Lincoln County’s
Favorite
Family
Newspaper
12.00 PER YEAR—IN ADVANCE
Allied Bombers Hit
Two More Ships In
Large Jap Convoy
ROUNDUP OF WAR
MnwmMwaiiiißiHißiiiißKiaiiiiaiiiißiiiißiiiiaiiia
Monday, March 15
German broadcast claims fall of
Kharkov; Russians report heavy
fighting continuing in Kharkov area.”
Allied airmen hammer Axis de
fense areas near Tunisia as ground
forces repulse infantry attack at
northern sector. Marshal Rommel’s
artillery activity increasing in south.
Anthony Eden confers with Secre
taries Knox and Stimson, lending em
phasis to his statement that military
as well as political talks are object
of his visit.
General Giraud embraces principles
of Atlantic Charter; offers Gen. de
Gaulle a union on basis of mutual
pledge that French choose own gov
ernment when free again.
American Flying Fortresses con
tinue search for Japanese convoy of
eight ships on which they scored di
lect hit on 8,000-ton transport yes
terday. Convoy en route to New Gui
nea.
American fighter planes raid Kiska
in Aleutian Islands.
R. A. F. continues to batter Nazi
occupied France. Italian harbor of
Naples feels force of American Lib
erator bomber attack.
Saturday, March 13
Russian troops pushed back to west
of Kharkov as fierce fighting for the
Ukraine metropolis continues. Vyaz
ma, major deterrent in drive on Smo
lensk, retaken by Reds, costing Nazis
9,000 lives, considerable booty.
Anthony Eden, British Foreign
Secretary, in Washington to confer
with Roosevelt on plans for a war
planning conference of Allied nation
leaders also to get first hand view of
U. S. war efforts.
Rouen attacked for second time
this week by U. S. planes in 45-mile
thrust into France following R.A.F.
r.ight attack on Stuttgart. Nazi
planes smashing at London suburbs
take several lives.
Guerrilla bands in French Alps
growing as Germany pushes labor
draft. Well-armed groups organized
by “superior officers" of former
French army.
Jap bases at Burma and in the
Aleutians still under attack by Allied
planes.
Unconfirmed report to State De
partment saying Hitler is in state of
nervous collapse disclosed by Sum
ner Welles.
Friday, March 12
Crisis in great Kharkov battle ar
rives as superior German forces
wheel up still more reserves, but Rus
sians report repulsing violent at
tacks west of city; Moscow hints ap
peal for second front; Red advances
elsewhere continued.
Rommel, fearing outflanking at
tacks southwest of Mareth line but
suffers heavy casualties against sav
age force of British army; Fighting
French and Giraud French forces
make contact in flanking move at
southern end of line.
British planes, sowing bombs at
rate of 12,000 tons a month, wreck
2,000 German factories and make
1,500,000 workers homeless, House
of Commons told.
Hitler demands total war effort of
Axis countries in Balkans, insisting
upon more soldiers, more workers
and more economic aid.
Japanese throwing up big air bases
in China to attack airfields from
which Allies may bomb Japan.
U. S. bombers continue to raid
Japs in Aleutians and Solomons.
French guerrillas kill more than
2,000 German Factories Are
Destroyed By RAF Bombers
London, March 15. —The RAF s
ceaseless bombing offensive, now
ahowering German Europe with fire
and explosives at the rate of more
than 10,000 tons a month, has al
leady wrecked more than 2,000 Ger
man factories and left more than 1,-
000,000 Germans homeless, Air Min
ister Archibald Sinclair told the
House of Commons today.
Declaring that photographic re
sonnaiscence showed that the raid on
The Lincoln Times
★ ★ PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY g g
* ; ;
Growing Concentration of En
emy Sea Forces Reported
North of Australia
Allied Headquarters in Australia.
Monday, March 15.—Two more Japa
nese ships in the eight-vessel convoy
off Wewak in Northern New Guinea
have been hit, including a destroyer,
a communique said today.
“Our air reconnaissance shows a
large concentration of enemy trans
ports and cargo ships in the Ambon-
Dobo area to the northwest of Aus
tralia,” the communique said. “The
enemy’s ground forces there are be
ing reinforced, and new air fields are
being constructed.”
The hitting of two more ships near
Wewak raised to four the number
struck since the running attack be
gan late Saturday when an 8,000-ton
transport was left in flames and a
direct hit also was scored on a 4,000-
ton cargo ship.
Fly Long Distances
The enemy convoy originally con
sisted of three destroyers and five
and the Allied air
men were fling long distances in an
effort to wipe it out.
The ccnvoy was sighted Saturday,
moving southward behind a storm
front. Despite the unfavorable flying
weather and the distance from the
Allied bases at Port Moresby, Fly
ing Fortresses sped to the attack.
They reached the scene just at dusk
and blasted two of the ships before
darkness closed in.
In the Solomons, today’s commu
nique disclosed, medium bombers
carried out a four-night harassing
raid on the airdome in Buka, an is
land at the northern tip of the ar
chipelago. The raid was made under
bad weather conditions, but hits were
scored on the runaway and in dis
persal bays. Results were not ob
served.
Heavy units of the air force bomb
ed the airdome at Gasmata, New
Britain, and strafed antiaircraft po
sitions at Cape Gloucester.
Attack Described
Telling of the attack on the eight
ship convoy, the communique said:
Our heavy bombers, in low level
attacks on an enemy convoy, scored
a direct hit with a 500-pound bomb
near the bow of a large destroyer,
strafing the decks during the bomb
ing run. A 7,000-ton cargo vessel
also was hit. An 8,000-ton transport,
previously reported hit and on fire,
was seen to explode on both sides
and when last seen was blazing from
stem to stern.
“A 4,000-ton cargo ship previously
reported hit was later ascertained to
be a tanker and was not subsequently
seen and is believed to have sunk.
“Co-ordinated with the attacks on
shipping, other heavy bombers at
tacked th eairdome and town area
(of Wawak). Heavy antiaircraft fire
was encountered from ships and
shore, but there was no attempt it
interception. All our planes re
turned.”
Thousand-pound bombs were un
loaded on the airdome runway and
adjacent installations at Madang,
northwest of Lae, New Guinea.
ARMY TO TAKE
9,900 DOCTORS
Washington, March 15.—Announ
cing army plans to commission 9,900
physicians from civil life during 1943,
Secretary of War Stimson said today
that none of these would be taken
until the War Man-Power Commis
sion has certified that he is available
and that his commissioning would
not cause hardship in his area.
CPL. PAYNE PROMOTAD
Cpl. John F. Payne, son of Mrs. J.
F. Payne, of Alexis, N. C., has been
advanced to the grade of sergeant at
the Carlsbad Army Air Feild, Carls
bad, New Mexico. This promotion is
the result of his capable work in the
training camp of the Army Air For
ces.
250 Germans by blasting troop train
and carry out 300 attacks within
month.
Essen, home of the Krupp arsenals,
on the night of March 5-6 “probably
was the heaviest, blow struck at Ger
mna war industry in the whole of the
bomber offensive,” Sinclair disclosed
that already 4,000 tons of bombs
have been dropped on the Reich this
month.
The devastation at Essen, he said,
was comparable only to that caused
at Cologne last May in the first of
the RAF’s 1,000 bomb raids.
LINCOLNTON, N. C„ MONDAY, MARCH 15, 1943
Japanese Prisoners Captured by Marines
These Japanese prisoners, captured on one of the outei islands of
the Solomons group, are being lined up by their marine captors as
Y separations are made to turn over the area to the regular army. Jje
marines took the Japs with them. (Oilic-ial Marine Corps Photo.)
Miss Jane Lohr Wins
A. Legion Oratorical
Contest Friday Night
LEND LEASE AID
OVER 9 BILLION
Washington, March 13.—Over
whelmingly approved by the House,
the bill to extend the lend-lease pro
gram for another year reached the
Senate today along with a report
that this help to other nations fight
ing the Axis now totals $9,632,000,-
000.
The report, by Administrator E.
B. Stettinius, Jr., said this figure
was attained by the transfer of sl,-
077,000,000 worth of lend-lease goods
in the quarter ended March 1.
“Almost as much aid was provided
in the last six months as in the pre
vious eighteen months,” ho said, ad
ding:
“In the last twelve month." we,
shipped to our Allies, under lend
lease or in fulfillment of previous di- j
rent purchase contracts, thirty out of
every one hundred bombs we pro
duced, thirty-eight out of every one
hundred fighter planes, twenty
eight out of every one hundred light
tanks and thirty-three out of every
one hundred medium tanks.”
On the basis of the 407 to 6 vote
by which it swept through the House
yesterday, the bill appeared likely
that it would be ready for the Presi
dent’s signature within a week.
The House action came after the
Democratic majority, and approxi
mately a score of Republicans com
bined to block a move to give Con
gress the final say on what this na
tion will seek as payment for the
wartime aid.
Stettinus said four-fifths of the
total aid was provided in the year to
lend-lease, which began March 11,
1941.
VWWIViWVWWMWW,
WARTIME RATIONING
GUIDE
M.VAkV.WAVWAWAWAV
March 22. Temporary “T” coupons
will be issued directly by ration
boards for a period of not more than
30 days. Boards will use original ODT
certificates only for checking tire in
spection.
TIRES —Holders of Ration A
coupons must have tires inspected
by OPA on or before March 31. Own
ers of passenger cars and commer
cial vehicles using tires smaller than
7.50 by 20 do not require certificates
for recapping.
SHOES —Coupon 17 in the sugar
and coffee ration book entitles each
holder to one pair of shoes until June
15, when a new stamp will be desig
nated.
WAR RATION BOOKS—Ration
Book 1 is being currently, used for
purchase of sugar and coffee. War
Ration Book No. 2 is being used in
purchase of commercially canned
fduits and juices, frozen fruits, dried
and dehydrated fruits, dried vegeta
bles, canned vegetables or vegetable
juices and certain types and varieties
of soups.
SUGAR—Stamp No. 11 in War
Ration Book 1 is good for three
pounds of sugar through March 15,
Stamp No. 12 will be good for five
pounds from March 16 through May
11.
COFFEE—Stamp No. 25 good for
one pound through March 21.
FUEL OIL —Number 5 coupons be
come valid March 7, and will be
good foi ten gallons until September
30. Number 4 coupons, good for nine
gallons, will be valid on April 6.
GASOLINE—Coupons No. 4 in A
book good for three gallons until
A1 Stone of Union High School
Wins Second Place
In Contest
Miss Jane Lohr, high school pupil
and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. E.
Lohr, was winner of first place in the
American Legion oratorical contest
which was held in the Lincoln coun
ty court house last Friday night. A1
Stone of the Union high school, son
of Mr. and Mrs. H. A. Stone, won
second place. The subject was “The
Freedoms of the United States Con
stitution.”
Miss Lohr will represent Lincoln
county in the district contest, whicn
will be held in the Lincolnton court
house Monday night, March 22. Five
counties, Lincoln, Mecklenburg,
Cleveland, Gaston and Catawba, are
included in the district. D. Herbert
Miller, legion chairman of the con
test, will preside at the district
meeting.
The winner of the district contest
will go to Hickory to compete in the
area contest and the winner there
will go to Asheboro to take part in
the State finals,
Melvin Sipe presided over Friday’s
meeting here.
ARMYREJECTONS
REPORTED HIGH
Washington, March 10.—If you’re
a male American, aged 65, there are
only three chances out of 20 that you
can pass the army physical.
At 36 years, the chance is six out
of 20; at 21, it’s 14 in 20, and at 18
and 19 years, 15 out of 20.
Tlie senate found the figures today
in publication of testimony on the
first deficiency bill of the session, a
$6,280,000,000 measure which in
cludes $3,182,000 for the high school
victory corps.
Speaking in favor of the appropri
ation to give American youths pre
induction training, physical and men
tal, Col. Leonard G. Ruontree, direc
tor of medical services for the select
ive service system, disputed the the
ory “that we have the healthiest and
most rugged youth in the world.”
Out of the first 2,000,000 draft reg
istrants examined, he said, 1,000,000
were rejected for physical defects,
disorders, deficiencies and diseases.
“Those accepted were, as a group,
soft and flabby,” he testified, add
ing that this appied to the current
19 and 19 year old groups as well.
He said standards of physical fit
ness had now been lowered material
ly, because “we are at the bottom of
the barrel.”
Flabby oldsters and youngsters
can take cheer from one point of the
colonel’s testimony. He said the Ger
mans have set their standards so low
that “they will take virtually any
body who can serve in any capacity
in the armed services.”
Rountree said what selective serv
ice wants is “prehabilitation”— get
ting men ready in advance of their
call to service.
GEORGE KIZER PROMOTED
George W. Kizer, formerly of this
city, has recently been promoted to
the grade of Corporal in the army
aid corps.
Corporal Kizer is now stationed at
the army air field, Walla Walla,
Washington. He has peviously been
Located at Camp Adair, Oregon.
Peanuts
It is reported that a substantial
number of peanut pickers, which
were manufactured in 1942, will be
made available for distribution in
1943. Efforts will be made to have
more pickers manufactured this
year.
BOY SCOUT
COURT OF HONOR
The March Court of Honor was
held at the Presbyterian Church on
March 11. The meeting was opened
with prayer and the Scout oath, aft
er which Mr. Schiele spoke concern
ing Scout work at the present time.
The meeting was well attended by
Boy Scouts and men. Judge S. M.
Roper presided and R. M. Schiele,
Jake Burgin, C. R. Little, S. A. Lock
man, J. A. Burris, Z. R. Burris, Ber
lie Dellinger, Rev. A. B. McClure, W.
M. Nicholson, Mr. Brady and Fred
Rudisill assisted in conducting the
business of the Court. The following
advancements were made:
Tenderfoot Rank—John Ray Sig
mon, Caleb Rhyne, <Jr„ Route 4 Lin
colnton.
Second Class Rank —Buddy Ram
seur, Tr. No. 2, Lincolnton; Irwin
Cohen, John McLean, Robert Wise,
Tr. No. 4, Lincolnton, Marion Brown,
Tr. No. 1, Long Shoals.
First Class Rank—Julian Heav
ner, Tr. No. 4, Lincolnton; Merit
Badge.
Animal Industry— Ralph Carpen
ter, Louis Cobb, Jimmie McGinnis,
Charles Randall, Tr. No. 2. Lincoln
ton; Fred Ritter, Tr. No. 4, Lincoln
ton.
Book Binding—Robert Hallman,
Tr. No. 5, Lincolnton.
Bugling—Eugene Siffmnn, Rob
ert Hallman, Tr. No. 5, Lincolnton.
Firemanship—Buddy Conner, Tr.
No. 2, Lincolnton; Billy Tucker, Tr.
No. 5, Lincolnton.
Firemanship— Buddy Conner, Tr.
No. 2, Lincolnton; Billy Tucker, Tr.
No. 5, Lirfeolnton.
Handicraft—Charles Goodson, Tr.
No. 2, Lincolnton; Miles Beam, Jack
Harris, William Ingle, Bill Nicholson,
Tr. No. 4, Lincolnton; Hubert Lee
Gilbert, S. A. Kendrick, Tr. No. 5,
Lincolnton; Jack Harwell, Tr. No. 1,
Long Shoals.
Leathercraft—Dickie Harris Tr.
No. 2, Lincolnton.
Music—William Wvckoff, Tr. No. 4.
Lincolnton; ,Eugene Sigmon, Tr. No.
5, Lincolnton.
Pathfinding Ralph Carpenter,
Louis Cobb, Charles Goodson, Jimmie
McGinnis, Charles Randall, Tr. No.
2, Lincolnton.
Personal Health Bill Proctor,
Clement Reynolds, Billy Rhyne, Tr.
No. 1, Boger City.
Physical Development—Jack Har
well, Tr. No. 1, Lincolnton.
Pioneering—'Frank Rudisill, Tr.
No. 4, Lincolnton.
Safety—Ed Ramseur, Tr. No. 2,
Lincolnton.
Charter was presented to Troop
No. 1, of Laboratory. Presentations
were made for awards from last
Court of Honor. Plans were made to
hold the next Court of Honor at the
Methodist hut at Boger City. The
time of this meeting will be 8 o’clock.
Short closing talks were given by
R. M. Schiele, Fred Rudisill and Jake
Burgin.
All Scouts are urged to he present
at the next Court .of Honor.
PRESBYTERIANS
DISCUSS WORK
Kings Mountain Group Will
Install Rev. W. C. Cooper
In Gastonia
BelmOnt, March 13. —King’s Moun
tain Presbytery met Tuesday at 2
p. m. in adjourned session in the hut
of Gastonia First Presbyterian
Church, with 15 ministers and three
ruling elders present, as reported by
the stated clerk, Rev. R. T. Baker, of
Belmont, Rev. J. Hector Smith, the
last moderator present, presided.
Rev. W. C. Cooper was received
and signified his acceptance of the
call to the pastorate of Armstrong
Memorial Church of Gastonia. The
following commission was appointed
to install Mr. Cooper as pastor of
Armstrong Memorial Church on Sun
day, March 28, at 4 p. m.; Rev. W.
W. Akers to preside and propound
the constitutional questions, Rev. I.
M. Ellis to charge the pastor, Rev.
W. C. Neel to preach the sermon,
Rev. T. G. Tate, alternate; Elder J.
H. Kennedy to charge the congrega
tion and Alder Eli Lineberger, alter
nate. Rev. W. W. Akers was received
from Mecklenburg Presbytery.
Burgin Rather Have
A Bankrupt America
Than Hitler or Tojo
Washington, March 15. —Repre-
sentative Burgin (D-NC) prefers a
bankrupt but free America to sub
servience to Tojo or Hitler.
During an address in the House on
extension of lend-lease, the North
Carolinian said a man had come to
him and protested, “we shall go
bankrupt.”
“My reply,” said Burgin, “was
that if we have to go bankrupt to
win the war, we had better go bank
rupt than have to go on our hands
and knees to beg Tojo or Hitler for
peace terms.”
BUY MORE WAR BONUS TODAY!
Next Blackout Will
Be Held Thursday
Night, March 18th
First Ladies
' " * " >
§ , I
SI
Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, wife
of our Chief Executive, and Mme.
Chians Kai-shek, wife of China’s
generalissimo, are pictured as they
posed for the cameras and spoke
with reporters on the lawn of the
White House. China’s first lady
came here to seek aid for the war
riors of her war-torn country.
MEAT AND BUTTER
RATIONING SET
Cheese, Canned Fish, Oils In
cluded In Order Effective
On Or Before April 1
Washington, March 13— Rationing
of meat, butter, cheese, canned fish,
and edible oils was ordered tonight
effective “on or before April 1.” In
ether rationing changes, the coffee
allowance was increased and the cost
in points of dried prunes, raisins,
beans, peas and lentils was reduced.
'Food Administrator Wickard esti
mated that the amount of meat avail
able would average “in the neighbor
hood of two pounds, more or less,"
per week per person. Customers will
not have to surrender coupons for
meat eaten in restaurants.
Details of this program will be an
nounced tomorrow by the Office of
Price Administration. It was indi
cated, however, that meat, cheese,
butter, canned fish and the edible
oils will be lumped together as one
group of foods purchasable by using
the red stamps in the No. 2 ration
book.
This would mean some persons
would purchase more than two
pounds of meat by holding down on
butter purchases, for instance. Point
allowances are expected to be large
enough to permit purchase of two
pounds of meat per week plus some
of all the other foods.
OPA ordered the point cost of
ptunes and raisins reduced from 20
to 12 per pound and halved the point
values of dry beans, peas and intils,
cutting them from 8 to 4 points a
pound. It also removed dates and figs
from the list of rationed foods—-un
less they are in cans or sealed jars.
Another order put the coffee ra
tion back at one pound for five weeks,
bginning March 22, when stamp No.
26 in ration book No. 1 becomes valid
for purchase of one pound. The cur
rent ration is one pound every six
weeks.
Explains Action
Explaining the reductions in point
values for beans, peas and lentils and
the increase in the coffee ration,
Price Administrator Prentiss Brown
said supplies had increased.
In the case of coffee, he said, Feb
ruary imports exceeded estimates by
more than 20 per cent. Large imports
of beans from Mexico figured in the
cut in point values for them.
It was a basic principle of OPA
policy, Brown emphasized, to relax
rationing restrictions “wherever and
just as soon as circumstances per
mit.”
The point values of prunes and
laisins were reduced because stores
hold large stocks, and it was feared
(Continued on page two)
Special Red Cross War Fund
Reaches $9,900; Short $l,lOO
The Red Cross War Fund in Lin
coln county has reached a total of
89,900, which is still $l,lOO short of
the goal, it was announced this morn
ing from campaign headquarters.
An intensive drive will be made
this week to bring the amount up to
SII,OOO allotted this county. And be
cause of the tremendous need for
funds to carry on the widespread
work of the Red Cross, it is hoped
that final figures will go even beyond
that amount.
Every person in Lincoln county, it
he or she has not already done so, is
urged to make a contribution to the
fund within the next day or two. This
POPULATION
(1940 Census)
Lincolnton 4,625
Lincoln County 24,187
Denver 254
Crouse 221
Iron Station M
SINGLE COPY: FIVE CENTS
Date Announced In Thursday’*
Times Error; Correction
Is Gladly Made
The next scheduled blackout in
Lincolnton and Lincoln county will
be held Thursday evening, March 18,
and Civilian Defense Chairman W.
E. Garrison announced today that
everything is in readiness for a one
hundred per cent test.
The first “blue” alarm will be
sounded at 8:50 p. m. The “red” will
be sounded at 9 p. m., and the second
“blue” at 9:10. No siren will blow
foi the all clear, but the signal will
be given over the radio and the turn
ing on of the street lights.
When the first “blue alarm” sounds
all lights are to be turned uot in
stantly—except that traffic can con
tinue to move vex'y slowly with car
lights cut down to dim. When the
“red” sounds several minutes later
all traffic must stop. The second
“blue,” following the “red,” will come
as a final warning. That will be the
last signal sounded on the siren. The
all-clear will come by radio.
CORRECTION
Due to a misunderstanding,
it was announced in last Thurs
day’s Times that the date for the
next blackout in Lincolnton and
Lincoln county had been changed
to March 16. This was an error.
The blackout is due here on
Thursday evening, March 18, as
originally planned, and NOT on
March 16. The confusion came
about when the office of civilian
defense in Raleigh announced a
change in the date for the black
out in the Asheville district.
As the schedule now stands
the blackout will be held this
week as follows:
Asheville District, Tuesday,
March 16.
Wilmington District (including
Lincoln county), Thursday,
March 18.
Norfolk District, Friday, No
vembed 19.
fallsTonTlTer
AMONG MISSING
Lieut. Robert Webb Martin
Missing In North Africa
Fighting
(Shelby Star)
Lieut. Robert Webb Martin, 23, of
Fallston, a flier attached to the army
air force, has been missing in action
since February 23 in the North Afri
ca area, his parents, Mr. and Mrs.
Clem Martin, of near Fallston, have
been advised by the war department.
Lieut. Martin was flying a B-19
bomber which was evidently shot
down in the course of the North
African fighting. The war depart
ment message said any additional
information obtained concerning him
would be conveyed promptly.
The missing airman entered the
army air corps in 1941 following
graduation from Lees-Mcßae col
lege. He attended Fallston high
school, graduating there in 1938,
and he is a member of Friendship
Methodist church.
S. BEAM GANTT'
FINISHES COURSE
S. Beam Gantt. S. 2|C, son of Mr.
and Mrs. Sam Gantt, of Vale, enlist
ed in the U. S. Navy October 12,
1942, and completed his course in
Navy Training School at Norfolk, Va.,
March 3, 1943. He now ranks as
Torpedoman’s Mate, 3d Class, Sea
man. He is stationed at Boston,
Mass.
can be done by contacting one of the
workers in your specific community
or by leaving your donation at Red
Cross headquarters in the Reinhardt
building. Every donation, large or
small, will help now to bring the
drive to a close.
Dr. S. H. Steelman, war fund chair
man, reported today that a donation
had been received from Cpl. George
W. Kizer, of the 317th Bombardment
Sq. A. A. F., who is stationed at Wal
la Walla Army Air Base in Washing
ton State.
Other contributions received dur
ing the past few days were $650 from
the Long Shoals industrial units and
S4OO from the D. E. Rhyne Mill.