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Pint and Third American
Armies Nearing
Belgium; First Army
Speeds to Laon as Patton's
Third Roars Onward
Beyond Reims
Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary
Force, Aug. 31.—American
armored eefamna rolled through
the cathedral city at Reims and
■lieefcut on within 86 miles of the
Belgian border yesterday in unchack;
ed pursuit of Germans falling hade'
upon their homeland, which British
forces, in a 23-mile breakthrough
made their first deep throat toward
the Naids' rocket bomb coast.
Both the American First and Third
armies were disclosed to be taking
part in the great drive north-'
east of Para across First World War
battlefields and through the Germans'
old Hindenburg line.
The First Amy, under Lt. Gen.
Courtney H. Hodges, gained 20
miles in a drive from captured Soissons
northward to Laon, and early
today was believed to have run
through this town just 36 miles from
Belgium. It also struck nine miles
to the east and reached Montaign.
The Third Army under Lt. Gen.
George S. Patton, Jr., captured
Reims, great siege city of the First
World War, without firing a shot,
and rolled on beyond. The city
fell after the Americans had outflanked
it and forced a German
withdrawal during the night.
British Advance.
British armored columns, after
moving relatively slowly for days,
struck north from . the Seine and
drove beyond the town of Beauvais
in a smash of 23 miles from
Etrepagny, which carried them to
a point only 25 miles south of the
big communications center of Amiens
on the Somme River. Beauvais is 40
miles south and slightly east of
Paris.
The British also reached the town
of Gournay, 16 miles west of Beauvais,
driving in strength directly
for the heart of the robot bomb coast
from which the Germans have been
attacking southern England in reprisal
warfare.
At the same time, Canadian forces
outflanked the important Seine ports
of &Mien,-a city of 123,000 which the
'Gdmans announced during the day
they had evacuated. The Canadian^
advanced five miles northeast of the
city, which lies near the mouth of
the Seine.
It ni disclosed today that it was
Gen. Hodge* First Army which had
raptured Chateau-Thierry and Sois^
sona yesterday, driving on today to
Laaa. These First Army troops took
1,466 prisoners in the smash tb raise
their total since D-Day to 116,131, it
waa announced. The Third Army afi
of August 28, reported 81,000 Germans
killed or captured since the
start of the Brittany campaign.
Hie Third Amy, in addition to
taking Reims, drove on northward
10 miles and established a new
bridgehead across the Aisae in the
vicinity of Necfchatel, where these
men, like those of the Pint Army,
were only 36 miles from Belgium.
Here, Pattens men were just 46
nafias southwest of Sedan, historic
city throuRrt| which the Nads invaded
France in 1940. Hodges' men
stood 60 miles from this invasion
gateway to the Reach.
Supreme headquarters early this
merniag was without late ne*s at
the American forces east of Cha
WAR IN BRIEF > 1
American First and Third uni«
in Ffeance nsar the Belgian frontier
as tk&f smash throogh Laoci and
Reims selectively, while British
troops at western end of froqt go
into high gearand approach Amiens
near the Nazi robot bomb coast
General Patch's troops in Southern
France continue relentless pursuit of
Germans up the Rhone Valley, engaging
than in fierce fighting at
Loriol.
American warplanes sink or damage
more than score Jap dips as
American submarines add 17 mart
to their total of enemy craft Sent to
bottom in Pacific since Pearl Harbor.
Great Russian offensive in Romania
achieves one of outstanding- victories
of war by capture at Ploeeti and adjacent
rich oil fields, thus depriving
Germans of their major outside oil
•upply.
Romanian armistice delegation arrives
at Moscow to sign terms as
Bulgarian delegation shows up at
Cairo on similar mi—ion. Meantime,
Russians take shot at Turkey, charging
that Turks are still friendly With
Germans despite break in relations.
Secretary Forrestal gives fignres
to show that Uncle Sam has the
greatest Navy in the world.
Secretary Hull says America still
insists upon unconditional surrender
of Germany and Japan and does net
intend to let Nasi leaders escape into
neutral havens.
Opening- Tobacco
Market News
Report—Type 12|
Eastern N. C. Floe-Cured
The 1944 tobacco marketing season
began Monday in' the Eastern North
Carolina fine-cured area with extremely
light sales prevalent Prae>
tioally all markets reported auctions
completed by noon. According to the
War Pood Administration aiui North
Carolina Department of Agriculture,
growers are still actively engaged in
harvesting and curing the crop and
have not had sufficient time to prepare
offerings for market Heavy
deliveries are not expected for at
least ten days. :
-Demand was strong for the limited
amount of tobacco en hand and most
grades sold from 12.00 to fS.OO per
hundred above list'season's opening
prices. Log grades and primings,
representing offer 70 percent of Bales,
were up $2.00 to $6.00 and low and
fair quality cutters and leaf grades
advanced *2,00 to $*.00. Nondescript
grades increased from $8.00
to $4.00 over last year. Most grades
sold from $40.00 «4«etx
sold from $40.00 to $46.00 .and a
small number of baskets were reported
bid in at $60.00 per hundred.
The majority of sales wtm comprised
of low to choice lugs. — ' —
The general quality of the tobacco
is considered slightly better.tfcan the
early marketings of last season. The
offerings were thinner bodied aad
lug grades appeared to be of higher
vasalaoaslightly largat
cutters on opening
ued light Since; Estimated
Average 3This
Week Is Between 42
and 43 Cents
. III! Prices
ringing from 15 to 48 cents
per pdund have prevailed on the
Farmvflle TVbacco Market tills week,
with the daily average between 41
and 43 cents. Lower grades are sell
ing exceptionally well and the few
better grades offered have been much
in demand. The government ceiling
for the flue-cured crop is M3.Wf*eF
hundredweight.
;; Farmville's 40th leaf-selling season
got underway Monday wftb one
of the smallest opening breaks hi 20
years, which was the case throughout
tike Belt, as many growers are still
engaged in curing their crop and
others, having just finished, have not
had time to prepare it for market
£*bor, has in part, been diverted to
the cotton fields and tobacconists are
expecting tight sales to contniue for
the next week or two.
Farmers with offerings have been
apparently pleased, according to Sales
Supervisor R. A. Fields, especially
with the competitive bidding on lower
grades.
The usual large crowd of growers
and their families were on hand for
the market opening Monday, arid
Farmville took on a gala air as they
thronged the streets in holiday attire
and mood.
These fanners met the scarcity of
man power in the community, occasioned
by war activities, with an almost
superhuman effort this spring
and summer. After k greatly-delayer
growing season, resulting from a
prolonged drought, which threatened
a total failure of the tobacco trop,
ripening proceeded at an unprecedented
rapid rate and though farmers
toiled day and night, a large amount
of leaf was ruined in the fields due
to lack of labor and curing barn
space.
The present labor shortage in the
Warehouses and in the factories is
being met in part by the, use of 40
War prisoners brought in each day
from Seymour Johnson Field, Goldsbo??
~
Farmville Tobacco
Market To Employ
German Prisoners
Forty-four German prisoners of
war, who are confined at Seymour
Johnson Field, have been assigned to
work on the Farmville ToMaceo Market,
in moving the leaf from warehouse
floors.
' Army authorities at Washington,
D. C., and Seymour Johnson Field
have been contacted; the labor hired,
and the action accented and approved
by the local tobacco Board of Trade.
Gapt. Lee, of Seymour Johnson, was
here Thursday to complete contractual
details with T. S. Ryan, who is in
charge of arrangements.
The prisoner* are due to begin employment
immediately and Win M
under guard continuously. Their
work here wOf be " directed by two
load men, and si*ervi«d by G. E.
Trevathan, Secretary and Treasurer
of the local ToMeco BO|rd of Trade
and R. A. Fields, Sales Supervisor,
with T. S. Ryon as adviaor.
War prisonei* confined in Golds'
boro and near New Bent, are being
us4 fat factories and {Hants in Near
Bern and Kinston and first hand information
from $ C. Monk and Co.,
here, who are employing prisoners at
- - -
CIiaw Naur liimn
aOyW new jump
Warplane$ Sink Or
Damage More Than
Score jAs Submarines
laaiTfo Total
Allied Headqnartcra, Southwest
Pacific, Aug. 31.—Heavy and medium
bombers of the Par Eastern Air
Force battered Japanese bases on
Halmahera Island, 260 miles south of
The Philippines, with 118 tons of
bombs Tuesday as Allied .aircraft
ranging over Davao, the Moluccas
and the East Indies sank or damaged
at leMt 14 more enemy ships, Gen.
Douglas MacArthur announced today.
The air blockade against Japanese
•hipping of all types attempting to
move between The Philippines and
the Indies took a toll of vessels ranging
from a 7,000-ton freighter to
small coastal craft
Bombers striking at Halmahera in
a coordinated attack hit coastal defenses
and supply and barracks
areas on Wasile and Kaoe bays,
causing "heavy and widespread" damage
to installations on the northwestern
peninsula stretching toward
Mindanao.
No interception was encountered
by the- raiding force, MacArthur'*
communifue said.
Halhamera, midway between-advanced
Allied positions in northwestern
Dutch New Guinea and the
Southern PIHppines, was blasted
in the heavy raid as pact of the
neutralisation of the important Japanese
base. Lack of air interception,
MacArthur had announced earlier,
indicated that the enemy has
withdrawn its air power farther westward
beyond the range of Allied aircraft,
rendering the sprawling island
impotent as a threat to further Allied
advances.
Air patrols over the Dutch East
Indies destroyed or severely damaged
a 7,000-ton Japanese vessel off
the Celebes Monday night, MacArthur's
communique reported.
'Dutch-manned Mitchell medium
bombers attacking the Kai Islands,
rueaday sank two small freighters.
Patrol planes continued to range
over Mindanao in The Philippines
and attacked Davao for the 10th
time in three weeks, it was announced.
A 1,000-ton freighter and
a small coastal craft were sunk oiff
the east coast of Mindanao in the
attack.
Fighter-bombers striking at Coram
Island south of Halmahera
again targeted the important Boeia
oil port, starting large fires among
oil installations, gun positions and
bivouacs, while air patrols sweeping
over the island sank or severely
damaged nine coastal vessels in
submarines, in another uvere blow
against the dwindling Japanese fleet,
have sunk 17 more enemy vessels to
run their score abuse Pearl Harbor
to 723 ships sunk, the Navy disclosed
today.
Two destroyers were among the
victims in the new bag, which also
included six cargo-transports, two
tankers and seven cargo vessel—all
needed urgently by the enemy in
IKr desperate effort to keep their
outposts supplied with trqops and
weapons. W:'$i
The latest catch brought to 52 the
number of Jap ships '; announced
sunk during August alone by submarines.
During June 60 sinkings by
submarines were announce? and for
July the figure was 48. 'M
Army and Navy airmen also sank
aged'thraf otter* ships' in attacks on
shipping near Paramushiro in the
Northern Kuriles on Sunday, the
Eps. Played Four Game
Series Last Week; Final
Game Friday Exciting
Spectacle With
Score Tied Until Sixth
fnniwg isfe.%$(!$&?■, ^ -1
i® . ^ ' v-py
(Commentary by Ed Nash Warren
0 and Charles P. flmpia) •
The Softball games which have
been greatly enjoyed by players and
spectators, alike, this summer came
to a close last Friday afternoon with
the Pree.-Eps., as Champa, t
Monday was the beginning of a 3
game play off due to a tie at 18 games
won and 8 games lost by the Christians
and Pres.-Epe., during the regular
scheduled games. Monday found
the old reliable Father and Son, Robrat
and Harold Bouse, back from
Georgia. This pepped up the Christians
and they celebrated their teammates
home coming with a win of 10
to s. ■;
The next game was scheduled for
Wednesday. This found the Prea>Epe.,
with their regular line up Mid
plenty hot. They took the 2nd game
12 to 6. Thursday's game was a
thriller and ended ui> 6 all, the last
of the 6th, and the game was called
on account of rain—thus necessitating
a final game on Friday.
Friday's game was even better
than Thursday's as it was anybody's
ball game until the 0th inning, when
the Pree.-£ps., decided to bnak the
5-5 tie and went en a hitting and
running spree that swelled the score
to 10-5 for the Championship of the
League.
Every Player who participated in
the series won a star; however, flowers,
too, should go to Frank Allen
who even with a sore left arm, pitched
his usual excellent game of ball,
and James Monk deserves a bouquet
for his timely hita,
The Pres.-Epa., also had a star at
each position, with the fielding and
hitting of Bailey, the catching of Dr.
Gilchrist and the superb pitching of
John Carraway featuring the play.
(By the way. the P«s.-Eps., played
the only no error game, and the
Christians, the only triple play, of
the season).
A vote of thanks goes up from thai
general public to the umpires who
have done a very admirable Job of
calling the games throughout the
season, in spite of the usual amount
of "all in fun" razzing, from all
quarters, which we all solemnly
promise not to do next year—fingers
crossed.
Too, we would not forget Dr. Willis'
and his assistant scorekeeperc who
have so faithfully and efficiently
served throughout the season.
Softball has been good fun, and
its fans hope it will be continued
next sea*m.^^ ^ ;■
Labor Day Holiday
On Tobacco
W . &
Rocky Mount, Aug.
Gravely, president of the '
sociation of the United States, today I
announced that Labor Day, which |
falls this year on Monday, Sept*
4, wjll be observed as a holiday I
throughout alt bright belts where to- ]
bacoo auction sales are in progress.
Gravely stated that this action is
in accordance with a resolution to
that effect passed by the sake committee
«wi unanimously adopted by]
the association. &
MRS.
GLENNj
E E. TURNER
Funeral services for Mrs. Glennie
Elizabeth Turner, 28, wife of Moses
Turner of near Fannville, wert held
Wednesdav afternoon at the home
with the Rev. Key Taytor of Walstonburg
in charge. Burial was in
Hollywood <
IS' Uxp.1 Tuttier
POISON GAS?
! Unconfirmed reports from Louden
ami Stockholm Wednesday Mid the
Germans were getting ready to on
poison gas against the Allies as a
last resort and that containers of the
lethal vapor already had been sent to
Nasi positions in Holland on the
channel osast, possibly for an attack
on Britain, v •
John Soott, Times Magazine correspondent
in the Swedish capital,
said in a broadcast reported by the
Blue Network that a heavily-guarded
train,-travelling from Germany
through Holland to the coast last
week was strafed by an Allied plane;,
whereupon poison gas escaped from
pierced cylinders, killing several train
guards and causing panic in a nearby
Dutch town.
Scott Ad not give the source of
his information.
Earlier, The London Dally Mail reported
-that the Germans were preparing
to use poison gas as a means
of forcing the Allies to grant a lenient
peace. It said chemical factories
in Bohemia and Northern Italy were
working en secret orders, while other
German plants were operating night
and day turning out gas masks for
civilians and troops.
Ration Calendar
';|fFor Period Ending
September 3rd
Canning Sugar:- Sugar stamp No.
40 good for five pounds of canning
sugar until February 28, IMS. Apply
to local board* for supplemental
Fad Oil: Period four and five fuel
oil coupons good through September
30. During October unused coupons
may be exchangwd at rationing
boards for new 1944-45 heating season
coupons. "
Gasoline: A-11 coupons now valid
for three gallons each through November
8.
Meats * Fate: Bed AS through Z8
and A5, B6, C5 and D6 (Bode 4) now
valid at 10 points each tor use with
tokens. Good indefinitely.
Processed Foods: Blue AS through
F6 (Book 4) now valid at 10 points
each for use with tokens. Good indefinitely.
G5, HE, J5, Kf and L5,
each worth 10 points, will become
valid indefinitely on September 3rd.
Seat Control: All persons resting,
or offering for rent, any liv&g quarters
whatsoever must register each,
dwelling- unit with rant contort office
in their rent area. Persons who feel
that they are being overcharged for
rants may submit complaints to
OPA. Complaint forma are available
at the local War Price and Rationing
Board if your area does not
have a rent control office.
.Shoes: Airplane stamp No. 1 and
No. 2 (Book 3) valid indefinitely.
Sugar: Sugar stamps No. 80, No.
31, and No. 82 (Book 4) good for five
pounds of sugar eadh indefinitely.
Stamp No. 33 becomes valid on September
1. x;'r; T */.;
' Rationing rules now require that
every ear owner write his license
number and state in advance on all
gasoline coupons in his possession.
MRS. NANNIE L. DIXON
Mn. Nannie L. Dixon, 62, wife of
L. C. Dixon <rf near Farmrille, died
at her home early 'fooMbty mora in*
from a lingering illneaa. She was a
faithful member of Marikoro Free
Germans Deprived Of
Their Major Oil Source;
Fall of Boeharegt la
Imminent
London, Ab|. SI.—TW Red
ian oil refinery city erf Ploeeti
with it the richest oUf ields in 1
off the German war
of
Soviet troop*
into Che
forward in a 43-mile ad
thundered to within 17
eastern outskirts of ti
capital
bulletins reported, a ad
today almost a aanaj
Soviet troops are aa—hing into the
capital's suburb*. United Press CorHcnry
» earl
Swiftly-moving
tared 1*,000
ctuding the
Seventh Army Corps
visional
24 miles of the
Bulgaria as the
paign rapidly war drawing to a eeaelusion.
. , '»
Far-Reachinc Victory.
In one of the most far-reaching
Soviet victories of the war, Ploeeti
was captured in a swift, 57-mile adtrance
by troops of Marshal Rid ion
Y. llalinavgky'B Second Ukrainian
Army on the 12th day uf the Red
Army's npsctacolar Romaiaan ofThe
center of Romania's oil miustry,
in prewar days the woridls
sixth largest and now beavily-c«rtailed
by Anglo-American aariaL
uombings, fall to tile Red Army «s»
rear and SO days after the first daring
bombing of tim oilfields by
American B-24 Liberators from the
Middle East.
London ebeervem regarded the Soviet
victory as one of the meet catartropic
for Adolf Hitler since the
Red Army turned the Nasi tide at
Stalingradfe^r-I* The
British Ministry af Economic
Welfare estimated yesterday that
Romania's greet oilfields, of which
Ploeeti is the >*«<•., w—■=
•apable of producing bJSMfiOH metric
tons of crude oil a year, although
it was estimated that repeeted Allied
lerial had r«ii)c«i Ploesti**
output or refined oil to a mare
[>00,000 tons.