GIANT AIRSHIP IS
A TOTAL WRECK
Roma on Trial Flight Falls
1000 Feet; Wayne Co.
Man in List of Dead
NORFOLK, Va., eFb. 21.—Flung
earthward, presumably by a broken
rudder the giant army airship Roma ;
plunged a thousand feet or more to- !
day to strike ground at Hampton
Roads army base, capsize across a
high tension electric line and burst in
to a roaring furnace of blazing hyd
rogen gas in which at least 35 of
her army crew and passengers pe
rished.
Long after dark tonight, many
hours after her fall, the ship was
still a mass of flames, from end to
end of her 410 foot mass. The fire
was feeding on the million cubic feet
of gas that had distended the great
bag for the flight.
Barely a dozen or more than two
score men aboard had bee picked up
ali\e. One died en route to a hos
pital. All of those,who survived the
fire escaped by jumping as the ship
struck. The others, penned in the
hull beneath the fallen bag, were
burned to death. Heat of the fire
fought back rescuers for hours.
Three fire departments fought the
flames with chemicals and by 7 p. m.
it was out. Derricks began picking
up the wreckage as the flames were
driven back. There was scarcely
more than the aluminum frame work
and the six liberty motors to move.
witnin tne wreckage lay the bodies,
many of them charred beyond direct
recognition. Thirty-one bodies had
been taken out tonight. Three or
four more were thought to be still in
the charred mass that alone remained
of what had been the largest ship of
Her type in the world.
Accounts of surviving officers as
to what happened were not available
tonight. Every man who escaped
alive was burned or bruised or both.
Eye witnesses who watched the
smash agreed, however, that the
huge, kite-like structure of the stern
rudder, itself as large as a bombing
plane, had slipped to one side as the
Roma drove along a thousand feet
above the army base.
She was making a trial flight with
a new battery of liberty mjotors.
They were installed to replace Italian
engines bought with her in Italy, but
which have not proved-satisfactory.
Installation was completed at Lang
ley Field two weeks ago.
It was just before 2 p. m. when
those below at the army base at |
Hampton Roads base, their attention
caught by the approaching thunder
of the six motors, looked up to see
the Roma dip down from her straight
flight. They agreed that the rudder
seemed to have slipped bodily down
and to one side.
The ship nosed steeply down. As
she came closer it was seen that her
crew were hurling out sand ballast
from the ports in the fragile fabric
that formed the covering of the space
between her keel and back, the living
and operating quarters of the ship.
The dipping blunt nose of the bag
did not respond. On the ship came,
unchecked in her glide earthward,
head first. Her commander could
not force her the few hundred feet
that would have dropped her into
the waters of the bay and compara
tive safety for her people.
tieiow ran tne nign aoume wires oi
the high power electric line. It car
ried a 2300 volt current. The Roma’s
nose, shod with its aluminum guard
thrust into the wires, broke them as
the ship flattened to earth and rolled
over, and the next moment came the
noise of an explosion and the
flames burst out along the hull space.
—Associated Press.
Among the list of dead who lost
their lives in the Roma disaster, was
a man from Wayne county—Private
John C. Thompson. He is the son of
Mr. Sam Thompson, whose post of
fice address is Bentonville, Route No.
One The home of the deceased was
just across the Johnston county line.
Lobbying Put Under Ban.
All lobbying ought to be put under
ban. Governor Hardwick, of Geor
gia, has learned that the expenses of
trustees (of state institutions have
been paid while lobhying the Leg
islature for appropriations. He has
stopped the practice.—News and Ob
server.
TOBACCO FARMERS
WANT WAREHOUSE
Committee Has Been Direct
ed to Enter into Negotia
tions With Owners
Control through outright purchase
or by lease of sufficient tobacco ware
houses and redrying plants in the to
bacco districts of Virginia, North
Carolina and South Carolina was au
thorized by the Board of directors of
the Tobacco Growers Co-operative
Marketing Association yesterday, and
a committee directed to enter into
negotiations with owners of such
warehouses and redrying plants.
An immediate survey of the to
bacco marketing equipment in the
three States wil be made by the
committee, which is composed of Dr.
J. Y. Joyner, North Carolina chair
man, N, H. Williams, South Caro
lina, and T. B. Young, of Virginia.
The committee is vested with author
ity to buy or lease any property that
is regarded as essential to the furth
erance of the plans of the associa
tion.
In Virginia the association has al
ready been offered the use of prac
tically the entire equipment of the
warehousemen who have been mar
keting that State’s crop of tobacco.
Numbers of owners of such property
in North Carolina and South Caro
lina have offered to place their
equipment at the disposal of the as
sociation and no difficulty is antici
pated in making ample arrangements
for crop movement.
During the next few weeks mem
bers of the committee will inspect
every tobacco marketing plant in the
State, appraise its value, and deter
mine which of such plants are essen
tiol to the marketing of tobacco by
the association, beginning with the
next season. When a plant is deem
ed necessary, or suitable, to the plans
of the association, negotiations for
its purchase or lease will be opened.
It is believed that little difficulty
will be experienced in securing con
trol of all needed property.
Active business has begun by the
association. Secretary M. C. Wilson
is in Raleigh, and within the next
few days expects to secure perma
nent offices here, and all the affairs
of the organization will be directed
from here. Directors in Raleigh for
the meeting are enthusiastic over the
development of the organization, and
see for it tremendous ultimate suc
cess.—News and Observer, Feb. 22.
SAYS THAT THE ROMA
WAS FAR FROM SAFE
Letter Written By Lieut. Clifford E.
Smythe Who Was Killed, Pub
lished By Relative.
CHICAGO, 111., Feb. 22.—Lieut.
Clifford E. Smythe, of Chicago, killed
in the Roma disaster, wrote to his
father just after the dirigible’s recent
trial flight to Washington that the
airship was so unsafe that it would
be “criminal negligence to fly her
again without making changes in her
construction,” according to Dr. J. M.
Nicholson, a friend of the Smythe
family, who made public the letter to
night.
The Roma behaved so badly in
her first trial over Washington that
she was declared unsafe,” said the
letter, according to Dr. Nicholson,
“and majority of those on board were
advised to make the return trip by
train. If anything has oeen done to
alter her, except to change the en
gvnes, I don’t know what it is. It
looks to me like criminal negligence
to fly her without making changes in
her construction. But, what can I
do?
“The dirigible seemed sluggish and
slow to respond to the controls.
While she ended the trip all right
she disobeyed her rudder several
times in a way that was alarming.
The result was that on her return
trip from Washington unnecessary
passengers and all members of the
crew who could' be spared were ad
vised to go back by train.”
Robert Smythe, Jr., Lieutenant
Smythe’s brother, said Lieut. Smythe
made the return trip from Washing
ton by boat.
Services at Episcopal Church.
Tnere will be preaching Sunday
morning at 11 o’clock, February 26th,
at the Smithfield Episcopal church by
Rev. John Loyd, the new pastor.
AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE
COMPARISONS
For the first four months this year, 1921-22, and the
first four months last year, 1920-21, Turlington Grad
ed School, Smithfield, N. C.
1
Results oXg/^ore Rigid Enforcement of th
CoirypoUciy Rtfer) c/artce Lqm.
The average daily attendance for the fourth month this year was
131 more than it was last year, an increase of 28%. For the first four
months the increase over last year was 20%. This was brought about
without any increase in the school population of the district.
AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE
COMPARISONS
For the first three months this year, 1921-22, and the
first three months last year, 1920-21, Johnston County
Training School (Colored), Smithfield, N. C.
1
In the school for the colored the average daily attendance for the
first three months last year was 1G5; this year it was 304. This is an
increase of 84%. The increase comes from the Smithfield Graded
School District.
Free Will Baptist College.
KINSTON, Feb. 22.—The Free Will
Baptist will start construction of the
first of three buildings for a combined
college and high school at Ayden dur
ing the latter part of March or, the
first of April. At least $200,000 will
be expended, according to local esti
mates. The construction of all three
buildings wil not be undertaken at one
time, it was understood here today.
The institution will be the pfincipal
seat of learning of the Free Will Bap
tists in the Southeast. The denomi
nation is particularly strong in the
eastern part of North Carolina. It
maintains an important publishing
plant at Ayden. A ministerial class
is now being conducted there at which
a number of young preachers are
being trained.—News and Observer.
A Queer Lot.
Some of those Bc^shevists in Rus
sia appears to be wiping-to allow the
Russian peasants to starve rather
than permit them to accept food pos
sibly tainted with American capitalis
tic doctrines. A queer lot those com
munistic doctrinnares in Russia. —
News and Observer.
Death of Mrs. Scarbprough.
The many friends of Mrs. J. C.
Scarborough, whose distinguished
husband was for sixteen years State
Superintendent of Public Instruction,
died at the home of her daughter, Mrs.
Nicholson, in the city of Raleigh last
Wednesday morning. She was buried
beside her husband in the cemetery
at Selma on Thursday afternoon. Dr.
T. W. O’Kelly, pastor of the First
Baptist Church, accompanied the fun
eral party to Selma. Services were
held at the home of Mrs. Nicholson in
Raleigh. Dr. R. T. Vann, who knew
Mrs. Scarborough for many years,
made a very appropriate talk and Mr.
Hartwell Scarborough, the only son,
paid a beautiful tribute to.his moth
er. Mrs. Scarborough leaves three
I children: Mr. Hartwell Scarborough,
who teaches at Macon, N. C.; Mrs.
Nicholson and Mrs. Lawrence who live
in Raleigh. To all these the Recorder
extends sincere sympathy.—Biblical
Recorder, Feb. 22.
The ambition of many a man is to
oe able to pay his debts.
T. G. S. REMAINS ON
ACCREDITED LIST
Course Offered Enables the
Graduates to Enter Col
lege Without Exams
Supt Thos. H. Franks has just re
ceived the report of the Commission
on Accredited Schools of the Associa
tion of College and Secondary schools
of Southern States. This report
shows that the Smithfield High school
still remains on the accredited list
of the Association of Colleges and
Secondary Schools of the Southern
States. 'I'here are forty-four High
Schools in North Carolina on the
accredited list of this association.
The number of accredited schools in
other Southern States follows:
Alabama 31; Arkansas 30; Florida,
43; Georgia, 64; Kentucky 38; Louisi
ana, 30; Mississippi, 19; South Caro
lina, 22; Tennessee, 52; Texas, 79;
Virginia, 43; West Virginia, 54.
Only High schools are admitted to
membership in the Association of Col
leges and Secondary schools of
Southern State which meet the re
quirements regarded as necessary for
first class High school work. Before
a High school is admitted to member
ship it must first Lave High school
teachers who are graduates of stand
ard colleges. They must also meet
certain requirements as to laboratory
equipment, libraries, number of stu
dents per teacher, number of recita
tions per day, etc.
The advantage of being a member
of this association is that the gradu
ates of the High schools which are
members are admitted to colleges
without examination. The North
Carolina accredited schools are as fol
lows:
Asheville School, Asheville.
Asheville Normal School, Asheville.
Asheville High school, Asheville.
Bingham Military School, Ashe
ville.
Blue Ridge School for Boys, Hen
dersonville.
Burlington High School Burlington.
Chapel Hill High School, Chapel
Hill.
Canton High School, Canton.
Davenport Preparatory School, Le
noir.
Durham High School, Durham.
Edenton High School, Edenton.
Elizabeth City High School, Eliza
beth City.
Fassifern High School, Henderson
ville.
Fayetteville High School, Fayette
ville.
Gastonia High School, Gastonia.
Greensboro Hfgh School, Greens
boro.
Greenville High School, Greenville.
Grove Park School, Asheville.
Hendersonville High School, Hen
dersonville.
Hickory High School, Hickory.
Cigh Point High Schoo , High
Point.
is l'&ton High School, Kinston.
Laurinburg High School, "Laurin
burg.
Lenoir High School, Lenoir.
Mars Hill College, Mars Hill.
New Hanover High School, Wil
mington.
Oak Ridge Institute, Oak Ridge.
Raleigh High School, Raleigh.
Reidsville High School, Reidsville.
Roanoke Rapids High School, Roa
noke Rapids.
Rocky Mount High School, Rocky
iuuuiiu
St. Genevieve’s Academy, Asheville.
Salem Academy, Winston-Salem.
Shelby High School, Shelby.
Smithfield High School, Smithfield.
Snyder Outdoor School for Boys,
Lake Junaluska.
Statesville High School, States
ville.
Tarboro High School, Tarboro.
Trinity Park School, Durham.
West Durham High School, West
Durham.
Wilson High School, Wilson.
Winston-Salem High School,' Wins
ton-Salem.
The Limit Reached.
Since Washington was inaugurated
President the United States has spent
$67,000,000,000, of which amount it is
said that 58 billions of dollars has
gone to pay for war and $9,000,000,
000 for peace. Surely the limit of
the patience and endurance of the
people has been reached.—Wesleyan
Christian Advocate.
NO HURRY ABOUT
SOLDIER BONUS
House Committee to Take
Its Time; Canadian Plan
Favored to Raise Cash
WASHINGTON, Feb. 22.—The fi
nancing of the soldiers’ bonus by
means of a manufacturers’ or whole
salers' tax was discussed in what was
described as “a general sort of way”
at two sessions today of the Republi
can members of the house ways and
means committee dealing with this
subject. It was announced that, there
would be no further sessions until
Friday and members indicated that
there was no disposition to hurry a
decision.
Representative Longworth, of Ohio,
ranking member of the special com
mittee, said it was his judgment that
a general manufacturers’ and
wholesalers’ tax similar to that in
force in Canada would be recommend
ed. He thought the rates would be
lower, than those in Canada, as
treasury experts had estimated that
the Canadian rates-, if put in force in
this country, would yield $580,000,000
a year, or more than $200,000,900 in
excess of the sum which it has been
estimated will be needed to finance
the cash payments to the former
service men.
Mr. Longwoith said he did not
think the bonus bill would be ready
for the house this week or next. He
stated that there was some disposi
tion on the part of many house mem
bers to postpone action on the meas
ure for a time to await the opening
of the refunding negotiations be
tween the United States and the
debtor nations. Calling attention
that the refunding commiss:on had
been appointed by the President, the
Ohio member said there was reason
to believe that before July the United
States would have some of the re
funded bonds in hand.
The President, Mr. Longworth went
on to say, undoubtedly would not be
opposed to the sale of some of the
foreign bonds in this country ■ to ob
tain money for the bonus. He added
that before this could be done Con
gress would have to enact a law giv
ing authority to the secretary of the
treasury to so dispose of the securi
ties, ns teh present law provides
that he must use them in retiring a
part of the public debt.
The Ohio member said the Presi
dent was opposed to the enactment
of bonus legislation without any pro
vision for raising the funds. If the
proposed sales tax provision wa?
beaten in the house, he added, the
bill then would simply be a charge
against the treasury. It was his
opinion that if a sales tax were re
ported the house would be given an
opportunity to vote separately on
that tax.
A separate vote has been demanded
by opponents of a sales tax, who con
tinued today to tighten their lines
for the fight which now is regarded
on all sides as almost certain. Op
ponents said that, if necessary, there
would be a fight all along the line
from the ways and means committee
to the party conference, then to the
rules committee and finally to the
house.- They did not think the fight
would last that long, but continued
to circulate petitions among house
members.—Associated Press.
Preparing for Truett Meeting.
The Raleigh pastors are busy pre
paring for the Truett meetings. Large
crowds are expected from the several
sections of the State. This will be the
first meeting Dr. Truett has ever held
in his native State, and many will
want to hear this matchless preach
er. A high power radio station will
soon be installed in Raleigh, making
it the eighth city in the country, and
the first in the South, to have such a
distinction. Arrangements will be
made to use this instrument in the
Truett meetings, so that those who
cannot come to Raleigh may hear Dr.
Truett if they can connect with the
Raleigh radio. The meetings will be
gin March 1, and continue twelve or
fifteen days.—Biblical Recorder.
Fourth Sunday Appointments.
Rev. E. B. Booker asks us to pub
lish his preaching appointments as
follows for Sunday, February 26th:
Oliver’s Grove church at 11 o’clock;
Benson Grove church at 3 o’clock;
Beaty Chapel at the Smithfield cotton
mills at night.