BEASLEY’S
FARIVI
and
HOIVIE
WEEKLY
Volume 11.
Charlotte, N. C., Thursday, October 2,1941.
Number 40.
TURN OUT TO BE
FALSE PROPHETS
Most of Them Have Been Wrong
on Every Point Since Before
Hitler Started the War
REMEMBER PHONY WAR?
THE MIASMA BSGINS TO BLOW AWAY-
What Has Put These Cobwebs
About Democracy in Our Minds
(AN EDITORIAL)
Always the newspapers are telling
•what the so-called war experts are
saying. Also they tell us much about
what “authoritive spokesmen” and
“well informed circles” have to say.
Names of these talkers are seldom
given and it turns out that most of
them are imaginary or just plain
gossipers. 'But at that, general popu
lar belief has gone along with them
in making many mistakes in sizing
up what would happen. A review ot
these mistakes as sized up by Joseph
C. Harrison in the Christian Science
Montor, is interesting. He says:
If military experts were not such
a hardy breed, it would be surprising
that there are any left still daring
enough to try to predict the course
of thfe present war. For during the
past two years these gentlemen,
ranging from the cracker-barrel pro
phet to members of the United States
Army’s own intelligence ^ division,
have seen so many of their predic
tions come back to haunt them that
the current conflict must have set
some sort of a record for mistaken
teccirs*
And since most of the rest of us
have been content to rely on the ex
pert’s opinions, we have all had some
pretty far-fetched ideas of the war.
A partial check over the past two
years and a half shows a surprising
number of popular misconceptions on
current hostilities and the countries
involved. While everyone could com
pile his own list of popular mistakes
here are nearly a dozen which have
cropped up along the way.
1. Th^ early, ipresistent and very
dangerous belief that Hitler was
“bluffing” and that, even if he were
not, there would be no war, as every
one, including Hitler himself, remem
bered how terrible t|ie last war was.
2. The idea that the German
armies would be bogged down by the
autumnal rains in Poland. A some
what similar mistake may be in the
making now with the idea that Hit
ler’s divisions will be immobilized by
Russian cold, snow and ice.
Remember About “Phony” War
, 8. Then there came the long period
of the so-called “phony” war during
which Germany was gathering its
strength for the Scandinavian cam
paign and for the overwhelming, blow
which it was to deliver against
France, Belgium, and the Nether
lands. It is quite likely that Dr.
Goebbels had something to do with
spreading this idea of the “phony’
war as a means of undermining Al-
lied morale and of lulling the Allies
into a feeling of false security.
4. At the same time there was the
ideep-rooted idea, carefully nurtured
by France to its own sorrow, that the
French Army is the best in the
world. Even those who were startled
by the quick German victory in
Poland still talked of the invincibil
ity of the French Army so great was
its World War and postwar prestige.
5. Following the fall of France, an
other misconception rose and was
widely credited in America’s best- in
formed military circles. This was the
belief that Britain, shorn of its weap
ons at Dunkirk and with an Air Force
admittedly weaker than the Luf-
waffe, was doomed. It was only the
incredible performance of the RAF
a yeai* ago that weakened the wide
spread conviction that Germany was
on the threshold of victory.
6. Prior to Italy’s entry into the
War a year ago in June and, indeed,
for some time afterward, there was
little or no realization of the soon-
to-be-revealed weaknesses of Italy’s
Army, Navy, and Air Force. Having
listened to Mussolini’s 18 years of
bombast and having seen Italy’s vic
tory over the unarmed Ethiopians
and the under-armed Spanish Loyal
ists, people had come to take Italy
at its word. The first awakening
cam'e when the British fleet consis
tently whipped the Italians in , the
Mediterranean. But the real proof
of Italy’s weakness came ,when Mus
solini’s legions were badly beaten by
the little Greek Army.
7. This Italian defeat came as a
great surprise since Washington had
believed the Italian troops would be
in Athens in three weeks. Instead
when Germany finally came to the
Italian’s rescue, the latter were un
comfortably close to being pushed
into the Adriatic Sea.
8. Moving up to this summer, many
experts were offering to eat their
hats if Germany attacked the Soviet
Union, pointing out that HitJer would
never dream of repeating the mistake
of Imperial Germany in fighting a
two-front war. That popular miscon
ception joined its predecessors on
June 22, 1941.
Russians Upset All Forecasts
9. With Russo-German hostilities
under way, the next false impression
was that the Russian Army would do
no better than the French and that
Russia would be decisively beaten by
the first of September. Just to be on
the safe side, military men in Wash
ington hazarded that it would be
over in three months. Well, three
months were up last Sunday.
10. Finally, one of the most im
portant errors and one which has
done an immeasurable aniount of
harm already, was the conviction in
this country that all the United
States had to do was to decide upon
a rearmament program and the deed
was done. So great was the belief
f— MORE ON PAGE FOUR -—
Judging from the newspaper
reports of the speech of Dr. Will
Durant in Charlotte last Friday,
that eminent historian of philos
ophy did not present the subject
of democracy with the clarity
that one might have expected
from him. True, his subject was
“The World Revolution,” which
is a very large one, but we are
inclined to think that he failed to
relate democracy in America-,
which was a part of the subject,
properly to the world revolution.
What has happened in Europe
is certainly different from any
thing that has yet happened in
America though there are simi
lar phases. Dr, Durant, the re
porter tells us, “prefaced his ad
dress with the observation that
in developing his thesis he would
give his hearers an objective
analysis rather than treat them
to a propaganda talk,” And in
doing that, we think, he was not
sufficiently clear. It is true, as
he says, that the world to a large
extent is passing from private
to state capitalism.
This, movement has been a
gradual orieand has been operat
ing for some years. But we deny
that what has happened in Ger
many and Russia has any paral
lel with what he calls the devel
opment of state capitalism in
America, , But the bland assump
tion of the scholars like Dr. Du
rant that it has, and the blatant
contention of the innocent and
ignorant expounders, has helped
along the subversive-minded ag
itators in this country who talk
to us about the waves of the fu
ture and the necessity for link
ing up with the European mani
festations of them. It has also
put cobwebs in the minds of
countless Americans on the sub
ject of democracy and the func
tion and operation of free gov
ernments.
This confusion arises partly
from our disposition to tag and
name movements or occurrences
and then try to fit everything to
the name or tag. We are thus
terribly confused between the
function of democracy or free
government and the things which
they do or fail to do.
Everything that has been ac
complished for good in the world
has been done by the trial and
error method. In free govern
ments this principle has oppor
tunity for wide scope, and that is
why progress has come out of
countries with free governtnents
and never from those where lib
erty was stifled. We had been
talking of socialism and state
capitalism long before the Rus
sian and German debacles, be
fore the first World War, and, in
deed for many years. We re
garded these as possible develop
ments following modern inven-
MORE ON PAGE TWO
WANT DIFFERENT CH,*RISTMAS
PARADE
Civic and religious leaders in Char
lotte have begun work looking to
wards a different kind of Christmas
celebration this year. A meeting was
held Tuesday night. The idea is to
do away with the fanfare of former
days and introduce a serious and re
ligious character in the celebration.
R. L. Chapman, vice president of
the Charlotte Merchants association,
was present and told the group how
the decision was reached to stress
W'hat he termed as “the real Christ
mas spirit” in the parade this year
instead of the carnival theme as has
been the practice in past parades.
He stated that despite large turnouts
for the parades, the association us
ually had been disappointed in special
commercial attractions brought here
at considerable expense for the event.
“In place of grotesque dragons and
other carnival features of the parade,
we plan to substitute floats depict
ing the Nativity and other religious
scenes,” he said. Mr. Chapman ex
plained that the parade this year will
be divided into two divisions — the
commercial and the noncommercial.
He added that all floats will originate
locally and no outside attractions will
be brought in.
It was stated that prizes wHl be
given for the best floats, while entry
prizes of $15 will be given every float
entered. There also will be prizes for
bands. Those present all voiced much
enthusiasm for the plan.
Rev. Thomas E. Morton, president
of the Mecklenburg Ministerial asso
ciation, praised the plan . to depict
floats of a religious nature and sug
gested that it might be possible to
show scenes from the life of Christ
and that choirs of many of the
churches could appear on floats and
sing Christmas carols. Al Bechtold,
executive secretary of the Charlotte
Merchants’ association, also spoke
briefly. Considerable discussion en
sued as to the manner of arranging
the floats and it was decided to work
out this angle of it at the next meet
ing.
F. B. I. TRAINING SCHOOL
J. Edgar Hoover, director of the
F. B. I., after a conference with
Mayor La Guardia, director of civil
ian defense, has announced that Char
lotte has been selected as one of the
5 cities in which courses will be con
ducted by the F. B. I. to train police
and civil officers under the civil de
fense program. G-men and graduates
of the F. B. I. police academy will
conduct the courses.
The first courses will be given to
police chiefs, sheriff's and superintend
ents of state police and state patrol
organizations and members of their
executive and administrative staffs
beginning about October 15. These
administrative courses will be follow
ed in due course by schools held in
numerous sections of the country for
the benefit of the police officers who
are going to perform the civilian de
fense duties assigned to them.
informing the county commissioners
that business trips outside the county
will be made in future by welfare de
partment personnel only in county-
owned cars.
Chairman W. B. McCIintock and
Superintendent John C. Lockhart of
the county school system, together
with R. B. Watkins appeared before
the county conimissioness and ex
plained that an addition is being built
to Derita school, and that more land
will be needed for the plant. The pur
chase of the adjoining tract of 5 1-2
acres and expenses involved in adapt
ing it to school use will involve about
$2,750, it was said. The county com
missioners voted the purchase.
The county board decided to pur
chase reinsurance from R. A. Mayer,
Insurance man, to protect the county
in event it had to pay an employe
more than $500 compensation insur
ance. The premium is expected to be
approximately $1,400 a year.
The board also voted to tax rented
parts of the county market operated
by Mecklenburg Federation of Home
Demonstration clubs. The organiza
tion bought a building on Harding
place, and jTents part of the structure
to a private company. The county will
tax that part rented out, and will re
frain from taxing the part used by
the federation.
Human Interest
War in the Crimea, which the Ger
mans are trying to take from the
Russians, has a familiar sound. There
have been other wars in the Crimea.
The Crimean war of 1854-’56 brings
to mind such names as Florence
Nightingale, most renowned of nurs
es, and Balaklava, where the Light
Brigade—“the gallant six hundred”
—made a futile but heroic charge im
mortalized in Tennyson’s poem. In
that war England and France were
pitted against Russia, whose threat
ened seizure of the Dardanelles arous
ed their fears. They landed an expe
dition on the southern coast of the
Crimea, pushed back the Czar’s de
fending army and began a siege of
Sepastopol which lasted almost a
year. On both sides the conduct of
the war was marked by high cour
age but low efficiency, with tremen
dous losses and sufi’erings. At length
the Franco-British allies were victor
ious, and the ensuing peace treaty
recognized the independence of Tur-
ky and guaranteed its territorial in
tegrity.
THE TWO DOLLAR BILL
A correspondent writes to a
Georgia newspaper and asks:
“Do you think a two-dollar bill
is bad luck to have or not to
have? Do you tear a corner off
to keep it or do you try to pass it
on in the dark as a five maybe?”
The editor xeplies: “In the past
several years vh haven’t owned
a two-dollar bill. We’ve ovraed
some ones, a five occasionally and
now and then a ten—^temporar
ily. We haven’t even seen a twen
ty-dollar bill in so long we’ve foy-
got what one looks like, if we
ever knew. No, we shouldn’t con
sider ourself unlucky if we were
to come into possession of a two-
dollar bill. On the contrary (as
the seasick man said when asked
if he had dined), a two-dollar bill
would come in mighty handy now
for buying a dollars’ worth of
groceries.
English and Americans Waste jZEB VANCE MADE
■%'V T “■ • •! k T A nn A
No Words in Russian Council
International Conference Produces Less Talking Than You Would
Hear in a Precinct Party Meeting in Any Off Year Among
Charlotte Democrats; Results, However, Are Important
On Wednesday the representatives
in Moscow of the United State^ and
Great Britain agreed to fill every re
quest of Russia for war supplies, that
is, as far as it is possible to get such
supplies to this country. It was one
of the most important international
conferences ever held and probably
holds the world’s record for the brev
ity of the talking.
The horse, though not a sh^rt one,
was soon curried. The conference
meant business, and the first session
Sunday lasted exactly half an hour.
The meeting began with Mr. Molo-
tofl”s address of welcome. He said,
“I hope that the conference will be
guided by the high ideals expressed
by President Roosevelt and Prime
Minister Churchill on Aug. 18.
“I would suggest that today we
appoint six committees — for army,
navy, aviation, transportation, mater
ials and medical supplies. Time is pre
cious. Let us get to work.”
After this brief speech, which
sounded the keynote of these talks,
which seek the maximum of accom
plishment in a minimum of time.
Lord Beaverbrook replied for his gov
ernment. He said:
“We owe a great debt to our Amer
ican friends. Our preseftt advanta
geous position on the battlefield is
due in large measure to them. Today
SHORTAGE OF NAILS
Once, way back yonaer, when nails
were high and hard to get, people
were very careful to pick up every one
that was dropped. Then, when nails
became plentiful and cheap, people
stopped picking them up. It was said
that if a carpenter dropped a nail and
picked it up, he lost money, because
the time required to pick it up was
worth more than the nail. Looks as
if we will soon go back to picking up
nails. There is said to be a growing
shortage.
One of the city’s hardware men
said he had been besieged by persons
wanting to buy nails. “I actually had
to take them to the stock room to
convince them that we have no nails.
I undersand that practically every
city in North Carolina is in the same
fix. I only wish we had a supply to
serve our customers, but I simply
can’t get them; defense is getting the
first call.”
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
The county commissioners’ docket
Monday was not heavy. Two automo
biles and a five acre tract of land
were purchased.
The automobiles were purchased
from Pyramid Motor company and
the transaction involved trading two
old cars and paying $1,350, this be
ing the low bid submitted on the deal.
A letter from Chairman Max L.
Kahn of the welfare board was read
BANK CLEARINGS
Bank clearings, that is the amount
of checks passed through the clear
ing houses, are supposed to mark the
degree of prosperity in a locality. Ac
cording to this standard Charlotte is
now fairly wallowing in prosperity.
The local clearing house reports
that the month of September showed
an all time record of bank plearings
here. The amount was over $123,000,-
000, the largest in the history of
Charlotte.
The September clearings also mark
the seventh consecutive month of
1941 in which clearings exceeded
$100,000,000. The only month of the
year, so far, in which clearings have
failed to exceed $100,000,000 was in
February, when they totaled $97,242,-
700. Up until this year, clearings for
any one month had passed $100,000,-
000 only three times.
CHURCHILL’S DAUGHTER
The war office in London has an
nounced that Miss Mary Churchill,
youngest daughter of the Prime Min
ister, has become a private in the
Woman’s Auxiliarv Territorial Ser
vice. Miss Churchiil was 18 years old
in May and was supposed to be en
gaged to Lord Duncannon, 28 years
old, and a captain in the army. But
the announcement was said to be a
little premature, and Miss Mary is
going to the war. The announcement
said that Mrs. Churchill had given
Mary every encouragement to join
the A. T. S. and Private Churchill is
at present in training with her friend.
Miss Judith Montague, whose mother
is a cousin of Mrs. Churchill, at the A.
T. C. reception depot in the southern
command. Miss Churchill now has
passed her preliminary selections test
for anti-aircraft work and will short
ly be posted to a mixed batt«ry for
technical training in the operation- of j
anti-aircraft fire-control instruments,
the announcement concluded.
we are in partnership with the Rus
sians. We are here today to show
them that we are ready to make every
sacrifice to help conquer our common
enemv.
“Mr. Molotoff said that time is pre
cious. He is right. We will give les
sons to those who make war. We will
do everything we can to bring the
conqueror low.”
Mr. Harriman then spoke. He said
the mission he headed had been sent
by President Roosevelt and that it
was a historic occasion because
America was in the status of a non
belligerent. He added:
“But we come with your ally, the
British, with the same object—to give
you every assistance against the vio
lent and uncalled-for attack upon you
by Hitler and his cohorts. Your suc
cess means everything to the people
of America.
“I am instructed to pledge you the
very fullest support today, tomorrow
and as long ,as the struggle lasts and
until ultimate victory comes. Now
let us get to work.”
These speeches by the visiting
chairmen were translated to the Sov
iet delegates by Maxim Lityinofl", for
mer Commissar of Foreign Affairs
and a member of the Russian group.
Then Lord Beaverbrook and Mr.
Harriman appointed the members of
their missions to the six committees.
POSSIBLE SLOW
DOWN ON ARMY
Present Need For Sinews
of War for the Hands of
Friends Great Consideration
DONOVAN BUILDS
SECRET WEAPON
ARDREY ASS AYER
CHARLOHEMINT
Brother Leitch Did Red Buck
Good Turn When Preach
ing at Pineville
ARDREY AN UNUSUAL MAN
Not Only to Combat Fifth
Columns But Be Ready for
One of its Own
PRISONERS WORK IN DEFENSE
At the federal prison in Chilli-
cothe, Ohio, one fourth of the
1,300 prisoners are working on
defense jobs, making things for
the army and navy. The work is
voluntary and done at night and
the prisoners are ipaid ten to
twelve dollars a week for the ser
vice. They like it and volunteers
. are plentiful. Institution officials
estimated that production at the
prison has increased 50 to 75 per
V cent since work was started on ..
defene orders. The chair factory "
alone now produces about 100
more chairs a day than it did one
year ago. The federal govern-
, ment maintains a foundry, em
ploying 40 men; a chair factory
with 175 employes; and shops
and maintenance works with ap
proximately 100 workers at the
reformatory.
BOY IN HIGH FINANCE
In Alberqueque, New Mexico, a
nine-year-old boy walked into a filling
station while the attendants were
busy and “borrowed” all the money
in the cash register—$400. Then li?
strolled out. Five blocks away he met
another boy, age nine, and handed
him a $20 bill. The second boy ap
preciated it so much he told his fath
er, who notified police. The officers
immediately started on the trail of
the young Santa Claus, who contin
ued his little game. “Want some
money?” he asked everyone he met,
shoving a greenback at them. He got
no refusals. Two hours later the po
lice caught up with the sunshine
spreader—thanks to his trail of
mohey. He had disposed of $209.65
and was looking for a likely person
to accept the remaining $195.35. Po
lice turned him over to juvenile au
thorities.
LOOK OUT, JAYWALKERS
From Wednesday morning on jay
walkers in certain sections of the bus
iness district will be tagged by the
police for appearance before the court
for violating the law.
“We want to cooperate with people
in regard to this matter,” said Chief
MORE ON PAGE TWO
OLD DAN TUCKER
Every one has heard of Old
Dan Tucker, but few know that
he was a real man, and that a
monument has recently been
erected at his grave in Elbreton
county, Ga. “Here lies Dan Tuck
er, bom February 14, 1740, died
April 7, 1818.” Here is the way
we have always heard the «ong:
Old Dan Tucker, he got drunk,
He fell in the fire and he kicked
up a chunk;
A red hot coal fell in his shoe,
And, oh, my gracious, how his
whiskey flew!
Old Dan Tucker was a fine old
man.
He washed his face in a frying
pan,
, He combed his hair with a wagon
wagon wheel.
And died with a toothache in. his
heel.
Pressing need for all supplies that
America can produce to be used right
now b.y the counties that are stand
ing up to Hitler may cause a slowing
down of our land armies for the pres
ent. There are signs that there will
be no great increase in the army from
now on, and possibly some dimuni
tion.
Along with talk of a smaller army,
there are other signs that the in
fluence of the war department is wan
ing. The administration has decided
to keep the defense production pro
gram in civilian hands rather than
turn it over to military authorities,
an army officer. Brig. Gen. Russell
L. Maxwell, has been relieved as
head of the office of export control.
The ambitions plans of the war de
partment for a new building to house
40.000 employes have been cut in half
by the President.
What does all this mean? Has the
government decided that it no longer
needs a strong ariny ? The inside story
of the meaning of these developments
is that a shift in major U. S. strategy
is taking place ^t the White House.
President RooseVelt has decided that
the time has come when this country
should direct and focus its part in
the war to defeat Hitler.
Old Defensive Strategy
The President feels ‘ ‘that policies
that have, been follo^fed up to the
present are-causing 1'efforts of this
country’to be scattered and therefore
ineffective. His view is said to be that
these policies were primarily defens
ive and grew out of the panic psy
chology in the United States which
accompanied the fall of France 15
months ago. ,
Herie is what this country has been
doing during the last year:
The army has been expanded from
its usual peacetime sizfe of around
250.000 men to 1,600,000. Most of
these men are in training in this
country. Some are occupying overseas
or outlying possessions, such as Ha- Fifth Column
waii, the Philippines, Alaska, the C^ '
nal Zone, and Puerto Rico. Others are
being sent to Iceland, Greenland, and
the eight new bases in the Atlantic
and the Caribbean leased from Brit
ain.
The major portion 'of the navy—
the Pacific fleet—has been stationed
at Hawaii. Its main job is to watch
Japan. Its presence at Hawaii is held
to have kept Japan from attacking
Singapore, the Philippines or the
Netherlands Indies. The Atlantic
fleet is patrolling the Atlantic and
carrying out the new “shoot on sight”
order.
An armament program totaling
$60,000,000,000 has been launched.
This includes construction of a great
ly enlarged navy, construction of
hundreds of cargo ships, equipping
the new army,, fortification of the
new bases, and dispatch of equip
ment to Britain, to the British forces
in the Middle East, and Far East, to
the Netherlands Indies, and to China.
Each part of this far-reaching de
fensive program is considered worth
while. The difficulty comes in carry
ing out all parts of the program at
once.
Generals in command of the new
army are clamoring for equipment.
They say that they cannot properly
train a fighting force without tanks,
airplanes, antiaircraft guns, auto
matic rifles, motorized equipment of
all kinds. If they had their way, the
nation’s factories would be used to
equip the army first.
But meanwhile the British leaders
are reminding the President that war
is being waged by Germany right
now. They point out that equipment
reserved for a big army in training,
is of little help in preventing Germ
any from winning that war. They
MORE ON PAGE TWO
The United States News of Wash
ington says that a mystery organiza
tion is mushrooming in Washington
under the direction of the mystery
man of American diplomacy. Col. Wil
liam J. “Will Bill” Donovan. Colonel
Donovan holds the unromantic title
of Co-ordinator of Information. On
the surface this sounds like another
Government publicity bureau.
But: Beneath the surface there is
being brought together a galaxy of
“brains” such as Washington did not
see even at the height of the “brain
trust” days. There are college presi
dents, college deans, professors of
note, famed playrights, poets, foreign
correspondents, geographers, econ
omists, cartographers and c*thers.
These nien are not assembled as New
Dealers. They are working for Col
Donovan, whose interest is in winning
the war, not in working reform.
Over the whole operation hangs an
air of mystery and of secrecy. To crash
the office gate of this group is more
difficult than to get into the top of
fices of the Army or Navy. The very
mystery leads to the conclusion that
something very important must be d»
veloping. What is it?
The answer is found in what Hitler
did. Hitler paid attention to General
Karl E. K. Haushofer. General
Haushofer headed what he called the
“Geopolitical Institute.” This in
stitute was dedicated to preparing
the way for German world conquest.
It set out to learn more about the
Countries of the world than the gov
ernments of those countries knew
themselves. It explored the weak
nesses of potential enemies—the eco
nomic, politicajl, propaganda, military
weaknesses, etc. It discovered and
catalouged individuals in each country
who might be used.
Briefly, General Haushofer built
j the ground work for the world-wide
that has served and
By H. E. C. (RED BUCK) BRYANT
Eleventh Installment
Captain William E. Ardrey was a
remarkable citizen. His elaborate di
ary clearly shows that he was a good
husband, a kind father, a devoted
church member, a conscientious pub
lic servant, and a successful fanner,
and manager. He had curiosity, en-
F.rgy and common sense. For many
years he was almost an invalid, and,
at one time, his weight was down to
105 pounds, but he kept going, at
tending to his plantation duties, par
ticipating in religious and political
meetings, and doing his part as neigh
bor, justice of the peace, county com
missioner, and legislator. The latch
string hung out at his home. For
years he had charge of the old Char
lotte Mint, or assayer’s office. Grover
Cleveland gave him the assignment.
His diary recorded his progress from
the close of the War Between the
States to 1907, the year of his death.
In recent years, in the new belief that
somebody owes a fellow a living, young
Southern boys have come, tramping
and begging to Washington, because,
as some of them explained, they saw
“no future on the farm.” Had Cap
tain Ardrey taken that view of life on
his return from the battlefields of
Virginia North Carolina would have
suffered the loss qf an exemplary man.
Instead of whining he went to work,
using his brains as well as his hands,
and reared a large and interesting
family of children, and taught others
how to till the soil, improve their crops
and livestock, and accumulate wisdom
and property. He traveled and saw
other sections of the State and South,
and enjoyed life.
Worked Hard in Legislature of 1891
' January 6, 1891, he wrote; “Took
the 5 o’clock train from Charlotte this
morning over the Carolina Central
Railroad for Raleigh, arriving there
at 11 a. m. Spent two months of hard
work for the State and county in the
legislature. Never worked harder in
my life. Had a great many good,
warm friends, and our attachment
for each other grew very strong.”
January 15: “Rufus A. Grier and I
roomed in No. 29, Yarborouh Hotel;
he is a pleasant companion. I am
succeeding in all my undertakings in
the Senate. For the first weeks in
Raleigh I was very unwell from La-
Grippe.”
February 17: “At Pineville, bought
four mules from Mr. Roller for $450.00
—two for Walter Elliott, one for Will
Davis, and one for Green Ardrey.
“Laura, Holstein, had her first calf,
a male.” '
March 1: “In Raleigh, the General
Assembly working- hard day and night,
and I am almost worn out. Not sleep
ing more than five hours a day, but we
aye anxiously looking forward to the
close.”
March 7: “Left Raleigh for home."
Sad to leave so many dear friends but
glad to go home. Arrived at Matth
ews and spent the night with Captain
Renfrew and Mr. Hood. Bobbie Howie
met me and it took us 3 1-2 hours to
drive home; the road miserable, almost
impassible.”
' March 10: “Dennis had a beautiful
calf—a heifer.” * ‘ ^
March 13: “I am enjoying my rest,
eating^ and sleeping well.
“Six Mile Creek bridge washed
away.”
Tracing Providence Stock
March 21 and 22: “Mr. James Cun
ningham died. A good man, gone to
rest. He reared a large family. The
Revs. Roger Martin and William Mc^
Ilwaine conducted the funeral servi
ces.”
Mr. Cunningham was known as Big
Jim. He had five sons and three or
more daughters. His blood, like that
of many other old Providence town
ship citizens, still flows in many sec
tions of the country. One of his great
grandsons, George B. Bryant, is in
Washington with the Wall Street Jotir-"
nal, nowibusy watching'the progr^S^
of the tax bill for his paper.
I find it interesting- to trace the
stock of those old' Scbtch-Irish fore
fathers who settled in the territory
now cut into Mecklenburg, Union, Ire
dell, and other counties. The man at.
the head of the ^reat Mellon ai't.'gal
lery here is David E, 'Finley, great
grandson of Dr. Willi^in Mcllwaine, a
eontemporary of Mr. Cunningham, ,
April 9: “This day 26 years ago we
surrendered at Appamattox Court
House.”
June 4: “Mr. Bob Bell and I went to
Charlotte and heard the evangelist,
Rev. Bill Fife.”
June 15: “Never have seen more
grass. The gloomiest prospect for
crops we have ever had. June 23:
Highest stalk of cotton on my place
13 inches. Cotton very small and a
bad stand.”
July 23: “I went to county Alliance
at Back Creek.”
Unusual Exploit
Captain Ardrey’s diary note for
August 1 was of unusual interest to
me. He said; “I wenV.to Pineville to
continues to serve Hitler so well.
Now: The United States is interest
ed in combating any Fifth Column
penetration in this country. It is in
terested in doing the same thing in
Latin America, in the Philippines and
in the South Pacific area. One day
soon—if there is shooting—the Unit
ed States will be interested in doing
a little Fifth Column organizing of
its own in areas under Hitler’s con
trol. '
Here is where Colonel Donovan and
his organization come in.
Colonel Donovan learned the inside
of wartime Europe’s problems as a
special emissary of this Government.
He appreciates the fact that Hitler
now is lord of over nearly 300,000,-
000 conquered people. The opportun
ities for developing a thriving Fifth
Column among these, people are far
brighter than any opportunity that
Hitler’s General Haushofer faced
when he set out to lay the ground
work for his Fifth Column.
' First, however, this country needs
to gather information of every kind.
It needs to learn in intimate detail
what is going on in the world. Armed
with this information, officials can
then determine the line of propaganda,
argument and penetration best suited
to each situation.
‘ To do this job. Colonel Donovan is
building a staff of blue-ribbon intel
lectuals. It’s a staff that far out
shines anything General Haushofer
had to do his work.
There is Calvin Hoover, dean of
'Duke University and an accountant ot the Leitch meeting. A great deal of
note who has studied the inside work- religion and every one talking reli-
ings of Hitler’s Germany. There are gion.
J. R. Hayden, head of the School of | My fatTier had just bought a new
Govternment at the University of ‘hug-me-tight buggy, and a young and
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