HENDERSON’S
POPULATION
13,873
TWENTY-SIXTH YEAR
ABSENTEE VOTE BAN REPORTED FAVOURLT
1400-Mile Chinese Back Door
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China’s answer to blockade by Japan is this new 1,400-mile highway from
Kweichow into Yunan province and on to Burma, built by Chinese peas
ants and providing a backdoor for entrance of munitions. This view
indicates the mountainous terrain the road-builders encountered. The
road is called one of the greatest engineering feats of modern times.
(Central P v ®,«r*
General Assembly So Far
Has Done About Nothing
Charlotte Junket Over, Solons Enter 44th Leg
islative Day Still Facing Major Problems of
Session; Some of Them Are Enumerated
Daily Dispatch Bureau.
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
BY HENRY AVERILL.
Raleigh, Feb. 23. —The Charlotte
junket over, members of the Gen
eral Assembly today began business
of the 44th legislative day without
the comforting thought of having
settled even one of the major issues
which confronted it on opening day,
January 4.
This is not said in any carpingly
critical spirit, but is a simple, fac
tual statement of the situation.
Foremost among the problems, of
course, is charting the State’s fin
ancial course for the next two years,
and at the moment this is written
the legislators have not even decided
upon the type compass they will use.
Perhaps by the time the finance
committee has gotten round to vot
ing on the report, its sub-committee
made Tuesday—this vote will likely
be reached late this afternoon —there
“Fair Trade”
Bill Hurting
Sandy Graham
Daily Dispatch Bureau,
In the Sir Walter HoteL
By HENRY AVERILL
Raleigh, Feb. 23. —Sandy Graham
may be getting a nice, fat fee for re
presenting wholesale grocers and
lobbying so hard for thff bill various
ly denominated “fair trade” and
“price fixing”, but he is doing him
self less than no good at all politi
cally by his activities.
That appears the practically unan
imous conclusion, gleeful on the part
of his enemies, regretful on the part
of friends of the former lieutenant
governor, who carried a score of
counties in the 1936 governor’s pri
mary.
Os course, it is admitted on all
sides that as an attorney Sandy is en
tirely within his rights, both legal
and ethical, in representing his
clients and representing them to the
very limit of his outstanding and
conceded ability.
Nevertheless and notwithstanding,
there is a widespread impression
that these lobbying activities will
prove V'3ry undesirable chickens
when they come home to roost, as
they most certainly will if ever the
(Continued on Page Eight)
CHIEF OF POLICE
OF WILSON BURIED
Wilson, Feb. 23.—(AP) —A funeral
service was held today for Police
Chief John Rufus Gurley, 54, who
came here in 1925 from the Green
ville police department. Gurley died
yesterday.
Hrnlirrsnn HatUt Dispatch
LF^if ed were SERVICE op
IHE ASSOCIATED PRESS.
will be something more definite to
say; but no matter what the result
of that vote, there now exists the
certainty of a long, arduous floor
fight on a number of revenue and
appropriations items.
Since last week, when the super
sub-committees of finance and ap
propriations locked their doors and
went into extra-executive sessions
there have been clear evidences that
the nominal leaders have been ap
plying strong pressure in an effort
to get back to the general scheme
of the Advisory Budget Commission’s
reedmmendations.
Report of the sub-committees
Tuesday indicated that so far as
these groups go that pressure has
been effective. The finance sub
group has fronted right manfully for
the undisguised desires of Senate Fi
(Continued on Page Five)
Income Tax
Proposal Has
Rough Going
Daily Dispatcli Bureau,
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
By LYNN NISBET
Raleigh, Feb. 23. —Senator John
Umstead has away of suggesting
sources of revenue which are admit
tedly practical and which will con
cedly produce large sums for the
State treasury, but he likewise has
chosen to suggest methods which
arouse intense opposition.
First was his liquor warehouse
bill. Nobody denies it would just
about solve the financial dilemma
of the assembly, but the drys are
holding up their hands in holy hor
ror and making the welkin ring to
their denunciations of this proposal.
Now comes the Orange county law
(Continued on Page Six)
Negotiations For
Franco Recognition
Pushed by France
Paris, Feb. 23.—(AP)—Sena
tor Berrard, semi-official FFench
envoy to Nationalist Spain,
crossed into Spain today for final
negotiations expected to bring
early French and British rec
ognition of the Franco regime.
A meeting of the cabinet was
set for Monday afternoon to
study parts of Berrard’s Burgos
discussions. It was expected the
cabinet then would decide on
formal recognition in an effort
to counteract German and Ital
ian influence in Spain.
ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THIS SECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA.
Would Apply
To Primary,
Not Election
Senate Passes on Sec
ond Reading Bill for
Compulsory Diphthe
ria Immunization; Tax
on Illegal Liquor Seiz
ures Is Proposed
Raleigh, Feb. 23. (AP)—The
House Elections Committee voted
today to report favorably to the
floor a bill to abolish absentee vot
ing in primaries and tighten absen
tee voting regulations in general
elections. A favorable report was
given overwhelmingly on an oral
vote.
Representatives Pickens, of Guil
ford, and Kerr, of Warren, led the
opposition.
A motion by Pickens to abolish
absentee voting entirely was reject
ed, as was a move by Kerr to retain
the privilege in both primaries and
elections. There was extended dis
cussion before the votes were taken.
The bill approved was drafted by
a sub-committee and was referred
to as a “compromise” during the de
bate.
The committee will meet tonight
to act on other measures drafted by
the sub-committee which provide a
new statewide registration, require
splitting up precincts in which more
than 1,000 persons voted in the last
gubernatorial election, and abolish
use of markers.
The absentee voting bill requires
that persons must apply for official
ballots in the period from 30 days to
two days before an election. Agents
except relatives are prohibited from
getting ballots, and the county elec
tions chairman is responsible
for handling the ballots. All ballots
must be delivered to the county
chairman by noon of election day.
The chairman must turn over the
registrars the day before election
any ballots he has received, and
none may be received after noon of
election day.
Kerr attacked the position of Rep
resentative Mull, of Cleveland, a
former State Democratic dhairman,
(Continued on Page Five)
Fayetteville
Wages-Hours
Suit Settled
Washington, Feb. 23.—(AP) —The
wage-hour administration announc
ed today that its first injunction
suit to enforce provisions of the fair
labor standards act had been settled
in North Carolina by the signing of
a consent decree.
Federal Judge I. M. Meekins
signed the consent decree at Eliza
beth City, N. C., officials said, per
manently enjoining the Central
Weaving and Spinning Company of
Fayetteville from paying less than
the 25 cents an hour minimum re
quired by the wage-hour law.
Consent decrees enjoining viola
tions of the fair labor standards act
also have been obtained in two other
(Continued on Page Eight)
Four Deaths
From Storm
In Windsor
Windsor, Feb. 23.—(AP) —Mrs. J.
S. Mizelle, 65, died today of injuries
she suffered in the tornado which
struck the Green’s Cross Roads com
munity of Bertie county late Tues
day. Her death was the fourth at
tributed to the wind storm which did
damage unofficially estimated at
$50,000 to $75,000.
Meantime, relief and rehabilita
tion activities continued, with Red
Cross representatives from Norfolk,
Va., and officers of the State High
way Patrol assisting local agencies.
A survey showed a number of
dwellings destroyed or damaged, and
9(5 persons affected.
Besides Mrs. Mizelle, the dead
v/ere: Robert Lawrence,
Lawrence and John W. Brown, po
lice chief at; Colerain.
Brown’s death was attributed to
the storm, although he was fatally
hurt in an automobile wreck.
R. S. Mizelle was originally re
ported dead, but the report was er
roneous. He was released from the
hospital yesterday after treatment
tor injuries. ♦
HENDERSON, N. C., THURSDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 23, 1939
Spain’s Dictator and Premier?
Reports reaching France indicate that General Francisco Franco (left)
will establish a new government in Spain with himself as dictator and
his brother-in-law, Serrano Suner (right), as premier. Suner is a leader
of the pro-Italian, pro-German Spanish fascists.
(Central Prea»)
Japan Is Demanding
Partial Control Os
Foreign Settlement
Request Presented
United States Au -
thorities in Shanghai
After Laying Plans
Before Other Powers
In Conquered Chinese
Port
Shanghai, Feb. 23.—(AP)—Japa
nese authorities, seeking a stronger
hand in the administration of the in
ternational settlement of Shanghai,
turned today to the commanders of
the United States armed forces for
presentation of their requests.
The Japanese arranged to see Ad
miral Harry Yarnell, ■commander
in-chief. of the United States Asiatic
fleet, and Colonel Joseph Feagan,
commanding the fourth regiment of
Marines stationed here.
.The Japanese already had con
ferred with civil authorities of the
settlement and with the commanders
of British and Italian defense forces.
Japanese marines yesterday, with
Italian consent, took over part of the
Italian defense sector in the north
west corner of the city.
Because the Italian defense zone
lies outside the permanent boun
daries of the settlment, this occupa
tion was not regarded as invasion of
the settlement itself.
The Japanese ascribed their pres
sure for a greater hand in the inter
nationally-administered settlement to
the necessity of suppressing a wave
of crime, including assassinations of
pro-Japanese Chinese.
The Japanese explained they re
frained from seeking Yarnell and
Feagan yesterday because it was
Washington’s birthday and a holiday
France Takes
Firmer Stand
On Dictators
Paris, Feb. 23. (AP) —France,
with what Frenchmen considered
implied American and British sup
port, today took the firmest stand
for “peace with honor” thaWshe has
adopted since Italy started the cam
paign for a share of French African
colonies.
Premier Daladier in a pointed ad
dress last night to the American club
of Paris, made plain his govern
ment’s policy of spending every
reasonable effort to maintain peace,
but refusing to yield to “blackmail.”
“We reject any idea of surrender,”
Daladier declared. “We cannot admit
(Continued on Page Eight)
WEATHER
FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Fair, not quite so coid tonight;
Friday partly cloudy and war
mer. i
Hong Kong Attack
Mistake, Japs Say
Tokyo, Feb. 23. (AP) —The
Japanese foreign office announced
today that the bombing of a rail
way station in British Hong Kong
Tuesday had been explained as a
“mistake” to British Ambassador
Sir Robert L. Craigie.
It was said that Foreign Minis
ter Arita invited Craigie to call
today and had offered an explan
ation of the attack, saying that
one Japanese plane dropped a
projectile within the crown colony
boundary “by mistake.” Arita ex
pressed regret.
Mystery Os
Ship’s Radio
Is Unsolved
Chatham Mass., Feb. 23.—(AP)—
Veiled in silence, the fate of a mys
terious unidentified vessel, which
sent a startling report that she had
been torpedoed and was sinking
about 36 miles south of the Azores,
today perplexed shipping heads and
government officials of two con
tinents.
No word oeen heard from the
ship since Radio Marine Corpora
tion here intercepted an electrifying
SOS signed “PECC” yesterday, and
the British steamer Empress of Aus
tralia, importing from the position
given in the call for help, radioed
she had sighted no sign of the ship
or wreckage.
Radio officials expressed belief
(Continued on Page Six)
63 Miners Refuse
To Come Out From
Shaft Until Paid
Hazleton, Pa., Feb. 23.—(AP).
—Sixty-three hard coal miners,
protesting they had not been
paid, remained deep in a Wolfe
Collieries Company mine at
nearby Oneida for the second
day today while company offi
cials arranged to distribute cur
rent wages they said w’ere five
days overdue.
Bunched around steam pipes
for warmth on levels 250 and 500
feet below the surface, the min
ers sent up word, however, that
they intended to stay under
ground uptil they also received
back pay they contended was
due them for more than a year
from a previous company re
gime.
The present operating concern
was organized a year ago thro
ugh bankruptcy proceedings.
PUBLISHED EVERY AFTERNOON
EXCEPT SUNDAY.
Roll Call Ordered
On Bill To Fortify
Island In Pacific
Wallace Outlines
Three Plans To Solve
Cotton Problem; Mor
genthau Says Business
Need. Fear No New
Taxes; May Cut Some
Down
Washington, Feb. 23. (AP)
Leaders forced a roll call when the
Houie convened today to bring out
maximum voting strength for the ad
ministration’s proposed - $5,000,000
naval development on the Pacific is
land of Guam.
Chairman Vinson, Democrat, Geor
gia, of the House Naval Committee,
demanded the roll call when only a
handful of members appeared just
before the scheduled vote on the con
troversial Guam project—a part of a
general measure authorizing the
building and development of naval
bases.
Other developments;
Secretary Wallace outlined to the
Senate Agriculture Committee three
possible plans for dealing with the
large surplus of American cotton.
The three ways ol' dealing with the
surplus problem, Wallace said, were:
1. To continue the present loan
program and find some way to re
place American cotton in world mar
kets “on a competitive basis.”
2. A program of increasing cotton
growers’ income so they would give
up government loans and permit a
large amount of cotton to flow into
domestic and foreign channels.
3. A plan for fixing a high price
on domestic cotton that will let the
surplus flow into world markets for
what it would bring.
The Senate passed a House-ap
proved bill to continue from next
June 30 to June 30, 1941, the opera
tions of the Export-Import Bank and
the Commodity Credit Corporation.
Secretary Morgenthau said at his
press conlerence that business men
not only need not worry about new
(Continued on Page Eight)
Doomed Kidnaper
Given Sanity Test
Before Zero Hour
Raiford, Fla., Feb. 23— (AP)
Three physicians and three at
torneys conducted a sanity test
of ransom kidnaper Franklin P.
McCall today in his death row
cell at the State Prison here. The
result of their test was not an
nounced immediately.
Meanwhile, McCall, scheduled
to die in the electric chair to
morrow at 11 a. m., lost in one
last-minute court plea for a re
prieve and awaited word of the
outcome of another. At New Or
leans, Judge Rufus Foster, of the
fifth United States Circuit Court
of Appeals denied again today
an application for a writ of
habeas corpus to stay tomorrow’s
execution of the 22-year-old con
fessed kidnaper of little Jimmy
Cash, of Princeton, Fla., last
April.
TAR HEEL GIRL IN
SERIOUS CONDITION
Matick, Mass., Feb. 23. —(AP) —A
23-year-old North Carolina girl col
lapsed today while walking along
the Worcester turnpike and was
brought to a hospital suffering from
pneumonia. Police said she gave her
name as Margaret Sprain, of (418
South Fourth Street), Wilmington,
N. C., and that she was trying to get
to Buffalo by hitch-hiking. She had
been employed in Boston until re
cently, officers said.
German Offer
Is Rejected
By Mexicans
Mexico City, Feb. 23.—(AP) —
United States Ambassador Josephus
Daniels announced today he had been
informed the Mexican government
had rejected a proposal to purchase
17 German planes in a barter deal
for Mexican oil.
It was understood on good au
thirity that Daniels, learning of the
projected trade, had registered ob
jections.
Since Mexico last March 18 ex
propriated oil properties of 17 Am
erican and British companies, Ger
many has become a leading market
(Continued on Page Eight)
8 PAGES
TODAY
FIVE CENTS COPY
Insurgent Diplomat
y .'■■■ ' If ||M|
Francisco Gomez Jordana
Francisco Gomez Jordana, foreign
minister of Spain’s Insurgent gov
ernment, is conferring with Senator
Leon Berard of France in Burgos,
Spain, completing negotiations for
full recognition of the Franco gov
ernment. Britain is expected to
follow France’s lead in the matter.
, (Central Preee)
Russia’wiT
Have Fleet
“Invincible”
Soviet Construction
Program Revealed at
Moscow With Big
Ships and Big Guns
Moscow, Feb. 23.—(AF) —An in
vincible Soviet Russian fleet was
forecast today by navy commander
M. P. Frinovsky in a statement pub
lished on the occasion of the 21st an
niversary of the red army and navy.
“We are constructing a large,
powerful fleet to defend the coun
try’s wealth and the peaceful labor
of citizens of the Soviet Union,”
Frinovsky wrote. “While pursuing a
constant policy of peace, demonstrat
ing repeatedly to all countries an aim
to safeguard peace, the Soviet Union
cannot remain passive and indiffer
ent in the face of the furious arma
ment race carried on by capitalistic
countries.
“Our own industry during recent
years has built and armed many new
ships for the navy, which in mil
itary quality, are not only equal to
the ships of imperialistic navies, but
even superior to them.
“During the third five-year plan
(Continued on Page Eight)
Chamberlain May
Mediate Between
France and Italy
Rome, Feb. 23.—(AP)—Hints
of mediation by British Prime
Minister Chamberlain of the dif
ferences arising from Italian as
pirations toward French ter
ritory appeared today in two
Italian newspapers.
II Popolo di Roma, in a dis
patch from London, said Cham
berlain was preparing a plan to
settle Italy’s as yet unofficial
claims for French colonial as
pirations.
II Resto del Carlino of Bologna
one of Italy’s leading provincial
organs, at the same time listed
fascist obstacles to mediation by
Chamberlain, and said Italy
would prefer Chancellor Hitler
of Germany to Chamberlain,
“but sincerely h;ped for success”
on Britain’s part.
(Confirmation was lacking in
official British quarters in Lon
don. The British view, as ex
plained there, has been that Italy
and France should deal directly.)