THE ELKIN TRIBUNE
Published Every Thursday by
ELK PRINTING COMPANY, Inc.
Elkin, N. C.
Thursday, January 18, 1940
Entered at the post office at Elkin, N. C.. as
second-class matter.
0. 8. FOSTER. — r .President
EL F. LAFFOON - Secretary-Treasure*
SUBSCRIPTION RATES, PER YEAR
In the State, $1.50 Out of the State, fS.Oi
NATIONAL €DITORIAL_
' —W ASSOCIATION
j m /Hi mfrUA—
Member North Carolina Press Association
%
But what if the Unity that Mr. Roosevelt
has ordered for this country, should arrive
with a bullet in her neck ?
Those Russian soldiers may be as puny
as they are pictured, but we'll betcha some
of our own crack regiments would be stop
ped cold if they skidded into Finland's snow.
From the apparent comfort of the com
rades in Moscow, you'd never think that-the
Soviet soldiers in Finland would be ill clad
or hungry.
"Has anyone in the British Admiralty
thought of dropping propaganda leaflets
over those magnetic mines?" —Norfolk Vir
ginian Pilot.
It is hard to convince youngsters that
there is anything bad wrung with flu or
sn6\fr that bihig* them a holiday from
school.
"To young men: Another danger in driv
ing with one arm is that you're so likely to
skid into a church." —Thomaston (Ga.)
Times.
1
Of course ii was never meant that your
New Year's resolution to stay on the water
wagon should include the toddy a tellow
must have to fight off colds and cure snake
bites.
A Good Start —Keep It Up
That first-page picture cf Game Warden
George Royall and the quail he and Harvey
Godman recovered from an alleged bootleg
ger from Charlotte held significance far be
yond the ordinary interest to the newspaper
reader. For it indicates an alertness on the
part of these officers that is commendable
and encouraging. -If it means a new determ
ination to put a stop to this practice, well
and good.
Assuming that the charges against the
Charlotte man are justified, and that the re
ports of periodic collection schedules are
true, this must have had the ear-marks of a
thriving business, until these two spunky
wardens put a crimp in it.
But back of those hundred birds was
somebody who provided them and at the
other end was somebody who bought or
would buy them, and the law holds the
buyer equally guilty with the seller. It's a
pity that justice can't follow through in
both directions. So far in this case only
one of the offenders is brought before the
law.
This is a practice that should be con
demned and stopped, not alone because it is
a threat against the continuity of wildlife,
and contrary to everything that is held high
in sportsmanship, but because it is a mani
festation of the rankest sort of law defiance.
The lovers of wildlife and those who
have earned the name of sportsmen have
tried earnestly to stock the fields and
streams of Surry, Alleghany and Ashe with
game that would, if handled considerately,
not only provide pleasing recreation to the
people, but which conceivably could be turn
ed into cash through hunting privileges. But
that is impossible when the fields are raped
to satisfy the appetites of metropolitan
night-lifers and bloated bondholders who
don't mind paying a dollar per, for quail, a
la something-or-other.
That cut and its caption, appearing on
the front page of the last issue of this pa
per, should be given the fullest circulation,
because it is calculated to discourage a form
of law-breaking that is by no means confin
ed to the bootlegger. For it is known of all
men that in almost every city thg refrigera
tors of otherwise law-abiding citizens are
stuffed with quail that are not there legally.
We prefer to think that it is this way be
cause they do not stop to think, do not pause
to weigh the enormity and far-reaching ef
fect of their offense.
Gravely's Hat in the Ring
Senator Lee Gravely, of Rocky Mount,
makes formal announcement of his candi
dacy for the governorship, and in a brief
outline of his platform promises "an effi
cient administration in which one hundred
cents worth of value shall be received for
every dollar spent." That is the language
business men will understand, and it will not
be lost on others who do not claim to be in
that category.
Incidentally they are the words of a busK
ness man who works at the job. For Sen
ator Gravely heads the independent tobacco
firm his father organized decades ago, and
which has weathered the storms of inde
pendent effort because of able management.
And we have Mr. Gravely's word for it that
he covets for North Carolina the same care
ful management that every successful busi
ness must employ if it would endure.
Senator Gravely's legislative record
shows that he has been a consistent and per
sistent foe of the sales tax, yet while he
goes further than any other candidate in
deploring it now, he would not wrench the
State's finances by pitching it out the win
dow. He is committed to a reduction of the
toll to two per cent, instead of three, as the
first step looking to its ultimate repeal.
He opposes any increase in taxes and is
against the diversion of highway funds;
pledges his best efforts in behalf of a bal
anced budget, diversified farming, reduction
of the State debt, a "fair measure of taxa
tion, and higher salaries for school, teachers
"as the revenues of the State will permit."
Senator Gravely was the fourth to make
formal announcement, although a number of
others are running like nobody's business
without declaring. He is popular in eastern
North Carolina and the fact that he is a
business man in a field of lawyers may
weigh heavily in his favor.
Anyhow, Lee Gravely's hat is in the ring,
fondle it or kick it around, as you prefer. If
you elect him Governor of North Carolina
the State will have a good one—the which
can be said of any of the others.
Stomp It Out
The capture of an alleged quail bootleg
ger was not the only wholesome, encourag
ing news that went out from this hill coun
try last week. For another item had to do
with the arrest and conviction of those re
sponsible for forest fires that did consider
able damage in Wilkes.
If there is a meaner thing than delib
erate incendiarism we don't know what it is,
and particularly when this offense is direct
ed against the trees that God in his wisdom
provided for ?.U th«ir various ministrations
to man: the beauty of their green, the plea
sure of their shade, their convertibility into
shelter for the human family and the assur
ance that our streams will be fed. That kind
of hellishness can come only from a diseased
brain that should either be atomized or coop
ed up somewhere to prevent further destruc
tion.
The handling of the Wilkes county case
was swift and certain. Would that we could
record as much for other cases in which it
has been freely talked that even greater
damage has been done via the torch. From
dependable sources come all but the accusa
tion that damaging fires have,resulted from
personal grudges among neighbors and re
sentment against outsiders who had paid for
control of streams and woodlands for recrea
tional purposes, and probably stemming
partly from general cussednes and the crav
ing to see something in the process of des
truction.
Such offending involves not only the
landowner, whose property happens to be in
the path of the fire. For every mother's
son of us has an equity in those forests—in
one way or another, and we should be pleas
ed when there is something to indicate that
they will have protection.
The reluctance of sincere and well-mean
ing mountaineers to give voice to their sus
picions, even their knowledge, is under
standable. The men of the hills have their
codes and bold indeed are those who would
brave the anger of one so debased as to ap
ply the torch.
But blessed be, here are two instances in
which the law takes a hand—determinedly.
More strength to it.
Our Library
It is pleasing to note the public's interest
in the local library. Miss Price's report in
dicates that this interest not only is main
tained, but that during the past years it has
increased, an increased interest that is re
flected in additional circulation and in the
added facilities provided by those interested
in its progress.
Those who use the library regularly need
not be told of the wealth of information and
entertainment they find there, but those
who don't take advantage of it are standing
in their own light.
It is to be assumed, of course, that much
of the reading is purely for the personal en
tertainment it affords. On the other hand
much of it is to gain information that may
be applied in a practical way in the everyday
lives of the readers. But no matter what
the objective, we submit that an afternoon
spent at the library, or a book under the arm
for home-reading, is prima facie evidence of
a wholesome purpose—a healthy sign for
any community.
Particularly should the young people be
encouraged to take advantage of the service
the public library affords. A face buried in
a book is not one that will be caved in when
the flivver crashes on its way to a favorite
roadhouse—and that in itself is something
to think about, even if all the benefits of
reading are overlooked. ■
Doubtless booklovers have in their
homes interesting volumes that are idle,
books that could be put to good use and
which would be appreciated as valuable
additions to the library book list. It would
be a fine thing if these were offered. In
twos and threes or by the dozens these
would serve to increase the service and con
sequently increase the interest.
Charlotte will have to live down the fact
that the citizens did the unthinkable in re
fusing to support their public library, and
closed its doors. It was only then that the
patrons learned its worth. Thank goodness,
here we have the privilege of a library ser
vice that may be limited in its scope, but
which we hope will never be limited in its
interest and patronage.
THE ELKIN TRIBUNE. ELKIN. NORTH CAROLINA
SILL
Washington, Jan. 16 The
members of the 76th Congress
had not got their chairs well
warmed after reconvening for
their second and last regular ses
sion before it began to appear
that there is stormy weather
ahead.
Neither the Republican opposi
tion nor a considerable proportion
of the President's own party
showed an inclination to be guid
ed by the implications of the
President's annual message and
the recommendations in his bud
get message which followed it.
The annual message on "the
state of the nation" dealt almost
entirely with the European war
and the possible repercussions of
international affairs upon our
own domestic economy. The Pres
ident's budget proposals included
recommendations for reductions
in appropriations for many gov
ernmental purposes, particularly
in work relief and farm relief,
but advocated greatly increased
expenditures for the army, navy
and air forces.
Out of a total estimated ex
penditure of $8,400,000,000 the
President asked Congress to pro
vide an additional $1,800,000,000
for national defense, the largest
single year's expenditure for that
purpose in our peacetime history
and the largest single item in the
budget. To provide that amount
and do all the other things which
the Administration thinks should
be carried on would rim the cost
of government for the next fiscal
year up $2,176,000,000 above the
estimate tax revenues.
The President proposed, how
ever, that Congress find ways of
raising $46,000,000 in new taxes,
which would still leave a deficit
of $1,716,000,000 for the year.
Tnat would necessitate borrowing
more money, and if the program
worked out exactly as planned
the national debt at the end of
the year would be within a very
few million dollars of the statu
tory limit of 45 billions.
Difference of Opinion
The po nts at which the sharp
est differences between the Presi
dent's ideas and those of many
Senators and Representatives of
both parties occur are, first, the
relative importance of the defense
program and international affairs
generally by comparison with our
own internal economy; second,
the political undesirability of in
creasing taxes in an election year,
and third, the inexpediency, for
the same reason, of reducing farm
benefits.
The question of what the
United States is going to defend,
and against whom, is being asked
by critics of the national defense
program. More than four billion
dollars for military preparedness
has been appropriated in the past
two years, and the enlargement of
the navy, the army and the air
forces is well under way. There
is certain to be sharp debate on
the new items in the President's
defense program.
The present inclination is to
defer any cosideration of new
taxes until after March 15, when
the income tax returns for the
last year will be available as a
basis for calculation. So far the
estimates of tax revenue are
largely guess-work. The last
thing most members of either
House want to do, if it can be
avoided, is to increase taxes. And
the agricultural pressure block is
prepared to make the political
lives miserable of those who vote
for any curtailment of existing
farm benefits.
Trade Agreement Controversy
Another point in the Presi
dent's message on which sharp
controversy seems likely to de
velop on Capitol Hill, probably
earlier than on the other items
mentioned, is his request for the
renewal of .the law authorizing
reciprocal trade agreements. This
law, enacted in 1934, expires by
limitation on June 12 this year.
It has been bitterly attacked in
the light of several trade agree
ments which are represented as
injurious to the interests of
American producers.
The party politics of a Presi
dential election year figure
strongly in all the considerations
which will govern this session's
debates and acts. Part of the op
position to the reciprocal trade
agreements, for example, has its
foundation in the desire to put
Secretary Hull "in bad" as a
Presidential possibility. Wash
ington now generally credits the
statement attributed to the Pres
ident that Mr. Hull is his person
al choice as the Democratic nom
inee.
That presupposes Mr. Roose
velt's decision not to put himself
forward for a third term, a deci-
sion which the shrewdest ob
servers here now think he has
reached. Mr. Hull is regarded by
many Republican leaders as be
ing perhaps the most difficult
opponent for their candidate to
beat, since he probably could hold
in line the element of Southern
Democrats whd would not stand
for an out-and-out New Dealer.
Gov. Stryker Mentioned
Careful observers now regard
Paul McNutt as out of the run
ning, and believe that the Demo
cratic candidate will be somebody
whom Vice-President Garner and
Mr. Roosevelt can both stand for,
possibly Governor Stryker, of
Missouri.
Talk of Supreme Court Justice
William o. Douglas has been re
vived, especially since the latest
II NOTICE II
lui
I Tax Payers of I
I Surry County I
AGAIN I WANT TO REMIND YOU TO
I Pay Your 1939 Tax I
Under the Present Law These Taxes Must JSe Paid
Before March Ist
ON THAT DATE, LAND—IF THERE BE ANY LAND
TAXES LEFT ON BOOKS—WILL BE ADVERTISED
FOR SALE APRIL Ist.
■, However, during the months of February and March we will have to
enforce collection by making tax out of Personal Property and Wages
Due. We cannot any longer depend on selling land to get taxes. Not- ■
withstanding, a deed will be made to purchaser at Tax Sale not later
than January 1, 1941.
II
It is unpleasant to. enforce collection of taxes, but I know of no honoi -
able way to get around it.
I PLEASE SEE AND PAY THE GENERAL I
I TOWNSHIP COLLECTOR I
B. F. FOLGER,
• 7
Tax Collector for Surry County.
(J ' ,
In Our Town
polls of public opinion show
Thomas E. Dewey to have gained
greatly in popular favor among
Republican voters. It would be
good Democratic strategy, many
believe, to pit a young man of 42
against a young man of 38, if Mr.
Dewey is the nomineee of the op
position.
Senator Vandenberg has gain
ed in popular favor among Re
publicans lately, and Senator Taft
lifted himself in the estimation
of political leaders by accepting
the President's challenge to show
how the budget could be bal
anced in two years, in a speech
which many consider the most
statesmanlike utterance by any
candidate so far.
Patronize Tribune Advertisers.
I
Thursday, January 18, 1940 A
Bone of Contention
Small Boy—Dad, what is meant
by "the bone of contention"?
Dad—The jawbone, my boy.
NOTICE!
The annual meeting of the
stockholder's of the Elkin-Jones
ville Building and Loan Associa
tion will be held in the City Hall
on TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13,
at 7:30 p. m. The purpose of the
meeting is for the election of di
rectors and the transaction of
any other business that may
come before the meeting.
This the 17th day of January,
1940.
PAUL GWYN,
2-8 Secretary.