Chath am Blanketeer
Vol. 5 SEPTEMBER 18, 1939 No. 24
Mr. Chatham Tells of European Trip
CylI7J7rV U/1MJ7 Pictured below is our presi-
ijAt LjLI LLUIYILi dent, Mr. Thurmond Chat
ham, who with Mrs. Chatham and their two children, ar
rived safely home from war-torn Europe after an exciting
visit to France, Scotland and England, where they noted
preparation for war going on on all sides.
BOAT WAS NEAR
DOOMED ATHENIA
Empress of Britain Followed Zig
Zaff Course Home; Believes
Should Aid Allies
By THURMOND CHATHAM
It’s hard to express my happi
ness over being home again.
North Carolina never looked quite
so good—maybe once before when
I came back in January, 1919,
after serving with the American
Navy in Evirope.
When we reached Prance and
England in late July, I was as
tonished at the preparations for
war. We got off the ship in
Cherbourg and the first thing
that struck me was the blue col
or everywhere. Every factory
window, every skylight and thou
sands of windows in homes and
stores were painted a dark blue.
The reason being that they would
get some daylight, but at night
the lights could not be seen from
the air. We noticed this all the
way to Paris—six hours by train.
Every railroad window was fitted
with new inside blinds that could
be pulled at night. Along the
tracks signal lights were masked
and small crosses showing red or
green in place. The names of
stations and advertising signs
such as our factories use, were
all being taken down.
In Paris, there was no partic
ular excitement but air-raid shel
ters were being built, the stores
were putting steel shutters over
their windows, concrete founda
tions for anti-aircraft guns were
lieing laid in the parks and pub
lic grounds. The pictures in the
famous Louvre Museum were be
ing taken down and stored in
deep cellars. Officers and troops
could be seen everywhere, and the
streets reminded me of the fall
of 1918 when I was in Paris.
My second day in Paris I met
my old friend, Harry Luce, who
is President of Time, Life and
Fortune. He had flown from
England that morning (July 26)
and was flying to Poland that af
ternoon, getting first hand in
formation for his magazines. The
first thing he said to me was
“There’s going to be war and it
will be very soon.” He told me
that he had found the British
and French people were worn out
with Hitler and the German
Oovernment. He said the masses
in Britain and Prance—not the
rulers—were for stopping Hitler
at whatever price. That Cham
berlain had given and given and
that each time Hitler had broken
his word.
I found all this to be true. I
talked to hundreds of people and
without exception they were for
war, if Germany went into Po
land. I talked to farmers, labor
ers, mill owners, women, young
men in college or just out of col
lege. In every case it was the
same. Life will be unbearable if
Germany rules Europe. Every
thing that the British have done
for centuries in the way of free
and democratic rule will be des-
(Continued on Page Eight)
CLUB TO STAGE
PHOTO CONTEST
T. C. U. Group to Award Prizes
for Best Pictures; Contest Is
for Employees Only
Russell Burcham
If you see one of the employees
running around with a camera in
his hand and a funny gleam in
his eyes, do not get excited be
cause he has no intention of do
ing you any harm. He is only a
camera “bug” getting ready for
the Photo Contest which the T.
C. U. is sponsoring for all em
ployees of the Elkin and Winston
Mills.
There are many employees in
both plants who are interested in
photography as a hobby and
realizing that this hobby is of
great educational value the mem
bers of the T. C. U. Club believe
that such a photo contest will
arouse much interest on the part
of many employees. Four cash
prizes amounting to ten dollars
v.’ill be awarded first and second
place winners in the two classes
—animate and inanimate.
Animate photos may include
(Continued on Page Eight)
FIRE CAUSES DAMAGE
TO WAGONER HOME
Fire of an unknown origin
Tuesday night caused damage
estimated at $200 to a house oc
cupied by J. J. Wagner and own
ed by Chatham Manufacturing
Company. Contents were not
damaged. The loss is covered by
insurance.
Actual fire damage was confin
ed to the kitchen, but other por
tions of the house were damaged
by the heat and repainting will
be necessary.
Six hundred feet of hose were
used to lay the water line. The
frame structure was ablaze when
firemen arrived.
L. H. C. CLUB IS TO
SPONSOR BINGO PARTY
The Lucy Hanes Chatham Club
No. 1 will sponsor a Bingo Party
at the Club House, October 6. A
nominal charge will be made and
prizes awarded the winners.
Tickets will go on sale Septem
ber 25. Get your ticket and at
tend this party.