North Carolina Newspapers

Subscription Price a year in advance DEVOTED TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY Volume 9. SPARTA, NORTH CAROLINA, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1934. Number 38. This Week In Washington _♦ Washington, Feb. 6 (AS).— Official Washington believes that economic recovery is so near to being an accomplished fact that by May there will be plenty of work in agriculture, business and industry for all who are now dependent upon the CWA. What has been holding private capital and credit back from the com plete cooperation under the NR A which was expected, has not been any shortage of funds in private hands or of credit in the banks, but the unwillingness of investors to put their money into anything when they had no assurance what the money they would get back would be worth. The President’s new monetary program, his supporters believe, has put the major doubts at rest. It is quite clear to everybody now that Mr. Roosevelt is firmly opposed to anything like uncon trolled monetary inflation. There has been inflation, to be sure, and there will be more, but it is all under very definite control and inside of fixed limits. And the uncertainty as to where the dollar would drop to in terms of gold has been replaced by the certainty that it will not be al lowed to remain higher than 60 percent of its old gold value nor lower than 50 percent. This has already resulted in the return to the United States of a good many millions of American capital which had taken flight from the depreciating dollar. Equalisation of Currencies With the authority which he needs now in his hands, to back him up much more fully than he was backed up last Sum mer, the next move of the Presi dent, or one of his first moves, will be to reopen negotiations with foreign countries looking toward equalization of all the world's currencies on a new and stable gold basis. • The belief that any complete readjustment of world currencies can take place without bringing silver back into its old money position has pretty well vanished here. The Pitman amendment to the gold bill strengthens the President’s hands in dealing with the silver question, and the like lihood that the currencies of the Orient and other silver-money nations will be equalized with gold seems better than it was. How all this discussion about gold and silver affects the ordin ary citizen of the United States is one of those things which is not apparent on the surface, since an American dollar is still an American dollar, so long as the credit of the United States holds good, whether it has gold or sil ver or only a promise to pay back of it. And the Government’s credit is still pretty good, thank you; Uncle Sam had no trouble in borrowing a thousand million dollars practically overnight a few days ago, and nobody anticipates any trouble when he asks for a few billions more in loans. The Real Aim But what the Administration is aiming at is to raise the price of basic commodities, such as cot ton, corn, wheat, copper, steel, and a long list of other things of which we have and produce more than we' can consume. The prices of international trade goods are fixed in the world market, not in our own alone. International money is gold, nothing else. Our abandonment of the gold standard has already sent the price, in dollars, of many commodities up ward, because it brought our in ternational dollar more nearly on a level with the British pound and other currencies which had gone off the gold standard. With all the money of all the nations of the world on an equal and . comparable basis of value, measured in gold, nearly all of the President’s economic advisers agree that world prices would come back to the 1926 level. And with world prices up, internal prices would go up in dollars, there would be a profit to capital in. investing in industry and busi ness, which in turn could afford to employ more people at good wages, who in their turn could .spend money for more things -than they can now, and the wheels of prosperity would again begin to turn. The “Supply” Policy Such a readjustment of the world’s money systems, however, would not mean that fanners could again run wild and grow unlimited com or cotton or wheat or what not, regardless of the world demand. It is a fixed and settled policy of the Administra tion that there must be rigid limitations pf production of every thing which has the possibility of becoming an uncohsumable surplus. More and more the rest of the world is becoming self-sustaining, (continued on page 2) Approximately 400 Men Share Payroll Of CWA Last Week C. A. Miles And Attorney Gambill Go To ^Raleigh In Interest Of Proposed Fair Grounds Project The CWA payroll' for Alleghany county last week amounted to $2,603.22( and was distributed among approximately 400 men. This did not include the amount paid 29 women employed on ser vice projects, nor did it include the amount spent for direct relief, such as food and clothing orders, meat, eggs, etc. Material for the two new gymnasiums at Sparta and Piney Creek high schools has been purchased and is expected this week. The Midkiff Hardware company, of Mount Airy, was the low bidder on the material and was given the contract. About ten carpenters will be assigned to each of these projects, giving them employment for six or eight weeks. C. A. Miles, local director, and Sidney Gambill, attorney, went to Raleigh Monday in the interest of an Alleghany County Fair Grounds project. It is understood that the County Board of Com missioners has agreed to pur chase ten acres of land, one-half mile north of Sparta on the old Galax road, on condition that it be improved by CWA funds. The project being submitted calls for a central display build ing, 40 by 100 feet, a grandstand seating 1,000 people, a race track, baseball park, a barn for displaying livestock, and an eight foot solid board fence enclosing the grounds. It is estimated that the project will, if carried out, necessitate more than 65,000 feet of lumber, and will give employ ment to fifty men for six weeks. Investigating CWA Complaints In State Raleigh, Feb. 6.—The work of cleaning house “from within with, out outside complaints" has been undertaken by the civil works administration in North Carolina. A statement, signed by Mrs. Thomas O’Berry, state CWA ad ministrator, and Capus M. Way nick, state re-employment direc tor, said local committees were “unearthing some mistakes through complaints" and the ad ministration was “going ahead right now to clean house from within without outside com plaints.” “Without complaints being made we are making a new and careful check to be sure only worthy cases are being used on civil works,” the statement said. Waynick cited a Union county case where he said investigation had resulted in removal of two men from CWA jobs because they had misstated facts in securing work. Meanwhile, E. G. Padgett, state safety director for civil works, estimated on the basis of in plete records that an average of more than 300 persons weekly were being injured on CWA proj ects. He said this was “mighty good” in view of the fact there are approximately 75,000 persons on the federal emergency pay rolls in the state. Approval of new CWA projects to give work to 1,264 persons at an aggregate pay roll of $160, 501.82 and total cost of $264, 190.46 was announced Monday by Mrs. O’Beary. > BEAUFORT SPICER SUFFERS SERIOUS INJURIES SUNDAY Beaufort Spicer, the five or six year old son of Luther Spicer, of Cherry Lane, was seriously injured Sunday af ternoon when he was caught in a mill' wheel, the lower part of his abdomen being torn open. The wounded child was taken to the Elkin hospital, where his intestines were replaced and the wounds closed. Hospital authori ties are said to be of the opinion that he will recover if no com plications develop. EMPLOYMENT .INCREASED New York.—NRA officials re port an increase of 201,000 em ployees in manufacturing, retail, and wholesale fields since last August, when the NRA began. Governor Celebrates 52nd Birthday Mon. Raleigh', Feb. fi.—With a happy birthday behind him, Governor J. C. B. Ehringhaus last night was on his way to Baltimore to head North Carolina’s delegation j to present the state’s plans for the park-to-park scenic highway. Governor Ehringhaus celebrat ed his 52nd birthday anniversary with little change in his normal routine. His best gift was a visit from his 80-year-old father, Erskine Ehringhaus, of Elizabeth City. It was the first time Erskine Ehringhaus has remained away from his banking duties in Eliza beth City to visit his son. He spent the week-end at the execu tive mansion. A family dinner was served last night. There was a birth day cake with candles but Mrs. Ehringhaus said it did not have 52 candles. E. B. Jeffress, chairman of the state highway and public works commission, already was in Bal timore for the appearance before the regional public works ad ministration director today. The North Carolina plan calls for the scenic highway from Vir ginia to the Great Smoky moun tains national park to follow the crest of the Blue Ridge in this state, with a “loop” roadway to the Tennessee section and a “re turn” route. Recovery Program Sound Is Opinion 01 Auto Magnate Henry Ford Says Recovery Of Business Is Gradual But Healthy. Announces 10% Wage Increase Detroit, Feb. 6.—’’The recov ery is healthy . . “Dollar de valuation won’t make a fillip of difference . . . ” “The policies of the Administration are sound.” Henry Ford made these state ments today, a few hours after his company had announced 10 per cent wage increases whieh have already affected the pay envelopes of 20,000 of his em ployes throughout the country. The automobile magnate, in an interview packed with surprising statements, announced a program for decentralizing the manufac ture of Ford parts. Ford, hatless and coatless, look ing very much like a man hard at his favorite work, declared that American business looks healthier to him than at any time in the last five years. He said: “The best thing about the re covery is that it’s healthy—it’s coming gradually. The country has actually come to believe that work is the main thing, that work is the answer. Men are finding jobs. A lot of them are going back to the farm.” Asked whether he believes the country is out of the depression, he replied; “Well, there will always be spots. Some lines go ahead fast er than others but they pull the others with them. My company has used the last four years as a period of experimentation. We believe the opportunity has now arrived. “We believe the time is here when we can go ahead.” ' In contrast to hi.s opposition to President Roosevelt’s election and his recent refusal to become a member of the NRA, Ford de clared “the policies of the Ad ministration are sound—or they wouldn’t have lasted.” Asked how the NRA motor code is working, he replied: “The code is for those who need it. We didn’t need it.” He has never signed the code, although conforming to its pro visions in accordance with the recovery law. The PWA and CWA have helped in the restoration of con fidence and buying power, he said. “They wouldn’t stand if they had accomplished nothing.” Asked about the tremendous cost cf such programs, he replied: “Well, I can answer that the same way I answered the ques tion about the dollar: It won’t make a fillip of difference.” The Ford wage boost was the first to be announced by a major motor company since the advent of the NRA. High Court Agrees With Judge Hayes’ liquor Law Ruling U. S. Supreme Court Up holds Refusal To Try Cases After Repeal. Hughes Gives Decision Washington, Feb. 6.—Buttress ing its legal philosophy with con clusions of John Marshall, the United States Supreme court yes terday affirmed the decision of Judge Johnson J. Hayes, of the middle district of North Carolina, in the case of the United States of America, appellant, vs. By rum Gibson and Claude Chamb ers) appellees, a decision which put in writing the final chapter, perhaps, of the 18th amendment and the Volstead act. Chief Jus tice Hughes delivered the opin ion of the court, which held that persons charged with violating the prohibition law before its repeal cannot be tried for such offense. Popular interest in the North Carolina case was c,ven more marked in court and congressional circles than was manifested when the court rendered its decision in the Minnesota mortgage case, a few weeks ago, when the court, with the chief justice supporting the court “liberals,” rendered a decision in behalf of a property owner, whose home had been sold by a building and loan as sociation, a ruling that gave great comfort to those in full sympathy with the general recov ery program of the administration. In the instant case the defend ants Gibson and Chambers, repre sented by Z. I. Walser, William M. Hendren, Don A. Walser and Leland Stanford, had challenged the power of Judge Hayes to proceed with the trial and pos sible conviction ot tlie men charg ed with violation of the prohi bition laws, because, as they con tended, the repeal of the 18th amendment was then an accom plished fact. In deciding with the defendants Judge Hayes ren dered a decision which made a stir in court circles throughout the country, that was found al together disconcerting to the de partment of justice, but members of the bar who concurred in the wisdom of the judgment rendered by the North Carolina jurist pre dicted that it would be adopted by the Supreme court, a prophecy for which justification was found today. Rarely has a case been decided by the court which directly af fects such great numbers of peo ple. There are now pending in the federal courts 9,000 or more cases, involving alleged infrac tions of the dry laws, and these will automatically be expunged from the record. Some of the officials said there are consider ably more than 9,000 of these eases still' pending, and not tried, and until the decision today, as a result of conflicting opinions ren dered by the district courts, and appellate courts, the department here was without a rule of con duct, or without guidance. Attorney General Cummings indicated today that the decision (continued on back back) Death Verdict Is Returned By Jury Lpmberton, Feb. 6.—William (“Bunk”) Deal, of Raynham, part Indian, was convicted by a Robeson county Superior Court jury today of first degree mur der in the killing of Lewis Chavis, Indian, on the night of December 23. Deal is said to have fatally shot Chavis and shot Ihe arm off Finch Jones when they returned to the Deal home with Deal’s wife, whom they had taken to Rowland to have knife wounds, which were said to have been inflicted by her husband, treated, evidence showing that they found the woman severely cut and begging for medicnl as sistance. Deal and Jones lived together but quarrelled that afternoon over $2 in jChrtstmas shopping money. Jones ordered Deal away from the house, and the woman was cut, by Deal, it is alleged, when sho refused to accompany him. Time for the electrocution has not been set by Judge E. H. Cranmer, presiding. Hold All Members Of Tilley Family In Childress Case -i— Noted Criminal Lawyer Of Taylorsville And Ex-Sena tor Grant, Mocksville, Re tained as Defense Counsel Wilkesbono, Feb. 6.—Charged with the slaying of a young girl who lived with them, an entire North Carolina farm family is being held in jail here. A coroner’s jury, investigating the strange death of 18-year old Leoda Childress, has recommend ed that all members of the household where she made her home be held. Testimony given by handwriting experts served to link at least one member of the family definitely with the case. I hose arrested include War wick Tilley, the girl’s middle aged foster father, his wife, his two sons, Claude and Luther, and Mrs. Luther Tilley. Officers placed the father and mother under arrest Saturday but the three younger Tilleys have been in jail since Solicitor John Jones announced that he had uncovered “startling developments” in the investigation, and hinted family jealousy as a motive for the killing. Leoda was found shot to death on December 30, after neighbors heard her scream for help over a telephone. They found her body in the Tilley home. In the girl’s apron pocket was a note to which her name had been signed. It said that “robbers were in the house,” but handwriting ex perts declared that it was forged. Saturday two of them, E. B. Brooks, of Winston-Salem, and L. T. Yarbrough, of Raleigh, told investigating jurymen that the note had been forged by Mrs. Luther Tilley. Solicitor Jones said Sunday that he would oppose any effort to secure the release on bail of the five members of the Tilley family The Tilleys have retained J. Hadden Burke, noted criminal' lawyer of Taylorsville, and Turner Grant, of Mocjcsville, former state senator, to repre sent them. Their counsel has not indicated whether bail will be sought through habeas corpus proceedings. The Wilkes county grand jury does not meet again until the March term of court. Solicitor Jones said he would give the grand jury a bill of indictment against all five con taining four counts: 1—Conspiracy to murder Leoda Childress; 2. Aiding and abetting in Murder; 3. Murder; 4. Acesscry after murder. Nath Tharpe, who is said to have heard a woman scream for help from the Tilley home on a party telephone line, on the day that Leoda’s body was found, testified at the coroner’s inquest that he saw Luther Tilley some distance from the house and run (continued on back back) 1935 Auto Tags To Be Silver On Black Raleigh, Feb. 6.—Automobile license tags in North Carolina for the year 1935 will have sil very looking numbers on a black background, according to a recent announcement. The new plates will be painted with aluminum paint, giving the numbers and letters a silvery look, but will again be on sheet steel. It was proposed at one time to use aluminum but it prov ed too costly. State prison will make the plates, some 400,000 or more pairs. Up to today 316,199 pairs of 1934 licenses had been issued, compared with 248,917 issuances up to the same day a year ago. ELDER WEAVER TO HOLD SERVICES AT ELK CREEK Elder John Weaver will deliver sermons at the Elk Creek Primi tive Baptist church on Saturday and Sunday, February 10 and 11, according to an announcement made recently. U. S. Marshal Visits Washington Monday Washington, Feb. 6.—Charles Price, United States marshal for the western district of North Carolina, was here Monday con ferring, principally, with Senator Reynolds. It has been learned from the office of Senator Key* | nolds that the question of ap pointing another Democrat as j deputy marshal' is under discus-1 sion. Paul Harrell, of Forest City, who is an applicant for the po- j sition, was also in Washington' yesterday. It was understood • that Senator Reynolds has over 200 applications for this particu- j lar position. Mr. Price stated that the Su preme court decision in the North Carolina case, ruling that pending charges against dry law violators cannot be tried, would affect at least 25 unserved war rants now held by the clerk of the United States district court for the western North Carolina district. He said he would re ceive definite instructions from the department of justice when he conferred with official's there today. Otis Powers, R. L. Whitmire and J. H. Yelton, of Henderson ville, were also here. They saw Representative Weaver and other j members of the North Carolina delegation. North Carolinians Optimistic About! Scenic Road Route — Gov. Ehringhaus, Rep. Doughton And Others Present State5s Plea For Mountain Scenery Route Washington, Feb. 6.—Governor Ehringhaus, Frank Page, mem bers of the North Carolina dele-! gation, the two senators, and Messrs. Hancock, Umstead, Weav- j er, Bulwinkle and Doughton, who went to Baltimore today for the hearing conducted by the special Radcliff committee, on the park-to-park highway, re- j turned tonight. ^ These gentlemen registered un reserved enthusiasm over the ade- j quate and eloquent presentation; of North Carolina’s claims to a j liberal share of the mileage of | this projected highway, which is being designed with the oft-ex pressed approval of President Roosevelt, to link the Shenan-; doah and the Great Smoky moun- j tain national parks, a skyline that wculd be expected to attract travelers from far and near. E. B. Jeffress, chairman of the state highway commission, assist ed by a group of engineers, pre-; sented the maps, the facts and figures, and then talks were made by members of the North Caro lina delegation. Senator Bailey and Representative Doughton pre sented the highway proposal com prehensively, carrying the gentle men of the committee to the mountain tops, in some flights of fancy, if there was any official failure to envision what such rare heights as Mount Mitchell, Clingman’s dome and Grandfather mountain could be like. t There was a ready response to I these enthusiastic word pictures | from the North Carolina mem bers, for Chairman Radcliff volun teered that the case for North Carolina had been admirably presented, and he gave the as surance that no time would be lost in pushing the work along. Engineers thought the work of routing, agireeing on the location of the highway, could be complet ed within 80 days, and shortly thereafter those in charge could begin to think seriously of start ing the work of construction, which will cost $16,000,000 or more. Members of the Radcliff com mittee will probably make a trip over the proposed route in the near future, and it is possible they will be accompanied by Secretary Ickes. "Nature has fixed where this road should be located,” said Representative R. L. Doughton, chairman of the ways and means committee of the house- "You (continued on back back) Fanners Banquet Held Tues. Night Here In Tea Room Messrs. . Nicewonger And Farnham, Of State Col lege, Make Talks. Local Men Speak Also The business and professional men of Sparta entertained a group of Alleghany county farmers at a banquet sponsored by W. B. Collins, County Farm Agent, at the Sparta Tea Room on Tuesday night, February 6. An excellent dinner was served by the ladies j of the Methodist Missionary soc-j iety ol Sparta. About fifteen 1 farmers were in attendance. Mr. Nicewonger, cf the horti- > cultural department of State col lege, and Mr. Farnham, of the dairy department of State col lege, were present and made in teresting talks to the group. Mr. Nicewonger discussed the import ance of a cash crop lor the peo ple of the county. He believes that the people should raise such crops as certified seed potatoes, cabbage and string beans, giving examples ol instances in the county in which these articles have been found profitable. He said this county was favorably ■■•ituated foi the growing of these crops, since they matured here at a time of the year when there was a scarcity in other sections. Mr. Farnham discussed the dairy industry and what the govern ment was doing towards con trolling the supply and prices of dairy and beef cattle. He also explained trench silos, stating that it had been found that they were the most inexpensive and satisfactory silos for farmers of the mountain section. They can be built, he says without any cash outlay, and a cutter can be pur chased for filling these wiles for around fifty dollars, since it is not necessary for a blower attach ment for filling the trench silos. Talks w. re made by Governor Coughton, Carlisle Higgins and others. Several of the farmers made statements concerning the success they had made along cer tain lines of farming. Mr. Van Miller, of the Laurel Springs section, has been making good in the chicken business, selling mere dollars worth of chickens and 2ggs last year than all the hogs, euttle and sheep sold from his farm. He has his chickens blood tested and this year he has sold al his eggs to a hatchery at thirty cents per dozen for the entire season. Last year he got thirty five cents per dozen for his eggs. Coy McCann, of the Glade Valley section raised thirty tons of cab bage on two acres of land which netted him four hundred dollars. YADKIN MAN KILLS SELF WITH SHOTGUN SUNDAY Crockett Barber, about 60 years of age, killed himself late Sunday at his home in Yadkin, eight miles from Elkin. Walking out to the rear yard, supposedly to shoot a hawk, he is said to have emptied a shotgun into his head. The body was found immediately by a young son. He is survived by the widow, Mrs. Martha Seagraves Barber, and several children. "An old bachelor is only the half of a pair of scissors." FEBRUARY I 5—Milady busy buying rats and puffsfor her hair, 1910. 6— New England is shaken by a severe earthquake, 1736. 7— Daniel Boone is captured by the Indians, 1778. 8— First colony of Spaniards start for New Mexico, 1598. 9—Jefferson Davis becomes Confederate President, . 1861. 10—Philadelphia streets an lighted with gas, 1835. 11—Temperature of 73 above zero in Cleveland, O., 1932.