jVb OluustrruM- .
Illustrated by Hal Foster ^ I
* OT ALONE to the Jews did THE STAR appear; men of a different race,
{a different creed saw it. In far-off Persia, among the hills beyond
^ Babylon, three wise men, Magi of the cult of Zoroaster, saw the
great STAR rise in the heavens and, having read its meaning, loaded their
camels with rich gifts and set out on the long, long journey to Bethlehem to
do homage to the Prince of Heaven. | j
Copyricht, 1948. King Future* Syndiente. Ine.
a _———
VS - .—
(Continued Here Wednesday)
Cotton Textile Industry Said To
Be First To Overcome Inflation
New York, N. Y. —The first
major industry to overcome the
inflationary effects of the post
war period may be the cottor
textile industry, according to the
current report of the Department
of Agriculture which shows cot
ton materials to be selling at al
most OPA levels.
The Production and Marketing
Administration of the Depart
ment gives October’s average
price of the 17 basic gray cloth
constructions as 68.32 cents a
^pound, only 1.75 cents above the
average for October 1946. the
last full month of OPA ceilings.
This average was 27.56 cents
a pound under the post-war high
of 95.88 cents reported by the De
partment for December 1947.
This peak climaxed a year of
advancing prices for unfinished
fabrics, spurred largely by spe
culative demand, delayed and
accumulative purchasing, record
{exportations and the pressure of
avid buyers bidding for scarce
goods.
Credited with being the major
factor in bringing down prices
has been the industry’s record
peacetime production. Although
consumption has been and con
tinues to be high, mills have no1
only met the demand but pro
duced the additional materials
necessary to restock depleted
«|helves. In 1947 a peacetime re
cord of over 11 billion square
yards of cotton broad woven fa
brics were produced and for the
first three quarters of 1948 pro
duction ran at a still higher rate
in anticipation of an even great
er demand as lower prices reach
the c nsumer.
While the government’s
average price of cotton fabrics
ftnal OPA levels, individual
prices of the more volatile item*
in the unfinished cotton cloth
market actually fell below OPA
ceilings. One of the most popu
lar print cloths (39 inch 80 X 4C
4.00) for instance dropped to 19
1-2 cents a yard compared with
the last OPA ceiling of 19.675
and many of the other popular
print cloths and sheetings have
been below OPA levelsatvarious
tones during the past weeks
"me market observers say the
downturn may have gone too far
carrying some prices below cos1
of production, but in general
they believe the situation is now
in the process of correcting it
self.
While fear of a larger cottor
crop has slowed down buying
and probably been a factor ir
bringing about price reductions
Offrent raw cotton prices are
wound those prevailing in the
final days of OPA. Other cost*
of operation have zomed how
ever, with labor costs advancinj
23 per cent from an average 01
latest month for which Bureai
89.9 cents an hour in Novembei
1946 to $1,106 for last August,
1 1
J
Local College
Students Home
For Holidays
The parties, dances and gath
erings during the Christmas hol
idays will be greatly added to
by the presence of college stu
dents who will be visiting with
their parents and families until
about January 3.
Some of them from Carolina
will be Nick Long, Frank Haw
ley, Richard Allsbrook, Claudius
Irby, Russell Dickens, Sanford
Brown, and Bill Pruden. From
Smithdeal - Massey Business
College in Richmond there will
be Adres Fisher. Josie Johnson,
Pete Rawlings. Joe Kidd, and
Howard Hubbard. Jack Wrenn,
Wiley Warren, A. R. Hardison,
Buddy Wrenn, Harry Weathers,
Doc Murphy, L. S. Pullen,
Charles Smith, Theron Harris,
C. D. Clark and Thomas Clark
will be coming in from Wake'
Forest. Richmond Polytech-1
nic Institute in Richmond will be
minus Priscilla Tickle and Cher
ry Taylor, while Jimmy Brown,
Allen Brown, Jimmy Elmore,
Bynum Neal, and Court Brown
will be visiting from State. Oth
ers coming home will be Puggy
Starke. Rose Cooksey, and Bob
bie Fisher all of Womens Col
lege of the University of North
Carolina; Ruby Blowe. Camp
bell Junior College; Ernestine
Smith. Pan - American Busi -
ness College; Frankie Rightmy- '
er, Norfolk Business College;
Robert McAdams of Mars Hill
College; waiter Myriclc ol High
Point; Grace Taylor of Duke
University; Charles Pullen and
Boo-Boo Butler of East Carolina
Teachers College; Clifton Bras
well of Washington, D. C.; John
Crutchfield and Clara Clarke;
Joyce Witherspon of Staunton,
Virginia; Dwight Dobbins and
A1 George of State; and last, but |
not least C. D. Martin, Jr. of |
U. S. Military Academy, Anna
polis, Maryland.
Children Get Lost
At Christmas Party
Los 9ngeles, Dec. 21— (JP)—
The Masquers’ Annual Christ
mas Party program was halted
for awhile when the stage be
came so crowded with lost
youngsters that no one could get
to the microphone.
More than 100 children got
lost at the big outdoor party in
Pershing Square last night. Fin
ally police herded them into a
bus, where all eventually were
claimed by their parents.
Thousands of youngsters
thronged to the affair to see San
ta and such movie heroes a s
Gene Autry, Wally Ford and
Reginald Deny.
Cub Scouts
Hold Their
Christmas Party
Last night at the Recreation
Hall in Rosemary the Cub
Scouts of Roanoke Rapids met
for their Christmas party.
The hall was beautifully de
corated throughout with a light
ed tree and a fire-place which
gave one the feeling that Saint
Nick would come sliding into the
room any minute as one of the
Cubs expressed it.
Reece Welch, cub master was
present and the den’s chiefs Rus
sell Buxton III, David Camp,
and Alton Capps.
Mrs. Russell Buxton, Den
mother of Den One was present
when the Cubs arrived bringing
their supper in bags.
Welch and Mrs. Buxton served
hot chocolate and dough-nuts as
the boys spread their supper.
The blessing followed and af
ter supper Christmas carols were
in order, with gifts exchanged.
Each den put on a skit. Den
One gave a marionette show of
Christmas scenes. Movies by
the cub-master of “Little King’s
Christmas Deed” and “Night Be
fore Christmas”.
Prizes were awarded to the
quartett singing Christmas carols
the best, by the cub-master.
Those present were: Don Til
ler, Tommy Pappendick, Willis
Ion Lewis, Kenneth Buxton, Gene
Hawkins, Bobby Thompson, A1
Lassiter, Joe Mert, James Garn
er, John Dunn, and Nathan Teele
“Nativity Scene” 0
Causes Motorists 1
Motorists driving on the Wel
don highway near Roanoke Rap
ids the past few nights have
been brought to a halt by a view
which looks like something out
of the Holy Land nearly 2,000
years ago.
The scene which seems so
realistic is the Nativity Scene
which has been erected this year
again at the Roanoke Builders
Supply Company. Life-life Bibli
cal watchers can be seen with
their flocks watching the beauty
and mystery of the fabulous star
of the East hovering over the
Bethlehem manger.
Also to be seen are the Wise
Men as they journey to follow
the Star of Hope.
To natives of the area the
Nativity scene is nothing new,
but passers-by from out of the.
state have been obviously start
led by the vividness of the sight,
and employees of the company
said a number of people stop to
comment on the work. Even
more people who do not stop at
the time have obviously been,
impressed.
84th Year—No. 85 Roanoke Rapids, N. C , Tuesday, December 21, 1948 5c Daily; 10c Sunday «
— — —--- - - ■ — — /{
County acnoois
Form Athletic
Conference
Halifax — An announcement
has been made here of the for
mation of the Halifax Confer
ence including six of the Hali
fax County schools to compete
in the 1949 basketball season
and declare a county champion.
W. Henry Overman, superin
tendent of the Halifax County
Schools, and C. B. Thomas were
named co-chairmen of the athle
tic commitee to direct basket
ball competition in the confer
ence. Weldon, Scotland Neck,
Enfield, Aurelian Springs, Wil
liam R. Davie and Littleton will
all participate i n conference
games during the season, each
team playing each other at least
twice in boys’ and girls' games
during the season.
At the end of the regular play
ing season the conference cham
pion will be declared on the bas
is on won-lost records in con
ference play. A Conference tour
nament will be held on March 2,
3 and 4, however the place of
the tournament has not been
announced.
Strict regulations regard
ing player eligibility have been
ndrrated and the rule, and reg
ulations governing th* N. C.
High School Athletic Association
were adopted to govern confer
ence competition. Principals are
required at the end of the six
weeks grading period the names
of all his eligible ball players,
and ineligible players are
barred from competing in Hali
fax Conference games.
When principals and coaches
met here to make plans for the
formation of the conference, it
was decided that the Halifax
County high schols will not at
tempt to compete in state-wide
competition because under the
N. C. H. S. A. A. the champions
must have been decided by Feb
ruary 19, which Halifax County
officials deemed too early be
cause of schedule making,
which must be completed.
U. S. Gives Up
Hope Of Getting
Dutch Withdrawal
Paris, i)ec. 21—(JP)—An Ameri
can spokesman said today the
United States has given up hope
of getting Dutch troops to with
draw to lines held before the cur
rent "police action" against the
Republic of Indonesia.
The spokesman, a press officer
of the U. S. delegation to the
United Nations Security Council,
said an American resolution to
the council tomorrow will con
tain little else than a demand
for a cease fire, because most
other nations on the council
would net back the plan for a
withdrawal of troops.
A Dutch spokesman said the
Netherlands might accept a
cease fire if the main Dutch ar
my action in Java and Sumatra
appeared to be over by tomor
row, but he added:
“Of course that would apply to
large movements. It would be
too much to expect us not to
reply to Guerrilla actions. In
any case we should probably
have to consult the Hague on the
military situation. A great deal
also deoends on the wording
whether it offers anything con
structive.”
Any order to withdraw to old
lines, the Dutch spokesman said,
would “not be practical” and
would bring chaos.
n Weldon Highway
o Stop And Look
Each year the company re
ceives letters asking about the
scene from people who have
passed along the highway and
have wanted to find out more
about the scene and the people
who put it up each year, and
letters have come in from points
as far away as Columbia, S. C.
F. M. Rainey is the desinger
and builder of the Nativity set.
His work indicates he is famil
iar with the scene he tries to
portray, since he has been cut
ting out the figures and paint
ing them for the past ten years.
He said he has received
a number of requests from
people who want him to make
them a set of the figures to set
up as a display for their homes
or businesses. He said the order
he filled for a Norfolk resident
represents the long-distance or
der he has filled.
At night the scene is flood -
lighted, and the figures stand
out against a background of live
evergreens, giving ah interpre
tation of the true beginning of
Christmas as it was 2,000 years
and 6,000 miles away.
Dutch t orces Attack 1 ransport
Lines In Indonesian Republic
ilstania Tana T>«. 01 (A ( aamnaiirn urViirK the roll i i« nn th»-» main rnfld
—Dutch forces appeared today
to be slashing methodically
across transport lines of the In
donesian Republic in Central Ja
va.
A Netherlands communique
announced Dutch marines have
seized Toeban, a republican port
on the north shore of the island,
and moved to the outskirts of
Bodjonegoro, a highway center
25 miles to the southwest.
Dutch troops, it said, captured
Pati, on the coastal railway 75
miles west of Toeban, and Bo
jolali, inland gateway to Soera
karta, the Republic’s second
city.
The Republic’s first city and
capital, Jogjakarta, was seized
by airborne forces Sunday in the
a “police action” against terror
ists.
President Soekarao, his major
ministers and his military com
mander in chief, Gen. Soederi
man, are in Dutch custody.
The Dutch struck across re -
publican demarcation lines in
both Java and Sumatra after an
nouncing Saturday that they
would set up a federal interim
regime for Indonesia (The Neth
erlands East Indies) without the
Republic.)
The anouncemeit of the cap
ture of Pati was th* first indi
cation that Dutch troops were
operating in that area, which is
30 miles northeast of the old
line separating Dutch-ruled and
Republican territory
mith toward Jogjakarta. Soera
carta lies 15 miles east of Bo j
olali.
The United Natij^.s officials
iere awaited word of the status
)f 18 U. N. workers, including
i veral Americans, in Republi
can territory. They were last
leard from Saturday, when they
vere at Kalieorang.
A spokesman for the U. N
3ood Offices Committee said the
security council has asked the
commitee to repoTt on the mili
tary situation. He said the chair
nan, Merle Cochran of the Unit
id States, was expected to take
jp the mater today. (Cochran
cablea the Security Council yes
terday that the Dutch violated
in 11 - month old truce agree
ment in attacking the republic.)
i nree-rower
Government For «
Berlin Set s
Berlin, Dec 21 —CAP)— The
United States, Britain and
France announced today a three
power government for Berlin
without Russian participation.
The French Commandant,
Gen. Jean Ganeval, read a
three-power statement saying:
“If Soviet authorities either
now or at some future date, de
cide to abide by the agreement
to which the four persona are
committed, the quadripartite ad
ministration of Berlin can be re
sumed.
“During their abstention the
three western allies will exer
cise the powers of the allied Ko
mandatura although realizing
that owing to the soviet obstruc
tion it will only be possible for
them to carry out their admin
istration in the western sectors
for the present.”
The western commandants re
called that the Russians disrupt
ed four power government b y
Impressive Ceremonies Mark Laying Of Cornerstone
For New Oak Grove Methodist Church Near Site Of
Original Church Which Was Founded In Year 1821
c;_ ir.iL.ji.i _• ■ i______
nearly 100 members of the con
gregation gathered at the Oan
Grove Methodist Church b e -
,tween Gaston and Vultare Sun
day afternoon to participate in
an impressive cornerstone - lay
ing ceremony for the new
church building which has just
been started.
In spite of the cold, wet wea
ther the group on hand gathered
in the old church building
erected in 1890 which was re
built from the original church
founded in 1821. The present
pastor, the Rev. Matt R. Gard
ner of IJarysburg, presided over
the services and was assisted by
five other Methodist ministers.
The Linwood Blackburn,
a Methodist missionary now on
leave of absence from his duties
in Africa, read the New Testa
ment lesson, using a passage he
had used for a similar ceremony
in Africa. The Rev. J. F. Her
bert, pasto* of the First Metho
dist Church of Roanoke Rapids,
offered a prayer. Two vo
cal solos *«ily City” sung by
Mill tfary fifetighf accompanied
by Mrs. W. A. Vincent, and
“O, Holy Night’* sung by Miss
Constance Herbert accompanied
by her father, the Rev. J. F.
Herbert, provided special music
for the occasion.
nr A T UV.KW.
dent of the Rocky Mount Dis
trict of Methodist Churches,
gave an address, using I Cor
inthians 3: 9, “We are laborers
together with God”, as his text.
He said, Paul was talking to
us also, for we labor with God
as we build our churches. We
are met here this afternoon for
a very serious ocasion and pur
pose to have a part in the foun
dation of a new house of God”
He said the cornerstone is laid
with faith, hope, belicef, deter
mination and appreciation.
Following Dr. Hobbs' address
the ministers and congregation
went to the site of the new build
ing in front of the old church
and Dr. Hobbs read a Scripture
passage.
A prayer of consecration was
offered by the Rev. W. R. Stev
ens, pastor of the Rosemary
Methodist Church of Roanoke
Rapids, then the Rev. Mr. Gard
ner led the congregation in the
litany and read a list of the ar
ticles in a metal box behind the
cornerstone: a Bible, Methodist
hymnal, Methodist Discip -
line, church periodicals and
church school literature, names
of church officials and building
committee, a copy of the story
and picture carried by the Roan
oke Rapids Herald for the oca
sion and a copy of the church
bulletin for the service.
Then the cornerstone was put
(Continued on Page Ten)
Today Is First
Day Of Winter
By The AeaocUted Press
Today is the first day of win
ter. Freezing temperatures
have been recorded in many
Carolinas communities the last
couple of days following an un
seasonable mid-December warm
spell. The forecast for North
V/Biuiuia biiu UUUUI vr.tuuiia am
partly cloudy and warmer today,
tonight and tomorrow.
Here are this morning's low
readings:
North Carolina — Mt. Mitchell
15, Raleigh 33, Greensboro 28,
Charlotte 29, Cape Hatteras 40,
Lumberton 29, Winston-Salem 29,
Hickory 28, Asheville 21, Eli
zabeth City 31. Rocky Mount 31,
Cherry Point 32, New Bern 29,
Wilmington 31.
ROANOKE RAMBUNGS
By PAT NANTZ
datura last July 1. They said the
Kommandatura” can only be mi
tered or abdicated by agree
ment of all the governments
which set it up.”
Lions Club Is
Santa Claus To
50 Children
The Roanoke Rapids Lions
Club was Santa Claus to more
than 50 local youngsters Friday
night.
The youngsters, ail of whom
were brought to the high school
cafeteria by members of the club
who had been given their names,
first gorged themselves on ice
cream and cake.
Ted Speight led the group in
singing Christmas carols with
Mrs. Elva Martin accompanying
at the piano.
Jack Livesay showed a Christ
ines story film for the youngsters
and then Santa Claus arrived.
The name of each of the
youngsters was called and the
youngsters walked up to Santa
Claus and received a present.
Each youngster received a
toy, a piece of clothing and a bag
of fruit and nuts.
The Lions Club’s annual Christ
mas party this year was direct
ed by C. A. Irby.
In addition to the gifts for the
children the Lions Club prepared
30 baskets for distribution to
needy families in the area.
Inspection Lane
Making Last Stop
In Enfield Now
Enfield — Mechanieal TdiMi
Inspection Lane 38 opened Here
yesterday for its last stand et
1948 in this part of Halifax Coun
ty, and lane supervisor £. Q.
Whitehurst issued a warning to
all motorists in the area til a I
they must get their ears through
the inspection lane before Fri
day or take a chance ef bring
indicte-’.
Whitehurst said the lest riO
has been issued throughout the
state to the motorists who still
Viavri HoInvoH ffAttinff ihalf flare
Dr. and Mrs. W. E. Murphy
of Hamilton street left yesterday
for a tour through Florida dur
ing the Christmas holidays ...
Friends of Corporal James G.
Tucker will be interested to
know that he has sent word to
his mother, Mrs. J. H. Brant
ley, that he would not be home
for Christmas . .. but wishes to
extend his wishes for a Merry
Christmas to all of his friends.
“Tuck” lived at 238 Jefferson
street before entering service,
and attended the local high
school. He also expressed his
desire to receive letters from his
friends and relatives.his
address is—Cpl. James G. Tuck
er--14—247040; 522 Fighter Sqd.
27th. Fighter Group; Kearney
Air Fortie Base; Kearney, Neb
raska ......
Expected to arrive at his
home, tomorrow, is Earl Waters
of the Army Air Force.... Earl
is a '48 graduate of the local
high school and the son of Mr.
and Mrs. Murphry Waters of 117
Monroe street.
Seen around town since his ar
rival last week, is James Mc
Daniel, son of Mrs. James E.
Barnes of Hamilton street and of
James G. McDaniel of Littleton
Road. . . . James is a student at
Fork Union Military Academy,
Richmond, Virginia .. He enter
ed there this fall, and would have
been a member of this year’s
graduating class, had he remain
ed, here ....
After that defeat by Raleigh
our local Jax suffered Friday
night, we are expecting them to
restore our faith in their ability
tonight when they meet with the
Bethel High team for the second
time this season.
Mr. and Mrs. Dallas Thomp
son will have as their guests ov
er the holidays, Mr. and Mrs. J
J. Wallas of South Carolina...
“What are you doing there:
Bob?” asked his friend. "I'm
writing a letter to my brothel
out in Leavenworth.” “Go on,
Bob, you know you don’t know
how to write." “That don’t
make no difference; my brother
don't know how to read .... ”
Ireland Breaks Last Ties With
Britain To Become A Republic
Dublin, Dec. 21—(fl*)—Eire
became a free and independent
Republic today.
Ireland-centuries - long and
often bloody struggle for free -
dom came to a peaceful end as
President Sean T. O’Kelly sign
ed Eire out of the British Com
monwealth.
O’Kelly approved a bill of the
Irish parliament repealing the
external relations act which had
empowered the British king to
accredit Irish diplomats.
The act was the last slender
constitutional tie between Eire
and the British Crown and Com
monwealth.
The repeal actually becomes 1
effective on an “independence
day” which Prime Minister John
A. Costello’s government is ex
pected to proclaim early in the
spring.
The delay will give the two na
tions time to work out a new
alignment of economic and poli
tical relationships.
The English conquest of Ire
land bagan with an invasion in
1169 and was helped by a rift
among Irish chieftains. But it
ran into stiff resistance.
The Irish fought for freedom
in 1598, 1641 and 1690. Then
the rebels went underground for
more than 100 years. They rose
again in 1803, 1848 and 1867.
But it was the bloody rebel
lion of 1916 and the Guerrilla
war of 1919-1921 which finally
broke British authority. The re
bellion was planned by the
citizen army and the left wings
of the volunteers and Sinn Fein.
The actual fighting, which was
chiefly street fighting in Dublin,
lasted a week after it broke out
on Easter Sunday 1916. Fifteen
rebels were executed.
In the Guerrilla war that fol
lowed, Britian used the hated
black-and-tans in a effort to hold
her position. (Their name
came from the color of their
uniforms). In 1918 Britain pass
ed a military servic bill which
applied to Ireland. It was never
enforced but it rekindled inde •
pendence fervor.
I The Irish fought against Bri- (
ish authority wherever it rais
d its head. The counter-terro
ism and activities of the black
nd-tans greatly helped the evo
utionaries for they created a
latred of British rule where it
iid not exist before and strength*
med it where it did.
The Weather
NORTH CAROLINA—Partly
cloudy and warmer today, to
nlaht and Wednesday.
inspected and approved, and
said after the first of 194S all
cars not bearing the approval
sticker will be subject to being
stopped and the owners indicted
for failure to comply with the
Motor Vehicles Act
The lane in Enfield will dose
Friday afternoon and will re
open next Monday for four days
in Scotland Neck to wind up its
1948 operations in Halifax Coun
ty.
Lost Minute
Moiling
Postmaster L. G. Shell warn
ed Christmas mailers today
that very little time remains
in which to do any mailing at
ail, and warned that all who
delay their mailing any longer
are going to find their eards
and packages will be deliver
ed after December <5.
He said the post office will
be open again tomorrow after
noon for the last pre-Christmas
Wednesday opening to handle
the local mail deliveries and
the last-minute letters and
packages coming ha.
■hell -rued the use ft air
mail aart ala pgrOOl peg! Cih
for those who have dslagod ha
3 Shopping
Days
Until Christmas