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THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY
Vol. 13
GALAX, VA. (Published for Sparta, N„. C.) THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1938.
Number 45.
Hugo S. Si’.n»,
Washington Correipondent
THE TANGLED TVA
The tangled and confused af
fairs of the Tennessee Valley
Authority, including the bicker
ing between Chairman A. E. Mor
gan and his two associated direc
tors, will be thoroughly explored
by a Congressional committee.
Senator Norris, sponsor and
friend1 of the TVA, originally
sought an investigation by the
Federal Trade Commission but
last week proposed that the in
quiry be conducted by a Sena
torial committee. This met with
prompt counter-action on the part
of those leading the attack on
the Authority, who insisted that
the investigating body be a joint
committee representing both hous
es of Congress.
OLD FEUD BREAKS OUT
Simmering for many months,
the feud between chairman A. E.
Morgan and the other Board
members, Dr. Harcourt A. Mor
gan and David E. Lilienthal, was
brought into the open by a spec
tacular meeting at the White
House where President Roosevelt,
in an open session, attempted to
ascertain the facts behind the
charges involved in the Board’s
rumpus. Chairman Morgan re
fused to submit any evidence in
support of his charges, taking the
position that he was merely an
“observer” and apparently de
termined to force a Congressional
investigation. The other directors
gave the grounds upon which
they had accused the Chairman
of undermining the activities of
the TVA.
ROOSEVELT INQUIRES
The President told the members
that it was their duty not to con
tinue the “personal’’ row but the
data brought into the open re
vealed a chasm of professional
and personal feeling that seeming
ly makes it impossible to recon
cile the attitudes of the Chairman
and his fellow Board members.
Mr. Roosevelt went so far as to
suggest to the Chairman that if
he were unwilling to support with
facts his accusations that “fair
ness” and “decency’’ were impos
sible in the TVA administration
with the other two members of
the Board, that he should resign.
CHAIRMAN IS SILENT
However, Dr. A. E. Morgan,
former president of Antioch Col
lege and an engineer who had
built flood control and reclama
tion works insisted that he would
have nothing to do with the
President’s personal inquiry and
his attitude indicated very plainly
that he would resist any effort
to remove him. The President
was stern and the scene in the
White House unusual. Mr. Roose
velt had ordered a mimeograph
transcription made of the. pro
ceedings and stenographers re
corded the questions and answers.
At intervals, the notes were tran
scribed and immediately passed
"to waiting newspapermen.
VAST UNDERTAKING
Mr. Roosevelt is known to be
pioud of the TVA, which he con
siders the nation’s first experi
ment in regional planning. He
has held it out as an example of
■“What we have done and what
we are trying to do.’’ Set up in
May, 1933, the JVA was provided
for flood control and improved
navigation of the Tennessee Riv
er, for the conservation of soil
and natural resources. Huge
dams were necessary for flood
control and navigation, and power
was to be developed as a con
sequence. Soil conservation in
cluded better fertilization and,
therefore, fertilizer studies were
included within the scope of the
undertaking.
Chairman Morgan was one of
three men placed in charge of the
undertaking. The others included
Dr. Harcourt A. Morgan, presi
dent of the University of Ten
nessee, an entomologist and hor
ticulturist particularly interested
in the fertilizer program, and
David' E. Lilienthal, Wisconsin
lawyer and former public service
official, who gave his attention
to the power problems involved.
UNDER MANY ATTACKS
The TV A has been constantly
uiktar attacks from critics on the
outside mainly on account of its
power program. Utilities affected1
have vigorously fought its pro
gram in the courts, asserting that
it competed unfairly with private
companies. Attacks in Congress
and the courts, however, have
been successfully withstood.
Internal dissension has been ru
mored for some months but the
controversy burst into the open
only about three weeks ago.
Chairman Morgan demanded a
Congressional investigation, as
serting, “The real difficulty has
been in an effort bo secure hon
esty, openness, decency and fairr
(Turn to page five, please)
Bemace BauseU I
was pardoned by
Governor Price
—of Virginia, Monday, af
ter having served more than
four years of a 20-year
penitentiary sentence for
the murder of his father-in-law,
T. Eugene Cornett, at Rural Re
treat, early in 1934. The time
served included almost two years
and four months of imprisonment
before final disposition of the
case in the courts.
His father, Henry F. Bausell, a
Lebanon (Va.) newspaper pub
lisher, who was convicted at a
second trial of voluntary man
slaughter in connection with Cor
nett’s death and sentenced to
four years was pardoned in De
cember, 1936, By George C.
Perry, then governor of Virginia.
The elder Bausell’s term had i
only about two more months to
run when he was released.
Bernace Bausell’s 20-year sen
tence also was imposed at a sec
ond trial after he won a supreme
court reversal of the first ver
dict of 32 years in the state pen
itentiary. His father’s first convic
tion and sentence of 20 years
likewise was set aside by the ap
peals tribunal.
Both men were acquitted, be
fore standing trial for Oornett’s
death, on charges of slaying Mrs.
Virginia Cornett Bausell, Ber
nace’s estranged jyife and daugh
ter of Cornett.
The woman and her father died
in a gun battle at the Cornett
home where, witnesses said, more
than 20 shots were fired. Both
Bausells were wounded.
Cornett, the slain man, was a
native of the Elk Creek section
of Grayson county, and his moth
er, Mrs. Amelia Cornett, still
lives near Elk Creek, as do her
son and daughter-in-law, Dr. and
Mrs. Horace V. Cornett.
A graduate
scholarship to
Haverford college
—wa* awarded recently to
J. Clark Cornett, Jr., of
Hickory, who is a student at
Guilford college. Young
Cornett is a son of Rev. J. Clark
Cornett, pastor of the First
Methodist church in Hickory. The
Rev. Mr. Cornett is a former
pastor of the Sparta Methodist
circuit and a native of Grayson
county, Virginia. He is now a
member of the Western North
Carolina conference, but was for
merly a member of Holston con
ference.
David Stafford, of Oak Ridge,
who is a student at Guilford col
lege, also was awarded the Ha
verford scholarship, which is for
the academic year of 1938-39.
Both Cornett and Stafford are
campus leaders. Cornett was giv
en an award last lear of a year’s
scholarship at Munich, Germany,
where he made the highest scho
lastic rating of all the American
students. He will pursue further
work in the German department,
while Stafford expects to work
for the master’s degree in the
department of philosophy.
R. C. Hampton was
the only athlete
at North Carolina
—State college, Raleigh, to win
two awards in winter sports;
namely, boxing and wrestling.
Young Hampton, who is a son of
Mr. and Mrs. Carl Hampton,
Stratford, is a freshman student
at State college, and is popular
ly known on the campus as “Al
leghany.” He is in the heavy
weight class.
Hampton also won his letter in
football; last fall. He played in
the first football game he ever
saw, it is said.
A series of
revival meetings
is to begin
—at Scottville on Sunday after
noon, March 27.
Services will be held during
the day, and at 7:30 o’clock at
night. The pastor, Rev. Howard
J. Ford, will be assisted by Rev.
Herbert Caldwell, of Indepen
dence.
*VA Chairman Ousted By Roosevelt
WASHINGTON, D. C. . . Arthur E. Morgan (inset), who was
summarily dismissed Tuesday from office as chairman of the TVA
by President Roosevelt, after the TVA, which had often been the
target for outside attacks, was threatened from within. Director
Harcourt A. Morgan (left) was elevated by the chief executive to
the chairmanship. Director David E. Lillienthal fright) was among
those opposing the policies of Chairman Morgan.
Charles A. Jonas
was nominated
by Republicans
—of North Carolina, at the
state convention in Char
lotte March 16, for the
United States Senate, and
elected Jake Newell, Charlotte,
to succeed Chairman W. C. Meek
ins. Delegates to the convention
also heard Colonel Frank Knox,
of Chicago, Republican vice pre
sidental nominee in 1936, fire a
broadside at the new deal.
Chairman Meekins .placed the
name of Jonas in , nomination for
the senate. Neal Sowers, States
ville, offered the name of Dr. J.
Forest Witten, of Mooresville. An
undertone of conversation ran
over the hall.
It was apparent a contest was
on. There were shouts in the rear
of the hall that Jonas didn’t want
the nomination, that it should go
to someone who would make a
fight.
Sinclair Williams, Cabarrus
lawyer, tried to check the fight.
He proposed that two nominees
be placed in the field to keep the
election machinery working.
Delegates clamored for a vote
on Williams’ proposal. Temporary
Chairman Irvin Tucker, ofWhite
ville, put the question. There was
a vigorous “yea” but a roar of
“noes.’*
Delegates demanded the mo
tion be restated and put to vote
again. A second time it was snow
ed under. Then Tucker called for
a poll of delegates on Jonas and
Witten. The result was: Jonas
1,043%; Witten, 260%.
All eyes turned on Witten as
he vaulted from his chair on the
floor and mounted the rostrum.
Some looked for a storm to break
as he approached the microphone
with clinched fists. But the storm
never broke.
Witten apparently struggled to
regain control of his feelings,
spoke briefly in explanation of
his campaign and moved the
choice of Jonas be made unani
mous. The delegates applauded,
and with a single exception, fell
in line.
Herbert F. Seawell, Carthage,
and Irvin B. Tucker, Whiteville,
were nominated for associate jus
tices of the supreme court, S. E.
Hall, of Winston-Salem, nominat
ing the latter. —ohn M. Moore
head, was offered for the utilities
commission. Mrs. Eugene Hester,
Rockingham county, was made
state vice chairman, her name
being offered by Mrs. Lindsay
Patterson and seconded by
“Queen” Bess Keenan, of Farm
ington. This completed the offi
cial slate.
A net increase
in deposits since
December 319 1937
—-of approximately $74,000 has
been reported by the North
western Bank, North Wilkesboro.
Few banks in the country will
show an increase in deposits since
the first of this year, it has been
said.
Edwin Duncan, first vice presi
dent of the institution, states
that, owing to the size of its
capital, the Northwestern Bank
will make any reasonable loan in
any community where a branch
of the bank is located.
Approximately 700
forest fires
burned in N. C.
—during 1937, as a result
of brush burning, acoording
to R. D. Gentry, Alleghany
county forest warden, These
700 fires, it te pointed out, cost
the state of North Carolina
thousands of dollars damage to
timber and wild life, to say noth
ing of the effect they ha(ve on
such things as soil erosion and
the aesthetic value of the wood
land.
Every single .one of those 700
fires represents a case where
someone was careless with fire.
Therefore, County Warden R. D.
Gentry takes this opportunity to
remind all who intend to burn
brush, sedge, or debris of any
kind in connection with their
Spring farming and clearing to
familiarize themselves fully with
the North Carolina fire laws.
“Before burning debris of any
kind, one should obtain from their
County Forest Warden, or one of
his authorized representatives, a
burning permit. The State law
on this is as follows:
“The General Assembly of
North Carolina do enact:
“Section 1. That is shall be un
lawful for any person, firm or
corporation to start or cause to
be started any fire or ignite any
material in any of the areas of
woodlands under the protection of
the State Forest Service or with
in five hundred feet of any such
protected area, between the first
day of April and the fifteenth day
of June, inclusive, or between the
fifteenth day of October and the
first day of December, inclusive,
in any year, without first obtain
ing from the State Forester or
one of his duly authorized agents
a permit to set .out fire or ignite
any material in such above men
tioned protected areas; that no
charge shall be made for the
granting of said permits.
Section 2. That tlita act shall
lot apply to any fires started or
:aused to be started within five
hundred feet of a dwelling house,
“Section 3. That any person,
Firm or corporation violating this
act shall be guilty of a mis
demeanor and shall be fined or
imprisoned in the discretion of
the court.
“Section 4, That all laws and
clauses of laws in conflict with
the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed.
“Section 5. That this act shall
be in full force and effect from
and after its ratification.
Instructions are as follows:
"Burning permits can be ob
tained from County Forest War
den Gentry, at Sparta, or George
Royal, Roaring Gap,
"After securing a burning per
mit, notify your adjoining land
owners that you intend to do
such burning. Maintain careful
and competent watch over your
fire and, by all means, never
leave your fire until it is com
pletely out
“Even after you have made
the above provisions, never go
ahead and bum while there is a
high wind blowing and the woods
are dangerously dry. Burn fol
lowing a rain; in the afternoon
(Turn to page eight, please)
The Junior class
of Sparta H. S.
will present
—the play, “Antics of An
drew,” in the high school
auditorium o n Saturday
night, March 26, at 7:30
o’clock. This play was originally
scheduled for presentation here
on February 26, was postponed
because of the fact that the
school was closed at that time,
due to the prevalence of a num
ber of cases of scarlet fever in
the county ,
It has been said that this play
promises to be one of the best \
amateur performances seen in i
Sparta in a long time, being filled
with genuine comedy and real j
fun.
An interested person said re
cently, commenting on the sched
uled play: “Petunia, the cook,)
played by Shirley McMillan, and i
Jacques, the French valet, play-!
ed by Frank Osborne, hate each
other vehemently, and they’ll i
have you roaring with laughter j
one minute and trembling the j
next for fear they actually will i
annihilate each other.
“The jolly wise-cracking young
collegians who never let school
work interfere with their social
activities get into ‘hot Water,’ as
one 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
pals, played by Charles Dean
Choate and Charles Pugh, suc
ceed in getting themselves into
screamingly funny predicaments
because they are masquerading
as Andrew’s wife and mother-in
law. Uncle Isaac, eccentric, bull
headed and stubborn, but friend
ly and rich, provides laugh after
laugh as he shocks the college
group With his manners and de
termined ideas.”
billboards are
held partly to
blame in N. C.
for the state’s high auto
mobile death I rate. Members
of the Governor’s committee
on roadside control and
improvement heard speakers ex
press such an opinion on Wed
nesday of last week in Raleigh.
The speaker's also asserted that a
state-wide highway beautifioation
program would be “rattling good
business.’’
Coleman W. Roberts, of Char
lotte, chairman of the com
mittee, said legislation was need
ed to regulate the placing of bill
boards. He added, however, that
the aim of the committee was not
to wipe out billboard advertising
completely;' :"gt.
Governor Hoey described the
roadside program as “one of
the outstanding things we can
accomplish during the coming
year.”
“We must not invade the prov
ince of outdoor advertising un
less it is necessary to remove
those things which menace the
safety of our highways,’’ Hoey
said.
T. S. Johnson, of Raleigh_ con
sulting engineer for the depart
ment of conservation and develop
ment, said the tourist business
could be built up to bring Tar
Heels $300,000,000 yearly.
“The best way to build Up our
tourist income is to handle and
entertain the tourists properly,”
Johnson said. “It is not only an
excellent ieda for us to try to
live in beauty, but it’s rattling
good business."
More rigid enforcement of san
itary laws and the drafting of
certain new sanitary measures
would encourage tourists to stop
in this state, Dr. Carl V. Rey
nolds, state health' officer said.
SEVENTH GRADE STUDENTS
OF ROCK CREEK SCHOOL
—who made the Honor Roll an
nounced recently were Mary Sue
Reeves, Millard Crouse and How
ard Joines.
These names were inadverteflt
ly omitted from the list of Hon
or Roll students of this school
published recently in THE TIMES.
REV. R. L. BERRY WILL
PREACH IN SPARTA SUNDAY
—at 11 a. m., in the Baptist
church, and also at 7:30 o’clock
Sunday night.
Governor Hoey Delivered An
Address To N. C. Teachers
In Raleigh On Sat. Morning
—at the closing session of the 54th annual ses
sion of. the North Carolina Education association.
The chief executive told the teachers that, unless
school serves more practical purposes, graduates would
be ill prepared to earn a living. “Learning how to make
a living is still a most essential part of education.” the
Secretary Hull
desires that the
U. S. be a force
:—for peace in the world
that will be respected in a
world threatened by “inter
national anarchy” and “bar
barism.’’ The secretary of state
in President Roos'hvelt’s cabinet
warned peace-loving nations every,
where, in an address broadcast
Thursday,, that they must wo.rk
unceasingly for law and order',
lest a retreat in any quarter en
courage the spread of “medieval
chaos’’ throughout the world.
Broadcasting to seething Eur
ope from a luncheon meeting of
the National Press club, Hull
said:
“The catastrophic developments'
of recent years, the startling
events of the past weeks-, offer a
tragic demonstration of how
quickly the contagious scourge of
treaty-breaking and armed vio
lence spreads from one region
to another."
Going into a storm cellar of
isolation offers no security for
Americans, he said; the United
States must continue to discuss
world problems with peace-loving
powers and to act along parallel
lines with them when appropriate
but on the other hand this coun
try should enter no entangling
alliances.
Most students of foreign af
fairs interpreted this to mean
there was litjtle chance of this
government’s accepting Soviet
Russia’s invitation to confer with
other powers on means of halting
international aggression.
Preliminary to- Act
These students said the invita
tion of Soviet Foreign Minister
Litvinoff apparently was prelimi
nary to a collective action agree
ment, which would be tantamount
to an alliance.
But they expressed belief this
government would be willing to
consult individually with various
countries.
Secretary Hull declared the
United States had no notion of
using American armed forces for
“policing the world.” But he
expressed the “profound convic
tion” that the most effective con
tribution this country could make
toward peace would be to have
itself respected throughout the
world “for integrity, justice good
will, strength, an unswerving loy
alty to principles.”
To make such a contribution,
he continued, the United States
must not retreat from the Far
East nor withdraw its protection
from Americans and American
interests everywhere.
Turning to the administration’s
billion-dollar naval expansion pro
gram, now pending in congress,
he said:
“It is my considered judgment
(Turn to page five, please)
Students on the
Honor Roll at
Glade Valley
—high school for the third quar
ter of the 1937-38 term are as
folows:
Maggie Sapp, 97.8; Frances
Bryan, 97.4; Juanita Darnell,
97.29; Virginia Moxley, 95.8;
and Evelyn McCall 95.
Honorable mention was award
ed as follows:
Nina Phillips, 94.77; Cleo Os
borne, 93.79; Violet Blevins, 93.
55; Mary Emma Lagerholm, 92.
71; Alene Phillips, 91.75; Bobbie
McCall,n'91.71; Georgia Bryan,
90.5; Magdalena Darnell, 90.38;
Mary Louise Branche, 89.84; Sal
lie Woodie, 89.84, and Elma Mil
ler, 89.5.
ALLEGHANY BOYS WHO ARE
INTERESTED IN C. M. T. C.
—should see R. E. Black, it has
been anounced. Alleghany coun
ty has been allotted a quota of
three boys to attend the C. M.
T. C., at Fort Bragg.
governor said. “The cultural
training should not be minimized,
but the practical should b.e em
phasized and given the same rank
in credits as is accorded the pure
ly scholastic work.’’
He reiterated his support of
the addition of. a 12th grade.
A resolution adopted by the
educators opposing Junior' R. O.
T. C. units said “militarization”
resembled “the Hitlerizing of
German youth” and was “repug
nant to our ideals of democracy.”
In asking for salary boosts^ the
teachers said the basie minimum
wage scale should be at least as
high as in 1929.
“The minimum restoration for
1939-1940 should be 10 per cent,’’
the resolution stated.
B, L. Smith, of Greensboro,
new president of the association,
sent a message, to the contention
urging a “balanced educational
program.” He was unable to
attend because of illness.
“The scope of the program
must look to. the inclusion of a.
12th grade, nursery schools,
adult classes and special pro
vision for exceptional children,”
the message said.
Dr. J. Henry Highsmith, of
Raleigh, state director of voca
tional education, Friday night
was announced as the winner of
the race for the vice presidency
of the association.
He defeated Dr. W. A. Brow
nell. of Duke university. The
vote was not announced. Mr.
Smith, of Greensboro, retiring
vice president, wTas elevated to
the presidency without opposition
to succeed Dr. W. C. Jackson,
Greensboro.
Dr. Francis Spauding, profes
sor of secondary education at
Harvard university, told the
teachers Friday night to disre
gard the “cast-iron plan of teach
ing” and formulate a common
sense approach to teaching the
pupil things he can use in a’
manner that will make him use
them.’’
Earlier Friday the delegates
heard that federal aid for edu
cation was “inevitable.” The
speaker, Dr. Howard A. Dawson,
director of rural service for the
National Education association,
said that a poll of representatives
and senators had indicated the
Harrison-Fletcher bill, to provide
$100,000,000 for public schools,
would pass when it comes to a
vote.
Federal aid, he asserted, would
benefit the South more than any
(Turn to page five, please)
The district
music contest
will be held
—in the auditorium of
Appalachian State Teachers
college, Boone, on Saturday,
April 9. Counties compris
ing the district are Alleghany,
Ashe, Avery, Mitchell and Wa
tauga.
High schools that participated
in this annual event last year
were: Bethel high school, Blow
ing Rock high school, Boone high
school, Cranberry high school,
Elk Park high school, Newland
high school and Spruce Pine high
school. Additional schools are ex
pected to participate this year,
among which is Todd high school.
It is hoped that other schools
which have not already indicated
an intention of doing so will
join.
Enrollment blanks have been
sent out by the state department
and these must be sent in, with
all entries and fees, to Miss Vir
ginia Wary, who is chairman of
this district. These blanks are
due not later than Saturday,
March 26, which will be two
weeks before the contest.
If there are any schools which
have not received entry blanks,
they should write at once to the
district chairman if they wish to
participate in the contest, it has
been pointed out.