The Alleghany News
AND STAR-TIMES
The NEWS established February 16, 1940—
The TIMES, 1925 and The STAR, 1889.
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
At Sparta, N. C.
THURSDAY, FEB. 7, 1946
ED M. ANDERSON_Publisher
MRS. ED M. ANDERSON__— Associate
Miss EMORYETTA REEVES -Editor
.. 11 --- f ■' ' * 1” ' -
SUBSCRIPTION RATES PER YEAR
In County, $1.50 —— Outside County, $2.00
The News is glad to pubish letters, not too
long, on matters of general interest. But
such communications must be accompanied
by the real name of tbe Wtiter, even when
they are to be pubttshe# under a nom de
-««
Entered as second-Hass matter at the post
office at Sparta, North Carolina, under the
Act of March 3, 1879. .
“If the choice were left to me whether to
have a free press or a free government, I
would choose a free press.”—Thomas Jeffer
son.
A Cure For Cancerr
A major step in the hunt for the cause
of cancer has been taken in the develop
ment of “Carbon 13,” a rare material found
to have great value in biochemical research
work.
^ The Sun Oil Company has announced
plans for construction of two plants to pro
duce Carbon 13 in comparatively substan
tial quantities, and states, “In biochemical
research, Carbon 13 is used as a tracer in
probing the secrets of the fundamental pro
cesses that occur in all living things, as well
as metabolic disease processes, of which
cancer, diabetes, hardening of the arteries,
and so-called ‘heart trouble’ are examples.
’ Indistinguishable chemically from ordinary
carbon, Carbon 13 is absorbed in living
tissue and undergoes the same metabolic
process as does ordinary carbon. But where
ordinary carbon cannot be traced as it
passes through these intricate chemical re
actions which are the process of life itself,
Carbon 13 can be detected by the use of an
electrical instrument . . . and identified
with specific bodily functions.”
Up to now, the total world production
of Carbon 13 has been at the rate of less
than one-half ounce per year. The new
plants will be instrumental in increasing
world supplies five hundred to a thousand
times.
While the layman is hopelessly bewil
dered by the mysteries of science, he can
grasp the basic nature of such discoveries
as Carbon 13. He knows that the tireless
probing and investigation in laboratories
all over the nation by thousands of un
known scientists, may one day save his life.
-oqo
Scouts And World Citizenship
Tomorrow marks the 36th anniversary
of the beginning of the Boy Scout move
ment and we pause to salute scouts as well
as their leaders. We know of no more
worthwhile program for youth training.
The Boy Scouts of today will be the cit
izens of tomorrow. The Boy Scout move
ment can do much to increase world fellow
ship and understanding, which we must
have if we are to maintain peace. The
Scout laws are the same in any language
and we like to think of scouts as being cit
izens of the world. We must have, world
fellowship and world citizenship in our
world of the future
In thinking of this we are reminded of
a message sent to the Boy Scouts of Amer
ica a year ago, by that world-citizen, the
late Franklin D. Roosevelt.
This message in part is as follows:
“For many years the Boy Scout Move
ment has been a real for^e among the
democratic countries in helping to promote
better understanding 'among the nations
•and international good will.j’ ,
' “At the time of our National Jamboree
in 1937 I was happy, to note the many
Scouts from across the seas* who came to
camp with the Bo^„Sco^ts<ipf»America an(*
learn more of our ' way of ufe. At the
world Scout Jamborees Scouts from free
dom loving natidmf HV&I together, found
common interests andjWwiW1 and formed
friendships of lasting value to themselves
I am convinced that Boy Scouts and Clubs,
as well as senior groups, through their mu
tual understanding, mutual appreciation
and mutual respect will be among the lead
ers in the promoting of comradeship among
the democratic people of the earth.”
“Friendship is a basis of our Scout ideals
and a part of our Scout law. Let us live
by it and strengthen it!”
“God bless you all:
(signed) Franklin D. Roosevelt.”
-0O0
Good Weather Ahead
Improved weather reports—which may
"savfe f&rfhers mflicMs of dollars—are"* ex
pected as a result of the weather bureau’s
decision to use balloons, radio and radar to
gather information twelve miles above the
earth.
The method is highly technical—but
there is every reason to believe that it will
result in greatly increased accuracy, both
for short and long-term reports. Present
methods of observation are greatly handi
capped by fog and clouds, but the new
method, known as “rason,” will have no
such handicaps.
By 1947 it is expected that “rason” re
ports will have replaced the present meth
ods of getting weather information. From
then on, there will be few arguments with
the weather man. When he says “rain,”
the chances will be ten to one that it will
rain.
But already the weather bureau is pro
tecting itself against wrong predictions by
pointing out*that even the “twelve-mile up”
reports will not be perfect. The next move,
already under consideration, is t" get re
ports from the upper stratosphere -sixty
miles up. When that plan has been worked
out, our weather prediction problems will
be over.
-0O0
Another Steps Down
The day of heroic leadership seemed to
be passing as General Charles de Gaulle,
fiery French patriot, stepped down in that
country as had wartime leaders in many
other nations.
Churchill, whose intrepidity and elo
quence had spurred Britain in its darkest
hours, had already sunk to the post of mi
nority leader. He was currently taking it
easy in Florida, and would not even crit
icize the party in power while vacationing.
De Gaulle, it was announced, would
soon be a tourist in Canada.
The world, which in the not too distant
past could trace the course of history in the
actions of a few outstanding men, now finds
things more complicated. Men who are
only average, or comparatively unknown,
many cases hold the reins of government.
The people of the world are fearful
putting their faith in these men’s leadership
as new scientific discoveries are announced.
The significance of human leadership pales
in view of the power of the atomic bomb
and of the new radar contact which has
been made with the moon.
We wonder if any leaders, no matter
how brilliant, will be able to steer us on
the right course during the portentous
years ahead.
Farmers Hold Up Their End
When one stops to analyze different ele
ments of our population engaged in indus
try, agriculture and labor, it is impossible
to escape the conviction that whenever
these great groups close their ranks and
move ahead in orderly ways that they are
all .bound to strengthen their country and
improve their own individual conditions.
Right now a good part of our country and
its affairs seems to be suffering from dizzi
ness. However there is no question as to
the direction agriculture wants to go. The
farmer’s main aim in life is to produce as
abundantly as he knows how. It has been
part of farm thinking in all times to weigh
the goodness of the earth in terms of bump
er harvests, livestock fattened for market,
and well-laden dinner tables.
While industry was adding millions of
workers to its payroll, and engaged in near
civil warfare with strikers, agriculture was
unable to get enough new machinery and
often not enough repair parts for its needs.
While industry built thousands of new
plants and expanded thousands of old
plants, agriculture had to be content with
merely making better use of its acres, ani
mals, and equipment
But $eu have got to take off your hats
***** to hold up their
FSA FAMILIES ARE
MAKING RECORDS
By Staff Writer
(Continued from Page 1)
also held for those who purchas
ed new pressure cookers. Tney
were also taught how to clean and
store their -cookers when not in
use.
During the spring three meet
ings were held when gardens,
control of plant diseases and in
sects were discussed. This was
followed by three group meet
ings on First Aid and Home Nurs
ing. At this time, demonstra
tions were given in making a
bed foxy a sick^Hersotyinban^g
Firsf Aid in case of accident.
Seven group meetings on food
preparation, meal planning, and
school lunches were held during
the months of July and August.
Two demonstrations were giv
en in making clothing for small
children and for children of
school age. -
HEALTH
Not only do the FSA super
visors emphasize the need for
producing an adequate food sup
ply but for safeguarding the
health of the family as well. By
participating in the Hospital In
surance program, they can in
sure themselves against having
to pay large hospital bills. Twen
ty-one FSA families are carrying
the hospital insurance policy
which pays $4.50 per day on room
and board for as long as thirty
days. Thirteen families are car
rying the medical service policy,
which pays a given amount on
operations and for setting broken
bones.
A number of the families, both
adults and children, participated
in the health clinics held by Mrs.
Ledbetter, the county nurse, dur
ing the late summer months.
Although an effort was made
to hold an eye clinic in the fall,
it was not possible to do so. How
ever, it is hoped that one can be
held in the spring through the
cooperation of the local Welfare
Department and the State Com
mission for the Blind.
IMPROVING ORCHARDS
Very little has been done to
orchards. The freeze in Feb
ruary of last year, killed all of
the fruit in the county. A few
families have planted some new
fruit trees during the past year.
Those not having orchards of
sufficient size to produce ade
quate fruit are encouraged to set
out additional trees each year.
Many of the families have straw
berries, raspberries, and black
berries to supplement their
larger fruits.
PASTURE IMPROVEMENT
About 80% to 90% of FSA bor
rowers in Alleghany county are
cooperating with AAA and are
using all of the phosphate and
lime they can get. Most of this
material goes on pastures.
The pastures in general are
getting better each year. There
are some pastures where the
grazing has been tripled during
the last five years.
INCREASE IN FEED
FSA borrowers in Alleghany
county increased their feed large
ly by using more and better fer
tilizers. About 7 out of 10 used
soda as a side dressing on corn.
Many state that their yields were
doubled by the use of soda.
It’s not too late to give to the
Infantile Paralysis Fund.
David and Goliath
pJJ.N.O.
* * * * *
vos&y
tad
TOMORROW
By DON ROBINSON'
BARGAINING .' . . future
During all of this labor strife,
the attitude of the unions toward
management has been, “They
won’t bargain with us!”
But the thing that has impress
ed me ever since the unions be
gan their bargaining efforts has
been the preliminary restrictions
they put upon bargaining — they
took for granted that they would
get more money and confined bar-1
gaining efforts to the question of,
“How much?”
We wonder what labor would
do about it' if the “bargaining”
was reversed — if management
went to the unions and said:
'we are going to lose money for
the next year until we get back
into full production. We there
fore suggest a 30 per cent reduc
tion in wages during this loss
period. But we are willing to bar
gain with you about it to deter
mine whether 30 per cent is a fail
cut.”
Gf course, the unions would
laugh at such a preposterous pro
BOY SCOUTS OBSERVING
36th ANNIVERSARY
(Continued from Page 1)
Liles is also planning some spe
cial expeditions for the local
troop. i
Scout Week in Sparta is being
observed in church programs
conducted by the scouts with the
service to be held in the Baptist
church on Sunday morning at
1 o’clock. Last Sunday a pro
gram was presented in the Pres
byterian church.
ifp
1 A
posal. And yet, if we think of
business in terms of small busi
ness instead o big corporations,
the only way many a business
could continue to operate would
be to lower wages when money
isn’t coming in and increase
wages when- profits rise.
The unions apparently are
measuring industry’s ability to
pay on the basis of those high
estimates of record sales which
are dreamed about for the near
future. But it is quite possible
that, as a result of the disruption
caused by strikes, that pretty pic
ture of a super-prosperous future
may never materialize.
FORD . . . solution1
I believe the proposal made by
Ford — that a wage increase be
arranged now, but that it go into
effect only after production has
reached a specified peak—is the
fairest possible answer to the
present situation.
In fact, it might be possible for
labor and management to get to
gether on a long-term contract
hmereby wages would automatic
ally be increased as production
mounted to new highs. The only
trouble with such a plan is that it .
would also have to work in re
verse—labor would have to agree
to accept wage cuts during peri
ods when production slumped.
And it is hard to imagine most
union leaders agreeing to such a
two-sided proposition.
By LYN CONNELI,Y
Released by Western Newspaper Union.
THE next important event of Hol
lywood's all-year-round social
season is the forthcoming Academy
Award dinner, and although it is
more than a month away, there is
already much speculation as to who
will rec ive the Oscars for the best
performances of 1945.
Those on the inside insist it will
be Rav Milland for his magnificent
uuy iVa.liana
interpretation of
the dipsomaniac in
Charles Jackson's
"The Lost W ek
end," and Joan
Crawford for the
much - discussed
"Mildred Pierce."
Joan has been in
Hollywood 21 years
and was released
by MGM two y ars
igo as being
through. Hers will
undoubtedly be the
most startling
fails to win the coveted award.
Others mentioned are Cornel Wilde;
Ingrid Bergman for both “Bells of
St Mary's” and “Spellbound”.Gene
Tirjaey for her portrayal of the
vixer. in ‘Leave Her to Heaven.”
ma Gregory Peck.
It is generally agreed, too, that
Lost Weekend” will be named the
oest picture of the year, but it ia
>ur personal opinion that this award
.hould be reserved for "The Valley
it Decision,” one at the finest pic
tures made -in recent years.
Hollywood, as usual, started off
the new year with • hang. January
-aw the marriage of Myrna Loy to
Sene Markey, popular Hollywood
writer who thus took his third
ilamorous wife, her predecessors
»ing J^an Bennett and Hedy La
marr Scene stealer at the wed
i> « ever, was not the bride
and groom this time, but Admiral
liliarn (“Bull”) Halsey, who
served as best man for Markey, un
til recently a commodore in Hal
-ey's history-making Third fleet. An
ther marriage was that of ingenue
reann Crain to Paul Brinkman,
ver her mother’s disapproval
Kleanor Parker, one of Warners’
i ost promising young stars, mar
led r 1 Friedlob. distillery ex cu
tve. in a surpriae elopement to Las
i,eg§*. . . . John Wa
Baueri
Dorothy Lamour gave birth to a
son. * Slim Summerville, beloved
comedian who got his start as a
Keystone cop when Mack Sennett
was king of Hollywood, died of a
cerebral hemorrhage. Ves, it was
a busy month in Hollywood.
Traveling the Airlanes.
Notes at a Breakfast Club broad
cast: Biggest surprise, perhaps, jf
th popular Breakfast Club variety
hour is "Aunt Fanny" as played
oy f ran Allison.
Far from being a
sweet tittle old
lady, as most lis
teners -Interpret
her, Fran would
win more than her
share of laurels at
a beauty show
That cruising croon
er, Jack Owens,
answers a maid
en’s romantic pic
ture of someone
"tall, dark and
Handsome,” and he
has personality
Fran Allison
Like eating
Olives...
ana taieni. too genial uon Mc
Neill, lovely Marion Mann and
laughing Sam Cowling make the
hour seem the shortest in the day.
... As many as 30 states are repre
sented at a broadcast at this Club,
and the all-time record was reached
recently when representatives from
42 states were in the audience. Tom
Breneman of “Breakfast in Holly
wood." Is dee in Chicago the first
week in February for the opening of
his picture, and watch the fireworks
if he and Don meet) That promises
to be a treat tor all listeners at
both programs.