GALAX, VA. (Published for Sparta, N. C.) THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 1936,
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JAY’S THOUGHT
"Better Httle talent and
much purpose than much
talent and little pur
pose."—Emerson.
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DEVOTED TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY
Volume 11.
Number 42.
A NARROW
As clearly pointed out In tUi
column last week, the TV A deei
sion of the Supreme Court wai
an extremely narrow victory foi
the New Deal and leaves no indl
cation of the Court’s attitude to
ward the social and “power-yard
stick’' program. The decision
however, tended to check wide
spread criticism of the Supreme
Court and lessened the prospect
of a determined effort to restrict
its power.
While many critics of the New
Deed have declared that this was
its aim and that adverse decisions,
by close votes were courted in an
effort to affect popular sentiment,
the fact is that the President,
since his famous “horse and bug
gy” speech discussing the NRA
decision, has apparently beep'' 'in
clined to accept the present situ
ation, take what he can get in
the way of "decisions,” while
waiting the opportunity to replace
members of the Court.
IMPORTANT TESTS AHEAD
Other important tests await
New Deal legislation, which now
has two favorable decisions to its
credit and six adverse decisions
scored against it. The next case
to come before the Supreme Court
will be heard during the week of
March 2nd, when the Court will
consider the right of the Govern
ment to condemn land for PWA
slum clearance in a case arising
in Louisville, Ky. One week later
the Court will take up the Guffey
Coal Conservation Act passed by
Congress after the President ask
ed members to forego all ques
tions as to its constitutionality.
Further down the line but com
ing up for determination, is the
fight of the Duke Power Company
te restrain construction with PWA
funds of a publicly owned and
operated hydro-electric plant at
Buzzard Roost, S. C. An injunc
tion was granted by the district
court but reversed by a circuit
court of appeals from where the
case will move to the supreme
tribunal.
CONGRESS SEES THE END
Congressional leaders retain
their confidence that the 74th
Congress will adjourn sometime
around May 1st. When the session
opened Congress expected that
neutrality legislation and provL
sion for work relief through the
fiscal year 1936-37, plus the reg
ular appropriation bills, would
constitute its task. The end of
the AAA compelled the passage
of a farm bill and the necessity
of finding, new sources of revenue
for the payments being made to
farmers.
INDEPENDENT MERCHANTS
Passage of the bonus was con
sidered certain when Congress
convened with the general idea
that new taxes for this purpose
would be avoided. While no one
can tell how long it will take
Congress to pass relief legislation
or complete action on a tax bill
these questions of themselveB will
not be sufficient to prolong the
session past the tentative date of
adjournment. Unless members
can be kept steadily at work on
these measures, however the like
lihood arises that zealous advo
cates of pet measures will bring
them up, particularly in the Sen
ate. Among, the probabilities:
Senator Wagner’s low-cost bous
ing and slum clearance projects
in the large cities, Senator Robin
son’s bill to support independent
merchants against competition
from chain stores, and possible
legislation to control munitions
that may be fostered by the
“peace at any price” group which
failed to securq a permanent neu
trality law.
A 15-YEAR FIGHT
For fifteen years “equality for
agriculture” has been a battle
cry throughout the land. The
newly emphasized soil-conserva
tion measure is the fifth major
legislative attempt to settle the
issue. First, there was the Mc
Nary-Haugen bill to subsidize ex
ports through the collection of an
‘‘equalization’’ fee. Twice Presi
dent Coolidge vetoed the principle
in legislation. Then came the
agricultural marketing act, with
its $600,000,000 Farm Board re
volving fund, which passed away
amid tuVnbling wheat and cotton
prices after sustaining Bevexe
losses. The AAA, of recent mem
ory, went further and attempted
to adjust production to effective
demand but ended by a decision
of the Supreme Court.
REVENUE INCREASES
Internal revenue, collected bj
tile Treasury, during the first
seven months of the fiscal year
which began last July, was almost
$60,000,000 ahead of the same
of the previous year, al
Relief Work Is
Flayed By Landon
In Neb. Address
Says Changes Pledged
By Republicans Would
Bring Order Out Of
Chaos. Sjpeech Broadcast
IS HEARD IN LINCOLN
Charges Administration
With “Discrimination” In
Agricultural Policies And
Civil Service Debauchery
Lincoln, Neb., Mar. 3.—In an ad
dress here Saturday night, Gov.
Alf M. Landon, of Kansas, called
upon Republicans to make clear
to the needy “that the changes
we pledge will bring order out
of chaos by purging federal relief
of partisanship, of waste and of
incompetence.”
In a nationally broadcast ad
dress, Governor Landon said:
“When a national administra
tion takes millions and millions
paid in taxes by the American
people to build a partisan political
machine out of want and misery,
that administration does an in
defensible thing.
"And a congress that failed to
protect its own witnesses, when
summoned to testify in regard to
the waste of this tax money,
would be guilty of deserting one
of its gravest responsibilities un
der the constitution.”
The prepared address, on a
founder’s day program here, did
not specifically mention the case
of Maj. Gen. Johnson Hagood,
but it came at a time when Con
gress was debating an inquiry into
Hagood’s exile after he had criti
cized federal spending policies in
House committee’s testimony.
“In short,’’ said Landon in
his second speech , since being
mentioned as a possible Repub
ham.presidential candidate, “jrhat
we propose is to make relief both
honest and effective.”
Beyond his attack on federal
relief policies, the Kansas gover
nor charged the New Deal ad
ministration with "discrimination”
in agricultural policies and a
“political debauch” of the civil
service. He urged a “sound and
stable monetary system” and
“more effective budget-making by
the executive.”
Jury Li«t For Next
Term Of Alleghany
Court Drawn Mon.
| The Alleghany Board of Coun
ty 'Commissioners met in its reg
ular monthly business session on
Monday, March 2, and transacted
the usual routine business. In
addition to this, the jury list for
the next term of court was
drawn. The spring term of
court , in Alleghany county will
start on April 2 which is the
earliest date in many years for
this term to begin.
The list of names drawn fol
lows:
R. L. Edwards J. A. Higgins,
G. S. Choate, D. C. Duncan,
Chas. A. Doughton, J. R. Gam
bill, T. J. Carson, J. T. Miller,
J. L. Hackler, J. C. Toliver, M.
L. Gentry, W. C. Wilson, W. A.
Coomes, A. V. Poole, W, C.
Evans, Carl Glasoo, Dillon Ed
wards, C. F. Osborne, Gwynn
Sanders, W. R. Pugh, E. H. Hal
sey, Floyd Harden, J. M. Os
borne. George Pugh, W. G. Rich
ardson, S. M. Caudill, P. C, Ed
wards, G. 0. Edwards, J. E. Ir
win R. E. Richardson, Howard
Joiiies, W. L. Edwards, R. G.
Richardson, W. F. Doughton, W.
G. Fender and Hort Miller.
Electrification
Bill Is CUpped
Washington, Mar. 3.—A con
ference of administration aides
and Senator Norris (R.), Neb.,
today clipped the latter’s billion
dollar rural .electrification bill
more than in half.
The proposed spending under
sure was cut to $420,
over a ten-year period.
Roosevelt, who did
not sit on the conference, ex
press conference his
f “Ad Girl" Choke I
vniuAuu ... . Miss Charlotte
Gooding (above,) is a slim bru.
nette standing 5 feet, 7 inches
tall, weighs 12S lbs., and is 20
yf*rs' old. She is the choice • of
Chicago Advertising Clubs of the
nation's ad girl models.
Major Problems
Before Congress
Are Taxes, Relief
Administration Leaders
Hope This Week Marks
Beginning Of Final Two
Months Of Work
Washington, Mar. 3.—Here is
the status of major legislation in
Congress midway of the May 1
adjournment goal:
Passed and signed into law—
neutrality extension, $367,770,
000 deficiency appropriation bill,
repeal of cotton, tobacco and po
tato .control acts and soil conser- j
vation-subsidy bill.
Passed over veto—cash bonus
payment authorization.
Vetoed—$50,000,000 seed and
feef-loen authorization. --
"Must” . legislation not yet
drafted—$706,000,000 tax bill
and unemployment relief appro*
priation. \
Passed Senate but beaten in
House—exemption from taxation
of bank ^obligations held by re
construction corporation.
Washington, Mar. 2.—A politic
ally conscious Congress started
today what administration
leaders hope will be its final two
months of labor with only two
major obstacles ahead—taxes and
relief.
Both of these issues are re
garded as loaded with potential
dynamite that may have detonat
ing effects in the coming presi
dential campaign.
The whole fiscal policy of the
government is bound up in the
subjects saved for the pre-ad
journment floor battles. There
will be other fights, of course,
before the legislators trek home
word for political fence-building,
but administration chiefs in most
instances are not worried over
their outcome.
Supreme Court
Justices May
Delay Vacation
Washington, Mar. 8. —Informa
tion was obtained Sunday from
an authoritative source that jus
tices of the supreme court are
willing to delay their summer
vacation—if necessary—to exped
ite final decisions in new deal
cases brought to them promptly.
This development was learned
as the court prepared to convene
Monday after a two weeks’
(recess. It will hear arguments
in the next fortnight on the con
stitutionality of three Roosevelt
administration laws.
■ Earlier, some court attaches
had expressed the opinion that
the pending controversies—in
volving the 1838' securities act,
the Guffey coal control law, and
PWA’s right to condemn land for
slum clearance—‘would be the last
decided this terra.
It was learned, however, that
riudlttiii" “ top
Roosevelt Makes
ProposalTo Alter
System Of Taxes
Suggests That Sum Of
$620,000,000 Be Added
To Corporate Industry's
Annual T«x Bill
Washington, Mar. 8.—An ob
viously apprehensive Congress
was stirred today to immediate
controversy by1 a White House
proposal that , $620,000,000 be
added to corporate industry’s an
nual tax bill through a major
revision of the federal revenue
system.
In a special message, Presi
dent Roosevelt suggested that
farm relief and payment of the
bonus be financed from a tax
on profits which corporations
amass in their ^treasuries as sur
plus instead of distributing as
dividends.
jL.aierf speaiqng to tne press,
he drew a broad distinction bet
tween reserves—*-to provide work
ing capital and ftover depreciation
of equipment—-and surplus, which
he said represented earnings,
needed by the Smaller stockhold
ers, which should be taxed or
distributed. {
In both the riessage and at his
press conferences he condemned
the accumulation of undistributed
profits as a method of evading
taxation. The ' message termed
this an “evil” that “has now
reached disturbing proportions
from the standpoint of the in
equality it represents and of its
serious effect »on the federal
revenue.” ijfc
With some Democrats applaud
ing while others were openly
critical, or fronting, with many
Republicans fiwnk in their de
nunciation ; and administration
leaders emphsfizing that the
President’s plan Jjjva^only a “sug
gestion,” uniLliWfiy was geared
for starting a tax bill through
Congress.
Even a vigorous row developed
on the House floor. The ways and
means "committee, which will
frame the measure,, relegated the
whole subject to a subcommittee
which will begin its task tomor
row. Chairman Doughton (D.)
N. C., said open hearing before
the full committee would follow.
Representative Knutson (R.),
Minn., touched off an explosive
floor interchange with a critical
speech. Minority Leader Snell
added a caustic assertion that,
but for corporation (reserve* un
employment would have been
greater. Representative O’Con
nor (D.)t N. Y., accused the Re
publicans of already playing poli
tics with the tax proposal.
Chairman Harrison (D.), Miss.,
of the Senate finance committee,
which will take charge of the tax
bill when it emerges from the
House, termed the message a
“complete answer to those who
have been shouting about un
balanced budgets.’' He hoped
they would “cheerfully pay their
share.”
Ehringhaus Tells
University Students
To Have A Purpose
Chapel Hill. Mar. 2.—Governor
J. C. B. Ehringhaus told univer
sity students that they were “lost”
If they did; not have a defioil
purpose in attending college,' in
an address at chapel period to
day. " ’-V
“You cannot make real progress
unless you *find’ yourselves,” he
said. “Unless we keep our com
pass pointed in the right direction
we are wasting time. Find your
selves in relationship to your
family, your fellow students, your
state and to the infinite and you
can come back to this campus in
later years, as 1 have, with a
feeling of gratitude."
Senator Bailey To
Speak To Graduate*
Of Campbell College
Buie’s Creek, Mar. 8.—Senator
Josiah William Bailey, one of
North Carolina’s two a-epresenta
Parkway Work In
Virginia Moving
At Rapid Speed
South Carolina Finn
Is Low Bidder On Work
Of Constructing Nine
Bridges In Alleghany
Bent Mountain, Va., Mar. 3.—
Grading is already approximately
65 per cent, complete on 2,800
feet of the 8.3-mile section of
the Blue Ridge parkway, known
as project 1PI, being constructed
from Adney Gap to Pine Spur,
although operations have been
underway for less than two weeks.
An additional half mile of the
ri^lit-of-way has been cleared by
a crew of 15 men engaged only
in this work, and is ready fo
grading.
present operations are in what
is known in this section as Sweit
Annie’s Hollow, the location br
ing in the edge of Floyd county
about two miles south of Adn ;y
Gap, the northern extremity of
the pi oject. Grading was began
about one and one-half miles
south of Adney, and will continue
to be carried on southward.
It was pointed out today that
the first two miles of this proj
ect, f- om Adney Gap south, will
iic -cily several hundreds ya’ds
sc nth of route 221 and will be
a’me it parallel with this high
wry However, from a print
about two miles south of the
Gap the new road turns -outh
ward and is never again this close
to highway 221.
It was also pointed out today
that the elevation of the section
now being graded is approximately
2,900 feet above sea level. It
was said the elevation is above
3,000 feet on the right-of-way a
little farther south.
K G. Middleton, of the U. S.
Bureau of Public Roads, who is
resident engineer for all five of
the Blue Ridge Parkway projects
between Adney Gap and the Pin
nacles of Dan, about 48 miies
farther south, and was inspecting
project 1P1 today, said that he
expects work to be underway
on ail five projects by the first
part of April,
He said W- W. Tuck...Virginia
contractor, is now moving eq'iA'p
ment for construction of the sec
ond section, south of this project,
which runs from Smart to Tuggle
Gap, and is known as project R,
and that work will likely begin
on this project within two weeks.
Mr. Middleton, who maintains
an office at Floyd, asserted that
he had heard nothing as to when
contracts might be let for the
stretch of about 30 miles between
the Pinnacles of Dan and the
North Carolina line. Neither did
he know, he said, when decision
would be made as to the route
from Adney Gap north toward
Buena Vista.
Simons A Mayrant Co., of
Charleston, S. C.. yesterday post
ed a low bid of $156,550 on the
construction of nine stone and
reinforced concrete bridges on
the Blue Ridge Parkway in Alle
ghany county, N. C.
Specifications call -for the use
of 245,000 pounds of reinforcing
steel on the nine bridges. The
longest span will be 44 feet and
4 inches; the longest wings, 143
feet. Longest of the bridges
will be approximately 180 feet.
The project will be let by the
Department of Interior, Washing
ton.
Wolf Branch
Students Make
Feb. Honor Roll
Following is a list of students
who were eligible for the Feb
ruary honor roll at Wolf Branch
school. First grade—Mabel,Crouse,
Betty Andrews and Reeves
Brooks; Second grade—Earnest
Andrews, Dale Holloway and
Junior D. Watson; Third grade—
Wilma Ciouse, Lorene Brooks,
Conright Bell and Clay Crouse;
Fourth grade—Allie Holcomb and
Doris Wagoner; Fifth grade—
Gene Atwood, Katherine Andrews,
I Ruth Crouse, Pawnee Brooks and
■Junior Harless, and Seventh
grade—Roy Choate and Marie
Crouse.
Claude Crouse is principal ol
fait Branch school and Miss
Andrews is
BALTIMORE . . She now
signs her name, Mrs. F. Chase
Taylor. She is the new bride of
Mr. Taylor, know on stage and
radio as Col. Lemuel Q. Stoop
nagle. Mrs. Taylor is the former
Kay Bel!, secretary to Paul
Whiteman.
Three-Act Play
To Be Presented
Here On March 14
“Plain Jane,” A 3-Act
Comedy, To Be Given By
Junior Class Of Sparta
High School
“Plain Jane,” a farce-comedy
in three acts, by Jay Tobias, is
to be staged by the Junior class
of Sparta high school on Satur
day night, March 14.
A cowgirl, from sombrero to
spurs, with a six-gun, lariat and
quirt( a pet rattlesnake and a
bronco called “Dynamite” — a
name much too mild—such is the
embryonic rodeo represented by
Jane Judkins, and played by
Elsie Perry, who descends out of
the West upon eccentric Aunt
Emma, represented by Jean Ho
naker, and the eastern tribe of
Marsdens. Freckled-faced, ignor
cnt J3ine, a riding fury and a
roping fool, has been selected by
Aunt Emma to be the bride of
one of the Marsden boys. Jane,
warm-hearted and romantically in
clined, finds herself in an atmos
phere of frigidity, selfishness and
intrigue. Pathetic a3 her situ
ation becomes, her boundless
energy is a match for it.
Ensuing complications make
s rare combination of comedy,
pathos, character heart interest,
and hilarity. How "Dynamite”
settles the marfiffgt question and
Mamie, the pet snake, figures in
a near tragedy, are surprising
elements.
Ellen, the Irish cook, played
by Jewell Richardson, is a good
fairy to Jane. The Marsden boys
all sit up and take notice.
Those in authority say that
(continued on page 4)
Hauptmann Case
Causes Political
Dispute In N. J.
Trenton, N. J., Mar. 3.—Strain
ed relations, resulting indirectly
from Governor Harold G. Huff
man's activities in the Haupt
mann case, now exist between
leaders of the* Democratic party
in New Jersey, it was learned to
night from an authoritative
source.
This authority said the dispute
centers around the reappointment
of Col. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
as head of the state police.
Schwarzkopf’s five-year term
expires in June and reports have
long been current the governor,
who has been - critical of state
police work in the Lindbergh kid
nap case, does not intend to re
name him. Friends of Schwanz
kopf have urged his reappoint
ment. and on February 3 Hepry
Young, Jr., Essex county assem
blyman and member of the Re
publican group opposed to Hoff
man's financial policies, introduced
a bill to protect Schwarzkopf by
continuing him in office until <
Roosevelt Ends
Third Year As
Chief Executive
Heads Toward Campaign
For Reelection On Bans
Of Accomplishments Of
New Deal Administration
DOES UNEXPECTED
Many Think President
Will Seek Few Other
Major Changes Before
Taking To The Platform
Washington, Mar. 3.—Heading
toward a campaign for reelection
on the basis of the new deal,
President Roosevelt tonight round- J
ed out his third year in office-v'
completing a period that has seem
the breaking of many precedents.
Twenty-four hours, almost to'
the minute, before entering his
fourth year in the White House,
the executive again did the un
expected. He submitted to congress
a suggestion for a hitherto un
paralleled revision of corporate
taxation.
The move was part of presi
dential efforts to replace chunks
taken out of his program by the
supreme court and to bulwark a
battered budget.
His suggestion that industry be
taxed $620,000,000 more a year
to pay for farm relief and the
bonus met such opposition cries
in congress, however, that the
issue promised to stir throughout
the campaign.
A companion effort to smooth
dents in the ne.w deal program
swung into action as Mr. Roose
velt’s third year in office ended.
His aides headed for Memphis
and Chicago to explain and start
into operation his $500,000,000
a year soil conservation as .a
replacement for the supreme
court invalidated AAA.
With a farm. plan, enacted, a ,i
tax suggestion made, and a re
lief .request in process of for
mation, many close to the White
House felt Mr. Roosevelt would
seek few other major changes
before taking the platform to ex
plain his record to the voters.
Roosevelt Drive
In New Hampshire
Begun By Farley
Manchester, N. H., Mar. 2.—
A campaign to re-elect President
Roosevelt was launched tonight
by Postmaster General James A.
Parley, Democratic national com
mittee chairman, in the metro- .
polis of New Haiwpshwa* wWcir
eight days hence will be the first
state to hold 1936 presidential
primaries.
In a speech broadcast by a
New England radio chain, Par
ley announced the opening of a
campaign “that will bring victory
to our party and victory to the
nation,” at a dinner of the young
Democratic Clubs of New Hamp
shire.