t. , ■
The Alleghany News
AND STAR-TIMES
The NEWS established February 16, 1949—
The TIMES, 1925 and The STAR, 1889.
PUBLISHED EVERT THURSDAY
At Sparta, N. C.
THURSDAY, OCT.' 9, 1947
ED M. ANDERSON - Publisher'
.MRS. ED M. ANDERSON-Associate
NANCY KEN^ICKELL-News Editor
SUBSCRIPTION RATES PER YBAR
In County, $2.89-Outside County, $2.50
The News la glad to publish letters, not
too long, on matters of general interest. But
such communications' must be accompanied
by the real name of the writer, even when
V* » *• published under , pom de
plume.
Entered as second-class 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,-1
would choose a free press.”—Thomas Jef
ferson.
Fire Prevention
As fire prevention week is being ob
served it is well to remember some of the
causes of fire and prevention. It was 76
years ago today, October 8, 1871 that Mrs.
O’Leary’s cow kicked over the lantern that
started the great Chicago fire. While we
do not have such disastrous fires today we
have many more of them. According to
the National Fire Prevention Association,
“A preventable fire breaks out somewhere
in this land of ours every 20 seconds—
right around the clock.”
The report continues to show that be
fore the sun sets today, over 1600 building
fires will have filled 28 Americans, more
than half of them women and children,
destroyed nearly 1000 homes, 140 stores,
80 factories, 6 churches, 6 schools, 5 thea
tres and 3 hospitals. Alarming isn’t it, par
ticularly when much of this loss could have
been prevented?
Figures show that of the more than
10,000 lives lost last year, more than 3,500
were farm people and the farm property
} loss was around $85,000,000.
The common causes of farm fires, ac
cording to the records of the Agricultural
Committee of the National Fire Waste
Council, are defective flues and heating
systems; sparks on combustible roofs;
misuse of gasoline and petroleum products;
spontaneous ignition of hay, straw, oily
rags, etc.; lightning striking unprotected
buildings; stoves, furnaces, and their pipes;
matches and smoking; defective wiring
and misuse of electricity; hot ashes and
coals, including open fires.
Many fires can be traced to some kind
of carelessness. They usually do not start
unless someone has set the stage for them.
* The cost of prevention is little, compared
to the loss. Let’s re-dedicate ourselves this
week to preventing fires and thus saving
lives and property.
f ___oOo
Give Them A Trial!
States as well as manufacturers and
business firms have found through exper
ience that “it pays to advertise.” ,
North Carolina was among the first of
the southern states to learn this lesson and
its fine advertising program, extending
. now over a period of ten years, has brought
new industries to Tarheelia, hundreds of
thousands of tourists, more farmers, more,
permanent citizens and greater apprecia
tion for our state throughout the nation.
Limited as it has been, we are convinced
that this advertising program has paid big
dividends to every section of the state, and
we think it would be a wise investment if
the annual appropriation were increased
from $800,000 a year to at least a half of
* taSBfcn. . •
North Carolina, the south’s number one
*ate, has much to tell and it is extremely
difficult to conduct a national advertising
campaign in only two media of newspapers
Wit^one outstanding advertising
, agency and several other good agencies
located in this state, we think it is high
we doubt if it has an agency that can do as
good a job as the Ayer and Giilet agehcy,
of 'Charlotte.
It is true that Eastman-Scott company,
of Atlanta, has been handling the account
since 1937, but we see no reason why this
company should continue to have it ‘indefi
nitely.
Placing of the account was postponed
at the September meeting of the board and
we understand that final decision will be
made hext Monday or Tuesday when the
board meets in Asheville. v
We are impressed with the remarkable
record made by the Charlotte firm and be
lieve the contract should be given to this
“home” organization.
Ayer and Gillett Agency has won distin
guished recognition. It is one of the few
agencies 'in the south that is a member
of the American Association of Advertis
getting the national award for the best
ing Agencies. In 1946 it won honors by
utility advertising.
This agency handles a large number
of accounts, has a large, experienced staff
,and we urge the board to “give them a
trial.” We believe they can do a better
job of telling the story of North Carolina
to the world.
■oOa
Solving The Health Problem
Many proposals to invest government
with wide powers over the people stem
from lack of faith in the ability of indivi
duals to solve their own problems by vol
untary, democratit action. An apt illustra
tion of this is the continuing effort of min
ority political groups to saddle the country
with a compulsory state medical system.
These groups simply do not believe that
the majority of the American people are
competent to meet the responsibility of
caring for themselves in a medical way. It
might just as well be argued that the
American people are not competent to
feed and clothe themselves except at the
direction of the state.
It is from this fear of incompetence that
dictators are bom.
During the past decade, while the issue
of socialized medicine has been debated
with increasing bitterness and while meas
ures have been proposed in Congress re
peatedly that would put a strait jacket on
the medical profession, private citizens
by the millions have quietly gone ahead
joining up with voluntary prepaid medical
programs. And actually these voluntary
programs have done more pioneering and
exhibited more practical effectiveness than
can ever be expected of a socialized medi
cal system founded on the shifting sands
of politics. At present nearly half the popu
lation of the country, sixty-one million per
sons, subscribe to some kind of a medical
plan. Approximately ,45,500,000 persons in
the United States are enrolled in insurance
plans to pay costs incident to disabling ill
nesses. In addition, approximately 10,000,
000 persons are enrolled in prepayment
medical care plans and 6,000,000 are insur
ed under combination accident and sick
ness policies.
If the debate over socialized medicine
goes on a few more years, it will become
purely an academic matter. The people will
have solved their own health problems in
their own way, without destroying medi
cal standards or the freedom of the doctors.
Importance Of Coal
The constant labor conflicts which have
disturbed the soft coal industry may have
convinced part of the public that the Amer- v
ican mines are something of a relic from
a dark age, untouched by the march of
progress.
The truth is that our mines are far and
away the most advanced in the world.
Even before the British mines were so
cialized, their American counterparts were
much more productive. Since socialization,
British production has gone down, apd
the American advantage has increased.
This is largely the result of an extensive
mechanization program, covering many
years, which cost the mine owners tens
of mil hone of dollars.
One consequence of the high efficiency
of coal mining in the United States has
been the record wages now earned by nqine
workers—wages substantially high***
those naid in anv other comparable in
dustry. Another consequence has been an ,
abundance of cooLsTTi® only cool ihortftM
In fW li rfu^JL. iuIlL
U.In
At Home On lhc
Farm With
The City Cousin
Like the horse-and-buggy doc
tot's of an era long since passed,
whose cures and preventives were
often worse than the ailment, 4
specialist in Agricultural Ex
tension occasionally' runs across
a farmer who is tryipg to solve a
farm problem with “medicine"
that's just a little too strong.
I was talkin' to Brice Ratch
ford,. one of those State College
fellows, just this week, and he
was fellin’ me of a very likely
instance of this same thing.
Being in charge of Farm Mdha
gement for Extension, Mr. RatCh
ford recommends things' that
lead to more efficient and pro
ductive farming. He is particu
larly interested right now in
helping farmers find the answer
to a very nettlesome question:
“How Can I Save Labor.”
Well, lots of folks would say
that the simplest way to save la
bor is to get a whole shed-full of
the latest equipment, machinery
and devices. With these on hand,
some people get the impression
all you have to do is fire the help
and just sit back and watch the
things gallavant around the farm.
How impractical this line of
reasoning becomes is made quite
clear by the bustling Mr. Ratch
ford, who comes to the point
quickly to tell you mechanization
is not always the answer to the
farmer’s problem. It’s often a
case of prescribing the right me
dicine for the wrong malady, he '
says.
Mecnanization is an expensive
way to save labor,” the expert
was teling me. “It would bp bet
ter, on many small farms in North
Carolina, for the owner to con
tinue to hire labor.
There are lots of less expensive
ways of saving labor, he went on
to explain, listing these:
Keep all equipment in good
working order. Proper greasing
and maintenance adds years to
the life ot good equipment.
The simplest piece of equip
ment, such as a middle buster (I
have had to ask him what this ■
was) operates better is it is kept
in proper adjustment. It will not 1
only do more work, but will also
be easier on the man and mule,
or tractor.
To save labor at rush seasons,
Tar Heel farmers can repair all
equipment during winter months
when other work is near a stand
still. Rainy days also provide an
opportunity for “catching up” on '
this repair work.
All farmers spend considerable 1
time on chores like feeding and
watering animals planning these '
chores will save time and labor, 1
Mrs. Ratchford says. Make runn- 1
ing water available to poultry
and hogs on range, and carry at
least a week’s supply of feed to
them at one time.
Farm building and lots are not
always arranged for the most con- '
venience and to count for econo- '
my of time. A few changes or '
better still —careful planning \
when the farmstead is laid out— '
make g big difference in the day’s
work. i
“Another method which our 1
fathers practiced,” says Ratch- 1
ford, “is swapping , labor! While '
thi$ doesn’t necessarily save man- :
hours, it does save money, and 1
cuts tlje labor bill in the long run.
And there are lots or farm jobs |
that can be done better by two \
or more men.”
"So you see, Cousin,” he said,
as I got up to go, "although me
chanization is a widely-approved
method of saving labor and man
hours on the farm, it is not al
ways the most practical—nor the
least expensive.”
While it is more or less of a
scientific fact that certain cows
have been known to give extra
milk to the tune of “When Irish'
Eyes Are Smilin’ " or “Don’t Sit
Undfer the Apple Tree”—I was
nevertheless inclined to wonder
about this man over in McDowell
county, who talks his hens into
higher egg production.
Then I ran into Carl Whiteside
one day, and he was giving me
the straight stuff. He’s assistant
fjppt*agent for the State College
Kstgnaton Service over there, and
knows all about such things.
"Do you mean he actually has
marge with them?” I ask Carl,
{ridtuftaf'tfte faSrmer as he rakes
file la*y binds over the coals in
, national Disgrace, Three Years Old
. ‘ " 1 - t.'H. t1 I " I—1"—■■■.»■ I I . mi,
The Everyday
Counselor
Bev. Herbert Spaugh, D. D.
“But I was right, dead right!
! was going into that intersection
iirst. I had the right of way—
hat truck driver should have
stopped when he saw me—1 was
ight, dead right!”
“Yes dear—you always were
right—the other fellow was al-1
vays wrong. That’s why we’re
lere.”
This conversation, reported be-1
ween two gravestones, appeared
n a TOCCOA RECORD (Georgia) j
idvertisement appealing for safe!
ind thoughtful driving on the
lighway. It is expressive of the;
•easoning of many who drive
>ur highways, and reminds me of
m epitaph I once read, “Here lies
he body of Dan McKay. He died
naintaining his right of way.
Se was right, dead right, as he
sped along. But he’s just as dead
is if he’d been dead wrong.”
THE TOCCOA RECORD is one
>f many newspapers through
>ut the nation which is conduct
n a vigorous campaign for safe
ind thoughtful driving oh our
itreets and highways. Automobile
rfcffic is one of the nation’s
greatest headaches. It is filling
>ur hospitals and graveyards at
in uncomfortable rate. Too much
>f it is caused by an attitude of
nind reflected in this advertise
nent.
While we wrestlte with selfish
ness in every corner of life it
eems to become more prominent
vhen we get behind the wheel of
in automobile. There are drivers
vho are scrupulously polite on
foot, but the minute they get be
hind the wheel of an automobile
they i leave politeness on the
ground. There’s many a driver
who will stand back to allow
another to precede him in etater
ing a door, but when he’s in an
automobile, he rushes uncere
Professor Joad; the English
philosopher, was once conversing
with a certain Indian sage in
praise of the technical marvels of
our generation. “Yes,” replied
the Sage, “you can fly through
the air like birds and swim in
the sea like fish, but how to walk
upon the earth as a man' you do
no yet know!”
We have outrun ourselves in
the race for mechanical achieve
ment, and have left the man far
behind. Unless we pause and
concentrate on improving the
man who operates the machines
we have invented, we face sure
and utter destruction.
Books come and books go, but
the Bible goes on forever, still the
greatest book on human relations.
It teaches us how man can live
happily and safely with man. It
teaches us that our most import
ant lesson is to learn how to live
in right relations with our God
and our fellow man. It’s “Golden
Rule” is still the Nuihber 1 rule
for us to learn. The next time
you pass a graveyard, you might
think of that.
id. He may even
right of way, but
[hospital and per
*ard just the same.
“Not that I know of,” my in
lormant replied. "It’s the man
vho has them now that carries
>n a conversation with them.”
My patience was beginning to
year around the edgfes, and I
pressed Mr. Whiteside for more
ietails. As the story unfolded, I
learned that the man who now
las the five Rhode Island Red
lens is cashier in Marion, a west
ern community where most of
the scenery is vertical.
Being a methodical fellow, this
banker kept a close record on the
individual performance of each
bird. ,
And they did right well, too;
lay eggs.”
crease their own egg production,
he agreed laughingly, and said:
"I suspect, Cousin, that another
good reason for this outstanding
record lies in the fact that Ex
tension Service recommendations
on poultry management were car
ried out to the letter.
“Good feeding, good breeding
and good management help a lot,"
he said, as he put on his hat and
took off to help a farmer esti
mate his corn yield.
SPARTA
| SPECTACLES
■ By NANCY C. KENNICKELL
V
This week Jack Frost, with his
miraculous paint brush, has
splattered enough paint to beauti
fy our mountains. In fact, they
can hardly be recognized as the
green hills of the fading summer.
ThiS week, Sparta Specs have
also made a change. I used to
wonder about people who bought
glasses at the “dime store,” by
just trying them on until they
found a pair suitable, but now I
know the Sparta Specs can be
worn in quite the same manner.
Whether or not they will fit,
we’ll soon know. .
Just A Little Shaver!
When does a man become a
man? A good question, but we
can offer the opinion that a little
tot might well believe he had be
come a man, when he receives
his first haircut. We had the
pleasure of seeing Lloyd Richard
son, 13-months old son of Mr,
and Mrs.. Meredith Richardson,
of Whitehead, get his first hair
cut. And what a brave lad he was.
A couple of times, it looked as
if he’d shed a tear as the clippers
approached and he saw his blond
curl$ fall to the floor, but indeed
he took it like a man!
On The Top Floor
It must be rather convenient,
living directly over your work
. • . and a little confining too.
One can always be found when
“duties call.” This time, two can
be found. Rodney Busic and Bas- i
il Landreth have moved into their '
new apartment directly over Ev
an’s and Higgin’s Jewelers and
Higgin’s barber shop. They have
promised to have open house
soon.
Sleeping On The Job
Must be nice to own a business
and be able to sleep on the job.
Not many of us can get away
with it. It would be telling, to
mention any names, but a certain
young business man, when he
isn’t selling antiques is usually
enjoying a session with Morpheus.