Carolina Watchman
Published Every Friday
Morning At
SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA
E. W. G. Huffman, _Editor
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Entered as second-class mail
matter at the postoffice at Sal
isbury, N. C., under the act of
March 3, 1879.
The influence of weekly news
papers on public opinion exceeds
that of all other publications in
the country.—Arthur Brisbane.
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1932
MAY BE A DANGER
The refusal of the Governor of
New Jersey to honor the demand
from the State of Georgia for the
return of Robert E. Burns of
"chaingang” notoriety, is no doubt
in accordance with public senti
ment.
The very striking moving pic
ture) giving a highly exaggerated
picture of Burns’ captivity, a
roused a great deal of public sym
pathy for him.
I3ut, there is a great danger in
this tendency to pass judgment on
a case, regardless of the law and
evidence.
The law plainly imposes upon the
Governor of a State the duty to
surrender a fugitive from justice
provided the State seeking rendi
tion complies with the legal for
malities. The question of the guilt
or innocence of the prisoner is not
within the province of the Gover
nor to decide.
If it becomes ’the custom to give
fugitives from justice in one State
the privilege of a trial before an
executive instead of a judicial of
ficer to decide whether or not the
asking State is to be allowed to put
an indicted man on trial, our whole
criminal judicial foundation- will
collapse.
It will then become a simple
matter for a man to flee from jus
tice in his own State and seek asy
k lum in another, from where, if he
r has powerful enough backing, it
will be impossible to remove him.
There are States where the de
feat of rendition proceedings
would be a simple matter if a suf
ficiently imposing fight could be
put up.
Georgia has a case in this epi
sode. Much of what Burns has
told in moving pictures and books
is false.
Indeed, there is more than a sus
picion that the hearing before the
Governor of New Jersey was part
of a publicity scheme for the mov
incr nirfnrp.
It is hinted that Burns did not
allow himself to be taken in New
Jersey until the Governor had been
sounded out as to his possible ac
tion.
If there is any truth in these
whisperings it points to trifling
with the legal machinery of the
nation.
A REAL ACHIEVEMENT
Americans and Europeans have
been saying for a long time that
the Chinese problem was a hope
less one. But our comfortable
feeling of superiority does not look
quite so justified today.
In many ways, China seems en
meshed in troubles too big to be
solved. Yet the government has
balanced the budget without bor
rowing, the finance minister an
nounced. That is something which
the wealthier European and Ameri
. can nations have not been able to
doo. If the Chinese have really
done it, despite civil war, the loss
of Manchuria, large sums spent to
defend Shanghai against the Jap
anse and the slump in silver, they
-are evidently better financiers than
the politicians of Europe and A
merica.
DODGING THE JOB
John N. Garner announced 'that
he is going to break social prece
dents ter smithereens during his
term as Vice-President. All social
invitations except those to official
events at the White House will be
declined. "If we went to one,
we’d have to go to all,” the Speak
er said in explanation. If the Ger
ners carry out their intentions one
of the chief functions of the Vice
President will be destroyed. For
about all that was ever expected
of that high officer in the govern
ment was that he preside over the
Senate and go to a party every
night in the week. Some of them,
especially Vice-President Marshal
enjoyed that phase of the jog, bui
Garner prefers a quiet life oi
comparative solitude.
TOO FAR AWAY
Alfred E. Smith might find ;
congenial and responsible post ai
Washington for the next foui
years, but it is difficult to visualizt
him as Governor-General of thi
PlaJmninfl Telin/^C
-rr
Manuel Quezon, the best knowr
of the island’s politicians, is re
ported to favor the former Gov
ernor of New York for the place
Mr. Smith would make an abh
colonial executive, but it does not
seem the sort of job that he woulc
like to tackle. He is so robustly
American that even a high govern
ment post could hardly tempt him
to spend years so far away from
the scenes and the people whicli
give him a zest for life.
THE "BOOM TOWN”
The city of Ciudad Jaurez in the
State of Chihuahua, Mexico, is the
newest "boom town.” The report
that the city has taken in $150,
000 in two months—nearly all
from Americans—since it went
into business of granting 24-hour
divorces, is evidence of. this.
More than 1000 divorces have
been granted. Most of the money
left goes for fees, court costs, etc.,
but no small part of it for ban
quets to celebrate the victory of
separation. At this rate, other
places—perhaps with 12-hour div
orces—will undoubtedly start up
to give Juarez competion.
NOT TALKERS
There are women in Parliament,
but, apparently, they are upsetting
the age-old opinion of the facility
of tongue held by members of that
sex. The record for a year, just
compiled, shows that the women
are positvely mute as compared
with the men in that august body.
One man talked enough words in
the year to fill 374 columns, and
another had 348 columns. Yet
the most space taken by a woman
was 68 columns, used up by the
Duches of Athol.
That record will probably be
beaten in this country, for if Sen
ator Hattie Caraway maintains her
present pace, her record for the
year will be about 10 words. There
are undoubtedly many persons
who think 10 words are enough,
either in the House or the Senate.
~ ■ - 9
HARD HIT
A drop of 67.5 per cent in the
foreign trade of the United States
for the first six months of 1932
is reported by the League of Na
tion’s annual world trade review.
This is by far the greatest loss ex
perienced by any other country.
Germany was next hardest hit,
with Great Britain and France fol
lowing. Inasmuch as the United
States depends greatly on its for
eign trade, the figures reflect a
startling situation, and should
give concern to those who believe
this country should adopt an isola
tionist policy. The economic in
terdependence of nations can hard
ly be disputed longer.
GREEN SAFiARA
What is called the largest waste
spot in the world—the Sahara—is
visualized as becoming in the
future a green, verdant, fruit pro
ducing area. Just now, work is in
progress to irrigate 1,000,000 ac
res of the North African desert
where, it is said, cotton will be
raised. But engineers are predict
ing that by damming desert sea
sonal streams, the Sahara itself can
be turned some day into tremend
ous value for fruit raising. A green
Sahara certainly challenges the
wildest dreams.
A man must have an income of
several figures to get by, but one
figure will put a girl over.
the
Watchman
I Tower
To The Membe'rs-Elect of North
Carolina Legislature:
The latest monthly report on
highway accidents in North Caro
lina compiled by the director of
the motor vehicle division of the
department of revenule, sh,b\ving
that 65 persons were killed last
month on the roads of the state,
should cause the members of the
forthcoming General Assembly to
give serious thought to the traffic
problem.
While the report for November
: showed a decrease of 12 per cent
in the number of deaths from traf
fic accidents this year as compar
ed with the corresponding month
last year, the record remains de
plorable. The rate of 780 lives
lost each year is a dark blot on
the state’s record.
The fact that reckless drivers
killed 21 persons last month,
speeders 12 and drunken drivers
six is suggestive of the need for
more drastic penalties for these
classes of offenders, and the record
showing 29 killed from other
causes may be taken as! indicative
of a need for regulation to keep in
competent drivers off the roads. In
fact, it is not improbable that i
goodly percentage of the total
death toll was due to the lack of
a driver’s license law that would
require all drivers to demonstrate
a knowledge of the traffic laws and
of the operation of a car before
they are granted a permit.
The slaughter on the highways
certainly ought to claim the serious
attention of the legislators, to the
end that whatever is practical may
be done to improve the record.
Governor Matthew Rowan
ind in other ways to converse with
hearing people. The very nature
of the deaf’s affliction forces them
to be cautious and on the alert, so
the proportion of accidents is less
among the deaf workers than the
hearing workers. Employers, who
have tried the deaf, have found
them so satisfactory that when
hundreds of hearing employes have
necessarily been laid off, the deaf
are not affected through the efforts
of the Bureau of Labor for the
deaf. Without exception, they are
thrifty and industrious, but at
present, times are decidedly abnor
mal, and the deaf are feeling the
effects of the depression more than
the hearing one. This is all the
more to be regretted in view of the
fact that a deaf man or woman
seeks no charity, but they are able
to do almost as many trades as the
hearing person.
—Hugh G. Miller,
Chief, Bureau of Labor for the
Deaf.
AUTOMOBILISTS TAXED TOO
HIGH
To The Editor:
This coming Legislature will
have many and grave questions to
settle, such as taxation and balanc
ing of the State budget. These
will require long and serious con
sideration from the best minds of
the legislature and intestinal forti
tude coupled with sane judgement
and divine wisdom to settle them
equitably in order not to place a
further burden upon the already
tax-burdened body politic.
It has been suggested by the
State treasurer and others, that the
highway funds be consolidated
with the general funds of the
State, thereby allowing the use of
highway funds for general purpos
es. I, as a citizen, am strongly op
posed to this procedure as the auto
mobile owners of the State already
are taxed more in proportion than
any other class of citizens in the
State. The already overburdened
tax-paying automobile owners of
the State, thousands of them, have
been forced to leave their cars in
their garages on account of the
now too high gasoline, license, and
ad valorem taxes. If the highway
fund, through the present system
of taxation is piling up a surplus
then tnese taxes snouia De reauced
in keeping with what actually is
needed lap roads and highways,
interest and bond payment and
thereby prevent the further with
drawal of thousands of cars more
from the -highways of the State.
A reasonable tax of four cents per
gallon on gasoline and $10 to $12
or more, graduated, on cars and
tjructy? would produce a larjger
income to the State from this
cource than at the present. Until
the State, counties and cities re
duce taxes in line with the present
wage scale and prices of cotton
and tobacco and commodities, there
cannot be permanent progress. The
standard of living and prices, etc.,
of 1928 and 1929 is water that has
gone over the dam.
"New occasions teach new duties;
Time makes ancient good uncouth;
They must upward still and on
ward,
Who would keep abreast of truth;
Lo, before us gleam her campfires;
We ourselves must pilgrims be,
Launch our Mayflower, and steer
boldly
Through the desperate winter sea,
(depression)
Nor attempt the Future’s portal
With the Past’s (1928-29) blood
rusted key.”
Z. A. ROCHELLE
A GREAT many folks
* * *
ARE PRONE to ask
* * »
QUESTIONS WHICH are
■i s- s
VERY, VERY foolish,
AND MOST of us are
* * *
ALWAYS GLAD to see
*• * *
SOME OF these
* * *
QUESTIONERS PROPERLY
* * *
ANSWERED. JUST the
* * *
OTHER DAY we heard
* * *
A TEN-YEAR old youngster
* * *
FIX UP an inquisitive
•c Jh ' ;!•
OLD LADY. "What makes
* * *
YOUR HAIR so red, little
* * *
BOY?” SHE asked. And he
* » *
VERY PROMPTLY answered:
:'c i’e
"OH, I just washed' it
* * >►
ONE DAY and forgot to j
s’e * i'e \
DRY IT and it rusted.”
* -c * j
I THANK YOU.
COMMENTS
THE DEAF AND
THE DEPRESSION
To The Editor:
One of the unfortunate aspects
of the present industrial unrest is
that the deaf suffer doubly. Very
few employers of labor realize that
the deaf applicant for a position
possesses certain qualities which
fully compensate for his handicap.
Noise does not distress him and he
does not while away his time in
idleness with other employes. He
concentrates on the work to be
done, because it is so difficult for a
deaf man to secure a position, he
values his job more highly, and
makes a loyal and industrious work
er.
The deaf have no way of bring
ing these facts home to the pros
pective employer, however sympa
thetic the latter may be, he cannot
help overemphasizing difficulties, in
communication and possible acci
dents.
The fact is, however, that from
childhood through school, they are
taught to meet these difficulties in
their later life. They are taught
to read the lips, to speak, to writs,
OCIOPUS SPANS 40 FEE I
Honolulu.—Reports that a giant
octopus with tenacles 20 feet long
and a head three times the size of
a man’s head had been seen drag
ging itself along the rocks cWe
to shore caused fishermen, on M ai
Island to cast their nets with cau
tion.
Henry Sylva, son of a count>y
official, reported sighting the mons
ter and his story was vouched" for
by fishermen and swimmers.
UTHIE DIKE MAM | |
* Bought a mew fur
GOAT WITH THE $>300
SHE won ON HER ESSAV
"cruelties of WILD
AMIMAL TRAFPiMGu
“—And a Happy New Year” --—By Albert T. Reid
1931
L—n—
I OLD
1 MM.
||0EPRt5Sl0|
BLiiiw a.
Madam - you’ll have to get up -
This is as Far as
I’mjfoirv/ /
\ , _ K iflii
Suicide Toll
In U. S. Is Now
20,000 A Year
The annual total of suicides in
the United States is now appro
ximately 20,000, Dt. Henry M.
Warren, president of the Nator.al
Save-a-Life League, declared.
More than three times as many
women as men kill themselves, he
says, pointing out that the years
between 15 and 19 arc dangerous
ones for women suffering "from
emotional maladjustment.”
"As women j}row older they
seem to become more stable, while
men give in more often to the in
creasing pressure di Responsibili
ties.”
CUTS THROAT TO SAVE LIFE
Los Angeles.—Sam Harlin, lab
orer, probably owes his life to hav
ing his throat cut. He choked on
a piece of food lodged in his throat.
Dr. A. W. Lindberg pronounced
him dead, then, in a final effort,
cut his -windpipe and administered
artificial respiration.
Harlin revived and was removed
to a hospital, where it was said he
will recover.
c \
GR-R-R TSK. TSK
Chicago.—The investment Al
fred E. Kalberger made in a wat
chdog looked like a gilt-edged pro
position until burglars came along,
stole his $200 fur coat and depart
ed—taking the dog, too.
SICK HEADACHE
Many cases of SICK HEADACHE
are due to constipation. If you
have headache that is due to con
stipation, take Thedford’s BLACK
DRAUGHT for refreshing relief.
“I have taken Black-Dbaught,
when needed, for about 15 years,”
writes Mr. J. W. Cooper, of Long
view, Texas. “I first began to use
it for sick headache that seemed
to come from constipation.
‘‘I would suffer about twenty
four hours with these headaches.
I found out that Black-Dbaught
would help me, so that is what I
took. I am glad to recommend it
to others, for this trouble, for it
will give relief."
Thedford’s Black-Draught is a
purely vegetable laxative, preferred by
thousands of men and women because
it is so effective and economical.
For Children, get the new, pleas
ant-tasting SYRUP of Thedlord’s
Black-Draught, in 25# & 50# bottles.
IT PAYS TO ^VERTR** ^
Happy 1
NEW I
YEAR |
A NEW year zooms through eternity and
** we are here to greet 1933. . .. With it
i comes new opportunities for achievements
| as unlimited as space itself. .. . Our work
aday assignment is in serving the people of
Salisbury District. ... It is a work in which
| we glory and our goal is in producing an
| unequalled electric service at a price that is
fair to all. .. . We wish to thank our friends
and customers for their patronage during
| the last year and at the same time assure
them that we will strive to the utmost in the
| future to equal and better the service rend
| ered in the past. . .. Also, and most impor
tant of all, we want to wish all, far and
is near ... A Happy and Prosperous New
i Year
g Electricity is cheap—use it freely
| Southern Public Utilities Co.
| Phone 1900
!