Newspapers / The Mount Airy News … / July 18, 1918, edition 1 / Page 5
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I. V. WEST DM CO. MAIN STREET MOUNT AIRY. N. C. NATIVE AFRICAN LABOR IN WAR Nwriy Kwmry Southam Trib* R^mmIW-ViIwU* At * London, England.—Only by de grmm la titt nirtala being rateed on the wono of tit* vtd operation*, in volvlng sheer .* sr.oal labor, behind tfco western lino i>( battle. A notable article haa new beer contributed to tfco Journal of tfco African Society, (ivtaf noma account of the part played by the South African Native Labor Continirent In Franca. It* author, Sir Herbert Stoley, K. C. M. 0., wan at one time the Resident CommiMionrr in Baautoland; and a* a member of the South African Native Affair* communion, in the early year* of thl* century, had, in addition, ex ceptional opportunities for studying the Mortal life of moat of the Bantu tribe* within the Union. Thu*, when lately visiting the ramp* of the labor contingent in France, he wan cspe cially well equipped for appreciating the suitability of condition* under which these noncomlmntant forces were working. ■/ Sir Herbert find* thnl the native i companies are representative of al moHt every aboriginal tribe in South Africa. In the ranks of Zulu •, Kin-! jfoes, fiaika*. Temhua, Rastoa, Mata bele, Pondos and lSectiuana, an well as natives from Portuguese Africa. The officers wer» nlirnmt entirely com posed of members of the South Af rican Native Department, or of re-i tired official* po«Me*sinK a lifelong experience among South African Mttvw. As workers the natives appear to have been highly thought <>( l>v the departmental officers under whom they were employed. It was the general •xtimate of officers <»f tlie royal en giners, army service corps, cummts aariat, transport, and ordnance de partments, that the African native, man for man, was equal to any other clam of workman employed behind the British lines. Those, remarks the writer of the article, who know the South Ajr ican unsWilled laborer in hia own country will not be surprised to hear this. m. i- . t. .. _ a. t m ww - in France was that for which their South African experience had partic ularly fitted them. They were to be Keen felling trees, and handling tim ber in the forests of the Seine, very much as they chop and lop and strip the wattle plantations of Natal. They! shifted cargoes in French ports and j railway station*, in the style they J had learned in Cajw Town or Durban, and their familiarity with railway construction and the blasting proc esses of the Jrhanne mrjf and Kim berley mines made them valuable a-; quarrymen and railvjiy workers, Physically the native is well equipped for work in -vhich strength and endurance are r. quired. The South African Bantu races do not ap pear to produce many exceptionally bis men, nor, on the other hand, are there many of them of dwarfish stat vre. The tribal discipline teaches and fosters hardihood and stoical disre gard of pain, hanger, fatigue, and other discomforts. The open-air life •ad occupations of boys and young ■sen in pastoral and agricultural com munities tend to promote growth and health, and the young native, as a role, reaches manhood with his bodily' in a vigorous state of develop *• See these fellows, after finishing their day's work in a French camp or' a South African compound, taking the hatha which every wise administrator knows to be as necessary for the' Workers' well bring as fond and shel ter They seem Itke groups of bronze ■Mtaaa, gUstcn mr under the »pla*h-| mg •tower-bath* of eota er tepid water, *nd • sculptor would bo able to aalart many a modal of rlaaaleal proportions and haaaty. Thaea man had planty of energy lafl In iham aftar thalr day's work, and expanded it in tramaa of football and cricket, or during bad weather and In the hour* of darknaaa, by attendance at the night arhool, or In tha recreation tanti, playing draught* and other game*, or writing letter* to thalr home*. wnen not actually wormnf under the supervision of the European offi cers, the natives hava been practically ronflned to barracks, with tha excel lent result that they hava been, on th< whole, preserved from the temptations at drink and other vices; thus the mujorily of them will reach their native land with their wages in their pockets and with health unimpaired. No doubt they would have preferred a life of greater freedom, ami mmi of them may return to their home* with s discontented (crumble that they were in iraol while on aervice. Rut it was l>est for them that it should be so, best also for the army and for the French population with whom they would have been in contact, and for' the tribes to which they belong and! which they will rejoin. As to the effect upon these tribes' of the return to them of surh a con-1 iderable numlier of their young men; with stories of their experiences while i sngnged in this great wilr, it is very'. I.fflcult to rpenk with liny degree of -ertninty. It ha* often been notired I hat it is intpos. ibie to predict pre -inely whnt particular impression will >»e made on a native's mind by any iniisual nnd remarkable spectacle or :• x. periemo. The impression made is iften ometHing very diffe-errt f-ori thnt which i- .lei red or expected. To illustrate (hi . Sir Herbert Sloley said that he once accompanied a party of natives, all men of unusual intelli gence. on a vln.t to one of the princi pal fjneashire cotton mills. After the visit, and when discussing the day's I 1 >m^s, it mir»ht have been expected that these visitors would have made tome remarks about the vastness of the industry, or the ingenuity of the mechanical processes, or something >f that sort. But it appeared that what most struck them was the fart that the workers in the cotton mills were almost all women, who, of rour.-e. do the machine tending. The natives-, said, "The whit* people will no more he able to tell u* that we, make our women do.more than their' -hare of the work." And, therefore, 1 *i.:l • ' i' would supp'.-se that th>>j ;. "Un>r men would take liork to their friend# atorics of the (Treat military !'• w?r of the white people, of ti e ex tent of the war area and the enor mcu armament* and other arci/jr.t< of our pio*.ves. and re*aorem, which! m'sht have a useful and salutary ef ! feet, it is by no mean* certain that it will be no. It has to be remembered that few of the contingent were ever in or near the front line, and the ma jority saw and heard little of the fitting beyond the rather distant sound of guns. They can have had but a vague im pression as to the actual nature of the struggle or as to the immensity of the forcaa engaged. However, there !« no reason to doubt that they will return with an increased idea of re »pect for the governing races. They teem to have been filled with admira tion for the industry of the French tgricultural population, and it ia tol erably certain, observe* the writer of the article, vflth sly humor, that they will have only terms of faint praise lo bestow upon the European climate. Chamberlain's Tablrta. These tablets are intended especial ly for stomach troubles, biliousness sud conr.tlpi.tion. If you haw any trouble* of tfcit sort gist them a trial and realize for yourself what a first [ rla«« mcdicir.e will do for you. They j only coat a quarter. | WHY 'HUN' TEXTBOOKS? trance malMtliiM far the Mimi chueetta Iaatitu. ot lectmolegy •kali be tuaual in Oermar. tha praakiant of lha school, Dr. Richard C. Merlau rim, after aaylng that thu change "ha* vary lHtle it uftkwi to da wtth war conditions," and that It doaa not ef fort Ktudtaa after tha student antara tha iintitule, lemark thoaa taking carta in tarhniral uubterts, auch aa chemistry. will be obliged to study Getmen after entering. m much valu able material la to lie obtained only through a knowledge of thia lM|iia(a. Dr. Matlaurin la not the flret col lace president or profeesor -vho ha a aaid substantially thia during tha laat for ty of fifty yeara. In view of the pre aant awakening of the world to tha shallowneas of Herman claims to su per-learning and super-efllrieney there Is justification for tha hope that ha may ha one of tha laat. Tha inference to ha drawn from tha statement is that, somehow or other, tha Germans have «uoreded in lock ing up rertein technical knowledge in their language, an<l that if you do not learn that language you will- be shut out from important reaulta of r*. search, discovery, and invention. The fact is that less than any other of the great nations of the earth today can Germany lay claim to extreor-l iliniiry advancement in theoretical on applied natural science. In techni-1 cal matter-; she is a borrower rather thnn n creator. She does not com- / pare with Italy, with France, with j Great Britain, or with the United | States in discovery or invention. Shei hna imitated and sometimes improved in fields abandoned to her by coun Hw lacking her pal ent application1 mid low-priced labor, hut even in this! respect she hu not kept pace with, Japan. The steam engine in not hers, nor the locomotive, nor the teamship. She did not invent the telegraph or the telephone, {'he did not give to the world the xewing machine, ihe harvester, therntt.nn Kin. She had nothing t<» do with the Ruining jenny. She ha never Keen u leader in the de velopment of electricity. Wireler.s; :<legraphy 1.1 not hern, nor in wireless j telephony, the X rav, tbe iype-wnter. the mineogmph, or the fountain pen. She tin* excelled in certain technical i liranrhes, especially in chemistry, on ly because France, the l.'nited King dom. and the United tSates practi cally conceded re-lam Held* to her, being preoccupied in otherfields them-1 selves. What she has accomplished in the perfection of dye*, during half a century, England and the United Status have, in the main acomplished in less than four yearn. She made headway in commerce, between 1870 ] and l'JU, by underselling rather than liy excelling her competitors. Even in the one line which she has regarded, as wholly her own, that of producing; Implement* of destruction, she is a borrower and imitator. She hat-, noth ing to lo, nearly or remotely, with the inventioi of the submarine, the aero plane, or ti "tank." After four de rades of dril r.g and reviewing for ihe present wai, he did not, in 1914. have a gun equal to theFreach "Sev enty-five." She has not put out an explosive or a ga ir-.at t'. ■ Allies have not rendered immediately ineffective. She still moves her troops in mass after the medieval fashion. Only brute force teems to appeal to her. Germany can teach the English speaking people little or nothing that is worth knowing, nothstanding that the has long enjoyed another reputa tion largely as the fruit of sheer pre tense. Her claim to superior know ledge has been a bra ten sham; her as sertion that the information she has accumulated ran be communicated on ly through her language is a shame less fiction. inr r renrn r,coie roijnwnnique ii| older than any technical school in Germany. It is asserted by scholars that the United tSatea ia indebted to Russia more than to any other nation for some of the mmt Important and valuable feature* of its rhool tech nology. Technical schools fare Eng land pre itlge in manufacture lone U fore f'rtu-£tt had a U»«ie reaclunir l>eyond her «*wn borders, and made British wares lameus throughout the many, bat Garman tachi iaal aducaii" at KhlmMI haa narai baan afcta ■ariouiljr to impair EhiHik can Thara la nothing in tha Garman !M-Knical tastbooka that may not ba ' .und aaanttally la Bngliah or Amarl ean taitbaaka. Ccnaany ha. no • pa rial raaan* of it«v"a to technical knowtrdga, any mora than «ua bra ta muaic or Uiaology. It 1* tuna tha technical indoatriaa of tha United Htato* abandoned tha tlluatnn, begotten I at German peyrhology .that tha youth i at tha country ran ba taught th ng»| worth knowing hattar in Garman than, in Kngliah, and tlma al>« that aduca-1 tor* were throwing tha Garman text- J book* out of tha window. Tha «uper rtltion of Garman aupariority in adu-| cation ha« gona far enough, and dona, harm enough.—Exchange. Can You Cuwi Why I* a pig'* tail like the letter K?—Because it in th» ar.d of pork. What churrh official would be moat useful un the battlefield?—A cannon. When is a person obliged to keep his word?—When no one will take it. What ia the riddle of riddle* ? — Life, because we must all rive it up. If a barrel weighs 10 pounds, what run you fill it with to make it 7 pounds?—Holes. Why is a crow a hrave bird? — Be cause he never shows the white fea ther. Why is a nobleman like a book?—j Because he has a title and several pajres. Why is an orange like a church steeple?—Because ire have to peel from it. Who may marry a wife and live single all his life? -A clergyman. Why is the letter Y like a young spendthrift? — Because it makes pit. pay. Where was Adam going when he j was in his T.itli year?—Into his 4Uth. Why is a schoolmistress like the letter C?—Because she forms las en in classes. Why is a t ow-born baby like a gale > of wind ?—Eeci.use it begins with! sqw.ll. Why is your shallow like a false friend? Because it only f.illows yrj' in sunshine. When is a ermon like a round! shot?--Whon it comes f.xm the can-j non's mouth. What did the spider do when he came out of the ark?—Took a fly and went home. Why was Ruth ruthless ttr Boaz?— Because she pulled his ears and trod on his corn. Why do carpenters bel>ve there is no such thing as stone?—Because they never saw it. Why are the houses of bald people easier to break into? Because their locks are few. Why should a man never tell his se crets in a cornfield? — Because so many ears arc there. Field Marihil Von Hindenburg is Dead, j ■ Amsterdam July IS- Field Marshal j von Hindenliurg is dead, according to the newspaper I.cs Nouvelles. HU death is /aid to have occurred after a irtormy interview with the German emperor at great German headquar ter!* at Spa. The emptror and the field marshal are declared to hav« had serious diff erences of opinion concerning the German offensive toward Paris. The field marshal died from congestion of the brain. The violent interview between von Hindenburg and Emperor William oc curred on May 16, the paper sa/s. It was followed by an apoplectic stroke, which ultimately resulted in the field marshal's death. The paper says its information was obtained from "good sources in the occupied district of Belgium." Mount Airy Iran Works Foundry and Mschisi Shop Repair Work t Specialty A large variety ef castings a stock -there made to order. J. D. MI NICK. ML Airy, N. C, Aug. N, lfU. Mount Airy Realty & Auction ft. J. A. ATKINS, Manager MOUNT AIRY, — North C—II— If you *rant to buy or mII apply tow. — Wo h—<!■ all kinds of RmI EiUU, public mmd privato. OFFICE OVER EARPS STORE. Auction Sale! Tin- land of G. L. Dodson known as the Wil1 Her ring pla<-e will be sold to the highest bidder on SATURDAY, AUGUST 10th, 1918, 10 A. M. on the Lowgap road 11 [> miles from Mount Airy. This farm contains 40 acres, plenty of timber land, good 1 room house and outbuildings. The land will be cut up into small tracts. Will also sell all the household and kitchen furni ture, farming tools, etc. Terms make konwn on day of sale. Music by Mount Airy Band. W. H. DODSON, Exr. Sale Conducted by MOUNT AIRY REALTY & AUCTION COMP'Y. J. A. Atkins, Manager. 'Chain' Back the Government to the Limit The Government has asked American busi ness to pursue a certain course for the dura tion of the war. Keep quality up and prices reasonable, —a strictly non-profiteering policy. It is the only patriotic policy. It is the policy this company has alwsys adopted and the one we will continue to pursue. We stand ready to undergo any sacrifice C in order to cooperate with the Government. We believe it is best for ourselves. We kr.cw It Is beo- lor our country. We appeal to a!! cc- ^ms—bi^ and small— to adopt the san:? poi cy. American b»: ir.»ss must rally as a unit to the support of t'10 Government. It is the surcct and quickest way to win the Vr'CT. United States Tires are Good Tires We know United State* Tires are good tires. That's why £ ■' we sell them. O. N. Swumok, Smith Hdw. Co. Pell*Mitci»«ll, FUt UmmUm.
The Mount Airy News (Mount Airy, N.C.)
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July 18, 1918, edition 1
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