North Carolina Newspapers

OLDEST DAILY IN THE STATE. . ... ... „ -, :> FOUNDED A. D. 1867.—VOL. CX—No. 131. WILMINGTON, N. C., WEDNESDAY MORNING, JANUARY 24, 1923. Rain Today; Wednesday Rain, Warmer verage 8, Circulation 000 NO MOVE BY U. S. IN RUHR CRISIS WOULD BEAR FRUIT fro Ground For Anticipating That Action by American Would Prove Helpful twshington HAS HAD NO CAUSE TO HELP Belgium Could Not Call Brus sels Conference; Neither Could Any Other Nation WASHINGTON, Jan. 23—American J.ff.u-ts to be helpful to Europe in-the rrpar.-.tions crisis can be predicted only on a reasonable anticipation of suc f0SS it was reiterated today by an au thorizo,1 spokesman for the Washing ton government. Whatever the futura may hold, there is no present ground for anticipating that any move the pnit,hi States could make as a benSv 0]ent bystander would bear fruit. Words, it was said, whether of protest or m any other form, would he worse than useless. \ \ clear-cut picture of the course of fVM:ts was drawn to show that there has been no moment since the failure of the allied premiers last August to agree on a reparations program, when the Washington government might have moved directly with any hope of foeoess. Through all the discussion that followed, it was said, up to actual military ■ occupation of the Ruhr, by France, there ran the thought that an economic conference in Brussels might he railed. The whole field of possi bilities for such a conference was ex plored by Belgium, it Was said, with out revealing conditions that, war ranted an assumption that it might not be merely another abortive effort fraught with more possible harm than probabel good. And for that reason It was added, Belgium did not call the Brussels conference, nor Could any other power have done so. Yet. it was recalled that the possi bility of ultimate failure of the pre-y miers to reach an agreement had not; been lost sight of in Washington, and: that Secretary Hughes had taken the. only course administration officials could soe when he suggested that iiy lernational financiers be: called in to advise with the allied statesmen. And. it \yas also pointed opt that evfu after., the premiers assembled *ln Paris this month, only to agree or disagree, It; was not until the French plan of ocCl*' potion of the Ruhr was handed -to the Germans that it was -known to the. world that French troops were to be sent in force into the region to be oc cupied. Even Italy, it was added, very evidently agreed to the French pro gram on the understanding,, that no more than civil supervision was to be attempted. In answer to suggestions that the Fnitcd States pretest against the French course, it was pointed out that not alone was no direct American In terest involved, but that there was no fore knowledge'of the nature of the occupation. And it was added, for the administration viewpoint, that to pro test now could not fail to be viewed by France as calculated to stiffen German refinance which must must arouse French resentment and impede any fu ture American effort toward helpful ness. In the same way it was said, any ac tion by the United States toward me diation that seemed to recognize any basis of right behind the French occu-. ration must be resented in Germany, and block the success of pacific , en deavors from that Bade. The failure of Italy's move to bring about such a.me diution, it was added, was a lesson that could not be ignored. It was pointed out that through all tin months i receding the actual occu patkn, England, Belgium and.Italy had soi f ht fruitlessly for a’ way to' avoid' the s’tuation that has now become an accomplished fact. I- was made clear that officials here fully understand that, regardless of what American opinion as to the best menus of American helpfulness may be the i copies and governments of ,Eu-. rl in- lelieve it should take the form of debt cancellations. There is no possi ' dity, it was asserted,' nor has there been any lime during the months since August, when the United States could have cancelled an economic conference 1 ecav.se European demands for discus sior cf debts must have been met by tn< sir lament that congress had taken cut r; the band of the executive branch of the government the entire matter of ;ilii(i debts and prescribed by law what should be done. , ■ ■ t - - y There is no disposition in adminis ! ration circles to ask authority to can cel the debts, nor, it was said, -is thpre any ii tention of making proposals to Hie allied powers which would be met oy the challenge that the United States had not ratified the treaty of Ver -s.'iillr-s, had not entered into the trlpar^ Hie agreement for protection of France and bad not entered the league'of na tions. Carey J. Hunter Dies / " at Home in - -Raleigh RALEIGH, Jan. 23.—After an Illness "f more than two mdnthS, * CaT'dy 3. Hunter, widely known business man H.nd prominent Baptist layman, died at his home here this afternoon at 2 o'clock. Burial will not^ take place until Thursday. The- hour ; has not '"■m selected. ~ • * ! , For 30 years' pior to hisdeath, he held the state agency for ar'natior.al insurance concern and was director in a number of banks and other business f-nterprises. He was a member of ,'tlte hoard of trustees of Meredith > arid IVake Forest colleges, the fipst presi dent of the Raleigh Y. M. O. :A.,*and " as a member of the state board 'of ■ harities and-'public MANY THOUSAND STEEL WORKERS QUIT; MINERS CONTINUE TO CARRY-ON *3 Strike is in Protest of Arrest of Fritz Thyssen, Head of Big German Industrial Establishments MINERS INCREASE PRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY Railway Service is Reported to be Almost Norami; Future Action of Labor is Thought to ■ Depend on Outcome of Trials of German Industrialists at Mayence Today; Custom Of ficials Quit and French Are Preparing to Fill Their Places; Isolation of Ruhr Region Not Anticipated ’ (By The Associated Press.) Many thousands of steel workers In the Ruhr district have put their strike threat into operation in protest against, the arrest of Frits Thyssen. The mine workers, however, have failed to carry ou the orders -of the German govern ment, and not only are digging oal and sending it to the surface, but are. increasing, their productive activities. Meanwhile, the railway service is re ported to be almost normal. The fu ture action of labor, however, is be lieved to depend on the outcome of trial of the German industrialists, which is fixed for Wednesday at May The German customs official at sev eral places are .on strike, and the French are njaking arrangements to All their place. , ' The French'officials, report a ccmsia erable movement in German troops _jn German - non-occupled territory. The meaning of this is not indicated • The Italian premier, Musolini, is re ported to have declared that Italy has made no offer to intervene in the Ruhr situation, but -lias merely advised moda eration’ on' the part of France and warned Germany of the dangers of re action. * , ., Isolation of. the Ruhr region, threat ened bv France in case of a general strike, is considered not likely to be come effective because the Germans must continue to operate the trains..in order to bring in food supplies for the. populations. KAttBORiwtonv ?s — md employes of the ThyssenTdants ip tls^ city and MUlheim went on rtrlte >day; awing1 to the French refusal .lease -Frits Thyssen, Who is held ** layence awaiting court martial for re ding to co-operate with the occupa onal authorities. No disorders have sen reported among the strikers, hut le French are1 reinforcing their ef ■ctives in the strike area, fonapai T>f» Goutt. conimander in tiief of the , occupational military >rces, has ref used to. receive a dele ation of the Thyssen workers. BERLIN. Jan. 23.—Replying to the «« nrotest over the shooting of g&V'SSMspr Langaar Friday, the French french s declares in a communica o'fTeelved today That "it is impossi for the French government to re ive a Jnote couched in such terms. . Th! German protest over the r“8t 0t,nFSyS-*d the* reply ^ rvsrssCT'Vsa.'.;; rtTa^beFrenchgovemmentre d th1he rfght to take such actions rveB ‘J? hesitated by the attitude ^German government officials or tionals._ Individuals Pay Small Percentage of State Income Tax in 1922 * Morning Star’* Bureau. 812 Tucker Building. : * By BROCK BARKLEY. RALEIGH, Jan. 23.—Individuals paid less than- one-fourth of the state In _orne tax last year, according to fig ures* given ‘out -by Revenue Commis eloner A D. Watts today showing that of The tbtal tax of 32,414,726.06 for 1922, corporations paid $1,871,533.16 and in dividuals 3543,19,2.90. nnid Onlv two persons in the state pala on an annual income of morethan $100, To the state collecting 312,805.77 from them on reported incomes aggregating 3426,865. Twenty-two persons paid on incomes ranging from 356.000 to J*00’" 060. The tax from these amounted to ^Colonel Watts reports the further classification of Individual Income tax oavers as follows: Seventeen with in comes between 340,000 and $60,000. total tax 120,910.75; 27 with incomes between 130,000 and $40,000, total tax $52,920.71; 89 with inpoipes between $20,000 and • on 000, total tax $62,920,60; 310 with incomes between $10,000 and 320,000, ^T^ntySlx4 thousand three hundred and sixty.-silcJ»J*vl?U^lB remjrted tax able. ineomes ,<k less. A6',0,00 a d they paid ihpo.me tax >230.860.73. Turks’ Attitudfe on Mosul May Cause War "LAOSANKBi ‘-Jinn. »•—(By the Associated Preds.l Marquis Our i bob, British foreign secretary, told the near eut conference this eve ning that the refusal of Turkey to »nbml*t t|je tUquie over; tlt Morol oil diatrtak to. the league, of nations • bag created a situation pf extreme & gravity, ft n* Se grave,-he added; ;■, a» to Involve the possibility of, a renewal o* vrurfara. • HOUSE JUDICIARY BODY DISPOSED OF STATE WIDE BILLS Measure Authorizing Juries to Recommend Mercy Reported “Without Prejudice” MARRIAGE LICENSE BILL GOES SAME WAY Spirited Debate Results Over Consideration of These Two Measures RALEIGH, N. C„ Jan. 23—(By the Associated Press.)—Legislation which would provide that Juries may, in cases where the ' evidence justifies, rec ommend mercy when charges against a. defendant carry the death penalty, and a bill to provide that fifteen days notice be posted with the register of deeds before the Issuance of a marriage license, came in for heated, legislative lebate and compromise late today when house judiciary committee No. 2 took these matters under discussion. ' At the same time the finance com mittee of the house turned out taxa tion matters for final report and the house committee on salaries and fees took up i bills relating to abolition of county offices, appointment of tax collectors, salaries of various county officials and salaries and fees of solicitors. * The Martin bill to post notice of marriage, when its title was read, was recommended for unfavorable report, but Representative Martin, of Wash ington county, came to the defense of his measure with an impassioned plea for the protection of the marriage con tract. He said his bill was aimed to prevent hasty marriages which might be entered into by persons whose in tention were not honorable. A substitute motion was- .made that, with certain amendments, the bill be reported without prejudice, which course ’was taken. The bill presented by Representatives Ervin and Gaston to allow juries to recommend mercy was supported by Mr. , Ervin; who presented figures. to show the dumber ot cases where ’the maximum penalty.#aa exacted as com pared wftlTtjiftjirumber 'who'obtained commutation' through executive clem ency,- and after long debate the bill also went on the calendar report with out prejudice. Other measures which came before this committee included , a bill to amend the lien law to provide that a lien may be taken on a'tombstone for work performed thereon. This bill was held over for a further hearing. The committee to investigate the state printing department met at 8 o’clocktonight in the offices of the corporation commissioner and its or ganization was perfected. The house and senate both passed through busy sessions today. The killing of the Martin-Dillard jury tax measure and the heated debate on the McKinnon-Cobb bill, to allow election of public school officers by popular vote in Robeson county featured the house meeting. The committee on roads and turnpikes recommended favorably the bill to provide fifteen million dollars for continuation of the state’s good roads program, and bills to provide Lee county road bonds and roads bonds for Macon county passed the third reading roll call vote. Rep resentative Ray’s • measure to allow Macon board of county commissioners to pay a bonus for wild cat scaps passed the third reading on the pub lic local calendar. FORECAST BY STATES. WASHINGTON, Jari. 23.—Virginia: Rain on the coast; rain and snow in the' interior; somewhat warmer Wed nesday; Thursday rain. North Carolina; Rain Wednesday; somewhat' warmer In interior; Thurs day clearing. • South Carolina: Rain Wednesday; slightly warmer in interior; Thursday fair. Georgia: Rain Wednesday; cooler in extreme south portion; Thursday- fair. Tennessee: Rain Wednesday; Thurs day cloudy, no change in temperature. IN MOREHOUSE ENDS Announcement Officially Made by Attorney General at Bas trop Last Night SKIPWITH AGAIN vpj ; FIGURES'IN telephone Operator Says Exal ted Cyclops Asked Her Not to Handle Calls BASTROP. La, Jan. 23.—(By As •oclated Press.)—It wm officially announced tonight by Attorney General A. V. Coco, who baa per sonally conducted the state’s open hearing here Into masked .band ac tivities In Morehouse parish, that the hearing would be concluded tomorrow. i BASTROP, La., Jan. 23.—(By Asso ciated Press.)—The name of Capt. J. K. Sklpwith, exalted cyclops of the Morehouse parish Ku Kiux Klan, again figured prominently in testimony given today at the state's open hearing Into operations of masked men in the par ish, which culminated August 24 in the kidnaping of Watt Daniel and T. F Richard, of Mer Rouge, whose bodies were found December 22, In Lake La Fouche. . . Miss Lillian Weilenman, a telephone operator in the Bastrop exchange, tes tified -that Captain VSklpwith had re quested her not to handle any calls be tween Bastrop and Mer Rouge, either outgoing or incoming, hut- any effort by the state to definitely -set the date of the request as August 24, failed. Captain Sklpwith also was mentioned by Puckett Mason Shd Roy RnJadnax, of Oallion, both of whom attended the celebration here . on August 24. Mason said he wag with Daniel, Richard and W. C. Andrews, another man kidnaped that day, and that dur ing the late 'afternoon he was seated with them on the lawn x'about the courthouse. Mason testified that Cap tain Sklpwith “was walking around talking to various man who were strangers to me.” The witness said that Sklpwith "would walk up to a man and say something and then lcok at us.” Captain Sklpwith did this several times, he tegtl^ed, and he-, said fo Rich- j ard, “I guess the Ku Klux are up to something.” Richard replied: “They don’t want fne; they had me last week.” 1 • , y Richard was taken out- by a small party of , masked men 'on, August 17 j and questioned eonqgfWog^nn allege!}. •imatjjtrtv IMF®-‘Moisre- 5 Koin,;’former irta-j'nf of Mer Rouge. The' testimony of Bordeaux was along the same line as that of Mason. i Clarence Tcegerstrom, ■ brother ' of Harold Teegerstrom, time-keepqr at! the plant of the'Southern Carbon com pany at Spyker, who disappeared on the night of December 29 and for whom both the state arid department of Jus tice agents have been searching, tes tified to having received a note from his brother of January 12. Teeger strom electrified the spectators an^ of ficials by admitting that he was a. member of the Ku Klux Klan and in reply to a question- stated that he hgd Joined the organization the first of this month. - - ' The letter from, his brother, he testi fied, bore an uncancelled 2-cent stamp and it was handed to him by. Dean Ashcraft, who said it had been taken out of the mail box of the Carbon company by ‘S. I. Bennett, the .super intendent. • Harold's communication assured Clarence that he, was all right, and would be on hand when the state wanted him as, a witness, and that he would testify for “Mr. Jeff.” British to Honor Walter Hines Page LONDON, Jan. 2&-—(By the As sociated Press.) , An appeal for funds for a permanent memorial to the late Walter Hines Page, for mer American ambassador to Great Britain,'will be Issued within a few days over the- signatures of Prime Minister Boitmr Law, the -Karl of ‘ Balfour.. Herbert Asquith, David Lloyd George and Load' Grey, the ; .British ministers with whom the i ambassador waa broagiit into clos est contaob. The form the memorial Is to take will depend upon the amount of the contrUiuiions, - Measure Aimed at Unmasking Klan Reported U nf av or ably RALEIGH, Jan. 23.—(By, the As sociated Press.)—The Baggett un masking bill, which the author declar ed was directed against al mauraud ers ’or secret assailants and not against the Ku .KlUx Klan in any or dinary exercise of the purpose* of a fraterhal order, was reported' unfavor ably by the committee'' late today fol lowing a public hearing in which ad vocates of legislation-to reach the Ku Klux Klan spoke in its favor; Senator Baggett stated tonight that minority report would be made, on the floor of the,senate. Both of the senate, judiciary com mittee sitting and" voting together, passed on. the hill. Senator Bag gett, its author, summoned .witnesses from among a number of people who assembled for.the hearing, calling first ujfon Rev. J.’A. Campbell; principal of Buie's Creek' academy. .Mr. Campbell, O' N. Odom,’ principal ,01 Zebulon high school, Wake'county; M- Strihgfleld, H. ‘ C. Blackwell, lawyers, of Fayette ville, and other's advocated the bill. >' At the conclusion of their addresses, Senator Mark Squires, of Caldwell, of fered a-substitute bill, worded exactly Ilk’s the United States statute of 1868, amended in 1870.and enacted to control the oriainal Ku Klux Klan activities , In the southern states,,, with, , "North Carolina”' substituted, , for., -."(United States" whereuppn, . Senator. Baggett spoke at some length, for. his, own measure, declaring the requirement of thVold federal statute of proof.of fel onious intent would defeat the. pur pose of his'bill.- , During the examination, of' .Mr. Strtngfield,' Senatdr Johnson, of' Dup lin county. a'sked the witness whether Ku • Klux Klan' hud not convicted cer tain of his- clients in Cumberland county, and ‘when' the witness replied that he' did hot think 'so,' fhe senator; -said , that the klah had done so: “How do -you know-?’" Senator Charles U. Harris, of -Wake, Inquired, “are you a member of the Ku' Kiifx Klan?”' * Senator Johnson said - that he •' war not a member -and that he did not re fer to court convictions but' he -spoke in explanation- of hlS vote- against 'the bill,, declaring!-that, although Ku Klux hdd opposed him -in- his campaign -for election, thathe*' knew- jjis constitu ency was kgalnst t£e proposed legis lation and he intended to represent that Oeptiment. • He asked* that the- bill be .amendedto except ,hls district.,- The amendment v^as adopted and. the adop ted .and'the. unfavorable vote, on the "bill an amended 'followed.',:' ' ,'Lj-'i* OPPOSITION LAUNCHES ATTACK ON SHIP LINE Opponents Plan Bitter Assault When AVater Commerce Com Resume Joint Open Hearing Today; Sen ^yjfcj^'ator Giles Joins Forces Opposing Governor’s Plans m? , __ Morning Star Bureau. 312 Tucker Building . By BROCK BARKLKY f RALEIGH, Jan.' 23.—The opponents of the state 'administration shipping measure will launch their attack on the bill tomorrow afternoon when the joint open hearing of the house and senate water commerce committees resume hearings on the Governor's proposals providing for state owned and oper ated boat lines, Many other committee hearing® have been staged for this week, including a number for tojnorow but some of these were sidetracked when the attention bf legislators were called to the ship line hearing scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The opposition is preparing to launch a b'ltter attack on. the plan before the commitee, and it is expected that the opposition's side will take up as much of the committee’s time as did the pro ponent’s argument las^ week. To the leadership of the senate op position has been added during the last twenty-four hours Senator D. F. Giles, of McDowell county. He goes with Senator Harry Stubbs, of Martin, who is the original opposition leader. Senator Giles was in a long conference with Governor Morrison yesterday af ternoon but his previous . decision to fight the measure was not changed as a result. The successful passage of the bill through both houses is the outlook that grows brighter as the olaims of the opposition are reduced. The first claim of those opposing the measure was that it yrould not get through in any shape or form. Then the claims was changed to the prediction that only the appoinment of a commission to report] back to the legislature would be ap proved by the .general assembly. Now the opposition is willing to agree on the forecast that the measure will go through with compromises which would not kill the chances for the early at tempt of the project. Supporters are claiming the senate by something over 30 votes and the house by 80. The opposition concedes the passage of the measure through the senate but- claims it wjll be defeated, unless it is radically changed in the house. A favorable report from both the house ai.C^'anate committees is also conceded. V While there is much local opposition to the bill, owing to the fight against It by both Ralyeigh papers and the al leged regularity of the Raleigh oppo sition to administration proposals, a decided change in favor of the measure among the legislators is apparent as the people back home are being heard from. Press opposition, with few ex cepetions, seems to center in the Ral eigh papers. DALLAS TELLS JURY HE SHOT JOE SOUTHWELL BY ACCIDENT; DEFENSE HAS DAY AT SCORING Story of Threats and Insults From Slain Engineer Re cited on Stand ; by the Defendant HOLLEMAN’S CHARACTER TARGET OF HOT ATTACK Shadow of Wooden Overcoat . Bulwark BehindjfWch, Ac '• 1 \ The grim spectre of a wooden over coat loomed yesterday as’ the protect ing shadow behind which Herbert E. Dallas built his defenses on the third day of his trial for the murder of Joe Southwell. By the lips of half a dozen witnesses wa!» moulded the picture of the cof fin,* which the defense sought to show was flashed upon the mental1 scre®" ° Dallas on the occasion of his every meeting with Southwell, from the morning of July |922; "nt” 1 the af struggle between the two on the at ternoon of July 18, in the concourse of'the union station. It was,the.defense’s day at bat. a day which began with a terrific assault upon the character of Chauncey B. Hol ieman, main witness for the state led through Dallas’ graphic recital of the events leading to the killing of South well and closed with a barrage of cor roborative testimony. ■Charges that Southwell continually nagged Dallas for his work in the pl^e of a striker, threatened him with death in a figurative manner, and once almost succeeded in killing him were the high lights of the defenses big in "character witnesses: for the accused yardmaster were .placed -pni. the stand in such rapid succession that it be came monotonous. included in the number1 were lawyers, doctors; busi ness men and public officials from the defendant’s former homed in Spartan burg and Laurens; S. C-, and acquaint ances who reside! in Wilmington. _ . But while the defense .played its big gest guns against-, the condemning words of the slain man s dying state ment, the prosecution was by no means lalThe sudden and unexpected counter with which Solicitor Kellum .met the attempt of the defense to impeach the testimony of Holletnan. deflected the telling blow, which the defense ex pected to score by this coup, and, the stubborn cross-examinations by Mr. Kellum and L. Clayton Grant later in the day narrowed the margin of the 5-The* sooliirlit’ shifted to the defend ant earl v in the day. when he took the stand in his own defense. Clearly an-J calmly, ’ Dallas outlined th* **i» events, he alleged led tb the fatal shooting of Southwell, and uncovered thet backbone of the. defense s bul warks, namely, the. plea of accidental homicide, which was predicted in the Staf last Sunday. ’ Dallas admitted-approaching, South well with hie .revolver,. ,hi®.ha”f’J??1 here his -agreement, with the death bed - statement of the slain engineer ^He^ never levelled, his, " weapon it Southwell, he asserted, and .was never conscious- of pulling the trigger that fired the fatal shot.; , . Dallas first' met Southwell, he -said, 6ne morning early in July- when, he Southwell’s arin, prlop to Its depart Southwell’s train, prior eo it? depart ure for Fayetteville: The witness asserted that he was do - intr this work during the strike emer gency, and found ope “r where there was. something wrong which he could not locate. In,his anxiety, to find;the cause of.the trouble, he appealed to a mechanic , to assist, him, and noticed that Southwell was laughing at him in a jeering manner.. ; - ~ The trouble, located,-Dallas turned in time to see Southwell remove the raincoat, .Dallas had 'laid on; the cross ties and .place it on the ^rake beams . wh'#>n „ha came fbr'hiff ^coat CHARACTER ATTACKED durance? B. Holleman, main witness for state In .Dallas case, under lire r from' defense. Grissom’s Partner Believes Druggist Met With Foul Play JACKSONVILLE, Fla., Jan. 28— L. W. Jenkins, of Greensboro, N. C** \ arrived here today to assist in the investigation of the disappearance of H, A, Grfssom, .with whom he was associated in the drug busi ness, and the finding of Grissom’s automobile submerged in Thomas creek* near here . Friday mornlug. Mr. Jenkins advanced the theory that Mr. Grissom whs murdered, but did not make public his b»*ta for that assertion. . , According to Mr. Jenkins he re ceived a wire last Wednesday night ftom Mr. Grissom, requesting that 9150 he telegraphed to him at dear water. The telegram Was from Dunedin, FlaM and the money was sent Thursday morning to Clear water and delivered. ' . Mr, Jenkins expressed the belief that Mr. Grissom was slain and his body disposed of and that the an- A mobile was driven i£ the creek as a blind* The road leading to the creek is an.isolated one. Search of the stream today failed to reveal any body, but thev creek will be dragged and dynamited further to morrow. I IN THE LEGISLATURE (By .the Associated Press) -. The senate Judiciary committee, In a hearing which consumed a greater part of the afternoon, finally reported .un favorably the Baggett bill which aim ed' at appearing oft one’s promises in disgluse. ■. While the Ervln-Gaston bill to allow juries to recommend mercy in capital cases and the Martin bill to post IS days notice of -Intent to marry fajled to get out of committee with favorable report, they were given the official caption of reported * '“without preju dice,” after certain amendments > were attached. , . Representative Burwyn of North ampton county, asserted in the house that the time has come 'to ring down the curtain on political .bosses in. the schools of'- North C&rollria, during de bate over a bill proposed to. allow Rob eson county to elect officers of public schools by popular Vote. The commission ^appointed : by • the Neat* resolution to provide for investi gation of i, the’ state department ol -printing and labor, gbt unde/ way In a night session where Its organisation was ‘-perfected.': " , “*■ ' • • PRESIDENT ROBERT'S ADDRESS FEATURES FORESTRY MEETING Asheville Mayor Wants Chair of Forestry Established at the State University URGES PROTECTION FOR N. C. FORESTS J. S. Holmes, State Forester, Also Speaker at 12th An nual Convention PINEHURST, Jan. 2J.—Featured by the address of the president, Gallatin Roberts, of Asheville, the twelfth an- , nual convention of the North Carolina' . forestry association opened here today. ■ The visitors were warmly welcomed ■ to Finehurst by Leonard Tufts, presi dent of Pinehurst incorporated. Mr. Roberts outlined the acpompliah ments of the association during the •< past year. More adequate forestry protection and development, establishment of a chair of forestry at the state university, employment of a landscape architect to supervise the planting of trees along' the; highway system and a state-wide game law were urged by Mr. Roberts in his address. ■ “There is great need for forestry in the development of North Carolina,” lie asserted. “The state is today one of the most prosperous in the union. It is developing with amazing rapidity, in dustrially, commercially and agricul turally, and the legislature now in, ses sion should take a stand by making an appropriation that would sho-w the world what wje mean to protect and conserve our great natural resources. "The act of 1921 authorizing counties to cooperate with the state in forest Are prevention was a long step forward in the protection from fire of the for ests in the various counties of the i state. More than 15 counties have shown a willingness to help themselves by cooperating with the State Geologi cal and Econflmic Survey in staying forest devastation. Every county in the state should quickly seize this great op portunity. "Some one has estimated that in 1776 our nation had at least 900,000,000 acres of virgin timber; that we have properly used one-fifth of this; negli- ■ gently and carelessly permitted one fifth to be destroyed by fire, and crimin ally wasted one-fifth In needless slaughter. % “Is it any bonder that many of the best minds of the country are crying put against . b&cJl. wLSgte ^nfl, •£an:e®. Thd'qupBtloij »„wh*th^ .yjre #.re going to profit by the warning which is coming to u« e'fery day. A land with out timber if a Jpst land, and-unfit for habitation. “After , all has. been said and done concerning our forests X am persuaded to believe that still the American pub lic lacks appreciation of its great her itage. With what",reckless unconcern people with axe and" saw waste that which cannot be replaced in centuries. A typical example of this may he seeip near the top of Mount Mitchell. It will take at least three hundred years to grow a crop of timber on these de nuded lands. The destruction of that beautiful mountain was caused bv un wise and wasteful cutting of timber, and the -negligent handling of fire by some careless person. “Without adequate fire protection, the timber stands of the Appalachians; the beautiful plant life and the little game that is still left will soon, be' only a.gad memory. ;: "The time has come in North Carolina for the passage And, rigid enforcement of a state-wide game'law. Surely the general assembly will ;see' the* jieees sity of such j legislation. We must-nOt wait until our great 'natural inherit ance is entirely swept away andlde-'# stroyed forever.-,..***,• - *• "Let us . visualize for a moment tjie wild life in this country-even-a*t!6ntpryj( «,go. At that time the liirid 'wast'llfej*» ‘alljr stocked with'game.» The laicw rivers and .streams . were * filled ..wjpfci, fish and the forests' extended westward : to the prairies.'/fin' those days. jStlis J forests were.'filled With'deer.'bearj’b^l; son and wild turkey, andi untold 11 one of smal wild ducks er game. Great flocks df nd geese were found f'n ; North Carolina. ! Those were glortoifs .. days. Something must be done to prd-1' test the little gaihe'we have left. ... ! "These things should bp- brought ; home to the people with telling force. They should be plainly* and clearly brought to the attention of the preserit legislature.1 The-tlme has Cotne, and I trust, this. association ■will.jyfoptftrytlie proposition, to establish.,a ct&ifr diijfat estry at the University' of North Caro lina. This should be brought' to the attention of the present legislature Im- ; mediately. The people’s representatives are' generally anxious-and willing to Act ’for the best interest' of the state when they /are shown the wlBdom*qf a. meritorious proposition. 1 j "It would be a fine thing," he T;aJj tinued/ "if park Bystems were devised and made available , so that any per son traveling could cAmp In a state or national park. This very idea has been , taken up and at least partly worked' out in Massachusetts, New York. Ohio and Illinois, There is abundant room for many such parks in North Caro lina. " , xne value ana ueau iy should be taught tof'the children in the home. Education li more than a mere schooling; It Is learning lessons ot beauty from mountains, treeb and streams, and we shoul<J build for the ages* not merely for today.-Everywhere In the weods ls»reallbfeauty. “jt is encouraging to. see the gov ernment and people working together to check 'forest 'fife devastation. La«t fall forest fires destroyed thousands of dollars in timber In western No^th Car olina. Only a short time ago, there iiirere no fire wardens-In this state any where, and no one ever thought of re porting a forest fire; but now foreSt fires are almost Immediately reported. -•‘‘The long years of earnest work and publicity off the North Carolina FoiV estry assofclartiQrt "is showing ‘result#: Vhe Importance of forest -conservatij* Is sinking Into the thoughts and ltjfs ••"t*': (Continued on Pagr Three) “ s «* • -- (.$< *>•£>•