Washington—lopping an otner
subjects of conversation in Wash
ington is the speech which Alfred
E. Smith made at the Liberty
League Dinner, and its possible ef
fects upon the political situation.
No utterance by a private citizen
in recent political history has stirred
up so much discussion. It is taken
here by some political observers as
the most important wedge that has
been driven so far to bring about
the much-talked split in the Demo
cratic Party.
Of course, Mr. Roosevelt will be
renominated, but there is no mis
taking the intention of Mr. Smith
and his folic ers, included in the
Liberty League, to bolt the Party,
whether they undertake to put a
third ticket into the field or r>
How serious this defection may
be in its effect upon the President’s
chance for reelection is a question
upon which opinions vary widely.
Naturally, the warm supporters of
the Administration ridicule the idea
that the Liberty League crowd can
influence any material volume of
votes. But behind the Liberty
League is a practically unlimi:ed
amount of money, and at its head is
Jouett Shouse, a very able political
organizer.
— -O—
RUMBLINGS FROM SOUTH
Considerable significance was at
tached here to the declaration by
the late Governor Allen, of Louis
iana, that his organization would
join up with the Liberty League in
trying to prevent Mr. Roosevelt’s
renomination. Gov. Talmadge of
Georgia, long an outspoken enemy
of the Administration, is the spear
head of another revolt inside the
Democraitc Party which is begin
ning to be taken seriously in the
South. The expectation is that
the Talmadge movement may also
be lined up with the Liberty League
movement.
The point of greatest doubt is
how far these attacks upon the
President and his policies may be
carried if they fail to stop his re
nomination. It is conceded by the,
political experts that a high per
centage of those "Democrats who
dislike the New Deal will never
. fbeless swing into line under the
banner, preferring "jtain
their *rega?tnty” than to "Colt the!
ticket. They may, ar A1 Smith ex
pressed it, merely "take a walk,”
rather than affiliate themselves
with a third-party movement.
TOWNSEND PLAN FADES
One third-party movement that
seems to have been pretty well
blown up is that threatened by Dr.
Townsend if the present Congress
did not adopt his plan of old-age
pensions for everybody. In fact,
Dr. Townsend’s thiry-party threat
has had exactly the opposite effect
on Capitol Hill that it was intended
to have.
Instead of scaring Congressmen
to flock to the support of his Old
Age Revolving Pension plan, it has
rather inpelled many members to
look upon it with less seriousness.
That is partly due to the realiza
tion that from an economic stand
point the plan of paying every old
person $200 a month would be
ruinous, and partly because the vot
ing strength behind the Townsend
Plan is so far confined to a few
areas and Congressional districts.
Representative John S. Mac
Groarty of California has a modi
fied Townsend Plan in the form of
a bill which would provide for $10
(Conti»ued on page 4)
Ground Hog Goes ’Round i
And Around, Sees No Shadow:
Salisburians breathed a sigh of re
lief Sunday as twilight set in after
some 12 hours of cloudy weather
during which Mr. Ground Hog did
not have a Chinaman’s much less
a Ground Hog’s chance to see his
shadow.
After the worst winter weather in
almost a couple of decades the fact
that the Ground Hog could not see
his shadow on what has come to be
known as Ground Hog Day is wel
come news to those who hold to the
ancient belief that he is a good
weather prophet.
To those unversed in the folk
lore of these United States, the En
cyclopedia Britannica has a para
graph devoted to Ground Hog Day.
"It says: "Ground Hog Day, Feb
ruary 2, so-called in the United
I
States because of the fanciful sup- <
position that the Ground Hog em
erges from winter sleep to observe 1
the approach of spring. If the
Ground Hog sees his shadow he re
tires to his burrow for six weeks
more of winter, but, if the day is
cloudy, he remains above ground,
confident of continuing mild s
weather.” ^
Apparently the Ground Hog :
knows his onions—weather to you (
—for soon after dark the mixture L
of snow and sleet, which had been i
falling more or less all day, stopped. s
The sky remained cloudy, however, i
and the hopes of the people were i
granted as rain began to fall and <
the temperature rise and the rain j
began to wash away the ice and :
snow, the novelty of which has de- ;
finitely worn off for local citizens. <
I 1
The Carolina Watchman
— _ A NEWSPAPER DEVOTED TO THE UPBUILDING OF ROWAN COUNTY ——
FUNDED 1832—104TH YEAR SALISBURY, N. C., FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 7, 1936. VOL. 104 NO. 28. PRICE 2 CENTS.
Recover Body
Negro Woman
In Unique Way
Local Colored Undertak
er To Answer Cause
For Holding Body
Albemarle, Feb. 4—Claim and
delivery proceedings have been re
sorted to in an unusual manner to
recover the dead body of a 102
year-old Stanly negro woman,
Leanna Sibley, who died at the
home of a relative near Richfield
10 days ago.
It happened like this:
After her death on January 25
the body of "Aunt” Leanna, as ev
eryone knew her, was turned over
to a negro undertaker of Salisbury,
who alleged that the deceased had
been protected by burial insurance.
The funeral had been set for the
following Tuesday afternoon, the
28th, and when relatives and
friends gathered at the grave and
no body showed up after many
hours waiting past the appointed
time, some of the brethren set out
for Salisbury to ascertain the reason.
Calling at the establishment
where the body had been carried,
they were told by the negro under
taker that the woman’s insurance
dues had not been duly paid, and
that she was not in good standing
with the association, and therefore
the body was being held for the
undertaking charges, amounting to
$50.
Thus the brethren were faced
with a peculiar situation as ]
"Aunt” Leanna had no immediate
survivors from the 18 children that
had been born to her except one
son, aged 70, now being cared for
by the county, and there was no
one to pay the undertaking charges. 1
Days passed by, and still no bur- <
ial service. <
Saturday of last week some of 1
the colored brethren decided that ;
something must be done. In sym- i
pathy with their plight, a local at- :
torney prepared a claim and de- i
livery action, placing the value of '
the body at $5,000, and these pa
pers were served upon the Salisbury •
undertaker.
In lieu of putting up $10,000 <
bond to fight the action, he sur- :
rendered the body, and "Aunt”
Leanna was brought to her home 1
and buried in due form Sunday 1
afternoon in the presence of a large
host of her friends.
The Salisbury undertaker, Le
roy Cheshire, because of his action i
will face charges of false pretense
in county court here next Monday. <
RIDICULES NOE’S REQUEST
New Orleans—Frank H. Peter- .
man, resigned State works prog- 1
ress administrator, in a statement
termed the request of Governor
James A. Noe for a reorganization
of the WPA in Louisiana "child- ■
ish.” 1
---- I
Senate Repeals
Bankhead Act
Washington — Complying with
President Roosevelt’s request in a
special message to the Senate, the
Senate Tuesday repealed the Bank
head Cotton Control Act, the Kerr
Smith Tobacco Act and the Potato
Control Act.
Without a record vote, the Sen
ate adopted unanimously a resolu
tion repealing the laws, introduced
by Senator Smith (Democrat),
South Carolina, chairman of the
Senate agriculture committee.
Smith said the committee agreed
unanimously on the President’s re
quest.
Meanwhile, in the House, Rep
resentative Marvin Jones (Demo
crat), of Texas, chairman of the
House agriculture committee, in
troduced a measure for repeal of
the Bankhead act.
President Roosevelt, in a surprise
message to Congress Monday rec
ommended immediate repeal of the
Bankhead Cotton Control act, the
Kerr-Smith Tobacco act and the
Potato act of 1935.
The Executive explained in a
one-paragraph message he was
making the recommendations be
cause of termination of the AAA
(Continued on page 4)
Simmons Stays
Dut Of Politics
7ormer Senator At 82,
Says He Has Enough of
Office Holding
New Bern—Although declaring
hat he deeply appreciated the re
ent press comments and hundreds
if personal messages that suggest
lis entry in the senatorial race
igainst Senator Josiah W. Bailey
n the approaching primary, for
ner Senator F. M. Simmons said
hat he would not seek this or any
>ther political office.
Recalling his recently published
issertion that he had for many
rears planned to retire from public
iffice at the age of 80 years, the
ormer senator pointed out that he
vas now 82 years of age and that
le felt that he had held office long
:nough.
Never before in his life, he re
lated, has he been so happy as at
iresent, with his local farm and
lome interests, and especially with
he numerous kind expression
ongratulations and good wishes;
hat are pouring into him from all
jarts of the State and nation re
garding his birthday statement in
upport of the New Deal.
After paying high tributes to his
'beloved old friend and colleague”!
:he late Senator Lee S. Overman,
ienator Simmons told Senator!
Overman’s daughter, Mrs. Edwin1
D. Gregory of Salisbury, who call-1
:d upon him at his home here, that
le hoped very much she and all the
ither State university trustees
vould staunchly support President
’rank Graham and his plans and
lolicies for the consolidated univer
ity.
Jrge Officials To
Install Radio System
A number of messages have^been
ent by interested citizens and
;roups to Governor
nd Capus M. Waynick,
if the State highway
irging that plans proceed
nstallation of a
ystem, authorized by
ilature, as an aid to
pay patrol in its
ages take note
lorts that
bandoned,
;iyen
d to
{ Spring Fashion Parade Swings to Action
NEW YORK . . . ■ Spring fashions for women are now very much on
parade here. On the left is an early straw with high pointed crown, trimmed
with a spray of blue cornflowers and pink and yellow bachelor buttons.
It is a shiny black basket-weave straw. The bow is of cornflower blue silk
taffeta. On the right is Miss Pamela Prime, wearing a navy blue wool
Spring coat with wooden buttons and hat to match. The coat has pockets on
he sleeves and collar.
Accidents In U. S.
Claim 99,000 Lives
Chicago—Ninety-nine thousand
Americans died in accidents last
year—one every six minutes.
That was the tabulation an
nounced by the National Safety
council.
The total bill for Americans’
carelessness was addl'd up to ap
proximately $3,000,000,000 in
property damage, wage loss and
medical expense.
Council statisticians told the
story in these grim figures:
99,000 killed; 365 permanently
injured; 9,100,000 temporarily
disabled; 271 killed every day, 11
every hour, one every six minutes;
25,000 injured every day, 1,000
every hour, 16 every minute; 1,000
permanently injured every day, 41
every hour.
They noted a drop of 3,000 from
1934 but pointed out the heat and
drought of the latter year claimed
3,250 lives.
Motor vehicle crashes brought
death to 36,400, an all-time high,
permanent injury to 107,000 and
temporary hurts to 1,170,000.
Monetary loss in this bracket was
set at $1,600,000.
There were 31,500 fatalities in
home accidents, a decrease of nine
per cent from 1934. Falls account
ed for about 44 per cent of them
with burns, scalds, asphyxiation,
firearms, poison and cuts other
leading causes. There were 4,600,
000 injuries. Monetary loss was
set at $580,000,000.
Occupational deaths totaled 16,
500 and injuries 1,400,000. Their
cost was reckoned at $620,000,000.
This was a slight increase but in
dustrial activity was at a higher
level. A duplication of 2,900
deaths in the automobile and occu
pational classes was pointed out.
To The World
War Veterans
Of Rowan Co.
Since the end of the World War
n 1918, the American Legion and
jther Veterans organizations, and
ilso the parents and relatives of
World War Veterans have been
trying to secure a list of all the
men who served from Rowan
County in the armed forces of the
United States or Allied nations.
There is no available source from
tvhich this information can be se
cured without great expense and
trouble but an opportunity new
presents itself whereby the names,
ind military services of these men
can be compiled. In order to ob
:ain the bonds recently granted by
che Congress, it will be
for each man to make
jn the proper form. The
can Legion has designated
owing men to assist in the
■ation of these
Wingate, at the office
jury Post, Fred You
?eeler, at Peeler’s
ind Donald
Doughton Will
Back ‘Chief’ On
Inflation Issue
Winston-Salem, Feb. 3—Repre
sentative Robert L. Doughton,
chairman of the House ways and
means committee, said here tonight
he "will stand by President Roose
velt on the question of currency
inflation.”
Pointing out that the President
new.'
action would be
a message was forth- ‘
the President or the
department. He express
hope that new taxes
avoided this year.
left for Washington
attending a meeting of the
ton-Salem Junior Chamber of
at which Governor Eh
was the speaker.
Loses Appeal On
Lindbergh Law
Washington — Arthur Gooch,
Paris, Texas, was denied Supreme
Court intervention in his fight
against a death penalty under the
Lindbergh kidnaping law for the
alleged abduction of two policemen
who attempted to arrest him.
Spencer Officer'
Is Convicter1^
Simple Assault
Gets Thirty Days In Da
vidson County For Af
fray At High Rock
H. C. Rogers, special railway of
ficer, of Spencer, formerly a Lex
ington policeman for eight years,
was absolved of blame for the
drowning of Ernest Michael, Lex
ington man and father of eight
children, in the waters of High
Rock Lake on Sunday, January 12,
by a jury in Davidson County su
perior court Saturday afternoon.
The jury convicted him of simple
assault, growing out of the ad
mitted fact that Rogers and Mi
chael engaged in a fight along the
160-yard stretch of fill across the
Abbotts Creek arm of the lake be
low Southmont between the point
where Rogers’ car was stopped and
that where the body of Michael
was fished out of about ten or
twelve feet of water.
Judge J. A. Rousseau sentenced
the former officer to serve thirty
days in jail, to be assigned to the
roads, which was the maximum
prison sentence the law allows un
der the simple misdemeanor of
which the jury convicted Rogers.
It was stated in court circles that
under the law the sentence dates
from the first day of court, which
meant that virtually one week of
the time imposed had already elaps
ed.
Judge Rousseau charged the jury
that under the evidence they might
find Rogers guilty either of volun
tary manslaughter, involuntary
manslaughter, simple assault or
might acquit him altogether. It is
understood that the count of sim
ple assault was an unusual one to
be included in a homicide case, but
counsel for the defendant pointed
out the statutory provision there
for in a case where there is no evi
dence the accused used a deadly
weapon. The jury remained out
more than an hour before return
ing its verdict.
County Adds
New Busses;
Four new buses have been added
to the county school transportation
system this week following action ,
of the board of education and com
missioners in a meeting Monday.
The State offered to send two re
placement buses here if the county
would buy a like number, and the
proposition was accepted.
CUTTER CHASES RUNNER j
Washington—Treasury officials i
pursuit of a rum runner !
Is Created
By Suggested
Finance Plan
He Declares Move Justi
fied By Improved Eco
nomic Recovery
HOLC BE EFFECTED
Washington As a part of a gov
ernment-wide financial inventory
taking, President Roosevelt deter
mined to scrap congressional au
thorizations for borrowing of more
than a billion dollars.
The Chief Executive made his
announcement at a press confer
ence, after a parley with financial
advisors and the heads of several
lending agencies. Quickly he ex
plained to newspapermen, however,
that the cancellation of specific
authorizations meant only that
funds would not have to be bor
rowed for the purposes mentioned.
It did not mean, he said, that these
funds would be available to meet
sther government expenses.
The move aroused considerable
speculation. A quick check of the
Home Owners’ Loan corporation,
which the President mentioned as
me agency involved, showed that
around a billion dollars in author
izations might be available for
4-1_-1_ TL. —
ject of housing thus might be in
volved.
Some observers saw one purpose
of the move as putting the gov
ernment’s financial house in neater
order, in view of the heavy bor
rowings scheduled by the treasury
during the fiscal year.
Mr. Roosevelt had little to say
dong this line. No mention was
made of the subject of taxes. Nor
ivould he discuss whether methods
)f financing the bonus were in
volved, saying only that this ques
:ion was still under consideration,
rfe specifically declined comment
vhen reminded that rhere had
seen considerable talk of inflation
m Capitol Hill. , .
Asked if the prospective can
ellation of authorizations meant
he end of the emergency period,
he President replied that this was
oo broad a statement. Further, he
eplied in the negative when a re
>orter inquired if the move repre
ented a tightening of the purse
trings.
Junior Order Plans
District Meetings
Statesville — Twenty district
neetings of the Junior Order in
he western district of North Car
ilina will be held Friday night,
;ebruary 21, as the members rally
o the call of Monroe Adams,
itatesville, state councilor, to hold
:lass initiations. Through the in
rick Jackson s rortrait
To Grace Bonus Bonds
Washington—Secretary Morgen
thau announces that the portrait of
Andrew Jackson will grace the $50
bonds through which Woild War
veterans will get their bonus.
"As a soldier-President, Jackson
ought to be appropriate,” he added
—but that didn’t tell the whole
story.
The treasury couldn’t very read
ily pick the list Tour Presidents—
Harding, Coolidge, Hoover or
Roosevelt—because they vetoed bo
nus bills.
It was reported that the choice
finally narrowed down to Jackson
ar Thomas Jefferson—both patron
saints of the Democratic party.
And the announcement disclosed
that the choice was for Jackson
ian democracy in this instance—
rather than the Jeffersonian brand.
The bonds will be printed on the
same kind of paper used for ordi
nary currency. Around 28,000,
000 will be needed for distribution
to the veterans.
Morgenthau said preparations for
printing have gone forward with
out a hitch. He would not fore
cast when the bonds likely would
start coming off the government
pressses.