BOOSTERS FOR. A GREATER CITY AND COUNTY
County Herald
---AND THE CAROLINA WATCHMAN
FOUNDED 1$32—1#STH YEAI-- ^_
SALISBURY, N. C. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1937 — --77T-i 77-O --
--’--’_ ’ _ VOL. 104 NO. 30 > PRTC.F. ? r.FNT?
State iQ Spend $4,000,000 On Crosinffs
Outline Terms
In Washington
To Bs Spent in Same Way
As present Emergency
Funds
Washington.—The Secretary of
Agriculture has announced the
terms under which North Carolina
may receive the State’s allotment
of approximately $50,000,000 Fe
deral fund for continuing through
the next fiscal year on a permanent
basis the program of eliminating
hazards at railroad grade crossings.
The funds, authorized by the act
of Congress of June 16, 1936, were
apportioned by the Secretary on
December 29, 1936, and become
available for expenditures on July
1* The bureau of public roads will
administer the funds in co-opera
tion with State highway depart
ments.
These new funds are in addition
to the initial appropriation of $200
000,000 of emergency funds under
which grade crossing elimination
work is now under way and will
be extended in much the same way.
Five types of grade crossing
elimination and protection develop
ments re eligible (1) separation of
grades at crossings; (2) installation
o. protective devices at grade cross
mgs; (3) reconstruction of exist
'.r.g grade separation structures; (4)
relocation of highways to eliminate
grade crossings; (5) relocation of
railroads to eliminate grade cross
ings.
TL £ ... 1 -iii
* xiw 1UWU3 “it1 dvctiiauic lu pay
the cost of contsruction exclusive
of cost of right of way or property
damage, and can be spent either on
rural highways or on city streets.
I To insure a fair distribution of
benefits among the railroads in
each State, the regulations require
j that improvements shall be divided
among the various railroads so that
the amount expended on each shall
be approximately in proportion to
its mileage.
On each railroad crossing of the
greatest hazard to traffic are to be
selected for elimination or protec
tion. Initiative is selecting projects
for improvement rests with the
State authorities who will prepare
the program, and submit it to the
bureau of public roads for approval.
Where legal authority exists in a
State for the physical closure of
railroad grade crossings and where,
by the construction of a grade sep
aration structure with adequate ap
proaches the use of an existing
grade crossing structure is render
ed unnecessary for the convenience
of the general public, the regula
tions require that approval of a
project for the construction of a
grade separation structure shall be
contingent upon prior provision for
the physical closure of such grade
crossing or crossings after com
pletion of the new structure.
Any lateral connection necessary
to accomplish the physical closure
of such existing grade crossings
may be included as part of a project
and paid for with grade crossing
funds.
Montilla Clarke
i
Dies Suddenly
_
Noted Engineer of South
ern Railway; Was !n
Active Service for 52
j Years.
From the Spencer Journal
; Engineer Montilla "Monk”
J Clarke, age about 73, the oldest en
gineer on the Danville division and
' one of the oldest on the Southern
] System, died suddenly early today
a few minutes after ho stepped ofj
his engine, from a heart attack.
1 Mr. Clarke walked into Dorsett’s
Cafe, called for a cold drink, and
as he reached for it fell to the floor,
(dead. A physician was hurriedly
j called but efforts to revive the stri
cken man were to no avail.
Funeral arrangements are not
complete but it is stated that the
services will be in Danville wher?
I Continued on Page Eight
County May Vote On Rum Issue
County Option
Plan Adopted
By Assembly
Commissioners Will Be
Requested To Call Re
ferendum On Issue In
This County.
ILLEGAL BOOZE
DEALERS STUNNED
This county may have legal, tax
paid liquor in the near future, un
der the county option plan adopted
this week by the North Carolina
General Assembly.
Believing that temperance will
be promoted by control and strict
enforcement of laws and regula
tions incident to the sale of liquor,
and also, that the state, counties,
and municipalities, should derive a
fair tax from the sale of this com
modity, the state solons voted af
firmatively on the issue.
It was variously predicted that
the County Commissioners will act
on this important issue in the near
future. Certain it was that con
siderable pressure will be brought
for them to call an election to per
mit the voters to determine whe
ther or not they wanted legal, tax
paid liquor.
Action of the state General As
sembly comes as damaging blow to
persons who have been dispensing
'■'f-hia commodity in this county
under the so-called "bootleg” sys
tem. A stiff fipht is nrerlicted.
Under the measure, each county
could call for elections on the crea
tion of liquor stores.
The adopted amendments would:
1. Prohibit drinking at football
games or any other public assembly.
2. Cause stores to fix uniform
prices.
3. Allow stricter supervision of
srores and prohibit the placing of;
a liquor store in a township which j
voted dry although the count} ^
voted wet.
4. Require a 20-day notice of the,
opening of the registration books'
and provide for one ballot instead
of two as previously stipulated. |
County elections on the liquor;
question within the next 30 days
loomed as a possibility after the
Senate passed the Hanford bill
which would authorize county
Uirds of commissioners to call
special elections on the setting up
of alcoholic beverage control stores.
An amendment passed howevei,j
specified that at least 20 days no-;
rice of an election must be given
in uruer mat voters may .
Under the bill, elections also
must be held if demanded in a pe
tition signed by 15 per cent of the
registered voters who participated;
in the last gubernatorial election, j
Mo votes would be held in the
17 counties now operating liquor
stores under the New Hanover andt
Pasquotank acts. In no county may i
more than one election on the liquor j
ouestion be held in any three-year
period. Stores are operated by the
counties. The State gets its regular
sales tax from the sale of whiskey, j
The Hanford proposal would al
low counties to retain all profits|
from the sale of spirits, but the
revenue bill, now pending before
the Senate, would place a 7 pet]
cent State tax on gross sales. j
The measure specifically prohi-j
hi tv the resale in any way of bever
ages bought from county stores,
and none with more than 21 per
cent alcoholic centent can be sold
elsewhere.
It also specifically prohibits
drinking of the beverages on the
premises of the county stores or
county boards and on any public
mad or street, but does not prohi-j
bit drinking liquor in hotels and;
afes which is taken there by per
sons purchasing it legally.
The measure sets no limit on pos
session of legal whiskey, but in
OUR
SNAPSHOTS*
Rehearsal Scene —
Camera catche3
Francia White, Cali
fornia prima donna,
and Conrad Thibault,
popular baritone,
working on their num
bers for the Tuesday
evening Fred Astaire
Charles Butterworth
pcogram over the
NBC-Red network
Ship Ahoyl George
Vanderbilt and his
wife, wave farewell
as they set sail from
Palm Beach, Fla. for
a five-month cruise
and scientific expe
dition to the South
I ^Seas._
Leading A Field of 25 Cars of all makes and price classes, a
Graham Supercharger sedan won the A.A.A. sanctioned Gilmore
Los Angeles-Yosmite Economy Sweepstakes Award for the second
consecutive year, averaging 53.4 ton miles per gallon. Earl B.
onmore wen; cjdoui 10
present the trophy to
Clay Moore, (right)
drirer of the winning
car^
| Mary Cai lisle, film ce
™ lebrity, likes all her com
forts when taking a dip.
Two Thrones ior England—The second
throne has once more been restored to
its historic position next to that of His
Majesty at the House of Lords in readi
ness for the Royal opening ceremony.
Now Models For A New Industry are discussed by E. J.
Schwanhausser, president of Buffalo Chamber of Commerce,
(centor) with A. R Herslce (left) and D E. Kennedy, American
Radiator Company vice-presidents, prior to the introduction of
20 1937 models for air conditioning at Buffalo (N Y ) convention.
Questions Answered Regarding
County Liquor Control Measure
The bill providing for the manu
facture, sale and control of alcoho
lic beverages in North Carolina,
simplified:
Q. How does this bill, which
was passed by the House and is now
facing consideration by the Senate,
differ from the present Pasquo
tank measure?
A. Briefly, it authorizes state
wide sale of alcoholic liquors and
establishes a state board of alco
holic control which will supervise
county liquor control boards.
Q. Can counties now prohibiting
the sale of liquor open liquor
stores?
A. Yes, the measure provides
that a county election may be held
and if a majority of the votes cast
in the election are for liquor stores
a system of stores shall be opened
in that county. The law provides
the ballots shall be printed with
the words: "For County Liquor
Control Stores” and "Against
Liquor Control Stores.”
Q. How will the election be
■ ...... --
called:
A. The election will be called
[upon written request of the board
of county commissioners or upon a
jytition to the board of elections
signed by at least 15 per cent of
the registered voters in the county!
who voted in the last election for
governor.
Q. If the vote is against open
ing of liquor stores, when can an
other election be called in that
county?
A. Three years later.
Q. Can the election be held
when voting is going on for oth
er county issues or for election oT
new county officers?
A. No, it must be an election on
the liquor stores only and shall j
not be held on the day of any bi- \
ennial election for county officers1
or within 60 days of such n elec-,
tion.
Q. How many persons will serve
on the State Board of Alcoholic
Control?
A. Three, a chairman who shall i
[receive $6,000 annually, and two1
associate members to be paid $25
for every day they are engaged in
their official duties. The associate
members also will receive trans
portation to and from the meeting
place of the board to their homes.
Q. What is the term of office of
each member rf this board?
A. The chairman shall servo
for three years from the date of
his appointment and one associate
member for two years, and the
other one year from the date of
his appointment. Subsequent mem
bers of the board shall serve for
three years.
Q. What will this board do in
regard to controlling county
boards.
A. Briefly, it will see that the
liquor law is observed; it will au
dit and examine accounts of the
liquor stores; it will approve or
disapprove the prices at the liquor
stores and test the alcoholic bev
erages which may be sold.
Q. How will the quality of alco
holic beverages bis known by
Continued on Page Eight
F. D. R. Outlines
Plan To Assist
Farm Tenants
Federal Government
Would Sell Farms On
Liberal Terms
Offers 40 Years To Pay
Other Points Are Retire
ment of Poor Land,
Farmers’ Loans, And
Windfall Tax.
Washington.—President Roose
velt asked Congress this week to
save the "American dream” of in-lj
dividual farm ownership. \,
"Obviously action by the States1;
alone and independently cannot
cure the widsspread evil,” the Pres-i
ident said in transmitting the re-1 j
port of his special committee on;
farm tenancy. I1
A nation-wide program under
Federal leadership and with the
assistance of States counties, com
munities and individuals is the
only solution. Most Americans be
leive that our form of government
does not prohibit action on behalf|
of those who need help.”
It was proposed:
1. Government purchase of good
farm land for sale on liberal credit,
terms to selected tenants. Pur-!
chasers would have to pass through |
a trial leasing period not to exceed i
five years, would have 40 years'
to complete payment, nd could ac
quire title in 20 years if their fi
nances permitted.
2. Federal and State purchase
and retirement of about 100,000,
000 acres of poor crop land and as
sistance to fmilies moving from it
to better farms. This would be
carried forward at the rate of 2,
000,000 to 5,000,000 acres a year.
3. "Modest loans” to prevent
small farm owners from shipping
into tenancy and to help tenants,
croppers and farm laborers to in-;
crease their standards of living. The!
committee said about 1,300,000 te-|
nants and cropper families and
members of other groups of "dis
advantage farm workers” needed
such Federal assistance.
4. A Federal "windfall’ tax to
take a large percentage of profits
from sales of land made within
three years after its purchase. This
was proposed as a means to encour-j
’ee families to stay and develop!
one farm.
5. State legislation to improve!
the general leasing system and pro
vide compensation to tenants pro
perty improvements they make. !
6. Construction and operation of j
"decent places to live” for itinerant1
farm laborers.
/. creation or a tarm security
administration under the Secretary
of Agriculture, to direct the Fed
eral program. A farm security cor
poration would handle legal trans
actions concerning purchase and
sale of land, stock and equipment,
and the making of loans.
ROYA'L BABE BAPTIZED
Naples, Italy.—Baby Prince Vic
torio Emanuele, who one day may
be King of Italy and Emperor of
; Ethiopia, was given preliminary
i baptism while joy spread through'
j prisons in the land as thousands of
| political prisoners learned of a grant
of amnesty by the King on the oc
, casion of the birth of his grand
1 son.
—
! MOVE TO BUCKINGHAM
I
London. — King George VI,
Queen Elizabeth and their two lit-1
tie princesses have moved bag and
baggage into their new home —!
Buckingham Place. The vaulted
corridors of the palace, which wasj
j the world’s most famous bachelor
! hall during the brief reign of Ed
ward VIII, echoed today to the
voices of little girls.
5 Supreme Court
Changes Recorded
Vumber Increased in 1807
1837, 1863, and 1869;
Decreased in 1866
President Roosevelt’s drastic pro
posal to increase the membership
>f the Supreme Court is not with
>ut precedent. This body has had
ts make-up changed five times,
our of the changes being in
:reases.
Mthough most of the enlarge-1
nents were due to a heavy raise
luring the Grant administration,
statements were heard that the1
president was trying to pack the
x>urt. The incident occurred when
jrant was seeking a ruling uphold-;
ng the constitutionality of the
egal tender act.
This measure, which had been'
Passed to provide paper money to
pay for the Civil War, was declar-,
'd Partially invalid by a vote of 4
:o3.
On the same day the decision
vas delivered in 1870, Grant sent
-o the senate the nominations of
wo men to become new members
- luuu. 1 nere w is only one
vacancy to be filled but congress
idded another member to the tri
aunal.
A little late-, s rehearing was
granted and the entire legislation
was upheld by a 5 to 4 vote The
two new justices joined with the
trio of previous dissenter-, to form
a majority for the act.
Grant denied that he had at
tempted to "pack” the cour; and
said he had not known of the de
rision when he forwarded the no
minations.
The court originally was com
aosed of six members. It was
-aised to seven in 1807, to nine in
1837, ten in 1863, dropped to eight
n 1866 and made nine—the pre>
;ent number—1866.
In 1866, the reduction was voted
ay congress to keep President
fohnson from naming new mem
aers.
Also during the Johnson Ad
ministration, the House passed, 116
to 39, a bill to prevent the justices
from holding unconstitutional an
act of congress except by a two
thirds vote. The idea perished in
the senate. It is among thos2 that
have been discussed during recent
months.
These are the only instances his
tory presents of success or near
success in the numerous efforts to
-lip the power of the tribunal be
cause of antagonism.
9 Million Acres
Being Purchased
For Retirement
The Resettlement Administration
is buying up more than 9,000,000
acres of poor land, which can be
developed as forests, parks, graz
ing areas and wildlife refuges.
This land consists largely of farms
on which the soil is too poor to
produce successful crops. Other
tracts being purchased are mainly
abandoned or idle lands that are
not serving any useful purpose.
Through its land program, the
Resettlement Administration is tak
ing over these unproductive areas,
and putting the land to better use.
Poor land, on which families have
failed to make a living through
farming, can be of great public
value when devoted to forests and
parks, watershed protection, cattle
grazing and wildlife protection.
A recent survey made by the gov
ernment revealed that there are
more than 650,000 farmers in the
United States living on land too
poor to support them. The farms
which they occupy cover more than
100,000,000 acres of land. This is
about one-tenth of all the farm
Continued on Page Eight