HENDERSON’S
POPULATION
13,873
TWENTY-FIFTH YEAR
FRANCE AND RUSSIA TO FIGHT FOR CZECHS
Military Might of Nations Draws Interest Following Hitler Coup
“SSslf , ' s [ 7” i 7 |NEWeERMANARMY2,3O6POoB« ..... „ ..d
54a,740 788000, RBeRVe | f SIQ,OGX>
An ,. T are official figures— actual vj?/ c \
-a64 €>9Q 1 I COu Would be more \,RUSS/A)
S, i Russian army'
FRENCH ARMY [StoHDm) 0 t 19 ,000,000
6,196,637' f _ J r9r \ ACTIVE 1,545,000
ACTIVE 698,637 J «*"** I*4SSOOO|
f)n> jv!
A ACTIVE 164,000
O r Madrid f zi RESERVE 1,711,000
PART OF AUSTRIAN TYROL (NOW I NC* \ A .V^
ITALIAN) TO BE. RESTORED ? | Wt I
/V- I italy's~army I ._r—
v —6,29-4-, 395- -V. / f
‘ 7 * ” 1 ACTIVE 1,534,595 \
|| 9/ V I RESERVE 5,636,000 ] & )
Lineup of Military Pow er of European Nations.
As Europe’s blood pressure rises over Hitler’s coup in making
Austria part of the new German empire, attention is focused in
the armed strength of the nations and on the Rome-Berlin axis.
The map shows the comparative strength of the armies of Eu
rope, although Germany’s actual war strength actually is far
over these official figures, as she has a three-fourth greater man
power than France. Hitler also has added approximately 188,-
Pittman Denounces Ickes In
Opposing Reorganizing Bill
“Nothing on Earth But
What Ickes Wants To
Meddle With It,”
( Senator Says
REORGANIZATION TO
GIVE ICKES POWERS
Roosevelt Plans To Trans
fer Forestry Service To
Secretary, Nevadan As
serts; Treasury Has Record
Income Tax Collections
First Half of Month
Washington, March 16. —(AP) —Sen-
ator Pittman, Democrat, Nevada, urg
ing modification of the administra
tion’s reorganization bill, told the
Senate today that “there is nothyvg
on earth hut what Secretary Ickes
wants to meddle with it. ’
Pittman argued for adopt'on es the
Wheeler amendment to '.he bill, say
ing he had received “eucuoritative”
information that, if t’v> bill passes,
President Roosevelt plann J to trans
fer some of the functions of the For
est Service to the Department of In
terior, headed by Ickes.
“If the secretary of the interior had
such a character and disposition as
to listen to the advice of the forestry
experts who have directed this work,
(Continued or Page Three.)
Known Dead
17 In Storm
Over Valley
Seven Mississippi
Valley States Rak
ed by Spring Tor
nado in Night
(Bv The Associated Press.)
With the bodies of 17 known dead
recovered, authorities in seven Missis
sippi valley states directed searchers
today for possible additional victims
°f a cyclone of tomadic proportions.
The great storm hit portions of
Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee, Ar
kansas, Illinois and lowa yesterday,
leaving an estimated 1,000 persons
homeless.
Prom time to time, as the cyclone
&wept northward up the Mississippi,
tContinued on Page Three.)
Hentesmt Bmlit Slate* s
WIRE SERVICE OF
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
Cate Burgess To Succeed
Dr. Poteat As Dry Leader
Prohibition Forces of State to Plan in Greensboro Fri
day for “Now or Never” Drive for State Referen
dum to Rid State of Legal Liquor
Daily Dispatch Bureau.
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
Raleigh, March 16—United Dry
Forces of North Carolina, meeting at
Greensboro Friday, will select Cale K.
Burgess of Raleigh to succeed their
dead leader, Dr. W. L. Poteat; will
call a statewide referendum on state
wide prohibition; and will do every
thing in their power to line up satis
factory candidates for the 1939 North
Carolina General Assembly.
The meeting will pointedly ignore
the race for the United States Senate
in which incumbent Robert R. Rey
nolds and aspiring Congressman
Frank Hancock are the leading con
tenders.
None of these forecasts is made on
the authority of any of the dry lead
ers, who so far hiave said little or
nothing definite for publication re-
Measles May
Cut Records
For Schools
Raleigh, March 16 (AP) —Lloyd
Griffin, secretary of the school com
mission, said today it was too early
to tell whether the measles raging
over the State would reduce the aver
age attendance in schools enough to
,cause reductions of teacher allot
ments next year.
iSome communities whifere measles
occurred in near epidemic proportions
causiing schools to close, have ex
pressed concern.
"‘We cannot tell about teacher* al
lotments until we have the average
attendance figures for the year,” said
Griffin. “If measles cause a general
drop in attendance, the commission
might have to alter its regulations.”
Through Saturday 16,770 measles
cases had been listed since January
1, compared with 7,938 in all of 1937.
coupTe”groupTof
BANKERS TO MEET
Raleig v 4 March 1 ,16 (AiP) —Paul
Erown, secretary of the North Caro
lina Bankers Association, announced
today that bankers of group two
would meet March 26 at Wilson,
Group 7 April 23 at Southern Pines.
ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THIS SECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA.
000 to his German army, by annexing Austria. The map also
shows the Italian Tyrol, which, some reports say, may be given
back to Austria by Premier Mussolini of Italy. Although now a
part of Italy, that section of the Tyrol lying within II Duce’s
domain is predominantly German in race and language. It was
allotted to Italy following the World War.
garding the Friday session; they are
made, rather, on what the dry lead
ers did not say and on the very appa
rent logic of the situation.
Mr. Burgess, in a conversation with
your correspondent, said that no fix
ed or definite program or agenda
has been worked out for the meeting;
but that leaders are canvassing the
situation with a view to having some
concrete plan to present. Naturally
he would not admit that he will be
come the titular head of the United
Drys, for whom he has done practi
cally all the detail and arduous work
for many years.
It seems almost certain, however,
that he will he elevated to the post
held by the beloved Wake Forest pres
ident-emeritus, whose death shocked
(Continued on Page Three.)
iRSJOHL NOTTO e
Lacks Dry Support and Dark
War Outlook Knocks
Props From Platform
Raleigh, March Helen
Robertson Wohl will not run for the
United States Senate this year, the
lady who garnered practically 100,000
votes against Charlie Johnson in 1936
having decided against the venture
after making a full canvass of the
situation.
Mrs. Wohl hasn’t confirmed this
statement, her nearest approach to a
commitment being a promise that she
would issue a definite statement one
way or another before the end of this
week.
At one time Mrs. Wohl was all but
“in” the race, lacking little of mak
ing it official except paying the SIOO
fee and formally filing with the State
Board of Elections; but, according to
exceptionally reliable information
reaching your correspondent, she is on
the eve of a formal statement in
which she will regretfully decide not
to oppose Robert R. Reynolds and
Congressman Frank Hancock.
This information is confirmed by
(Continued on Page Three.)
HENDERSON, N. C., WEDNESDAY AFTERNO ON, MARCH 16, 1938
S S NATION
UNDER ROOSEVELT
Impossible Under Present
System To Have Controls
Now Being Fasten
ed on People
SPEAKS TOG. O. P.
STATE CONVENTION
1936 Republican Vice-Presi
dent Candidate Is Keynot
er at Charlotte; Choice Is
Democracy and Free Com
petition or Planned Econ
ony in U. S.
Charlotte, March 16 (AP) —The
North Carolina Republican Con
vention adopted a platform today
promising sweeping tax, election
anil financial reforms in the j&tate
government, and criticizing in se
vere terms the State and national
Democratic administrations.
Declaring the New Deal Jiad
“fostered socialism, communism
and dictatorship, and has made
free America into a land of ty
ranny and oppression,” the plat
form called upon the citizens of
North Carolina to “join battle
with those who would destroy the
constitutional liberties of our
people,”
Charlotte, March 16—(AP)—Colonel
Frank Knox, Chicago publisher, and
Republican nominee for vice-presi
dent in 1936, told North Carolina Re
publicans in an address prepared for
delivery here today that it was up to
(Continued on Page Three.)
SEEK~BANISHMENT
OF N. C. ILLITERACY
Governor ,11 oey Bets That As His
Goal by 1940, or at Least to
National Average
Raleigh, March 16 (AP)—Governor
Hoey today set as a goal for North
Carolina the practical banishment of
illiteracy 'by 1040, or at least bring
ing North Carolina in line with the
national average.
He spoke to the State Adult Edu
cation Advisory Council here.
The conference’s purpose, he said,
is to coordinate efforts to reduce il
literacy in North Carolina.
WEATHER
FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Cloudy, showers this afternoon
and in east and central portion
tonight; warmer in east and north
central portions tonight; Thurs
day partly cloudy.
Hitler Comes Home
Because Os Crisis
For Baltic States
Clash of Poland and Lithuania Reported To Have
Drawn Polish Ultimatum; Warsaw Denies Desire To
Annex Neighbor; Hit ler Fears New Turn
Berlin, March 16 (AP)—A German
army source said today that Reich
fuehrer Hitler was returning hur
riedly to Berlin because he had re
ceived word that Poland had pre
sented an ultimatum to Lithuania
expiring late tonight.
Details of the ultimatum were not
known, hut it was believed based on
a frontier clash of March if, for
which Poland was demanding satis
faction.
Hitler, returning from his trium
phant annexation of Austria, left
Munich for Berlin at 2:45 p. m. (8:45
a. m., eastern standard time) today.
Government Forces Halt
Franco’s Push To Coast
Swift Drive Brought to Abrupt Standstill by Desperate
Resistance; Heavy Battle Being Fought at Strategic
Highway Junction In East Spain
Hendaye, France March 16 —(AP) —
Stubborn resistance by government
forces brought General Francisco
Franco’s swift drive to the sea to an
abrupt halt today.
The insurgent general staff order
ed a heavy concentration of troop 3
east of Alcaniz to speed back 30 miles
to Caspe, fearing their offensive may
have over-reached itself and exposed
their left flank.
Although insurgent dispatches last
night announced their motorized for
ces had completed occupation of
Caspe with little or no resistance, to
day they said a heavy battle was be
ing fought in the city’s outskirts.
TSe
Says Pan-German Expan
sion Will Never Pene
trate Northern Border
Rome, March 16 (AP)—Benito Mus
solini today promised his people that
the pan-German expansion never
would penetrate Italian frontiers, but
at the same Lime pronounced a bene
diction on Adolf Hitler’s absorption
of Austria.
“Our frontiers are sacred,” II Duce
shouted to an assemblage that filled
the Chamber of Deputies. “We will
not discuss them; we will defend
them.”
His promise was broadcast to all
Italy. It was the premier’s reply to
doulbts of his own people, alarmed
over the expansion of a mighty Ger
man state to the Brenner Pass, gate
way between Austria and Italy.
In public squares throughout Italy,
Mussolini’s followers gathered around
loud speakers to hear II Duce, hop
ing for reassurance about the Ger
man surge southward.
Neither itbe declaration of Satur
day’s Fascist grand council, nor re
peated assertions in the press that
the Anschluss (union) bore* no men
ace for Italy, had entirely appeased
(Continued on Page Three.)
CHINESE ATTACKS
SCORE BIG GAINS
Spirited Drives '.Made in Three Pro
vinces of .Yellow River Sec
tor, Chinese Say '
Shanghai, March 16.—(AP)—Spirit
ed Chinese counter-attacks scored
successes in three provinces of the
Yellow river sector, Chinese reported
today.
After throwing back Japanese spear
head forces which had crossed the
Yellow river in northern Shansi pro
vince, and in northwestern Honan.
Chinese claimed fresh victories north
of the river guarding the Lunghai
railway.
Thet rapid Japanese march south
ward failed to wipe out numerous
Chinese units which were now clos
ing in on thinly garrisoned Japanese
outposts.
| While Japanese said they were driv
i ing southward on the Tientsin-Fukow
I railway in eastern Shantung, Chinese
claimed a successful counter-offensive
' in violent fighting north of Lini.
pu ß l,.h™ c ™^ n »kt™«oo« five CENTS COPY
The army sources said he original
ly had intended to remain several
days longer in Vienna, wheie he con
cluded his historic four-day Austrian
visit yesterday, but that the Polish-
Lithuatnian crisis called him back to
Berlin-.
The Polish press has been attack
ing Lithuania angrily over the bord
er fight between frontier guards, in
which a Pole was shot and killed.
The newspapers declared the man
was deliberately ambushed.
There have been reports Poland
wants to annex Lithuania, but offi
cial circles in Warsaw emphasized
that Poland rejected any such idea.
Dispatches indicated government,
troops still controlled part of the
strategic city of 20,000 population at
the junction of the most important
highways in northeastern Spain and
in the east central part.
The government said heavy rein
forcements from the north had cross
ed a river rushing to the defense of
Caspe. Earlier the insurgents had
pushed beyond Alcaniz, to the south,
almost to Valderrobres. The latter
city is only 35 miles from the Mediter
ranean coast, objective of the insur
gent thrust to sever government
Spain’s capital of Barcelona from
Valencia and Madrid.
THREAT OF WAR IS
SEEN BY EVERY ONE
If It Comes It Will Be Little
Surprise to World As
in 1914
By CHARLES P. STEWART
Central Press Columnist
Washington, March 16. —The World
War threat undoubtedly is more ob
vious today than it was in 1914, until
it actually began.
That is to say, it is obvious to more
people.
The European populace was not ob
livious to the danger for several years
before the last general conflict broke
out, but the average individual, even
in Europe, had not much realization
of it. In fact, military and diplomatic
wiseacres themselves did not recog
nize it for all it was worth. The con
flagration started suddenly enough to
surprise them and spread far mor*
extensively than they had expected.
Indifference in 1914.
As for the United States, probably
not to exceed one citizen in 1,000,000
was aware that any such danger
(Continued on Page Three.)
NEW INFORMATION
IN LEVINE AFFAIR
Ragged, Elderly Man Tells of Seeing
Two IStrange Men Near Home
Day of Kidnaping
New Rochelle, N. Y., March 16.
(AF) —A ragged-garbed elderly man
who volunteered possibly vital infor
mation in connection with the 20-day
old kidnaping of Peter Levine, 12, son
of a New York lawyer, was quostione .1
by New Rochelle police and G-men to
day.
“I saw two men in the empty two
story frame house a block from the
Levine home, where one of the ran
som notes was found, on the day of
the kidnaping,” the man was quoted
ty police as saying.
The informant volunteered a de
scription of the two men, whom he
styled as “acting suspiciously” to po
lice at the station on the lower east,
side of Manhattan. He was imme
diately taken to New Rochelle.
The ransom note was found by
Peter’s mother, Mrs. Murray Levine,
under a rock on the front porch of
the empty.house, at 126 Fifth Avenue,
New Rochelle, on directions from an
other note slipped under the fron f
door of the Levine home nearby.
TWO BIG NATIONS
TO RESIST HITTER
SHOULD HE ATTACK
Paris and Moscow Exchange
Assurances of Mutual
Aid for Czechslo
vakia People
BELIEVED, HOWEVER,
NEXT HITLER MOVE
Fighting and Bombing
Planes of France and So
viet Russia To Be Rushed
into Fray if Der Fuehrer
Resorts to Force; Pledges
Made Czechs
Paris, March 16.—(AP) —France and
Russia agreed today that both would
fight to defend Czechoslovakia, jf she
were attacked.
Jacob Suritz, Soviet ambassador to
France, called on Foreign Minister
Paul-Boncourt and delivered assur
ances similar to those delivered by
the Soviet ambassador to Praha —that
Russia would fight for the defense of
her Czech ally.
Paul-Boncour replied to the assur
ances with the promises that France,
too, would fight in the same cause.
Adolf Hitler, fuehrer of a realm
expanded last week by his Austrian
coup, has proclaimed himself the “pro
tector” of all Germanic peoples on
Germany’s borders.
Incorporation of Czechoslovakia’s
3,500,000 Sudeten Germans ;s believed
to be the next objetive of Hitler’s
pan-Germanism.
Botn France and the Soviet Union
planned to rush fighting and bomb
ing planes to Czechoslovakia if Hitler
resorted to force to achieve this ob
jective, informed sources said.
Russia, it was said, informed France
that Soviet railway lines recently had
been connected with Czechoslovakia’s
transportation network through an
intervening Roumanian railway.
Both France and the Soviet Union
—themselves bound by a mutual as
sistance pact—-have treated directly
with Praha, pledging military aid. To
day’s re-affirmation of the pledge be
tween them was considered by dip
lomatic circles to have reinforced the
Franco-Soviet pact.
Commons Has
Bitter Talks
About Spain
London, March 16 (AP) —'Opposi-
tion to Prime Minister Chamberlain
today won the opportunity for full
debate on foreign affairs in the
House of Commons.
A surprise motion for adjournment
because of the government’s lack of
“policy to counter the grave menace”
to British peace in Italian and Ger
man intervention in the Spanish civil
war was made by Opposition Leader
Clement Atlee. This was accepted by
the speaker and threw tjie House
open to an urgent review of foreign
policy.
The harassed prime minister whose
“realistic” hope of dickering with
Reichfuehrer /litler had faded with
the absorption of Austria, had just
entered the House after a two-hour
cabinet meeting, in which the wisdom
of a sterner policy was discussed.
Chamberlain arose and said:
“I decline bo be rushed into mak
(Contlnued on Page Three.!
Austrians
Suicide As
A Way Out
London, March 16 (AP) Major
Emil' Fo»y!, the Austrian anti-Nazi
leader, whose philosophy is was “life
is not the highest good,” was report
ed today to have killed himself, his
wife and son in Vienna rather than
face the new Nazi regime under
Fuehrer Hitler.
Reuter’s (British) News Agency
and Exchange Telegraph (British)
Agency, carried Vienna dispatches
reporting the deaths.
Authorities at Vienna refused any
statement, Reuter’s said.
The agency reported also that Fried
erich Reitlinger, president of an in
dustrial holding company of the Ty
rol, likewise was said to have killed
himself.
Prof. G. Bayer, of the University of
Innsbruck, was found dead. He was
said to have poisoned his daughter
and himself, presumably to escape
possible arrest by the Nazi succes
sors to the ousted Chancellor Schus
chnigg.
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