.■rai JOURNAIrPAfml
Patriot
independent IN POLinCS
and Thuwday* at
NMTtli Wi&esboro, N. C.
J. CASTER mi JULIUS C. HUBBAIU),
. PabHskmi
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
Sm> State
Oat of the State
41.00 per Year
41.60 pw Year
^fctered at the poet office at North Wilkee-
3hvo. N. (X. as second class matter under Act
OC March 4. 1879.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 1934
i.
Still A Mystery
The Tilley case, which has held the at
tention of the county, state and nation, is
lifetory and the death of Leoda Childress
lenudns a ihystery.
In non-suiting the case the judge did
Ilia lawful and moral duty as he saw the
evidence given by the state in an effort to
convict the foster family for the girl’s
death.
However, Solicitor John R. Jones and
an officers who aided him in gathering
■what evidence could be found are to be
commended for their diligence in trying
to solve the mystery and trying to avenge
the death of an innocent girl-
Despite the cost of several thousands
dollars, the public demanded that no
atone be left unturned in an effort to solve
the case and in our opinion an honest and
strenuous effort was made by the solicitor.
So far as the public is concerned the
death of the girl is a mystery but if she
■was murdered there is somewhere a guilty
jMui;y that should certainly be punished
and let us hope that something may turn
up yet that will lead to the solution of the
mystery.
Very few crimes stay in the dark for
ever to mortal man and if it should there
is still the consolation remarked by some
after the Tilley trial had ended, “Life’s too
chort and eternity too certain for us to
weary about the guilty party, whoever it
may be, not being punished.”
There was enough evidence brought out
to 'throw suspicion on the members of the
Tniey family, but, as the presiding judge
pointed out, a lack of evidence to convince
R jury beyond a reasonable doubt that
the defendants, or any of them, are guil
ty. A verdict of guilty in the case would
have called for the death sentence, ac
cording to the evidence presented, there
could have been no compromise verdict,
other first degree or acquittal.
.Unless the girl committeed suicide,
which is highly improbable, there is a
guilty conscience and a ruthless person
ality stained with the blood of Leoda
Childress, deceased.
Under the heading, “Expensive and Fu
tile,” the Winston-Salem Journal Tuesday
offered the following comment on the Tll-
ley case: ,
After a plethora of publicity, speculation and
conjecture had been aroused concerning the
killing of Leoda Childress, Wilkes county girl,
several members of the Tilley j.am=ly
•whom she made her home prior to her death
were finally brought to trial. They w-nt free
when Presiding Jurist Joim M. Oglesby cecided
there was insufficient evidence to take the case
to the jury.
A point sticks out. Leoda Childress died a
violent death- Her end may have come as first
suggested, by the suicide route. She may have
met with foul play, as subsequent investigations
temied to reveal. But the secret of her taking off
appears to be as much a mystery as it was be
fore a trial was held. Yet the county and State,
which in the final accounting means the taxpay-
have had to pay the expenses involved in a
costly trial, together with the costs attached to
the preliminary investigations. This is about
the only thing about the affair which is not
veiled with mystery or confusion.
if this was only an isolated instance the peo
ple would have no reason to look askance at the
present workings of our system of justice. But
H isn’t an isolated instance. Futile gestures like
that of the Childress trial occur in this country
with amazing frequency. What to do about it
■eems to constitute a question mark in red let-
ters-
As we realize, government is not for profit.
Yhe machine of justice should not be stilled for
. the sake of saring a few paltry dollars. The in-
’ ntftntions of a civilized state are more import-
> «nt by far than the question of a balanced bud
get or treasury deficit.
Yet futile gestures are often be sod; upon in-
nfficient groundwork in the field of investiga-
twn. Some times they are caused by the care-
^ of grand juries in making indictment
mpon mere allegations that are not backed by
evidence of tangible nature- And when such
g come to trial and “blow up.” the law is
iiften given a black eye, respect for it is di-
mhusbed.
ITie remedy may be hard to find. Certainly
study is required. But it would seem to be
« step in the right direction if solicitors were
pMvkled ■with more help and granted more time
srtiich to investigate cases of this kind more
-Ihofooghly. Under the prevailing system, the
'-nn, of tie court docket makes it impossible for
■-V'. nil-
:;t^ iitate i^mey to p^an his eaaes ptinperly.
In the Tilley it will be recalled, however,
that Solicitor John R. Jonw labored diiigently ^
in an e^ort to probe tite death mysto^ to its'
^tha. He VM-handioai^ed in .many ways, but
show^. penitence and detemihation fix^ tUa^
endeavof to bring the truth to light The fntiUty*
of the^s&ort may be chargeable to the law'sys
tem now in vogue, to lack of co-operation, and
other factors, but Solicitor Jones deserves much
credit for the s^dendid fight he made. Defeated
on the field of battle, his banner went down
with an honor which does not attach to the pen
nants of those who surrender without striking
a blow.
(The Tilleys were under suspicion and
a court trial was necessary to thrash the
matter out and give them the legal stamp
of acquittal
A Deserved Success
The erection of the new home for The
Wilkes Laundry is a step in keeping ■with
the progress of North Wilkesboro and its
business interests.
Since the establishment of The Wilkes
Ijaundry ten years ago by its enterprising
owner and manager, J- A. Jones, it has
grown into a flourishing business that is
truly a deserved success, buiMed upon the
true ideal—service to the city and com
munity.
Expansion of the laundry made it n-eces-
sary that larger and more commodious
quarters be provided and a handsome brick
building on Main street is the result.
In erecting this building The Wilkes
Laundry did what we have been trying to
bring to the attention of the people—trade
at home. As far as was possible all the
materials used in the building were pur
chased in this vicinity and local labor was
used throughout.
It is just such public spirited interest by
our business men that has caused a mere
stopping place to grow into the present
city of North Wilkesboro—the business
Mecca for Northwestern North Carolina.
Street Repair
The increase in the general fund levy
for North Wilkesboro for the coming year
is for necessary work on the streets,
which we term wise economy.
Parts of many of our streets are in a
deplorable state of repair but may be
saved by expending a small sum for re
pair, small in comparison with the origin
al cost.
Rural residents in foimer days when
driving an automobile would like to get to
town to drive on the smooth pavement but
it is just the reverse now. The roughest
parts of the highway are in the towms.
It is economical to levy enough taxes to
repair the streets. The expenditure for
street repair will save the streets, which
have cost a pretty sum. This action re
minds one of the old proverb, “A stitch in
time saves nine.”
Sunday School Lesson
By REV. CHARLES E. DUNN
.‘\mos Denounces Self-Indulgence. Les.son for
-\ugust 19. Amos 6. Golden Text.
Amos 5:14.
The lesson text is a fiery denunciation of rich
eppre-ssors who, with a false sense of security,
“ii-! upon beds of ivory” and “sing idle songs”
in complete indifference to the misery of the
poor.
If .A.mos wore alive today I should wish from
his lips a more temperate expres.sion of the
selfishness of our wealthy magnates. But I
should expect him to be searching and severe.
For while the men of power today are not quite
so ruthless and pleasure-loving as those of Amos’
age, they are, nevertheless, the slaves of egois
tic impulses. Robber barons we may call them
who pattern their conduct after the notorious
model made infamous by the feudal lords of
mediaeval Europe.
One of the major factors in the present devas
tating depression is the striking inequality
the distribution of wealth. Two hundred corpo
rations, managed by a small group of executives,
control the vast business resources of our coun
try. These corporations have been conducted
with such reckless individualism that we are now
in the grip of suicidal social anarchy.
There are still some 11,000,000 adult workers
in the ranks of the unemployed. About 40 per
cent of the farms in the country are mortgaged,
these mortgages composing the major item in a
colossal farm debt of eleven and a half billions.
Over a million persons without homes are wan
dering about the country like waifs.
And yet there are many who squander un
earned fortunes in luxi ’ous ease and even glid
ed vice- In the face of appalling need there are
profiteers still able to pile up wealth for showy
display. To be sure, many men of large holdings
are conscientiously eager to dispose of their
property for the largest public good. But there
are enough unscrupulous capitalists to justify
another Amos.
Senator Johnson Plans to Run On Four Tickets
—News item. Suggested campaign slogan:
“Now’s the time for all good parties to come
to the aid of the senator.”—Buffalo Courier-
Express.
Business has climbed about 40 per cent from
the depression low. 'Which is rather clever of
business when you consider how the professors
greased the pole—Philadelphia Inquirer.
Hiis Week h
WaahingtOB. Anfust 19
caster) — The big ^ worry to
Washington while the JPrealdent
is away la the laboraftnation,
The abortive attempt at a gen
eral strike on the Pacific water
front, the Bhootlngg In the labor
war io Minneapolis, the dozens,
nearly a hundred, of smaller
strikes In other parts of the
country, are being Interpreted
here as warnings of more serious
labor troubles as soon as -ihe
weather gets too cool to go fish
ing In comfort.
What the Administration is
afraid of its that the labor situ
ation will get out of th© control
of the more intelligent and con
servative labor leaders, if It has
not already got away from them.
With all the gruiAbllng among
employers about the American
Federation of Labor and its
"craft’’ unions, there are few
who do not prefer that method
of labor organization to what is
often called the "communistic”
type of organization, in which
all of the workers In any given
industry, regardless of what par
ticular trade they work at, are
organized in "one big union.”
Along Old I. W. W. lines
That type of union was the
principle of the old Industrial
Workers of the World, which
was beginning to stir up a lot of
before the world war. The war
labor trouble in the West just
ut a quietus on the activities of
he I. W. W., but in the threat
of a general strike there is seen
a revival of that idea of a "ver
tical” union, and it la frankly
not to the liking of the men who
are trying to keep the govern
ment machine running smoothly.
Nor do they like the attitude of
the American Federation of La
bor, in leaning toward the verti
cal union idea, as in its efforts
to unionize the automobile in
dustry.
There is a lot of discontent
among the leaders of organized
labor, too, over what they regard
as betrayal by the Administra
tion. The Federation accepted
"clause 7a” of the National In
dustrial Recovery Act as giving
it a free license to go into any
shop or factory and organize the
workers into a union under Fed
eration auspices. They have
found that is not the case, and
some of them are pretty sore.
Labor and Its Vote
There is talk about th© need
of putting restraints upon un
reasonable labor groups and
their demands, but Government
officials hesitate to take any
step which m|ght alienate the
labor vote. That is a much larg
er group, naturally, than th© em
ployers, and every worker’s vote
counts for just as much as that
of his boss. But there is a good
deal of fear, inspired by floods
of letters and personal protests
that are beginning to reach the
ears of those high in Adminis
tration circles, that the public
will begin to regard labor dis
orders as one of the direct fruits
of the New Deal, and one qot at
NR.\ in process of formulation,
all to the public's liking.
There are revisions of the
and it is regarded as certain that
there will be much simplifica
tion of codes, less one-man arbi
trary power to “crack down” on
industries which do not give up
readily, and the abandonment of
hundreds of the minor “service”
codes like the one under which
a New Jersey pants-presser was
sent to prison because he pressed
a suit for only 35 cents where
the code called for a 40-cent
price! The effort of the Govern
ment to reach into every human
activity, in short, is gradually
being abandoned. There isn’t
enough money to hire the neces
sary policemen to enforce any
such system of close espionage.
At the same time, gigantic
plans, not yet fully disclosed,
are being worked out for sub
mission to the next Congress.
They include everything that can
be thought of in the control and
development of national re
sources on a scale as wide as the
nation itsejf. Just what is to be
done with every acre of land
and every drop of water is in
cluded in the plan. Part of it is
a revision of the underlying
scheme of the Agricultural Ad
justment Act.
Instead of making crop reduc
tion its main purpose, the AAA
is working toward crop adjust
ment, trying to find some formu
la whereby the majority of the
farmers, who receive less than
$1,000 a year from the sale of
their products, can get a bigger
slice, while those more prosper
ous will have some of their prof
its whittled down.
'The Tree-Belt Plan
The biggest scheme so far
definitely decided on is the tree-
belt plan of preventing future
droughts in the regions lately
practically ruined by lack of
moisture. A belt of trees 100
miles wide, stretching north and
south from Canada to Texas, Is
to be set out'ln strips seven rods
wide and a mile apart. The idea
is that this will not only serve
to preclpltote and Told moisture
in th© ground but that it will
keep the best part of the arid-
land farms from being blown in
to the next state or across
continent. Ten million,
hM been allocated to start this
work.
The Infiationlsts are still bus7i
eanflpns observers here Ik>k
ti^ itt!4)|Ub'i>re8sur« toward an
littltetiA. ewrrenoy ,titan has
seen yetr* But the^ enthusiasts
:Who thoughtthe new . Housing
Act was going to put five milHtm
worketojin the building trades
haelt os'the-job-right'away arr
finding that that jnst ain’t so.
James A. Moffett, the able young
business man who has been'^Iiut
in charge of this, recognises lm«
possibilities when he eees them
and is Boft-pedalling the en-
tbuaiasm over -this. project.
"Some” relief by nmrt year in
the building industry is all be
will commit himself'to. '
SPECI
Labor Hears Debate,
On Bauc Law
Asheville, Aug. 13.—A debate
on the proposed new state con
stitution, with Dr. Clarence^Poe,
of Raleigh, editor of the Pro
gressive Farmer and the - South
ern Ruralist, taking the affirma
tive, and former Lieutenant Gov
ernor Richard T. Fountain, the
negative, featured this after
noon’s session of the State Fed
eration of Labor here.
Fountain outlined that the
new constitution removes all
limitation from taxation by the
legislature and abolishes all lo
cal constitutional offices, giving
the General Assembly the right
to authorize that the Governor
name these officers.
It also gives the Governor
veto power, he objected, and
would centralize education at
Raleigh.
It permits the state Judicial
council to mak© rules for the
the
superior court instead oil
legislature.
Poe argued that those oppos
ing the adoption of the proposed
new constitution wej-e working
into the bands of special Inter
ests desirous of keeping the old
laws.
Congressman Robert L.
(Farmer Bob) Doughton, of the
House way.s and means commit
tee, in an address this morning
praised the interest manifest by
labor in good government and
its efforts to improv© living con
ditions for workers.
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MOTOR OIL
49c
PER GALLON
Car Washed
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Motor Service Store
WILEY BROOKS—PAUL BILLINGS
Ninth tSreet North Wilkesboro, N.
jtm
?
Certain parts of India have a
woman’s language which men
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The Colosseum of ancient
Rom© seated more people than
the Yankee Stadium in N. Y.
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