m$ rnnmu
Washington—From any point of
view, the most important happen
ing in Washington since the Roose
velt Administration took office, is
the decision by the Supreme Court
that the crop control-features of
the Agricultural Administration
Act both in the original law and
the amendments passed last Sum
mer, are unconstitutional.
The Federal Government, the
high court held in its six-to-three
decision, has no power to regulate
agriculture. That is one of the
rights never delegated to the Cong
ress and therefore specifically re
served to the States by the 10th
Amendment.
It was a far more sweeping de
cision that most Washington ob
servers had expected. The Admin
istration was prepared for'a ruling
that the processing taxes and their
distribution in benefit payment to
farmers for crop reduction were not
Constitutional. Indeed, the main
purpose of the AAA amendments
of 1935 was to get around such a
possible verdidt by the Supreme
Court.
SWEEPING DECISION
After declaring that the process
ing taxes and their distribution in
benefit payments were beyond the
power of Congress, because th<"’
were not applied to the "general
welfare” but to a limited class,” and
that Congress had improperly dele
gated to the Executive the appro
priation of public funds, the de
cision, read by Justice Roberts,
went farther still. The heart of
the matter he pointed out, lay in
the purpose of the AAA, and that
purpose, the regulation of agricul
ture, is clearly unconstitutional, be
cause it is an attempt on the part
of the Federal Government to exer
cise rights reserved to the States.
Justices Brandeis, Cardozo and
Stone dissented from the majority
opinion.
The case before the Supreme
Court was that of the Hoosac
Mills, in protest against the process-1
ing tax on cotton. But so broad |
was the Court’s decision that it is/
regarded here as applying to the
Bankhead cotton control act, the
potato control amendment as well
as to the wheat, corn-hog, tobacco
and other Federal efforts to control
agricultural production. The de-|
cision prohibits any attempt to en
force any part of the AAA pro
gram.
processors neea not pay any
more processing taxes; the farmers
cannot receive any more benefit
payments. It is doubtful that
those v/ho have paid the processing
taxes can recover them from the
Government, or that the Govern
ment can collect back from farmers
benefit payments already made.
BUDGET, WAR, PROBE
The Supreme Court decision
threw into the shade the President’s
budget message, which was handed
to Congress at the same hour that
Justice Roberts began to read the
Court’s decree. Mr. Roosevelt’s
estimates were divided into two
sections, "regular” expenses of Gov
ernment and relief expenditures.
The President estimated the Fed
eral income from all sources at
$5,654,000,000 for the next fiscal
year, which amount he figured,
would leave $5,00,000 surplus. Bu
he declined to put a figure on the
(Continued on page 4)
I Townsend Threat Alarms
1
WASHINGTON . . . Political
leaders of both big parties gathered
i here agreed privately that the start
ling growth of the ‘ ‘ Townsend $200
. per-month pension plan and the
; threat of Francis E. Townsend
(above), to organise a Third Party
; next year, might be occasion for
> veal alarm.
The Carolina Watchman Lr^:
__A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE UPBUILDING OF ROWAN COUNTY
FOUNDED 1832—104TH YEAR SALISBURY, N. C., FRIDAY MORNING, JANUARY 17, 1936. VOL. 104 NO. 25. PRICE 2 CENTS.
Textile Mills Will Observe Code
_ *
Motor Failure Is Blamed For
Nation’s Worst Air Tragedy
Goodwin, Ark.—Engine failure,
due to clogged gas lines or some
other vital trouble, is believed to
have sent the American Airlines
transcontinental luxury lines, the
Southerner, into a plunge which
carried 17 passengers to death in
'the Arkansas swamps Wednesday.
Department of Commerce offi
cials, here in the aftermath of the
worst- tragedy in American com
mercial air history, heard two farm
ers who saw the brightly-lighted
ship struggling for life over the
cypress bogs declare the ship’s en
gines were faltering.
The engines were sputtering and
choking just before the ship went
into its death glide, the eyewit
nesses stated.
In haltering swamp country dia
lect their eyes bleary and bloodshot,
their clothing caked with mud
from a night of slopping through
muck and water to bring out the
cruelly mangled bodies of the vic
tims, they told their dramatic,
death-laden stories.
To these accounts of a stutter
ing, faltering engine investigators
added the statement of John T.
Shea, promirtent Memffhis attor
ney, who flew in the doomed Cali
fornia-bound ship from Nashville
to Memphis. One engine seemed
faulty when the plane left Mem
phis, he said.
House Passes
Bonus Bill By
Big Majority
Vote On Passage Is An
nounced As 355 to 58
Washington—A crushing house
majority passed and sent to the sen
ate the bill authorizing immediate
cash payment of the bonus to
nearly 3,500,000 World War vet
erans.
Its immediate cost was estimated
variously from $1,000,000,000 to
$2,000,000,000.
The vote on passage was an
nounced by Speaker Byrns as 3 5 5
to 5 8, more than the two-thirds re
quired to pass legislation over a
presidential veto. The ballot was
taken before packed galleries.
Prompt consideration of the issue
by the senate finance committee
was promised by Chairman Harri
son, Democrat, Mississippi.
Unless pressure for the house bill
is too great the committee was con
sidered likely to amend the meas
ure or vote out a less liberal one of
its own, realizing President Roose-j
velt is opposed to full payment at
this time.
Democratic Leader Robinson has
conferred with the President and
was believed to have conveyed the
executive’s attitude to all bonus
camps whose representtatives have
been conferring in secret for several
days.
Robinson was hopeful a bill can
be passed that will meet executive
approval.
Just before final passage the
house defeated 319 to 89 a mo
tion by Representative Treadway,
Republican, Massachusetts, to re
turn the bill to committee under
instructoins to requre payment
with unexpected relief funds.
On the floor members were so
unconcerned about the outcome of
the balloting that the chatted nois
ly or read newspapers. Speaker
Byrns had to crack down with his
gavel repeatedly so those who had
not yet voted could hear the clerk
call their names.
N. C. Veterans to
Get $34,622,162
Representative Patman, Demo
crat, Texas, estimated there were
63,926 World War veterans in
North Carolina holding bonus cer
tificates aggregating $34,622,162
and 3 5,747 in South Carolina with
Certificates valued at $1931,6831
which would be paid under the
house cash plan.
SEED LOANS APPROVED
Washington—Legislation to pro
vide $40,000,000 for seed and feed
loans to farmers in the 1936 crop
year was approved by the House
agriculture committee.
Bloody Fight
Ends In Death
Spencer Railway Officer
Held on Charge of Slay
ing Lexington Man
•Lexington.—H. C. Rogers, rail
way officer of Spencer and former
Lexington policeman, is in David
son County, jail on a charge of
murder growing out of the death
of Ernest Michael 36, of this city,
whose body was recovered from
High Rock lake near Southmont
after the two men had staged a
bloody fight on a fill, early Sunday
afternoon.
Rogers said they both fell into
the water at the point where the
fight began and blood splotches in
dicated a struggle there. Michael’s
body was recovered several hun
dred feet from this spot, about 20
feet from the edge of the rip
rapped fill. His account before a
coroner’s jury was an apparently
confused story.
Seabo Wilson, who had been rid
ing in the cjr with Rogers and
Michael, driven by Mrs. Rogers,
said he left the group when the
car had been stopped and trouble
was brewing and did not turn back
until later summoned by cries from
Mrs. Rogers. Other witnesses told
of seeing the mep in the edge of
the water fighting desperately, after
having apparently tumbled over a
guard fence and a 15-foot bank.
Evidence showed Rogers and
Michael were both drinking.
Michael leaves a widow and eight
children.
Jackson Dinners
Attracted 5,000
Incomplete reports indicate that
more than 5,000 Democrats attend
ed the Jackson Day dinners held
over the state Wednesday night,
Mrs. Bessie B. Phoenix, state presi
dent of the Young Democrats who
sponsored the affairs, announced.
Mrs. Phoenix estimated that her
organization would be able to send
about $6,000 to the Democratic
National committee, to be used in
retiring the party’s debt.
The Salisbury dinner was attend
ed by three hundred young and old
Democratic men and women.
Woodson Again
Heads First Nat.
Walter H. Woodson, local at
torney, was re-elected president of
the First National bank here at the
annual meeting and the rest of
the officer's and all of the old
directors were also re-elected.
The year-end statement of the
bank showed resources of $1,146,
000 with deposits of $9$9,000
The stock and bond account was
$$67,000; cash of $202,000 and
loans and discounts of $288,000. J
Sick Mobster
‘ - -
CHICAGO . . . Tommy Tonhy
(above), last of the mobster
“Tonhy Gang” is> now in the
hands of the G-Men, who have
trailed him since 1933, He was cap
tured in bed, a tuberculosis invalid.
Two Kidnapers
Get Life Terms
First To Get Maximuir
Penalty Under N. C.
Law
Winston-Salem—The first to re
ceive maximum penalty unde
North Carolina’s 1933 kidnappinj
law, William Barham and Fre(
i Stevens, sentenced to life imprison
ment for the abduction of W
jW. Pollock, Winstpn-Salem drafts
j man, were taken tp state prison a
! Raleigh.
j A jury in Forsyth county su
| perior court fouikd Barham an<
| Stevens guilty after deliberatinj
less than half an hour.
_ The state relied. solely upon th
testimony of Pollock to obtain con
viction in the case. Pollock testi
fied Barham and Stevens accostei
him as he entered his automobile oi
a street here the night of Octobe
! 18, 1935, ordered him to the bad
i seat of his car and took him t<
! Rowan county.
j Pollock told the jury the met
questioned him as to whether h
could raise ransom of $4,000 t<
$5,000. Informed he could no
raise that amount of money, th:
two took from him a wallet con
j'taining $38, some small change
two pencils and a watch and afte
I tying his hands and feet to a tre:
1 drove away in his car, he said.
I Barham and Stevens were ar
rested later at Raleigh, where thei
were sentenced to serve 15 year
each for robbery of stores in tha
city.
Isenhour Renamed
Head Of Realtor!
H. E. Isenhour, local realtor, wa
re-elected president of the Salis
bury Real Estate board at the an
nual meeting. Other officers re
elected included R. E. Ramsey, vie
president; F. S. Cline, secretary
treasurer; J. P. Mattox and Ross M
Sigmon, directors.
Rentals advanced about 15 pe
cent during the past year, it wa
reported, as well as less than 1 pe
cent of the local residential prop
j erty being vacant.
David Ovens To
Speak Here Jan. 3C
David Ovens of Charlotte, pro
minent business man, will mak
the principal address here at thi
annual meeting of the Chamber oi
Commerce January 30.
The Rotary, Kiwanis, Civitai
and Lions clubs will meet with th<
Chamber of Commerce and othei
citizens, and an interesting occa
sion is anticipated.
URGES COURSE IN MARXISM
Athens, Ga.—Speaking at tht
University of Georgia despite a
protest of two American Legion
leaders, George Soule, and editor oi
the New Republic, said college stu
dents should have a course in Marx
ism '*»• be really prepared.”
Democrats
To Meet In
Philadelphia
Quaker City Wins ‘Poker
Game’ With Combined
Offer Nearly $300,000
After spirited and almost unprec
edented "poker game”, with table
stakes so high as to all but wipe out
the party’s deficit, the Democratic
national committee picked Philadel
phia for its 1936 national conven
tion.
The Pennsylvania city, never be
fore the scene of a Democratic con
vention won out over San Francisco
and Chicago when its representa
tives finally waved a certified check
( for $200,000. Then, to meet higher
bids Philadelphia concessions esti
mated to raise the total to between
$2$0,000 and $300,000 were of
1 fered.
Party Chairman James A Farley
announced the national conclave,
intended to renomiate President
Roosevelt, would start June 23. The
. Republican party will meet in
, Cleveland beginning June 9.
j Before the bidding started, Farley
in opening the national committee’s
meeting, predicted a "campaign of
defamation” financed by the ,"larg
. est slush fund on record.”
(Spanish War Vets
Install Officers
Officers of the" James L. Watson
camp No. 20 of the United Span
I ish War Veterans were installed Fri
t day night at the regular meeting
. here. J. M. Mabry of Charlotte,
. representative of the Department
, of North Carolina, installed the fol
lowing.
Commander, Albert S. Arndt;
, senior vice commander, Henry W.
, Miller; junior vice commander, Ben
F. Lee; service officer and chaplain,
William White; adjutant and quar
termaster, H. M. Armistead. G.
Brooks Turner is the retiring com
. mander.
Better Homes Be
Sought For Low
Wage Earners
Washington—An early confer
ence to determine means of aiding
the small-income group in the prob
5 lem of constructing new homes is
planned by President Roosevelt,
s He estimated at his press confer
- ence that at least 90 per cent of
■ the people who need better housing
■ are within the group earning $2,
- 500 a year or less and unable to pay
■ for houses costing upwards of $5,
• 000.
’ Mrs. Margaret Parker
Of Landis Dies At 62
Miss Margaret Parker, 62, of
Landis, died in a Salisbury hospital
January 10. Funeral services were
| held at the Landis Methodist church
Sunday at 2 p. m. Burial was in the
Greenlawn cemetery at China
Grove.
Two sisters and six brothers
: Mrs. W. L. Davidson of Landis,
Mrs. Pink Ervin of near Concord,
Henry Parker of Charlotte; Chall,
1 Bill and Charles Parker of Moores
[ ville, Julius Parker of Yadkin ville,
and Percy Parker of near Landis.
DEMAND NEW CONTRACT
New York—Delegates to the
forthcoming convention of the In
ternational Seamen’s union have
been sent postcards by the rank and
file members group demanding a
new contract on the East and Gulf
coasts similar to that in effect on
the Pacific coast.
Race Is On For
Postmaster*
Place; 0 Enter
Peacock’s Term Expires
Next Month; Candi
dates Are Active
ROSS MAY SEEK JOB
P. N. Peacock, postmaster, whose
term expires February 24 of this
year announces that he is not a
candidate for another trem.
Those who have applied for the
position are said to be the follow
ing: Mrs. Maggie E. Galvin.
Henry L. Mangum, James H. Mc
Kenzie, W. F. Rattz, H. A. Rouzei
and S. A. Russell all well-knowr
Salisbury citizens of high standing
in the community.
It is reported that the present
assistant postmaster, W. L. Rosi
may also seek the position dependint
upon the action congress takes on s
bill now pending which will extenc
the civil service to include first
secand and third class postmasters,
i Under the bill, the postmastei
will be appointed by the postmastei
general without cerm, and by pro
motion or transfer from the posta!
ranks, unless the postmaster gener
al certifies to the civil service com
mission that no one in the office ii
capable of holding the job. Unles
this bill is passed, Mr. Ross will no
take part in an active fight for th
job.
If the bill is not passed, the post
master willl be chosen by the usu:
procedure. Those who have appl:
ed will be examined by the Civ:
Service Commission and the thre
ranking highest will be the eligibles
From these three, Congressman R
L. Doughton and the local Demo
cratic executive committee wil
choose the man to govern the Sal
isbury office. Date for filing ap
plications expired January 14.
Screen Actress
Killed In Crash
Santa Monica, Calif.—Margarei
Ehrlich, 18, motion picture actres;
known on the screen as Margo
Early, was killed Sunday in a moto;
car crash as she was returning fron
a party at the home of Marion Da
vies, actress.
Mary Grace, also 18, an actres
I under contract to Warner Brother
studio, who was driving the car
suffered a possible skull fractur;
and internal injuries. She was stil
unconscious late yesterday.
The car in which the girls wer
riding struck an abutment oi
Roosevelt highway . Witnesses tol<
, the police an approaching car ap
parently forced them from the road
Miss Ehrlich a graduate of Sant;
Monica high school, appeared ii
"Operator 13”, and "Naught;
Marietta.” She recently was placei
under contract by Metro-Goldwyn
Myer Studios.
Plumbing Concern
Moving This Wee!
C. J. .W Fisher, plumber, wh;
has been located at 113 East Inne
Street, for the past several years i;
tips week moving to 107 West
Tisher Street, where he states he is
better prepared than ever to serv<
his customers. He will also carry
an up-to-date line of plumbing anc
heating fixtures.
INCOME TAX LAW VIOLATED
Olympia, Wash.—T^he 1933 Ore
gon personal net income tax law
was declared unconstitutional by
the State Supreme court. The in
validation means the loss of more
than $1,300,000 annually in reve
nue during 1936, the State tax
commission said.
''4 Continue
NRA Principles
Majority of Industry to
Volutarily Observe
Provisions
40 HOUR WORK WEEK
Southern cotton-textile manu
facturers had in their offices Tues
day copies of the pledge they are
being asked to sign in the Cotton
Textile Institute’s program for con
tinuation of the major principles of
the former NRA code.
The pledge, when signed, is the
manufacturer’s promise that he
will:
1. Observe a work week of not
more than 40 hours in any one cal
endar week for employes engaged
in operating textile machinery in
side the mill or engaged within the
mill in handling material in process.
2. Pay a minimum rate on wages
for such employes of 30 cents an
hour in the southern branch and
32 1-2 cents an hour in thte north
ern branch, with the exception of
learners and workers partly inca
pacitated by reason of age or dis
ability.
3. Will not employ minors under
16 years of age.
4. Will not operate productive
machinery, defined as spinning
spindles and looms, more than 80
; hours in any one calendar week,
' such limitation to aplpy to each in
• dividual spindle and loom.
: Leaders in the industry explained
that the Institute is just completing
- distribution of the pledges and that
I it will be some time before an
-J nouncement of the percentage of
II the industry signed up can be made.
“I They were definite in their belief,
• however, that the big majority of
■ the industry will co-operate in this
■ effort.
Representatives of the greater
portion of the carded and combed
yarn groups of the industry went
on record in a meeting in Charlotte
Monday as in favor of the plan, and
leaders declared that they have no
(Continued on page eight)
Sees Delay In
Restoring Roads
To Good Condition
Raleigh — Vance Baise, State
highway engineer, expressed the op
inion it would be spring before sur
face-treated highways of the State
’ can be restored to first-class shape.
’ "We plan to patch the roads
’ where ever possible but it will be
: necessary to completely rebuild
most of the highways,” said Baise.
The recent severe freezes, snow,
' sleet and rain did more than $1,
1 000,000 worth of damage to the
1 highway system Baise has estimat
■ ed.
t Richest Woman, Bride |
NEW YOBK . . . Mrs. Marjorie
Post Close Hutton (above), heiress
to a health food fortune and one of
the nation's richest women, is now
on honeymoon with her third hus
band, Joseph B. Davies, Washington
attorney.