Baily
thirtieth year
• «ATi:r> I'RKHS
HENDERSON, NORTH CAROLINA,
FRIDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER
1<, 1943
rum.isiii.'j) i:vi:i;y aitkknou.n
si.'ni>a y.
FIVE CENTS v'Ol'Y
French Fight
KILLED, INJURED IN TRAIN WRECK
Wiih Allies In Italy
| ★ ± + a.
RAF Out To Destroy Berlin
.... ..n-i n «i i«» iiiicx irauis of *'.ie Atlantic Coast l.iiir Kiiil\v;<y near lliiic. N. ('. .More than seventy
«rro Killed and scores of others were injured in the double wreck. Railway officials blamed a broken rail
for derailment of a Florida-bound train. A Northbound train crashed into the other. (AT Wircphoto)
Death Toll Is Now Up To
in Coast Line's Big Wreck
More Bodies
Believed In
Twisted Car
I l ack Still Blocked
Despite Determined
Efforts of Wreckers
l.nmbciton. Dec. IT— (AIM I
—The toll of known dead in the
mm it I least's worst railroad dis
aster rose lo 70 today as wreck
ers worked with little success
to pry apart four telescoped
passenger ears that still block
ed the Atlantic Coast Line's
donhle track main line from
New York io Florida.
Tile body i 1 an imideli:i.ieti < i
v Km uas recovered I roil: the
wrce„ane early today. Hed I'ross
and railroad oil .rials here reporied
« -;lil tame bode- weie believed
Inked in ,i seeli-'ii ol tuie ol the '
cars iiii.t had not been entered.
The lour slrcl ears, staekeil
one mi the other, were so jarn
ini'il together (hat they were J
little Inciter than one ear is .
normally. The wrecking trains j
were ahle lo move the pyramid
ed roaches only si\ feel all 1
nighl.
The double p:ie-lip "I the tw-i
i • .irl; 11 lev? orodnced i «!«• • 111 I s! (
It short n| Hijit iii the wreck ol j
tin* Cmigrcsiiimijil Limited in Plilin- I
dclphia |.,.,t September, when «l"
pei'MiiiK In. I llieir lives.
I'lie southeastern seaboard's \v*in»l
previous railroad wreck occurred a! !
Iloekmarl. C,a . in l!)2(». when
w ei e Killed. The i>i£Kc 1 v erk l"ll
"i I In ii itii.n'.- railroad history is
M.i Killed al N;.,h\ die. Ten. .. -I■ ily
Ill HI.
Workers loih'il Ihrouuhntil the
ii i r; lit and eontinued today in
Iw rlvr-dc:;rrc weather lo clear
the tracks and remove the dead.
Kiiotigh of the mass of tele
scoped ears and twisted rails
was expected lo he moved today
to permit resumption of normal
traffic.
Sonie civilian dead ucie still uii
ideniiiicd. Witnesses said a lew
vielbiK were so di: ineinbcrcd i'
would be difiicnll to e:.|,ibli:.li iden
tity.
Names of II - soldier divd wet"
withheld pending notification "I
Kin.
A lnokeii rail, ('nasi lane « ffieials
will, caused lite fit -I wreck. the de
i •olmeiit of three roarhes on II:'*
I' lot ida-bonnd Taiiiiami west coast
' h a I ii | >i < >u.
''ii" person. Kit • Licutcnint Hov
A fSriffiri, a slodivl chaplain -d (
ll-irvard I'l: i versi'v. was killed at
H»i vvrcel;.
The list ol injured in the wreck
included onlv one from North Car- .
'•liiiii Wint)iri;|> M. Stowell. ol
Cionp Davis.
This was id I2:."iti a. IP. Tl'tns- .
day Som c.T'i initial' s I del" Ihc
norihhonnd T.:ni;iml ia<! coast
CHiiitifiiori plnral Into the i mtltHi i
"r the first t .till,
Odf» rnllrond nfficinl jeild ie* in*
tomatic wai'iiing dtvice Mi the pa»- 1
Revenue Bill Postponed;
To Block Security l ax
Washington. I)cc. 17—(AP(—Sen
ate lenders all but slapped a "'don't
^pen until Now Years'' label today
on the new SJ.iii4.ii00,00rt tax bill.
The hasty final ble.s-ins given tin
measure by the Senate Finance
Committee yesterday apparently
tame too late to permit its enact
ment by Christmas. Majority
Leader Hartley anticipates a con
gressional recess from the middle
of i.ext week until about Janu:-ry
•J. precluding early action on the
bill.
Finance Chairman George. Goor
.yi.i Dem< cr.it. s od legislative dratt.
iiicii could not possibly whip the
Promotions
In Army To
Be On Merit
WuMiingion. iJec. 17 -(.MM I'"'.
v i • 'gain/.at ion of 1 lie- Army 0:1
a inn pronio'.inu ba.-i.- was i.ro
p.-.-cd iiy membci - today as tne
Nr ate .ili!;i;ir,\ C immittee received
leipslat >n which wi.uld halt all p<
in.men- advancements in oil . r.-'
ranks durum the war.
Sena' 'I' rhom.is. I'tali Itcnioera1.
aci n« chairman hi the absence
Senator IJcvnilds, Xcrfh Carolina
Item crat. saul the committc.- w n;!u
in- called upon to examine the
army's organization v ith a \ icw to
elimination a repetition of tl»r>
"hump" tu.it dcvcii.pod in the pro
niolii'ti line alter the last war.
"The Army should !>•• placed om
a ha.-is wheic promotions will he
made on ii.ent and lot alone on
seniority." Thomas told a repo. le •.
lie hImi said pmvi-ion shootd be
made f< retention in high' r ra
of oiticei. promoted over tneir sen
iors because of unusual ability.
'I he measure oilercd wuld bar
Senate consideration o| preside.•; I
n uninations lor permanent t»•" >ur>
«:ons. all r.f which must be sub
mitted lor confirmation.
Action has been postponed limef
ii.ltelv mi 1 1 such promotions-. The
! i includes presidential r»" «imiiicn -
i..1ion lor promotion p. < m-oicr
pi :-'s of Major (ieneral Stilt-. HI.
I.ieulcnant General (!c r;'.i' • > I'at
ton. .I1'.. I.t Gen. Somervell uul !.t.
Gen. Joseph T. McNarncv
aIII I trai l; di<l not operate when the
southbound train's three cars were
derailed beems • tin- ears did n >t
lull completely on tli«• second track
and i- n -.•ipicntly lailed to set off
the
WEATHER
FOR VORTI! CAROI.IXA
lair and continued cold to
niehl: lowest temperature to
nlclil. 10 to ]."> in interior and l.">
to "1 in extreme rant portion.
f-'r nr«1 fI'bMI.v
warmer.
; measure and its ;ic-c<ve
liort into shape before Monday <>:•
I Tuesday and indicated he would
J agree to postponement ir special
! legislation could be worked out tn
i cover an anti'vipatcd freeze on th'J
j social security tax rate.
Upon nisistaiice of Senator Van
j denberg. Michigan Republican. 111-.'
; committee wrote ;n a provision de
; lay aig through 194-1 a project auto
matic increase in social security
taxes. Unless the Vandenbcrg pro
\ iso i£ adopted in the tax bill. 0/
in other legislation. social -ecurity
tax rates. imw one percent c.'ch on
employers and employes, rise to two
permit January i.
Britain Will Ask
Mining Equipment
Of I 11 ited States
Nottingham, I ugland. Dec. 7
— (AIM—The British govern
ment hopes lo obtain SI.XOO.OOO
worth of mining equipment
frcni the • lilted Stales in the
coming year lo help boost the
■'.reduction of ro.il needed for
the filial blow to smash Ger
many. it was disclosed today by
Major (iwilyn I.ord (»erngr.
minister of furls and power.
It was also disclosed that the
I niied States Army had agreed
to assign a number of soldiers
familiar with American mining
equipment to leach the Britons
how lo operale it.
U. S. Subs Get
i
8 More Jap
Cargo Ships
Washington. Dee 17 — (AIM —
I'mted Stile- submarines roaming
I he I'acilic have added eight more
; .liip nieje largo ships lo Ihcir "sight
ed .iiid sunk" li-l. These raised the
total •>( .ill Japanese* VCMll sunk
siliee I In* start <•! the war In 17 1.
I 'i In* ' a\ v announced Ihe new
. j»il.b.ilay it eoniiiiunic|ue No.
I -MMI:
"I'm iiie .i'i'I Kar Kasl: Unilefl
SI il( s nl.i'iarinc have ropoili'd the
sinking < ! e :',hl enemy vessels in
opcralioi . against the enemy in wa
ters ol these areas as follow-:
j •'Sunk, two large transpoils. two
large ••inkers, three medium freigh
ters and o: <• small freight* r.
i "Tlu'se act oiis have IVd been ait
no: nurd in au.v previous Navy De
paiimeiit comnviniipic."
Our submarines in the Pacific
now have sunk. probably slink or
dam aged a i:iand total i>f .VJ4 Jap
anese vessel-. bo'h fighiln*; ships
' ;>"d ii.erchaiitiren III addition t'i
loilav's reuoi't bringing the sunk
total • 371. thirlv-six have been
"liolt'"l nn.ib;»b|y ;-utif; iltlfl ill
i utili'u<»cu. _ .
Capital Of
Germany To
Be Leveled
Tcrrific Damage Is
Done in Latest Raid
On Great Nazi City
London, Dec. 17 — (AI') —
Stricken Iterlin heaved up
fields of l'l a rive and .smoke atfain
'ast iiijrht and hundreds of
jiiant black 11AI1' bombers loos
ed thunderous Explosives on the
Nazi nerve cCftler lor I he list
time this year.
Stock 11 i|!n dispatches s aid the
capital city was burning i:> t >
day alter a two-weeks respite, the
I la n it's from her gutted buildings
"reddening the sky." 'I i lepn me
cniiinHimcaliiin was irregular anil
the capital's trantspi.r: was reported
paraiv/cd Iruui streets choked with
debris.
The sixth rait! ::n I he capital
in a month was launched from
Britain just alter American Lib
erators and Fly ins Fortresses
returned in twilight from the
di'vlir.ht raid en northwest Ger
many. The Fighth Air Force
•lid not specify the Americans'
targets. The Germans said they
were over Helgoland bay, and
"dropped a great number of
high explosives :nid incendiary
liomhs on residential quarters in
a number of localities in north
western Germany.
It acknowledged particularly
j heavy damage to Bremen itself, the
' big U-boat base, which the Ameri
I cans battered also on November 2(i
I and 29.
The decree of the Berlin as
sault—more lhan 1.5110 lour tons
of liomls—and the deterniina
liou with which it was pressed
home drspite the loss of :!0
left no doubt that itAF intends
to finish the job of leveling
what remains of the canital
city's acres of factories, govern
ment buildings, financial insti
tutions and warehouses.
Reds Firmly
In Command
West Of Kiev
Moscow. Dec. 17. — (AI'l —
General Nikolai Valium's first
Fkrainiau armv appeared to have
firmly established the upper
hand west of Kiev today after
more than lite weeks or des
perate fighting against heavy
German infantry counter at
tacks.
Kussians dislodged the enemy unm
sever. I settlements mi the Tcterev
river -ecln . > miles west nl the I'k
rai:.e capital lor the second -urre.
sivc day ye.-tei (lav. the Uiis.-iini iiim
nitiniipie .-aid. enabling Vattilin's
columns in ic.-un i tiieir dine n>>rtii
we.-t id liadoiny.-l.
i\'a/.i Marsha! Flit/ von Mann
stem's Imld nil the important strong
hold. lying between the Knm.-tcn
Kie\ and lib.torn r Kiev main lug:.
wa.vs i.- now >crio ;slv threatened, dis
patches from t e trout indie ted.
Meanwhile. General Ivan Ivuiev's
second t'krame army. 200 miles in
the south, pre -ed its attack beln.v
captured C'hcrka.-y tow.ird the r.-n!
junclioii n! Smel.i and repulsed fierce
German eotintci attacks.
In the-e twin drives ol Sine a a" d
Korngnad. Soviet troops killed !MHl
Germans, capt'ired a niiinbe
Village illd pii '.ed up enii ■ dcr aide
stores nf abandoned war n :c!«als.
the lUi.-siali bulletin said.
S#OPP//V<?
Mysarr
<(.$9 4>>-' M', . ■
BERLIN RESIDENTS LEAVE SHELTER
- 1
THE All CLEAR has rounded anil Berlin residents wearily climb tlie stalri
from :in underground shelter to the street. Before their eyes an* shat
tered buildings and wrecked streets, the handiwork of the II.vK bom
bardiers. Exclusivo radiopholo from Stockholm. 'Intc: i.atiOfi'Jj
l -
Americans Now Strongly
Rooted In New Britain
Churchill Much
Improved; Acting
Premier Probable
London. Dec. IT. — t Vl'i
(•cucral improvement in I'limc
.Minister Churchill's condition
lias been maintained. a bulletin
from his bedside announc ed lliis
afternoon.
"There has been no spread ill
the pneumonia, and improve
ment in the prime minister's gen
eral condition has been main
tained." said the bulletin, issued
at No. Ill Downing street.
( liiirehill. sulferin : Iroiu bis
second attack ot pneumonia in
ten months, tmdouhlcdlx will re
illiire a loin; period tor reeiipera
tiou. and coilsc<|ttciill> it is ex
pected Kritai'i'- war cabinet may
name an lelin . leader to serve in
his ult'cnce.
Cotton Mixed
Around Close
ny • v ;> r; < \i'i c •
*• II 1 ! 1 < «•!.» ■ .1 ImI<
hitiln i ' • I • • 'iN l*>\\ei \ «.n
price- were l i cents .1 lialt? 51 ijj! 1 -
er 1" li'.i* nut lower.
i'i; ( l".<i* <1 c*i
Ahmh I !•">!» 1 !>."■!•
Mti.v 1 lit'.!:
.Inly I!) I.i 1 !•. 1V
1 )('<■' M il. m; •
Paper Boy.; Will
Coilcct Double
The ncv spaner carrier ho.vs of
the Henderson ilaii> Dispatch iu
the rily and tieiiiily plan to
111.1 Ise double collection Ironi sub
set ihers on their routes this
week-end tolicetiiia lor the
w eek ei dins December a«
will as the current week. This is
hcinc done in cider that the hoys
may have ( hrislmas day as a
holiday.
Your co-operation will enable
(lie youuc men who deliver your
papers to have a more enjoyable
Christmas season and will he
j.-rciHv inprrclatrd b> Ihctattitt
01 ii animation.
U. S. Air Force Has
Beaten Off Attacks
By Jap Air Raiders
General MacArthur's llcad
(I liar tors. New Guinea. Dec. 17.—
I AIM — American troop* which
invaded the Arawe peninsula of
Xcu lirilain island Weilnesda*
are consolidating tlicil positions,
while llie American air force lias
successfully repelled several Ja
panese air attacks.
Tho annnunccmc I I.m General
MacArthur's headquarters w .is the
11rst since the bulletin vosti rd.iy tell
inu <>l tin- laiiiin^ • •! ni • v troops uii
the soulheast coast i. .1.11>.in - ii .,n
.slaad ba.-c hi t.c m> est I'acilie.
The American Sixth Army culiib
I: -ilea ii hold oil 1:,c Arawe pell n
tlla \\ ill bill lc.'. caMlalitics. con
sider! ;; I• >■ -i'iijic 15if <•:>im .i*..• >u-.
The troops moved shoreward
with powerful naval and air sup
purl. and seven hours after the
liist assault at dawn Wednesday
Itricadier General Julian C'un
niimham. commander ol the in —
vailing force, inc-sagcu to Gen
cral Mai Arthur "our objective is
obtained."
It v ..s the l ir i i- •inci sed acl:i»
tn i i S \lh An .ii' (led by
1/ (I.- \V liter K i .-.-i. m»d it won
i siialeni. . 111 > itn. ni 1.1.'.I !"• it oil lor
Hie Allu giving* • i • iismd •»"
I be i:. •: n cni • to V ' i/. .tid
Villi ;• •• -Ir.i.t-. W sc;>." ate New
Ml il.i '1 Iroui l!i(. :• ■ • i e.i:' i' -1 ".
NY • ('. linen, now : im.y held 1 ■> tho
A i-1: . n...
Slight Gains
For Stocks
New V.., ;.. I ice i; ( APi 1'iicis
Kenciail" ilis.' .iyr i lur'.li ; moder
ate Impiovoinent i todays titoc'l:
nun lo t.
Si bi n cj ,i mI ><. l ■. •' i) .1 Iter
iiiiiiiii .c I Ii. boi l .Vfi,-s' I , • ovi -
• ell!. while Ac I 'i ii I >i ' i i li'.,4.
Ila iitii Walker Mirl t 'a ada t> \ re
tie.it' ll. In front ii iiiicrviilx were
t s Steel. Chr.vtil i". fJoi'dycnr
Wortiiiuliotise and Testis Cufflpiilty.
Occasional decliners included Gen
era I Motors. Ainei ican Toleiihnno
'lelc|iboiie and General Klcetric.
"I".I • •f|ini"flit <_< V. tic low CI ■
£jcntls> were nan on.
Sharp Gains
Scored By
Fight Unit
Presence of French
Causes Sensation
For Italian People
i'i lied
Allied I i AI
Dec. 17 — ( A I')
I roups, eiiteriitK tlie war oil the
Klll'ii|icult 11i 11!; 11 >• 1 I < >!" It"'
first time •Mice ll'ln. !>:• v ••
-CM "il • . 'i-..i it
!»K<iinst ilie (Icrni .i: i• i nimni
:;iiii t'ivniiii;/ in central Hal .
i! was ;iim tiiu'ftl luday.
The Klcticli h . < !•<•»•!) Ill !' ! \ . li
|M..-ittolls .•! si.;.- li-!: ;■!••• Af
rican v on i : < '■ •'
heir nnsotu ■ ' • -<•' ed
; I today'.- I ; •• .i" < i
ii .idic.i.i It .
TbeV •! " s V. Y< !»
The in Tu
iisi:i. l>i:t . '.net th i. :. < i.t • "■
pletely . • i:..11 <• i with Ami' ii mi
tiiihnrri:'. . p.d • • : nl-.
Sr 1(1) ; flcr l!lO> 'I'I to '!l<'
haltlcfruiit. ill- I'hukIi n •.•Ini
tialed in i • "ifi el 1 f -. I :•!
t;*« •■»-. raoltiriu; st'M'ul itnpiir
ta lit Crrman hillla't positions.
:mii! taking ;i windier nt prison
ers. w li t csnress"d Mirii'lM- at
lindina tin- French ail inn.
'lilt* French forces h .1 bec:i it i;s —
il in North An r:i tinder '!'• <li • i •
I .ii nf fit ncral Henri Ciir.i iti in their
use nt American arnv-.
I'hfir presence < realet? a Mil
nation among the Si.tli.ut people
I'ltd the tttiick Ktsocessex of the
French soldiers contra-led -i ir i
l\ with the abortive el tills re
cently uf the first Italian militia
In he sent iiiltt the Allied lines.
Aiinounct'iien: h: the uarlii |>:< —
'ion nf the French coincided with
an aerial assault for the second
siiccc.-sivc day on German cum uu
lalinns and supply iliu- i;i t'n
Alpine region nf n rthern Italy,
where lieavv benibcr- viti in rail
!;tc lilies ..t 1'adu i and 1) .
(flu inti l.glilillg l>\ liu! i i: . F.l'ii
and Fightll Arn.ie- was ciiit;iieil
largely Ju t..iisnhda' r i> pie imi.
gain.- and tu bitter local bailie.- and
lid strategic advantages.
General Mark W. Clark's Al
lied (roups on (lie western end
i>t I lie haltlc front assaulted the
(■crmau bastion of San I'ictro.
which guards the road to /Vine,
and the attacking infantry ran
into a series of cmicrclc pill
lm\cs anil other strong itoinls
resulting in lierce liaud-to-hand
I iu htiiiv.
Other heavy skirmishes were re»
purled U'CHl u Fill gn..!i \ v. Inn!
two : in ire I ills were taken. !• .rtliuf
south a >e - German <■ unit r
attack v.as beaten ofl in tin liiotitlai
tans I Icadtpiurtcn- s.iiil 11 it- !•' tin
Anrv al.- • t. a
blither : land.
The Germans r Vi ilietl ti i
fort* to hold .it the relentless Ki«!
Army tin llie Adriatic end • i I
I nr. w !-u
and '' ■ c tiir -v. i
hills'
•New
u.l , t
mders ai d
■I y \.|/I ..tie.
nit the 11, ..l:
I: it'll h.id l>
111'
Roosevelt Is
Now Back At
White House
iVashinslon lice. '.— t \l'i —
I't c-itloiil Kmi-n i ll rctui ni'il to
the While House lotlt\ live
weeks anil a dax alter departing
for historic niilitart and di|tlo
m.ilic con)crent c- in lIn- Middle
last. |
Ills sale arrival in tin- country
after lite loin; trip abroad was
announced veslertlav afternoon.
Today's announcement -aid lie
hail reached the e\cculivc re
silience.
The President I'otind ' tttniress
celllm: rcad> for a Christinas
vacation.
\ joint se-siou. prior lo the
vacalitin. to hear Mr. lioitscvcll
rcitoit on hi- momentous inecl
incs in Cairo and Teheran, had
hern discussed, but House Speak
er Kavhurn. who was ainouc the
firs! i'i lalk willi the returning
PresldPtil. said lie would not ap
pear Itrfore t onsress until lie tit
lii rt ;• III;, annual liiebbdge early
next jtar. ,|