements
Mayor Walter Bunch and City
Treasurer Walter Yow went to
Chapel Hill today to confer with
Stanley H. Wright, state PWA di
rector, in regard to Asheboro’s
proposed PWA projects.
The Asheboro representatives
discussed the details of the two
projects and the possibility of an
early approval with the PWA
director. The action of the city
commissioners in authorizing a
$100,000 bond issue Thursday for
Asheboro’s share of the projects
and the unqualified support given
this move by the Chamber of Com
merce and other leaders of the
town are expected to react favor
ably upon PWA officials.
As is generally known, these
funds are for improvements great
ly needed by Asheboro, the addi
tions to the water and sewer sys
tem being necessary for adequate
fire protection and satisfactory
sanitation, while the proposes!
community building-city hall will
provide a center for civic activities
and properly house city offices. If
Asheboro obtains these PWA pro
jects now, the city will get im
provements valued at approxi
mately $180,000 for $100,000, with
the government contributing the
remaining $80,000 in a free grant.
Mr. Bunch and Mr. Yow also met
with William M. Piatt, consulting
saiptar^ "engineer, jn Durham, with
'reference*^ tfie sanitary survey
Which Asheboro is planning to have
made of its sewer system. !
Winter Solstice
Occurred Monday
Asheboro lias had some mighty
cold weather already, but actually
winter did not arrive until yester
day.
At 7:27 a. m., eastern standard
time, Monday, the sun, which has
been moving southward in the sky
since June, reached the end of its
journey, and started northward
This moment, the “winter solstice,”
was the official beginning of wint
er. For people in the northern
hemisphere, the noon-day sun was
then at its least altitude.
Because it is so low, its ray are
spread out over a larger area than
at other times of year, and they
have less heating effect. This is the
reason for the cold weather of
December and January. However,
at this time, the sun is high in
the sky for residents of the south
ern hemisphere, and so they had
summer starting on the 21st.
MANY COUNTY SCHOOLS
ARE CLOSING TODAY
Practically all schools in the
county which did not close Friday
are winding up work and will close
today for the Christmas holidays,
County Superintendent T. Fletcher
Bulla said this morning. The
majority ceased work Friday, but
some decided to carry on the first
two days of this week.
i
Holiday Plans For Town’s
Business Houses For Week
Since an announcement a few
days ago to the effect that the
stores of Asheboro would be closed
for a double holiday following
Christmas eve, several changes
have been made in the plans.
Everything will be closed on
Christmas day, it is true, but the
Saturday closing is not general.
The following stores will be closed
on Saturday, as well as Christmas
day: B. C. Moore and Sons, H. and
H. Clothing Co., Kate Hammer’s
Millinery Shoppe, W. W. Jones and
Sons, Coffin and Scarboro, Hudson
Belk’s, Blooms, M’Lady’s Shop.
This leaves the ten cent stores
of the town, drug stores, grocery
establishments, furniture stores
and a few dry goods places open
on Saturday, December 26th. The
reason set forth in the signed
statement was to give the people
connected with these places of
business a longer holiday at
Christmas time.
The two banks in Asheboro, the
People’s bank at Randleman and
the Bank of Coleridge at Ramseur,
have previously announced that
/
Near 80, Kellogg
Sees Hopes Fade
Outside the swirl of interna
tional diplomacy. Frank B. Kel
logg;, above, former U. S. secre
tary of state and world court
member, now retired, goes into his
eightieth year with evidence that,
the peace measures to which he
gave much of his career are crubl
ing under the stress of new
European crises. Kellogg’s greatest
single .achievement was the Kel
legg-Briand peace pact. He was the
1929 Nobel peace prize winner. His
birthday falls on December 22.
ME Young People
Will Sing Carols
Epworth League Presented
“The Guest At The Inn”,
Play Of Christ Child -
Christmas Theme
Interest Growing In League
Meetings; Attendance
Sunday Numbered 60
The Young People’s Division of
the First M. E. church had good
attendance at both of its meetings
Sunday, December 20. At the
morning worship hour there were
105 in attendance and at the Ep
worth League there were approxi
mately 60. Interest is growing in
the league meetings and it is hop
ed that more will be out to ihe
meetings each week which are
held at 6:30 in the evening.
The meeting this week was
characterized by a short play en
titled “The Guest at the Inn.” The
setting was an old European Inn;
The inn-keeper had prepared food
and lodging in hopes that the
Christ Child might come to her
inn. There came to her on Christ
mas Eve, a rich lady, one who was
troubled and in distress, and one
who was homeless, hungry and
cold, with an infant in her arms.
After these had gone, she dis
covered that her food was gone and
if the Christ Child should come to
the inn, there would be no food
or lodging for Him as it had been
at the time of his birth.
Suddenly a voice from the dark
speaks to her: “Stacia, I was
hungered and ye gave me to eat,
I was thirsty and ye gave me
(Please turn to Page 6)
they will be closed from Christmas
eve until Monday morning, Decem
ber 28th.
Picture shows will be open with
Christmas programs. There will be
a service at the First Methodist
church on Christmas day with
early communion at 7, and
again at 9:00 a. m. for those who
do not attend the early service.
Schools closed at most places in
the county several days ago, but at
a few places work was continued
the first two days of this week.
All county schools began the holi
day period Tuesday afternoon,
however.
Few public celebrations have
been planned save a dance sponsor
ed by the local American Legion
for Wednesday evening. There are
a great many visitors and home
comers in town and several private
affairs on the social calendar. The
chief entertainment for the town
will be family gatherings and the
usual Christmas visiting by people
who will have sufficient leisure
during the holidays to visit their
friends and neighbors.
Pope Pius XI To
Speak To World
On Christmas Eve
Physicians Fear The Strain
t WiU Be Too Great For
The Weakened Pontiff
Grieves Over War
Pope Remains Motionless
From A Vericose-Conges
tion Condition
Reports from Vatican City reveal
news ethat the condition of Pope
Pius XI remains satisfactory but
attending: physicians state that it
will be necessary for the Holy
Father to remain very quiet. De
spite this, he decided to speak to
the world on Christmas Eve and
ordered Father Soccorsi, the Vati
can radio director, to prepare a
broadcast for 12:30 p. m. Rome
time—6:30 eastern standard time,
Thursday.
A microphone will be set up in
the Pope’s, study, next to his bed
room. He will be carried to his
desk and placed in an armchair for
the talk. The Pope’s physicians ex
pressed concern lest he overexert
himself and impair his recovery
from the slight attack of paralysis
and circulatory congestion that he
recently suffered. Firm in his stand
to broadcast, physicians were able
to dissuade him from his usual re
ception of cardinals on Christmas
Eve. On this occasion the Pope
sums up his joys and sorrows of
the year. In the sorrow column is
the bloody Spanish war over which
he will express his deep emotion.
An ancient proverb rules the
guarding of reports concerning the
health of the Pope—“the Pope is
not ill until he is dead.” Informed
sources explained this policy was
dictated by the Pontiff’s position
as sole ruler of the Catholic
church. As long as he lives, the
Vatican must take every measure
to avoid compromising the papal
authority of promoting speculation
concerning his possible successor.
Meanwhile, the Pope must re
main motionless because of a veri
cose condition of his left leg which
remains about the same. Nothing
has occurred to cause his condition
to become worse or to cause any
alarm over his general condition.
The Pope continues to attend to
the duties of his office, issuing
orders and attending to their dis
charge. Physicians have held con
sultation about injecting the new
est treatment for blood pressure
but, because the treatment iB
somewhat strenuous, Dr. Milani,
attending physician in charge of
the case, hesitates to use it on the
75-year-old Pontiff.
Steel Districts
Rebel Union Plan
Three Major Steel Districts
Display Disapproval Of
Union Tactics
Favor Lewis* Plan
Claims Industry Employing
Dog-In-Manger Attitude
With Trade Union
Joining forces with John L.
Lewis’ Committee for Industrial
Organization, representatives of
three major steel districts of the
eastern United States, displayed
their rebellion Sunday night
against the steel industry’s union
plan.
The first big movement of com
pany union men into the Lewis or
ganization followed a warning by
Philip Murray, Lewis’ chief aide,
that a strike in the $5,000,000,000
industry might result “if the in
dustry continues to employ its dog
in-the manager attitude,” in deal
ing with trade unions.
Claiming that the steel workers’
organizing committee has enrolled
128,000 of the industry’s 800,000
workers since its drive was started
in June, Murray said:
“It has not been our purpose Jo
organize steel by calling a strike.
But may I venture to say that if
the industry continues to employ
its dog-in-the-manger attitude
and refuses to deal with a trade
union, the results must necessarily
rest on the doorsteps of the man
agement.”
A group of 260 company union
representatives, assembled here
from the Pittsburg, the Cleveland
Youqgstown and the Eastern dis
tricts, heard Murray* who is the S.
W. O. C. chairman, appeal for or
ganization of the workers into an
industrial union.
Then, a few minutes later, they
adopted (resolutions unanimously
condemning the company union
plan as a “farce,” and establishing
a new organization called the “CIO
Representatives' Council;” with
this “declaration of principles.”' ...
1. All steel workers be
ed into a national industrial i
2. Employe representatives
(Please turn to Page 6)