HENDERSON’S
POPULATION
13,873
twenty-sixth year
TROUBLE GROWS IN KENTUCKY COAL HELDS
Escapes Kidnapers
~ . ‘
Authorities are investigating re
ported kidnaping of George Palmer
Putnam (above), wealthy pubJjF., e r
husband of the late Amelia Ear
hart, who said he slipped his bonds
and escaped abductors in Bakers
field, Cal. Putnam recently reported
receiving threats because of an
anti-Nazi book he is publishing.
Dies Group
Gets Access
To Incomes
Executive Order Per
mits Examination of
Returns of Alleged
Communists, Fascists
Washington, May 15. —(AP) —
President Roosevelt today opened up
Federal income tax records to
Chairman Martin Dies and the
House committee investing un-
American activities.
The Treasury made public an
executive order of the President
making the records available a few
days after Dies, complaining of pre
vious lack of cooperation from ad
ministration from administrative
agencies of the government, de
manded the right to look at the in
come tax returns of a number of al
leged communists and fascist lead
ers in the United States
The Treasury order, accompany
ing the President’s specified that the
committee could obtain any returns
it wanted by submitting a written
list, and “any information thus ob
tained by the committee or the sub
committee thereof, which is rele
vant or pertinent to the purpose of
the investigation, may be submitted
by the committee or the sub-com
mittee to the house.”
Congress To
Ban Bergdoll
From Country
Washington, May 15. — (AP)
The House 1 and' sent to the
Senate today a bill designed to pre
vent the re-entry into the United
States of Grover Cleveland Berg
uoll, World War draft dodger.
The measure would deny re-en
try to persons previously convicted
of wartime desertion by courtmar
tial, who fled the jurisdiction of the
United States and who have re
mained outside that jurisdiction
continuously to escape punishment.
It was reported recently that
Bergdoll planned to return to the
United State* from Germany td
: erve out a five-year prison sent
ence .
Roosevelt Plans Visit
To Frisco’s Exposition
Washington, May 15.—(AP) —The
White House said today that Presi
dent Roosevelt would go to the
Golden Gate Exposition at San
Francisco next month if it appeared
that Congress would not adjourn un
til late July or early August.
Stephen Early, press secretary,
said that should the indications- be
that Congress would quit in early
July, the President probably would
delay the trans-continental journey
until after adjournment. Present
TivtTjivrsnn Datlii Sispafrlt
u Vffi D * B sga T B?vigj > or
Wage-Hour Changes
Withheld From Vote
By House Leaders
Administration Forces
Apparently Feared
Defeat at Hands of
Farm Bloc, Backed
By Powerful Farm
Organizations
Washington, May 15.—(AP)—Ad
ministration leaders, apparently
fearing defeat, suddenly changed
plans and refused to permit the
House to consider or voce today on
changes in the wage-hour law
Strong farm bloc opposition had
developed over the week-end. To
day, when the House met, Chairman
Norton, Democrat, New Jersey, of
the labor committee, announced on
the floor that, contrary to expecta
tions, he would not ask for consid
eration of the amendment. House
leaders had planned to call up the
provisions under a procedure which
would have required a tyo-thirds
vote for passage and which would
have prevented any alterations to
the committee-approved amend
ments
It was learned 'that they agreed
there was little chance of obtaining
that degree of support, especially
in view of the firm opposition of
five farm organizations, which said
Saturday that the amendments, in
stead of exempting more agricul
tural labor than the present law,
would place agriculture in a “straight
jacket.”
There was no immediate indica
tion whether Mrs. Norton would
decide later to attempt to obtain
House approval for the changes or
whether the question would be
dropped for this session of Congress.
Farm members, backed by the
American Farm Bureau Federation,
and other leading farm organizations
objected to amendments intended to
clarify exemptions pertaining to ag
ricultural labor.
The law now exempts from both
the wages and hours provisions
farming operations in the “area of
production” as defined by Elmer
Andrews, wage-hour administra
tor. Difficulties in administration
induced the committee to substitute
a section exempting 16 specific farm
operations, so that employees per
forming that could be on duty a
maximum of 60 hours a week be
fore the overtime provisions for pay
of time and a h{lf would apply.
Textile Union
Merges With
Union Os CIO
Philadelphia, May 15.—(AP) —The
Textile Workers Organizing Com
mittee, powerful CIO affiliate, was
merged today with the United Tex
tile Workers of America, a CIO
group that ousted its president five
months ago for trying to reaffiliate
with the A. F. of L.
The amalgamation proposal was
approved unanimously by more than
700 delegates at the opening session
of simultaneous national conventions
of the two organizations. The new
union will retain temporarily the
name of the United Textile Workers
of America. It will take over all
financial organizations and labor
contracts of the TWOC.
A few minutes before the merger
vote, the United Textile delegates
ratified action of the union executive
council in expelling former Presi
dent Francis J. Gorman last Jan
uary because he had “entered upon
a dual and disruptive course of con
duct.”
Gorman had proposed that the
United Textile Workers secede from
the CIO and join the AF of L, of
which is originally was a part.
indications generally are taken to
mean that Congress will not adjourn
early. The President may, there
fore, leave Washington about June
15
Present plans are for the chief
executive to go first by train to
Asheville, N. C., to dedicate the
Great Smoky Mountains National
Park about June 19. From there
he is to motor through the park to
a point in Tennessee and then take
a train from San Francisco.
ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN THIS SECTION OF NORTH CAROLINA AND VIRGINIA.
Russia Not
Yet In Line
With Britain
Reply Received a t
London Fails To Ad
here to Proposals for
Mutual Defense i n
Event of Attack Upon
Poland
London, May 15. —(AP) —Soviet
Russia’s reply to Great Britain’s
counter-proposals for getting the U.
S. S. R. into the British-French front
was received at the foreign office
today and passed on to the French
government. Foreign office officials
said they could not disclose its con
tents, but in diplomatic circles it
was agreed generally that it did not
accept the British plan
Britain had suggested that Rus
sia should agree to help Poland and
Roumania if these countries were
attacked and asked for help. She
stipulated specifically that Russia
guarantees should not come into
effect until Britain and France were
fighting for the two nations.
Prime Minister Chamberlain ear
lier had told the House of Com
mons that Foreign Secretary Vis
count Halifax hoped to discuss pro
posals with the Soviet representa
tive at the League of Nations Coun
cil meeting beginning next Mon
day. Chamberlain said the British
government was awaiting a further
communication from Russia on the
(Continued on Page Two)
Large Harbor
Work Funds
Given State
Washington, May 15.—(AP) —
The House considered today re
vised estimates of appropriations
for new work on waterways of
North Carolina. The items were
included in the annual War De
partment appropriation bill for
non-military activities, and were
subject to further change.
Prospective minimum approp
riations included:
Roanoke river, N. C., $323,000;
Belhaven harbor, $53,000; Inland
waterway Beaufort to Cape Fear
river, N. C., $35,000; $23,500;
and Drum Inlet, N. C., $50,000.
WPA FUNDS GIVEN
FOR HOUSE WORK
Raleigh, May 15.—(AP) —C.
C. McGinnis, State WPA admin
istrator, announced today the
allocation of $103,986 for 12 pro
jects designed to employ 242
persons.
Included were Edgecombe
county, $6,930 for free home as
vate public schools, and Wayne
county, 6,930 for free home as
sistance in house work.
IV&aiJwi
FOR NORTH CAROLINA.
Fair tonight and Tuesday;
warmer tonight and in south and
east portions Tuesday.
HENDERSON, N. C., MONDAY AFTERNOON, MAY 15, 1939
Growers Guarding
Wilson Plantbeds
Wilson, May 15.—(AP)—Re
ports to farmers in this section
during the week-end said that to
bacco plants were so scarce in
parts of North Carolina and Vir
ginia that some growers in Wilson
county were guarding their beds
at night against theft. Several
farmers reported thefts last week.
County Farm Agent W. L.
Adams said he had heard of heavy
sale of plants by growers of this
county, and added that there
would he no shortage of plants in
this county. Instead, there likely
will be a surplus, he said.
They Don’t Want to Fight
Members of Britain’s No Conscription League parade in London in pro
test of the government’s compulsory conscription bill. Many of the 2,000
in the parade carry posters expressing their sentiments.
(Central Press)
Tobacco Quotas On
Acreage, Not Pound,
Basis Now Proposed
Washington, May 15.—(AP) —To- j
bacco marketing quotas under the'
agricultural adjustment act of 1938!
would be changed from a poundage
to an acreage basis under amend
ments to the act agreed upon today
by tobacco state congressmen and
AAA officials.
Representative Burch, Democrat,
Virginia, leader of the tobacco area
congressional group, said the amend
ments also would require that past
experience of the farm operator in
tobacco be taken into consideration,
in making allotments to new grow
ers. The penalty for marketing in
excess of quota would be changed to j
a flat ten cents a pound on flue- j
cured, burley and Maryland tobac-,
co, and five cents on all other types
N. C. Politics
Marking lime
Daily Dispatcn IPireaii.
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
Raleigh, May 15.—Not even a gim
let-eyed G-man armed with all the
scientific apparatus of Hoover’s
crack sleuths could have found more
than a trace of political discussion
or activity on the surface of Raleigh’s
affairs last week.
What goings-on there were went
on in so furtive a fashion, if at all,
that they defied detection.
Even the crying spell of Robert
R. Reynolds, staged in the U. S. Sen
ate Thursday, caused no more than
a bit of sly laughter in political cir
cles.
There were no formal announce
ments of cancfidacy; only a few
stories on “inside manipulation” and
hoss trades; and not even rumors
enough to get excited about.
In view of the announced desire
of the governor that there be no for
mal announcements until late in the
year, there is quite likely in prospect
a period of calm, under cover of
which all the really serious candid
ates will continue to work hard on
their organization jobs; while others
who haven’t the least intention of
ever getting around to the point of
putting up the SIOO filing fee will
continue to enjoy being “prominently
mentioned’' for the governorship.
According to reports reaching this
bureau, Wilmington’s Mayer. Tom
Cooper did a bit of traveling in his
immediate section of the State, in
forming all and sundry that he is go
ing to run. He also issued a violent
attack on the transportation of gas
oline in trucks, with obvious political
motives behind the statement.
A man who ought to know told
your correspondent that Lieutenant
Governor W. P. Horton will an
nounce, “within 30 days”, but even
more reliable., sources have been
wrong 'previously on announcement
dates; so it’s passed along only for
what it’s worth or not worth.
in place of the present provisions
based on a percentage of the gross
price.
The change in marketing quotas
from a poundage to acreage basis
would be accomplished by adding a
new section to the act to permit the
secretary of agriculture to convert
the state marketing quota to a state
acreage allotment, on the basis of
average yield an acre for the state
during the five years immediately
preceding the year in which the na
tional marketing quota is proclaim
ed, and allot acreage through local
committees in the same way as mar
keting quotas are allotted at present.
The actual production of the farm
acreage allotment established in such
manner would be the farm market
ing quota.
Major Fight
Brewing Over
Power Taxes
Daily Dispatch Bureau,
In the Sir Walter Hotel.
Raleigh, May 15. —If and when a
real battle develops over the right
of counties to tax power lines be
longing to municipalities and strung
outside corporate limits, it isn’t go
ing to be a penny ante affair by any
means —figures showing that North
Carolina municipalities have more
than a million dollars invested in
rural power lines indicate.
These figures, too, are certain to
be conservative, as they are those
of the State Rural Electrification Au
thority, and are based on reports
made to it by the municipalities. In
asmuch as there is no law or regula
tion under which the muni officials
(Continued on page two)
Cotton Lower
At The Close
New York, May 15. —(AP) —Cot-
ton futures opened one point lower
to three higher on Bombay, trade
and Wall Street buying. In the early
forenoon, trading forces showed
losses of one to six points.
Futures held losses of one to nine
points around midday. May held at
9.03, off one, while July was down
seven, at 8.44.
Futures closed • one to 13 points
lower; spot nominal; middling 9.43.
Open Close
May 9.03 9.03
July 8.53 8.43
October 7.97 7.82
December 7.75 7.67
January 7.75 7.65
March 7.72 7.62
PUBLISHED EVERY AFTERNOON
EXCEPT SUNDAY.
One Miner Clubbed
On Head With Gun
By State Trooper
Britain’s Newest
m
J* - HI
Newest addition to Great Britain’s
navy, the 35,000-ton battleship,
Prince of Wales, slides down ways
at Birkenhead, England, after being
named by the Princess Royal, sister
of King George VI. New ship is
second of Britain’s five capital ships
to be launched this year.
War Threat
Slows Italy
Auto Plants
Mussolini Tells Turin
Workers of Menacing
Situation; Says Prob
lems Constitute Dang
er for All and Must Be
Solved
Turin, Italy, May 15.—(API-
Premier Mussolini told employees
of the Fiat Works today that the
international situation had caused
Italy to “slow down” development
of her civilian automobile industry.
He said Italy some time ago had
inaugurated a definite “quota pol
icy” and said “we would have con
tinued on this rhythm if the inter
national situation had not caused us
to slow down.”
Mussolini reaffirmed his state
ment of yesterday that Italy wanted
peace, but that European problems,
“which constitute danger for all,”
must be solved
He expressed his pride in the
great new Fiat plant, which he
dedicated
Mussolini also spoke at the Su
(Continued on Page Two)
Congress Spends, Spends,
Then Condemns Spending
, By CHARLES P. STEWART
Central Press Columnist
Washington, May 15.—Congress (a
large part of it anyway) howls con
tinuously at what it denounces as the
a d m i nistration’s
policy of spending
vastly in excess of
its collections from
taxpayers, thus
piling up a huge
national indebted
ness, to be paid off
goodness knows
when.
Yet this same
Congress everlast
ly votes for expen
ditures of enor
mous sums with
out providing any
money to foot the
Henry
Morgenthau
bill. In such fashion the lawmakers
leave Treasury Secretary Henry Mor-
8 PAGES
TODAY
FIVE CENTS COPY
First Clash Between
Workers and Soldiers
Follows One Death;
Operators Refuse To
Sign Union Contract
Harlan. Ky., May 15.—(AP) —
Claude Howard, of Baxter, a carpen
ter for the Harlan-Wallins mine, was
clubbed on the head with a pistol by
a National Guardsman today in the
first clash between coal miners and
State troops protecting workefs re
turning to the pits.
Howard said that when he was
stopped by a trooper he told him he
was enroute to his home, but the
militiaman refused to allow him to
cross a guarded bridge and in an
argument struck him across the head,
inflicting a deep gash.
Guardsmen’s Version.
Colonel Roy Easley, of the Nation
al Guard, said he had received re
ports that Howard backed into a sol
dier with his automobile and attempt
ed to run down another trooper when
he was struck.
Considerable excitement was caus
ed when a small roadster was
brought in from the county with five
bullet holes in the windshield. First
reports said shots had been fired at
the driver, but an investigation by
the military revealed that several
boys had fired the shots from inside
the car, and the incident was describ
ed as a “prank.”
Guardsmen with machine guns
turned back 3,000 coal miners en
route to mines for picket duty. There
were reports that miners in cars were
roaming throughout the county.
No coal will be brought from the
mines until tomorrow or Wednesday,
operators said. Those who wanted to
(Continued on page two)
HENDERSON LOBBY
FEES MADE PUBLIC
Raleigh, May 15.—(AP)—J.
P. Cheatham, J. H. Bridoe and
others of Henderson, reported
to Secretary of State Thad Eure
today that they paid a total of
$325.82 to J. H. Bridgers, B. H.
Perry and J. C. Kittrell to cover
fees and expenses for legisla
tive lobbying. Expenses were
listed at $25.82.
Minister Os
Poland In
Paris Meet
Paris, May 15.—(AP) —General
Paduesz Kasprzycki, Polish war min
ister, arrived in Paris today for mili
tary conversations with members of
the French general staff. The Polish
general, who was accompanied by
two general staff colonels, was greet
ed by General Maurice Gustave
Gamelin, French chief of staff of na
tional defense.
French sources said the general
would discuss details of the mutual
assistance accord under which Brit
ain and Frrnce guaranteed aid to
Warsaw if Poland should have to
fight to preserve her independence.
Pending these military conferences
France’s armed forces continued on
the alert on the eastern and south
eastern frontiers.
genthau with no optiop but to run
farther and farther into the red—
after which they rake him over the
coals for doing so. The other day he
turned the tables on them by letting
out a screech of horror at their ex
travagance.
The Senate was the legislative
body that he particularly panned. It
had just approved an item of $338,- *
000,000 for farm parity payments
and crop surplus removal. It did it
so casually that it didn’t even both
er to take a record vote. It simply
was a case of, “The ayes have it,”
and the allowance was indorsed—
unless the representatives turn it
down, which it’s safe betting that
they won’t do.
Secretary Morgenthau didn’t say
that the farmers don’t need the cash.
His point was that cash is just what
(Continued on Page Two)