Hinton Daily News from Hinton, West Virginia • 1

I little change in temperature tonight; Tuesday cloudy with snow furries; slightly colder. Keep it Flying! or snow WEATHER in east portion; HINTON DAILY NEWS VOLUME XLII, NUMBER 213 HINTON, WEST VIRGINIA MONDAY AFTERNOON, JANUARY 15, 1945 PRICE FOUR CENTS REDS AND GERMANS LOCKED IN MIGHTY BATTLE Meadows Becomes State's 22nd Governor NEW GOVERNOR INAUGURATED AT CEREMONY Other Reelected State Officials Take Oath of Office Early This Afternoon CHARLESTON, W. Jan. 15 (UP) -Clarence W. Meadows, a year-old Beckley attorney, became the 22nd Governor of West Virginia at 12:20 P.

M. today and delivered a 29-minute inaugural address to more than 3,000 persons jammed into the State Senate chamber and the marble lobby of the capitol. Meadows looked even than his 40 years when Presiding Judge William T. Loving, of the State Supreme Court, administered the oath to him. He nervously downed a glass of water while three school bands played "hail to the after the oath was given.

Retiring Governor M. M. Neely presented Meadows simply as "the honorable, able and beloved governor--Clarence Meadows." Meadows' small daughter, Helen Watson Meadows, 5, wandered on to the platform while her father delivered the inaugural address. She remained there, directly behind Neely, until a burst of flash bulbs from press protographers apparently sent her back to her seat. The desks of the 32 State Senators had been removed for the ceremony, State officials, employes and other guests filled temporary chairs and all standing room to watch the inauguration.

The marble lobby between the two legislative chambers on the second floor of the capitol also was filled with West Virginians and visitors. W. M. Woodroe, Vice Chairman of the inaugural committee, said he thought Raleigh county should have a title similar to Virginia's "Mother of Presidents." He pointed out that Raleigh was the home county of U. S.

Senator Harley M. Kilgore, retiring Congressman Joe L. Smith, Congressman-elect E. H. Hedrick and Governor-elect Meadows.

Dr. Strother A. Campbell, pastor of the Charleston Baptist Temple gave the invocation and Father Boniface, pastor, of Sacred Heart Catholic church in Charleston, gave the benediction, Judge Loving administered the oath of office also to Supreme court Judge Jo N. Kenna, secretary of State William S. O'Brien, Schools Superintendent Trent, State Treasurer R.

E. Talbottt, Attorney General Ira J. Barlow, Auditor Edgar B. Sims and Agriculture Commissioner J. B.

McLaughlin in that order. Retiring Governor Neely, who fatudied the domed ceiling of the Senate chamber during most of Meadows' speech, had: a smile for each member of the Board of Publie Works 2.8 they stepped on to the platform to take the oath. Neely was president of the same board for the past wto years and of the same board, except for Partlow, for four years. Meadows gripped the speakers stand during most of his speech and looked especially determined 88 he said he entered the office of goverror "with deep humility." State and Federal officials who were to have sat on the platform, were seated instead In a special (Continued On Page 2) DO YOU KNOWThat thus far, England has refused to agree that in the postwar period we may land commercial planes even for the purpose of refueling, upon air bases constructed by tts in Newfoundland? We are told that to even so much as call attention to such occurrences is to impede the war effort. Has not the time arrived when our Government should face the fact that England is for England; Russia, for Russia; and the time to look out for American.

interests is NOW 'WILL TO SERVE ALL THE PEOPLE' STATED BY NEW GOVERNOR CHARLESTON, Jan. in government of honesty; efficiency, soundness, and a will to serve all the people" was the formula for good government enunciated by Clarence Watson Meadows, of Beckley, as he took the oath of ffice at noon today to become the twenty-second chief executive of West Virginia. Breaking all known precedents, he became the first governor to assure the people in his inaugural address that "new revenues are unwarranted for state purposes." And he is the first to recognize the drain upon the people caused by the "unprecedented need for taxes of a federal nature." He said that "while war prosperity with increased payrolls and spending has, to some extent brought increased revenues" to the state, a "major factor" in piling 11p a $15,000,000 surplus in the treasury "has been the inability of the state to expend moneys for capital improvements." For Current Use Cognizant of the problems of readjustment, rehabilitation and unemployment that are shaping up and will demand solution after the war, he declared that "our surplus money should not be diverted for current purposes, but should be devoted principally to capital expenditures now badly needed throughout the state." Governor said that "the power to take by taxation does not give public officials the power to spend indiscrimnately or He gave potency to this observation when he advocated later in his address the establishment of a legislative interim committee to a thorough study of certain governmental services. "Our institutions of higher learning are many," the governor said, adding; "whether too many or too few could best be decided by 1m- partial study. Overlapping facilities may exist.

I cannot ignore the fact that there exists the conviction in the minds of many whose Judgment I respect that our school system, both public and in the higher institutions, can be immeasurably m- proved through an impartial and exhaustive study." More Local Responsibility Of the public schools, a he said: "State aid for schools, local responsibility, adequate, well-paid, and well-trained teachers, ample buildings and educational facilities, while most essential, can never, be of greatest advantage unless our school system functions with the highest degree of efficiency and economy." Governor Meadows urged the continuance and improvement, "if need be," of the state's educational program, which he summarized as: "Adequate buildings and facilities; faithful, qualified, and sufficiently paid teachers; a full 9-month term; free textbooks; teachers' retirement; a broadened and enlarged school program; and vocational training. He did not call for outright decentralization of public school administration but he did point out the fact that "our schools are dependent in part upon local income as well as upon state revenue" and asked: "Can there be a greater, in- (Continued On Page Eight) Elks Lodge Collects $194.93 Saturday In March of Dimes Drive Members of the Elks lodge put the 1945 "March of Dimes" campaign in Summers county off to a flying start Saturday when they collected $194.93 in street solicitations. Today, members of the Hinton Moose lodge are working trying to top this mark, which was the highest in the history of the campaign here. The remainder of the week's schedule: Tuesday, Kiwanis club; Wednesday, Rotary club; Thursday, Girl Reserves; Friday, Bellepoint Community club; Saturday, Junior Department Hinton Woman's' club. J.

E. Faulconer, chairman of this year's fund-raising appeal, announced that S. J. Graham had been appointed treasurer of the campaign and Mrs. Fannie Johnson, secretary.

Faulconer said the President's Birth- day Ball, would NEW GOVERNOR Clarence W. Meadows DAMAGING BLOWS STRUCK AGAINST NAZI RAIL YARDS LONDON, Jan. 15 (UP)-More than 600 Liberators and Fortresses, lecorted by neary 700 Mustang and Thunderbolt fighters, struck damaging blows today against four key rail yards in sotuhern Germany as a follow-up of RAF. night. attacks on I shrinking Nazi oil supplies.

A communique from strategic air force headquarters said the huge American armada struck shortly after noon at rail yards in Ingolstadt, 45 miles north of Munich: at Augsburg, 35 miles northwest of Munich; at Reutlingen, 20 miles south of Stuttgart, and at Freiburg, 40 miles south of Strasbourg. Meanwhile, the Air Ministry announced a renewal of the Allied Air assault against Nazi rocket-launchting sites in Holland and reported for the 57th day since last Nov. 15 that "enemy air activity" had been directed during the 1 past 24 hours against southern England, A dispatch from advanced Ninth Air Force Headquarters revealed that the Luftwaffe now has at least four type of jet and rocket-propelled aircraft in operation over the Western front. More than 1,100 RAF bombers took over the offensive last night and early today, hitting a synhetic oil plant, a fuel depot and Berlin itself in a sequel to yesterday's raids in which the Allies bagged 243 German planes. VIVIAN ELMER COX RITES HELD TODAY Funeral services were conducted this afternoon at 2:00 o'clock in the Jonben Community church for Vivian Elmer Cox, 53, Raleigh county timberman, who died at his home at Whitby Friday morning of cerebral hemmorage.

Burial will follow in the Jonben cemetery. Survivors include his wife, Minnie Hylton Cox; and three sisters, Mrs. Mary Lilly, of Daniels, Mrs. Estel Keffer, of Sandstone, and Mrs. Zack Matherly, of Flat Top.

Two Jap Admirals Dead (By Uniled Press) The deaths of Vice Admiral Sadimich Kajioka and Rear Admiral Minegoro Kameyama 'have been announced by the Hokosuka Naval station, the Domei News Agency said today in a transmission recorded by the FCC. The dispatch gave no details. Their deaths brought to 82 the number of Japanese Admirals reported to have died on active duty since May, 1944. Presentation Postponed The presentation of miniature gold footballs to the 1944. Hinton Bobcat football squad was postponed this morning until a school assembly on Wednesday, January 24, because of semester examinations.

At the assembly next week the Wilson belt buckle will be presenWilson belt buckle will be presented to the Hinton player who was selected As the outstanding player In the Beckley-Hinton game last Thanksgiving, The gold footballs are being presented by the Moose lodges of ton and Beckley. Al Jolson Ill HOLLYWOOD, Jan. 15 (U.P)--Musical comedy and film star Al Jolson was in the Cedars of Lebanon hospital today for observation for a lung infection. Jolson's physician, Dr. Frank' S.

Dol- U.S. Troops Stab 30 Miles Inland On Luzon AMERICAN TANKS AND INFANTRY STORM DEFENSES OF HOUFFALIZE Lieut. Gen. Hodges' Head- Suit Dismissed quarters Forecasts Early Capture of Belgian Base PARIS, Jan. 15 (U.P) -American tanks and infantry stormed the near defenses of Houffalize today and a dispatch from LA.

Gen, Courtney H. Hodges' headquarters forecast the early capture of the the center of collapsed. ArdennBelgian base which, once was at es salient. Houffalize was invested on all sides, and assault forces of the First and Third armies were closing in for the kill, with one spearhead driving down the main highway from Liege to within a mile and a halt of the key transport center. A few miles to the northwest, outriders of the First and Third armies met for the first junction of Hodges' and Lt.

Gen. George S. Patton's troops since the first phase of the German offensive which split the 12th Army group wide open. United Press Correspondent John McDermott reported from Hodges' headquarters that two First Army columns were shouldering in toward Houffalize against stiff German resistance. By early afternoon one had struck down the trunk highway from the north almost to the outskirts of the town, and McDermott: said that "there is a good possibility it will fall soon." Strong German rear guards covering the town were reported trying desperately to flee over secondary roads to St.

Vith, 18 miles to the northeast, where Marshal Karl Von Rundstedt was rallying the remnants of his battered armies for another stand. (Front and SHAEF reports did not make clear the situation west of Hoffalize or whether the new junctions of the armies had cut off any German troops. The best information indicated, however, that the pressure on the side. of the salient had squeezed the Germans eastward and most if not all of them had withdrawn to or yond the lateral line through Houffalize.) St. Vith Itself, the last German stronghold on Belgian soil, WaS menaced by American First Army columns fighting slowly down across the northeastern shoulder of the salient from the MalmedyStavelot area.

Field dispatches said the First Army troops had captured Ligneau, a highway junction slightly more than six. miles north-northwest of St. Vith, and fought their way into Thirimont, seven miles north of St. Vith. Half of Thirimont was reported in American hands this morning after a day and night of savage fighting, with German tanks and infantry still counter-attacking in force.

Bad weather grounded the Allied air forces early today, and the Germans used the respite to the (Continued On Page 20 TRUCE ENDS SHOOTING IN GREEK CIVIL WAR ATHENS, Jan. 15 (UP)- truce ended the shooting in the Greek civil war today, Some ELAS units were understood to have failed to receive notification of the signing of the truce, which became effective at 12:01 A. M. The ELAS forces, however, gave every indieation of observing the terms of the truce. They had been pulling out of the banned areas as fast as their superior officers spread the word of the agreement.

ley, said there was no indication Jolson's condition would become critical. The comedian, he added, never recovered from malaria and pneumonia contracted on an overseas entertainmerit tour for servicemen. NINE SEPARATE STRUGGLES RAGE ON WIDE FRONT Pour Across Agno. River, Advancing Within Eighty Miles of Manila GENERAL MacARTHUR'S HEADQUARTERS, Luzon, Jan. 15 (U.P)-American invasion troops, stabbing 30 miles inland from the Lingayen poured across the Agno river and advanced to within 80 miles or less of Manila today.

The forcing of the Agno in strength shattered at, one stroke probably the strongest natural defense line north of Manila, and optimism grew at Gen. Douglas MacArthur's headquarters that the Philippines capital would be in American hands within a few weeks, rather than months as first believed. While the main American columns speared more than a quarter of the distance from Lingayen to Manila in a frontal advance, other forces widened the six-day-old beachhead along the gulf itself to 45 miles. A front dispatch disclosed that American troops striking east from Damortis af the northeastern tip of the bridgehead had been halted temporarily by mortar and sniper fire west of the Apangat river, three miles from the enemy air base at Rosario. "Fierce fighting" flared, the dispatch said.

(A Japanese communique said today that American forces were "gradually closing in" on Japanese positions on both sides of the Pangasinan trice) plain. Japanese units were said to have counterattacked American troops who landed near on Damortis, the northeast-side of the beachhead and to have killed or wounded 1,000 of them in fighting last Thursday and (Continued On Page 2) SGT. HARRIS AWARDED ARMY SILVER STAR FOR GALLANTRY IN ACTION SGT. JAMES R. HARRIS By direction of the President, R.

Harris has been awarded the Silver Star Medal "for gallantry in action against the enemy in Germany" on November 30, 1944. The accompanying citation stated: "During an attack by his organization against the enemy and when the platoon of which he was a member was pinned to the ground by intense fire being delivered from three enemy machine guns, Sergeant Harris with utter disregard for personal safety risked his life in crawling to the crest of a hill from which he was able to deliver effective fire against the enemy machine guns. Successfully knocking out one of the enemy machine guns, his plattoon was able to maneuver and succeeded accounting for another one of the offending machine guns. The skill and courageous action displayed by Sergeant Harris was in great measure responsible for the success of his organization in the attack. The gallantry, bravery and skill shown by Sergeant Harris In the accomplishment of this extremely dangerous mission reflect great credit upon himself and the military service." He is son of Mr.

and Mrs. T. E. Herris, of this city. His wife and small daughter reside at Acme, W.

VA. He entered the service in 1941 and was asigned to overseas duty in August, Russians Already Calling Great Winter Offensive The March To Berlin An order has been entered in circuit court dismisisng the suit of Arnold A. Callaham, plaintiff against the First National Bank, a corporation, and W. H. Roberts, Sr.

A demurrer fled by the defendant parties pad previously been sustained by the state, supreme court of appeals, with the given leave to amend his bill of complaint. The order stated that the plaintiff was to pay costs of the suit including the defendant's costs. FORMOSA RAKED BY 200 PLANES Airfields and Communications On Jap Island Bastion Hit By Aircraft PEARL HARBOR, Jan. 115 (UP) -Enemy broadcasts said 200 American carrior planes- presumably from Admiral William F. Halsey's rampaging Third Fleet-raked airfields and communications on the Japanese island bastion of Formosa today.

The broadcasts indicated that the Third Fleet, under radio silence since it wrecked 38 enemy ships in attacks along a 250-mile stretch of the French Indo-China coast last Friday, had swung north from the 'South China sea for its third ASsault on Formosa in two weeks. A communique issued by Japanese Army Headquarters said the carrier planes bombed airfields and communications facilities and also strafed and blasted Taichu, Shoka, Takao and several other villages for four and a half hours. The communique acknowledged "some damage" to airfields and said "small fires" were started at Takao. Five of the raiders were shot down and one damaged, the enemy communique said. It was broadcast by the Domel Agency, transmitted by Tokyo radio and recorded by FCC Monitors.

Carrier planes also attacked For(Continued On Page 2) TRIAL OPENS FOR 30 CIO MEMBERS NEW CUMBERLAND, W. Jan. 15 (UP)--Thirty members of the CIO United Steelworkers of America went cn trial here today on. charges of felony and misdemeanor growing out of disturbances at the gates of the Steel plant, Weirton, W. last winter.

The indictments were returned last April 10 and charge violation of the Red Man Act of West Virginia, which prohibits unlawful A8- semblage and includes penalties tor "inflicting bodily injury pursuant to conspiracy." Twenty-five of the Union men were named in indictments charging misdemeanors, while five were accused of felonies. They have been at liberty under $30,000 continuous bond since their indictment. The disturbances at the Weirton mill followed renewal of a CIO drive to organize Weirton's 10,000 employes and prompted former Governor M. M. Neely to dispatch State Police to maintain order in Weirton and surrounding communities.

CIO members clashed with members of the Weirton Independent Union, which holds a collective bargaining contract with the company, while attempting to tribute pamphlets to Weirton Workera Feh. 17-18 and March 14 last year. PORTER APPROVED WASHINGTON, Jan. 15 (U.P.) -The senate Interstate commerce committee today approved the nomination of Paul Porter as chairman of the federal communications commission. LONDON, Jan.

15 (U.P)-One of the greatest battles of the war raged today along a virtually unbroken front from Lithuania to Yugoslavia, with possibly 3,250,000 Russians and Germans locked in at least nine closely synchronized struggles. "Bitter fighting has flared up on the entire front," the German high command reported. The Russians already were calling their great winter offensive the march to Berlin. Nazi military spokesmen warned that the Red army "intends to end the war." So far Moscow had confirmed only Marshal Ivan S. Konev's push across the frozen plains of south -central Poland, aimed squarely at the great.

Nazi defense bastion of Krakow and the rich industries of German Silesia, But Berlin said the Red army offensive had raced to both ends of the front, with sledge-hammer blows so near each other that it was difficult to determine where one attack left off and another began, On the single new front reported Moscow, Soviet dispatches said the Germans had been unable to rally, and the Russians were rolling westward at a clip which threatened to split the Nazi armies in Poland. The German high command said the main battle zones, from south to north, were Budapest, the Danube valley northwest of the Hungarian capital, the Hungarian-Slovakian border area, the Krakow front, the Pulawy region of the Vistula valley 66 miles south of Warsaw, the Magnusze area 33 miles below Warsaw, the Vistula-Bug triangle north of the Polish capital, Sovlet bridgeheads across the Narew on either side of Pulutsk north of Warsaw, and a broad front in East Prussia, A Moscow dispatch said Konev's offensive was expanding so rapidly that it was impossible to tell whether the Red marshal's ultimate objective was Germany itself, the capture of Krakow, the seizure of the Katowece steel and coal basin, or the flanking of Warsaw. The Germans already were reported falling back toward the CzestochowaKatowice line to cover the Silesian frontier of the "Holy Soil" of Germany itself. United Press Correspondent Henry Shairo, fresh from a trip to Lublin and (Continued On Page 2) ALLEGED MURDERER OF 1905 CRIME IS AWAITING HEARING FAIRMONT, W. Jan.

15-- (UP) -The trial date for the Benjamin Franklin Male murder case was set for Monday, Jan. 22, today by Marion county criminal court Judge Charles E. Miller when the 73-year-old alleged murderer was arraigned in, court on a 40-year-old murder charge in connection with the death of a crippled school teacher, Walter 0. Smith, in 1905. Judge Miller appointed L.

E. Johnson and Worley Powell as coupsel for Male after the aged man told the court that he had no attorney, and no money for hiring tone. Male and his attorneys willconfer this afternoon to determine what his plea will be. Male, who returned voluntarily from St. Helens, to face the 40-year-old murder charge, WAS placed behind bars yesterday with the other prisoners in county jail ending a brief 24 hours of being given "the run of the jall" upon his arrival in Fairmont Saturday.

The aged man is being held incommunicado with only persons given permission by his attorneys being allowed to see him. Living under the alias of Andrew Jackson Pritchard for the past 30 years in Oregon, Male recently volunteered to return to West Virginia to face the old murder charge after admitting to Oreauthorities that he was wanted in Marion county. (Continued On Page be held in the Memorial On Page 2),.