ALLEGHANY
STAR if TIMES
The STAR, established 1889.
The TIMES, established 1925.
, Published Every Thursday At Sparta, N. C. '
Walter S. Mead, Editor and Publisher
Paul Swanson, Advertising
Office in Transou Bldg. opp. Post Office
One Year by Mail .-. ?1.50
One Year by Mail in Alleghany County .... $1.00
All Subscriptions In Advance
Entered at the Sparta, N. C. Post Office as
Second Class Mail matter.
I
Alleghany County
Formed in 1859
Area, 209 sq. miles or 133,760 acres
Elevation, average, 2,700 feet.
County Seat, Sparta, population, 652
County Officers: .
Clerk of Court .-----. A. F. Reeves
Register of Deeds .--.- T. M. Gambill
Sheriff and Treasurer . DeWitt Bryan
Coroner .. Dr. B. O. Choate
Surveyor ... 4- 0. Sparks
Superintendent of Health -- Dr. B. O. Choate
Superintendent of Schools .......... W. C. Thompson
Superintendent of Public Welfare ...... Lillie Ervin
Farm Demonstration Agent .—. R. E. Black
Chairman Board of Education . T. Roy Burgiss
Chairman Board of Elections —— Amos Wagoner
Game Warden and Forest Warden .... R. D. Gentry
County Attorney ... R. F. Crouse
County Commissioners: V. B. Phipps, Chairman,
Mouth of Wilson; Mac D. Wagoner, Whitehead,
and J. C. Gambill, Independence.
Thursday, December 5, 1940.
A Thought for the Thoughtful
BE A FRIEND
When your lucky star, is shining
And dame fortune favors you,
You will .find your good luck sweeter,
If your neighbor shares it, too.
There’s a heap of satisfaction,
When a helping hand you lend,
Just to know that someone’s happier
’Cause you paused to be a friend.
fjnii
• 0
“Let There Be Light
>>
..h
What Is Capitalism?
The head of one of America’s larg
est banks recently had this to say con
cerning capitalism : “Business must have
capital. What is capital? Savings.
Whose savings? The people’s, yours,
your friends, your neighbors.
“Everyone who saves something
from his earnings and puts that money
to work, or has it put to work for him,
is a capitalist.
“That is the American way, the
way in which America has been built.
Capitalism is democracy—at work.’’
That’s simple, and it’s sound. Capi
talism is a term too often used to mis
lead the uninformed and create political
discord. The truth is that capital is
the collective invested savings of mil
lions of people—the man with a hun
dred dollars, the woman with five hun
dred.
That’s what the capital in the na
tion’s banks consists of. The average
bank deposit is small. But put millions j
of those accounts together and you get
real money—the money that goes to
build homes, to start businesses, to ex
pand industries, to make jobs, and to
do the thousand and one things neces
sary to keep American industry expand
ing and employing labor.
The nation’s bankers are simply the
custodians of this capital. They don’t
own it. Tl^ are hired managers, re
sponsible iflka&ir depositors and con
trolled by ^^ftr'ctest kind of laws. It’s
their job t^^H it to work where it is
safe—and it will be employed in
building up l^Hwealth and the resourc
es and the tWnomic and social values
of America.*The great majority of
American fairies are capitalists. Their
future security depends cn invested say
ings in industries, ir. fife insurance, in
land, etc. Any ~ olitical trend which
weakens our private enterprise system,
strikes at individual savings—capital.
,m!
1 Other Editors* Comments
——I.IIIIIIWIHM>H>tMHIIimiMMIM«W»«HHmHHIMIW4Hm<H«HIIIIIKIHHIM»m0
Back of Democracy
That the young people of the totalitarian
countries are being highly trained in the ideo
logies their respective governments wish to
maintain is well known. The people of the
United States, on the other hand, awakened
by world events, are today stressing with in
creased earnestness the teaching of democracy
to young people.
What do these young, Americans think?
With what moral tdgor do they face their per
sonal problems? How firm is the foundation
upon which they build their individual view
points? Honest answers to such questions give
hint of the strength of the Nation in the years
directly ahead. And incomplete are such
answers without this solemn statement from the
findings of the White House Conference on Chil
dren in a Democracy:
Despite tjie efforts of the churches to give
their children religious training, it was esti
mated that approximately half of the children
and young people in the United States receive
no religious instruction outside the home.
The statement, as quoted from the Public
Affairs Pamphlet, “America’s Children,’’ also
points out the Conference’s stand: That religion
helps give children an “understanding of the
worth of persons and the value of human fel
lowship.”
Now the “worth of persons” is at the very
heart of the principles of democracy as set j
forth in the Constitution of the United States.
It is, further, a concept directly dependent upon
an acknowledgment and understanding, of God.
The “value of human fellowship” or in its j
deeper significance, the brotherhood of man, is |
equally fundamental. Young people allowed to
grow up without Christianity, miss the very
essence of the meaning of democracy.
Once religion was the concern of the home.
Churches held brief Sunday Schools largely for
examining or overseeing the teaching of the
home. Today, Sunday School teaching is all
that many children get. Furthermore, these
children, plus those attending the voluntary mid
week religious periods conducted by churches
where the public schools excuse the children
for this purpose, total only half the children in
America.
What of the other half, Are they given
religious training in their homes? It is sus
pected that with few exceptions, the parents
who do not care enough to send their child
ren to Sunday Schools already awaiting the
privilege of teaching them, are not likely to
give them religious training ,at home.
Fifty per cent untaught in an avowedly
Christian Nation is fifty per cent too many at
any time. In the face of the aggressive anti
Christian thought in the world today it amounts
to a dangerous weakness in democracy’s defense
—a weakness that should not be underestimated
nor neglected.
As President Sproul of the University of
California recently said:
Essentially Americanism, which is democ
racy, is a moral and spiritual adventure, con
cerned primarily with a sound and workable
philosophy of life, summed up in the fatherhood
of God, and the brotherhood of man.
If our children are to be strong in the
world that emerges from the present conflicts,
they must habitually rely upon a Power higher
than themselves, and envision a brotherhood of
man only possible when founded upon the
teachings of the most spiritually minded brother
of man who ever lived.—^-Christian Science
Monitor.
Critical Opposition
There is much talk in Washington of
“unity.”
The American people should be on their
guard against that word.
With the present Administration “unity”
may mean Totalitarianism.
All totalit
tion or tne o
If there
people did no
European on'
In some.
Senator
in an impor
people warns
This “n
the three dis
Mussolini.
As Senat
the recent e!
defense but '
“The R(
surrender its
cal vigilance,
vigorously r<
lion voters v
nee the larg
were two me
election retr
The An:
opposed to
Europe have
last few y«
Court and
were being
We ha'
rubber-stam]
The ve
• \ er-watchfi
In the
the Presided
let us be ii
enough to c
we are convi
United
united alway
But div
concern whe
ual America
we have el
News-Post.
I The Hicnor^^rove Low Down I
s s
This Mr. Willkie don’t need to tfeel too bad
about the election. He came out second best,
but any duck who will get around 21 million
votes versus around 25 million for the other
side, is not doing so bad.
Mr. Willkie’s outfit was not organized. His
boys just went out there and tackled the other
side—out in the open—wherever they could get
a toe on tlie platform.
You take Red Grange when he was runnin’ |
rampant for Illinois, he only went to town
when his buddies got organized and helped open
a hole for him. This Mr. Willkie and his young
go-getting crew are gonna be poison too, when
they get a little more practice.
Yours with the low down,
JO SERRA
OUR DEMOCRACY——
WHO OWNS
AMERICAN
WEALTH ?
A CLEARING OF LAND
REPRESENTED A
colonist's WEALTH.
200 YEARS AGO —
HOMES, FARMS.
SMALL MILLS AND
SHOPS. OPERATED
BY INDIVIDUALS.
REPRESENTED
jU WEALTH.
« ^ % -—fill
IOO YEARS AGO —
THE STEAM ENGINE
EXPANDED PRODUCTION,
INDIVIDUALS POOLED
CAPITAL TO OPERATE
THEM, INCREASE
WEALTH.
jTjoDAY MILLIONS OF INDIVIDUALS POOL THEIR.
WEALTH TO PROVIDE CAPITAL FOR VAST
ENTERPRISES. THE NATIONS 64,000,000
LIFE INSURANCE POLICYHOLDERS HAVE A
BIG STAKE IN U.S. INDUSTRY THROUGH THE
INVESTMENT OF ASSETS WHICH ARE THE
SECURITY BEHIND THEIR POLICIES.
(This poem is by the son of Mrs. Belle Blevins, of
Topia. He joined the U. S. Army recently, and while
sailing on the “American Liner,” en route to Panama,
wrote the following description of his trip and his
feelings.—Ed.) '
“To Mother”
I’m on the ship that is taking me away,
Across the salty brine.
To spend two years away from home
From that darling, mother of mine.
It was a clear, windy day, and everyone felt fine,
When into the ship marched three hundred,
ninety and nine,.
To accompany with four hundred more soldiermen
We still sail tonight at sea,—land yet to find.
Upon the deep blue sea,
While sailing two days and nights or more
A group of jolly soldiers,
Longing to reach the shore.
We now have passed several islands away,
And seen a gunboat or two;
But the largest island we passed
Was the lovely island of Cuba.
The weather has been pleasant and bright,
Until mid-Sunday night,
When clouds came up and sprinkled the deck
But soon everything was all right.
Monday morning came and the sun shone bright,
Everyone seemed to be hot;
But near noon-day the clouds came up
And it rained an awful lot.
Tomorrow is the day I land, I land in Panama,
To serve two years in the Canal Zone;
But when my time has full expired
I shall return to you, mother,—and home.
I still remember the Friday I left,
Brothers and sisters all feeling sad,
How I kissed those tender lips of yours,
And left you, Mother, and Dad.
I knew it was a “bye-bye” kiss;
How sad to me it really did seem,
To leave the sweet Mother of mine
And vanish away like a dream.
Sweet Mother, let your love shine on,
Your promises all are true;
For the very day I leave this place
I am coming back to you. :
JARVIS H. BLEVINS
Vox
Vox, Dec. 3.—L. C. Cox, of
Vox, a school bus driver, was
sent to North Wilkesboro Hos
pital last Saturday with ,a broken
leg. He returned home on the
following Tuesday and it is re
ported that the fracture is mend
ing nicely.
Carl Shoot, of Mouth of Wil
son, has moved to Dillon Ed
wards’ place.
Mr. and Mrs. Walter Caudill
spent Saturday night with Mr.
and Mrs. Stuart Barrett.
Mr. and Mrs. Reid Fender were
the guests of Mrs. Evelyn Smith
last Sunday.
Mrs. James Maines and Miss
Litha Patton visited Miss Mary
and Clyde Burris Sunday.
Mr. and Mrs. Garnett Brown
and children bisited Mr. Brown’s
mother, Mrs. Calton Sparks.
Mrs. C. C. Choate made a busi
ness trip to Sparta Saturday.
Mrs. H. C. Evans was shopping
in Galax Monday.
Ray Mainea spent Sunday with
Luther Smith.
What He Didn’t Like
A horse dealer was trying to
sell a, horse afflicted with heaves,
and said to the prospective buyer:
“Hasn’t he a fine coat? Isn’t
it a dandy?”
“His coat’s all right, but I
don’t like his pants.”
Overpowering
‘Is you gwine ter let dat mule
do as he please?” asked Uncle
will power?”
“My will powers all right,” he
answered. “You jest want ter
come out hyar an’ measure dis
here mule’s won’t power.”—.
Suited Him All Right
“Mr. Casey,” said the landlord
to Pat, “I am afraid I'll have to
raiuse your rent.” ..
“Ah, now, Mr. Dooley,” re
turned Pat, “don’t he afraid, sir.
Begerra, you’ll have to, for Gi
can’t,”
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I c . T
Scanning
The Horizon
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Bayonets Balk Benito
ADRIAN V. BOYER
Greece’s miracle men of the
Macedonian shock troops have up
set the military strategists’ dope
bucket again by proving to the
dubious dictator master minds,
who branded the bayonet as an
obsolete weapon in modern war
fare, that battles can be won at
the point of the bayonet. This
outmoded weapon was responsible
for the capture of Pogradetz and
Koritza. Italian troops set a new
speed record recently, when they
retreated so fast before the bristl
ing bayonets of the Helenic war
riors that the Greeks found it
difficult to overtake their quarry.
But it is not fair that the Greeks
should resort to such “barbarous”
methods of fighting. The Rome
radio doesn’t like it at all, and
in a broadcast the other day de
clared that “bayonet fighting is
barbarous, and shows that the
Greek nation is uncivilized.’’ The
poor dears! But let the mighty
Mussolini bomb defenseless women
and children behind the line of
fighting—that’s all right, that is
the “civilized” way of combat.
Figure that one out if you can.
The Greek press answered this
charge of “bayonet barbarism” by
the acid retort that “bayonet
fighting is certainly less barbar
ous than using Italian bombing
planes against non-combatants.”
“It is not our fault,” continue
the Athenians, “if the enemy
lacks the courage of soul against
these bayonet charges. Greek
bayonets will continue to do good
work in Albania.”
Jap’s Puppet Power
Peeved
Here’s one for the boys. The
Japanese Government, finding the
going in China tougher than she
had expected, now tries to camou
flage her machine guns behind the
olive branch of peace gestures.
The peace proffers at least have
the distinction of being different
from the ordinary peace set-ups.
In order to effect such a negoti
ation the Nipponese set up a
Chinese traitor, Wang Ching Wei,
over the Chinese people, and then
drew up a treaty with Wang for
peace in China. So you can un
derstand why this puppet prince
is no more popular with the fol
lowers of the Chinese Republic
under the able leadership of Gen
eralissimo Chaing Kai Shek than
a skunk at a formal dinner. And,
to show just how they stand in
the matter, the Central Chinese
Government has offered a reward
of 100,000 Chinese dollars ($6,
000) for any one who brings
Wang’s yellow pelt back to
Chungking. By way of heaping
more coals of insult upon the
fires of injustice against the Japs,
the United States has refused to
! recognize the “new order” in
China. And to demonstrate this,
Uncle Sam loaned the Chaing
Kai Shek government one-hun
dred million dollars immediately
after the phony peace pact was
signed. Of course the puppet
power, Mr. Wang, and the Japan
ese fathers went to the wailing
wall about the American loan.
With fears of frustration they
complained that the U. S. was
showing itself “unfriendly and un
just.” They say it was extended
out of “spite,” and for the “sole
purpose of enabling Chungking to
exhaust China’s strength in use
less conflict with Japan, while
simultaneously weakening Japan’s
position.” The new one-hundred
million dollar U. S. credit is ex
pected bo give China “fresh im
petus against the' disturbers of
peace in the Pacific.” The Chin
ese Nationalist Government was
pleased with the loan, and said it
proved that “China’s democratic
support is stronger than Japan’s
Axis support, although the latter
had formal status.”
Nazis Bomb the
Vital Midlands
The war of Britain is taking
on a different complexion these
days. Instead of concentrating
on London, as the Nazi bombers
have done for months, they are
shifting their ruthless ravages to
England’s vital midlands. In the
British midlands is located the
bulk of her industrial strength,
such cities as Coventry, Liverpool,
Birmingham and others. These
sources .of war power grew up
when England was becoming, the
world’s mightiest industrial nation,
because coal and irqn lay. close
together. There was little at
tempt at concealment of factor
ies, because England was thought
impregnable. When the midlands
were growing the military air
plane had not yet appeared. But
concealment of this sprawling
stretch of country 125 to 250
miles even now would be diffi
cult. A bomb dropped anywhere
in that area would be near a fac
tory, at least. The Germans,
realizing the importance of these
factories, are carrying out a nev
er-before-used technique known as
nmiiimdiiHiiiiiianiii
Travel
Touring the Good
Old U. S. A.
3
Through a Blizzard
In North Dakota
By Sally Bledsoe
And I am forced to say again
that traveling by bus in midwin
ter is not all together a pleasant
experience. For example, this
particular night of which I write
will always haunt me. I had
read of blizzards of snow and
wind, but this night I was actual
ly in a very severe one. Our bus
was just barely creeping along
when it came to a sudden stop,
and a very thin-clad man stepped
inside the bus and told the driver
that his car was out of order, and
that his wife and kids were freez
ing, and would he please send
help from the next town, which
was not very near. I shall al
ways have a mental picture of
that little group, huddled together
in their trap of a car, trying to
keep warm until help came, if it
came in time.
| After hours of slow travel
through this great plains country,
without a sight of civilization or
habitation, it was a pleasure to
find myself in the coldest town
in the U. S.—Fargo, North Da
kota.
I had heard that this unique
distinction belonged to this town, ,
and I wanted to find out for my
self. So I sallied forth with
coat collar high and hat pulled
low, to face the weather whatever
it happened to be. My eyes had
told me that the streets were a
solid sheet of ice, and the wind
was by no means a tropical
breeze. But somehow it didn’t
seem so bitter cold as was sug
gested by the thermometer.
After a short look around, and
a good stretch of my tired mus
cles I got back on the bus, and
shrugged the little town of Fargo
a very cold shoulder, and was
happy with the thought that I’d
be making my way south from
that point, until I reached home.
The next important town was
the interesting city of Minneapo
lis, Minnesota, a very modern and
beautiful city, nestled along the
banks of the Mississippi River. I
cbuld hardly realize that just
three months before I had crossed
that very same river down to New
Orleans, via the beautiful Huey
Long bridge, and how dwarfed
the river looked at this point in
comparison. But, even so, at this
point one could still term it the
mighty Mississippi as it rolled
along its course through this in
dustrial metropolis. My bus at
last drew under the shelter of the
most magnificent and modern bus
terminal I had seen on my entire
trip. It afforded the traveler any
convenience, from a cocktail to a
shoeshine inside its streamlined
portals. It was worthy of Min
neapolis, and Minneapolis was
worthy of it
“area demolition.’’ The devas
tation of Coventry was the first
example of this dreadful tech
nique. Birmingham came next.
The difference between ordinary
'“spot” bombing and “area” bomb
ing. is this:
“Spot” bombers seek to drop
bombs on a single target. “Area.”'
bombers, knowing an objective is
in a certain city, seek the de
struction of the object by destroy
ing the city. That’s what hap
pened to Coventry. It could hap
pen to all the midlands indus
trial towns.
Two things may prevent such
cataclysmic destruction,—its own
high cost, and British defense,
The war could be won or lost in
the midlands. If Hitler can make
important inroads in the produc
tion there, it will be a serious
blow to Britain. But if the mid
lands can hold out, Britain may
ibe able to keep going indefinitely.
Little Mother Knew
At the close of his talk be
fore a Sunday-school the Bishop
invited questions.
A tiny boy, with white, eager
face, at once held up his hand.
“Please, sir,” said he, “why was
Adam never a baby?”
The Bishop coughed in doubt
as to what answer to give, but
a little girl, the eldest of several
brothers and sisters, came
promptly to his aid.
“Please, sir,” she answered
smartly, “there was nobdy to
nuss him.”
Forty thousand manufacturing
firms process the food.that is pro
duced and sold to them by Ameri
ca's six million farmers.