Want To Sell
Something ?
Try a Want Ad
The Alleghany Times
You Will Profit
If You Always Read
Times' Advertisements
DEVOTED TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT O F ALLEGHANY COUNTY
Vol. 13
GALAX, VA. (Published for Sparta, N. C.) THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 1938.
Number 41.
Hugo S. Sims,
Washington Correspondent
T. D. R.’s DEFENSE POLICY
President Roosevelt, in discuss
ing his national defense policy,
insists that the United States in
its naval construction program,
must keep in mind the necessity
of a fleet capable of defending
"both its coasts rather than become
confused over the ratio of its
fleet to those of other nations. At
a press conference, he declared
that the consensus among those
who know most about problems
of national defense and who have
given it greatest thought, is that
we cannot rely on a single de
fense in one ocean. Mr. Roose-1
velt declared that we might be
faced with a war on both sides
of the Continent but quickly add
ed that this was all he would say
on the subject.
PRESERVES ISOLATION
Naturally, the Present cannot
go into elaborate? dp tails but. in
in view of his Ipng,advocacy of
peace and his undoubted sincerity
in wanting to avoi$l war, his ut
terances are extremely pointed,
to say the least. In fact, close
observers believe that while Mr.
Roosevelt has no specific threat
in mind, he is greatly concerned
over the disordered state of the
World and the aggressive use of
military and naval power to gain
national ends. Apparently con
vinced that the people of the
United States desire to preseirve
its traditional isolation, the Chief
Executive realizes' that the nation
must be prepared to defend itself
single-handed against aggressors
in whatever combination they
may present themselves.
Moreover, should the nation
at a later date decide to enter
into some agreement with other
powers in regard to future contin
gencies. there are many who
doubt that complete reliance
could be placed upon even a strict
offensive and defensive alliance.
Therefore, under present condi
tions, there is no other course but
to assume the burden of addi
tional land and sea armaments
which will, as far as possible,
guarantee the safety of this
country. r
WORLD CONDITIONS
There is no reason to believe
that Mr. Roosevelt is more mili
tarist than when he took the
oath of office as President and
enunciated his “good-will” policy
Those who see him regularly ac
cept his word that no aggressive
intent is involved in the naval
and army plans now under con
sideration. Despite doubts ex
pressed by some public men, the
general belief is that there is no
arrangement with Great Britain
or any other1 country which can
lighten the country’s burden of
defense. It is admitted that while
officially at peace with all the
world, the relations of the United
States with Japan, Germany and
Italy are not on the same plane,
•as with other nations. This is not
because the United Stores has dis
criminated against ^^totalitarian
states but becaus^ \he three ag
gressor nations havg elected to
stand apart from the rest of the
world. V.
SINGAPORE BASE
The presence of three American
cruisers, only foreign vessels at
the opening of the British Naval
Base at Singapore, has excited the
pacifists in the United States, al
though this Government took par
ticular pains to stress the fact
that the American warships were
only paying a friendly visit. Nev
ertheless. in the eyes of foreign
statesmen throughout the world,
the fact that our1 vessels were
present by invitation and those of
no other nation invited, is taken
to indicate some degree of co
ordination between the two fleets.
The British had 24 warships of
the East Indies and China squad
rons, together with many troops
and several squadrons of air
planes. The new base is expected
to’solidify British prestige in the
Far East. It affords almost com
plete facilities, being equipped
with the largest naval drydock in
the world, capable of handling
warships up to 55,000 tons. The
base is generally considered the
most powerful in the world and
is ideally located for defense
against the air, on the land and
in the water. It has 18-inch
guns with a range of forty miles.
INCOME PAID OUT
While there is no satisfactory
basis for determining the total
national income produced in a
given year, the Department of
Commerce annually estimates the
national income paid out. The
total represents all compensation
in the form of wages, salaries,
interest, dividends, entrepreneurial
withdrawals, and net rents and
royalties paid to individuals for
services rendered. The estimate
for 1937, $67,500,000,000, repre
(Turn to page five, please)
An outstanding
scenic area is
being made
—Accessible in the Blue
Ridge mountains of south
ern Alleghany county and
[northern Wilkes county by
;he Blue Ridge parkway.
Park service engineers and
iirectors in routing the parkway
vere quick to recognize; the scenic
value of tins area and have pur
chased 7,000 acres to be de
veloped into the leading wayside
park on the parkway north of
the Grandfather.
From the summit of the Blue
Ridge which rises abruptly about
2,000 feet above the hills and
valleys of Wilkes the parkway
traveler will have before him an
awe-inspiring paranoma of Blue
Ridge foothills and piedmont
North Carolina. Before him to
the South will be the beautiful
Yadkin River valley and in the
same distance the Brushy Moun
tains. To the east, the view of
the piedmont section is limited
only by the ability of his eyes
to penetrate the atmosphere.
This park was named Bluff
Park because of the rugged char
acter of the mountains. This
area was one of the, last spots
of refuge for the Indians be
cause of its myriads of hiding
places. Tradition says that it
was headquarters for a tribe, as
numerous Indian relics have been
gathered from the cliffs.
When the Indians' finally aban
doned the spot to seek happier
hunting grounds toward the set
ting sun and to get away from
the advance of the pale face it!
became the refuge of wild animals, j
particularly black bears and wild
cats. Within the memory of the
present generation wildcats were
plentiful in what is now the Bluff
Park and were a menace to small
farm animals and poultry. Among
the early settlers in that part of
the Blue Ridge, the man who
killed the greatest number of wild
cats was considered a hero.
Wildcat Rock, a sheer precipice
on the south side of the Blue
Ridge rising to a height of 500
feet almost perpendicular, was
named for the animals it harbor
ed at its base. At the top of this
precipice the park service has
selected a site for a hotel or lodge
as an overnight stopping place for
parkway travelers. It is under
stood that the site will be leased
to some private individual or com
pany with the provision that the
building will be according to park
designs.
Bluff Park is not all rugged.
It’s topography is immensely
varied. While the greater part of
the area on the southern • side of
the Blue Ridge summit resembles
the Rockies, there is plateau
country on top and on the north
ern side are beautiful valleys
covered with grass and now dot
(Turn to page five, please)
Herbert Hoover
participated in
the observance
—of the fourth anniversary
pf the death of the late
King Albert, of Belgium,
Dn last Thursday. T'h e
former president arrived in
France Wednesday frorq New
York and proceeded by automo
bile, to Belgium, where he had
not visited in nearly 20 years.
He placed a wreath in
Laeken Crypt on the tomb of
the king who was his friend dur
ing the World War when Hoover
was chairman of the commission
for relief in Belgium.
During his visit in Belgium the
former president and his com
panions will occupy the second
floor guest rooms at the United
States embassy, above the am
bassador’s bedroom where King
Leopold was born.
The embassy formerly was the
residence of the late King Albert
and Queen Mother Elizabeth.
Early Thursday the king,
his children, his mother and his
brother, Prince Charles, went to
the royal crypt to kneel in
front of Albert’s tomb and hear
mass celebrated.
This was a private cere
mony and later the crypt was
visited by cabinet ministers,
diplomats, provincial governors,
burgomasters and other digni
terie*
Changes have
been made in
rental fees
—at the Public library here for
books on the rental shelf, recent
ly. The rental books will be
charged for at the rate of three
cents a day. For each day that a
book, from the rental shelf, is
overdue, the charge will be five
cents.
Books on the free shelves will
be lent for only a week, but may
be renewed. The overdue charges
on these books will be two cents
i day.
The Public Library will be
opened at 12:16 o’clock instead of
j 1 o’clock, thus giving- the school
children an opportunity to visit
the library during- the noon hour.
jThe anti-lynch
bill was
abandoned
—Monday by the United
States Senate in, Washing
ton, after fuming and fuss
ing since January 6, The
agreement to abandon the raeas- i
ure was reached by a vote of 58 j
to 22, and the senate turned to j
consideration of other legislation. |
The vote came on a motion by j
Democratic Floor Leader Bark-'
ley to displace the Wagne.”-Van
Nuys measure with the $250,- j
000,000..relief deficiency bill.
Despite- the threat of Senator'
Robert F. Wagner (D), New I
York, to take the issue to the
country and then later during
the present session ask for an
other cloture vote, the action of
the Senate Monday was generally
interpreted as spelling doom for
the legislation and a complete I
victory for the South.
A review of the 141 hours’!
debate on the anti-lynching bill I
will show that the most potent i
argument of the southern sena
tors was the fact that under state
action lynchings had been reduc
ed to eight. If the South main
tains this record and there arises
no wave of lynchings in the coun
try, it is extremely doubtful of
any further move to enact federal
legislation on the subject will re
ceive serious consideration.
The bill- now goes* back on the
Senate calendar where it has no
preferred status but may be call
ed up again by a majority vote.
The high light of the closing
hours of debate on the Wagner
Van Nuys bill was a speech by
Senator George Norris (I), Ne
braska. He based his opposition
to the legislation on what he
termed the “wonderfuf progress”
made by the South in wiping out
lynching.
“I think the bill is constitu
tional,’’ Senator Norris said, “but
I am opposed to it because it
wilt have a tendency to again
arouse the sleeping monster which
caused the Civil War.”
As the vote was taken today,
Walter White the Negro lobby
ist of the Association for Ad
vancement of Colored People, sat
in the gallery. Just what plans
he and Senator Wagner have for
arousing sentiment against those
senators who opposed cloture is
not known. Southern senators
told Wagner they would welcome
the opportunity to go to the
country on the question of invok
ing cloture to pass the anti
lynching measure.
The Young Women’s
Circle held 'a
meeting Thursday
—night of last week at the home
of Miss Marie Perry, with Mrs.
P. H. Tompkins, as associate hos
tess.
Following the business meet
ing, during which the president,
Miss Perry, presided, Mrs. James
Toms, assisted by Mrs. Harry
Vaughan and Mrs. P. H. Tomp
kins, Jr., presented an interesting
program on the subject “The
World Community in American
Cities.”
During the social hour, the hos
tesses served ice cream and cake
to sixteen guests.
The next meeting will be held
at the home of Misses Vancine
and Wanda Choate.
GENERAL PERSHING IS
SERIOUSLY ILL
—in Tuscon, Ariz. The 77-year
old general of the armies of the
United States suffered a relapse
Tuesday after being confined to
bed for a week with a cold and
rheumatism.
Out For The Family Groceries
P.A.S.
FOX LAKE, 111. . . Swollen waters have made a rowboat the only ;
practical vehicle for a shopping tour for Mrs. Frank Meisner,
shown leaving her home to replenish food, supplies. Flood waters |
throughout Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan have, made hundreds j
homeless, have thrown factory workers out of employment in
inundated industrial centers, isolated houses and blocked roads over j
a wide area. s
—among American repub
lics “to the exclusion of
political principles and prob
lems which are alien to this
hemisphere,” in a statement' .is
sued Monday. At the same time,
the secretary of State made pub
lic a message from President
Roosevelt to the president of Ar
gentina, expressing eagerness to
assist in the furtherance of in-1
ter-American solidarity.
Hull held aloof publicly from j
the European ferment stirred by j
Adolph Hitler’s bristling foreign j
policy speech and British moves
to negotiate a new friendship with j
Italy.
His expression concerning the !
desirability of solidarity on this j
continent were linked with that
situation, however, in the minds
of many students of foreign af
fairs. They were read with spec- [
ial interest in view of a predic- J
tion by Senator King (D) Utah,
that Germany had become the
most powerful nation in Europe.
“This is disturbing to me,” said j
King, “because it means she will i
push her economic policies in
Latin-America, and two nations j
there have many German citizens
already. I refer to Brazil and Ar
gentina.
“It means that she (Germany)
will adopt a policy that will seek
to undermine the influence of the
United States in Latin-America,
as well as to undermine the Mon
roe Doctrine.”
That doctrine is that the west
ern hemisphere is closed to fur
ther colonization by European
powers.
Many members of Congress
commented that Chancellor Hit-1
ler’s speech would increase senti
nent for the Roosevelt adminis
tration’s $1,050,000,000 naval ex
pansion policy.
“It may not be absolutely nec
essary, but it certainly appears to
be advisable that our navy be big
enough to protect both our
coasts,” commented Senator Ad
ams (D), Colorado.
The Woman’s
Club will
hold a meeting
—in the Sparta high school audi
torium tomorrow (Friday) after
noon, at 2:30 o’clock. The Fifth
grade pupils, under the direction
of Mrs. Vance Choate, will pre
sent the following Washington’s
Birthday program:
Song, “Washington,’ by class;
Poem, “The New George Wash
ington,” Edward Rizoti, Jr.;
Poem, “Which General,” Billy
Hardin; Flag Drill, eleven girls;
Poem “Washington,” written by
Thomas Zack Osborne; Play,
“Why George Washington Did
Not Become a Sailor,” Five pu
pils; Poem, “Washington,” writ
ten by Patsy Roy Burgiss and
song, “Contentment,” by class.
All members are urged to at
tend this meeting as some im
portant matters will be consider
ed at this time.
REV. R. L. BERRY WILL
PREACH SUN. MORNING
—at eleven o’clock, in the Bap
tist church, and again .Sunday
night, at 7:15 o’clock.
Circles of the
—for the regular gather
ings jcf the organizations.
Circle No. 1 met last Thurs
day at the home of Mrs.
C. A. Reeves.
In the absence of the president, j
Mrs. George Crutchfield, vice-j
president presided, Mrs. A. 0.'
Joines was the program leader, i
Dresenting the topic “The Home-'
land.”
At the business session, dele
gates were elected to the State
convention at Asheville. Mrs.
Bayne Doughton was appointed
chairman of the Mission Study
Committee. It was also decided to
observe the March Week of Pray
er for Home Missions.
During the social hour the host
ess served sandwiches, pickles,
ice cream, cake, and coffee to
the sixteen present.
The next meeting will be held
at the home of Mrs. P. L. Choate,
with Mrs. R. A. Wagoner as
sociate hostess.
Circle No. 2 met at the home
of Mrs. Ralph Parker on Tues
day night of last week, with' the
president, Mrs. Duke Bledsoe, pre
siding. Mrs. C. A. Miles, pro
gram leader, was assisted by a
number of members in presenting
the topic for the month.
It was decided to hold the final
meeting of the Week of Prayer
at the church, on Thursday night,
March 3. The circle will meet
next month at the new home of
the president.
At the close of the meeting,
the hostess served delicious ice
cream and cake to thirteen guests.
The upward trend
in N. C. births
j
held its own
—during fhe first month of
1938, according to the
January report of the State
Board of Health’s Vital
Statistics division, of which Dr.
R. T. Stimson is director. The
trend was maintained during
1937. The number of deaths,
however, was also greater in Jan
uary last year.
The first month of 1938 was
marked by the birth of 6,395 lit
tle Tar Heels as compared with
6,103 a year ago, while deaths
numbered 3,098 against 2,796 re
ported the first month of 1937.
There was a slight decrease in
the number of deaths among ba
bies under a year old, however,
the number this January having
been 411, as compared with 420
last year, but an increase of four
in the number of maternal deaths.
“We always keep an eye on these
figures,” said Dr. G. M. Cooper,
director of the Division of Pre
ventive Medicine, who gives much
attention to maternal and child
clinics. “It is gratifying to note,”
he continued, “that there was a
decrease in the number of pella
gra deaths in January, the total
having been only 15, against 25
last year.”
Increases were noted in deaths
(turn to page five, please)
Governor Hoey Declared In
A Speech Tuesday Night
U. S. Is On The Threshold
—of a great advance and that the boys of the
hour will be the leaders of the advance. The
chief executive spoke in Winston-Salem at the
annual Y. M. C. A. Father-and-Son banquet. Upward of
450 fathers and sons heard the governor speak on “The
future of the Nation” and pay tribute to George Wash
Antics of Andrew’
will be presented
by the Junior
—class of Sparta hig'h
school, in the high school
auditorium, on Saturday
night, February 26, at 7:30
o’clock.
Commenting recently on the
forthcoming presentation of this
play, am interested person had the
following to say :
“For genuine comedy and
wholesome fun, this play prom
ises to be one of the best ama
teur performances seen in Sparta
for a, long time..
“Tile jolly, wise-cracking young
collegians who never let school
work interfere •with their social,
activities get into ‘hot water,’ as
ohe of them ' remarks, .‘clear up,'
to their plucked eyebrows’ con
stantly, Andrew, played by Lewis:
Irwin, is. always in ‘trouble from;
leaping before thinking, while , his j
pai-s, played by Charles. Dealt!
Choate and Charles Pugh, suc-j
ceed in getting themselves into
screamingly funny predicaments'
because they are masquerading j
as Andrew’s wife and mother-j
in-law. Uncle Isaac, eccentric,!
bull-headed ,and stubborn, but|
friendly and rich, provides laugh i
after laugh as he shocks the col
lege group with his manners and i
determined ideas.
“Petunia, the cook, playedi by
Shirley McMillan, and Jacques,
the French valet, played by
Frank Osborne, hate each other
vehemently, and they’ll have you
roaring with laughter one min
ute and trembling the next for
fear they actually will annihilate i
each other.”
i
England’s House
of Commons
voted confidence
—overwhelmingly Tuesday
in Prime Minister Neville
Chamberlain’s direct bar
gaining with Europe’s dic
tators after he warned that Brit
ain is being swept toward war by
the “shams” of League of Na
tions policies.
The vote was 330 to lj>8, with
National Liberals joining with
the Conservative majority in giv
ing the mandate to Chamberlain
to pursue negotiations with Pre
miere Benito Mussolini, and later
with Fuehrer Adolph Hitler, on a
plan of general European ap-1
peasement.
The Prime Minister had been
accused in wild debate of “stab
bing Anthony Eden in the back
with an Italian dagger” and forc
ing the latter’s resignation as for
eign secretary, after the govern
ment’s promise that any failure
of the direct dealings with the
dictators will bring enormous war
preparations.
“If conciliation fails our people
when rearmed will be in posi
tion to make it difficult to at
gerous for any dictator to at
tack,” said William S. Morrison,
prominent conservative, in the last
speech of the debate.
The vote of confidence, taken
shortly after 11 p. m. following
hours of bitter attacks upon
Chamberlain by such fiery orators
as David Lloyd George and Wins
ton Churchill, consisted of reject
ing a Laborite motion of censure.
A SURPRISE PACKAGE SALE
AND PIE SUPPER
—will be held on Thursday night
March 3, at 7.-30 o’clock in the
court room of the Alleghany
county court house here. The
event will be sponsored by the
Library committee of the Wo
man’s club.
Proceeds are to be used to
purchase new books for the lib
rary.
ingxon, wnose Dircnaay was cele
brated Tuesday, as “a man who
possessed the attributes anti vir
tue- -jf the model father.”
“Thin' nation, has not gone on
the toboggan slide,” said Gover
nor Hoey,” and it i.s not going
there. We h%ve by no means,
forgot our heritage and that it
will carry us on and upward in
making this a greater and more
substantial country.”
A few minutes before the
speech the Governor was ganged
by at least 100 boys who wanted
his autograph. Smiling an-d grac
ious he signed autograph, books,.
wrote hie name on envelopes and
banquet menus until he was due
to go on the air. His talk was
broadcast over radio station
WSJS so that other father-and
son banquets throughout the city
and Forsyth county could- listen
in.
“I know of no finer . thing a
than for a man to be. the, father
of a on.” said Governor Hoey.
•'George ' Washington didn’t have
that fatherhood. Yet, his whole
character and bearing emphasized
his. appreciation of childhood and
youth and hig understandings of
the problems of farnily life. I
aril ,-ure he would have, made a
great father.”
He urged every father to avail
himself of the “high privilege of
being a priest in his own home.”
The, demands of business, said the
Governor, should not be permit
ted “to rob either father , or son” -
of companionship.
The Governor told the gather
ed fathers and song how the
Constitution of the United States
was written 150 years, ago, how
it had braved wars and economic
struggles.
“Our Constitution is unchanged
and the government is unmired,”
declared Governor Hoey. “It is
still your country and mine.
“Our people have been brought
up on heritage of courage, char
acter and common sense. It is
ours to keep.’’ '
The Governor sat down as the
banquet hall was .s-wept with ap
plause. Thurmond Chatham, presi
dent of the Y. M. C. A., ad
journed the meeting and then the
boys swarmed over Governor
Hoey again, asking for auto
graphs. He signed a few, not
all, for he was rushed to the
Patterson Avenue Negro Y. M.
C. A., where another Father-and
son banquet was in session.
Governor Hoey was introduced
by Dr. Howard E. Rondthaler,
president of Salem college.
The Methodist
W. M, S. held
its Feb. meeting
—on Friday afternoon, Feb
ruary 18, at the home of
Mrs. R. H. Hackler, with
eighteen members present.
The president, Mrs. J. T. In
skeep, presided during the busi
ness session. Mrs. Robert M. Gam
bill, program leader, presented
the topic. “The Woi-ld Commun
ity in American Cities,” and Mrs.
Jay Hardin discussed the sub
ject, “Thy Neighbor as Thyself.”
The hostess served a salad and
sweet course, with coffee.
The March meeting will be
held at the home of Mrs. R, E.
i Black.
R. E. BLACK, COUNTY
AGENT, HAS ANNOUNCED
—that J. L. Rowell, extension
entomologist, of State college,
Raleigh, will be at -(Turkey Knob
tomorrow (Friday), at 3:30 p.
I m., to assist the tobacco farmers
i in plant bed pest control.
It is pointed out that more
| damage is done by plant bed pests
I than many farmers realize and it
j is highly important that good
: strong plants be produced if the
farmer is to have a good crop
of tobacco. Mr. Rowell is in po
sition to give the farmers first
hand information on getting their
plant beds started off in the, right
‘ way.