VOLUME TWENTY-NINE FARMVILLE, PUT COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1939 NUMBER THIRTY-SEVEN ----- ?:?; ? ? ? ' -i -i. - .. ? . .. France Inclined to Remain dear of War in Spain Government Not Ready to Risk European War Without Help of Bri | tain. Paris, Jan. 17. ? Prance apparent ly decided today to stay clear of the Spanish war. The government said it would not live aid to the Spanish government unless Britain did, and Britain was determined not to intervene. Risk of a European war was considered 100 a fv Government leaders wrestled witn the problem throughout the day and at one point considered the advisa bility of rigr the bull by the horns and acting on their own, but the bugaboo of a war in which France might find herself alone seemingly was too much. Foreign Minister Georges Bonnet wound up the day by announcing that France would revise her policy of non-intervention in Spain only if Britain did. He was careful, how ever, not to close the door too tight ly on the hopes of a considerable portion of the French parliament which was 'demanding help for Spain's government. Prance and Britain, he said, were conferring on a betwixt and between solution which might end Italian and German aid to the Spanish Insur gents without risking war. Plight of France. premier Daladier's plight in the face of the Insurgents' continuing advance on Barcelona and the evi dent unwillingness of England to sanction open aid to Spanish govern ment armies was put on public dis play in the Chamber of Deputies. There, Daladier and his ministers were assailed by Communists and .Socialists in front of their own Radi cal-Socialists, who demanded aid for Barcelona. Behind these demands was * well-understood threat to band together in an effort to cripple the cabinet. Leon Blum, militant leader of the Socialists, who are numerically tlje strongest party in the Chamber, called on the tumultous session to go on record on the Spanish question. "It is up to the Chamber to say, he declared, "that the French and FngtUh governments now are obliged to denounce the non-intervention ac oo rd or at least to demand strict ^com pliance by all signatory powers." To get back to strict compliance with the 2ft-nation "handa-off-Spem" agreement, Italy, one of the signa tories, would have to withdraw all Italian troops now in Spain. Bonnet, whm had come back hur riedly from a "_m ^ (Wpv.ii at Geneva, calmed "?'kv cfiamber storm momentarily, largely with the help of Rightist former Premier Pierre Etinne Flan din, ITALY TURN* ATTENTION TO BALKAN ALIGNMENT Jan. 17. ? Italy began help ing1 Germany line up the Balkan countries for the Rome-Berlin axis tonight while Fascists vented their hatred of France. ; Count Galeizo Ciano, foreign min ister and son-in-law of Premise Ifna solini, left for Yugoslavia tonightT.to visit Dr. Stoyadinovich, Yugo ,ir and foreign minister. Authoritative Italians- said the trip largely to complete the elimination of French influence from southeastern Europe, which they said wag in aa ferment of revisionism." Till 1st ? indicated a bloc of Italy, Hungary and Yugoslavia, as an ad junct of the Borne-Berlin axis, was Oaao's aim. It was not improbable, they that an agreement between Hungary and Yugoslavia would be tf* first step. Italy's diplomatic tack was tp over cmpe Hungary^ national minority dates on Yugoslavia, which got a sliee of Hungarian territory ofter the JLHwarian - Yugoslavagremnp* if eventually negotiated, would be dgajter tq that undpr which Italy and YtgteM* hgro guaranteeV j- At Geneva, Julio Alveres, Del Vayo, Spanish government foreign ministers, warned France that an in surgent victory in Spain might cost her dearly. Italy he pointed out, probably would leave troops in Spain under the pretense of keeping order and .thus would hold a potent diplomatic military club over France. Under such conditions, Alverez del Vayo de clared Italy's price might go as high as a demand for Tunisia, France's north African protectorate. Some diplomatic quarters in Rome again saw danger of the Spanish conflict emhroilling the rest of Eu rope, How Rome's stand would affect a reported settlement plan waa not yet apparent League of Nations circles at Geneva, where the League Coun cil assembled Monday, said Britain and France were considering offering Italy free port privileges in Djibouti, French Somalflaiid, and Seila, British Somaliland; a share in Suez Canal management and reduced canal rates; and rights for Italians in Tunisia equal to those of French residents, i Capture of Tarragona Sunday put insurgent vanguards within 56 miles of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast and within 87 miles along the inland front Apparently still bar ring their way to Barcelona and pos sible final victory, however, was a secret government defense line in which the Barcelona regime indicated confidence. ? | The Spanish insurgent command Monday reported capture of Cervera j in a swift drive toward Barcelona I along the center of Generalissimo Francisco Franco's 100-mile front in j Catalonia. ? Cervera, an important town of 4, 000 inhabitants, lies with 50 miles di rectly west of the government capital 'on the highway from Lerida, Roads connecting the Leridea ?? Barcelona highway with government territory to the north and south Join at Cer YQTI) ?Associated Press, Ready For Beef . M, U Settlemyre of Acme in Bla den County has^ built a large beef cattle barn and set aside some of his best cultivated land for permanent pasture bo as to provide for his. herd of Herefords, He sa^s there is a better living from cattle than from WHO KNOWS ? ft' ,-jt^ ? " ' 1. Where waa Prof. Felix Frank furter bornt - r ?'*.. - 2. What is the estimated deficit of the Government for the 1940 fis cal year? ? '-v ' - 8. Where is BerchatesgadenV / 4. Was President Roosewrit's mes sage to Congress broadcast in Ger 6. For what crime was Thoraes J. Marlboro Mao Killed in Row ?*'< ? ? ? John Stepps Dies of Gunshot Wounds; Fun eral Held Tuesday. John Stepps, 42, Marlboro citizen, died at midnight Sunday in a Green ville hospital from gunshot wounds sustained in a fracas with a neigh bor, J. Addison Jones, in the home of Jones Saturday night. Stepps is alleged to have been at the home of Jones early Saturday night and to have'returned about 3 o'clock Sunday morning. Stepps was said to have bee drinking and to have started an argument over some money which was lost or stolen from him. Jones was declared to have or dered him away and when Stepps refused to leave and continued in a threatening mood, Jones opened fire on Stepps., Bond for Jones was al lowed pending the inquest Btepps is survived by his widow; three daughters, Addie Mae, Mary Louise and Margaret Stepps; his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. John Stepps; and the following broth ers and sisters: Gqorge and Walter Stepps, Mrs. Letha Culford and Mrs. Bennle Wainwright, all of Marlboro; Mrs. Mollie Braddy of Snow Hill. Funeral services were conducted from the home Tuesday afternoon by the Rev. C, B. Mashburn, Christian minister of Farmville, and interment was made in the Stepp burial plot In Malboro. A jury headed by Deputy Coroner Ed S. Williams late Monday exoner ated Jones at an inquest held here. The coroner's jury turned in the verdict that "Jones shot the deceased in defense of himself and his home." It was brought out at the inquest that Stepps went into the bedroom of Jones' home in drunken condition and argued that Jones had taken a dollar from him. Meantime, he pulled cov ers off Mrs. Jones who was in bed. Stepps got a fire poker' and Jones got his gun. When Stepps proceeded to attack Jones the latter said, T kicked at him and the gun discharged accidentally." Final Report Of Seal Sale Brings Total Of $135.50 A report of the annual Christmas Seal Sale, sponsored by the Farm ville Literary Club, and presented at a meeting of this group on Wednes day by Miss Tabitha DeVisconti, lo cal sale director, gave the final total as $135.50. The director commented on receipts falling below those of last year, but called attention to the gain made by the, colored population under the supervision of H. B. Sugg, who turn ed in $30.15 and reported contribu tions as follows: St. James Free Will Baptist Church $5 bond; St. Steph en's Zion Church, $5.bond; Macedonia Missionary. Baptist Church $5; St Jpbin Free Will Baptist Church- $5 bopd; Colored school $10.15. .. ? ?!.? The dodging pedestrian will, in u few years, have to look up to keep airplanes from landing on his neck. Governor Ad vocates "USD" ' ? Tax For State Tells Wives of Legisla UcScwm. . , Raleigh. Jan. 18* ? The "use" tax being considered hy the General As sembly7 was championed as a practi cal new source of revenue by Gover nor Hoey yesterday in a talk to the Sir Walter Cabinet, composed of wives of legislators. - r 1 The tax,, be said, "is; largely de signed to help protect the merchants of our own State, in that it requires payment of sales tax on goods pur chased from without* the State." s. He that adoption of the hex would 'go far -toward protecting- North Car olina merchants and especially bor deTte ^Sw'defended the sales tax by asserting, "If North Carolina did no more in the way of govera repeal the 'sales Plans For Celebration \ Going Forward Rapidly r r- . .r L<>cal Committee Assist ing In Making Presi dent's Birthday Ball The Best Held In Coun ty. 'y > f Eli Joyner, Jr., chairman of Farmville's Birthday Ball committee announces that plans for the best of these celebrations in this county are going forward rapidly, and that an evening of fine entertainment is in store for those who attend. Mr. Joyner is in receipt of the fol lowing letter from Keith Morgan, na tional chairman of the celebration: I am happy to learn from your County Chairman that you have ac cepted the important post of chair man for the Celebration of the President's Birthday in your commu nity. We enclose a very interesting port folio of ideas for the coming cam paign and a book let fully describing our activities. These are brief high-lights of this year's campaign: Your County Chairman is to re ceive your entire net proceeds. He is to remit 50 per cent of this to the National Committee and retain 50 per cent in trust until, as so<^ as possible after January 30th, 1939, the new Chapter, embracing your County, is established. Plans for the procedure of these Chapters will be sent all County Chairmen after the campaign for funds closes. . . A plan for reaching every man, woman and child in your community - has been set up this year, with three main avenues of approach: We will have an extensive inarch of Dimes Button Campaign, an intel ligent march of Dimes Mailing-Card Campaign, and last, but important, the Celebration of the President's Birthday on January 30th, 1939, when parties, dances, etc., will be held in the 10,000 communities that partici pated in last year's Celebration of " the President's Birthday throughout the nation. With best personal wishes for a huge success so that sufficient funds may be available this year for a com prehensive and worthwhile fight against Infantile-Paralysis, I am, Very sincerely yours, KEITH MORGAN, Chm/\ Thus Mr. Joyner's enthusiasm over plans for giving every person in this community a chance to help in the fight against the dread enemy of the - children of this nation. . Mr. Joyner urges that members stt the invitation committee approach you, to listen carefully to their mes sage and contribute just as gener ously aj; your means will permit. ' *' REV. FORDHAM TO SPEAK With Rev. Fordham as the princi pal speaker on the program the ? Farmville Parent Teachers Associa tion will open its 1939 year with their first meeting in the high school au ditorium at 3:00 p. m. today. Rev. Fordham will probably deliver a very interesting speech because he is a man of wide experience. He was born in Missouri and educated at Rochester, N. Y. This is his first year of preaching in Farmville. He accepted the call from the local Bap tist church early last falL f tjp to that time he had been taching the word of God in New York 'State. Warren To Propose Tobacco Disease Study : Washington, Jan. 17. ? Represen tative Lindsay Warren announced h*ire that when hearings start on the agricultural appropriation -bill in February, he will ask for further in vestigation and studies tending to ward the eradication of the tobacco, , bug, which has now become quitj serious in some sections of North' Carolina and which attacks tobacco In the, pack houses. He pointed oat that good results were noyr being ob tained but that there was not suffix cient money allowed to make much progress. .Warren will also seek to obtain ah appropriation for ?n investigation of beef cattle and related live stock problems for the coastal plain area with especial- emphasis j>n pasturage problems. He was successful in ob taining this appropriation in 1980 and 1931 and considerable work and experiments were made on the state farm in Winona in Washington coun ty. He believes that cattle raising in the coastal plain area is about the to in some of the black land sections, and it is u question of developing a grass thaf, will' support them. He stated today .that he would not be able to secure Jiis appropriation un less it receives the. whole-hauled ^ It Si Wallace iboat it. * ing about tn6