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PAGE EIGHT
BEHIND THE
SCENES
American Business
By JOHN CRADDOCK
York, Sept. 7 — BUILDING
deferred — The War Production
Board has dealt another blow to those
of us who hoped .to make a little
addition to our living quarters this
year. Effective today, the government
officials placed a limit of $200 on the
amount of residential construction in
volving a change of design which
can be carried through without speci
fic authorization from that war agen
cy. War housing is not affected by
the order, but almost every other
kind of building is. Previously, new
construction valued at $500 or less
could be erected without approval.
Theoretiaally, there is no limit on re
pair work under this revised order,
but the list of items excluded from
the repair category is so all-encom
passing that most restoration or re
construction work might just as well
be given up for the duration.
DIVIDEND DEPENDENTS — Ru
fus Tucker, economist of General
Motors Corporation, recently author
ed an article which throws new light
on the distribution of dividends to
stockholders of American corpora
tions. Basing his estimates on income
tax returns for the states of Delaware
and Wisconsin, which are now report
ed more fully than . formerly, Mr.
Tucker found that at least four and
one-half million Americans receive all
or part of their incomes from divi
dends on common or preferred stocks.
And—here’s the interesting thing—
nearly four million of these have total
incomes of less than $5,000 annually!
In other words, almost 90 per cent of
those who own stock in American
corporations on which dividends are
paid are hardly what the soap box
agitator could call the “idle rich.”
TRAVEL ADVICE — Owning a
million fewer freight cars and 20,000
fewer locomotives than in the first
World War, American railroads are
carrying nearly double the volume of
freight. In the passenger field they
show equal versatility, handling with
few delays arid inconveniences the
mounting transportation demands of
a civilian populace suddenly deprived
of gas and rubber. At the same time
millions of troops are being moved
safely and speedily. For civilians
seeking ways to help in the war ef
fort, therefore, this suggestion of a
railroad man deserves a hearing. Va
cationists, weekenders and those re
turning to schools during September,
traditional peak travel month, says
D. A. Crawford, president of the
Pullman Company, should be prepared
to change their plans, if necessary,
by waiting for the next train or go
ing a day earlier or later. Troop
movement, of necessity, comes first,
and no one would want it otherwise,
he declares. With civilian travel in
sleeping cars running 33 per cent
ahead of last year, and military de
mands almost five times greater, ac
cording to Crawford, the civilian tra
veler can help merely by planning to
accept alternate Pullman space. “The
best advice I can give the civilian
traveler in war time,” he adds, “is
to consult your local agent, who will
know how best to route you and
when.”
^nojUhvU
James Preston
FIRESIDE CONVENTION — The
restrictions imposed by war are
causing us to make considerable
changes in our lives and they are al
tering the usual run of events in the
business world, too. One of the high
lights in financial circles has always
been the annual convention of the
American Bankers’ Association, where
some of the leading figures in Ameri
ca have been v.'ont to engage in con
siderable speechmaking. But this
year, instead of using up precious
railroad and automobile passenger
miles in getting to the convention and
returning home, the members decided
to meet through the pages of Bank
ing, official publication of the asso
ciation. Consequently, the September
issue of this magazine contains the
usual speeches and committee re
ports, articles by bankers, economists
and government officials, messages
from President Roosevelt and Secre
tary of the Treasury Morgenthau; and
panel discussions on various and sun
dry phases of banking. Thus many a
money man has been able to attend
his favorite function curled up in the
easy chair at home and not miss a
single working hour at the bank.
SAFER FLYING — An electronic
Off the Government news reel
comes the comforting word that cer
tain wavering policies are being
stream-lined for quick, decisive ac
tion. From now on the WPB term
“essential civilian needs” is out. Em
phasis on war production boils down
to a “catch as catch can” basis for
civilian and non-military interests.
Equally hard-boiled is the Selective
Service assertion that “Every man,
physically fit, between 20 and 45, will
be in uniform with two years.” The
term “essential occupation” is drop
ped from Gentral Hershey’s lexicon.
These are merely examples of what
is being done here to gear our sprawl
ing, care-free, pleasure-loving demo
cracy for its fight for the things we
cherish. Mistakes will be made. Blun
ders will be committed. But out of
the smoke should come direct direc
tives, quick executions, and the re
sults that America, unafraid, has
prayed for.
From now on WPB takes over
priority control from the Army, Navy,
and Maritime Commission, On top of
this comes a ne wrhethod of allocating
critical materials which will give
WPB complete control over produc,
ing, processing, and distribution of
all materials from “ore to ai"nis.”
- The draft policy of General Her-
shey leaves little for debate. Employ
ers are advised to prepare .to lose
every able-boried man, 20 to 45, with
in two years and start training re
placement personnel now, as it is
only a matter of weeks before a gen
eral reclassification of the deferred
classes will start. Essentiality of oc
cupation will carry little weight. The
General believes that, if a bomber
pilot can be trained in eight months,
war worker substitutes can acquire
the know-how in six. Women appear
.to be the most likely new soldiers of
production.
The hot fight over wage and farm
price control continues. President
Roosevelt seeks agreement among his
supporters on the Labor Day program
to come. On one side ai'c CIO Murray,
AFL Green, and some key New Deal
ers who while demanding a low ceil
ing on farm prices refuse any type
of ceiling, any wage-czar or super
board, or any form of wage freezing.
They want all wage controls, as now,'
in .the hands of WLB. On the other
side are Justice Rosenman, OPA Hen
derson, and others who favor a Cost-
of-Living Board to review wage in
creases and to supervise sales of Gov
ernment-owned farm commodities and
subsidies to food processors. This COL
Board would have power to review
WLB decisions and could provide
tighter wage control—short • of abso
lute freezing—«than the 15 per cent
formula. The President will seek to
have the Murray-Green faction accept
the Rosenman plan this Thursday.
Whatever plan is agreed upon will be
instituted by Executive order. There
is no time for Congressional debate
now.
The President still wants the $25,-
000 ceilings on incomes, regarded
here as a gesture toward placating
farmers and labor through a common
sacrifice program.
Defeat is complete when it is ad
mitted.
device that weighs less than five
pounds is going to make all-weather
flying a lot simpler and. safer. This
latest product of industry’s inventive
genius is the “lece Indicator,” an
nounced by the Minneapolis-Honey-
well Regulator Company, leader in
development of automatic controls,
and rushed to completion for the use
of the United Nations air forces. “It
is possible that before long most large
Allied bombers and cargo carrying
planes will be equipped with this
newest development,” said H. W.
Sweatt, president of the company, in
revealing the details of the important
new flying aid. “While most large
planes are equipped with de-icers, the
problem in the past has been to know
when to start them operating. The
new Ice Indicator records the .thick
ness and rate of accumulation of ice
on plane surfaces. For the first time,
de-icing equipment can be turned on
at the exact moment it becomes most
efficient.” The Ice Indicator does
three things: it tells when ice begins
to form; it measures the. thickness of
the ice; and it can operate the de
icers automatically. With the worry
of ice off his-mind, the pilot can con
centrate on the job of flying his ship.
FOUR OAKS SOCIETY
CLUB MEETINGS
PERSONALS
ENTERTAINMENTS
Mrs. G. D. Keene spent last week
with her daughter, Mrs. W. L. Brewer,
in Newport News, Va.
Miss Clare Lee Barbour spent
several days this week with Mr. and
Mrs. Valton Barbour in Rocky Mount.
Mr. and Mrs. William Barnes and
Miss Dona Harrison visited in Char
lotte this week.
Dr. J. H. Stanley left Thursday for
Philadelphia, where he will undergo
treatment in a hospital there. He was
accompanied on the trip by his son,
Wade H. Stanley.
Miss Francis Steed and Mrs. W. G.
Baker visited in Fayetteville Sunday.
Mrs. R. C. Cannady, Mrs. Hugh
Harrill, Miss Laura Fay Wood and
Ralph Cannady, Jr., visited friends in
Rocky Mount Sunday afternoon.
Miss Florence Royall of Morehead
City spent last week with Mrs. B. B.
Adams.
Dr. and Mrs. B. I. Tart of Goldsboro
are visiting their parents, Mr. and
Mrs. B. I. Tart.
Mrs. William Manning of William-
ston sppnt last week end with Mrs.
Bettie Adams.
Miss Mary Wilkerson of Raleigh
spent a few days .this week with Mrs.
W. J. Lewis.
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Austin spent a
few days this week in Washington,
D. C.
Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Boyette visited
Mrs. Horace Bryant in Faketteville,
Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Massengill
and son, Alfred, spent last week end
at Carolina Beach.
Albert Stanley of the U. S. Marines,
located at New River spent the week
end with Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Stanley.
Mrs. Annie Rach of Benson is visit
ing Mr. and Mrs. Eudy.
Mrs. Brennon Holt and baby of
Seven Springs spent several days
last week with her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. W. A. Massengill.
Mrs. James A. Creech, Mrs. H. F.
Smith, Mrs. W. J. Woodard, Mr. and
Mrs. Walton Creech visited Master
Jerry Creech at Duke Hospital last
week.
Miss Joyce Woodard returned last
week from Baltimore, where she
spent several weeks with relatives.
Mrs. W. E. Strickland, Mrs. E. M.
Denning, Mrs. J. D. Upchurch, Miss
Margaret Strickland, Lee and Charles
Upchurch spent Wednesday in Golds
boro.
Mrs. C. G. Grady and children are
spending several days with relatives
in Hillsboro.
Harold Youngblood of Dunn spent
Monday and Tuesday with Mrs. Joe
Strickland.
Mrs. Roy 0. Creech, Miss Gloria
Creech, Ronald Creech and Bobby
Pittman have returned from a visit
with relatives in Norfolk and New
port News, Va.
Mrs. Melvin Lassiter, Mr. and Mrs.
Jack Surles, and Mrs. John Hender
son visited in Fayetteville Sunday.
Mrs. W. M. Keene and W. M. Keene,
Jr., of Coats visited relatives here
Sunday.
D. W. Adams, petty officer, second
class, of the U. S. Navy, has return
ed to Boston, after visiting his pa
rents, Mr. and Mrs. Emmitte Adams.
Lynn Cole Parker of Norfolk, Va.,
is visiting his mother, Mrs. Stella
Parker.
Miss Ida Lewis of Kenly is visiting
her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. W. J.
Lewis.
Mrs. Herman Creech of Rocky
Mount is visiting her parents, Mr. and
Mrs. J. L. Doggett.
Mr. and Mrs. R. G. Dearren of Lum
ber Bridge are spending a few days
with Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Doggett.
Mr. and Mrs. George Kouestenis
and family of Washington, D. C'., are
visiting their parents, Mr. and Mrs.
W. A. Massengill.
Wilson Lewis of the U. S. Coast
Guard, located at Norflok, Va., is
spending a few days with his parent's,
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Lewis.
James A. Creech of Norfolk, Va.,
spent Tuesday here with relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Grady, J. D. Up
church and Lee Upchurch visited in
Fort Bragg Sunday.
— F O —
Entertain At
HOGS
Martin County farmers are now
selling many top hogs to add to the
Nation’s wartime meat stores, re
ports John I. Eagles, assistant farm
agent of the N. C. State College Ex
tension Service.
DOGWOOD
Farm woodland owners who have
commercial size dogwood trees in
their timber stands suitable for
shuttle blocks can help prevent bottle
necks in the textile industry by sell
ing the dogwood timber now.
WHEAT
The 1943 national acreage allot
ment for wheat under the AAA pro
gram is 55,000,000 acres, according to
a recent announcement from the U. S.
Department of Agriculture.
PRICES
Retail prices of 58 farm food pro
ducts rose less than 1 per cent from
mid-June to mid-July, while payments
to farmers for equivalent products
rose more than 2 per cent.
Keep ’em Firing—With Junk! /
Fish Fry
Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Cannady enter
tained at an outdoor fish fry last
Thursday evening.
Guests were: Rev. and Mrs. Hugh
Harrill, Rev. and Mrs. J. T. Greene,
Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Lewis, Mr. and
Mrs. Tryon George, Miss Laura Fay
Wood, Ralph Cannady, Jr., Bill Can
nady and Maurice Cannady.
— F 0
Baptist Sunday School
Enjoys Picnic
The annual Sunday School picnic of
the Baptist church was held Wednes
day afternoon. Due to the rainy wea
ther the supper was spread picnic
style in the dining room of the church.
Rev. Hugh Harrill returned thanks,
after which everyone partook of the
bountiful feast.
Japanese Are Warned
They Face Long War
Tokyo, Sept. 4—Vice Admiral Tera-
jima, chairman of “The Imperial Rule
Assistance Association.” warned the
Japanese people today to be prepared
for a long war. “We must resolve,”
he said, “to strengthen our war struc
ture by even greater cooperation.”
Do you remember when you used
to chey licorice and make yourself
believe you were chewing tobacco ?
New Fall And
Winter Suits
Are Now On Dis
play And In All
the Latest Styles
OUR
Shoe Department
Is Complete In All The
NEW STYLES
WE CAN FIT THE ENTIRE
FAMILY
See Our New Styles in Hats
Selma CIo. & Shoe Co.
SELMA, N. C.
Uncle Sam has far more
lor War Production
than all these three together!
Adolf, Hirohito and Benito probably
aren’t sleeping well these nights. They
know that America’s great and growing
war production must inevitably turn the
tide against them.
America can do it because America has
the electric power to do it. Electric power is
beisic to production. Electric power multi
plies man-power and drives the machines
that make tanks, planes, ships and guns,
i How much power has America? More
than the three uneasy dictators and all
their conquered countries combined—Alba
nia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria and the
rest of the long, tragic list. Five times more
than we had in the last war.
No other nation even approaches Amer
ica’s power resources. And this has largely
been accomplished the American way—
by electric companies owned by millions
of Americans and managed by American
business men.
The practical experience, the people
and the plants of all these companies are
dedicated today to making Uncle Sam so
power-full that Axis aggressors will soon be
nothing more than three busts in the Hall
of infeuny!
CAROLINA
POWER & LIGHT
COMPANY