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DEVOTED TO THE CIVIC, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY
Volume No. 15.
GALAX, VA. (Published for Sparta, N. C.) THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1939.
Number 31.
This Week
in
Washington
Washington, Dec. 13 (AS)—
The session of Congress which
will begin on January 3 will be
confronted by a greater variety
of problems, both foreign and
domestic, than any of its prede
cessors since the World War. Old
time Washington correspondents
look forward! to perhaps the storm
iest session since that of 1917.
For one thing, this is a Presi
dential election year, and every
proposal of the President will
come under closer scrutiny and
be more subject to attack by his
political opponents than has been
the case in any preceding Con
gress under this Administration.
While the Republicans have
only 23 Senators out of 96, and
only 169 Representatives out of
435, there is such a decided split
in the Democratic party that no
body can foretell the outcome on
any vital question which may
come before the Congress. The
division in the Democratic party
being in the nature of a revolt
■of many members of both houses
against the “New Deal” policies
of the President, it follows that
whatever Mr. Roosevelt proposes
will face the possibility of a
coalition otf disgruntled Demo
crats with the Republicans to de
feat his program.
Truce Ended
The truce which enabled the
passage of the revised] Neutrality
Act definitely ended when the ex
tra session came to an end in
early November. The coming
session promises to be a battle
to a finish over the major issue,
which is, in effect, whether Roose.
velt runs again.
It has been hinted, in some
quarters which are often well in
formed, that Mr. Roosevelt may
make a public announcement early
in the new session, disclaiming in
unmistakable language all desire
for a renomination. Such a
declaration would clear the air
for the consideration of public
business on its merits, though
there would still remain the in
evitable struggle between Demo
crats and Republicans for po
litical advantage in the 1940
Presidential campaign.
The field in which there is
likely to be more discussion than
any other is that of international
relations, which have taken a
new and alarming turn since the
revised Neutrality Act was pass
ed. Not only has the situation in
the Far East become of more im
mediate concern, but in Europe
the menace of Soviet Russia has
been added to that of Germany.
While the general feeling in
Washington is that neither. Russia
nor Germany offers an immediate
threat to the security of the Unit
ed States, and that the Japanese
Chinese situation is not likely to
get to the stage of a threat to the
Philippines, which this country is
bound to defend if attacked,
nevertheless there has been in
the past two weeks a decided re
vival of the “war jitters” which
had everybody in Washington
stirred up last Summer.
Nation’s Sole Spokesman
This situation works to the
advantage of the President, since
he is the nation’s sole spokesman
in international matters, short of
ratification of treaties or an j
actual declaration of war. It is
generally conceded here that Mr.
Roosevelt’s outspoken indignation
at Russia’s invasion of Finland
reflects an almost universal popu
lar feeling. His general conduct
of European relations in the
present war has met with such
popular approval as to increase
the probability of his reelection
in case he should decide to run
again, and should the interests
of the United States seem to be
seriously threatened.
There is a strong feeling in
Congress that its members should
interfere as little as possible in
the European mess, but there is
an almost equally strong feeling
being expressed that the activities
of the State Department in ne
gotiating trade agreements with
various nations ought to be look
ed into. The belief that Ameri
can interests have not been best
served by some of Mr. Hull’s
deals is gaining strength, espec
ially among members from the
agricultural states. It is certain
that the demand that such trade
agreements, which are authorized
by the Smoot-Bawley tariff bills,
should be subject to ratification
by the Senate, will be put for
ward with vigor, especially by Re
publicans. The traditional division
of the two major parties on the
issue of Free Trade vs. Protec
tive Tariff may come to the fnont
once more.
In Strong Position
The President is in a strong
position to press his requests for
improvement in all phases of our
national defense, and Congress is
scared enough of being involved
(turn to page please)
Swint Osborne
committed suicide
Monday night
—December 11, about eight
o’clock, while sitting alone
in his automobile in front
of the Court House in
Sparta. The deceased man, who
was 31 years of age, was a well
known citizen of Roaring Gap.
Upon arriving in town a few
minutes earlier, Mr. Osborne had
sent his driver, Charlie Pierce, to
the telephone office with a mes
sage. Hearing a shot fired as he
crossed the street, Pierce ran
back to the car, and found Os
borne in a dying condtion. Phy
sicians were summoned but he
was already dead. He had fired
three shots from a pistol.
The act is attributed to des
pondency, from which he had suf
fered for some weeks.
Although a cripple since infan
cy, unable to walk, he was un
usually ambitious and energetic,
and had built up a lucrative!
business as salesman and had ac-j
quired a host of friends.
Surviving are the mother, Mrs.
E. M. Osborne, Roaring Gap;
four sisters: Mrs. George Hend
rickson, Baltimore, Mr.; Mrs. A.
B. Vannoy, West Jefferson; Miss
Clarice Osborne, High Point, and
Lorene Osborne, Roaring Gap, and
one brother, Doughton Osborne,
Yuma, Arizona.
Funeral services were conduct
ed in the Sparta Methodist
Church, of which the deceased
was a member, yesterday (Wed
nesday) afternoon, at one o’
clock, by the pastor, Rev. L. F.
Strader.
Interment was in Shiloh Ceme
tery.
Russia curtly |
rejected the
«• •. «• v
invitation
—lof the League of Nations
to cease hostilities 'in Fin
land and begin peace talks
under league auspices. The
rejection was formally tendered;
early yesterday (Wednesday) in
Moscow.
Premier and Foreign Commis
sar' V. M. Molotov addressed a
formal reply to the league’s tele
graphed proposal to the president
of the league’s special committee
set up to deal with the Finnish
war.
He said the Soviet government
declined! to accept the league's
offer to discuss the Finnish ques
tion, and referred the committee
to his letter of last week to
Joseph A. Avenol, secretary-gen
eral of the league.
That letter said the convening
of the league to hear Finland’s
appeal against Soviet invasion
was an “insult” to Moscow since
Russia did not recognize the Fin
nish government at Helsinki as
representing the Finnish people.
Russia, he said, had sent Red
army troops into Finland upon
the appeal of the people’s govern
ment at Terioki to help that gov
ernment subdue its enemies.
Molotov’s message to the com
mittee said:
“The Soviet government thanks
you for the kind! invitation to
discuss the Finnish question. The
Soviet government does not eom
sioder it possible to accept the
invitation. The reasons are indi
cated in my letter to Avenol of
December 5. (Signed) Molotov.”
Compared! with usual diplomatic
correspondence, the brevity and
curtness of Molotov’s reply was
said in diplomatic circles to be
almost insulting, since it was a
formal message to the represen
tatives of 45 nations.
These sources forecast that
Russia would resign from the
league rather than face possible
league condemnation or penalties.
ELDER C. R. DANCY IS
SCHEDULED TO PREACH
—at the following places and
times:
Union, December 22, at two
o’clock; Little River, Sparta, De
cember 22, at night and Antioch,
December 23 and 24.
A CHRISTMAS SERVICE
WILL BE HELD SUNDAY
—night, December 17, at 7:15
o’clock, at the Sparta Presbyter^
ian Church, by the pastor, Rev.
R. L. Berry.
The Young Women’s
Circle will
hold a meeting
—tonight (Thursday), at 6:45
o’clock, at the home of Mrs. Rob
ert M. Gambill, with Mrs. Dwight
Greene as associate hostess.
Miss Wanda Choate will have
charge of the program.
A mother-daughter
party was given
at Sparta High
—School on 'Thursday, De-j
cember 7, sponsored by the j
Home Economics Depart-1
ment of the school. The
party was attended by aproxi
mately 40 mothers.
The High School reading room
was beautifully decorated in keep
ing with the approaching Christ
mas season.
The girls had on display many
of the garments they have made
during this semester.
Miss Mary Faulk, Home Ec
onomics teacher, greeted the
guests at the door at 7:30 p. m.
As they, assembled, they examin
ed the work on display. Then, for
a time, the mothers and daugh
ters played bingo. Evelyn Ed
wards received a prize for “bin
going” the greatest number of
times.
Various games and contests
were engaged in.
The mothers showed great in
terest in the department, and dis
cussed ways of obtaining funds
for equipment. .
Sandwiches, plum pudding and
coffee were served at the close of
the meeting.
Circle No. 2 of
the Sparta Baptist
Women’s Missionary
—Union held a meeting on Tues
day night, December 12, at the
home of Mrs. Howard J. Ford.
The president, Mrs. Walter
Taylor, presided during the busi
ness session, after which the de
votionals were conducted by the
pastor, Rev. Howard J. Ford.
Mrs. Claude Miles presented a
very interesting program on “My
Responsibilities for the Great Com
mission,” with the following mem
bers taking part: Mrs. Bruce
Wagoner, Mrs. Hugh Choate, Mrs.
Walter Taylor and Mrs. Roy Bur
giss.
The following officers were el
ected for the coming year: pre
sident, Mrs. Walter Taylor; vice
president, Mrs. Roy Burgiss; sec
retary, Mrs. Bruce Wagoner;
treasurer, Mrs. Hugh Choate; per
sonal service chairman, Mrs. R.
L. Hickerson; program chairman,
Mrs. Claude Miles, and publicity
chairman, Mrs. J. G. Mitchell.
During a delightful social hour,
the hostess served fruit cake, cof
fee and Christmas candies.
More Alleghany
people joined
the Red Cross
—this year, during the re
cent annual Roll Call drive,
than perhaps ever before,
except during the World
War.
Rev. R. L. Berry, chairman of
the Alleghany County Chapter,
American Red Cross; Rev.
L. F. Strader, Roll Call chairman,
and Miss Blanche Pugh, Junior
Red Cross chairman, together
■with the various Red Cross work
ers in the county, have been com
mended for what has been refer
red to as the very fine work
they did during the Roll Call.
The workers were the Rev.
Mr. Berry, the Rev. Mr. Strader,
Mrs. C. A. Reeves, Mrs. Dyright
Greene, Mrs. J. T. Inskeep, Mrs.
L. K. Halsey, Mrs. Mexa Phipps,
Miss Lillie Ervin, Miss Nora Hel
en Doughton and C. R. Roe.
A list of those who enrolled as
Red Cross members during the
annual Roll Call in Alleghany
County follows:
George Cheek, Alton Thomp
son, J. Kern Wagoner, Susie Os
borne, Hugh Choate, Amos Wag
oner, Vera Wagoner, Muriel Cau
dill, Charles R. Roe, Harold H.
Higgins, Aileen Perry, B. F. Mc
Cann, Mary Faulk, T. J. Haig
wood, Gertrude Andrews, Arn
old Jones, Mrs. A. C. McMillan,
Grace Rector, Thelma Richard
son, Mrs. A. V. Choate, Mrs.
(turn to page 8, please)
New Streafnlined Mississippi River Boat
ST. LOUIS, Mo.-—Pilots of Mississippi River packets of Mark
Ttyfeiti’s day will probably turn over in their graves when this new
streamlined, five-decked excursion boat is put into operation on the
Mississippi next Summer'. Two screw propellers set in tunnels in
the hull eliminate the traditional side or stern wheels.
“Doug” Fairbanks
died Tuesday in
Hollywood
—California, death 'coming
to the great “Doug” (Doug
las Fairbanks, Sr.) suddenly
and unexpectedly at his
Santa Monica Beach home at
12:45 a. ml, of a heart attack.
He- was 55 years of age.
Tuesday night the family was
still too stunned to think of fu
neral plans. Friends said the
body probably would be placed in
Forest Lawn Cemetery, where lie
the remains of Jean Harlow, Will
Rogers and many other Holly
wood celebrities.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., the ac
tor’s son, remained with the
grief-stricken widow, the former
Lady Sylvia Ashley, ■ throughout
the day. She was prostrated.
In Chicago, Mary Pickford,
Fairbanks’ second wife, said his
death brought “a deep sorrow to
his family and friends but I am
sure it will prove a consolation to
us all to recall the joy and the
glorious spirit of adventure that
he gave to the world ... It
is impossible to believe that that
vibrant and gay spirit could ever
perish.” She was in Chicago for
a visit with her husband, Orches
tra Leader Charles (Buddy) Rog
ers.
Throughout the film colony
there was sadness. Comedian
Charles Chaplain, long a close
friend and beach neighbor, was
‘‘too overcome with grief to make
any comment.”
Fairbanks, ruddy and active as
always, last Saturday was part of
the mass of , 103,000 cheering
fans at the U. S. C.-U. C. L. A.
football game—it was Doug Jr.’s
32nd1 birthday anniversary. Mon
day he had a slight heart twinge.
His physician ordered him to
bed for a week’s rest, and Mrs.
Fairbanks called in a nurse. But
no one, unless it was Doug him
self, believed his indisposition to
be serious.
Fairbanks must have moaned
as he died. His mastiff bulldog,
Marco Polo, barked so loudly he
awakened Mrs. Fairbanks. She
rushed) to the bedside too late
to see her husband alive.
Doug, Jr., and his bride of a
few months, hastened from their
nearby home, as did Robert Fair
banks, brother of the elder Doug,
and Clarence Ericksen, Doug, Sr.’s
manager.
Lion t miss Here
Comes Charlie’,”
at Sparta High
—School, in the auditorium, Sat
urday night, December 16, at
7:80 o’clock, persons active in
the promotion of plans for the
play said recently. The play is
to be presented by the Junior
Class.
“If you want to see how two
real ‘hill-billys’ learn the ways
of ‘high-falutin’ ’ ‘sassiety’ folks,”
it was said further, “see this play.
We promise you an evening of
wholesome fun and laughter.”
WILBUR C. SPRUILL DIED
ON TUESDAY MORNING
—at two o’clock, in the Veterans
Facility at Roanoke, Va., from
the effects of an automobile ac
cident November 23. He was
manager of the Salisbury Social
Security field office, serving coun
ties in Northwestern North Caro
lina.
The Sparta High
School basketball
teams entered
—the Mountain Park Tour
nament, which began on
Wednesday, December 6. On
Friday night, December 8,
the Sparta boys played! the White
Plains boys and were defeated
28-13. The Sparta girls played
the White Plains girls and won
by a score of 25-21.
On Saturday night, in the
semi-finals, the girls played West
Yadikin and won by a score of
25 to 22. In the finals, the
Sparta team met Low Gap and
were defeated 38-30.
Twelve girls’ teams and ten
boys’ teams entered the tourna
ment. Sparta girls and Low Gap
girls, and Beulah boys and- Elkin
boys came to the finals.
At the close of the last game,
Mr. Gentry, principal of Mountain
Park School, called to the center
of the court the coaches and cap
tains of the four teams that com
peted in the finals and presented
each school with a trophy. Miss
Aileen Perry, Spara coach, and
Rose Wagoner, captain, received*
a trophy for Sparta High School.
At the same time, an All-star
team was named and each player
selected was given a miniature
gold basketball. Sparta placed
two players on this team—Rose
Wagoner, captain, and a forward,
and Anita Duncan, a guard.
Much interest was shown in
the tournament.
Everyone attending the games, it
seemed, felt they had seen a high
type of sportsmanship displayed
and that the games had been ex
cellent.
Both Sparta teams expect to
enter other tournaments later in
the season.
The Methodist
Young People’s
Union held
—its regular monthly meet
ing Friday night, December
8, in the Sparta Methodist
Church, with a number of
members of the Piney Creek, Shi
loh and Sparta departments pre
sent.
Mrs. P. H. Tompkins, Jr., who
was in charge, presented the fol
lowing program: Hymn. “O Come,
All Ye Faithful,”; Scripture les
son, Mrs. Tompkins; Prayer, Rev.
L. F. Strader; Introduction of
subject, “God Among Men,” Mrs.
P. H. Tompkins, Jr.; Origin of
hymn, “Silent Night,” Ellen Har
din; Hymn, “Silent Night”; Talk,
“Jesus and Prayer,” Velma Pugh;
Duet, “Away in a Manger,” Ellen
Hardin and Sarah Warren; Talk,
“Jesus in Nature, Jesus in Socie
ty, and Jesus as a Constant Com
panion,” Wilma Crouse, and
Hymn, “Joy to the World.”
During the business session,
the union president, Miss Mollie
Hampton, presided.
During the social period, Mrs.
Jay Hardin, Mrs. Dwight Greene
and Miss Marie Perry served
sandwiches, pickle, fruit cake and
hot chocolate to approximately
fifty persons.
THE GERMAN LINER BREMEN
REACHED A GERMAN PORT
—Tuesday night, running the Bri
tish blockade, after a long ad
venture.
The Methodist
Women’s Missionary
Society will meet
—tomorrow (Friday) afternoon,
at 2:30 o’clock, at the home of
Mrs. Beal Poole, With Mrs. R. T.
Burchette as associate hostess.
The program will be in charge
of Rev. L. F. Strader.
Governor Hoey
was optimistic
on his 62nd
—b irthday anniversary
Monday, ,and in an interview
painted an optimistic word
picture of the North Caro
lina of the future—a state with
balanced agricultural practices, a
^ound economic structure and a
unified urge for progress.
The governor made two other
predictions, but explained that
both were contingent on supposi
tions that business would con
tinue to improve and that there
would be a consequent continued
increase in state tax receipts.
Those predictions were: That
there would be no diversion of
highway funds during his ad
ministration; and that it would
be possible, sometime next spring,
to make another substantial allot
ment from the highway surplus
for additional road betterments.
The state’s greatest need, he
said, is a “satisfactory solution of
our agricultural situation.”
“We should make a transition
from two or three money crops
to a widely-diversified agriculture,
with a consequent increase in
dairying and in the raising of
hogs, cattle and poultry—and
with a translation of more ten
ants into landlords,” he added.
There was one query which the
governor said he couldn’t answer.
That was the question of what he
would do after the expiration of
7ns term; in January, 1941.
“I haven’t decided yet,” he
said. “I'm not going to give that
a thought until July 1, 1940. Six
months — 1 guess that’s long
enough to think about anything.”
Previously, Governor Hoey had
indicated he probably would re
turn to his home in Shelby, and
resume the practice of law.
Asked whether he had any
further political ambitions-—the
governor has been endorsed for
the presidency by North Caro
lina’s legislature and numerous
other state groups—-he replied:
“None that 1 can specify. Pm
not thinking in terms of that now.
I’m still thinking about tending
to the duties of this office.”
Looking back over the three
years he has served as North
Carolina’s chief executive, the
governor said he thought the
state’s single greatest achievement
during that time was “the devel
opment of greater unity, together
with the freedom from industrial
disputes of a serious nature, and
the united effort on the part of
all the people for the progress
and advancement of the state.”
Aiming auiicvciucuia atvym
plished by the legislature in the
last three years, he listed (not
necessarily in what he considered
the order of their importance):
1. “Balanced budgets.”
2. “The largest public building
program in the state’s history,
brought about despite the fact
that the state’s total debt is being
steadily reduced. Practically every
benevolent and educational insti
tution, both for whites and Neg
roes, has been benefited by the
program.”
3. “Adoption of a continuing
revenue measure which will be a
great time-saver for future legis
latures and will stablize the tax
system.”
4. “Removal of the sales tax
from 11 essential foods.”
5. “Free school books which
were provided for all children in
the elementary grades of public
schools.”
6. “Enlargement of agricultu
ral research work and coalition
of effort on the part of North
Carolina State College and the
state department of agriculture,
The last legislature made the
best provision in years for agri
culture.”
7. “Election law reforms.”
8. “A social securtiy program
which is in full and complete
compliance with the whole federal
program. As a result of the
state’s compliance, approximately
36,000 checks are mailed monthly
for old persons, 22,000 for de
pendent children, and 2,000 foi
blind persons.”
The governor said that, at the
present time, and during the Iasi
two months, more work was being
(turn to page 8, please)
J. M. Broughton
entered the race
for governor
j —of North Carolina in a
| formal announcement Tues
day night in Raleigh. Mr.
Broughton is a widely
known Raleigh lawyer and Bap
tist leader.
In a 1,500-word statement
Broughton set forth “in general
my views on essential matters of
government.”
Broughton was the second can
didate to announce for the Demo
cratic gubernatorial nomination,
which is tantamount of election.
Lieutenant Governor W. P. Hor
ton of Pittsboro made his decla
ration 10 days earlier. State
Senator L. L. Gravely of Rocky
Mount is expected to announce
any day, and Revenue Commis
sioner A. J. Maxwell shortly after
Christmas. Also regarded as like
ly candidates are Willis Smith otf
Raleigh and Mayor Thomas E«
Cooper of Wilmington. The pri
mary will be held in May, 1940.
Bom in Raleigh, November 17,
1888, Broughton attended Wake
Forest College. Eight years after
he was graduated he became a
member of the Wake Forest
board of trustees, a post he still
holds. He taught school two
years, worked as a newspaper
reporter in Winston-Salem a short
time, then entered upon the prac
tice of law in Raleigh in 1914.
He represented Wake County
in the state senate in 1927 and
1929. He was keynoter at the
state Democratic convention in
1936 and a presidential elector
that year. In 1936 he also was
president of the North Carolina
Bar Association.
Like Governor Hoev, whom he
hopes to succeed, Broughton is
widely known as the teacher of
a men’s Bible class. He has been
superintendent of the Tabernacle
Baptist Sunday School sinc< 1913
and has taught the Bible class
there 15 years.
Broughton said he entered the
campaign upon his own initiative,
and “not as a candidate of any
group, bloc or political faction.
My candidacy will be directed to
all Democrats in the state. If
nominate and elected, I will be
under no. obligation except to
serve the people of North Caro
lina to the best of my ability.”
He said he had made “no alliances
based on any gubernatorial o«r
other campaigns in the past” and
that should he be elected he
would “leave to the people the
choice of my successor’ and shall
not try to control or influence
such choice.”
The lawyer said he expected to
speak in each of the 100 North
Carolina counties next spring to
discuss fully the public issues.
A total of
100 dozens of
half-gallon cans
I —have been filled again
this year in Alleghany
County and returned to the
Baptist Orphanage at
Thomasville. This canning was
done by members of the denomi
: nation in the county, and the
Canning Chairman has expressed
appreciation to those who have
assisted in the work.
Laurel Springs Church led in
filling the largest number of cans
this year. Liberty had led the
two previous years.
Those who participated in the
canning are as follows:
Belview Church—Mrs. Maggie
Atwood, Mrs. W. F. Jones, Mrs.
Jeter Jones, Mrs. George Shep
pard, Mrs. Ruby Mabe, Mrs. Ruby
Darnell, Mrs. Osborne, Mrs.
Floyd Rose and Mrs. Flora Mabe.
Chestnut Grove — Mrs. C. G.
Andrews Mrs. Leff Edwards, Mrs.
Allen Edwards, Mrs. Wayne Ed
wards, Mrs. Maggie Hoppers, Mrs.
Nannie Edwards, Mrs. Myrtle
Brooks and Mrs. Everett Fender*
Liberty — Mrs. F. W. Cheek,
Mrs. A. O. Joines, Mrs. A. F.
Absher, Mrs. W. P. Maxwell, Mrs.
J. R. Blum, Mrs. W. M. Wagoner,
Misses Watson, Mrs. J. T. Fen
der, Miss Pearl Benge, Mrs. E. E.
Caudill, Mrs. James D. Me.
Wagoner and Mrs. E, F. Hoppers.
Laurel Springs — Mrs. Boyd
Bryant, Mrs. Curtis Blevins, Miss
Pauline Blevins, Mrs. Barnett
Church, Miss Iva Grace Doughton,
(turn to page 8, please)