North Carolina Newspapers

Carolina Watchman Published Every Friday Morning At SALISBURY, NORTH CAROLINA E. W. G. Huffman, Editor SUBSCRIPTION RATES Payable In Advance One Year_$1.00 Three Years_$2.00 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, JULY 21, 1933 WHY NOT RENOVIZE SALIS BURY One way in which the people of Rowan county can aid the fight on the depression is to start driv ing nails. By that we mean mak ing repairs to neglected buildings, erecting new structures where they are needed, and putting in shape things which have been al lowed to run down since the de pression started. Over in Charlotte they have just completed a renovizing cam paign, with the people of that city agreeing to spend more than half a million dollars in this work. If the campaign had not been con ducted, probably very little of this money for repairs would have been spent. This fact leads us to suggest that a renovizing cam paign be conducted in Salisbury and Rowan county. In an editorial concerning re-j novizing campaigns, the Saturday! Evening Post says: "When a cityi or a town makes a united effort to improve the local employment, and business situation, it also builds up its own confidence. There is less uncertainty and apathy when everybody pitches in to stimulate work of such a ijseful kind. It is — nothing but goocl local business.' But its greatest benefit will come when it is adopted by practically all the cities and towns in the country. The slogan of the reno vize movement is a simple one, but for that very reason it is capable of having a far-reaching effect, j The slogan is: "If a man drives a nail he helps business.” There is another good slogan, too, and that is: "Employment! and investment are cheaper than1 charity.” One of the main pur-| poses of renovizing campaigns isj to provide the unemployed with productive work—as distinct from' work which is not necessary and is given more or less as charity. Dur ing the past three years millions of structures—hotels, warehouses, business building and residences— have been allowed to run down. Their owners have taken the at titude that economy came hrst—^ that they would spend as little as. possible until they could see what was coming. To permit them to go on longer without repairs is the most prodigal kind of luxury. True economy is to protect the invest ment they represent by making improvements and repairs now— when they can be had at rock-boc • tom prices. It’s time to start driving nails. GETTING OUT OF DEBT We have seen a statement re cently, prepared by men who have made a deep study of the subject, that the United States and its in habitants are in debt to the tune of one hundred and thirty four thousand million dollars. That includes all government debts, Fed eral, state and local, the debts of the railroads, public utilities and industries, mortgage debts and fin ancial bond issues. . There is no manner of doubt that in the great boom era credit was far too easy, men and institu tions went into debt recklessly, and that the great problem of the hour is how debtors can be enabled to pay their debts without at the •same time ruining their creditors. Short ef universal bankruptcy— for the rest of the world is much n the same boat—the path back to solvency is bound to be a slow and painful one. We are not at all sure that all of the plans proposed at Washington to lighten the bur dens of individual and corporate debtors will work as planned, but they are at least a.long step toward pulling us out of the hole. The problem of the debtor who can’t pay is as old as. humanity. In the 15 th chapter of Deuterono my we find the way in which the ancient Israelites solved it. “At tht end of every seven years thou shall make a release. And this is the manner of the release: Every credi tor that lendeth aught unto his neighbor shall release it; he shall not exact it of his neighbor or of his brother, because it is called the Lord’s release. Of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again; but that which is thine with thy brother :hy hand shall release.” Forgiveness of debts was one of of the tenets of the early Chris tians, and the plea comes down to us in the Lord’s Prayer. Perhaps too many debtors of our day expect to be released without any payment whatever. We would not go so far as to advocate the Chinese system, under which i- r thousands of years every Chinese had to settle all his debts every New Year’s Day, with the alter native, if he failed, of committing suicide or entering into slavery to his creditors. But we do believe that most of us would be better off if we never had been able to borrow on long terms, but only for short periods, and then only as much as we could satisfy a reason able creditor we could pay when due. _ I BUILDING UP OUR NAVY i It is good news in more ways' than one that the United States is i starting out to Luild our Navy, up to the limit permitted ;.i; ler .or naval treaties with Great Brit ain, France, Italy and Japan. We say that with no belligerent spirit. We hope we shall never have to use our Navy for anything but police duty. But these are un settled days in international affairs,j and we do not believe that our m-| tion, the most powerful in the! world, should drop into a position of inferiority as compared with other sea powers. We have heard reports that some people of other nations think the United States has gone completely pacifist and that we are either too cowardly or too stingy to provide for our national defense. From that state of mind it is but a step for some of them to find an excuse for trying to use force to take something away from us. The spending of $23 8,000,000 in new naval construction will not only bring our Navy up to full treaty standards, but it will pro vide immediate work for a great number of wage-earners. The Government estimates that more than 18,000 men will be employed directly in the shipyards. But to build ships steel must be fabricat ed, huge armies of men must be put to work making guns and ar mor-plate, building engines and electrical equipment and all the rest of the fittings and equipment which go into a man-of-war. Nearly seven-eighths of all the money spent on the new Navy program will go in wages to labor, and almost every section of the na tion will benefit by the flow of money thus set in motion. We hope the shipbuilding pro gram and the rest of the Federal public works program gets under way quickly. COMMENT SHE "CONTACTED” THE WRONG ADAM AND GOT AN EARFUL To The Editor: I went to a seance the other night and when the medium asked with whom I wished, to communi cate, I’ said: "Adam Smith,’’ The lights went out and there was deep silence. When I began to think the whole thing was a fake, there was a slight tremor in the room and a cold breath fanned my face. I will admit that I was slightly disturbed. But the medium broke the silen ce and I was reassured. She said: 'Here is Adam Smith. Ask him what you wish to know.” So 1 said: *'Are you really Adam. Smith?” The cold breath fanned my face twice (the medium had said thatj two fans meant "yes,” one fan "no”). I said: "Adam Smith, I want to know what is the matterj with the world.” A ghostly voice uttered one word, "Women.” I was astounded. So I said: "Are you Adam Smith, the great economist?” Just as I was getting nervous and fearing the thing was over, the cold breath fanned my face once (mean-j ing "no”). So I said: "What Adam Smith are you?” And immediately the voice answered: "I am Adam Smith, the first man, and I know nothing about economics; I only know women.’ Could it be that Adam Smith was right? I wonder. i —M. C. _ I WHO’S TO DO THE \ GAUGING? To The Editor: Technocracy in a nutshell: To gauge the yearly needs of the na tion for the necessities and com forts of civilized life. To produce! and distribute enough to satisfy those needs. And something over. Everybody happy. —F. V. I I | _ I U L_. I SOMETIMES THE odds are * * * ALL AGAINST you and it’s --!■ «• * USELESS TO put up a * * * SCRAP. FOR instance, one ■* «■ * OF OUR better known »• » * CITIZENS WAS on a trip * a- * IN ANOTHER part of the »■ * » COUNTRY. THE cop of a «■ * * SMALL TOWN had him. "I » * * CLEARLY HAD the right OF WAY when this man * * * RAN INTO me, and yet * «■ * YOU SAY I’ll have to be * * * FINED,” SAID our fellow * * * CITIZEN. "YOU certainly * * * WILL,” WAS the cop’s reply. * * s "AND HOW do you make * * * THAT OUT?” queried the * * :!• TOURIST FROM Rowan. * * * "BECAUSE,” SAID the cop, -X •» -X "HIS FATHER is the mayor, HIS BROTHER *is chief of POLICE, AND I go*with his » * * SISTER. HOW could you * * * HOPE TO get off?” » *• * I THANK YOU. PICAYUNES | COME ON, YOU 18/ (Walter Mitchell’s Column.) Zeppo Marx related this one a bout a dice-cheater ,who fast-talk ed a group of salesmen on a train into a game of craps. As he plac-j ed a ten spot on the carpet floor I of the drawing room, he threw the dice and a third cube fell out of his sleeve. "I beg your pardon, gentlemen,”; he calmly remarked, "my point is1 18.” NATIVE WIT Cat gives birth to kittens in a tree. Must have been a pussy wil low. —The Winston-Salem Journal. DIR-TY DIG Two umpires in the Piedmont league failed to show up for the game in Charlotte last night. One of them claimed that he got 'sore” because of an article on the: sports page of one of the Charlotte' papers. | We didn’t know umpires could read. —George G. Myrover In The Fay etteville Observer. SUMMER CODE No wonder some industries look sick—they’ve got a code in the head. i —The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot.■ ECCENTRIC London item says Queen Mary, has received a book of funny stories from a Scot. It was a gift. That’s news. —The Greensboro Record. HE TOLD THEM It was back in the days when telephones weren’t so commonly used that a friend left the hired man at the house while the family went to a party. "If the telephone rings,” advised the lady of the manor, "just tell them that we are not at home.” The hired man fell asleep- on a couch but was rudely awakened at 10 o’clock by the tingling of the phone bell. Later, the family returned and asked if anyone had phoned while they were away. "Yes’m,” said the hired man, "that blamed thing woke me up and I jus’ turned over in bed an’ hollered out, loud that youinses warn’t at home.” —Charles B. Pegram In The Mor ganton News-Herald. S. O. S. (sandwiches) The men have in the past got ten off a lot of wise cracks at the expense of the good women, but the tide seems to be changing. Anyway, here are a few thrusts at ' "dad” that would seem to indicate < as much. A family group had climbed to i a high cliff for a picnic. While the father was standing perilously near the precipitous cliff enoying the i glorious vista spread before him! his little son approached with this c message: "Mother says you must i either come away from the edge of , the cliff at once or give me the sandwiches.” — The Marshville Home. ON ICE AND ON CONDITION A sign in\a Southern Pines cafe reads: "BEER” "Yes, if are sober; no, if you are drunli.” —Item In ThelMoore County News HOW TO (JET RICH QUICK . . . Sure* the Pine Knot Cor-; respondent s|hould have payment | for an acre of cotton which he; didn’t plant. The only thing is, he i is too modest in his demands. He should have stated he intended to plant 100 acres, ask pay for 5 0. —David Sink In Tlx Lexington Dispatch. YOU DON’T UNVEIL A BREW ERY; YOU BLOW THE TOP OFF Charlotte will invite Mr. Farley to come and help dedicate the new post office when finished. Wouldn’t it be just as appropriate to have him come and unveil the new brewery? —Salmagundi Th The Statesville Record REFLEX ACTION New passenger steamers have almost no roll. This is also true of the owners. —The Columbia State. DON’T FORGET "WE BE BRETHERN” News from Oklahoma indicates that the wets can win easily there without Bishop Cannon. —The Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch. OBVIOUS According to an economist, if every one would spend $100 at once, the depression would be over. If every one had $100 to spend, there wouldn’t be any depression. —The Atlanta Journal. TRANSATLANTIC THUMBER Once little William Stack, now Mr. Stack of the coast guards, Mo bile, Ala., is home for a few days, and he has gained weight and looks like he has had the best of care and the best of eats. William is a fine boy and has always liked water. He hitch-hiked across the big stream several times. ' —T. B. Laney in The Monroe Jour nal. THE SLURRER’S FATE Having called the Mecklenburg Resolves a "myth,” Russell White-J ner, over at Newton, would do' well to come to Statesville to do his tradin’ after this. —The Statesville Record. SWUNK, SWUNKER, SWUNKEST We have to our hand the 193 3 Those Tight Boots-—-- By Alben T RrM —* *-.— II DA i jo FOki me \ NEW TAXES \ To RELIEVE^! ' 1 He stood awhile oiuone nfust, And then. lie.stood on. titner, _ And on which foot he felt tie wust He couldrvt have told you nuther. towdl’s*Cous. in’" edition of the Blue Book of South rn Progress published by The Man jfacturers Record of Baltimore. It s a valuable storehouse of facts in egard to the South but unfortu sately this year not much of an ndex of progress. The Blue Book reached its great est size in 1928 and 1929 when it wasted 322 pages. This year it has 'swunk” to 82 pages. —The Fayetteville Observer. \MBITlON . . . Serge had it When I hear farmers talking as f they were all headed for the wor house I think of my neighbor, serge Katorsky. Serge came over :rom Russia just before the war, secause he had five children and vanted to give them a chance. He sad about three hundred dollars to tart with. He bought a couple of hundred icres of cheap mountain land a sout five miles from my farm, and itarted to work. He repaired the :umbled-down old house, and in :hese twenty years has so improved t that it is the most comfortable arm-house I have ever seen. There ire eleven children now, seven of :hem through high school, two rhrough college, three of the girls fnishing up in the State Normal school. And what marks those fitaorsky kids' do get in school. Serge started with some scrub tows but has bred up his dairy aerd until it’s one of the best in the district. They grow or raise aractically all they eat, and they tertainly live well. Serge Katorsky had the two es ientials for successful living, in dustry and ambition. With those i man can get almost anywhere. * * * COLORS . . . have a care If you take your automobile ivith you on your tour of the vorld, be sure the color is one that von’t offend the people of any par ticular nation. In Finland they don’t permit cars or anything else :o be painted red. Red is the color )f Communism, and the Finns are icary about ther communistic aeighbors next door in Russia. One American got into trouble n Java with a light cream-colored tar. White and cream are mourn ng colors in the Dutch East In-! dies, and are permitted only on learses. A yellow car is an offense n China, for the same reason. You don’t want to take a green tar to either England or India. In England there is a popular super itition that green is an unlucky tolor. Books and plays have been svritten about girls who wore green stockings, ‘with the result they never could get a man to mar ry them! And in India green is reserved for the use of pious Mo hammedans who have made the pilgrimage to Mecca and so are en titled to wear the green turban. Better play safe—if you’re really going—and take a plain black or dark blue car with you on your world tour. * * * FIRST . .. . two more My friend Joe Kane has written a book to tell who was the first to do or make many things in com mon use. It’s an interesting book,i (failed "Famous First Facts,” butj I ran across a couple of "firsts” thei other day that Jce hasn’t got in his book. The first white bread was made by an English miller, Huge Pad-' dington, because a nobleman in his town wanted bread to match his white table-linen! That was news to me when Frank Romer told me. j And the first paved street in America is in down-town New York. It is named, appropriately, Stone Street. A Dutch brewer’s wife in 1648 got tired of having her husband’s drays mired in the mud, so she had her servants lay cobble-stones the whole length of the street. * * * BUNK . . . grain alcohol. We heard a lot, last year, about! a great scheme to convert surplus! grain into alcohol. The idea was1 to save the farmer by requiring every gallon of gasoline to be mix ed with a certain portion of grain alcohol. The fuel research committee of the National Automobile Chamber of Commerce comes along now and punctures that balloon. The gaso line-alcohol mixture, it finds, while it enables the motor to accel erate faster, makes starting harder, absorbs moisture from the air, cor rodes engine and fuel pipe lines and costs much more than, straight gasoline. Besides, alcohol of high er quality can be produced from! petroleum more cheaply than thej poorer quality obtainable from! grain. j Some day motors doubtless: will I be run by alcoho', but they will be built for alcohol use alone and used only where and when the gas oline supply has given out. * * * STEAM . . . Inexpensive Driving through a Northern in dustrial city with an engineer friend I saw a curious piece of con-| struction under way. It looked just as if a huge steam engine were being built out of doors. "That’s just what it is,” my! friend told me. "That’s the newest idea in large steam plants for gen-! erating electric power. What sense! is there in putting up an expensive! building just to house a steam en-' gine? It’s cheaper to protect the equipment with asbestos, against cold weather, and pun just enough of a roof over it to keep the snow off. Then, when you have to en large the plant, you don’t have to tear out a heavy brick wall and build an expensive extension. Be sides, nobody ever yet found a way to keep a boiler-room clean enough to guard against dust explosions without hiring a lot of extra help.” That sounded reasonable. It also interested me when the engineer told me that the new type of mer cury boilers, like the One I saw, could generate steam so cheaply that they can produce electrical energy at far less cost than the cheapest waterpower. PARKER"MAKES j ME LAUGH, GETjhtJ' | SO MAD AT HIS BOVS | FER BEIN'AS BAt AS HE WU2. WHEM HE WUZ. A BOY.’. __i A TONIC Laxative CONSTIPATION, with the anno? ing symptoms that usually come with it, cuts down organic force and disturbs normal health am well-being. A thorough cleansing of the digestive tract is of great assistance in the removal of sick ening constipation symptoms. , When excessive accumulated waste matter disturbs and strains the muscles of the large intestines, rendering them temporarily un- I able to perform their wave-like evacuating movements, Thedford's Black-Draught is useful in stimu lating them to activity, which, again started, should continue regularly until some future dis turbance interferes. In this way, Thedford’s Black-Draught is one of the TONIC laxatives, tending, as it does, to establish a regular habit of evacuation. STAR LAUNDRY "The Good One” Launderers and Dry Cleaners j Phone 24 114 West Bank St. i One Day Service j. Shoes rebuilt the better way. All kinds of harness, trunk and suitcase repairing. FAYSSOUX’S PLACE Phone 433 120 E. Innes St. NOW is the time to have your radiator inspected. Your radiator is one of the most vita’ parts of your ■car. Let’s give the old radiator a "new deal” right now. We flush, clean, re pair and recore all types of radiators. We . g sell or trade, new and second '■ hand. We are the oldest and most reliable. See us. east spencer motor co. THE CHRYSLER DEALER Phoiw 1 ItS-J Eut Spencer, N. C.