j looking ai Washington I
I -y Hiiko a. Siiiih. vt tahingtor Ilorrespondem j
U. S. Not A Land-Grabber
Gives Away Public Domain
Byrd Needlessly Alarmed
The other day Senator Harry F.
Byrd, of Virginia, pent out to news
papers a press release, accompanied
by a report of a joint committee on
Federal real estate.
.»lr. Byrd's press release began
with the statement: “The govern
ment now owns one-fifth of all the
k]and area of the United States.”
was enough to set off the dis
cussion and to lead many editors to
quote, with and without credit, the
outline sent out by the Virginia Sena
tor. !
The furore is utterly unwarranted.
\> hile it is true that the Federal
Government owns 383,600,533 acres,
or more, this is only a small fraction
of the 1,400,200,320 acres which, at
one time and another made up the
public lands of the United States.
One Billion Acres Given Away
The history of the Nation reveals
that the Government has been very
generous in its disposition of the
public domain. More than one billion
acres have been disposed of.
Homesteaders secured title to 285,-
000,000 acres, cash sales and other
disposals account for 420,000 acres,
states got titles to 230,398,140 acres
and the Government gave to railroad
corporations, in encouraging construc
tion, 94,248,739 acres.
The use to which this land is put is
divided: National forests. 148,000,000
acres; national parks and monuments,
13,000,000 acres; Indian reservations,
55.000,000 acres; grazing districts,
139,000,000 acres; and miscellaneous,
56.096,043 acres.
Army Use Os Land Justified
There has been considerable ex
pansion in the use of land for pur
poses of war in the past two and one
half years. According to the Byrd
report, the War Department acquired
17,308,636 acres of land and uses
some 43,181,000 acres for war pur
poses.
‘Tart of this was previously in the
public domain,” says the report. The j
fact is that more than three-fourths
of it was in the public domain.
We see no occasion for alarm in
connection with the Byrd report.
Certainly, no evil attaches to a Gov-j
emment which will use 43,181,000
acres of land for the training of its]
soldiers. Even the purchase of some;
3,000,000 acres and the pending pur- I
chase of an additional 7,000,000 acres
represents nothing but the acreage
necessary to train a vast army.
17.I 7 . S. Still Giving Away Land j
Few governments in the world have.
been as generous as the United States |
in riving away real estate. It is
'“jfiard to visualize the Federal Govern
ment as a land-grabber when it has i
given away 132,000,000 acres to as- 1
sure the construction of railroads, 1
acres to promote educa- 1
tion ami 885,000,000 acres to citizens
seeking homesteads in unsettled
areas.
In the five fiscal years, ending
June 30. 1941, the Government gave
to homesteaders more than five mil
lion acres of land.
In view of tire figures given above, .
and the generous land policy of the
Federal Government, it is hard to
locate any problem in connection with
the land holding's of the Federal
Government. If any complaint is jus
tified, the criticism should be directed
against the giving away, rather than
the arc ' sit ion. of real estate. ,
Censorship Os. The Mail
Would Ban Free Discussion
A House sub-committee is conduct
ing hearings on legislation to ban
racially discriminatory from the
mails.
While favorable action is predicted
! by the chairman, the proposal is op
; posed hv Po-tmaster-General Frank
I C. Writer. who says that such a law
, "would impose upon the Deuartine d
i the undesirable task of deciding eon
| trovecs 7 e« between those .seeking to
; discuss freely racial and religious
I issues and those who might consider
[ such discussions a violation of this
law.”
A much stronger statement was
1 made by Vincent M. Miles, Solicitor
of the Postoffice Department, who
said that any law barring from the
mails “defamatory or false state
ments against racial or religious
groups would violate the principle of
f-pp speech, would he unconstitution
al. would increase instead of de
crease racial prejudice and would
present serious administrative diffi
culties.”
The passage of legislation along
the line suggested, would, it seems to
us, prevent an American citizen from
d'lionnc’ng the German people or the]
Jpoaneso race. Os course, the right]
of free speech would he abridged and
pert" 7 "'- the freedom of the press ]
would be cancelled if all writers ]
upon any subject, were forbidden to I
pass judgment upon races or religions.
Among those appearing before the
House hearing in behalf of the legis- j
lation were representatives of the,
American Federation of Labor, C. I. j
O. unions, the American Jewish Con
gress, National Negro Congress,
other organizations, and some indi-
citizens.
■V Fourth War Loan A’ ead
Nation Needs 815,000.000.000
Announcement of a Fourth War
Loan to come in January reminds us
that the Nation needs cash to prose
cute its wars and that the people
must cooperate on the financial front 1
if they expect the fighting men to do I
the work on the battle lines.
The $15,000,000,000 sought in Janu
ary will probably take care of the
financial problem for the present
fiscal year, which ends on June
30, 1944.
In view of the estimate that na
tional income in 1943 will go above
8140,000,000,000, which compares j
with $76,500,000,000 in 1940, it ought
to be comparatively easy for the,
people of this country to put up the'
money.
War expenditures lor the current
fiscal year are expected to be Just'
oelow $100,000,000,000. Os this total
the Treasury will probably receive
$43,000,000,000 in taxes, excises, cus-|
toms duties ami all other sources of
revenue.
The necessity exists, therefore, to .
find something more than $50,000,-
000,000, but about $23,000,000,000 has
been obtained. Moreover, the Treas
ury expects to get $12,000,000,000
from non-nrarketable issues that can
not be sold on the open market.
The balance, about $15,000,000,000
explains the new issue to be offered
for public subscription in January,
with individuals and corporations ask
ed to supply the bulk of the sum
asked.
V ar In Pacific Speeds I p
Jap Island Rases Attacked
Forecasts Course Os Battle
The war in the Pacific advanced ai
long stride when American forces.
landed on Makin and Tarawa islands,
in the Gilbert group, which lies be-'
tween Hawaii and the Solomons. !
After two days of bombing by
Army Liberators, involving attacks
upon several islands, carrier-based
aircraft joined in the six-day offen
sive which paved the way for the
landing of soldiers and marines. j
The Gilbert islands are northeast
of the Solomon group and, together
with some bases in the Marshall Is
lands, constitute the outer defenses
of vital Japanese sea lanes.
The engagements took place well
within Japanese waters. The is-.
lands, if captured, will prime the way,
to Truck, the main Japanese base, as
well as to Rabaul, a lesser base, now .
threatened from New Guinea and
Bougainville. ]
The use of carrier-based aircraft
in the latter phases of the bombing
attacks, which preceded the occupa
tions, and the presence of covering
warships, indicate that the Japanese
have lost control of the ocean, tem-'
porarily, at least.
The islands involved are described
by Hawthorne Daniel, in his book
“Islands of the Pacific” as follows:
Tarawa: Also sometimes called
Knox or Cook island. largest and
most important of the Gilbert group.
It is a twenty-two mile atoll, com
posed of the typical collection of
large islands (there are nine) and
numerous smaller ones. There is one
main entrance to its lagoon. Poula
fion, about 2,600. •
Makin: One of the northernmost
of the Gilbert group: about eleven
miles wide, with a deep lagoon, which
has two entrances. Population, in
1937. more than 1 ,<>oO.
The offensive now under way will
probably move northw.estv. ar-.i into
the Marshall group of islands, which
include Jaluit, Wotje and Kwajaleih.
As it proceeds, the Japanese will be
compelled to fight or to surrender
valuable strategic bases and Nauru
island, 500 miles west of the Gilberts,
which supplies most of their phos
phate needs.
The importance of the attacks upon
Tarawa and Makin is increased by
the fact that the pattern followed
can be repeated against other Japan
ese holdings, rolling up outer de
fenses and opening up morn vital in
stallations, Eventually, the .h' nnese
wi.. have to risk a major sea buttle
or retreat to their borne 7 s!ands.
Governor Culls On
State To Meet Needs
Lumber And Pulp . ood
Asking e erv. possible cooperation
oil the part of workers, Operators and
owners of timber in North Carolina
in meeting the State’s pro r taos
lumber and pulpwood for critical
needs, Governor Broughton points out
that this State must maintain produc
tion of 1,650,000,000 board feet of
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ' |
Pepsi-Cola Company. I one Island. N. Y.
Franchised Bottler: Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co., of Elizabeth City, N. C.
THE CHOWAN HERALD, EDENTON, N. C., THURSDAY. DECEMBER 2, 1943
Stabilization Setup
Affects Employees
Town Os Edenton
Release Now Necessary
In Order For Workers
To Change Jobs
The application recently submitted
by the town of Edenton tor coverage]
i under the Stabilization Program has
] been approved by the State office of
I the War Manpower Commission, and
all of 1..c employees of the Town of
Edenton will be considered under the
' program as oi me.emoei 1, lo 4„, P. |
I B. Pollock, Area Director of the War |
1 Manpower Commission, has an-.
nounced.
j Tiie Region-wide Stabilization Pro
gram which became effective May j
15 of this year and was amended on j
1 Uctober 15, 1943, excluded State,
1 County and City employees from the ]
' provisions. However, a clause in the!
plan permits coverage for employees
m a City or Town if a request is
made and all of toe employees con
cerned are included in the applica-i
tion. !
1 Mace V\ inston-Salem was admitted I
several weeks ago, this makes the'
second municipality to be covered by
the Stabilization Program. A nuin- 1
her of State institutions, including the
I maintenance and service occupations
! at North Carolina .State College, Ra
; leigh, have aiso been covered by the
j Program at the request ol the Gqv
' ernor.
i Being covered by the Stabilization
j Program means that no employer
j may hue any worker now employed
' by the Town of Edenton without a re
] lease signed by tne proper official
of the Town of Edenton, or a State
ment of Availability issued by the
i Uni tea States Employment Service in
Elizabeth City. By the same token,
1 the Town of Edenton is not allowed
to employ workers from essential in
dustries without an employer’s re
lease or a Statement of Availability
from the United States Employment
: Service. This is intended to stabil
ize employment among the employees
' of the Town of Edenton, and also to
restrict the transfer of workers from
the Town of Edenton to employment
elsewhere, or from essential employ
r ers to the Town of Edenton,
Edenton is served by the United
' States Employment Service Office in
Elizabeth City, of which S. T. Cherry
is manager. An Out-Post office is
maintained at the U'. S. Marine Corps
Air Station, and Raiford E. Sumner
is interviewer-in-charge. Any addi
tional information concerning the pro
visions of the Stabilization Program
may be secured by contacting either
Mr. Cherry or Mr. Sumner.
BILLY BRUNSON PROMOTED
Billy Brunson, son of Mr. and Mrs.
W. C. Brunson, who has been in Ma
rine training on the West Coast, has
been promoted to private first class
and has qualified as a mengjor of the
band. He exported to be aML to ar
rive Tff J) for a
visit, but it has to
postpone his visit for several weeks.
lumber and 600,000 cords of pulpwood.
These figures can be met without
impairing the State’s resources of
standing timber, which now total
43,610,000.000 board feet of timber,
according to estimates by the United
States Forest Service. • The need is so
great that the government has been
unable to place orders for 712 mil
lion board feet immediately needed.
'teVERTRYTO BE TOO
BRUV»ftM'T-t>UST IS
HARD To SEE Ort ft lUMP
OF COM BUT OH Boy r
oui ft DIAMOND ]— J
, ....
Grand Jury Finds j
Little Fault With;
Affairs In County!
;
Most Trouble Found at |
Colored Schools In
County
Completing its work on Tuesday, j
the Grand Jury for the current term
of Superior Court submitted its re
port to Judge C. E. Thompson, judge
presiding.
There was nothing startling in the
report, the body finding the County’s
| affairs in good condition and offi
'! cials properly performing their
, duties.
I tne usual inspection of school buses
I was made, and but for a few minor
I faults, all buses were in good condi
j tion and all drivers have proper per
, mits.
' The colored school on Freemason
1 Street was found in bad state of re
' pair and sanitary conditions were un
i satisfactory.
I The drinking water at Rocky Hock
• Central school was investigated and
! found to be all right at this time.
. I Conditions were not so satisfactory
:' at several colored schools in the
county. At Britt’s school there were
1 two broken windows, at White Oak
: three bad door locks and bad pump
> valves were found. At the Yeopim
• school two stoves were needed and
■ 10 windows broken.
James L. Hassell was foreman of
: the Grand Jury.
Group Os New Books
Arrive At Library
1 Miss Elizabeth Copeland, librarian
- at the Shepard-Pruden Memorial l.i
--? brary, announces the arrival of the
l following new books at the library:
, “Indigo,” by Weston. Through the
1 lives of three families—F reach, Eng
- lish and high-caste Indian- Mrs. \\ e.--
- ton reveals the beauty, romance,
• cruelty and turmoil of Indian life.
t 1 “Under Cover,” by Carlson. The
- amazing revelation of how Axis agents
i and our enemies within are now
> plotting to destroy the United States,
i A real-life spy story.
“Thunderhead,” by. O’Hara. Filled
- with the intense horse-and-boy emo
tion that made “My Friend Flicka”
I memorably alive. The wild beauty of
i the Wyoming plateaus fills its pages
as much as do the thrills of the wild
; young stallion’s life. Dramatic nove
' of Flicka’s colt.
*
lj. M FoR smooth sailing,get off toa good start by giv
/CP ing her a Genuine Registered Keepsake diamond jfe
uL J engagement ring. Keepsake is the most famous
name in diamonds, and through five decades has
been the choice of America’s loveliest brides.
iynwood Set 235.00 The Keepsake Certificate of Permanent Regis- if
Engagement King 225.00 . , _ . , ,
tration and Guarantee is part of your purchase. H
It is your assurance of high standards of color,
cut and clarity.
This store has been chosen as an Authorized if
Keepsake Jeweler because of its reputation for j|
Ea * r dealing expert knowledge of diamonds.
Come in ’nd let us show you the new Keepsake
Bethany Set 375 oo designs In a wide range of prices.
Engogement Ring 300.00
X GENU,NE "f6ISTt»ED *|
fg||| Keepsake
».«, DIAMOND ENGAGEMENT RINGS I
Engagement Ring 75.00 jgj
CAM PEN’S
JEWELERS
Eden ton, North Carolina
\ 4
“Barnaby,” by Johnson. A series
of comic strips, depicting the life of a
little boy and his god-father, Mr.
O’iviatley with the pink wings.
“The Bradshaws of Harniss,” by
Lincoln. New novel of Cape Cod.
Has all the romantic appeal, the salty,
peppery characters for which Lincoln
is famous, plus a generous leavening
of humor.
"The Little Locksmith,” by Hath
away. A posthumous autobiography
fresh out of life, of a stout heart who 1
escaped the smothering, well-meant
attentions of her family and foun i lie
own place in a beautiful and blundei
ing world.
“Cinderella,” by Miller. Retold in
captivating verse.
“Take Nothing For Your Journey,
by Steward. The author has created
a fascinating group of characters
and made them come vividly alive in
the warm, strong beauty of Kentucky,
the land she knows so" well. An ex
citingly different novel.
“O River, Remember,” by Ostehso.
Story of two types of pioneers wan
helped to make America the country i1
is today ... a superb novel of three
generations whose destiny was writ
ten in the rich soil of the lied Rite.
Valley of the North.
For the mystery fans;
" i ,e .nan Who Was Not There,”
by White. Fantastic tale of murder
and revenge; a satunic plot laid
against a background of horror and
suspense.
“The Saint Steps In,” by Chartcris.
Another exciting story of Simon
HORSES & MULES
All Well Broken and Ready For Work
YOUR INSPECTION INVITED
C. N. Griffin & Son
Water St. Phone 90-W Edenton
s: .
Templar, who even when he is on the
side of the angels, as he is in this
case, must do things in his own way.
Juvenile books are:
“Three Gay Tales From Grimm,” by
Gag. Three of the lesser known
folk-tales, “The Clever Wife, “The
Three Feathers” and “Goose Hans.”
“All About Oscar, the Trained
Seal,” by Neilkirk. Oscar, the comi
cal trained seal, here appears in a.
genuinely amusing sH>ry with many
colorful pictures.
“Jonathan's Doorstep,” by Femald.
A story of New England and the
problems young people are facing
today. High school girls.
“About Harriett,” by Hunt. Ad
ventures and daily happenings t.. a
little girl named Harriet.
Contribution Omitted
In War Fund Names
At least one error has been report
ed in connection with the long list of
United War Fund contributors ap
pearing in The Herald last week.
The list failed to include Mr. and
Mrs. G. L. Litchfield, whose contri
bution was $5.00.
This is the only error tluis far
called to The Herald’s attention, and
any other corrections will be gladly
made.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENT
Born to Corporal and Mrs. Kermit
L. Layton, a daughter, Barbara Eli
zabeth, at the Medical Center in
Elizabeth City, Friday, November 26.
PAGE FIVE