ALLEGHANY
STAR-kTIMES
OVER HALF A CENTURY OF SERVICE TO THE PEOPLE OF ALLEGHANY COUNTY
52nd. Year. No. 22. Sparta, N. C. Thursday. January 23, 1941.
~~~
PETTENQILL
I "The Gentleman from Indiana’’
m«t>i
Roosevelt and Churchill
Britain is in the grip of war.
Her ships and cargoes are being
sank, and her cities are being
bombed. In this
I crisis she has
| conferred upon
| her prime minis
| ter, Winston
1 Churchill, and his
1 cabinet, power to
| act quickly and j
| efficiently. Nev-'
p erthe less Mr.
Churchill has not
asked, nor have the British peo
ple granted him powers as great
•as those sought by Mr. Roose
velt in his lease-lend bill. This
fact,—and it is a fact, should
give Americans pause.
Mr. Churchill and his cabinet
are subject to be dismissed on
twenty-four hours' notice when
ever a simple majority of a single
House of the British legislature
becomes dissatisfied with either
his policy or his accomplishments.
In addition, as he and his cabi
net are all members of the House
of Commons, they are subject
to interrogation at any time.
It would be interesting to hear
the way the British Empire would
respond if Mr. Churchill were to
make a speech in the House of
Commons stating he is not satis
fied with the power he already
has, but demands practically un
limited personal power to carry
economic and military war into
every country of the world at
his sole discretion, and that
when such powers are granted,
they must be irrevocable.
Such power, in effect, is what
Mr. Roosevelt is asking of the
American people. The powers
granted him could not be recall
ed over his veto without a two
thirds vote in both Houses of
Oongress. '
Pour hundred and thirty-five
members of the House of Repre
sentatives might vote unanimously
to revoke the powers. Sixty
■" three Senators might vote to re
call them—498 in all. But as
Mr. Roosevelt is certain of the
votes of 33 Senators, or one more
than one-third, the, unprecedented
powers he asks could neither be
recalled nor curtailed. Mr. Roose
velt has never f’Pr’-ewdssed a
single power. Do we want such
vaid and irrevocable power vest
ed in one man, surrounded and
advised by Secretaries who would
apparently send an American ex
peditionary force to Europe or
Africa if they thought that neces
sary to prevent British defeat?
But these powers would not be
vested in Mr. Roosevelt alone.
If he were to die or become un
able to act as President, they
would fall into the hands of
Henry Wallace, or any other per
son who might become the Presi
dent of the United States. Who
ever that man might be, the
power could not be recalled nor
curtailed over his veto except by
a two-thirds vote in each House
of Congress. Many people have
confidence in Mr. Roosevelt’s
handling of foreign affairs, but
would they favor these same
powers being exercised by Mr.
Wallace?
ine Dill appears to repeal me
Johnson Act and all other stat
utes which now stand in: the way
of the exercise of these vast
powers. Under it, apparently j
the President could attempt bo ■
send American merchant ships, |
manned by American sailors and!
convoyed by American warships,
through the English Channel to
the port of London. On such a
voyage, under the laws of war,
these ships would be subject to I
be stopped or sunk by the Ger-,
man and Italian navies. Do the j
American people want to vest
in the hands of a single man as ;
fateful power as that?
Unde* the terms of the bill, a
British cruiser crippled in an
engagement on the high seas
could seek shelter from its pur
suing foe at Pearl Harbor, Hono
lulu, or the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
And it is reasonable to expect
that its attackers would follow it,
into American waters. Do the
American people want to invite
the war to our very shores?
Under the bill the President
at his sole discretion could pur
chase munitions and supplies of
war in one foreign country to be
shipped to another foreign coun
try, thus employing foreign labor
at the cost of American labor.
Does labor want him to have this
power?
This bill should be debated at
length and without intimidation
from any source. There is no
occasion for reckless haste.
American factories are now turn
ing out immense quantities of
war supplies for Britain, and,
according to Congressman Charles
S. Dewey, of Illinois, former As
sistant Secretary of the Treasury,
Britain has at least four billion
dollan' worth of American in
vestments left with which she
can pay for .this stream of sup
plies. There is no possibility that
• ■ a
Our world
To Crown Their String of Victories
Berlin.—Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, meet
ing in extreme secrecy, agreed on war measures that
will bring the “blow of destruction against England
in 1941” to crown the axis powers’ string of victories,
informed German quarters said. Hitler’s secret meet
ing with Mussolini was described by a Fascist press
organ as “a solemn warning” to the United States,
and there were predictions that the Nazis would seek
to gain French bases in a supreme effort to drive the
British navy from the Mediterranean. There were
forecasts of a spring axis offensive intended to break
Britain before the United States could make a material
contribution to her defense, and the tone taken by
some authoritative writers suggested that there had
been a virtual merger of German and Italian forces,
including their high commands.
• • •
A Rock on Which to Beat Heads
Istanbul, Turkey.—The official Turkish wireless
announced that the government “has gathered a great
part of its army in Thrace (European Turkey), where
it awaits any possible action.” Discussing the pos
sibility of a German invasion across the Balkans the
radio said: “Those who attack our steel fortress of
Thrace are doomed to fall in the attempt! Turkey
fought on eight fronts in the last war—no one would
doubt her ability to fight on one front alone. Those
who want to beat their heads on the rock may do so.”
• • •
British Begin to Take Tobruk
Cairo, Egypt.—Australian shock troops led by a
crack British regiment smashed through Italian de
fenses at Tobruk, Libya, and captured many prisoners
including a general, the British high command an
nounced. Despite the presence of German dive-bomb
ers in the Mediterranean area the Royal Navy stood
offshore and poured high explosives into Tobruk where
30,000 Italians are besieged.
• • •
Italian Flight from Sudan
Cairo, Egypt.—British desert fighters have driven
into Italian Eritrea at two points along the Anglo
Egyptian Sudan and are continuing their advance in
contact with the fleeing Fascists. With the Italian
flight from the Sudan reported to be general all along
the 200-mile front, the British command said its forces
were hard on the heels of Mussolini’s men east of the
Eritrean towns of Tessenei and Sabderat, where forti
fied Fascist positions were captured without a struggle.
• • •
French Attitude Definitely Stiffer
Vichy.—France refuses to turn over her immobi
lized fleet to Germany for use against Britain and
insists upon full observance of the French-German
armistice despite the reconciliation of Marshal Petain
and Pierre Laval, an official spokesman said.
• • •
Gesture of Friendliness
Washingtop,—In a friendly gesture designed to
improve relations with Moscow, the United States
lifted a “moral embargo’’ on the export of airplanes
and airplane equipment to Soviet Russia. Whether the
move was part of an attempt to drive a wedge between
Russia and the axis powers was not stated, but it has
been known for some time that both Britain and the
United States have been seeking better relations with
the Soviet regime.
• • •
Tar Heels Advance in Washington
Washington.—Springing into action after Mon
day’s historic inauguration, the Senate and House
of Representatives yesterday completed their organi
zation, elevating North Carolinians into new positions
of power and prestige. The Senate ratified the selec
tion of Senator Robert R. Reynolds as Chairman of
the District of Columbia committee; and in the House,
Representative Carl T. Durham of the sixth district
was officially named to the important committee on
military affairs. Other shifts brought higher seniority
ranking to other members of the delegation and meas
urably increased their influence.
Marriage
DUNCAN—PERRY
Miss Mae Doughton announces
the marriage of her niece, Miss
Marie Perry, to Milton D. Dun
can, on November 24, 1940 at
York, S. C., Rev. E. G. Nunn of
ficating.
Mt. Zion Sunday
School Still Active
It is reported that the Epworth
League at Mt. Zion Methodist
Church has been closed for the
winter. The Young People are
urged to attend the Sunday
School, which still continues to
meet at 10 o’clock every Sunday
morning.
this sum will be exhausted for
at least a year. Consequently,
any effort .on the part of the
Administration to create a crisis
psychology to jam the bill through
[Congress should be resisted, even
I by those who are wholly sympa
thetic toward more aid to Britain.
It is time to think of our own
skins and of American liberties.
If, as Mr. Roosevelt says, we
believe “in the (freedom of ex
pression” to all peoples, includ
ing the Hottentots and Whatnots,
we should not now deny freedom
of expression to any American
discussing this bill—not even
Senator Wheeler.
(Copyright, 1941,
America’s Future, Inc.)
It’s the minor mistakes which
cause most of the major accidents.
People get into accidents not
because they want to, but because
they don’t try hard enough to
keep out of them.
Joint Meeting
Of Methodist
Societies Thursday
Last Thursday night at Mrs.
Strader’s the adult and young
peoples missionary groups of the
Methodist Church met in joint
session. In the absence of the
president, Mrs. Inskeep, the vice
president, Mrs. Parsons of Piney
Creek, had charge. The program
and discussion were under the
leadership of Mrs. White, and the
subject was, “Investing our Herit
age for health in the United
States.” Following this general
discussion on health, Mrs. Gambill
and Miss Bates presented some
of the very interesting history
connected with the life and work
of Florence Nightingale, and how
that work led to the founding of
the Red Cross. Following the pro
gram Mrs. Strader served refresh
ments.
“Flu” Epidemic
Closes Many
Schools
Among the schools in the north
western part of North Carolina
which have been closed because
of the epidemic of “flu” are those
of North Wilkesboro, Mount Airy
Lexington and Salisbury.
Proposed Legislation
Among the bills presented to
the Legislature at Raleigh for
consideration and passage into
law is one that has common sense
strongly in its favor.
Representative Gobble, of, For
syth, has introduced bill No. HB
48, “to dispense with the require
ment of kissing the Bible as a
part of administration of oaths
in the state.”
Highlights From
The President’s
Inaugural Address
Lives of nations are determined
not by the count of years, but
by the lifetime of the human
spirit.
There are men who believe that
democracy, as a form of govern
ment and a frame of life, is lim
ited or measured by a kind of
mythical and artificial fate—that
for some unexplained reason,
tyranny and slavery have become
the surging wave of the future.
But we Americans know that this
is not true.
Prophets of the downfall of
American democracy have seen
their dire predictions come to
naught.
Democracy is not dying.
The democratic aspiration is no
mere recent phase in human his
tory. It is human history,
We know that we still have far
to go; that we must more greatly
build the security and the oppor
tunity and the knowledge of every
citizen, in the measure justified
by the resources and the capacity
of the land.
If the spirit of America were
killed, even though the nation’s
body and mind, constricted in an
alien world, lived on, the Amer
ica we know would have perished.
The preservation of the spirit
and faith of the nation does, and
will, furnish the highest justifi
cation for every sacrifice that we
may take in the cause of national
defense.
In the face of great perils
never before encountered, our
strong purpose is to protect and
to perpetuate the integrity of
democracy.
For this we must preserve the
spirit of America, and the faith
of America.
We do not retreat. We are
not content bo stand still. As
Americans we go forward, in the
service of our country, by the
will of God.
iMtmimtmi
Birth*
1
i
Mr. and Mrs. Luther Norman of
the Barrett community announce
the arrival of a baby girl, weight
five pounds.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. James
Hoppers on Saturday, January 18,
a son, Billie A.
Advancement For
Three More
Sparta Scouts
Monday afternoon R. C. Mit-1
chell, Junior Gentry and Harold
Irwin appeared before the Court
of Review of the Boy Soouts or
ganization and passed success
fully the tests required. These
three boys thus attain to the rank
of Second Class Scout, which was
reached in November by Lewis
Wagoner. All four boys are now
working diligently on the re
quirements which lead them to
First Class rank.
Scoutmaster Thomas Haigwood
has been dolling the boys care
fully in Scout lore, go when they
1 appeared before the Court of
Review consisting of J. G. Mit
chell, Rev. R. L. Berry and W.
S. Mead, their answers to test
questions were without hesitation
and stumbling. As soon as their
badges come it is planned to have
a public presentation at a Scout
Court of Honor.
Boy Scout Anniversary Week
is to be observed nationally from
February 7 to 18, and it is being
arranged for the Sparta Troop to
have some little celebnation also.
GOOD ADVICE FROM THE SIDELINES
Temperance Play
Will Be Given
Fifth Showing
That Temperance Play given!
by the young people of New Ha
ven Church is establishing some
thing of a local record, for it is
to be given in Hanes this coming
Saturday night for its fifth show
ing. As many will remember, it is
entitled, "What Shall It Profit?”
and is the story of a young man
who, when slightly drunk, wrecks
hsi auto and causes the death of
I his cherished young wife, and
who then resolves that upon re
I ceiving the inheritance of a news
paper from his father he will
absolutely exclude liquor advertis
ing. It is a gripping story, with I
many tense moments, ably pre
sented by the Church of the
I Brethren young people, and de
serving of the public support it
has received.
Edwards X Roads
Edwards Cross Roads, Jan. 20.
Rev. Mr. Strader, of Sparta, vis
ited in the home of Mrs. Lena
Gentry Friday.
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Osborne, of
Piney Creek, visited Mr. and Mrs.
Dent Joines Tuesday night.
Hasten Edwards, a highly re
spected citizen of Nile commun
ity, passed away Sunday after
noon, and the funeral -service
was held at Pleasant Home
Church Tuesday.
Mr. and Mrs. W. M. Rector
and Mrs. Dent Joines visited in
the home of Mrs. Lena Gentry
Monday.
Arnold Rector, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Willie Rector, who has been
in Elkin Hospital, with an in
fected eye, is improving and ex
pected home soon.
E. C. Edwards, of Baywood,
attended the funeral of his broth
er, C. L. Edwards last Tuesday.
Grover Osborne, of Battle
Creek, Nebraska, spent Sunday
night with Mr. and Mrs. Dent
Joines.
Northwestern
Bank Meeting
The stockholders and directors
of The Northwestern Bank held
their annual meeting at North
Wilkesboro on January 14, and el
ected the following officers for
1941:
President, R. A. Doughton; Vi
ce-President, John McBee; Active
Vice-President, Edwin Duncan;
Secretary and Cashier, North
Wilkesboro branch,, D. V. Deal.
Directors: Harry Bailey, W. C.
Berry, R. L. Doughton, Ralph
S Duncan, W. D. Farthing, G. W.
: Greene, M. A. Higgins, W. W.
Mast, J. T. Prevette, N. B. Smith
ey, M. E. Reeves, R. A. Doughton,
and W. B. Collins.
This bank has nine branches, of
which Sparta is one, the others
being at North Wilkesboro, Boone,
Bakersville, Blowing Rock, Burns
ville, Valdese, and Jefferson.
Precaution
Smith—My wife looks after me
all right. Why, she takes off my
shoes every night.
Jones—When you come home
from the club?
Smith—No: when I want to go
to the club.
Liberty W. M. S.
Met on Saturday
Last Saturday the Liberty W.
M. S. met for its January meet
ing at the church.
The topic for study was, “An
Urgent Gospel Need Where We
Live.” Taking part on the pro
gram were Miss Pearl Benge,
Mrs. P. W. Cheek, Miss Texie
Hoppers and Mrs. A. O. Joines.
Mrs. J. T. Fender read the
devotionals from Psalms and
Mrs. G. R. Blackburn offered
prayer. The president announced
the new «on»'#or the year and
also the new watchwords
f
f
i
Deaths
ininnmnnuHnmiinnnnninniuuipl
PETTYJOHN
Mrs. Cordia Messick Pettyjohn
died at her home in Piney Creek
on Thursday, January 16, after a
illness of two months. She was
born June 10, 1888 in Wilkes
County, daughter of L. F. and
Mary Messick, and was married
in 1906 to James H. Pettyjohn.
Mrs. Pettyjohn is survived by her
husband and thirteen children,
Mrs. Frank Hicks of Winston-Sa
lem, Mrs. Worth McCann of El
kin, H. F. and Harold of New
Jersey, L. F. of Flint, Mich., T.
C. of New Mexico, and Coy,
James, Mattie, Nellie, Iva Lee,
Evelyn and Annie Ray, all at
home. Mrs. Pettyjohn is also sur
vived by one sister, Mrs. F. R.
Garwood of Cooleemee, and three
brothers. Mrs. Pettyjohn was a
member of the Cool Springs Bap
tist church and was very active
in church work. Funeral services
were held at Pleasant Hill Baptist
church, Elkin, on Saturday, Jan
uary 18.
EDWARDS
Hasten Edwards of Nile com
munity was born in 1860 and
passed away at his home on Sun
day, January 19, after a serious
illness that had continued for
some time. Mr. Edwards’ wife,
Nancy died some years ago. He
was an outstanding and highly
respected citizen, a member of
Pleasant Home Baptist Church.
He is survived by several child
ren.
Funeral services were held on
Sunday, January 21, by Elder
Walter Evans and Geo. Oakley,
at the Pleasant Home church at
Vox, and interment was in the
church cemetery.
Vox
Vox, Jan. 20.—Rev. R. A.
Shaw is improving from a slight
attack of pneumonia.
Those visiting at the home of
R. K. Fortner last week were:
Mrs. Tom Nichols and daughter,1
Attie, Mrs. M. C. Caudill, Quin
cy Willey and Olliver Brbwn.
Reid Fender and Clifford Tol
liver spent the week-end with
j homefolks.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Edwards
were the week-end guests of Mr.
and Mrs. H. C. Evans.
Mrs. C. C. Choate and Mrs.
Greek Crouse made a business
trip to Galax Thursday.
The Presidential
Inauguration In
Fme Weather
For the first time in perhaps
20 years the weather smiled upom
the scene last Monday when
Franklin Delano Roosevelt enter
ed American history as the na
tion’s first third-term President
and immediately dedicated his fu
ture to perpetuating the “integ
rity of democracy” and to pre
serving its institutions against
tyranny and slavery.
With representatives of the
axis powers sitting behind him,
amid an inaugural crowd of 100,
000 on the Capitol plaza, the
President called on the American
people to act “quickly, boldly
and decisively” to preserve the
“sacred fire of liberty and the
destiny of the republican form
of government.”
Clear, but sub-freezing weather
bathed his third-term inaugura
tion in sunshine—a happy augur
after his blustery, rainswept in
augurations of 1933 an 1937.
The President rode to the Capi
tol down historic Pennsylvania
avenue, through shivering crowds
numbering nearly a million who
stood in curbstone lines for hours
to cheer him.
Mr. Roosevelt keynoted his third
term with a simple inaugural
speech, after Chief Justice Char
les Evans Hughes administered
the Presidential oath to him for
the third time.
His brief appeal was to the
American people to “muster the
spirit of America and the faith
of America’’ to uphold their sac
red democracy.
I he President began his prece
dent-shattering- third term a mo
ment after Vice-President Henry
A, Wallace was sworn in by the
retiring Vice-President, John
Nance Garner.
With Wallace inaugurated,
Chief Justice Hughes administer
ed the 152-year-old oath to Mr.
Roosevelt, the President touching
his hand to the 200-year-old
Roosevelt family Bible at a pas
sage, ending:
“And now abideth faith, hope,
charity, these three; but the
greatest of these is charity.”
In taking his oath, the Presi
dent was so overcome with
emotion that he misspoke the clos
ing words. After swearing that,
“I, Franklin Delano Roosevelt,”
would faithfully execute the of
fice of President and “preserve,
protect and defend the Consti
tution of the United States,” the
President said to Justice Hughes:
“So help you God.’’
He immediately corrected him
Iself, with an “ahem’’ ,and said:
“So help me God.”
The last official act of the re
tiring Vice-President, Mr. Gamer,
was to swear in his successor,
Mr. Wallace. Before that Mr.
Garner rode to the Capitol sitting
beside the President. After the
oath to Wallace, Mv. Garner
dropped into private life.
The President dedicated his in
augural address to “democracy.*
He reviewed the place democ
racy has taken in the develop
ment of mankind, remarked that
it was “still spreading on every
continent” ,and told the American
people its preservation furnished
“highest justification for every
sacrifice that we may make in
the name of national defense.”
The President’s message was
broadcast to the nation and by
short wave radio to the ends of
the earth.
Millions upon millions of human
beings heard him, but of them
all, the proudest probably was his
eighty-six-year-old mother, Mrs.
James Roosevelt, who had the
great privilege of watching her
son take the President’s oath for
the third time in eight years.
Mr. Roosevelt began by com
paring the tasks of his third-term
administration to those of Wash
ington and Lincoln.
He said:
“On each national day of in
auguration since 1789, the people
have renewed their sense of dedi
cation to the United States.
“In Washington’s day the task
of the people was to create and
weld together a nation.
“In, Lincoln’s day the task of
the people was to preserve that
nation from disruption from with
in. . ■Ji
j “In this day the task of the
j people is to save that nation and
i its institutions from disruption
jfrom without.
“To us there has come a time,
i (turn to page four, please)