The Greenwood Commonwealth from Greenwood, Mississippi • Page 1

The Business Of Any Community Is No Better Than Its Roads THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE Maxima 89 eg reel minimum S3 degree; rainfall, 0.00; river gauge, 8.49, 31 stationary. MMMf MM This Day Being Fact and Comment On Greenwood, Leflore County, and Mississippi VOLUME 23 NUMBER 40. GREENWOOD, LEFLORE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, MONDAY AFTERNOON, OCTOBER 17, 1938. FIVE CENT3 THE WEATHER FORECAST I3)M FOll MISSISSIPPI Tartly cloudy in north, probably local in Mouth portion tonight and Tuesday. 11 000 (NIC MOB.

IB ffl fl Ml ENGLISH Over the week end the eity police held two men for investiga-tion, arrested seven for drunkenness, one for driving while intoxicated, one for assault and battery, one for vagrancy. One of the men arreted on a drunk charge also face3 charges of using profane language in a public place and resisting an officer. CZECHS TO COOPERATE WITH NAZI GERMANY CITY ELECTIONS LISTS ARE CLOSED SATURDAY PRESIDENT PARDON TO R. A. BILLUPS TO PU6LIC TONIGHT Airplanes Bomb Chinese Troop Concentrations at Canton WILL VISIT AMERICA King and Queen Will Pay State Visit To United States.

LONDON, Oct. 17 (JP) The Daily Herald said today that arrangements are being made for a state visit to the United States by King George and Queen Elizabeth next summer. The paper said the American visit, to end his Canadian tour, would be announced in the King's speech from the throne opening Parliament Nov. 8. The British Embassy in Washington and the United States Department of State are working on a tentative program for the ap- proval of the King, and President Roosevelt, the paper added.

It said the program included a stay of three days and two nights at the White House, (foe night aboard a United States warship with a naval review off the mouth cf the Potomac; a state dinner and ball at the White House; a state reception by Congress at the capitol; a dinner and reception the King and Queen at the Embassy in honor of President and Mrs. Roosevelt; a visit to Mount Vernon and the grave of George Washington. TAKEN TO GERMANY ATTORNEY TELLS Data On Defenses of Canal Zone and Navy Taken By Spies, Court Hears NEW YORK, Oct. XI (JP) United States Attorney Lamar Hardy told a federal jury today that German spies had transmitted to the Berlin government data on the American artillery forces in the Panama Canal zone, the strength of the American navy on the east coast, and the. specifications of two American aircraft carriers.

Members of this spy ring, he asserted, were three prisoners seated before the jury Johanna Hofmann, 26, former beautician on the German liner Europa; Otto Hermann Voss, 36, naturalizezd citizen born in' Germany; and Erich Glaser, 28, naturalized citizen born in Germany and "formar United States army solider. Hardy, opening the trial of the three on espionage charges, told the jury that the spy ring had forged President Roosevelt's sig-j nature to a fictitious order J.o the navy for the aircraft carrier specifications. A fourth prisoner, Guenther Gustav Rumrich, pleaded guilty at the opening of the trial Friday and will testify as a government witness. Hardy described the alleged conspiracy as directed from Gar-many, with contact men transferring messages back and forth to agents of Germany extraction in this country. He said two officials of German steamship lines in this country aided in establishing the.

contact between agents in this country and their directors abroad. STORM WARNING NEW ORLEANS, Oct. 17 (JP) The United States Weather Bureau here ordered storm warnings hoisted from Port A-thur to Sea-drift, in an advisory issued at 2 a. ni. today.

The bureau said that a gulf disturbance, which Friday appeared to be headed toward Florida, at midnight about 230 miles east of Corpus Christi, attended by winds of approximately 50 miles per hour in squalls north of its center. Weather Bureau forecasters said the disturbance was moving west northwest or northwestward about 16 miles per hour. "Winds on the upper coast cf Texas will begin increasing within the next few hours," the advisory warned, but added, "it is emphasized that this is not a hurricane." Five Candidates for Mayor; Four for Commissioner and Three For Police Justice Fine Names No dark horses entered the lists for city offices at the expiration of the time for filing notice of candidacy on Saturday night for the city Democratic primary, and the voters will make their choices from the entries who have already announced. The first primary will be held on November 15, and the second primary one week later. There are five candidates for Mayor, with Dr.

F. H. Mayor E. O. Simmons, T.

R. Gregory, Gen. S. R. Keesler, and Judge E.

C. Sutton in the race. There are four candidates for commissioner, with two being elected. The four candidates are L. 0.

Corbin, C. E. Gouty, Allen D. Safford and Commissioner S. H.

Montgomery. Three candidates have filed for the office of Police Justice. They are Judge W. H. Montjoy, present incumbent; N.

C. Brewer, Jr. and Cunliffe McBee. An opinion of the State Attorney General holds that the office of police justice is not an elective office, but that the place is to be filled by appointment by the city council. That is also the opinion of City Attorney A.

H. Bell, and heretofore, although the election has been held, the incoming city. council has also made the appoint ment It is understood that the city democratic executive committee will not pass upon. "the point, but will palce the names of the can- didateg for police justice on the primary ballot as has been done in the past two city elections, and will leave the matter up the incoming council in January as to the final selection. OF BRIDGE IN THIRD MEETING Mrs.

Paul Abel, Culbertson Master Teacher, Will Conduct Class Tomorrow The School of Bridge conducted by. Mrs. Paul Abel, Culbertson Master Tcalehpr, will hold its third meeting at the Elks Club, Tuesday at 2:30 and 8:00 P. M-The Junior Chamber of Commerce which is sponsoring the school, has arranged for Mrs. Abel to repeat the afternoon lesson at the night class.

The subject matter of the third lesson will be "Re-Bids" This is probably the most important phase of modern contract bridge bidding and one which is not correspondingly well understood. Many ope ning bids and first responses show a wide range of values; the re-bid properly chosen signals the possibilities of the combined hands, whether they should be dropped at part score contracts, or continued to a game or slim contract. A complete understanding of this part of the bidding will win thousands of points. 'Re-bicifc are divided into two classifications, weak re-bids and strong re-bids." Both classes will be fully explained and illustrated in the lessons. rnorcT rw ing 23 Newton county residents home from the state fair at Jackson Saturday night brought death to two occupants.

D. B. Cullum, 78, Little Rock, and Mrs. Ida Ishee, 66, of near Little Rock were killed. Nine persons were injured, including the driver, Delmer Simmons.

Sheriff Duff Austin said Simmons declared he was blinded by headlights of an approaching passenger automobile. The bus crashed down the high emback-ment on route 80 three miles south of here, Counters Will Drop Hard Feelings And Work Together. PRAGUE, Oct. 17 (Czechoslovakia appeared today to have switched her gigantic reconstruction task to a new course cooperation with Germany. Chancellor Adolf Hitler, it was learned, has assured her that the country now is on a sounder basis, and that it can retain its culture and achieve greater prosperity by cooperation within the German orbit.

Czechoslovakia, if not convinced by the rosy German picture, are according to all indications resigned to the necessity of looking to Germany for support. The past few days have seen a striking change in German-Czechoslovak relations, contrasting sharply with the strained situation when Europe seemed on the verge of war over the Sudeten problem. While the controlled German press now speaks of help for Czochslovakia, tile controlled Czechoslovak press speaks of cooperation with Germany. German correspondents returning to Prague have been ordered to write only "kindly" of Czechoslovakia and have ceased their attacks on the Little Republic. An increasing desire to cooperate with Germany was seen in the Czechoslovak cabinet's decision yes terday to send four ministers to Berlin: Finance Minister Joseph Kalfus, Minister of Commerce and Industry Imrich Karvas, Agriculture Minister Vladislav Feieraband, and Minister without portifolio Hugo Vavrecka.

The size and importance of the delegation was taken as an indication that development of a large program was hoped for by Czechoslovakia. RESERVE OFFICERS MEET TUESDAY NIGHT Illustrated Lecture Will Feature Reserve Officers' Meeting. Captain Julian C. Lever, 41st Engineers, United States Army, will deliver an illustrated lecture on the Third Army Maneuvers in south Mississippi last August as the feature of the Reserve Officers' meeting tomorrow night at P. in the Chamber of Commerce Auditorium.

These maneuvers are among the most important and extensive ever executed by our Army and the results will be of interest to all those concerned with National Defense. Reports from Vicksburg where Captain Lever delivered this lecture last Thursday night are very enthusiastic. In addition to Captain Lever, Colonel DeWitt Jones and First Lieutenant Paul W. Thompson, both of the Corps of Engineers, will be present. Colonel Jones is Director of the Branch Tactical Schools for this area and will outline the year's work.

Lieut. Thompson will give his usual superb analysis of current world affairs which is always the high-light of the program. He has just returned from a tour of Europe and his remarks will prove enlightening. Preceding the Reserve Officers' meeting, the Fort Pemberton Chapter of the Reserve Officers' Association will hold its monthly meeting at the Topps at 6:00 P. M.

Tuesday night. The above named officers will be guests for the occasion. Members of the R. 0. A.

who have not already been notified are requested to phone Lieut W. P. Gearhiser or Lieut. W. W.

Sneed immediately and arrange to be present at the supper. AUTO AMBULANCE COLLIDE ATLANTA, Oct. 17 A woman identified by Police as Mrs. John B. Entiis of Atlanta was killed and her husband injured in the collision of their car with an ambulance at a street intersection here Sunday night.

They were returning home from a funeral. The ambulance operator was charged with reckless driving. Midway Attractions And Home Demonstration Department Exhibits Bring Crowds The Leflore County fair will open tonight with the of Legion Field acting as the bea cons to attract the pleasure loving people of Leflore County and all those interested in the progress and products of their county. The entertainment will be finished by the West Bros. Shows who pre-1 sent a wen rounueu group oi mm-way attractions to the pleasure loving public.

The Home Demonstration Department and the 4 club are conducting the contests for all types of domestic art and will show their exhibits in the fair building just inside the entrance gate. The first place winners in each class of the womuns depaitment will be sent to Jackson to compete in the state contest held by the Home Demonstration Depart-j ment. The fair will continue the re-i mainder of this week and will I close Saturday night at twelve o'-! clock. I -0- IN Auto of W. C.

Neill In Collision liena Mrs. W. H. Neill, of North Car-rollton; Lavinia Neill, W. C.

Neill anrl Wimhprlv are iri the Greenwood Leflore Hospital suf-j fering from injuries received last I afternoon when the automobile driven by Mr. Neill collided witb a truck driven by Mr. Wimberly on the unpaved stretch of Highway 82 west of Itta Bena. Mrs. Neill and Livinia are suf fering with broken legs se- vere bruises and shock; Neill is suffering from an injured right eye and shock and bruiees and Mr.

Wimberly from a crushed knee cap. The accident was the result of the heavy pall of dust from traffic over the unpaved road, the two vehicles crashing head on, it was reported, rotarkTeaI K. Tuberculosis Association Secretary Speaks At Rotary Club Meeting Logan H. McLean, of Sanatorium, executive secretary of the Mississippi Tuberculosis Association spoke before the Greenwood Rotary Club at their regulnr meeting today. Mr.

McLean gave some inter; csting statistics regarding the extent of tuberculosis throughout the country, the figures reaching amazing proportions. Miss Sara Ann Baugh delightJ the club with two pretty vocai selections. She was accompanied by Mrs. J. K.

Garner. Visitors present were Rotarians Hi Pickett, of Kansas City; Noll Davis, of Yazoo City; and Hugh Todd, oi Cleveland. Cecil Remner, 'connected with the Southern Bell Telephone of Jackson, was also a visitor. Paul Vining Wins Honor At Alabama Paul Vining, son of Mr. and Mrs.

F. E. Vining, is. winning honors at the University of Alabama, where he is taking a course in advertising. He is first chair bass in the Famous University of Alabama Million Dollar band and Second chair bass in the U.

S. ROTC band, and also solo tuba in the University Symphony orchestra. He is comic editor on the Razenjammer, University humorous publication, and on the staff of the University paper. Greenwood Man Is Released From i Remainder Of Sentence At New Orleans R. A.

Billups of Greenwood, Serving a year sentence in New Orleans, on a charge of shipping gasoline from Shreveport to Mississippi as refined oil, was today pardoned from the remainder of the sentence President Franklin D. Roosevelt. i Announcement of the presidential pardon was made this morning by Senator Theodore G. Bilbo, who had presented the matttr to the president and urged the pardon. Mr.

Billups was serving a re sult of an agreed verdict rendered last February, in the Federal i Court at Monroe. The pardon bore the recommendation' of the Department of Justice, and the assistant attorney of the United States who, it is stated, was of opinion that the i indictment on which the sen- tence was based charged no crime known to the R. A. Billups, Guy C. Billups and W.

L. Billups and thirteen of their employees were indicted a' a special term in June, 1937, of the Western District of Louisiana Federal Court, at Shreveport, together with "thirteen, of their em-j ployees on a charge" of -Shipping gasoline "feined oil" from Shreveport into the State of Mississippi, with intent to defraud thesiate Jiississippi.in-vw-lation of Section. Title .49 United States Code. At- the regular term of the court in September, the defendants filed a demurrer to the indictment and assigned as the principal ground that the indictment did not charge any crime under the laws of the United The demurrer was heard by a special judge who after holding his decision for a week overruled the demurrer but expressed grave doubts as whether the indictment charged any offense against the United States. At a subsequent term of the court, a brief was submitted to the district judge, in which it was again contended that the indictment charge no offense, and the district judge stated in the presence of the district attorney and his assistants that there was grave doubt as to whether the charges constituted a violation of the federal laws, but stated that he would prefer that all defendants go on trial and if convicted; file a motion in arrest of judgment, and that if the attorneys for defendants could satisfy the court that no crime had committed, he would sustain the motion, but on the other hand if the attorneys should fail, that the Billups brothers and a large number of their employees would get jail sentences.

In the meantime, attorneys for the Billups brothers and their employees had been offered a compromise settlement by which the government provided that R. A Billups was to take a sentence of one year in jail, and Guy C. Billups a sentence of six months in jail, and if the compromise was accepted W. Billups and the thirteen employes would receive suspended sentences. The case was one, of first im pression and R.

A. Billups and Guy Billups agreed to the com promise as a means of protecting their employees in the. event their attorneys should prove to be mis taken as to law in the case. The sentences were imposed upon pleas of nolo contendere, and a petition for pardon was presented to the President. Hon.

Joe Keen-an, assistant UniteJ States Attorney General, is quoted as stating that he was thoroughly familiar with the subject matter question, and was of the opinion that the indictment charged no crime known to the law, and the matter was finally submitted to the President upon the recommendation of the Department of Justice. Serving of the sentences began in March, and G. C. Billups completed his sentence, some wee.i3 ago. R.

A. Billups was released this morning. Judge M. F. Pierce of the county court announced this morning that with the Chancery Court also in session the county court will not try any casc.s this week requiring juries.

The court is disposing of a large number of cases in which no jury has been requested. The Chancery Court will continue in session through this week, and will hear one or two contested divorce actions. The finance committee of the Leflore County United Charities has called a meeting of interested citizen at the Chamber of Com merce rooms, to discuss the fi-j nances of the organization. Rc-iuesls for the attendance of a number of citizens have been sent out, and all interested citizens are asked to attend the meeting. The Legion Fair will open today with West Shows providing the Midway attraction.

The county home demonstration clubf also have provided splendid exhibits during the Fair Week. Rehearsal for the Junior Cham bcr of Commerce minstrels was held yesterday afternoon at the I Iigh Schol Auditorium. The min- sterls will be under the direction! of Gordon Hunt of the Gordon Hunt Minsterls Productions. Several outhouses on. the south end of Dewey St.

caught fire yesterday afternoon and firemen were forced to use two hose lines in extinguishing the blaze The; outhouses were badly damage but the loss was slight. Tfie firemen had much diffculty in fighting the fire, due to the numbef of cars following the trucks.1 Motorists fail to realize that when the firemen have to lay a big hose line the truck must first Co to the fire, then tuni around and go to the nearest fire! hydrant. If the motorists follow the trucks too closely they cause much delay in getting a hose line laid. Motorists who can't resist following the trucks should park their cars several blocks away from the fire so as not to get in the way of the trucks. Now tliat the time for filing for city offices has expired the candidates are really busy.

One man said this morning that as he was driving down the street yesterday he stuck out his hand for a left turn and five candidates grabbed it and shook it before he could get his car gears shifted. The contractors have completed all of the Schlater road with the exception of a big fill across Ashland Brake. They are still piling dirt in the fill and the fill still keeps sinking into the muck below. The fill presents a unique problem, but the engineers believe that by keeping on piling up dirt it will push its way down to solid ground. ITALY HUES REPLY TQ AMERICAN NOTE Favorable Reply Given To Note Asking Consideration For Jews.

ROME, Oct. 17 OP) The Italian government replied today to a Un-, ited States note requesting fair treatment for American Jews in Italy in terms which were reliably described as favorable. Washington had pointed out that Italians in the United States are not discriminated against for race and religion and inquired American Jews would receive the same consideration in Italy. American embassy officials declined to comment on the reply, but it was believed in some quarters that Italy had shown willingness to make some exceptions to her decree ordering foreign Jews to leave the country by next March. Camera is Found In Possession of Visitors to Army Reservations PANAMA, Panama, Oct.

17 (JP) The United States military today held four Germans, one a woman, for photographing key de- fenses to the Panama canal. A court cf inquiry will detci-mine whether they are to be charged with espionage on the waterway, vital link in American defense by which the fleet can be shifted from Pacific to Atlantic or back as emergency demands. The four were arrested Sunday while taking pictures of Galeta Point, first defense of the Atlantic approach to the canal. They entered Fort Randolph -reservation in the morning by auto and denied, the sentry said, that they had a camera. The question is routine to all visitors.

The sentry became Auspicious and notified his sergeant two hours later. Search led to the ai-rests and confiscation of the quartet's camera and automobile. They were taken to Fort Ran- dolph guardhouse and military au- thorities said they were; Ingeborjf Gutmann, the woman; Hans Schac-kow, said to be employed by the German Hapag-Lloyd steamship line agency at Cristobal; Gisbert Gross and Edward Robert Kuh- Film from the camera was de. eloped bat officers did Bot" announce what the pictures showed. With its great importance to normal, peace time traffic between the Pacific and the Atlantic and with far greater potential importance in the event of war, the canal is strictly guarded and those who would loiter are hustled on their way.

Piers are fenced and policed. Military detachments keep permanent encampments at the lock walls to which access is limited. The Army and Navy Intelligence service, Canal Zone detectives and Panama police are forces keeping sharp check on unusual activities by strangers or residents of the area. The regulations are so rigid thafthe Columbian consul at Colon C. was barred from a pier a month ago because he lacked the necessary pass.

The action led to a formal protest. The Panama cabinet last January limited licenses for commercial fishing in territorial waters of the Republic to Panama citizens. The effect was to dislodge numerous Japanese fishermen. There are substantial colonies of Italians and Japanese in Panama. -0- DIES.

AT. ITTA BENA Mrs. Lucy Taylor Heard died at the residence of her son, E. T. Heard, at Itta Bena, this morning at six o'clock following several months illness.

The funeral cortege will leave the Heard residence in Itta Bena tomorrow morning at four o'clock for Brownsville, where Mrs. Heard will be buried in the old family cemetery beside her husband F. C. Heard, who died in 1921. Rev.

G. H. Boyles of Itta Bena will accompany the funeral cortege to Brownsville to conduct the services which will be held at eleven o'clock with Williams Funeral Home in charge of arrangeme its. Mrs. Heard is survived by two children, E.

T. Heard, of Itta Brna, and Dr. Joseph E. Heard of Shreveport, La. Two brothers also survive, E.

L. Taylor of Browas-ville, and E. H. Taylor, of Greenville, Miss. Mrs.

Heard was born and reared in Brownsville, and for the past twenty-five years she has made her home with her son E. T. Heard at Itta Bena. She was 85 years of age at the time of het death, and was loved by all with who she had woe in contact. HONGKONG, Oct.

17, (P) Japan's invasion of South China swept on today with what military-observers considered amazing rapidity. The vital Canton-Kowloon was out at least two points. One column landed on the Pearl river delta and raced overland to sever the line 15 miles north of Hongkong. Another drove westward and cut it at Chcungmuktau, about midway between and Hongkong. Other forces crossed the East liver after the capture of Wai-chow and fought their way up the Wai-chow Canton highway to within 50 nflies of Canton.

Indications that the Japanese intended to drive straight on to' the South China metropolis were Seen, in the fact that Japunese warplanes a il bombarded Tsengsing, Chinese troop concentration point 45 miles cast of Canton. Canton was placed under martial law. Wongsha railway station was hit by 17 bombs yesterday and more than 20 persons were killed in extensive Japanese air raids along the Canton-Hankow and the Canton-Wowloon railways near the city. Commuications between Hongkong and Canton were completely paralyzed. Telephone lines down making confirmation of many reports impossible, but it was generally assumed the Chinese defenses were taking a trri-fic pounding from air bombardments.

In many instances it was reported Japanese planes, meeting no opposition, were diving continuously to within a few hundred feet of the ground and machine-gunning the Chinese. Literally hundreds of hamlets and villages were reported razed or burning as a result of air attacks. A new Japanese landing at Namtau, on the Pearl river delta near Hongkong, was reported to have been made yesterday with remarkable ease and lack of oppi-tion. Part of the landing force was said to have reached Shatau, deep bay port on the edge of the Kwangtung-Hongkong border. Military observers now believe a decisive battle will be fought near Tsengsing, where the terrain is favorable for a defense stand and where the Chinese must block the Japanese or permit an attack on Canton from the east.

Amazing war refugee scenes were being enacted along the East river and at Canton as tens of thousnds trugded into the interior. Fully half a million civilians were reported already to have left Canton. Japauese engineers were said to be performing herculean tasks in bridging rivers and waterways, in most instances conscripting Chi- i nes'e labor for the work. With the Canton-Kowloon railway in the hands of the Japanese and Japanese soldiers practically at the border of Hongkong, the question of Hongkong's economic future now is a commanding one whether the British colony-can con tinue to receive the benefits of a wartime boom. It is estimated that 750,000 tons of cargo are now in storage here.

The immediate effect of the invasion has been a decrease of 2,000 tons a day in outgoing cargo, while an estimatd 2,000 tons i arriving daily to swell storage. Cargo now stored includes a large amount of military supplies intended for the Chinese, mostly on a cash delivery basis. Estimates of this cargo run as high as $1,000,000. 0 ON THE WING ANDERSON, S. C.

Frank Farr, a golfer, has proof he got a birdie on his first shot on a par 5 hole on a course here. His long high drive disappeared into a flock of pigeons flying over the fairway. One of the pigeons fluttered helplessly to the ground. Farr never found the ball. (I.