TODAY’S THOUGHT
“AH that I am I owe
to my mother.” — John
Quihcy Adams.
DEVOTED
Volume 11
GALAX, VA. (Published for Sparta, N. C.) THURSDAY, MAY 21, 1936
The Alleghany Times
TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMICS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF AL
EIGHT
TAX BILL ASSAILED
Last week the Administration
Tax Bill ran into difficulties be
fore the Senate Finance Com
mittee, which was reported hope
lessly divided and considering far
reaching modifications of the
measure. Sentiment developed in
favor of a broadening of the in
come tax base and decreased lev
ies. Another obstacle was the fear
of some Senators that the bill
would stabilize corporate organi
zations where they now stand.
Ending a public hearing, the Com
mittee pondered over the virtually
unanimous opposition expressed
by tax experts and business men,
many of whom voiced the belief
that the measure would prevent
small businesses from growing
into big businesses through the
use of distributed profits.
The President submitted to Con
gress on March 3rd his demand
for new taxes to take the place
of the processing taxes and to
provide funds to pay the bonus.
As the House Ways and Means
Committee proceeded with its
hearings, the protest of business
became stronger, although the
House finally passed the bill by a
large vote. Taking up the meas
ure, the Senate Finance Commit
tee concluded its hearings, with
many of the same witnesses ap
pearing before it. Newspaper ob
servers reported that these seemed!
to be of little effect but gradually
the culminative weight made an
impression upon Senators.
Some sought substitute plans,
and Senator Couzens, Independ
ent Republican who originally fa
vored the measure, publicly with
drew his support. During the
hearing, the bill was pronounced
uncertainf complex, and hazard
ous to business; the Treasury’s
estimates were disputed, and
George 0. May, internationally
known accountant and a special
advisor to the Treasury during
the War, insisted that the taxes
were not needed and that with
continued improvement in busi
ness the present rates would
bring in revenue sufficient to
meet the needs of the Govern
ment. <
Secretary of the Treasury Mor
genthau reported to the Senate,
in answer, to inquiry, how the
proposed tax on dividends would
have affected the 600 corporations
which made more than a million
dollars in 1934. Assuming that
they followed their dividend pol
icy 138 would have paid nothing
and 145 others would have had
their taxes reduced by 50 per
cent. However, Treasury experts
asserted that an equal number of
corporations would have had to
pay more taxes. Following the
swing of sentiment Senators work
ed on substitute proposals, having
been advised that the President
will not oppose modification.
KILL FRAZIER-LEMKE BILL.
Party lines dissolved in the
House when friends and foes of
the Frazier-Lemke farm bill
fought out the battle on the floor.
After five years its supporters, by
a surprising vote, discharged the
committee considering it and
forced a vote. This brought about
an overwhelmingly ballot against
the inflationary measure, the
count being 235 to 142 to kill it.
Backers of the measure vainly
sought, by amendments, to attract
support as the hour of decision
arrived to snow them under.
PWA TO CUT CREW
Following the Administration’s,
success in putting down the House
bloc, which sought to ear-ma.rk
some of the $1,500,000,000 relief
fund for the PWA, Secretary
Ickes asked PWA executives to
submit a list of one-fourth of
their employees who could be
dropped. The President’s adam
ant' stands against diverting funds
from the Hopkins WPA program
was responsible for both actions.
Official circles hailed the Ickes
order as an indication that gov
ernment expenditures will be re
duced as the nation climbs out of
the depression. The reduction in
PWA .personnel is a step toward
. liquidation of the organization
that allotted more than $4,000,
000,000 to construction work in
an effort to “prime the pump” for
private industry.
BORAH ON MONOPOLY
As the Republican Convention
draws nearer, there seems to be
less prospect of a satisfactory
working agreement with Senator
Borah. His Illinois campaign man
ager charges that “Borah was de
frauded” in the Illinois primary,
but absolved Colonel Frank Knox
of knowledge of the matter.
• About the same time, the Ida
hoan, in * speech at Cleveland,
(continued oft page 6) •
at
Hoover Says He
Is Not Candidate
For Presidency
Californian Declares
His Statement Should
End “Such Discussion.”
Interested In Platform
MAKES STATEMENT
Chicago Announcement
Arouses Conjecture In
Camps Of Possibilities
For Republican Choice
Chicago, May 19.—In a pre
pared statement issued here yes
terday regarding the Republican
presidential campaign, former
President Herbert Hoover said:
‘lit should be evident by this
time that I am not a candidate:”
“That should end such discus
sion,” the statement declared, af
ter relating Mr. Hoover’s interest
was in the Republican platform
and “to get these critical issues
before the country.”
The former chief executive’s
views were issued in typewritten
form as a question-and-answer
interview and made public by
Paul Sexson, his secretary, from
his suite in a Chicago (Drake)
hotel.
Mr. Hoover was not available
for comment. He left on a 6:15
p. m. (central time) train for his
California home.
In response to questions, Mr.
Sexson said verbally:
“Mr. Hoover made a lot of
news, didn’t he?”
“That statement is final.
“There will be no amplifica
tion.
“There will be nothing more,
at all.”
Taken up in the third of the
typewritten answers, dealing with
Mr, Hoover’s activities and views,
the announcement immediately
aroused conjecture in the camps
of Republican presidential nomi
nation possibilities.
“Asked about his personal po
sition,” the statement continued,
Mr. Hoover said:
“It should be evident by this
time that I am not a candidate.
“I have stated many times that
I have no interest but to get
these critical issues before the
country. I have rigidly prevent
ed my friends from setting up
any organization, and from pre
senting my name in any primary
or to any state convention; and
not .a single delegate from Cali
fornia or any other state is
pledged to me.
“That should end such discus
sion.”
The former president’s state
ments added that his week-end
discussions in the East with sena
tors, congressmen, and others, re
lated “wholly to the Republican
platform.” His statement offered
p. specific suggestion that former
Governor Frank O. Lowden, of
Illinois “should be asked to write
the agricultural plank.”
The statement, some 250
words long, closed with a para
graph devoted to the forthcom
ing Republican national conven
tion.
It, the statement said, “will be
composed of a most unusuai and
able personnel,” and “its serious
ness is evident by the fact that
the. large majority of the dele
gates are * * * without other
instructions than to find the right
thing to do for the country in
the greatest crisis we have met
in two generations.”
Methodist W. M. S.
Holds Meet In Pugh
Home At Whitehead
The Women’s Missionary So
ciety of the Methodist Church
met Friday, May 16. at the home
of Mrs. Will Pugh at Whitehead
and held its regular meeting.
The program for the month
was on the work being done by
the Wesley House. Assisting the
lender, Mrs. Marvin Doughton, in
presenting the program, were,
Mrs. Jay Hardin, Mrs. C. R. Roe,
Mrs. Dalton Warren and Mrs.
Glen Richardson.
About 18 members and six or
eight guests were present for the
meeting. \
Delicious . refreshments were
served by the hostess.
The next meeting will be held
at the home of Mrs. Dalton War
ren and Mrs. Jay Hardin will be
leader of the program.
Black To Explain
Conservation Plan
To More Farmers
In , order that the farmers of
Alleghany may know more about
the Farm Conservation program,
R. E. Black, county agent, will
be at the following places to ex
plain it to them:
Friday, May 22, at 7:00 P. M.
Blevins cross roads.
Saturday, May 23, at 1:00 P.
M., Hooker.
Saturday, May 23, at 4:00 P.
M., Glade Valley.
It is necessary that all work
sheets be completed by May 31.
Baptist Alliance
Urged Tuesday At
St. Lotus Meeting
Mere Alliance—But
Not An Organic Union—
Is Urged At St, Louis
By Washington Minister
St. Louis, Mo., May 10.—Rev.
Rufus W. Weaver, Washington.
P. C., voiced a plea today for an
alliance—but not an organic
union—of the Northern and
Southern. Baptists.
It was the first public refer
ence to a possible joining of the
two denominations who tonight
conclude a two-day joint session
of fellowship with an .address by
Toyohiko Kagawa, Japanese Chris
tian leader.
Asserting there was “no scrip
tural mandate for the preservation
in the Kingdom of God of the
Mason and Dixon line,” Weaver
said co-operation was necessary
to cope with present national and
international problems.
“Divided we cannot grapple
with - the moral problems that
confront the American people,”
he said, “Divided we cannot speak
with prophetic authority to the
nations, proclaiming the will of
God in this critical hour.
“For this, and other reasons,
I hold that the time has come
not for an organic union of these
two conventions; not for a merg
ing of a single society or board;
not for the changing of a single
agency already created, but the
time has come when there must
be a closer alliance, a real fed
eration of Northern and Southern
Baptists, so that on national and
international issues we will be
no longer inarticulate but shall
be so organi sed as to speak clear
ly and with authority our message
to the modem world.”
With the close of tonight’s ses
sions Southern Baptists, who end
eii their annual convention Mon
day, will leave the city and North
ern Baptists tomorrow will open
a five-day meeting.
Twenty-One To
Graduate Friday
At Low Gap H. S.
Commencement exercises at
Low Gap high school began last
Saturday night when the play,
“Beads On A String,” was pre
sented by the Senior class. This
play was ,a thre.e-act comedy.
Dr. Walter L. Johnson, pastor
of the First Baptist church in
Mount Airy, N. C., preached the
commencement sermon to the
graduating class Sunday afternoon
at three o’clock.
Tonight (Thursday)
at 7:30 o’clock, an operetta, “The
Princess Of Japan," is to be given
by the primary and grammar
grades.
Twenty-one graduates will re
ceive their diplomas at graduation
exercises to be tomorrow (Fri
day) night, at eight o’clock.
At this time, W. E. Woodruff, of
Mount Airy, is to deliver the com
mencement address.
Attendance certificates and
Seventh grade diplomas will also
be presented tomorrow night.
The graduates are: Hollan
Hampton, Ray Galyean, Mildred
Davis, Evelyn Hampton, Opal
Lowe, Wayne East, Alva Davis,
Lucille Jarrell, Marie Bartley,
Virtue Murphy, Gayle Tompkins,
Ross Wilson, Oretha Hodges,
Dorothy Bullins, Annie Combs,
Ernest Callaway, Dale Hayes,
Thelma Bartlett, uaine *amey,
Eugene Ramey ana Jr cater ivainey.
Tax Bill Runs
Into Republican
Opposition Tues.
Senator Dickinson, Of
Icwa, Says Measure Is ..
Destructive Of Business.
Rocky Road 'kies Ahead
Washington, May 19.—On . the.
Senate floor today, the House
tax bill ran into a blast of Re
publican opposition while the di
vided Senate finance committee
moved toward a possible initial
showdown on the measure, tomor
row.
Senator Dickinson (R.), Iowa,
asserted the measure would “de
stroy the business structure.” He
said it might mean ultimately that
the government would have to
“take control of our economic
system to the extent necessary to
assure the continuation of pro
duction and the rimtinuation of
employment.”
During the day the finance
committee began pointing toward
the possibility thiw some actual
voting on points i» the bill might
be had tomorrow.
Leading iip t?o what may be
the most heated controversy in
which the committee, has yet be
come embroiled committeemen
during the day conferred among
themselves, subcommittees framed
recommendations for changes in
minor features of tfij measure and
the treasury drafted more revenue
computations.
A rocky road apparently lay
ahead of the nearest thing to a
compromise, yet worked out. It
would impose on corporations a
flat 18 per cent, tax on total
income, a 7 per cent, levy on un
distributed income, subject their
dividends to the normal income
tax and move up the latter rate
from 4
For Office In This
County Made Public
A complete list of the candi
dates for nomination for election
to county offices in Alleghany
county has been made public by
Amos Wagoner, Chairman of the
County Board of Elections. This
list is composed of the names of
those who paid the filing fee and
follows:
LEGISLATURE—M. E. Reeves.
Dem., W. P. Warden, Dem., D.
P. Taylor, Dem., and George B.
Phillips, Rep.
SHERIFF —i Walter M. Irwin,
Dem. and John Mack Edwards,
Rep.
REGISTER OF DEEDS—V.
W. Reeves, Dem., Fred L. An
drews, Dem., W. Carl Evans,
Dem. and N. Carl Jones, Rep.
COUNTY COMMISSIONER —
Jgs: McD. Wagoner, Dem., Victor
Phipps, Dem., and F. M. Joines,
Rep., Carl Kirby, Rep.
BOARD OF EDUCATION—John
C. Halsey, Dem., G. N. Evans,
Dem., T. R. Burgiss, Dem., and
W. F. Joines, Dem., S. 0. Gam
bill, Dem. , *r
SURVEYOR—J. C. Sparks, Dem.
CORONER—Maek Roberts, Dem.
Landon Forges
Ahead Of Borah
In New Jersey
Newark, N. J., May 19.—Gov
ernor Alf M. Landon, of Kansas,
supported by the Republican or
ganization, led United States Sen
ator William E. Borah, of Idaho,
in early returns in New Jersey’s
presidential preference primary
today.
List
to 5 per .cent.
A
if Candid
Of
dates
INDEPENDENCE STUDENT
IS AWARDED FREE TRIP
Howard Carpenter, an Agri
culture student in Independence
(Va.) high school,* has been award
ed a free trip to Blacksburg,
where the Virginia Polytechnic
institute is located, for scoring
100% in his Agriculture work at
the Independence school.
C. C. Tucker is Agriculture
teacher in Independence high
school.
ZEPPELIN AGAIN FLIES
TOWARD UNITED STATES
The Zeppelin Hindenburg, hours
behind the record she made on
her maiden voyage, soared through
minor local storms off the Unite4
States coast Tuesday night and
I was expected to berth at Laker
hurst, N. J., early Wednesday.
v, .w-.v.iv
Social Security
Act Appears To
Be Inadequate
Ruling Infers That
N. C. Enabling Act
Is Not Sufficient To
Meet Federal Provisions
Raleigh, May 19.—By infer
ence, at least, a United States
Treasury department ruling had
held North Carolina’s unemploy
ment insurance enabling act in
adequate to meet provisions of
the federal social security act to
day.
Governor Ehringhaus revealed
a letter from Chairman John G.
Winant of the federal social se
curity board transmitting the
Treasury Department interpre
tation.
Strictly, the treasury ruling
was an answer to the Governor’s
question if the word “required”
in the definition of the term “con
tributions” in title 9 (unemploy
ment insurance) of the social
security act might be construed
to mean “required as a condition
precedent to a particular em
ployer’s employees receiving un
employment compensation.”
• “In the opinion of the treas
ury,” Winant wrote the Governor,
the word ‘required’ is untenable.
“The, opinion states that credit
against the excise tax imposed
by title 9 of the social security
act may be allowed only for pay
ment to a state unemployment
fund which are made by an em
ployer who is unqualifiedly sub
ject to a state law and is com
pelled by that law to pay con
tributions at such time and in
such manner as may be prescrib
ed.
“It follows that title 9 of the
social security act, credits will
not be allowed for payments not
required by law but required as
a condition precedent to a par
ticular employer’s employees re
ceiving unemployment compen
sation.”
Governor Ehringhaus had no
comment on the letter. Although
received several days ago, it did
not come to his attention until
today. He has been ill at the
mansion for several days.
George Ross Pou
Speaks Highly
Of Roosevelt
Clayton, May 16.—“One of the
finest things President Roosevelt
has done, in my opinion, is to
promote the organization of The
Good Neighbours Club,” said
George Ross Pou, leading can
didate for State Auditor, while in
Clayton. “If the purposes of the
Good Neighbors club could be
expanded, its members agreeing
to say only pleasant things of
their fellow man, and the organi
zation could be perfected in every
community, it would have a most
wholesome effect upon the life of
our Nation,” continued Mr, Pou.
“I long ago adopted the policy
that if I could not speak kindly
of a person, I would remain sil
ent. I would like to see the
‘President call upon the people
of the Nation for the formation
of Good Neighbors clubs in every
locality with the, above suggestion
of the main objective.”
“Yes> I’ve ‘crutched’ through
a number of counties in my cam
paign,” laughed Pou, who has
necessarily used crutches since an
automobile accident some four
years ago. “I’m about as used
to crutches .as I am to wearing
shoes. I think my friends will
nominate me for State Auditor
on June 6, and I assure you I
shall ‘breathe new life’ into the
Auditor’s office, placing it upon
an efficient business basis.”
Johnston To
Speak Sun. In
Baptist Church
Attorney Ira T. Johnston, West
Jefferson, will deliver an address
in the Sparta Baptist church on
Sunday morning, May 31, at
eleven o’clock.
A special musical program and
a young men’s quartet will also
feature the occasion.
On Sunday, June 14, Rev.
Howard J. Ford, Wake Forest, is
expected to preach in the Baptist
church. On Sunday, June 21,
the Rev. Mr, Ford is expected)
to *se:teh «t Laurel Springs.
Crouse To Head
Democratic Party 5
In County Again
At a Democratic county con
vention which was held at the
Sparta courthouse on Saturdaj
afternoon, May 16, R. P. Crouse
County dhairman of the Demo
cratic Executive Committee
pointed out to the members Oi
the party present, the merits oi
the party rule in the county dur
ing the past few years. He gave
as a concrete example, the ex
cellent financial condition of the
county in comparison with thal
of Ashe, Wilkes, Surry and othei
nearby counties. Mr. Crouse
prophesied a tax rate of 35 oi
40 cents if the party continues in
power.
At a suggestion from the
chairman, a motion was made
and seconded, to elect as dele
gates to the State Convention
which is to be held in Raleigh on
June 12, all members of the
party who wish to attend.
Mr. Crouse was reelected un
animously to serve another two
years as county chairman.
Cooking School
Held Here Tues.
Well Attended
More Than 200 Women
Present. Missionary
Societies Of County
Sponsor Affair
The Cooking School and Refrig,
eration demonstration, which was
held Tuesday afternoon in the
Spartan theatre by Miss Mary
Brown Allgood, General Electric
Home Service director, was at
tended by a record crowd of more
than two hundred women.
The Women’s Missionary soci
eties of the county sponsored the
school and all who attended en
joyed Miss Allgood's demonstra
tion of cookery and also the free
film, “Three Women.” Severs!
prizes, including the greater pari
of the articles of food cookec
during the afternoon, were award
ed. ;
Those receiving prizes were
Toaster, Miss Madalyn Wagoner
Iron, Mrs. R. A. Wagoner; Toast
er, Mrs. R. L. Joines; Grillee
Ham, Mrs. Mattie Andrews; Cake
Mrs. Mary Hall; Nut Bread, Miss
Zollie Southers, and Frozen Des
sert, Mrs. A. B. Bruton.
Robbers Enter
Home Tuesday;
Lodged In Jail
Eugene Tompkins and Lloyd
Tompkins, formerly of Alleghany
county, now of Galax, Va., en
tered the home of Mrs. Effie
Richardson, near Barrett, about
2:00 p. m., Tuesday when no one
was at home and carried away
clothing, shoes, shot gun, a pock
etbook containing money, etc.
When Mrs. Richardson learned
that she had been robbed, the
alarm was spread and a posse, of
three neighbors, armed with
shotguns, tracked, the thieves
down, recovered the stolen, prop
erty and brought the two Tomp
kins men to Sparta, where they
were lodged in jail. They were
taken, near Edmonds about 7:00
o’clock the same afternoon.
Alabama Man
Named Leader
Of Publishers
Asheville, May 19.—Members
of the Southern Newspaper Pub
lishers Association, meeting in
thirty-fourth annual convention
at Grove Park Imrt here today,
named James E. Chappell, of the
Birmingham News and Age
Herald, as president.
JOBS ARE GIVEN 2,866
IN NORTH CAROLINA
Raleigh, May 19.—The -
department of labor
day private employers 1
6.