Newspapers / The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, … / Sept. 19, 1940, edition 1 / Page 6
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THE ELKIN TRIBUNE Published Every Thursday by ELK PRINTING COMPANY, Inc. Elkin, N. C. Thursday, September 19, 1940 Entered at the post office at Elkin, N. C., as second-class matter. 0. S. FOSTER. .President H. F. LAFFOON Secretary-Treasurer ■■ t SUBSCRIPTION, BATES, PER YEAR In the State, $1.50 Out of the State, $2.00 NATIONAL €DITORIAL_ susSSa' Member North Carolina Prem Association We've often wondered if and why Noah found room for a pair of chiggers in his ark. Anyhow Germany has the consolation of knowing that she won't go hungry as long as her neighbors have a bite to spare. Remember when instead of war, back yonder about all we had to talk about was Halley's comet. After France's ganging-up with Japan against Uncle Sam, it won't make such a big difference about that hunger business. ' When a woman wants to forget a man she invariably wants a remembrance of some sort to help in the process of forget ting. What Goes on Here? , Ralph Gardner, of Shelby, up and coming son of former Governor O. Max Gardner, was elected president of North Carolina Young Democrats, at the ninth annual con vention held in Raleigh last week. Young Gardner is a likeable and capable chap in his own right, and ambitious and aggressive he should go places and do things politically in North Carolina. We've a notion that is why he craved to be hetman of the Young Demo crats. But there are other equally capable, de serving and ambitious among the Young Democrats who are qualified for leadership and who had announced for the place long before young Gardner got in the race. Just why did these run for cover when young Ralph took out after the job? Being an Old Democrat, probably you do not know the answer—but it's in the back of the book. We'd hesitate to say that the several candidates for this place of leadership were scared by a name and the influence it carries in North Carolina. But you'll agree that any fellow who has the backing of such a capable papa, plus that of Uncle Clyde and Uncle Odus, all of whom have ways of get ting things done, that fellow's on the high road to success, take it from us. The presidency of the Young Democrats organization is a stepping stone to higher things, politically, a springboard from which several fine and capable young fellows have leaped to fame and fortune, or to some com fortable place of leadership that keeps them constantly in line for promotion. One wonders then, whether Ralph covet ed this place simply for the honor that goes with it, or whether he is grooming himself for big things in political North Carolina. The voters could well be asking them selves whether four years hence they will again be asked to choose a governor whose home precinct is the same that has furnish ed the last two from the West, thus making it three in a row "drafted" from this illus trious family. And that's not saying Ralph wouldn't make a good Chief Executive. Probably he would. But that would be kinda "rushing the growler." May Harness the Yadkin The Federal and State governments have been at loggerheads over control of the Yad kin river, particularly in its lower stretches and insofar as any usage to which its waters are put affects navigation in the area im mediately above and beyond where it changes its name. But after the millions of dollars damage done by the Yadkin's mad waters recently, we reckon there will be no division of opin ion as to the fact that it is a potential flood threat and no lack of co-operation in any program of flood control. In North Wilkesboro the other day, Ma jor Reading Wilkinson, of the U. S. Army Engineering department, was telling an in terested group that field men had been sent into the area to make report on recent flood damage, and that Army engineers are studying plans for a flood control system in the valley. Major Wilkinson suggests three feasible plans that could be employed: One em bracing a dam or dams for flood control only; another a more extensive dam that could be used to generate electricity, as well as provide a reservoir to catch and hold un usual downpours; and still another that would involve the building of numerous smaller dams on tributary streams for flood control only. That is a matter for trained minds to work out. But the action of the Yadkin when it put on its fighting clothes recently means that the engineers have a job on they- hfuids. But when their report is coupled with that of representatives of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, maybe the federal government may be coiivinced that action is needed. In that case the recent flood will not have been in vain. Heretofore government engineers have been up and down the Yadkin mapping and measuring its course, and from this prelim inary work doubtless the present study can be hastened to the point where presently we will be seeing some definite start toward flood controC and this hitched to the soil conservation program should bring better days to present and future farmers and in dustrialists up and down the Yadkin Valley. Being Frank About It In spite of the fact that William S. Cul bertson, a leading light in the legal fra ternity, called the aid we are extending to Britain, "pretense and hypocrisy" he had something on the ball just the same. Cul bertson was addressing the annual conven tion of the American Bar Association at Philadelphia and insisting that we would be doing much better by ourselves if, in a world of aggression and undeclared wars, we would adopt an opportunity policy which would allow us to do anything we wish to accomplish as our objective. Which is to say he would have us act natural like, and unafraid. He does not op pose every aid to Britain, no. On the con trary he favors it, but not under the fiction of a tortured law called neutrality. "If one law can be explained away for a good cause, another can be explained away for a bad cause," said he. He believes in orderly processes and that we are not living up to our preaching and our boasted American frankness and open ness when we resort to subterfuge. He is as eager as the next one to save the British Empire, but he is eager to save the law too. "Let us not try to justify our unneutral acts by law," says Culbertson. "Let us rather say frankly that we are not neutral; that we are not governed by the accepted rules of neutrality; that we are released from doing so by the violence and illegality of Germany and her associates and that we feel free to take such steps as are necessary to preserve our territory, our institutions and our way of life." And indeed that would be the American way. What we have been doing for Eng land is not in accordance with the letter or spirit of our neutrality laws, passed by a Congress that was interested as much in po litical expediency as international righteous ness. But are we to be excused for making rules that we knew would never be follow ed if it suited better to pay no mind to the blue-print? In the end the Culbertson way would get us into less trouble and at the same time maintain our own self-respect. Passing laws that say we won't do this or will do that easily could encourage some European dictator to go ahead with his bonfire: Tell ing the cockeyed world we would do the right thing as it is given us to see it, and reserve the privilege of making up our mind until the last might help by keeping others guessing. It's Courage, Plus Fear Hitler is keeping his promise made back yonder when he hoped to scare Britain out of the notion of fighting—that he would bomb London with wave after wave of planes belching death and destruction. But that threat then, did not keep Britain from fighting, and the actuality now leaves the British morale a glorious spectacle that is the admiration of the world. For human beings to be robbed of their sleep ceaselessly, day in and day out, by the ominous roar of planes and the bursting of bombs and the staccato of defense batteries is enough to run them crazy; enough to prompt them to bid for peace, any sort of peace that would end it all. That's why a couple of ambitious hellions are keeping it up, hoping to make it the cheap way for a German Victory. The courage of the British people has been put to the test before, and never have they failed to come through. But never be fore have they been called on to face such terrible punishment, because the battle is being carried into homes instead of confin ing it to battlefields. Give the English people credit for un usual stamina and courage under the most trying circumstances, but remember that they'd perhaps be less determined to go on to the end no matter how bitter it may be, if it were not for the certainty that a Ger man victory would mean a slavery worse than death itself to a proud people. For this is no ordinary war fought ac cording to established rules, and the victor is not mindful of the vanquished when he is saturated with the idea that' his is a su perior race, meant to rule or ruin. England sees what France did not see, or preferred not to see. For one thing Eng land sees France, sees what is happening to France—after peace. And England is de termined to have no such peace. When France capitulated and signed an armistice, that was only a mere detail of the victory—then began the humiliating sub jugation that will eventually leave France nothing but a shell, hollowed of everything of worth and left helpless in any effort to rehabilitate herself. The processes are as those of a cat with a mouse. The Petain government will be supplanted by another— at Hitler's bidding, and if there be sincere effort to build on the' ruins, it will be thwarted by German connivery. That's what Britain faces in defeat, that helps to explain British courage, and- may God save us if we don't undertake to save ourselves from the same fate. THE ELKIN TRIBUNE, ELKIN, NORTH CAROLINA WASHINGTON Washington, Sept. 17 Presi dential campaigns are won or lost in the last three Weeks of Octo ber. That is the history of all of them. It is something to keep in mind when anyone comes forth with the claim that the election is "in the bag" for either Mr. Roosevelt or Mr. Willkie. It isn't. The most expert and exper ienced students of politics and political trends are agreed, as of the middle of September, that the political signs all show that there isn't a hairsbreadth to choose be tween the two candidates, in their estimates of the probable votes on November 5. That is what the newspaper correspondents say, also, who have been traveling around the country with the two candidates. For the moment it would ap pear to the casual observer that Mr. Roosevelt has a slight edge on Mr. Willkie. There are sev eral reasons for that impression, apart from the fact that a Presi dent in office, running for re election, always has an advan tage over one who is trying to take the job away from him. In Mr. Roosevelt's case, however, that particular advantage is be lieved to be counteracted to a large extent by the anti-third term feeling among the voters, including many of the staunchest old-line Democrats. But assuming that those two considerations balance each other, the President seems definitely to have made great gains in popular favor because of things he has been able to do, while Mr. Will kie, in the circumstances, cannot do anything but talk about what is going on. Destroyer Deal Popular Probably the most popular thing Mr. Roosevelt has ever done was his consummation of the deal with Great Britain for swapping 50 "over-age" destroy ers for a long chain of naval and airplane bases from which to guard our Atlantic coast and the approaches to the Panama Canal from attack from the East. The criticism of his method of put ting this over, like his agreement with Canada for mutual defense, is regarded by the public as a rather abstract and legalistic point. How far Mr. Willkie can make his criticism stick is a doubtful question. The mass of the voters doesn't care whether a President consults Congress or not before acting, even on a matter of such vital implications. All that the people demand of the Executive is that he shall act, and that Mr. Roose velt did, whereas Mr. Willkie was not in a position where he could act. Mr. Roosevelt has another de cided advantage, which he has not hesitated to seize. After an nouncing that he would make no political speeches and take no active part in politics during the campaign, he started on his tour of inspection of defense prepara tions, dedication of public works and parks, and made "non political" speeches at every stop. Whatever the President of the United States says, anywhere, at any time, is news, and has to be put on the press ass9ciation tele graph wires,'whether it has po litical implications or not. Therefore, Mr. Roosevelt has been able to snatch the front page headlines away from Mr. Willkie by doing and saying things in his capacity as Presi dent, which he might not have said or done if he had not also been a. candidate for re-election. As Washington observers see it, Mr. Roosevelt has made, valuable political capital for himself out of the whole defense program and the war situation. Course Approved Whether or not, as some who do not care very much for Mr. Roosevelt are saying, not too loud, he really precipitated the war scare and promoted the whole defense program for per sonal political reasons, the fact remains that except as to what the public considers insignificant details, the voters of both major parties are practically a unit in approving the Administration's course. What the Republican counter attack may be, and how effective It may prove, are matters still in the realm of speculation. The Willkie campaign is only just starting, and the Republican pol icy seems hardly to be fully form ulated. It will be Wendell Will kie's personal policy, everybody in Washington political circles be lieves, as much as the Democratic policy is personal to Mr. Roose velt. The old-time Republican party leaders are having very lit tle to say in the campaign plans, as they had little or nothing to Another Air Raid Victim \^^ll -^j/l x ,TL X 4^ ■ • ■ s , tODAyI TOMORROW^ nun'ram I ITOXK BilPOl m DEFENSE materials When a nation contemplates fighting, either for offense or de fense, it needs a lot of different materials which it can always get in time of peace but which are hard to lay hands on when need ed in time of war. Military men call such materials that are not readily at hand in an emergency "critical" materials. There is a long list of "critical" materials which will have to be provided for before the great pro gram of national defense now starting can be completed. First on the Army's list Is manganese. Then there are tin, rubber, silk, magnesium and charcoal of a special quality. Manganese comes first, because without it steel of the necessary hardness and toughness for use in firearms, and all other mili tary equipment made of steel, cannot be produced. The best estimate of the nation's manga nese requirements for the rearm ament program is 960,000 tons a year. The steel companies, among them, have a little more than that on hand, and the Govern ment has bought 86,500 tons, for about two and a half million dol lars, as a reserve. But outside of Russia the whole world produces only 640,000 tons a year. CYCLOPS .... disappeared Very little manganese is pro duced in the United States. The largest producer is Brazil. In the last World War the U. S. collier "Cyclops," loaded with 10,000 tons of Brazilian manganese, dis appeared so completely that no trace of the ship or crew has ever been found; probably the work of a German submarine. Washing ton has never forgotten that, and say about Mr. Willkie's nomina tion. Independents to Decide Therein, Mr. Willkie's active supporters contend, lies his strength. Everybody concedes that the election will De decided by the great body of several mil lion independent voters, who owe allegiance to neither party and have little use for politicians as a breed. In the past, the political party has told the candidate what to say and do and when and how to do it. This year it is the can didate who is giving orders to the party managers. He called a lot of them together at Rushvllle, where he has established his per sonal headquarters for the cam paign, and told them to get busy in their home states—and made them like it. A man of tremendous physical energy and vitality, who thinks fast on his feet and talks offhand to crowds in an appealing way, Mr. Willkie is pinning his hope of election upon the program of several hundred speeches he ex pects to make before election, as much as upon party organization. And the indications that Wash ington sees are that he Is likely to focus his campaign upon personal attacks on the President's alleged ambition to become the dictator of America. is trying to find sources nearer home. The most promising source seems to be Cuba. A process de veloped by the PYeeport Sulphur Company, owner of the Cuban deposits, concentrates the low grade ore into the higher grade necessary for steel making. But the Cuban-American Manganese Corporation has a capacity of only 100,000 tons a year of ferro grade manganese, Or about one tenth of expected rearmament re quirements. With manganese shipments from Russia, India and Africa shut off by war and those from South America threatened, the search for domestic sources is in tense. Plenty of low-grade de posits have been found, but few suitable for high-grade steel making. The Bureau of Mines is spending two million dollars in the hunt. One big copper min ing company is developing a method of refining American ore. But we are still short of man ganese. TIN vital Tin is another metal which we don't produce but have to have, not only for containers but as an alloy for use with other metals in making many important parts of military machines. The alloy of tin and copper, which we call bronze, is the oldest of all alloys. When the ancient Carthaginians ventured to sail their ships to England, they found the native Britons mining tin in Cornwall, and became rich bringing it back to sell to Rome. Bronze swords, arrowheads and shields were the first effective weapons of war. They were far superior to the stone weapons of the primitive tribes, and enabled peoples who had them to become great nations. After a while other peoples found out how to smelt iron and the Bronze Age passed into history. And Rome exterm inated Carthage. We get little tin from the mines now. Most of our supply comes from the Malay Peninsula and Bolivia, a long sea voyage in each case. But new methods of reclaiming tin from old cans, and a still newer method of making Unless food containers, promise relief in time from the present critical shortage of tin. SUBSTITUTES . . available Military people have stopped worrying about the rubber sup ply, thbugh great "stock piles" of natural rubber are being accum ulated, because it is cheaper, so far, than the new and superior synthetic rubbers produced by Goodrich, Firestone and others. There's been a lot of worry in Washington about the charcoal supply. Gas masks must have charcoal filters, and the best sub stance for those has been coco nut shells, which have to be brought a long way by sea. But the Carbide & Carbon Chemicals Corporation has just announced the invention of a method of making a better gas-mask char coal out of ordinary sawdust, coal or other materials. OCEAN mined Everything known to man is in the sea, if you know where to find it. There's more gold in the sea than ever was mined, but it costs too much to get it out. But some smart chemists, working for the Dow Chemical Company, found how to get out of the sea two elements which are essential in the construction and operation :TT *. - Thursday, September lg, 1940 of modern airplanes. One is the metal magnesium, the other is bromine. Magnesium is the lightest of all metals, which makes it valuable in airplane building. It is tough and easily worked, but hard to find. Chemists learned that there's enough magnesium in a cubic mile of sea water to supply all the airplane needs of the world for years to come. They found an economical way of ex tracting it, and now we're build ing planes out of Gulf of Mexico water! Modern high-pressure engines call for "anti-knock" gasoline. One of the things added to gas for that purpose is bromine. Off the Carolina coast huge pumps bring seawater to great chemical plants where the bromine is ex tracted and shipped to the gaso line refineries. There isn't anything man can't do if he has to. Read It All Boss: "Well, did you read that letter I sent you?" Office Boy: "Yes, sir, I read it inside and outside. On the inside it said, 'You are fired,' and on the outside, 'Return in five days'." Good for Habby Lady Customer: "I see this medicine is advertised as good for man and beast." Druggist: "Yes." Customer: "Gimme a bottle. I believe it's the right combination to help my husband." Mr. Ducken, the new foreman, was making the rounds the first morning and came upon John idling behind some crates and said, "I am Ducken, the new boss." John answered, "So am I." LEGION, AUXILIARY TO HOLD JOINT MEET Members of the George Gray Post of the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary will meet in joint session Thursday evening, September 26, at the W. A. Neaves picnic ground at 6:30 for a chick en stew and picnic supper. All members of both organizations are urged to attend. A program is being planned, and it is hoped that a speaker will be present. RONDA SINGING MEET TO BE HELD SEPT. 29th The next meeting of the Ronda singing convention will be held at Bethel church, five miles south west of Elkin, Sunday, September 29, beginning at 10 ajn. The public is invited to attend and all gospel singers are asked to attend and have a part in the day's program. W. H. Jones is chairman and R. R. Crater secre tary. We have just received new shipment of grass seed RYE GRASS EVERGREEN SHADY LAWN KY. BLUE GRASS F. A. BRENDLE & SON Elkin, N. C.
The Elkin Tribune (Elkin, N.C.)
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Sept. 19, 1940, edition 1
6
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