Sylva Herald AND RURALITE? CONSOLIDATED JULY, 1943 The Sylva Herald, winner ?/ First Place of N. C. Preee Association 1943 General Km* cetlence Award, SYLVA, N. C., Wednesday, March 7, 1945 OL. XIX NO. 42 $1.50 A Year In Jackson And Swain Counties ? 5c Copy THESE AMERICANS WERE HELD PRISONER BY THE JAPS SYLVA G A P GROUP TO START STUDY OF AIR PLANE ENGINES MAR. 8 Plans were made at the meeting of the Sylva group of the Civil Air Pa trol last Thursday night that at the next meeting, to be held at the Sylva High school on March 8, to start into the class work with the study of airplane engines. % A, large group was present at the last meeting, ' among them being a number who had just learned of the plans to organize the patrol in Sylva. Applications were filled out and fin ger prints made of all adult members present. Lieutenant Holden, commander of the Canton Patrol, was present and explained for the benefit of new mem bers the purpose and plans of the Civil Air ^Patrol in North v Carolina. Aiso present were Lieutenant Mathis, executive officer, and Flight Officer Vetoe, both of the Canton Patrol. Lt. Mathis explained the part played and the importance of drill i$ the work of the air patrol. ' All persons between the ages of 15 and 65 who are interested in be coming a member of the Civil Air Patrol are urged to be present at the next meeting on March 8. $11,275.00 SYLVA BONOS GALLED SAYS MAYOR H. GIBSON Mayor H. Gibson advises that the Board of Aldermen recently made a call for Town of Sylva bonds in the amount of $11,275.00. (Mayor Gibson otso makes the following statement in connection ^rlth fiscal matters of the Town: "On December 1, 1938, prior to re itttenfcftflffethe Tofwn^ iftftbtedn ostpone a water-filtering project and the purchase of street cleaning equipment." RUSSEU. HAMILTON GIVEN UP AS DEAD BY NAVY DEPT. Mr. and Mrs. Roy Hamilton of Cul lowhee have received another mes sage from the War Dept. in connection with the disappearance of their son Kussell, who was reported missing in' action Jan. 2, 1944. The telegram tram the war dept. reads as follows: "The Navy Dept. deeply regrets to inform you that a careful review of all facts available relating to the dis appearance of your son, Russell Hamilton, Aviation Machinist's Mate 2-c USN previously reported missing, ieads to the contusion that there is no hope for his survival and that he lost his life as reAilt of enemy action on 2 Jan. 1944, while in the service cf his country. If additional informa tion is received, it will be forwarded to you promptly. Sincere sympathy is extended/ to you in your great sor uw. "Vice- Admiral Randall Jacobs, Chief of Naval Personnel SYLVA PTA TO MEET THURSDAY AFTERNOON The Sylva Parent Teacher Asso. will meet Tuesday afternoon, March 13, at 3 o'clock in the high school building. Rev. R. G. Tuttle will be the speak er for the occasion. The grade mothers will meet at 2.% 0 and finish their business in time to attend the P.T.A. meeting. ? . \ I. TMf OHASTLY EDICTS of life in the Santo Tomas Jap prison camp in Manila are evident in this photo of a group of prisoners liberated when our forces drove out the enemy. The men are (1. to r.) : Hugo G. Winkler, 30, a proofreader on a Manila newspaper. He entered the camp weighing 135 pounds and now weighs 87? Thomas B. Loft, traffic manager, Clenera! Foods, who came in at 160 and is now 102. Arthur Williamson, 45, exporter; came in weighing 115. is now 103. Harold B. I.eney, 31, accountant: came in at 135, is now 105. Dtfti S iirvaii . 34. jotaloyee <4 Soriano Brothers; ?a&ter*2 at 135, and is now 95 pounds. (International)' / CARR HOOPER WRITES PARENTS AFTER LIBERATION FROM JAP PRISON CAMP Mr. and Mrs. Vance Hooper of East LaPorte have received the second direct communication from their son, William Carr Hooper, that they have had since he was taken prisoner by the Japs following the fall of Manilla. Mr. Hooper and wife, the former Miss Ruth Williams, of Fayetteville, Tenn., spent three and a half years in Saint Thomas Prison camp. Their parents had had no direct word from them up until a year ago, at which time they received a letter, yix. and Mrs. Hooper were notified last week that their son and daughter-in-law' had been freed. The following is a ccvpy ol the letter that was deceived last week and gives a moregraphic picture of what they have undergone than it is possible to describe other wise. AMERICAN RED CROSS Homefolks: Little to tell now except that after three years and one month of slow starvation we aren't hungry any more. Since Sept. last we were actually dy ing of starvation at the rate of 4 daily, mostly among old men and women. Our food was 70 grams of corn meal (a half pint cooked) and 70 grams of rice (about a half pint cooked). No meat, no vegetables, no be^ns, no sugar, nothing but corn and rice. Believe me we know hunger. Had our troops not arrived and at the rapid rate people were becoming too sick to eat, half the camp would have died in another month. The occupation and present situa tion cannot be told but we've had the experience of a lifetime and we can only tell you later. We don't know anything, we hear everything, it is pretty sure we will be sent home soon, at least we'll leave Manilla. Some say we will be hospitalized others that we will be sent to our homes under doctors' care. No one knows but we are sure to see you all soon. We have read magazines, papers and heard the radio, (first time in three years) and believe all this will be over sooner than we expected. I have no wish, however, for this Jap war to finish too soon. I want seven million Jap men, women and chil dren to starve to death in Japan. S lories will be told you that you can hardly believe but we know what animals these Japs ar?. We are prepared to tell theVorid that they deliberately starved old men, women c.nd children to death ythile the war garrison guards feasted. We ate rotten fish and garbage while they ate U. S. rations from stores sent to us. We died for lack of medicine, which they stole from our stocks. Ruth is recovering but is still just a shadow and I feel wey, nothing that good fo*>d won't cure with rest and peace, and we hope to get all this from now on. Do all you can to help. Remem ber what these boys of ours have to do and the great need for doing it. Love to all, CARR No ration stamps in War Ration Book Four will be good for canning sugar this year. Local boards will issue home canning sugar coupons good through November 30. In the "good old days" they watered the milk; today they water the cow at an automatic drinking fountain* / * , . _ ^ . ... * 4t * ? * ' ' COW ARTS SOLDIER PROMOTED IN ITALY WITH THE FIFTH ARMY, ITALY ? Private Benoy Phillips, son of Mrs. Mary P. Phillips, who lives in Cowarts, North Carolina, has been promoted to private first class. He is a truck driver with a quartermaster unit of the Fifth Army in Italy. Pvt. John M. Blanton Wounded In Europe Mrs. Iris M. Blanton of Balsam has received word that her h'usband" Pvt. / < 4 -*? i * John M. Blanton, had been wounded somewhere in the European Theater. DEATH CLAIMS MRS. GLENN JENNINGS OF GLENVILLE Mrs. Glenn Jennings of Glenville died last Friday morning at 7 o'clock following a short illness at the Harris Community Hospital. Funeral ser vices were held Sunday morning at 11:30 at the Glenville Baptist Church with Rev. C. C. Welch officiating. Surviving are the husband and three small sons ofc Glenville, her mother, Mrs. Mary J. Johnson, of Lacomb, Wash., five borthers, three in the armed forces and two in Ore gon and three sisters in Oregon. PROTECTION BILLS GET HOUSE APPROVAL Raleigh, March 5 ? Three bills de signed to protect the public against the purchase of sub-standard pro ducts have been approv&ed by the House Agriculture Committee. Firms offering for sale any farm pro ducts for propagation for which stand rrds have been established, would be required by the Commissioner of Agriculture to secure permits and submit satisfactory evidence of fi nancial reliability or furnish a bond not to exceed $10,000. This bill would amend the present bill relating to tnarketing, branding, and defining of farm products. One of the measures would require anyone going into the manufacture of ice cream, sherbet, or any other froz en dessert to obtain a permit from the State Department of Agriculture. In another bill, the Department would be given the power to issue '?stop sales" on fungicides , and in secticides found below standard. Jackson County Service Men Meet D. M. Tallent G. M. 2-c and Sgt. Avery Dillard met somewhere in the Pacific and later the two boys met two other Jackson county people, Ben Qattle and Elizabeth Dillard. D. M. is the son of Mr. and Mrs. D. M. Tallent of Sylva. , He has been in service more than two years. Sgt. Dillard is the son of T. F. Dil lard of Sylva. ; Ben Battle is the son of" Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Battle of Cullowhee and Elizabeth Dillard is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. E. L. Dillard of Sylva, Route 1. Sgt. Earl W. Mashburn Wounded In France Sgt. Earl W. Mashburn, son of^Ir. and Mrs. Weaver Mashburn, of Dills boro was wounded in France Feb. 13 according to word received by his parents. Sgt. Mashburn is now in a hospital inEngland and writes his parents ihat he is much improved. He was stationed in Ireland fourteen months before going to England and France. He entered service before Pearl Harbor and has been overseas three years. He was formerly employed by the Cogdill Motor Co. of Sylva. JACKSON MEN BECOME 18 AND ENTER SERVICE The following men were accepted ior service during February, 1945: navy? Logan Henry Taylor (V) Virgil Watson (V) Talmage Richard Bryson (V) I Carl Calvin Fisher. ARMY? .Tames Lee Buchanan James Reynolds Clubb George Burton Hall Manual T. A. Franks (V) These men became 18 during the month of February, 1945: - Howard Melvin Breedjove Horace Ray William Dillard Robinson Glenn Wilburn Dillard Clyde Eugene Rabb Charles Harold Chester Earl Galloway Gentry Eugene Hyatt James Harris Eulas G. W. McMahan Charles David Moses Wayne Bryan Dillard. SOLDIER UNDERGOES OPERATION S. Sgt. Thomas Allen Bradley, son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Bradley of Bark ers Creek, has recently undergone an operation at the Thayer General Hos pital Nashville, Tenn. Sgt. Bradley has served several years in the Army. His wife, the former Miss Pauline Messer, is in Nashville with him. W. A. Enloe Chapter To Meet In Dillsboro The W. A. Enloe chapter of U. D. C.j will meet at the home of Mrs. S. W. Enloe on Friday, March 9th. McClure Talks To Jackson Farmers On Developing Poultry, Tobacco As Cash Income Producer For County Jackson County Making Prog ress With Red Cross Drive Mr. A. J. Dills, war fund chair man of the Red Cross Drive, states that Jackson County is re bponding well to the quota of $6500.00 assigned them. It is necessary that every man, wom an and child In the county give and give generously to this cam paign. There will be house to house canvass and contributions will be asked of merchants and business men. / It will be the goal of every worker In this fund raising cam paign that each citizen take part in the support of the "greatest mother on earth", the Red Croas. KEEP YOUR RED CROSS AT HIS SIDE. GIVE NOW, GIVE MORE. A. P. CORRESPONDENT WILL VISIT PARENTS * HERE THIS SPRING Mr. and Mrs. John A. Parris, Sr., have had a cable from their son, John A. Parris, Jr., stating that he will be home in April. He is to be sent to the States to cover the San Francisco Security Conference and will be home either before or after the conference. Mr. Parris returned to his post of duty in the European Theater Dec., 1944, after spending two weeks with his parents. Baffles Doctors MEDICAL AUTHORITIES of Lot Afr? geles, Cal* are baffled over the case of this baby which, apparently, was some three months old at the time of birth. The records show that Mrs. Beulah Hunter, 25, wife of an aircraft plant workman, pictured* here with the baby, carried the child for over 12 months. The baby is normal, healthy and weighed about seven pounds at birth. (International Sound-photo) Sunday School Convention To Meet Sunday The Tuckaseegee Baptist Sunday School convention will meet Sunday, March 11, 1945, at 2:30 P. M. with tr.e East Fork Baptist Church. The 'theme for the convention will be "A Century of Missionary Progress." It is hoped that a large delegation from all the Sunday Schools in the association will be there. DR. KIRCHBERG NOTIFIED OF PROMOTION WHILE ON SHORT LEAVE WITH FAMILY Dr. Roy W. Kirchberg, physician and surgeon of Sylva, spent live day? with his family last week while the Army Transport ship, to which he is assigned as Transport Surgeon, un derwent a few minor repairs. While here he was advised of his promotion from Captain to Major. Dr. Kirchberg volunteered his ser vice to the U. S. Medical Corps and went on active duty in May of 1942. He was first assigned to the Jackson Barracks Staging Area of the New Orleans Port of Embarkation. Later he was advanced to Surgeon in Charg* of Chalmette Staging Area of the same Poh of Embarkation ? this troop staging .area being located on the beautiful and historic site of the fa mous Battle of New Orleans. Then in August of 1944 he was assigned as ! ? i . \ Transport Surgeon on an Army Transport ship, of which the New Or leans Port is its home base. Such ships are equipped with a full stand ard Station Hospital, and are pri marily to carry Army troops but also transport large number of Navy per sonnel. The hospital serves to give immediate medical attention to all such troops abroad the ship, and those aboard other ships that may be in the same convoy. On the return trips the ship hospital cares for all ill and wounded troops returning from over seas. On arrival in the U. S. these patients are transferred to Army or Navy General Hospitals. Major Kirchbcrg describes his duties as very interesting, but states he looks forward to the day when the big job is done and he may return to hi& family and practice in Sylvft* WILL BRYSON ELECTED DIRECTOR AT ANNUAL MEETING MARCH 1 j At the annual meeting of the Farm ers Federation Stockholders, held last Thursday at the Federation ware house in Sylva, Will Bryson of Speed well was elected as director to rep resent Jackson County for the next two years. Dr. A. S. Nichols, Dr. Grover Wilkes of Sylva and Sam Crisp of Dillsboro were elected to the ? Sylva warehouse committee. A res olution was passed on the death of Mr. T. A. Cox, one of the charter members and chairman of Jackson County Federation since its beginning. Dennis Higdon was elected to suc ceed him as chairman. Addresses ot welcome were made by Mayor H. Gibson and Verle Ensley, manager oi the Sylva warehouse. James G. K. McClure, president of th.? federation, presided and told of the progress made by the organization during the past year. The Federa tion did business amounting to $3, 674,801.08, the Sylva warehouse do ing more than $163,000 of the amount The growing of Burley tobacco was discusgeds D. C. Higdon gave his ex perience in growing tobacco. He stated that on less than an acre of land he had raised 2040 pounds of tobacco which brought him $1014, his cost of labor and other things amount ing to $268. Mr. McClure stated that Burley tobacco is one of the best outlets for farmers and emphasized the fact that a;iy one grow 4*>b*cco by pay- - ing 10c royalty per pound the first year; he can obtain an allotment the second year. Western North Carolina is on the way to building a real poultry in dustry, stated Mr. McClure. The federation shipped 60 carloads last year. A truck is running full time,? ierving the warehouse each week. Others appearing on the program were S. C. Clapp, federation horti culturist, who spoke on the impor tance of good seeds, Max Roberts, educational director told of the Lord's Acre plan, and Bob Brown, editor of the Farmer's Federation News. The staff of the Sylva Warehouse were _ presented and commended on their splendid work. In the drawing for free chicks, C. P. Shelton, Mills, A. O. Weid lick and Jim Watson each received 25 baby chicks. Mrs. Samantha Bum garner furnished music and Claude Fisher, federation buyer, danced. The federation warehouse commit-^ tee now consists of D. C. Higdon, Chairman, A. O. Weidlich, John C. Jones, W. Hute Snyder, Chief Jarrett Blythe, Will Bryson, Marion Moody, Crawford Shelton, Vance Hooper, Milas Parker, Dr. A. S. Nichols, Dr. Grover Wilkes and Sam Crisp. CONSUMER TO HAVE FEWER DAIRY PRODUCTS Raleigh, March 5 ? Although there will probably be a slight increase in milk production this year, supplies of dairy porducts available to to civilians on a per capita basis will likely be less than in 1943, but about the same as in 1943 on a whole milk equivalent basis, according to C. W. Pegram, head of the State Depart ment of Agriculture Dairy division* Per capita butter consumption is likely to be at a record low of about 10.5 pounds compared with 11.8 pounds in 1944 and a 16.7-pound pre-war (1935-39) average, ex plained Pegram. He said that fluid milk and cream consumption will be at a record level of slightly over 420 pnimHc P*r p?rgnn . Pvt. Ralph O. Oxner In English Hospital * Pvt. Ralph O. Oxner is in a hospital > in England according to word re ceived by his wife. Pvt. Oxner en tered the service in May, 1044, and received his training at Camp Blind ing, Fla., and Fort Meade, M&, From ;here he was sent overseas where be . was serving with the First Army In* fan try in Belgium. ' *' V* &