Afl Independent
Poblj^ed|in<a
United States.
POLK COUNTY ? The Gateway of Western North Carolina
Flw Cents Per Cepy
ftlii Arctic Wastelands
Lug Explorer May Be ,
I Victim ofjatal Smasfiup
Ljutnut F'y t0 Nortl> Poll Has Probably Resulted it
K Kited Wrenturer and His Caapaanis. Relief Exptdi
I h hi m Search of Lost Party. Has Faced Maaj Perils
| n Polar Regions in Varied ilrctic
1? Amundsen s flight m search ot the North Pole ha. attracted
tomnieut aud 'he
fact that nothing ha. been heard from
Mf)> o to' w,,<'ks 10 ludlcace that the daring explorer la lost !
Ejjc
Ei ? wW* Admuu,d3en's ?"?. the probability ot a
? ^ trom a mm P'aue lends additional peril to Ula niJjrhL Et
r^out ^hius for the intrepid explorer, and the eyeTof uT?
K*ntereii ^eir utort*' 0
Amundsen Degan nis
^ ^ North Pole oa May
^ convinced thai be would
? ny back to civilization, it
Ihpjjae, then by some other
Em mdsen knew the haz
journey, but he was un
filed H*a>' 111 recess
Bind were ^ lessons of J
s of experience in the des
ir regions. North and South.
flamed bow to live in the
geSi and the dangers that
vere to him merely part
lorerj work.
a b 53 years old. He is
litiUe and strength, physi
ud as competent in endur
tfhtr tu> any athlete.
1 1 rant to fly to the Pole
ire done much?" he ask
great done so much. All
to but training for this,
a id not feel satisfied
f kid no; then had h<?y
y tie iast remaining blind
?arl He had made four
tic wages before the
iktijoa. He spent three
Of fte Gjo a through the
iPuap. He had set a
k w the Magnetic Pole.
^tt e spent making observe
fflfc of data were the re
tie utmost importance In
to of science. When he
Gjoa out into the Pacific
a hardened explorer
fwed leader in that field.
to I've in Arctic
led to live in the Arctic
?hip.' he explained. "For
?Ule ashore, we got out
?miHg and each man would
0QciT house. We became so
could put up an igloo
mdd a half. We learned
the Eskimos. A good
Do as they do. Travel
?fc dogs when you ran find
the same food. I pan
uything . "
P. told of putting in at
T, Alaska, with two men
medicines he needed were
tka Wainright He asked
ttfe him there with a dog
leD he said they would
penuaican, dried fish mix
the musher balked.
[e beans only. That or
the musher.
frozen beans only on
Amundsen. "There
ud very little strength in
nearly all the way with
to keep warm. When we
^ainright, I ate nearly all
?almon."
'' lack yt funds and a per
^or adventure have
H?andsen s face and made
111411 years. His work
ted the Viking features,
f1 tht features which we
?8ociate with Viking*.
m . e Same Powerful expres
P Dose and shaggy ?ye
UQder which peer the
??u e;er saw. in appear
?U-faJ- maDy defcdB he is a
r^'oned Norseman. Or*
1 Part of his creed. He
Foril Could n?t bear to be
0ri&mality.
1,1 No D?as Thi, Time
llorers
'knows ? brave 111
He has . at tbey are up
"*W e(;n a thorough
Pole ! b??k containin?
f*U, Z\ k fa8cinated
Id hjj , he Patiently ex
Ulat the
Ilrv h * hun on to continue
jttr * ? *?
leg ? Ca'1 tarry no dogg
- s i? "But ?
? can dre comPelled
WSt* a frnanat?e t0 roach
there ** hundred miles
Set dogs.
** bero u.
reply to thousands of queries con
cerning his chances for getting
through. There is something about
him that wins loyal aide. Not every
man could take men out into the
Arctic region and set them adrift in
a smallship, on the promise that he
would come to their rescue if they
needed help. But Amundsen has
done it more than once. \
His ship, the Maud, Is now locked
in the ice somewhere in the polar
sea. He discussed that phase of his
airplane venture. In 19U he had
taken tw0 planes aboard the Maud,
and sailed for Alaska, planning to
fly across the "blind spot" while the
Maud as a mother Alp drifted slow
ly eastward with the polar current.
He would come near Spitsbergen, he
thought. Uut in the ice north of
Alaska his plan eg were wrecked in
trial flights. Amundsea left the
ship at Point Barrow and came
back to organise the present expedi
tion, this time from east to west
Eight Men Await Him In North
"I must find the Hand," he ex
plained. **The?w are eight men drift
ing in the Polar Sea. They trusted
me. They lfeow IH come back some
how if some way. And they ware
prepared to spend seven years on
the drift Perhaps I can visit them
on this flying trip."
* Amundsen9
Admundsen did not discount the I
terrific winds and great mountains
of Ice which Peary had found. He
explained that one would be foolish
to wholly depend on airplanes for
they might be wrecked.
"Peary found no smooth ice near
the Pole", he said. "In April, while
he was there, rough ice covered
about nine-tenths of the Polar all tke
way back to his base at Cape Colum
bia, 413 miles from the Pole. We
may not land on the top of the earth
but we shall see it, and then contin
ue on toward the Alaskan side. I
think we shall find land in that re
gion.
"Peary spoke of open water leads,
sometime a mile wide. We shall
set our flying boats down in open
water, and if we cannot get out by
other means we shall hare a collap
sible boat Six of ns can suzyly pull
one sledge, which will carry all we
, need. We shall depend on pemmi
can for emergency rations. But
there in the north Peary found all
kinds of game ? muakoxen, ducks,
bear. We can lire comfortably and
manage to get throwh. If we can
find land we shall regain away for
some time." ? ^
Choosing His Companions
Amundsen'g methods hare always j
been thorough. He has never yet
failed in an enterprise.^ He has nev
er lost a companion through disease.
None of them has had scurry. He
alway8 returned from his voyages
with all available knowledge, meteo
rological, botanical, geological and
hydrographic. Perhaps his long re
cord of successes gave him the cour
age to take five others out on such a
trip. And they wete carefully cho
sen . ? i
"A good man if like a good dog,"
he said. "Both must be Tsry good,
dependable. They say I take inex
perienced hands. Well there Is this
advantage. ? new tend dots not
Exclusive Pictures of Amundsen in Arctic Snows
? Making Ready *f or Air Trip to North Pole.
feei justifies in insisting upon doing
things his own way. That would be
most dangerous. With trustworthy
companions I shall go anywhere." ~
Amundsen was prepared to en
counter blinding snow and a temper
ature of 20 degrees below zero. All
of his equipment was designed by
him for a long period in the polar
region.
His two pilots, Lieutenant Rleser
Larsen and Oscar Omdal, had ten
years' experience as fliers. He sent
them to the airplane factory to learn
every detail about the planes they
would fly. He himself had Qualified
as an aviator in 1918. It was part of
his efficient method. He had been
planning the airplane flight since
1914, and at the end of eleven years
was learing very little to change.
"It we leave the planes," he said
"we shall build a snow house every,
night And we shall have our tent
Yes, I know that Peary's sledge?*
were worn and broken by the rough
ice, but if we must use ours' we shall j
be doing the hauling ourselves, slow
ly. We should be able to average
a good eight miles a day in any di
rection. And sunlight?fdon't forget
that we shall have daylight through
the twenty-four hours.
"I do not expect to go over
Peary's route toward Cape Columbia.
There is much territory that has
never been covered, and if we must
abandon the planes it will be easy
to make for Alaska, say Point Bar
row or one of the other spots where
we can reach the mainland. It will
take longer, that's all.
"Might be Gone a Year."
"Yes, we might be gone a year or
two. Who knows? Time is nothing
Science is everything. If we can
find out exactly why whole flocks
of birds fly northward from the last
bit of known land, that will be some
thing. -Then there is the polar drift
Nobody knows its exact course. We
can only guess. What causes it? I
don't not know. But It must be
land . "
The fact that he took only enough
choice food to last he party three ;
days would seem to bear out his
farewell statement that he would re
turn within that time. But the old
hands in exploring circles do not
think so. Amundsen is noted for
holding his own counsel. He may |
have told members of his own party
just what hhe had planned to do, and
perhaps, each was carefully prepar
ed for a long sojourn.
Took Emergency Rations.
Emergency rationg for thirty days
were carried, including pemmican,
hardtack, coffee and chocalate. Af
ter that, as he explained during his
last visit here, the guns would help
supply fresh food. A host of friends
slid acquaintances would have gone
out under hig leadership, such is
their faith in his genius for success.
Chance for Rescue
I But he has not depended upon him
self alone. He discussed the possi
bility of rescue. He said that the
north would soon be a playground
and with airplanes and airships all
things are possible. He said at first
that there would be no need of res
cue and shrugged his shoulders at
the thought of requiring outside aid.
Then he admitted softly as if to him
self hat it would be comforting to
know that otherg would come to take
them out of danger If they should
need taking out- He knew that if
he did not return within a reasonable
length Qf time rescue parties would
goont-4h* north for him. Bat he
"Air Railroad'*
' ; ?
|i Paul Henderson, second ass't >
B?fit-Master General, who is re
signing to manage the new
transport line, capitalized -? for
110,000,000 and which will iir*
mediately establish an overnight
service between Chicago and New
York ? carrying both freight and
Dassenjrers
I i nrr ?
would not give up the long, hard
struggle.
One doesn't live and dream and
plan for eleven years with one ob
ject in view, and then surrender
without waging a long campaign.
At least, the Amundsens do not.
There you have a man prepared by
and training to do the very thing he
expected to do, which is nothing less
han giving the unknown polar sea a
thorough inspection, by plane or
afoot, it matters little to Amundsen.
HAVE (OV CONTRIBUTED
TOUR SHARE TOWARDS
VAUET FORGE MEMORIAL?
The appeal made to the Lanier
Club through the Chamber of Com.
merce for contributions to Polk
County's Quota of North Carolina'*
share in the Valley Forge Memorial
has begun to bear fruit.
Already a considerable sum has
been sent to Mr. B. L. Ballehger. for
that purpose, but more is still needed.
Have you mailed your contribution?
For those who may read this, but
are unaware of the object for which
the fund is being raised, we will uy
that the money which ^Jif stat^ is
?.contributing is to build a "bay" rep
resenting North Carolina at the
splendid Valley Forge Memorial in
Pennsylvania, commemorating the
patriotism of Washington's army du
ring the most terrible winter of the
Revolution.
Each of the original states except
| our own has built its "bay" as part
of the lovely Gothic structure. Al
though nine North Carolina regi
ments suffered with the others at
Valley Froge, thi8 State until now
has done nothing to recojgnite their
valor.
The women of the State are trying
to correct this error, and in each
county funds are being asked for
that purpose. By July 1st $3000
must be raised and Polk County
will do its share, if you will send
your contribution, DO IT NOW!
PERMANENT CAMP OF PIEDMONT
COUNCIL BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
ESTABLISHED ON UPPER LAKE LANIER
Over One Thousand Boys will Spend Vacation in Tryon Says
Scout Executive R. M. Schiele Who is Organizing
Camp For Immediate Use
Scout Executive R. M. Schiele,
Mrs. Schiele, Eagle Scout, Oscar
Hobbs and Scout Commissioner
Hobbs, all of Gastonia and the Pied
mont Council, Boy Scouts of Amer
ica, arrived in Tryon last Friday and
are busily engaged setting up the
permanent Scout Camp on the tract
set aside for that purpose by the
Lake Lanier Development Company.
Mr. Schiele is the Scout Executive
of Piedmont Council, comprising
1000 boy scouts and officers, includ
ing court of honor members and
members of the official boards. The
first contingent of troops to begin
their stay in the permanent camp
will arrive from Gastonia County
Monday, June 22. Thereafter during
all of the fall and winter there will
be continuously occupying the beau
tifull camp site not less than 200
scouts and their officers. Tryop will
be the base for the purchase of sup.
plies, mail and telegraph service.
The camp is situated in the most
beautiful section of the development
at the extreme west end o' the sec
ond section of the lake. The mess
hall, cook tent and other camp head
quarters will be located immediately
on the water's edge, while a beauti
ful plateau, when cleared of under
brush, will furnish a most desirable
sight for camp bungalows to be oc
cupied by the scouts, and mi unex
celled parade ground tor the out
door maneuvers and physical setting
up exercises.
Two springs of ice-cold water are
adjacent to the camp on either extre
mity, east and west. Mountain lau
rel, rhododendron and many other
rarietle8 of wild flowers with their
nature lessons in botany for the boys
grow in profusion all around the
camp. The many varieties of trees
in abundance furnish material for all
lessons in woodcraft, .while Hog Back
mountain, within three mile hiking,
distance will afford all the mountain
?climbing desired.
No more beautiful and ideal camp
site could have been secured in North
Carolina and the promoters of Lake
Lanier are to be congratulated on
their move of progressivenesg in
bringing these fine specimans of fu
I lure American manhood and citizen
ship to our midst.
0
FLORIDA CAPITALIST IN TRYON
Paul Reagan, capitalist ' of Fort
Meyers, Florida, Joifct purchaser of
the Rfekshaven Estate, with Mrs.
McA'Dow of Punta Gorda and Har
ry' Poe Johnson of St Petersburg
was in Try on Sunday on business
connected with the development of
the property, according to Chas. J.
Lynch, who negotiated the sale,
.which was on? of the largest trans
actions of its kind in Polk Count
Sen. Underwood of Alabama
Rings the Bell When He Talks
Taxes to Montgomery (Hub
Introduced By Gov. Brandon nf Alabama Fiery Southern Senator
Points Out Unjust Taxation Measures Now Enfnrced by Federal
Government. Ringing Applause Greets Appearance Wbile
Radio Faps Listen in Air Over the Country.
Oscar Underwood is popular in Alabama and hig address before the
Alabama Tax Clubs on last Friday evening was enthusiastically received
and vociferiously applauded.
We were in Tryon, but an Atwater-Kent picked up Mr. Underwood's
ringing words broadcasted through KDKA of Pittsburg and flung them in
our face.
Introduced by Governor Brandon of Alabama, Mr. Underwood cut
into the heart of the matter at hand and in plain unvarnished English gave
his personal opinions concerning taxation in these United States.
Hon. Oscar W. Underwood, ad-"
dressing a meeting of the Alabama
Tax Clubs, at Montgomery, Alabama,
last Friday declared that the present
tax measure carrying a maxiinum
surtax of forty per cent is confisca
tory and should be rewritten along
the lines of the law of 1916 when the
highest bracket of the surtax was
thirteen per cent.
"Since the very dawn of civiliza
tion, taxes and government have
been almost synonymous terms and
government did not exist where trib
ute wag not exacted from the gov
erned" Senator Underwood stated.
"Long ago the most cruel, grasping
and avaricious of rulers had learned
that through the power to tax, he
held the power to destroy the future
productive capacity of his people and
that the laying of the undue burdens
of taxation inevitably lead to revolu
tion or death.
Would destroy Private Ownership ;
"There is a school of philosophy j
extant In America today that would
destroy if they could the private
ownership of all property and mass
it all in the hands of the state.;
Through the avowed advocates of.
these ^UU*?f ' hereaiw M
tively few in number?, their satellit
es and' partial imitators, wh0 deny
the faith, but who would destrof
those they envey, are approaching
numbers that may in the near future
Tf*xTer~y*ro*Jl -
jeapordize the life of the State.
"The very dawning of civilized life
wag the recognition of the home, un
it, father, wife and children, their
sustenance and their protection. The
accumulation of sufficient property
(food and clothing) to carry on and
provide for the future was necessary
that the family unit might persist.
The destruction of this property by
whatever method ha8 always meant
the destruction of the homejife and
the fabric that rests upon it. For
untold centuries the ownership or
protection of this property, the re
sultant accumulation of the family
effort, has remained with the family
and not with the State primarily.
The philosophers of the new school
would take it away from the family
and give it to the State. In a State
where there is no Constitutional in
hibition, it may be done by direct
legislation. Not so with up. It must
be borne in mind that although there
is a Constitutional prohibition in the
government of the \ United States
against taking private property
without just compensation^ there is
no limited space on the power of tax
ation, as to amount in the Federal
government, and the private owner
ship of property can be destroyed
through the power to tax.
War Period Created High Tax ftate
"During'the great war, in the high
er brackets ot the revenue bill, taxes
wer^ collected a8 high as 65 percent
of the revenue derived from the cit
izens estate, and even now, seven
years after the conflict is over, our
taxes against some men and women
are as much as 46 percent of their
entire taxable income. The question
naturally arises, is this taxation or
is if confiscation? In war time the
government may take the life of the
citizen and 1 doubt not his property,
t
? t
r -y
it need be, to preserve the lite of the
Nation, but Hot 80 *n time of peace.
The very fabric of our institution
cries out against t. Have we for
gotton the immortal tea party in
Boston Harbor or the speech of Pat
rick Henry or the ride of Paul Re
vere that we should become so cal
lous of other men's rights? Yet if
you would follow the school of the
Anarchist, why dally with the situa
tion? The power to tax is just as
potent a factor to use on the destruc
tion of private property, as the red
flag or the lighted torch.
"I am not prepared yet to say that
the men possessing the power of
government are concious of a desire
to destroy the property of the rich,
but I am willing to say that some of
our tax gathererg have become very
callous of the rights of those who
have amassed great fortunes, over
looking the fact that where you un
justly throw the top stone from the
monument of our business life one
by one the others will inevitably fol
low until the very foundation is
reached . - "
"So It i. l.|p)H. t| (pMiNd
theY
prodieeg' the levy and to always re
member that there are some who
first of all desire high taxaciion that
it may destroy private property,
then the hoome life and then the
very fabric of our natural existence.
Cannot Tax Until It Destroys
"So much for one angle of the sit
uation that confronts us. Another
angle Is the answer to the question
does it pay to tax until it destroys
or even until it hurts? Let us pause
for a minute to adjust our fundamen
tal principles. It is a fundamental
canon of taxation that all taxes are
paid in the end from the accumula
ted wealth of the people taxed.
cJome have said from rent, profit and
wages, but in the end all wealth is
th accumulation of the . asiet that
grow^i out of the work of the heads
and |iands of men and women. So
that &t the end of the decade or the
century the extraordinary burden
laid bn the body politic must come
from the men who toil and the wo
man who reap, or there must be a
diminuation of the accumulated
wealth of the country that existed
when the burden was laid. The
question before us is whether the
nation is stronger, safer and more
productive with a great share of ac
cumulated wealth or without it
Massed Dollars Brought Wealth
"The genius of our great develop*
ment has come through the massing
of our- dollars on some great enter
prise and buying the brains and the
labor to put it through. This takes
idle money looking for investment
and you will not find it at the ap
pointed hour if you^tax it to death.
"During the Great War the Ameri
can people accepted excessive rates
of taxation with patience and With
out complaint, and are entitled to
great credit for the sacrifices they
made in order that our armies might
win the war. They had the right to
believe that after the. war was over
Ithey would be relieved in large part
from the excessive burdens they had
borne without complaint. ?
"Many of the war tax burdens
have been repealed by the Congress
including the so-called excess profits
| tax and t'. .nail taxes on transfers,
sales and oc life that produce more
annoyance than they did revende.
The general trend of tax legislation
has been downward but nevertheless
the burden resting on the larger ac
cumulation of capital has remained
in the confiscatory class. The pro
blem we have to solve 18 whether ft
is wise from the standpoint oi tu~
whole people to allow the conditions
to continue. What I have just said
applies to the inheritance tax as
well as to the income tax.