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7
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CHRISTMAS
DEVOTED
lleghany Tim
TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY
Series 1987.
..■■■■--.—^
GALAX, VA. (Published for Sparta, N. C.) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1937.
Number 50.
(Hugo S. Sira*,
Washington CorrMpandsnt)
ECONOMY PREDICTIONS
Congress last week seemed to
be economy-minded and there
were predictions that appropria
tion bills will be held in line with
budget recommendations. Hear
ings on major appropriation meas
ures to be reported in January,
have been underway aiid confi
dential information from the Bud.
get Bureau is in the hands of the
House Appropriations Committee
which, so far indicates an inten
tion of hokjing appropriations
within bounds. Back of the sen
timent is a conviction that a bal
anced budget will help business
and restore confidence.
At this outlook, it seems that
the only increases will go to the
Army and the Wavy in order to
carry out their defense programs.
While accurate information is not
obtainable, the present indica
tions are that there will be a
slash of $500,000,000 off the re
lief appropriation, which will leave
$1,000,000,000, a cut of $75,000,*
000 from the CCC, leaving about
$275,000,000, and a reduction of
about $100,000,000 in Federal
Road aid. Other cuts will be
comparatively small but because
of the fact that there are a great
many, the net saving will likely
pass the $100,000,000 mark.
BRAZILIAN FRIENDSHIP
Sumner Welles, under-Secretary
of State, recently took occasion to
assure Brazil of our continued
sympathy qnd friendship unim
paired by recent political events
in the South American Republic.
Mr. Welles pointed out that with
the bare announcement of what
had taken place, the editors and
statesmen in this country jumped
to the conclusion that vital
changes had been made in the af
fairs <cA South America, linking
Brazil with dictator developments
in other parts of the world.'
He was inclined to regard the
Brazilian coup in line with the
history of such happenings in
South America, rather than with
European fascism. Moreover, he
sensed a need for commentators
' competent and authorized! to in
terpret and pass judgment” upon
what happens in the countries of
this hemisphere. He regretted
that the recent crisis in Brazil
failed to elicit in this country a
tolerance and friendly sympathy;
toward the effort of the Brazilian.
people to solve their own problem
in their own way.
At the same time, the State De
partment’s Latin-American ex
pert called attention to “propa
ganda of a type alien to our
Western civilization,” which has
spread on our continent during
the past years and indirectly
warned foreign nations that the
United States would not tolerate
a violation of the Monroe Doc
trine. Without referring by
name to the enunciation of Presi
dent Monroe in 1823, Mr. Welles
declared that “any attempt on
the part of non-American powers
to exert through force their po
litical or material influence on the
American Continent would be im
mediately a matter of the gravest
concern, not only to the United
States but to every other Ameri
can Republic as well, and appro
priate action would undoubtedly
at once be determined upon a$ a
result of common consultation be
tween them.
PEACE THROUGH COMMERCE
Through reciprocal trade trea
ties and insistence upon the most
favored nation clause this nation
hopes to avoid foreign entangle
ments of a political nature. The
forth-coming trade treaty nego-'
tiations with Gneat Britain are
important because the United
States and Great Britain, the
world’s most powerful commer
cial nations, acoount between
them for one-quarter of the
works’s international trade.
HULL LOOKING AHEAD
Secretary Hull, persistent and
courageous advocate of the most
favored nation plan, utterly re
jects the selfish philosophy of bi
lateral trade treaties. These aim
only to benefit the commerce be
tween the two nations affected at
the expense of other nations.
BRITISH PACT VITAL
The successful conclusion of the
trade treaty with the United
States and Greet Britain will be
followed by similar agreements
with Canada, Australia and the
other units of the British Empire.
Under the most-favored nation
clause these benefits will be
sprtad far and wide. Frankly,
Hr. Hull thinks that the lowering
of the trade barriers the world
over and particularly with demo
cratic nations, may result in a pro
grata of negotiation with the
whole world for a general lower
(contiude from page seven)
lines Drawn For
Contest Over
Wages And Hours
Houae Votes 282 To 123 To
Discharge Rules Group;
Wages-Hours Debated
On Floor Six Hours
Washington, Dec. 14. — The
move to recommit the wages end
hours bill and thereby indefinitely
postpone its enactment gained
momentum yesterday as the
House of Representatives began
considering, the legislation which
is more controversial than any
legislative proposal since the
Supreme; Court bill.
By a vote, of 282 to 123, the
House yesterday afternoon voted
to discharge its rules committee
and brought the wages and hours
measure to the floor for six hours
of general debate.
The wote to discharge the oom
mittee is no indication of how
the House stands on the wages
and hours proposal. Many of
those who voted against allowing
the rules committee to continue
to bottle up the bill are opposed
to its passage. They felt the
House should have the opportun
ity to debate the legislation.
The fact the House labor com
mittee has directed its chairman
to offer 129 amendments to the
bill it reported out at last session
is being used as argument in sup
port <of a motion to recommit.
The North Carolina delegation
divided its vote on the motion to
discharge the rules committee.
Representatives Hancock Barden,
Cooley, Umstead, and feulwinkle
supported the motion while it was
opposed by Representatives
Doughton Lambeth Clark and
Kerr. Representative Weaver,
who is in Asheville because of
the illness of Mrs. Weaver, and
Representative Warren, who was
called home by the death of his
mother-in-law, did not vote.
Landon Says He
Wifl Not Be In
1940 Contest
Washington, Dec. 11.—With a
statement which knowing observ
ers quickly interpreted as chal
lenging Herbert Hoover to do the
same thing, Alf M. Landon, of
Kansas, emphatically removed him
self yesterday from the 1940
presidential contest.
For months, Landon and
Hoover have been engaged in
polite but none-therless strenuous
sparring about Republican policy,
while some other Republicans
have clamored for a reexamination
of party philosophy and new
blood in the leadership.
It was inevitable that Wash
ington should bear these facts in
mind in reading Landon's state
ment, particultrly an assertion
that:
“A man who is in the position
of being suspected of being
either active, or receptive can
didate cannot render the service
either to his party or to his
party or to his country that I
conceive to be my patriotic' duty
and responsibility in the critical
situation confronting us.”
London’s renunciation of 1940
White House ambitions was made
known at a* jovial reunion with
Washington correspondents as
signed to bis campaign for the
presidency last year. Each had
been personally invited by letter
several days in advance.
Sparta H. S. I*
Closed On Account
Of Heavy Sleet
Sparta high school was closed
Tuesday on account of the sleet
covered roadB, officials deciding
that the risk involved in trans
porting the children to and from
school was too great to justify
continuing school, there being
danger also that someone might
be injured while on the school
grounds.
Traffic hi the county was prac
tically paralysed Monday end
part of Tuesday, on account of
the sleet on the highways. A
number of minor accidents oc
curred.
1936-37 Com King
William H. Curry, Tipton, In
diana, 1936 Com King, wins th<
much-eoveted title again this yea:
with his prize-winning specimei
ears of “Curry’s Yellow Dent.’
He is tile first winner to repeal
in history of the present compe
tition.
Japan Strongly
Apologizes For
Gunboat Sinking
Tokyo, Dec. 15.—Even before
she formally received President
Roosevelt’s demands, Japan today
offered apologies and compensa
tion for her attack on the United
States gunboat Panay and three
steamers, and safeguards for for
eigners.
In addition to the round of
official apologies, Japanese citi
zens halted Americans in the
streets of Tokyo or called at
American business offices to ex
press their personal sorrow over
Sunday’s warplane bombing oi
the vessels near Nanking.
Foreign Minister Koki Hireta
sent a note to United States Am
bassador Joseph C. Grew in which
Japan:
1. Presented her “sincere apol
ogies” for the attack.
2. Promised to make “indemni
fications for all losses and deal
appropriately with those responsi
ble for the incident”;
3. Announced “strict orders’1
had been issued “to the authori
ties on the spot with a view to
preventing recurence of a simi
lar incident.”
Foreign Minister Hirota pre
sented a similar note to Sir Rob
ert Craigie, British ambassador to
Japan, concerning the Sunday
bombing of the British gunboats
Bee and Ladybird.
It promised Japan would pay
Great Britain “any necessary” in
demnity.
The imperial headquarters,
highest Japanese military and na
val organ, issued a lengthy state
ment on Sunday’s incident in
which it charged three gunboats
among the vessels attack on the
Yangtze fired on the Japanese
warplanes when the Panay was
sunk.
It declared the Japanese fliers
stated that the steamers “carried
no flags” but that “many soldiers,
apparently Chinese, were sighted
aboard them.”
The note met the major de
mands of President Roosevelt
even as Ambassador Grew ar
ranged to see Foreign Minister
Hirota to present a note from the
United States over the bombing
incident.
Emperor Hirohito already had
received the essence of the Amer
ican executive’s point of view as
given in a memorandum in Wash
ington Monday, a high govern
ment official said.
Hoey Appoints
Stacy To Take
Waynick’s Place
Raleigh, Dec. 14—Governoi
Clyde Roark Hoey today appoint
ed Senator J. Benton Stacy, oi
Ruffin, to succeed Capus M. Way.
nick as director of the division
of purchase and contract He
will receive a salary $6,60C
a year.
Waynick, who also was receiv
ing. $6,600j has resigned effective
tomorrow to accept an executive
editorial position with The Higl
Point Enterprise. Before becom
ing purchase and contract diree
tor, Waynick was chairman of the
Highway and Public Works Com
mission.
American Gunboat
Sunk In River By
Japanese Bombs
Shanghai, December 14. —
The United States gunboat Panay
was sunk Monday in the Yangtze
river 25 miles above Nanking by
Japanese, bombs, and 18 Ameri
cans were unaccounted for.
There were 54 known survivors,
some of them wounded.
The gunboafs normal comple
ment was 55 officers aifdj men.
It carried at least nine American
refugees, including four embassy
officials.
Several Standard Oil company
ships were also sunk at the same
time.
According to British naval re
ports Hashjmoto said he. had or
der* to ‘‘fire on every ship on
the river” but added that the
i firing on British ships ‘‘was a mis
take.”
His statement was made in re
• . ply to a British protest against
shelling of the British gunboat
Ladybird a# Wuhu. A British
seaman wffs ,kilWd and two other
Britons wosmded there.
The. American gunboat Oahu
and the British gunboat Bee
steamdd under forced draft for
the scene of the tragedy.
The 450-ton gunboat, especially
made for Chinese river service,
had stood by to save Americans
during Japan’s siege of Nanking.
Anchored in the Yangtze, the
Panay was a haven for embassy
officials and other refugees until
Japanese shells crashing danger
ously near caused her to seek
safety up the river.
It’* ’Bama vs. Bears
Joe Kilgrow, University of Ala
bama team captain, who will lead
the Crimson Tide against the
Golden Bears of California U. in
the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl
football classic at Pasadena. This
will make Alabama’s fifth (visit
to the Bowl, won this time after
a spectacular season which left
the Southerners untied, undefeat
ed.
Senate Defeats
limitation Of
Fann Bill Cost
Washington, Dec. 14.—A suc
cessful fight was led in the Sen
ate today by administration lead
ers against a proposal by Senator
Vandenberg (R.), of Michigan,
to limit the farm bill’s cost bo
(turn to page twelve, please)
Keep America Out of War
, tn today’s edition of The TIMES
is published a “ballot” which the readers
of this newspaper are asked to sign as a
personal appeal addressed to Congress—
a plea to keep America out of war. With
the publication of this ballot, The
TIMES is cooperating with the Veter
ans of Foreign Wars of the United States
in a national campaign to obtain the sig
natures of 25 million voters to be present
ed to Congress as tangible evidence of an
overwhelming public demand for peace.
The appeal reads as follows:
“I hereby call upon Congress, and the
President of the United States, to adopt
and apply policies designed to keep Amer
ica out of war and supported by a national
defense program adequate to preserve
and protect our country and its people.”
The Veterans of Foreign Wars of
the United States has requested 11,000
newspapers and magazines throughout the
country to publish this ballot as a means
of reaching individual citizens who may
be denied the opportunity of signing pe
titions being circulated by local units of
the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U. S.
in 3,600 communities.
Confident that members of Congress
will be guided by the sentiments of the
people on the subject of war, Commander
in-Chief Scott P. Squyres, of Oklahoma
City, is directing the efforts of his organi
zation in a campaign to secure the signa
tures of at least a majority of the legal
voters in each Congressional District.
These names, obtained through newspaper
ballots and by petitions, will be classified
by states at national headquarters of the
V. F. W. in Kansas City, Missouri. At
the close of the campaign, early in 1938,
the petitions and ballots' will be shipped
to Washington, D. C., and presented to
members of Congress in a peace demon
stration on the steps of the Capitol.
The “Peace-for-America” program
being promoted by the V. F. W. primarily
seeks to impress Congress with actual
proof of an organized demand that Amer
ica must keep out of war. Simultaneous
ly, the overseas veterans who compose
the membership of the V. F. W., favor a
strong national defense, one that will
enable the United States to protect its
peaceful relations with all other powers.
Believing the readers of The
TIMES are heartily in accord with any
movement designed to avert war, this bal
lot will be published at intervals during
the next few weeks, whenever space is
available, in order to give a large number
of persons in Alleghany county an oppor
tunity to register their personal pleas for
peace.
Bill Payne, North Carolina's
Public Enemy No. 1, Escapes
From Officers In Gan Fight
National G. 0. P.
Committee Holds
Meet In St Louis
St. Louis, Dec. 14.—Informed
sources disclosed tonight the
group being selected by the Re
publican executive committee to
draft a new declaration of party
principles probably would have
200 members instead of the 100
originally outlined.
Of these 200 it was understood
135 would be men and 65 women
and these groups would be repre
sented: agriculturists. manufac
ture^ commercial enterprise,
labor, professional persons soc
ial workers, educators and finan
cial interests. Sixty of the total
would be under 40 years of age.
There were indication from be
hind the locked doors of the com
mittee sessions that a major dif
ficulty still was that of choosing
persons favorable both to the
| Herbert Hoover and Alf M. Lan
don factions.
A preliminary canvass of 1,052
names submitted for membership
on the steering committee ended
early this afternoon. During the
late afternoon and tonight the
list underwent a more detailed
scrutiny.
The task of choosing a chair
man from among the 35 promi
nent Republicans understood to
have been proposed probably will
not be undertaken before tomor
row.
The executive committee adopt
ed a “blanket embargo on those
holding public office today,” an
authoritative source explaining
the rule was intended “to take
the committee out of the immedi
ate political arena.” However,
he said the rule already had been
“cracked” seveial times.
One office-holder for whom
there was support for committee
membership was Gov. George D.
Aikei), of Vermont, who has de
manded that the party's national
committee “purge itself of re
actionary elements.''
John D. M. Hamilton, chairman
of the national committee who
lashed back at Aiken yesterday
with a sharply-worded statement,
received a telegram 0f support
from former Gov. Myers Y.
Cooper, of Ohio.
laylor bought
On Charge Of
Shooting Myers
Alleghany county officers are
seeking John Taylor, 30-year old
fanner, on a charge tvf shooting
Johnny Myers at Laurel Springs
Saturday night.
Bryan Upchurch of Alleghany,
is being held on a charge >of aid
ing and abetting Taylor when he
is alleged to have shot Myers at
the Myers filling station.
Officers said witnesses told
them Taylor shot into the filling
station and when Myers attempted
bo defend himself with a hose
nozzle, Taylor shot again, the
bullet striking Myers’ rib and
ranging thnough his side.
Myers was taken to the North
Wilkesbono hospital, where the
bullet was removed. Reports are
that Ids condition is improving, ,
ALLEGHANIANS URGED TO
BUY “TB” CHRISTMAS SEALS
The people of Alleghany county
are urged bo buy Christmas
Tuberculosis seals from the local
seal committee, headed by Rev.
R. L. Berry, or through the local
school teachers, as seventy-five
per cent of the amount raised by
the sale of these seals will be
kept in the county to aid in the
fight against tuberculosis.
HAS VERY OLD VIOLIN
A violin said to be 100 years
old is in the possession of Mrs.
Letha Crouse, Cherry Lane. Mrs.
Crouse, it is understood, has been
offered $50 for the instrument.
Companion Wounded In
Encounter Mon. Night
Near Wilmington; Search
Begun By Patrolmen
i
Wilmington, Dec. 14. — In a
; running gun battle with officers
1 last night, a man identified as
Jack Borden alias Wash Turner,
escaped North Carolina convict,
was wounded, but a companion,
I who was identified by a highway
patrolman as Bill Payne, long
sought fugitive, escaped.
Borden, whose scalp was punc
jtured and his skull fractured by
I a bullet during a high-speed
j automobile cha.se. with officers,
■ said from a hospital bed that he
j was alone.
State Patrolman Hugh Sloan
| said Payne jumped from the
I wrecked automobile when it
struck a barbecue stand and fled
into the wood. The officer said
he was within 15 feet of the
fleeing man when he turned and
cried:
“Don’t shoot any more; I sur
1 render.’’
| Sloan, standing on the edge of
I a small stream, said he slipped
and fell into the branch and
| that when he recovered himself
the man identified as Payne was"’
racing off into the wood.
Assistant Police Chief Charles
H. Casteen said Payne later hail
ed a motorist and rode into Wil
mington, but transferred shortly
after arriving here and went in
a taxi bo “The Pines,” a tourist
cabin establishment, eight miles
west of here in Brunswick
county.
A score of officers hastened to
the camp and broke down the
door of a cabin bo find only a
wet towel smeared with blood.
Jessie Lee Hayes, 14, told officers
the man gave him 25 cents to
! obtain gauze bandaging and ad
| hesive tape for him. The lad
j said the man, bleeding from
i lacerations about the neck, left
■the camp about 10 minutes be
| fore officers arrived.
! The lad, shown a picture of
i Payne, said he was positive the
j man who gave him the quarter
i was Payne.
At the hospital, Borden said
I he was known also as John Byrd
j and that he had come here today
[ from Durham. He said he was
! driving about 90 miles an hour
!when the bullet struck him in the
' head.
Wilmington police said they
found two sawed-off shotguns,
one pistol and one 30-calibre
rifle in the wrecked automobile.
Icy Roads Make
Travel Perilous;
Conditions Better
' -M
Winston-Salem, Dec. 15. —
After having been paralysed for
24 hours because of ice-covered
highways, motor travel was re
sumed in Northwestern North
Carolina last' night and King
Winter released his grip on this
section of the state.
Reports reaching here said ac
cidents were numerous in this
aection. No fatalities were re
ported.
Highway forces scattered sand
on the arterial highways leading
out of Winston-Salem during the
morning. This relieved the situ
ation somewhat.
Airy came reports
of traffic snarls at the foot of the
Blue Ridge mountains on the
Hillsvilte highway- About 40
large transport trucks were stall
ed there. They were unable to
climb the mountain highway. One
half inch of ice covered most of
the highways out of Mount Airy.
Six or more crashes occurred on
the Dobson-Mount
Elkin reported
traffic tied up unt
worst sleet of the
there. Few motor
ice-covered peveme
cars.
Five Negroes w
death near Burling
and heavy truck «