I vs
VOL. LI, NO. 32
SilKHB1
Capital HI IFE
Washington, D. C.?-Folks generally,
and particularly those who form
the mid-section of the body politic,
seem Inclined to look on the "paltry"
$725,000,000 just appropriated to continue
federal relief through June 30,
as "small potatoes." Yet, for the refreshment
of memory, it might be
noted that this reduced amount
would have financed government,
"lock, stock and barrel," during a
*un A^-inunLii penoa of flip f*rst i
Roosevelt's regime.
Legislation designed to afford a j
more abundant life
to under-privileged
Americans has ex- yiJPwftta
panded the nation's jr
fiscal imagination Kgl
something awful, rp. W
But it seems only a /
short time since t --v
citizens of our se- v ^8 ;
eluded community . JBfc
condemned Rocke- i;vt2 >?
feller each evening ^^7
at lamp - lighting jBfjiiifSa
time as a conccienceless
millionaire -tlic only one we'd
heard of and the word "billionaire"
hadn't much more than been accepted
as a human possibility.
TUB NEGATIVE VOTE of Senator
Bob Reynolds on the administration
oil! to restore the $150,000,000 stricken
by bouse appropriations committee
front the original relief recommendation
is r-rniia iwutj in undersiHuu t
( md without restraint) by the President
and some fifty-odd thousand
WPA families, the unpredictable junior
North Carolina solon is faced with
the somewhat embarrassing duty of
explaining a vote which spelled defeat
for Roosevelt and vMory for the
leas-Ubcral Garner group In the first
actual teat of senate strength. But
It must be admitted that It's news?
the "nian-bites-dog" variety?when
"one-hundred-percent New Dealer"
Reynolds lies up with his "unreconstructed"
colleague, Joaiah W. Bailey,
on the matter of reduced public
spending.
THE EFFORTS of Chairman Ed
Smith ami his senate agriculture
committee to design legislation for the :
disposal of the record 14.000,000-bale
cotton surplus, recalls to mind the refreshing
yarn of an old-timer, who 1
stiil looks with reverence on those
yester-years in Washington?years '
when strong and frequent juleps ac- 1
companied the impassioned argu- 1
ments of some down-south congress- '
men: 1
The lower house was considering
one of the numerous bills for relief of
King Cotton dumped into the legislative
hopper by a Dixie representative
when a South Carolina planter, freshly
elected to the body, made his appearance
from the cloak-room. A
giant fellow he was, and noticeably
influenced by ''corn-squcezings," he i
roared . . . "Will the gentleman i
yield?" i
The speaker nodded assent, and the i
Palmetto statesman, comfortably 1
propped between two rows of seats. <
delivered himself of an oratorical (
gem which sounded something like
this: "Mr. Speaker . . . I'm endeav- I
oring to discover a logical reason 1
why a poor southern farmer should, !
after mature and prayerful conside- i
ration, drive a dejected mule down
the ragged rows of starvation when I
he can drink a squar of the soul- J
soothing bourbon and pilot a coach- t
and-four down pw<ooth i?- -
.... vuv auiWUI, uiuau I
road to Glory." i
But, reverting from levity to pres- 1
cnt-day fact, this staggering surplus
of the fleecy staple seems to be j
standing grimly in the path of any
Immediate stabilization of cotton
prices.
THE PRACTICED HAND of ex- ]
Governor Max Gardner, North Caro- ]
Una's brilliant political craftsman, 1
was, according to capitol gossip. 1
brought effectively into use by Presi- <
dent Roosevelt during the uncertain 1
days that preceded Secretary Hopkins'
safe confirmation passage ]
through the senate commerce com- <
mittee, headed by the former VVPA f
chiefs outspoken critic, Senator Jo- i
siah Bailey. 1
Along with Lindsay Warren, un- i
disputably clever first district congressman
(another close to the sen- i
star's heart) and Jesse Jones of the i
RFC. Governor Max is given credit :
for having smoothed the sometimes <
belligerent Bailey, erasing to minor 1
(Continued on page eight) t
ATAl
An Independent ^
BOONE. \
CRAFTSlCHr=
IS BEING HELD
Many Attend Crafts Conference
at Local Recreation Center;
Miss Lawler Leader
Forty-five WPA leaders, 14 county
I supervisors, and six area consultants
| are among those in attendance at the
WPA crafts training conference
which got under way at the local recreational
center last week, and
which will continue through next Saturday.
The conference, "which is designed
to give a creative approach to recreation,"
includes studies in the use of
native materials in pottery, marionettes
and novelties of various kinds.
Miss C. Jenevieve Lawler of the
national office of the WPA recreational
division, Washington, D. C., is
serving with Miss Sarah Wiikerson,
state training consultant, Raleigh,
and Miss Ronic Sheffield, state director
of recreation, Raicigh, as conference
leaders. Miss Dorothy Cline, .
recreational consultant for the Uni- I
ted States housing authoritv. Wash-M
ington, figured in the opening session,
and has been present during
various phases of the school which
requires her attention.
Among those attending the confer- *
encc are: Misses Mary Wasner,
Catherine Donion, Sara Wilkerson,
state office, Raleigh; Miss Genevieve
Lawler, Washington; Mrs. Vivian
Ohatneuff and Mrs. Alyrtlo Llewellyn, ,
Winston-Salem; Misses Ruther Pick- f
eLsimer, Statesvil'c; Blanche Wood
Price, Roanoke Rapids; Mrs. Cathlcen
Warren, Renoir; Alias Helen Brown
Allen, Hamlet; Mrs. Tommie J. Bol- j
ton. Concord; Mrs. Arch W. Hamlin,
Miss Dorothy Wells, ABhcville; Mrs.
Alerle Ramsey. Marshall; Mrs. Helen *
Dillar, Sylva; Miss Bertha Jean ^
Hampton, Brevard; Miss Aliidred El- *
kins, Boone; Louise Dickinson, W'l- '
wn; Wm Marioi-io Fletcher. D;:rh^.m.
snd Ren fio?k, Paleigh
Urges Expansion p
Social Security ,,
By jrM RIVERS
(DiXlJ NcWA-acwiCCi...^. - ?
Washington, Feb. 15.?Arthur J3/ t,
Altmeycr, chairman of the social se a
curity board, appeared before Uifc J
liouse ways and means comanittee last
week and urged expansion of the se- ^
eurlty act whereby 6,000,000 ad- k
ditlonal persona might receive old-age
benefits.
Opening hearings on the first drastic
revision of the social security pro- n
gram sought since it becanve a law, tl
Altmeycr stated that its soundness /
ha3 been proved and urged congress p
co recnin an us basic principles. c
'The social security board believes p
that it is administratively feasible to t
bring into the system large numbers ],
3f persons not yet covered?including t:
employees of non-profit organizations,
employees of national banks, b
seamen, domestic workers and agri- I
cultural laborers," he declared. b
tl
Near Two Million ^
To Be Spent in Feb. a
By JIM RIVERS d
(Dixie News Service) o
Washington, Feb. 15.?According B
:o an estimate made by national ll
iVPA officials Saturday, $1,911,000 e
will bo expended on North Carolina n
works projects during the month of
February, and 49,000 persons will be
employed, a cut of approximately 4,- ll
KM) under the December quota. <"
The $725,000,000 relief appropria- '
don bill bore amendments to keep C
.VP A out Of politics, and earmarking
515,000,000 for direct relief if and 8
where needed. e
Senator Reynolds, staunch admin- P
stration supporter during his first U
iix-year term, joined the conserva- 0
live bloc which defeated an amend- "
ncnt restoring the $150,000,000 b
siasned from the WPA bill by the a
louse appropriations committee. K
Crop Loans Made 1
Available by PCA
Mrs. Ruby P. Elli3' office of the t<
National Farm Loan Association in it
Boone, is now receiving applications VI
'or loans through the Winston-Salem n
Production Credit Association, ac- ei
wording to announcement made by L.
E. Francis, secretary-treasurer. w
All farmers who need money for el
iroduction of crops, for the purchase si
>f additional cattle and sheep, and for C
feneral agricultural purposes are in- ci
'ited to place their applications with
Urs. Ellis now or in the immediate
uture.
Loans are made on strictly busi- ir
less basis and are to be repaid at t>.
such time a3 the crops and livestock bi
ire marketed. Only 5% interest is rr
iharged on the outstanding balance h;
"roni the day the loan is closed until ol
he day the loon is repaid. ir
JGA
Weekly Newspaper?Els
VAT AUG A COUNTY, NORTE
Likes the Funnies
^^YLvtBfe1^1/ ~ ^ rBi
r^H
ft -' ^^-"' xr , y_-.'i"\ Cv^r
< " 9f'
*v
"It's a scream," says "Jimmy,"
St. Louis zoo chimpanzee of the
comic strip he has just pursued.
Jimraj himself has created may a
uugu wiui iiiiiicH oi ms own.
FARM PROGRAM
IS EXPLAINEl
L'ounly Agent Gives Salien
Facts Regarding New Agricultural
Conservation Act
County Agent Harry M. Han-.iltou
ir., releases the following pcrtinen
acts relative to the 1939 agricultur
il conservation program:
The 1939 agricultural conservatiol
irogram is practically tile same a.
ho 193S program.
The main practices that the Wat
oiga farmers should be carrying ou
n their farms at this time of th<
'ear are: Sowing grass and clove'
aed, applying lime and sunerphoo
ihasphotc
- v'oplAaid iu'tioi. ^
-saA/.a- tnn '.c-r./l
cunt lor payment tn thia year-:
rogram.
Any farmer In the county who IPVfd*
ind can earn payments for carPjAf.j
ut the above practices.
Just as soon as the individual pay
oeata ?atsbiisti?d- fxer cadi fttrtri
. scries of meetings will Jke held it
11 sections of the county to explair
u.iv iivjw ntuui eacn lam caji fiarn
Sugar Grove Farm
Group to Gathei
Arrangements are complete for tin
nnual meeiing of the members ol
he Sugar Grove National Farm Loal
association, which will be held or
'ebruary 21st, at 1C a. m., in th;
ourtliouse here, according to O. H
Iracey, secretary-treasurer, who say;
he attendance promises to be tin
irgest in the history of the associaion.
A program of special Interest ha;
een arranged for tire meeting. Sir
tracey said. Reports will be made
y the officers of the association or
he past year's operations and there
rill be talks by several interested ir
he progress of agriculture in Watuga
county.
Mr, Bracey said the election of a
irector for a three-year term will be
ne or the items on the business proram.
Bach member of the associaion
is entitled to one vote in this
lection and on all other business
latters.
The Sugar Grove National Farm
<oan Association secures long-term
fans on first mortgage for the famirs
of Watauga and Avery counties
hrough the Federal Land Bank oi
iolumbia. At the present time it has
n force 211 loans totaling 5347f
50. These loans are made to farmrs
for purchasing land for farming
uipuaea; purcnasing equipment for
le successful operation of the farm;
instruction of buildings and improvig
farm land; paying debts of the
orrowers which were incurred for
gricultural purposes and for other
enerai farming purposes.
DIRECTORS WATAUGA
INDUSTRIES GATHER
A meeting of the board of direc>rs
of Watauga Industries was held
iionday evening, February 30, at
Watauga Handicrafts center. A fiancial
report was made, and coniderable
business transacted.
The handicrafts shop, with its
ood carving, baskets, fine linens,
tc., is becoming known as a gift
lop of real quality and distinction,
itizens and visitors to Boone are
srdiaily invited to visit the center.
STARTS HATCHERY
Mr. R. L. West has established a
lodern hatchery at his place on
>ute 2, and besides offering for sale
iby chicks of different kinds, is
taking a specialty of doing custom
etching. Hatching eggs are also
Tfered in an advertisement appearig
today.
' :r;
Demi
itablished in the Year E^mt
t CAROLINA, 'PH URSDAY'- ^ER
TTOBACCO BASf ~~
" ARE STILL EXTANT
| County Agent Points Out That
Farmers Staying in Quota Get
Soil Conservation Payments
"When the marketing quotas for tobacco
were voted out on December 17,
that did not mean that the tobacco
bases on the agricultural conservation
program was dropped,'' says
County Agent H. M. Hamilton. Jr.,
who continues: "The old tobacco
growers still have tomacco bases
established on their farms. These
farmers can earn a payment on
the agricultural conservation pro- \
gram for growing up to their tobacco
base, but if they exceed their base
they will be penalized on their soil
conservation payments. It will pay
, every farmer to stay within his tobacco
base and take advantage of the
payments on the soil conservation
prog ruin.
? 4'Farmers who have had previous
experience in growing: tobacco and do
not have bases established on their
farms, should apply for a base at the
v county agent's office before February
I 25, if interested in growing tobacco
this year, and receiving soil conservation
payments."
Little Symphony
Appears in Recital
i,
t Under the direction of Mr. Gordon
Nash, the Utile Symphony Orchestra
of Appalachian College, prcscnt1
ed a program of light classical music
3 to a large audience in the college auditorium
last Saturday night.
This concert is the first to he pret
sentcd to the students and people of
; the town this year; however, a short
,. program was given over station
. WBT in CSiarlotte in January
The program consisted of classical
and semi classical selections, and in' The
Bohemian Girl," Mich- ;
, asftj??ii^."Avs -iara, in? icna|
brrt; "'JrfU and oilver.- ^hltz. Franz
, Lehur; ^Hungarian Dtun'ee No. 6,"
r Johannes .Brahms; "Valae Tristc,"
' Jfl*n Stbeltus; ''The Voice,of Spring,"|
. JohsoW" (Btrauaa; "Pizzicato Polka.'*'.'
J Sleeping' Beauty Ballet and Suite." '
, Tschaikovmky. a)
As encores the orchestra rendered
uatce i-uiiiucra; - jrique uame Liverlure,"
Franz Von Suppe; "Viennese
Melody," Refrain, and "Country Gar.
dens," adapted by J. S. Zamechnic.
The orchestra i3 composed of 28
, members, including high school stu?
dents, high school faculty and college
students. The stringed section includes
Vista Lawson, irelen Bandy,
, Marshal Brady and Mi3s Purdom,
first violin, Anna hen a Cobper, Char|
lotte Parker, Clara Porter, Jancie
, and Josie Little, Anne'le Beach and
' Lucille Miller, second violin: Mary
Doris JVright, cello.
Harvey Taylor, Agnes Preston, .1.
B. Hagaman, Charlie Walters and
George Boyce, trumpets; A. Y. How"
ell and John T. King. French horns;
, Greer Hodges, trombone; Laura Ruth
, Hagaman, Carolyn Miller, Josephine
Miller and George Davis, wood-winds;
Sara Baines and Jchn Klam, bass.
Warren Mitchell is piano accom,
panist to the orchestra, and John
Crisp and Anne Jones play the drums.
At present plans are under way for
another tour somewhat similar to the
' one carried on last year by the orchestra.
It will include most of the
junior colleges in the state and some
senior colleges.
, V. D. GUIRF, APPOINTED
TO APPALACHIAN BOARD
Raleigh, Feb. 11?Governor Hoey
. announced today two appointments to
fill vacancies created by deaths.
V. D. Guire of Lenoir, was named
to the board of trustees of the Appalachian
State Teachers college for
a term to expire May 1, 1941, to
succeed W. C. Newland. V, J. Ash
baugh of Durham, was placed on the
stale commission for the blind for a
term expiring May 21, 1942, succeeding
S. H. Marshall of Leaksville. <
AUTO STOLEN
Mr. Claude Watson of Stony Fork J
township, had a 1937 model two-door <
Ford sedan stolen from his premises '
Wednesday night of last week. A '
dealers* license No. 7506 was affixed 4
to the vehicle.
NO NAME?NO NEWS
1
The Democrat almost weekly dis- ]
cards items of news which are ]
mailed in without the name of the <
contributor. While the name is not i
published, the publisher must in- 1
sist on knowing who gives infor- <
mation for publication in these
columns, for he cannot assume responsibility
for the authenticity of
these anonymous contributions, i
Let us have the news items from t
your community, but your name ]
also. No name ... no news! '!
OCRA
een Eighty-Eight
~ 16. 1939 "
Former Kaiser at 80 ^
jj
+ r-i
Doom, The Netherlands ? The
most recent photographic portnilt S
study of the former Kaiser of Ger- dl
many, Wilhclm II, who lives in ex- q?
:Ii? here. lie celebrated his 80th
birthday recently.
COUNTYTEACHERS S
MEET SATURDAY ?
CO
"Citizenship" to Bo Topic of Dis- W!
cussion as Teachers of "Wat- P,c
tn<
nuga Gather in Boone .
j su
School teachers of "Watauga county * f<
are asked to gather at the Demon- til
stration school building in Boone Saturday
evening at 7 o'clock, by Prof. " a
E. S. Cliristenbury, eounty chairman on
of the North Carolina Education as- a|'
sociation, who stales that a vote on nM
the state officers of the organiza- 'y
tion will he one of the items of busi- rc:
to&s.
T.*.c2 subject tor diactUftr.o:* \y:n m
vCdiaa&sL^" tU;. Z. C\ r::_ - " r akriuar
-with the ht$h f hOOi gptup.. ?
"The Teacher as a Citizen," after W
which Mr. Hamrick, history teacher nu
of Boone high school, will lead, ill ?. Pa
?^ntrai discussion of how to develop
better citizenship practices to.
oAhnill 'fkhcS swltA ?vtll
? ??>wab nrnu n?ii ian? part JJi
tKe discussion will be Mrs. S. F. Hor- no
toil, Mr. Faut Bingham, Mr. Christen- nQ
bury, Mr3. Williams, Mrs, Harmon, ""
Mrs. Fletcher and MiS3 Rudistll. m<
All teachers are asked to be pi-es- l'c
ent ar.d take part in the discussion.
, PC
TWO YOUTHS KILLED IN 'h'
AUTO-TKAIN COLLISION r
CI
Banner Elk, Feb. 12?I'aul C.
Davis, 21, of East Bend, a member
of the freshman class oi Lees-McRae
College here, was distantly killed and W
Hal Scott, employed ns a truck driver na
by the college, was fatally injured
when the truck in which they were P1'
riding, was struck by a freight train
at a grade crossing near Laurens, S.
C., Thursday afternoon. -sic
Following the accident, Scott, who
had been employed by the college for Cli
four years, was rushed to a Laurens
hospital where he died early Tiiursday
night. He suffered internal in- 1,1
juries, a broken pelvic bone, a broken L'1
collar bone, and a fracture of the leg. T):
Investigators said they believed fog
and rain hampered the vision of co
Scott, who was driving the truck, m:
and he apparently did not see the
oncoming freight train as the truck s?
approached the crossing until it was
too late to avoid the accident.
Scott, it was stated here, was en m
route to Florida on a business trip.
Davis went along on his own initiative,
it was said. F
Funeral services for young Scott
were held Saturday afternoon at 2:30
at the Balm Baptist church, one mile
from Banner Elk. Rites for Davi3
were held at 11 o'clock Sunday morn- I ca
ing in East Bend. Representatives | wl
or uie college faculty and student dii
body attended both services.
as
ATTEND TRADE MEETING Rc
Messrs. R. D. Hodges nnd Clyde R.
Sreene of the Farmers Hardware and j"r
Supply Company were in High Point
Monday evening, where they attended
a statewide meeting of the paint
dealers for the Pittsburgh Plate
Slass Company. More than 60 deal- A'
mships were represented at the gathering.
PROFITABLE CORN
Allen Jarvis, 12-year-old 4-H Club
ooy of Surry county, made a net Mj
profit of $45.51 on his first club thi
project last year when he produced ed
32 bushels of corn and $25 worth of W.
roughage on one acre of land and Un
ihen won $3 on an exhibit of the corn cle
it the Mount Airy fair. rec
in
SPREADING bri
Increasing international commerce in
tnd auto and airplane travel are inroducing
new tree diseases which im- lin
peril American wildlife as well as re a
he trees themselves. ho:
T
$1.50 A YEAR
IANYT0 ATTEND
)RY BILL HEARING
V RALEIGH TUES.
inance Group of Legislature
Will Receive Large Delegation
From Watauga in Support
o f Representative Greer's
Anti-Beer l'roposal
An imposing delegation of
'atauga county citizens, includig
ministers, laymen, business
en and others interested in
inning the legal sale of wine
id beer in Watauga county,
ill journey to Raleigh next
uesday. February 21, to offer
stimony in defense of Repre ntative
Robv T. Greer's bone-y
bill, when hearings are
lened by the bouse finance
immittee on the measure.
Tlte hearings will start at 2
dock. according to wnrrl enminr to
e Democrat by telephone from the:al
sol on, who Ls insisting that as
*ge a delegation as possible from
is county assist him in his efforts
bring back prohibition to Watauga
unty. Mr. Greer states that he
mt3 this notice to be taken as a
rson&l invitation to every person in.
e county, of every creed and politiL
belief, lo come to Raleigh and
pport his contention that the
Dlks back home" really want to rid
air section of alcoholic beverages.
? believes that the larger the deletion,
the more influence it will have
the legislature, which so far has
peared more or less averse to banig
the sale of wine and beer, largeoti
the grounds that such action
?iUs in the dwindling of the state's
tonnes.
son>2 time R*ro. was referred from
e which would be affected by its
tsage. -JH ' jSS
EMftftMbtatwe wsget&mth
most Iocs! jpScervers, believes
B btu has s f?tr~"charrj?.' of passage,
twithstanding "xhst Uie senate fince
ichimlttie was almost unani- 'ajasS
ius!y against the passage of such &'
asure for Avery and Madison couns.
in a hearing held Monday.
Dry leaders will take to Raleigh,
tltions from about every section of
e county, asking for passage of the
eer bill.
ITIZENS OF BLOWING
ROCK AGAINST BEER
A petition from Blowimr Rock
atauga resort .town, carries the
mcs of about 200 citizens, who are
strong support cf the Greer dry
oposal.
The Democrat, in a former issue,
i not intend to convey the impres>n
that Blowing Hock was against
e bill. Tiie atory in question stat:
"A strong delegation from Blower
Rock is expected to oppose aridiand
it was not stated that
is reported group would represent
e majority of opinion of the town,
is masses of the people of Blowing
>ok are as dry as elsewhere in the
unty, but there is a feeling among
my that passage of the bill would
let against the town as a tourist
ot.
Any misunderstanding that might
ve resulted from the former stateen
t in this regard is regretted by
is newspaper.
our teen Wataugans
At Lincoln Dinner
Fourteen Watauga county republins
went to Greensboro Saturday,
lere they attended the Lincoln day
nner, and heard Congressman
:wey Short ot Missouri, eloquently
sail the New Deal policies of the
vosevelt administration.
Those attending were: Clyde R.
eene, John W. Hloderes. Chan. O
wis, W. H. Gragg, Kenneth Llnney,
ixtcr Linney, Grant Greene, Ivy
ilson, Owen Little, S. C. Eggers, W.
Greer, Max Greer, I. L. Smith and
G. Miller.
3CAL BOY GAINS
PROMOTION IN CAPITAL
Mr. Horton Gragg, son of Mr. and
3. W. H. Gragg of Boone, who for
5 past two years has been employat
the Wardman Park Hotel in
ashington, has been promoted to
; position of cashier and room
rk in the main hotel office, having
:ently served in the same capacity
the hotel annex. The promotion
ngs with it a considerable increase
salary.
SToung Mr. Gragg is now next in
e for designation as assistant
nager of the exclusive capital city
itelry.
I
I