Damages In Thousands;
Station Back On Air
To Maintain Record
Flames of undetermined origin swept through the
rear of the studios of Radio Station WCBT on Roanoke
Avenue here early Saturday morning, but phoenix-like
the station rose from a destructive fire and went on the
air at 6:14 a. m. Saturday morning, thus maintaining
its record of never having missed a scheduled broadcast
day since it began operations.
ilic me WI11U1 ap^aicuuj
started in the back studio of
the station located in the Ed
wards building completely bur
ned the back studio, the record
library and swept into other
portions of the station damag
ing the conti ol room and the
equipment therein.
Damage in Thousands
Station Manager A1 Drew said
late yesterday afternoon that
the extent of the damages had
not been determined, but that
they “would run into several
thousands of dollars.”
Drew said that the insurance
adjustor, who arrived in the
city late Saturday afternoon and
went immediately to the Faison
Ogletree agency, which has the
insurance on the station, would
make the final appraisal of r
damages.
The fire was discovered^ by
Police Officer J. Y. Duffy, ‘who
was making an early morning
routine check of the North End
business section. He immediate
ly notified police headquarters
and the first alarm was turned
in at 1:55 a. m.
Volunteer firemen roused
from their beds rushed to the
scene and found the blaze rag
ing in the rear end of the build
ing.
A short time later a second
alarm was turned in and a sec
ond truck was dispatched to the
scene.
Flames leaped though the
rear windows of the building
and were as high as the second
story of the building at times.
Fed by the combustible mate
rial from the phonograph re
cords the blaze raged and for
a short time firemen had a dif
ficult job bringing it under con
trol. Two streams of water were
played into the rear end of the
building and huge billows of
smoke rolled from the windows.
Three streams of water were
played into tha Waring build
ing and the fire was finally
extinguished and the firemen
returned to the station about
5^ a* m*
Actual fire damage was con
fined to the space occupied by
the radio station, though heat
and smoke caused minor dam
age to David’s Clothing store
next door.
Two Injured
Two firemen received minor
injuries fighting the blaze. Hu
bert Brewer received a cut on
his arm from a piece of glass
and Herman Thompson had
slight hose burns.
Rumors spread among the
large number of people, who
gathered along Roanoke Avenue
to watch the firefighters, that
an explosion was heard prior
to the blaze. However, the re
ports could not be confirmed
and Drew said he knew of no
thing in the rear of the studio
which would explode.
Before the fire was finally
extinguished, Drew and mem
bers of the station personnel,
who gathered at the blaze, were
making plans for getting back
on the air.
Two transcription turntables
were salvaged from the burned
station and some other equip
ment.
The station’s remote-contr#|
equipment was at the transmit
ter at the time of the fire and
it was rigged to take broadcasts
direct from the transmitter on
East Tenth Street where oper
ations have been resumed.
Drew expressed his apprecia
tion to all persons who had
helped in getting the station
back on the air after the blaze.
He praised the station person
nel, the firemen and “all of the
• people who helped us get par
tially straightened out.”
The station manager said that
for the present operations will
continue from the transmitter
and that all persons who ap
i peared on programs should re
, port to the transmitter house
. on East Tenth Street. He added,
that present plans “call for re
, turning to our old location as
soon as the renova ms can be
; made.”
First Time Since
; May, No Polio
. Cases Reported
Raleigh, N. C., Nov., IS — (/P)
— For the first time since late
> May, the State Board of Health
t received no reports today of
■ new infantile paralysis cases.
The total cases listed for the
week totaled 20 and the year's
i count for the state mounted to
. 2,432. The 20 cases compared
r with 17 reported for the pre
. vious week.
Only five cases of November
i onset have been reported thus
far.
Weather
e North Caroline — Suaday
- partly cloudy, ao cheapo la
ROANOKE RAPIDS
n da ij Herald
34lh Year—No. 54 Roanoke Rapids, N. C., Sunday, November 14, 1948 5c Daily; 10c Sunday
-,----■
Roanoke
Ramblings
By Pat Nantz
It was a 3well game the Jax
played Friday night, with the lo
'•ils winning by a score of 12-0
, . . but the player who went
over for both of those touch
downs had a little bad luck af
terwards. Vance Stewart is re
ported to nave been the carrier,
and by the way, he made a run
of seventy-two yards for one of
those touchdowns, but later was
minus some of his teeth ... so
if you see Vance and he looks
as if his front teeth are miss
ing. you aren’t seeing things, be
cause all of tnem are gone.
We’re really sorry to hear about
it, though, but they make such
good substitutes now, that some
people even prefer them . . .
here’s hoping Vance does . . .
It is being said that Billy Mur
ray and Bill Boyd are going to
join the Army, Monday . . . Max
lingers has probably been talk
wig to them about how much he
enjoys the service and has them
completely convinced . . . Max
left yesterday to report back to
his base in Texas . . .
If our local ball team depend
ed on the cheering they get from
the spectators at out-of-town
games they would never win a
gain . . . there were only about
twenty people attending the
wnme at Greenville Friday . . .
maybe that’s what they need,
just a little more support . . .
I Mr. and Mrs. Vernon C. Whit
by, Mr. and Mrs. M. C. Lewis
and nephew, Malcolm Cumber
land left today to begin seeing
the sights of the United States
between North Carolina and Can
ada . . . then they plan to visit
.;n Canada with Malcolm’s par
™ts. Mr. and Mrs1. Claude M.
Cumberland . . . Mai has been
visiting with his aunt and uncle
since June, when came here with
his narents who returned home
in July . . .
Many tales have been told a
bcut why George Wilkins is
wearing that patch over his eye.
George says he got something in
^ bnt wp will just w'ait and see
™ is back when he removes
thfcTgve must be quite the style,
th.e \ b*hdage and patches over
h cnusowhile I was ta’king to
George, Calvin Hudson a p
proached us and compared the
one he has with George’s, but
Calvin will at least admit his
is black and cut, too; however
it. didn’t come fom walking in
to a door or swinging limb- -
it seems that Calvin was play
‘ $ig football with some boys a
bout the age of his son, Lee,
when one of them (he said all
eleven of the other team, and
the ten on his team) hit him
by surprise- -and not being as
young as he has been, Calvin hit
the good ol’ terra firma pretty
hard, and he still says some
bo^v’s foot was in his face . . .
I wonder if there are any others
*v~ 'rtin” a patch? . . .
♦ -
Friday night while most of us
were dead to this world in sleep,
the local radio station caught
fire, about 2 A M., creat
g quite a bit of property loss.
New Civil
Defense "Setup
Is Proposed
Washington, Npv. 13—(AP)—
A new emergency civil defense
reserve force of 50,000 special
j ists was proposed today by the
j Civil Defense Planning office.
; The force would be composed
of 100 or more “A” Civil De
fense mobile reserve battalions
of 500 men each, set up under
state control and equipped in
part by the federal government^
Each battalion would have at
tached to it six planes and 12
pilots from the Civil Air Patrol.
I It would be equipped for res
cue, first aid, f:re fighting and
other services required in an
emergency.
The planning office report to
Secretary of Defense Forrestal
suggests assignment of seven
battalions each to California
and Pennsylvania, five to Ohio,
and four each to New York and
Texas.
Three battalions would be as
' signed each to Mighigan and
Illinois; and two each to Massa
chusetts, New Jersey, Mary
land, Louisiana, Missouri and
Minnesota.
Other states and territories
would get one battalion.
Weaker Demand
Forces Prices
Down on Tobacco
Raleigh, Nov. 13—(AP)—
Weaker demand forced prices
further downward this week on
the Eastern North Carolina,
Middle, and Old Belt flue-cured
tobacco markets. Sales were
limited to four days because of
the Armistice holiday.
The U. S. and N. C. depart
ments of agriculture said the
week began with seven markets
operating on the Eastern North
Carolina Belt but ended with
. only three in operation.
1 Prices on the Eastern Belt fell
: $1 to $5 compared with last
i week, and the general average
fell $3.18 below the previous
! season low of last week.
I On the Middle Belt, declines
I ranged from 25 cents to $7 com
pared with last week’s average,
| with most losses ranging be
tween $1 and $4. Most of the
the greater drops occurred
for smoking leaf and primings.
! The general average of $43.50
for the week was $3.72 under
j last week’s previous season low.
' On the Old Belt, volume dur
ing the sixth week was consid
erably heavier than anticipat
ed, and a few limited grades
dropped $5» to $7. although most
| decreases were bracketed be
I tween $1 and $4.
Herbert To Be Speaker At Halifax
District Boy Scout Dinner Tomorrow
Leaders Will
Be Honored
During Event
New district officers for the
Halifax District, Boy Scouti of
America, will be installed as a
feature of the annual Halifax
District dinner meeting here at
the High School cafeteria to
morrow evening at 6:30.
The Rev. Jame- F. Herbert,
pastor of the First Methodist
Church of Roanoke Rapids, will
make the main address of the
evening, and a highlight will be
the presentation of an Eagle
Scout award by State Senator
Julian Allsbrook to Sonny
Hines, son of Mr. and Mrs. L.
D. Hines of Roanoke Rapids.
Hines is the Boy Scout in the
district to attain the Eagle rank
most rec ,ntly.
i. ill. ce OtUUU) Will ICptCStZUL
all three phases of Scouting on
the ^x-ogram, with Dwight Elt
ing, Senior Scout, Red Garriss,
Boy Scout, and Kenneth Bux
ton, Cub Scout, handling the
three phases.
District Camping and Activi
ties chairman E. H. Fuller will
give a tribute to the Scout lead
ers as a part of the special
Leaders’ Appreciation event.
For the first time at the an
nual meeting, the wives of the
Scout officers and leaders will
be special invited guests. Invi
tations have been sent to all
leaders and their wives to be
special guests of the District
council and all Scouts in the
district are invited.
Officers to be installed for
the coming year are John Hines,
district chairman; the Rev. Ed
mund Berkeley, district vice
chairman; E. H. Fuller, Camping
and Activities chairman; Dr.
D. A. Green, Organization and
Extension chairman; Zeb Denny,
Advancement chairman; Emery
Vaughn, Health and Safety
chairman; C. L. Elting, Finance
chairman; Edwin Akers, Train
ing chairman; D. E. Bennett,
District Commissioner; Graham
Dean, assistant District Commis
sioner; and Jesse Harrell, Senior
Scouting chairman.
District Chairman John Hines
wil preside over the banquet
meeting.
Better Welcome
Seen for UMT
Durham Reports
Washington, Nov. 13 — (JP) —
Universal military training will
face a friendlier Congress in
January than it has had for the
past two years, a House mem
ber predicted today.
Representative Durham (D—
NC) declined, however, to spec
ulate on whether the New Con
gress will pass it.
“The new members coming in
are still an unknown factor so
fl as UMT is concerned,” he
said in an interview. “Also, do
not forget that Republican op
position to UMT in the present
Congress has been very solid.”
A Democrat-controlled house
rules committee will give com
pulsory military service legis
lation a big advantage next
year, Durham said. He predic
ted: “This time we will be able
to get it out of the rules com
A UMT bill approved over
whelmingly by the house armed
services committee a year and
a half ag/ still lies in a rules
committee pigeonhole. It was
strongly opposed by Rules
Chairman Leo E. Allen (R—
111.), and by house Republican
leaders.
Durham, third ranking Demo
cratic member of the armed
services committee, said the
committee will approve UMT
again if President Truman re
quests it. He said the Army’s
manpower needs are being met
by the new draft law, but the
military services are runninj
short of doctors. Reserve medi
cal corps officers cannot be or
dered to active duty, he said,
and few are volunteering.
“If we should pass UMT,” he
added, “the shortage would be
even worse. Doctors are very
scarce everywhere.”
Cloudy, Little
Change Sunday
By The Associated Press
Partly cloudy skies and little
change in temperatures were
promised the Carolines for Sun
day following a slightly cooler
night.
Maximum temperatures in
North Carolina Saturday were:
Raleigh 65, Greensboro 67, Char
lotte 69, Cape Hatteras 68, Mt,
Mitchell 42, Lumberton 75, Win
ston-Salem 68, Hickory 68, Ashe
ville 60, Elizabeth City 61, Cher
ry Point 72, and Wilmington 73.
Japanese War Leaders Sentenced To Death
Here are six of the seven Japanese war lords under sentence to be hanged for war crimes.
They were convicted by the International Military Tribunal at Tokyo. Top, left to right
Former Premier Koki Hiroia who was present at pre-Pearl Harbor conference when war plans
were made; Gen. Iwane Maisui, commander in Shanghai and Nanking during the rape of Nan
king; Lt. Gen. Akira Muto, chief of staff in the Philippines. Bottom, left to right: Gen. Hoitaro
Kimura, vice minister of war throughout Premier Tojo's administration; Gen. Kenji Doihara,
undercover expert in China and Manchuia, called the "bird of evil omen" by the Chinese;
Gen. Seishiro Iiagaki, former war minister and.chief of staff of the Kwangtung army. The
seventh under death sentence is former Premier Hideki Tojo. (AP Wirephoto).
Chinese Government Reported Planning
To Move Headquarters From Suchow
Communists
Said To Be
Encircling Area
Nanking, Sunday, Nov. 14,—
(AP)—Reliable sources said to
day the government plans to
withdraw its Army head
quarters from Suchow, the big
base around which eddies a de
cisive battle for China.
Official quarters were silent
on this report, but it was ac
knowledged that encircling
Communist forces were shelling
the airfield five miles east of
Suchow.
The field is the one remaining
link between Suchow and Nan
king, 200 miles to the southeast,
now that the railway has been
cut.
Informants said the govern
ment headquarters would be
moved 100 miles south to Peng
pu. The railway city of Pengpu
is 108 miles by rail northwest
of Nanking.
The communist radio assert
ed the reds had all but encircl
ed Gen. Huang Po-Tao’s Sev
enth Army corps on the eastern
flank of the Suchow front, where
only two days ago the govern
ment claimed a major victory
on the Grand Canal.
If this is correct, the whole
Suchow position is endangered
and the government must re
treat to Pengpu or risk encircle
ment. The Grand Canal cover
ed the east flank of Suchow.
Waves of government war
planes had been thrown into the
battle, but aerial activity had
stopped as this was written at
dawn. Whether the lapse is due
to weather or a change in the
military situation is not known.
Chinese officers who were
happy two days ago over the
news of victory east of Suchow
again lapsed into despondency.
Their feelings usually are a
good barometer of the war’s
progress.
Reliable sources said mem
bers of the legislative Yuan
were told at a private meeting
facilities would be provided for
removing members and their
families who want to leave Nan
king. '
Gets Purple Heart
After Thirty Years
Borger, Tex., Nov. 13 — (JP)
— Thirty years ago — in Aug
ust, 1918, German machine gun
fire in Argonne Forest ripped
into the shoulder of the U. S.
Army Corporal James Austin
Collom.
Today, Collom, now an oil
field woker here and 52, re
ceived a package from the War
Department It contained the
Purple Heart
U.N. Leaders Appeal To Big
Powers To Settle Berlin Crisis
\nd End “Fear of Another War”
*
By The Associated Press
Two United Nations 'leaders
appealed to chief executives oi
the Big Four powers yesterday
to settle the Berlin crisis and
end the world’s “fear of anoth
er war.”
Assembly President Herberl
ft • Evatt and Secretary-General
p| Trygve Lie addressed their pies
directly and urgently to Presi
dent Truman, Prime Minister
Stalin, Prime Minister Attlee,
and Premier Queuille.
Their letter said the UN’s
work is being undermined by
the Berlin crisis and the “dan
ger to the peace and security
of all nations continues undi
minished.”
^“It is within the power of tHe
.leaders of the great nations, tc
which this communication is ad
dressed, to end this danger tc
the peace,” the letter said.
On the other side of the
world, where Chinese govern
rqpnt troops are battling Com
m* is a bloody civil war,
pro-government reports claimed
new successes around Suchow.
But the Reds were shelling the
i»*field five miles to the east
Shanghai reports said the
Comm.nists, scenting a chance
to win the war quickly, appear
to be throwing their main
strength into the great Suchow
battle.
Pro - government dispatches
reaching Nanking from the
front said government, planes
continued their all-day missions
against the Communist artillery
which was harassing the air
port. This was the one remain
ing link between Suchow and
♦ '
Nanking, 200 miles to the south
east.
Evatt and Lie sent their let
i ters as the General Assembly’s
1 political committee heard Soviet
i Foreign Minister Andre Y.
|Vishinsky shout at U. S. Dele
igate Frederick H. Osborn:
! “You are preparing a Pearl
Harbor for th;^ Soviet Union,
aren’t you?”
I The 58-member committee la
| ter voted 36 to 6 against a
Russian t-oposal that the big
powers reduce their armaments
by one-third and prohibit ato
mic weapons. Instead, the com
mittee voted 40 to 6 to call upon
the UN commission to continue
its discussions on the entire
arms question.
The UN security council’s
seven-nation Palestine commit
tee approved a plan said to call
for demilitarizing nearly all the
Negev desert. This plan was
submitted by acting UN Media
tor Ralph Bunche.
New Pastor Assumes
Post at Pentecostal
Church of God
The Rev. Clifford S. Patrick
has announced he will accept
the pastorate of the Pentecostal
Church of God oi Roanoke Rap
ids for the coming year.
He will fill the pulpit for the
first time here foday for his ini
tal sermon and has invited the
public to attend services.
The Rev. Mr. Patrick was
formerly pastor of the Church
of God at Virginia Beach, Vir
ginia, before coming to Roanoke
Rapids.
*
Nation’s Gridirons Present Sharp
Contrast Between Few and Plenty
Of Touchdowns for College Leaders
New Yotk, Nov. 13 — (/P) —
Touchdowns were as scarce as
diamonds in a junk heap today
for Notre Dame, Army, Geor
gia Tech, Tennessee, Kansas and
Southern Methodist of college
football’s reigning family but all
got enough markers to win ex
cept the two southern elevens.
In contrast Michigan, North
Carolina, Duke, California, Penn
State and Ohio State clicked off
seven pointers with the regu
larity of robots for lopsided vic
I tories.
A pair of unknowns brought
Notre Dame the touchdown it
so desperately needed td sub
due Northwestern, 12 to 7. The
fourth period score was the re
sult of the combined efforts of
Bill Gay and John Landry. The
game was the 26th in a row
without defeat for Notre Dame
but it also proved that the Big
Nine team was worthy Hose
Bowl candidate.
Arnold Galiffa’s touchdown
pass to John Trent with 30 sec
onds to go permitted Army to
continue its unbeaten way with
a 26 to 20 verdict over Penn
sylvania.
Alabama turned a iumoie ana
an intercepted pass into the two
touchdowns it needed to defeat
Georgia Tech, 14 to 12, and Mis
sriippi simply outsped Tennes
see, 16 to 13, although the de
cisive points came on a safety.
Southern Methodist’s great
Doak Walker kicked the two
extra points that gave his club
a 14 to 12 verdict over Arkan
sas, whose Clyde Scott was car
ried from the field in the first
quarter.
But it was different at other
gridirons. Michigan annihilated
Indiana, 54 to 0; Ohio State
smothered Illinois, 34 to 7;
North Carolina, with Charlie
Justice held in check on the
ground, drubbed Maryland, in
the air, 49 to 20; California
scalped ashington State, 44 to
14; Duke dumped George Wash
ington, 62 to 0; and Penn State
handled Temple, 47 to 0.
In between the two .extemes
there were such thrillers as
Cornell’s 27 to 26 victory over
Dartmouth; Yale's rugged dis
play before losing to Princeton,
20 to 14; Pittsburgh’s 20 to 13
conquest of Purdue; Clemson’s
21 to 14 triumph ov. * Wake
Forest that kept the Tigers un
beaten and in the bowl water
front.
Georgia, vrith Johnny Rauch
doing the passing, spilled Au
burn 42 to 14, for its fifth
Southeast Conference victory
■ j
and the leadership in that cir
cuit.
Texas, which^ is in the South
west circuit race with Baylor
and SMU, crept past Texas
Christian, 14 to 7, to keep the
pennant drive a three-way- af
fair.
Baylor, beaten for the first
time last week, was humbled
in a non-league affair by Tu
lane, 35 to 13. The ease of the
triumph kept the New Orleans
club in the bowl limelight —
possibly in the Sugar-Bowl.
Kansas almost bowed to Kan
sas State, a team that hasn’t
won a Big Seven gc.me since
1944. Kansas State came with
in six yards of the victory. As
it was, the team lost, 20 to 14.
Oklahoma boiled over Nebras
ka, 41 to 14, and Mississippi
conquered Colorado, 27 to 13.
Elizabeth’s
Baby Is Near,
Doctor Waits
London, Sunday, Nov. 14 —
OT — Sir William Gilliatt, who
will deliver Princess Elizabeth’s
baby, took up an all-night vigil
at Buckingham Palace early to
day in preparation for the birth
of the Princess’ child.
The child is expected this
week-end.
Sir John Weir, the Royal
family physician, has not yet
been called to the Palace. This
fact was interpreted as mean
ing that Sir William's decision
to stay overnight after three
visits to the Princess yesterday
was precautionary.
Sir William decided to re
main overnight after having
been called back to the Palace
shortly after 10 P. M. Last
night he had paid a previous
visit to the 22-year-old Princess
at 8 P. M.
Roark Bradford,
Author Dies
New Orleans, Nov. 13 — (£*)
Roark Bradford, versatile author
of “Old Man Adam and His
Chillun” from which the stage
hit “Green Pastures” was adap
ted, died at his French Quarter
home today. He was 52.
Bradford, also noted for his
other Negro folk tales, had been
in ill health for some time.
Mrs. Bradford said that he
died from Amoebiasis which he
contracted while serving with
the U. S. Navy in French West
Africa in 1943.
U. S. Commitments Under Proposed
Pact Will Exclude Automatic Entry
Into A European War By U. S. A.
Paris, Nov. 13 —(AP)—A well
informed American source pre
dicted today U. S. commitments
under the proposed North At
lantic pact will exclude any au
tomatic entry into a European
War.
The informant said the U. S.
Congress probably would supp
ort extending the principle writ
ten into the 21-nation Pan Amer
ican alliance to the North At
lantic pact. That principle calls
for immediate consultation a
mong the signatories if any one
of them is attacked.
The informant, who insisted
upon anonymity gave his ideas
in an informal assessment ol
what Congress could—and could
not—be expected to approve
when the project came before
it.
* Representatives of the five
Brussels Uni. i allies in London
are studying individual drafts ol
the proposed pact with the U
nited States and Canada. These
are reported to be British,
French, Belgian, Dutch a nd
Luxembourg drafts
The French version is known
to suggest the nacr should last
50 years. The draft is believed
to propose a formula midway be
tween that used in the pole-to
pole Rio De Janeiro pact anc
the Brussels pact.
The Rio principle obligate!
member states only to consul
with each otner immediately ir
the event of any attack.
But the Rrussels principle
commits each member state au
tomatically to go to war is ont
of its fellows is attacked.
Congress has the final say ox
whether or nut the United
States goes to war.
*——
Local Men Face
Charges Of
Beating Father
Two Roanoke Rapids youth:
were placed under arrest her<
yesterday charged with an as
sault with a deadly weapon am
the infliction of personal injuries
on their father H. H. Midgett
in a Saturday afternoon figh
in an alley behind the Midget
home on Rapids street.
The two men, Reginald H
and Percy W. Midgett were botl
jailed under bonis of $1,000 eacl
on the assault charge on war
rants signed by their father.
Officer John Moore, who in
vestigated a call regarding thi
fight, placed Reginald Midget
under arrest yesterday after
noon. He sr' '. the fathei
suffered injuries about the hea<
and was bleeding severely fron
blows allegedly struck by om
of the sons armed with an un
opened pocket Knife.
Midgett was taken to Roanok
Rapids Hospital for treatmen
of his injuries ana was dismis
sed after out-patient treat
ment.
Moore said Percy Midgett ra
from the scene when the polic
car arrived, however the othe
youth came into the police sta
tion later in the evening to ir
quire after his brother and wa
placed under arrest.
The two men will come b<
fore Mayor W. B. Allsbrook fo
a preliminary hearing Monda:
• No reason was given for th
fight by officers who investigi
ted.
< ,