The Greenwood Commonwealth from Greenwood, Mississippi • Page 1

Business Of Any Community Is No Better Than Its Roads GREENWOOD CO COMMONWEALTH VOLUME 22-NUMBER 93. GREENWOOD, LEFLORE COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI, FRIDAY AFTERNOON, DECEMBER 17, 1937. FIVE CENTS DOMESTIC PAYMENTS ARE DEBATED I IN SENATE DEAD AND WOUNDED FROM PANAY INCIDENT ARRIVE IN SHANGHAI Little Gunboat Oahu Brings vivors From Yangtze Holocaust. SHANGHAI, Dec. 17 (A') With flags fluttering at half mast the little United States gunboat Oahu arrived at Shanghai tonight bearing the dead, wounded and rescued survivors of her sister ship Panay.

Two Japanese destroyers, the Otori and Kasasagi, and the British gunboat Ladybird convoyed the United States vessel as she steamed alongside the flagship Augusta, ending her 220-mile trip down the Yangtze. On board were the bodies of Storekeeper Charles L. Ensminger of the Panay; Capt. C. H.

Carlson of the Standard Oil vessel Meian; Sandro Sandri, Italian newspaperman, and the Chinese quartermaster of one of the three oil company craft destroyed in the Japanese attack Sunday. The Oahu carried also 60 some' survivors, 15 of them wounded. The United States government's concern over belated information 1 that Japanese boats had machine-gunned the Panay before she went down with her flags flying was emphasized when a naval court of inquiry boarded the Oahu down the Whangpoo at Pootung. Lieutenant Charles J. Whiting was judge advocate of the court assigned to piece together the stories of the Panay's survivors.

Other members were Captain Harold V. McKittrick, commander Abel C. J. Sabalot and Commander Morton L. Deyo.

Most of the Panay's officers and crew were transferred to the Augusta, which was scheduled to sail for Manila Sunday or Monday. The Augusta was to carry Ensminger's body for burial in the Urited States. Bodies of the other three victims were claimed by friends and relatives. United States consular officials arranged immediate transfer of civilian wounded to Shanghai pitals. Navy surgeons attended.

the service men. FUNERAL SERVICES HELD FOR RAY IN MEMPHIS Funeral services for William Lafayette Ray, former prominent Carroll county citizen, were held in Memphis this morning. Dr. Robent McCaslin conducted the services and burial was in the Forest Hill cemetery. Pall bearers at the services were, J.

P. McCain, Carrollton; H. B. Gates, of 'Indianola; Henry C. Nall, of Memphis; William L.

and Andrew T. Montgomery, Ray W. Roberson and George, W. Ray of Greenwood. Mr.

Ray who was 87 years of age at the time of his death was born in Carrollton, the son of the late William and Sarah Elizabeth Latham Ray. He resided in Carrollton and at Malmaison until his retirement from business twentyseven years ago. Mr. Ray was married to Mrs. Florence Harris Ray, who died in 1926, and who was the granddaughter of Greenwood Leflore, the last chief of the Choctaw Nation.

Mrs. Ray inherited the estate and for several years the family lived in the ancestral home. Mr. Ray is survived by four daughters, Miss Florence Ray of Memphis; P. H.

Brown of Batesville; Mrs. Charles Pardue of New Orleans; and Mrs. Frances R. Montgomery of Malmaison; five grandchildren, Mrs. Walter Walt, of Greenwood; Mrs.

William Lowe of New Orleans; Ray W. Roberson, William and Andrew Montgomery of Greenwood; a sister, Mrs. Eva Ray Nall of Memphis; four brothers, A. C. Ray of Dallas, Texas; Arthur Ray of Donna, Texas; Percy Ray of Indianola; and G.

L. Ray of Greenwood. CHINESE JAPANESE WAR. MAY INVOLVE CANTON Chinese Sources Expect Japanese Attacks On Canton SHANGHAI, Dec. 17 (AP) -Chinese-Japanese warfare threatened today to spread to the south China coast in far-flung attacks of Japanese forces "not satisfied" with the capture of Nanking.

The Japanese communique proclaiming formal triumphal entry into fallen Chinese capital the declared the "armed forces of the empire are determined in their endeavor to carry on to a conclusion of the purposes of the present expedition- -establishment of lasting peace in the orient." Chinese sources expected a Japanese attempt to invade southern Kwangtung province and attack Canton, 60 miles northwest of the British crown colony of Hongkong. Vice-Admiral Kiyoshi Hasegawa's communique declared the Japanese government was "not satisfied with the success of arms with the capture of ing. XXXthe situation is far from being settled." CHILDRENS CHRISTMAS SERVICE IS PLANNED Interesting Prog4: Is Announced for Sunday Afternoon An interesting and beautiful Children's Christmas service has been. planned for the Episcopal! Church of the Nativity beginning at five o'clock Sunday afternoon. The following program is announced: Organ prelude--Scherzo on "Ini Dulci Processional Hymn: 40 Come All Ye Faithful" Cantus Diversi 1-Adult and Junior Choirs.

Creed and Prayers-Mr. J. H. Freeman. Scripture Reading -St.

Luke 20-Mr. P. D. Montjoy. Carol: "Away In a Kindergarten Children.

Recitation: 'Carol O' Albert Crawford. Jr. Children's Carol: "Do You Know The Story Well?" Janice Hopper, Carol Craig, Mildred Bell, Ruth Lyn Fergeson, Joan Lucas. Recitation: "What Can I Give Him?" -Frank Bozeman, Jr. Response: "What Little Chil-1 dren Marchand.

Children's Carol: "Joyfully" Billy Blackstone, John Robert Norton, III, Jimmie Cox, Douglas Lore, Beverly Morris, Fred Scruton, Arthur Bruce, Jr. Carol: Little Town of Bethlehem" Story: "The First Rector. Offertory: 'All Things Come of Thee Lord." Closing prayers and benediction. Carol: "Silent Night, Holy Night" Gruber. Recessional: "It Came Upon the Midnight Clear" Willis.

Organ Postlude "Glory To God" -Dubois. Special Notice: Santa Claus sends notice that he will be present at this service to deliver gifts to the children. Postal Receipts Show Big Increase Good increases are shown in the business at the Greenwood postoffice, during the months of November and December, it was said today by Postmaster J. W. George.

The November receipts were twenty per cent above the reccipts of November a year ago, and for the first half of December the receipts were eleven per cent above last December. THE WEATHER TEMPERATURE Maximum 68 degrees; minimum 59 degrees; rainfall, 0.24; river gauge, 4.31, fall 0.09. FOR MISSISSIPPI Partly cloudy and colder tonight with light rain early tonight in extreme north portion; Saturday, fair and somewhat colder. PRESIDENT OPPOSES REFERENDUM ON WAR Chief Executive Says Referendum Is Not Consistent With Representative Government WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (AP) President Roosevelt told a press conference today he did not believe a referendum on war was consistent with a representative form of government.

Asked by a woman reporter if he thought a referendum, requiring a public vote before the nation could go to war, were consistent with the United State form of government, the President said the easiest way to answer that was to just say no and stop right there. A petition circulated by Representative Ludlow (D-Ind) proposing submission of a constitutional amendment for a war referendum was signed by 218 house members, forcing the house to order a vote on the proposal. The President had no comment on the Japanese bombing of the American gunboat Panay, referring questions to the state department. In response to other questions the President said the Reconstruction Finance Corporation would continue to make loans to railroads in emergencies. He said a statement by man Jesse H.

Jones that the corporation would make loans to needy carriers was not a revocation of administration policy. He added stoppage of such loans in the last few months was only a general rule and that exceptions were to be expected. He said, however, there would be no exceptions to tne decision termirating further allocations of emergency public works funds. That was finished, he said. Touching on other subjects, Mr.

Roosevelt expressed the belief the government should hold on to its inland waterway barge lines as long as they are making money. He said that when asked to comment on a remark by Major General T. Q. Ashburn, head of the Inland Waterways Corporation, that government ofticials from the President on down 1avored retention of the lines. Ashburn was quoted as making the statement atter rejecting an offer to sell the lines to private interess.

The President said he had given very little thought to the subject in the past year. But, he added, he knew the lines were operating profitably and as long as they did SO he saw no particular reason for their sale. EARTH SWALLOWS LAKE NEAR ILLINOIS TOWN Six Hundred Acre Lake Disappears Again, Leaving Fish Behind. ELIZABETHTON, Dec, 17 (AP)-The earth has again swal. lowed the "Big Sink," a 600- acre lake situated between Elizabethton and Cave In Rock.

The huge body of water disappeared overnight--so fast residents of the vicinity said they could see it sinking. It left only the fish, which were scooped up and carried away in automobiles. The lake disappears every few years and refills from drainage. The action has been unexplained unofficially, but it was believed it sucks into an underground channel and flows into the Ohio river, about a mile and a half away. Another unexplained mystery is how the lake restocks itself with fish which reach such a large size in three or four years.

The lake last sunk in the autumn of 1933 and remained dry until the floods last January. Constantine Liollio, brother of Angelo Liollio, is opening a handsome cafe in Lake Village, Arkansas, but Constantine is buying his silver in Greenwood. At Weiler's today the silver was being packed and shipped, and Arkansas' new and fine cafe will use the new and fine silver from a Greenwood institution. Lake Village Cafe Buys Silver Here PROMINENT LAWYER OF GEORGIA IS KILLED Former President of Georgia Bar Association end Wife Slain By Brother-In-Law QUITMAN, Dec. 17 (AP) Lee W.

Branch, former president of the Georgia Bar Association and one of the state's outstanding attorneys, and his wife were shot to death in their home today. Patrolman Grady Marable said the two were killed by Livingston Snow, Mrs. Branch's brother. able said he was called to the home by neighbors and captured Snow in the dining room after a brief struggle. Marable said the Branches were instanty killed, each with a pistol bullet through the head.

"Livingston Snow was raving," the policeman said, "I understood he was mentally ill and that plans were being made to take him to an institution." Marable and other officers took Snow, a retired pecan merchant, to jail. Russell Snow, another brother of Mrs. Branch, also was in the room when the tragedy occurred. He had come from his home in Cocoa, a few days ago for a conference on Livingston Snow's health. It was decided yesterday, friends said, to have the latter man committed to an institution.

Marable said Snow came into the dining room after the other three had started to eat breakfast, drew a pistol and shot Branch as the lawyer sat in his chair. Mrs. Branch tried to free but Snow eluded his brother and shot her as she ran, the officer said. Branch was 64 and his wife 50. Both were members of prominent Georgia families.

He once practiced in Washington, L. and for years had been prominent in state legal and political circles. At the time of his death he was a merber of the Georgia education board, having been appointed a few months ago by Governor E. D. Rivers.

The branches are survived by one daughter, Mrs. Lalla Branch Kirkpatrick, wife of Lieut. Charles Kirkpatrick stationed in the Panama Canal zone. Moore McDavid Plan Used Car Sale Moore McDavid Company is today announcing an auction sale of used cars for 1:30 p. m.

December 18, at the used car lot 011 Lamar street. An opportunity is being given for prospective buyers to select the cars they are interested in before the sale, and where trade-in is involved his present car will be appraised prior to the auction. Due to the splendid business on new Buicks and Pontiacs Moore McDavid has a large number of good used cars, and everyone of them is to be sold at this auction sale. STEEL WORKERS PLAN TO TEMPER POLICIES Forthcoming Contract Ne gotiztions Will Be Pursued Less Strenuously PITTSBURGH, Dec. 17 (AP) The steel workers organizing committee, ending its first national congress in this steel capital, gave its officers instructions today to temper the policies they will pursue in forthcoming negotiations with 446 companies.

The convention, hailed by its leaders as an historic meeting in the annals of organized labor, adopted the report of its wage scale and policy committee which declared: "We have enougn information to know that the current depression probably will last longer than most people suspect. The major outlets of steel are closed for at least the next six to eight months." The report, asserting that "labor suffers from the cruelties of unemployment in the country at large, while the 'money changers' of Wall Street are on a sit-down strike demanding tax concessions from the man who said they should be chased from the temple," continued: "The committee does not believe that even the complete abolition of all taxes on industry and capital would either revive economic activity or restore employment to the levels of April of this year." The brawny mill men, more than 900 of them from 1080 lodges in the United States and Canada, cheered lustily their rotund, vibrant-voiced chieftain, John Lewis, whose address indicated little hope for peace between the C.I.O. and American Federation of Labor. Leaders of the warring labor factions are scheduled to resume their peace negotiations next Tuesday, and the militant Lewis told the enthusiastic steel workers: "We'll tell them again 'you'll digest all of us or none of us'." He first had recounted how the CIO offered to 'walk in" to the A. F.

of L. with 4,000,000 members, but said the A. F. of L. had replied that "it will take one million now and, if these can be digested, it wil Itake the other three later." Referrirg to the business recession and demanding that "something must be done," Lewis said that no suggestions had been put forth "except from the house of labor," and added: "Congress mills around and engages in its petty political bickerings and ignored the problems that America is menaced with now to a greater degree than ever before.

The only way you are ever going to be heard is to organize XX." The union's present wage and hour contracts, including those with producing units of the United States Steel Corporation, expire Feb. 28. REPUBLICAN EFFORT ON CORPURATE TAXES DEFEATED IN HOUSE Substitute For Undistributed Corporate Private Tax Refused By Committee. WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (P)- A Republican substitute for the! undistributed corporate profits tax was defeated today in a house subcommittee.

Chairman Vinson (D-Ky), announced the vote, 6 to 3, was along partisan lines. The plan defeated was submitter by Representative Crowther (R-NY). Vinson said it would have decreased Federal revenues $416,000,000 had it been in effect this year. That development was coincident with action by the house rules committee giving right-ofway to the administration's housing bill. The measure will be considered as soon as the house has voted on its wages and hours bill.

The wages and hours debate went on in the house while the senate considered substitutes for its crop control bill. The substitute by Senator McAdoo (D- Calif) would provide a cost-ofproduction benefit program. A second by Senator Lee (D-Okla) embodied a domestic allotment scheme. CHRISTMAS PACKAGES SHOULD BE PREPARED WITH EXTREME CARE Postmaster J. W.

George Seeks To Avoid Congestion and Delay In Delivery Postmaster J. W. George requests that Christmas packages be well packed, wrapped, tied and addressed and mailed early, in order that increased business may not cause delay and congestion. A considerable number of Christmas packages have already been mailed and it is expected that Saturday will bring steady mailings with the well known Christmas rush beginning Monday. Mr.

George requests that the mailers do not wait and be compelled to stand in line. BILBO WANTS LABORATORIES WASHINGTON, Senator Bilbo of Mississippi asked the Senate today to write into its farm bill a provision setting up four Regional Research Laboratories to find new industrial uses for agricultural products. Up to $2,000,000 would be provided for the laboratories which Bilbo said could develop hundreds of new uses for cotton and seed products. 'PLANT-TO-PROSPER' CHAMPION--ACE TENANTS C. W.

Armstrong (left), Lanky, 40-year-old farmer of Belmont, was chosen by the Memphis Commercial Appeal as the 1937 "Plant-To-Prosper" Champion of the Mid-South. Fourteen thousand er farm families competed for the honor. He and his wife were awarded a symbolic trophy--and $600 in 1 prize money. At the same time, Mr. and Mrs.

L. H. Majure (right) of Phillips county, Arkansas, were elected the champion tenant farmers of the year, for having the best record in living-at-home diversification in their farming. They won a prize of $250. WHAT CONGRESS IS DOING (By The Associated Press) TODAY -House leaders hope to obtain passage "if it takes until midnight." Farm--Senate approaches final vote.

Housing--Senate committee amendments; house rules committee considers granting bill right ofway. Railroads Senate committee continues study of Pennroad. Taxes--House subcommittee resumes study of general revision. YesterdaySenate, meeting until nearly midnight, rejected substitute cotton plan in farm bill. House considered amendments to wage-hour bill.

House committee approved administration housing bill. CHARITY BALL TICKET SALE IS SUCCESSFUL Successful Advance Sale Gives Bright Promise of Annual Event A successful advance ticket sale for the Fifth Annual Charity Bill is being conducted, showing that Greenwood will attend en masse, dancing for charity at the Elks 1 Ciub on Wednesday night, Decem-1 ber 22nd. Spectator tickets may be' bought separately, however few are being sold since no one could fail 1 to dance to the danceable music of Mitt Evans' "Collegians." Sponsored by the Welfare League and Junior Chamber of Commerce, the Annual Charity Ball has set a prestige of importance and has become among the most gala events of the Delta's series of holiday entertainments. Rehearsals have begun on the spectacular "House of Cards" flcor-show. The novel idea of a bridge game set to music will involve Greenwood's favorite entertainers.

Dancers from the ever popular Whitford Price School of Dancing will appear in spite of the hazards of the "mystery man of the show." His act will be most demoralizing and will no doubt be as much a surprise to the committee in charge as it is to the public in general. Mabelle Garrard of the Welfare League and David Brewer, Junior Chamber of Commerce are general chairmen of the Charity Ball. They are being assisted by Mrs. Provine, George Chambless, Vivian Loggins, Mrs. Sneed, Mr.

and Mrs. Frank erett Erin Gwin, Warner Wells Floyd Melton, Hermine McBee, and Arch Peteet, Jr. COMMUNITY CHRISTMAS TREE PLANS ARE READY Distributed At Paramount On Christmas Eve Morning The Community Christmas Tree which this year will be sponsored by the Welfare League, American Legion and Legion Auxiliary will play Santa Claus to over three hundred children of Greenwood and Leflore County. The toys will be distributed Christmas Eve morning at 10 o'clock, when the children will gather at the Paramount Theatre. Donations of toys are being received each day.

Turned in at any of the city schools are being collected and taken to the colored manual training school for repairs. Toy headquarters will be set up on the second floor of the Whittington building over Equen Insurance Agency; and after the toys have been mended and repaired at the manual training school, they will be taken there. Goldberg Plans Christmas Gift Goldberg's Shoe Store has a special Christmas present for all little boys who wear Skyrider shoes. This gift is a real, genuine model A Univex Camera, which he is offering free for a limited time. Goldberg's advertisement in today's paper tells how to get one of these cameras, M'AD0O SUBSTITUTE FOR FARM MEASURE IS GIVEN TO SENATE California Senator Explains Substilute Proposal In Terms Of Cotton, WASHINGTON, Dec.

17 (P)- Senator McAdoo (D-Calif) explained to the senate today, in terms of cotton, how his substitute measure for the administration farm bill would work. He said the bill applied to all other majos crops in the same manner. In advance of the planting season, he said, the Secretary of Agriculture would estimate the amount of cotton to be consumed on the home market and the percentage that would have to be exported. The farmer then could plant as much cotton as he wished. Before the cotton picking season, the secretary of agriculture would hold hearings on the average cost of production.

He would take into consideration the value of the services of the farmers and their families, other labor costs, the values of farms and equipment as well as maintenance and depreciation costs, and would add four per cent of the value of the farms. On the basis of this cost of production, plus the four per cent profit, he would a fix a minimum price for the sale of cotton in the domestic market. would be unlawful, Senator McAdoo said, for anyone to purchase cotton at less than this minimum price. This section, he said, would involve the only penalty clause in the bill. "Let us suppose," he said, "that the secretary of agriculture set the amount to be sold at 50 per cent on the home market and 50 per cent on the export mar; ket." "The farmer who ginned 100 bales of cotton would be given at the gin a certificate for 50 bales by a representative of the Farmers Surplus Corporation.

He could sell the remaining 50 bales on the home market anytime and any place he chose, getting at least the minimum price." The other 50 bales, he pointed out, would be disposed of by the Farmers Surplus Corporation "anytime, anywhere at any price." The farmer would be paid a prorata share of the receipts from the corporation's sale of cotton. Part of this surplus cotton might be used to offset any national calamity that arose and part might be stored in an "evernormal granary," the California Senator said. MeAdoo explained that his bill called for upward revision of tariffs on all agricultural projects of which the United States has an exportable surplus, to protect the domestic price. Under his bill, he said, the cotton farmer would have advance notice of the estimated home consumption. He could produce as much cotton as he wished, but could sell only a fixed portion of it on the home market at a fixed minimum price.

He then would have to take his chances of making any profit out of sales by the surplus corporation. WASHINGTON, Dec. 17 (AP) Senate leaders striving for a final vote today on the control crop, program said they would make short work of the last two obstacles-substitutes proposed by Senators McAdoo (D-Calif) and Lee (D-Okla.) MeAdoo's bill would provide a -production benefit program, and Lee's embodied a domestic allotment scheme. Already weary of four weeks' debate, the senate remained in session until nearly midnight last night and was called back today at 11 a. an hour earlier than usual.

Besides shelving the substitute proposals, friends of the administration's "ever normal granary" measure hoped to get reconsidertion of the Senate's action yesterday in voting to prohibit farmers from "going into the dairy bu.iness" on land retired from soil- 4P (CONTINUED OLI 2:00 3).