North Carolina Newspapers

THE CHATHAM RECORD H. A. LONDON, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR Terms of Subscription $1.50 Per Year Strictly in Advance VOL. XXXIV. PITTSBORO, CHATHAM COUNTY, N.C., DECEMBER 13, 1911. NO. 18. THE CHATHAM RECORD Rates of Advertising One Square, one insertion $1.00 One Square, two insertion SIEQ One Square, one month $Z0 For 'Larger Advertisements Liberal Contracts will bo made. MAGIC MISTLETOE MEVE BAmmOG ID you ever, as you officiated as high priest or priestess in the osculatoxy rites of yuletide, did you ever won der what tradition, myth or supersti tion had "conferred upon you such de lectable privilege? Did you ever stop, in your ar dent ceremonial, to consider that you were perpetuating one of the most hallowed and exalted of religious ordinances handed down through the ages in rendering such tender homage to this "orphan plant of wondrous birth?" And would it not surprise you to learn that our very word "marry." and that our most impassioned of the graces of Terpsichore the waltz are traditionally enmeshed in the can ny tendrils of the pearly-berried mis tletoe? The mistletoe is a freak plant, a parasite or excrescence. In its em bryonic period it is said to defy the laws of gravitation by pushing its radicles in the opposite direction to the generality of plants. Not only its berries but its leaves grow In clusters of three united on one stock, hence? its sacred place in religious rites as a symbol of the Holy Trinity. It was believed by the Druids and other ancient sects In northern and western Europe that any tree to which the mistletoe attaches Itself is selected by God himself for special favor, and that all that grows on it is sent direct from heaven. Contrary to the general belief, it Is found more rarely on the oak tree than on the apple, ash, elm, poplar, willow and hawthorn, and it is due to this scarcity that it was vested with exceptional reverence when discovered clinging to the sacred tree of the Druids a name derived from the Greek word drus, or druce, meaning an oak. Says Pliny: "When It (mistletoe growing upon an oak) is discovered it is treated with great ceremony. They called it by a name (guthil, or gutheyl good heal), which In their language signifies the curer of all ills." After they have well and duly prepared their festival cheer under the tree, they bring hither a milk-white cow and a bullock, hitherto unyoked; then the priests In white vesture climb into the tree and prune off the sacred herb with a gold hook, bill or sickle, the branches falling beneath into a white sagum sheet. They must never touch the ground. The common people re main at a distance, formed in a circle, while the priests approach with trem bling awe the bloody victims, which were carried around the omen fire. After this the animals are slaughtered as a sacrifice doubtless to the god dess of fecundity, for the mistletoe is a symbol of the. prolific. In the myths of all nations we find a "holy tree," a "world tree." Among the Druids, as well as among other creeds, this tree was the oak; and It it a very interesting thing to know that our word church from kirk finds its root In quervus, the generic name for the oak. This tree was cherished as the mother and nurse of man, and was supposed to be the dwelling place of the food-dispensing god. The ominous rustling of the leaves and the mysterious notes of the feathered songsters signalized the presence of the divinity to the awe struck votaries who consulted the in dwelling oracle, burning odoriferous fumes In homage. The Dodonean oak and its oracle are celebrated In epic, myth and story, its mystic ritua' being zealously ' perpetuated by the Druids. They danced circular dances In consecrated groves, and the rem nants of an old chant still preserved by the Celts He? Derry Down Dey. "in a circle the oak moves around" reveals the archtype of our modern waltz. Another reminder that "the groves were God's first temples" is found in the arches and vaulted roofs of Gothic church architecture, revered tokens of the bending arches of intertwined boughs. The Yuletide custom of deck ing our churches and our homes with' boughs, wreaths and garlands finds its antecedence in heathen sanctuaries. The spirit of Christmas is most magnanimously manifested in York, England, where they carry mistletoe boughs to the high altar of the cathe dral and proclaim "a public and uni versal liberty, pardon and freedom to all sorts of inferior and wicked peo ple." They suspend It under the chan cel arch and bear it to the city gates, toward the four quarters of heaven. In the varied nomenclature of the word "mistletoe," according to the na tionalities concerned, do we discover the magical virtues with which the weird plant is invested. Dr. Johnson says the word is derived from mistion, state of being mingled, tod or toe bush. In German it is mistel, mixed, and Saxon tan (Danish tiene, Dutch teene), twig, sprig. In Armorican, Welsh and Irish it is all yach, or its equivalent for all heal; and . Pliny calls it omnia sanans, a term of simi lar import. In upper Germany on Christmas morning they go about knocking on each other's doors, shouting "Gut hyl," the synonym for the Druid name. In Brittany it is the herb de la Croix, which heals fevers and gives strength for wrestling. At the time of George I. it was called lignum sancta crucls wood of the holy cross so highly were its medicinal properties es teemed. Hung about the neck it renders witches powerless. It is used in houses to drive out evil spirits. It is an amulet against poisons, and the in habitants of Elgin and Moray keep It as charms. Throughout Britannia It had a place assigned to it . In every kitchen, and a young man was deem ed to have the right to kiss any lassie caught beneath the cherished branch, plucking off a berry with each kiss. If a maid were not kissed under the mistletoe it was a sign that she would not marry during the ensuing year, a tradition still prevailing. Even Mr. Pickwick availed himself of the pleas ant privilege despitt: his oft-quoted In junction. To dream of mistletoe pre sages wealth, and in the language of flowers it signifies: I surmount all difficulties. The Cymric, Celtic, Gaelic, Teutonic and Norse traditions all emphasize the exorcising, as well as the amatory propensities of the waxen spray. The Scandinavians have it consecrated to Freya, or Freyja "from whom flows every blessing, the winning smile, the melting kiss." She is the Venus of the Norse pantheon, the goddess of love, of peace, joy,, laughter, frultful ness, bringing increase "to field and stall," and also the tutelary deity pre siding over nuptials and child birth. A popular myth relates how Baldur, the wisest and noblest of the gods, Is a victim of the inveterate hatred of Loki, the Satan of the Eddas. The demon Is bent on the destruction of the pre-eminently good god, so he and his emissaries begin their persecu tions by throwing missiles of all de scriptions at Baldur, all of which prove harmless, since the deity Is un der the protection of his mother, Frey ja. In desperation Loki, disguised as an old woman, is admitted to the celestial abode of Freyja, who inno cently betrays the fact that all things had taken an oath to protect Baldur excepting the mistletoe, which, being a parasite, was too feeble to harm. In secret joy the demon hastens back to Baldur, on the way fashioning an arrow of mistletoe, which soon pierces the heart of the divinity. After a so journ in Hell or Hades the peace ful abode of the dead, the Saviour is restored to life, and on his resurrec tion he consecrates the mistletoe to Freyja all of which enshrouds divine truths in image and symbol. Astrologicaliy Venus governs the mistletoe, as well as the lips, and all the tender demonstrations of Love, so let us ever propitiate the benignant goddess and "Hang up Love's mistletoe over the earth, And let us kiss under it all the year round." DISTRIBUTING CHRISTMAS GIFTS. Last year we bought a large, flat clothes basket, draped it with white cheese cloth, and trimmed it with holly, and then filled it with our Christmas packages for the family. We went into the room one at a time and deposited our gifts, and when the pile was completed, spread a large sheet of holly crepe paper on top. We sat around the dining room table with the basket In the center; and the youngest member of the fam ily took the gifts from the basket. Only one package was presented at a time and the recipient opened It snd all saw and admired it before passing on to the next. We had original verses and apt quo tations written on many of the bun dles which the distributor read aloud and all enjoyed the fun. House keeper. One Kind of Emptiness. Two hunters had "beaten" the tral along the marshes or Long Island for three days with an unusually small bag resulting. The food supply had run out much ahead of scheduled time; far worse, the "liqufd ammuni tion" had been exhausted in the early stages of the hunt. After following the coast vainly for three hours, looking for some sign of habitation, they spied an empty house on the beach. "Go in and look It over. Bill," said one. He did so, returning in a moment empty-handed. "Anything in there?" asked his companion, expectantly. "Nope," replied his running mate, with a profound sigh "nothing but two empty bottles full of water." Everybody's Magazine. Hi! tote trrMf Tttlro EART of the World, beat strongly This is the season of hope; Banished the doubts that have wrong!' Clouded li a's general scope. Under the snow germs are stirring, Fruits of the summer long flown; v Life has one purpose .nerring: Rip'ning the seeds that are sown. Heart of the World, beat gayly This is the season of mirth, This is the season when daily Joy is renewed in the earth. Checked are the looms and the spindles, While through the silence there rings Laughter of children that kindles 1 Echoes in heavenly things. Hart of the World, beat kindly This is the season of love; Men, tho' they seem t grope blindly. Follow the dictates thereof. Learn from the ages this lesson Love is the treasury's key They will thy labor bless thee and thy neighbor, And life be as deep as the sea. Harper's Weekly raj., swjMlllrt FROM THE TAR HEEL STATE A Column of Paragraphs That Have Been Carefully Gotten Together and Condensed by Editor. Salisbury. Smallpox continues to spread In north Iredell county, and it is said the disease is getting more se vere as it spreads. At some homes, it is reported, whole families are down with the dreaded disease. ' Sparta. John Moxley, who shot and killed Mitchell Wilson, a respectable farmer of Glade Creek township, was admitted to bail by Justice of the Peace Carrico at the preliminary trial a few days ago. The bond was fixed at $500 and was readily given. tRaleigh. The r North Carolina Branch of the American Poultry As sociation in session here elected as president J. S. Jeffrey, West Raleigh; first vice president, E. H. Cain, Ashe ville; second vice-president, Dr. R. E. Ware, Shelby; secretary-treasurer, Mrs. C. B. Campbell, Asheviile. Charlotte. In order that needed funds may be forthcoming in time to meet interest obligations which are due in New York January 1, the finance committee of the board of aldermen In special session voted to allow one per cent discount on all taxes which are paid by December 28. Raleigh. The examination of the fifty-nine aplicants to practice phar macy in North Carolina was conclud ed before the state board of pharmacy, the examination being held in the hall of the House of Representatives. It is expected that it will be a day or two before the result of the examination is made known. Durham. Upon the return from New York City where he went recent ly to assist in the plans of disintegra tion in the matter of the Government and the American Tobacco Company, Vice-President C. W. Toms, of the Lig gett and Myers Company, which is to own and operate the W. Duke and Sons branch, gave out the first auth orized interview with reference to the local aspect of the re-organization. Sanford. In some sections the far mers, unable to get their cotton pick ed, are plowing it under to prepare the way for sowing wheat or for other crops. Some farmers offered 75 cents a hundred for picking all the fall, yet they failed to get much of it picked out. These farmers will hardly plant for as big crop cotton next year as they did this year 'unless they find that a successful cotton picker has been made. Raleigh. Commissioner of Agricul ture W. A. Graham revealed smolder ing embers of discord in the State De partment of Agriculture in his annual report to the State Board of Agricul ture, when he spoke of "imported reg ulators" in the way of employes of the department, who have, as the com missioner sees it, been authorized by the Board of Agriculture to make changes in the work of the depart ment. Raleigh. Governor Kitchin has re ceived a letter from President Freder ick Neudorff of the National Horticul tural Congress held at St. Joseph, Mo., in which he pays high tribute to North Carolina's representation at the congress and State Horticulturalist Hutt and Assistant Horticulturalist Shaw, who installed the North Caro lina horticultural exhibits that won sweepstakes and numbers of the most coveted highest awards in competition with the entire country. Monroe. Deputy Sheriff Jule Grif fith came to town from New Salem township, where he had been for sev eral days, with a whiskey still that he had captured on his visit there. The sheriff found the still and lay watch upon it for twenty-four hours, but the operators failed to put in an appear ance and he removed the same to a farm house nearby and brought his trophy to the court house. It is of 40 gallon capacity, full copper and in ex cellent condition. Statesville. The city board held a meeting in the Commercial Club rooms. Only routine business was transacted. The board of aldermen held its regular monthly meeting. There was not a great deal of busi ness before the board. The matter of the bonds of Mr. Sidney Kenny, who has been granted a franchise for the construction of a gas plant, was taken up and the bonds were recog nized, but their acceptance postponed until work on the plant was begun. Washington. Comptroller of the currency Murray, approved the con version of the American Exchange bank of Greensboro, N. C, with a cap ital of $400,000, into the American Ex change National bank of Greensboro. Greensboro. Harper Hodgin, one of the wealthiest farmers of this section, met almost instant death near here when a horse he was driving became frightened and by a sudden swerve threw him from, the buggy. He was picked up unconscious and died short ly after being carried to his home, half a mile from the scene of the acci dent. Wilson. Julius Webb, formerly of Fremont, was bound over to Decem ber term of Wilson Superior Court in the sum of one hundred dollars to an swer to the charge of retailing, having appealed from a four months' sentence to the roads. Wilson. John Elliot, on complaint of Bill Hines, was up before Mayor O. P. Dickinson on the charge of en ticing the fifteen-year-old girl of Hines to leave her home. In order that the kinks may be gotten out of the en tangled skein, Elliot was bound over to court in a -justfied bend cf one hundred dollars. STATES RIGHT TO PENALIZE ROADS AN IMPORTANT CASE ARUQED AT WASHINGTON BEFORE THE U. S. SUPREME COURT. CONCERNS NORTH CAROLINA FIGURES FOR THIS STATE Principle Involved Was Before Court In Two Cases' In Both Cases the Plaintiffs Had Been Awarded Penal tiesSouthern Was Defendant. Raleigh. A special from Washing con states that the right of the states to penalize railroads for refusing to receive goods for shipment in inter state commerce was argued befor the Supreme Court of the United States. ' The question presented to the court concerned particualrly the state of North Carolina. A direct attack was being made on the constitutionality of the statute, enacted in 1905 In this state, imposing a penalty of $50 a day on a railroad for every day it refus ed to accept goods for transportation. The principle involved' was before the court in two different cases. One arose out of the shipment of a carload of shingles by Reid & Beam from Rutherfordton, N. C, to Scottville, Tenn. When they loaded the shingles onto a car and asked the station agent at Rutherfordton to ship it to Scott ville it waa declared that he replied he knew of no such place.' It proved to be a flag station on the Knoxville and Augusta Railroad, to which "no published rate existed. After several days' delay the goods were shipped. No damages were proven to have re sulted to the shippers, but they re covered $350 as penalty, imposed by the statute for refusing to receive the goods. The second case arose out of Mrs. D. L. Reid's attempt to ship house hold goods from Charlotte, N. C, to Davis, W. Va. No published rate, as authorized by the interstate commerce laws, existed between Charlotte and Davis, and the shipment was delayed five days before a rate was obtained. A jury' awarded Mrs. Reid $25 dam ages and $250 as penalty. In both cases the defendant was the Southern Railway Company. ) Meeting of Medical Society. At the regular monthly meeting of the Gaston County Medical Society for December the principal feature was the election of officers for the ensuing year. Officers were elected as follows: President, Dr. James W. Reid of Lowell; first vice president, Dr. D. A. Garrison, Gastonia; second vice president, Dr. C. J. McCombs, Stanly; secretary and treasurer, Dr. T. C. Quickel, Gastonia; delegates to annual meeting of the State Medical Society at Hendersonville next June, Drs. James A. Anderson of McAden ville, and R. H. Garren of Bessemer City; alternates, Drs. Mc. G. Anders of Gastonia, and C. J. McCombs of Stanley; censor, Dr. Frank Robinson, Lowell. Believe the Bonds Are. Legal. Although the bonds aggregating $160,000 recently sold by the city of Winston to a syndicate have been tem porarily held up in view of a techni cality which the attorneys for the syndicate have raised, the general im pression prevails that the bonds as they stand are legal, and will stand the test if it really comes to a test. Hon. Clement Manly, of the law firm, who are city attorneys, stated that the election was held and that the bonds were sold in accordance with the provisions in the city charter. Addressed a Full House at Shelby. Gov. W. W. KitcMn delivered his first address to the Farmers' Union at Shelby in the court house to a pack ed house. A hundred or more were turned away for lack of room and those who were inside listened for over an hour to the Govenor's ideals of citizenship. A brass band furnish ed music. He was introduced by Mr. R. M. Gidney, chairman of the execu tive committee of the union. Sandlin Granted a Respite. L. M. Sandlin. the convicted wife murderer of this city, condemned to die in the electric chair Friday, the 8th, has been granted a respite by Governor Kitchin until December 29, at the request of L. Clayton Grant, Esq., and on the ground that there is some newly discovered evidence as to the alleged insanity in the convicted man's family. Hi3 attorney thinks there is yet some hope that he will escape the electric chair. Mr. Grant will go to Raleigh and lay before Gov ernor Kitchin the new evidence. Constitutionality Is Sustained. The constitutionality of the act of the General Assembly, .establishing ihe Stonewall Jackson Manual Traln ng and Industrial School at Concord, 3 sustained by the Supreme Court in :he decision of the court in exparte Richard Watson, from Mecklenburg county, in which the effort was to at tain the release of Richard Watson from the institution, where he had been committed by the recorder of Charlotte for vagrancy, while his fath er was in Jail and declared to be an unfit person to have the boy. Two Hundred and Ten Thousand Fo' the Charlotte Postoffice A List of The Other Appropriations. Raleigh. In a special received from Washington it is stated that the esti mates call for $210,000 with which to complete the remodeling of the Char lotte postoffice. For commencing or completing buildings already authorized by law these amounts are named as neces sary in North Carolina: Gastonia, $25,000; Greenville, $29,000; Hender sonville, $5,000; Hickory, $32,000 ; Ox ford, $37,000; Raleigh, $185,000; Wash ington, $47,000; Wilhiington, $120,000, and Winston-Salem $20,000. It is also recommended that the following appropriations be made for rental of buildings pending repairs: Raleigh, $9,000; Reidsville, $3,500, and Winston-Salem, $7,000. For the maintenance, remodeling of buildings of the Cherokee Indians school an appropriation of $36,650 is asked. For river and harbor work the Secretary of the Treasury's estimates coincide with those made by Chief of Engineers Bixby in his annual report. It is set forth that- $50,000 Is needed to carry on the work of improvement by the construction of locks and dams on Cape Fear river above Wilmington; for maintenance of improvement of inland water route from Norfolk, Va., to Albemarle sound, N. C, through Currituck sound, $3,000; improving harbor at Beaufort and for mainten ance, $5,000; improving Beaufort in let and for maintenance, $10,000; im proving harbor at Morehead City and for maintenance, $1,000; improving Shallow Bag Bay and for mainten ance, $1,000; waterway from Palico sound to Beaufort inlet and for main tenance, $2,000; improving Bay river and for maintenance, $1,000; improv ing Contentnea creek and for main tenance, $2,000; improving Fishing creek and for maintenance, $1,500; im proving Neuse and Trent rivers, con tinuing improvement and for mainten ance, $10,000; improving. New river and waterways to Beaufort and for maintenance of improvement of New river and of inland waterways be tween Beaufort harbor and New river and between New river and Swans boro, $7,500; for maintenance of im provement of Northeast and Black rivers and Cape Fear river above Wil mington, $12,000; improving Pamlico and Tar rivers " and for maintenance, $6,000; improving Scuppernong river and for maintenance, $2,000; improv ing Swift creek and for maintenance, $5,000; improving Waccamaw and Little Pee Dee rivers and continuing improvement and for maintenance of Waccamaw river, $25,000. To Involve All Health Authorities. Raleigh. The ruling of Judge R. B. Peebles, of the superior court in the suit of Dr. J. J. L. McCullers, against the Wake county commissioners test ing the right of Dr. McCullers to the office of county superintendent of health is to have the effect of involving the health authorities of the entire state in the fight that will now be made in the supreme court. Judge Peebles holds that Dr. McCuller's elec tion by the county board of health is void because that board is found to be an unconstitutional body because the legislative act of the 1911 assem bly (Sec. 9, Chapter 62) undertakes to provide for the chairman of the coun ty commissioners and the county su perintendent of schools to be members of the board of health when the con stitution of the state, Article 14, Sec tion 7, declares expressly forbids the holding of two offices by one person. Statesville Wants Railroad. Statesville wants the Norfolk South ern Railroad to come to it, and Its people are enthusiastic over the pro ject of having the much talked of Ral eigh to Charlotte railroad come on from Concord to Statesville, and its people are willing to do the right thing to get the Norfolk Southern to build to Statesville from Concord. The distance is something like thirty miles from Concord to Statesville, and the people of the later place say that the territory through which the road would pass, and the interests of Statesville, would be such as to give the road a business that would pay well and handsomely. Shelby Bond Issue Carried. At a special election for the issuance of $13,000 worth of bonds for the city to take over the Shelby electric light and power plant, the measure carried by a vote of 158 to 39. The vote was extremely light and little interest was shown, but a majority of the votes cast and not a majority of the regis tered voters was necessary to carry tho election. The. city will assume control on May 1, 1912, provided the bonds can be sold at that time. The privately owned plant is on a payli basis. A Hear Railroad Wreck. Southern train, No. 139, from Golds boro to Greensboro, side-swiped Engine No. 9, of the Raleigh and Southport, branch of Jhe Norfolk Southern, coming around the curve at Mill's Wagon factory, just south of this city. The passenger train was running about 25 to 30 miles an hour, when it struck the back of the tender of engine No. 9. It is a miracle that No. 139, striking the locomotive at such a rapid rate, did not turn over, thus killing and lnjurying many people VERY LITTLE HOPE IS FELT FOR MEN GRIM DEATH IS THOUGHT) TO HAVE CLAIMED ALL OF THE ENTOMBED MINERS. THE RESCUE WORK GOES ON Eighteen Dead Have Been Found and Eight Bodies Have Been Recovered A Very Pathetic Scene at the Mouth of the Mine. Briceville, Tenn. Somewhere In the depths of the Cross Mountain coal mine probably one hundred men lie dead, while their sorrow-stricken fam ilies keep vigil at the mouth of their tomb, hoping against hope that their loved ones may be alive when rescu ers reach them. Eight torn and mangled bodies had been brought forth at nightfall, when search was abandoned. for the day. Outside of the immediate families of tha entombed men, no one in this little mountain village believes that any liv ing thing in the mine survived the terrific explosion of coal dust that wrecked the workings. For more than thirty-six hours every surviving miner in this region had toiled with no. thought of food, sleep or pay to remove the debris and force fresh air into the innermost recesses of the mine. They practically have penetrated to the main entry head nearly three miles in. They expect to be ready to work the cross entries in which the other bodies have undoubt edly been cast by the force of the blast Black damp developed and retard ed progress but the silent force push ed dauntlessly on, some of them till they were carried out overcome by the noxious gases. Thousands of the morbidly curious flocked into the village and crowded about the main entry of the mine. Ihey saw nothing because there was nothing to see, but the pitiable grief of the stricken families. All of the bodies recovered have . been identified. Among them waft that of Will Farmer, assistant foreman of the mine. The top of his head had boon blown off. He is survived by a widow and two children. There is heardly a family in the entire Coal Creek valley that has not felt the icy touch of death. The prob lem of caring for the widows and or phans will be a grave one requiring Immediate solution. Certainly Brice- -ville will be unable to care for her living with more of her wage-earners numbered among the dead. Surplus In U. S. Postoffice. Washington. "For the first time since 1883 the annual financial state ment of the Postoffice Department shows a surplus instead of a deficit." This is the burden of the annual re port of Postmaster-General Hitchcock just made public. At tho beginning of the present administration in 1909, Mr. Hitchcock pointed out, the department ghowed a deficit of $17,479,770, the lar gest on record. In two years this de ficit has been changed into a surplus of $219,118 despite important exten sions throughout the servicce. These extensions include 3,744 new post offices, deliveries of mail by carriers In 186 additional cities, 2,516 new ru ral routes aggregating 60,679 miles, and 8,000 additional postal employes, with the salary-roil greater by $14 000,000 than it was two years ago. Refusal Draws Stanley's Ire. Washington. The refusal by John . D. Rockefeller and his almoner, Rev. Ft D. Gates, to accept the "invitation' of the House "Steel trust" investigat ing committee to appear and testify, drew a pointed and laconic note from Chairman Stanley, chairman of the committee. Mr. Stanley's letter to Mr. ' Gates follows: "Sir: My recent com munication to you was Intended not to provoke a discussion of the value of the Merritt testimony, or of your per sonal integrity, but to give you an op portunity to defend." There was no letter addressed to Mr. Rockefeller. McNamaras Are In Prison. San Quentin, Cal. The ' McNamara brothers entered San Quentin peniten tiary where James B. is condemned to spend the remainder of life for his confessed crime of murder, and John J.., secretary of the International As sociation of Bridge and Structural Workers, Is sentenced to 15 years' im prisonment for dynamiting. It was James B. who blew up The Los Ange les Times' building, October 1, 1910, with the loss of 21 lives and John J. who abetted in wrecking part of the Llewellyn Iron Works, in Los Angeles. Our Army Is a Makeshhlft. Washington. In his annual report to the President, Secretary of Wai Stlmson declared that the contingencj of war with a first -lass power would find the army of the United States practically unprep: ed. He attributed this largely to the fact that the armj was "scattered out over the country' in too many posts, and to a lack oi reserves. The arm on the peace foot ing habitually mai ined, with mina turo companies am troops, he charac crized as ineffective for any serioui -v. rrrviea.