University of South Carolina Libraries
PAGE FOUR STOP! THINK! INSURE! Against Hail Loss It is too late to insure when the damage is done. You Can Protect Almost Any Kind of Crop With HAIL INSURANCE. BE PREPARED! Consult your HARTFORD Agent. He represents a Company that has been THE FARMER'S FRIEND SINCE 1810. Safeguard Yourself Against Loss and Worry Baker's Finance & Insurance Co. Your Hartford Agent 1111 Boyce Street—Public Square TESTAMENT OF A REPORTER I saw Jack Dempsey knocked out of the ring in Atlantic City and come back to win. I sa w Ben Jeby, knocked down three times, climb back on his feet and land a haymaker. I saw Pepe Ortiz tossed on the horn of a bull, land on his feet and, running blood, wave his toreros aside to make the kill himself. I saw the coal miners of Herrin, 111., walk unarmed into the barking guns of the militia, fall in heaps of dead, and win their strike. I saw Blackie Weed stand on the gallows and spit in the sheriff’s face, laugh when they tightened the rope around his neck and go through the trap still guffawing. I saw Joe Cans riding in an ambu lance to his death bed with his fists still clenched and twitching and his chin still tucked down against Bat Nelson. I saw Chris Haggerty of the AP climb an icy telegraph pole in the Dayton flood, tap out his last mes sage: ‘Dayton, CHio—AP everywhere” —and slide unconscious to the earth. I heard Hugo Haase stand up in the first National German assembly at Weimer and proclaim: “I am a German who believes the might of gruns will only win for us an ignoble place in the human family. If this is treason, kill me.” They killed him on the Reichstag steps in Berlin. I saw Lou Gehrig bat out his last homer with his spine tied in a knot. I saw Jesus Maria Lopez, before the firing squad in Chihuahua, smoke his last cigarette, grin at the leveled rifles, and say: “Your bullets, my friends, will have no effect on the thoughts in my humfble head. They will continue in other humble heads.” I saw Teddy Roosevelt, shot by an assassin, stand up that night in a Milwaukee auditorium, and with the bullet still in his midriff, deliver the finest oration of his career. If any thing 'happened to him as a result of the morning’s accident, he cried to the throng, he hoped their mourning would be tempered by the memory of what a hell of a g^>od time he had had out of life. ' I saw Ben Welch, blind as a bat, come prancing out on the Palace the ater stage and crack jokes that con vulsed his audience. I saw Eugene Debs, the Socialist leader, come out of the Atlanta jail and say: “America is the greatest country in the world with the Tight est future. I only hope nothing hap pens to dim that future.” I saw George Gershwin writing his last tunes for the Goldwyn Follies with a brain tumor driving an ice pick through his skull. I saw Billy Petrolic, twice beaten, come back in his old Indian blanket in Madison Square Garden and whale the daylights out of Jimmy McLamin. I saw garment workers in Chicago march singing into a double wall of mounted police, get trampled to death, and win their strike. I saw a survivor of the Titanic, a servant girl from Galway, who told me how her friends in the steerage had dried. Unable to find places in the life boats, the had crowded into the forbidden but now deserted pre • cints of the first-cabin saloon, taken possession of the elegant piano and played and sung Irish tunes as the ship went down, themselves with it. I saw Bill Heywood on the night he skipped bail and fled from his na tive U. S. A. to die in Russia. He was under sentence as a radical. I met him in the gallery of a burlesque theater. He had been touring the town having a last look at the country he loved. “They put on a great show here,” he said, chewing on a bag of peanuts. “I always like to come to places like this just to watch those bums in the audience laugh.” I saw an AEF soldier on a hospital cot with both legs off and a fake jaw riveted to where his face had been, move his mouth stiffly and squeak like a mamma doll: “We won.” I’ve seen these things and many things like them. Along with the endless saga of mis fortune that hits the eye of the re porter he gets to see the queer stam ina of little people in big troubles. He is given a privileged look at the undaunted moments that are the soul of human history. He sees a lot of disaster and wreckage, but if he keeps his eyes open he usually gets a look at the flag of a man still flap ping above some corner of the sham bles. I’ve seen this flag a hundred times where it never belonged. IVe seen it come out of the many big and little hells in the hearts of people and straighten up in victory. And I’ll see it again. I’ll see England win.— Ben Hecht in PM- S. C. PEACH CROP OF 3,313,000 BUSHELS FORECAST Washington, May 9.—A Southern peach crop of 22,031,000 bushels, the largest since 1931, was predicted for 1941 today by the agriculture depart ment. The department said the 10 South ern peach states had a production of 13,856,000 bushels in 1940 and an average of 14,293,000 for the 10 year period between 1S30 and 1939. Growing conditions for virtually all the producing areas in the South were “unusually favorable” during April. It was said North Carolina producers had a heavy “set” and a light “drop” was forecast for May. South Carolina orchards were report ed to be in good condition and the Georgia prospects were termed fav orable. t The department said Alabama fruit was sizing well, and an “unus ually good crop" was predicted for Mississippi, Arkansas governors had given their orchards excellent care this year, it said, and had a heavy set of fruit. Good prospects also were reported for Louisiana, Okla homa and Texas. Georgia, 5,829 bushels in 1941 and 4,216,000 in 1840; South Carolina, 3,315,000 and 2,158,U00; Arkansas, 2,964,000 and 2,040,000; North Car olina, 2,110,000 and 2,036,000; Ala bama, 2,380,000 and 700,000. KUDZU GOOD GRAZING NEEDS PROPER CARE Clemson, May 5.—Kudzu is a good grazing plant, but it will not stand as close grazing as the grasses, de clares C. G. Cushman, extension dairy specialist, warning that overgrazing can easily ruin well established stands of kudzu. Mr. Cushman calls attention to ob servation made by T. C. Maurer, as sistant regional agronomist of the Soil Conservation Service, in South Carolina soil conservation districts and old erosion control demonstra tion areas showing overgrazing and lack of fertilizer the principal cause? of failure to maintain good stands of kudzu. Maurer reports instances of good fields of kudzu being ruined in a single season by overgrazing. “The value of a good stand of kud zu,” Cushman and Maurer declare, “is too great to let it be endangered by overgrazing and lack of fertilizer, In recent years some farmers have realized as high as |l00 an acre from the sale of crowns for establishing new fields of kudzu. “Other farmers with well estab lished stands that have been proper ly cared for are cutting around two tons of hay per acre, which repre sents a return of $25 a year. This return is equivalent to approximate ly 8 per cent interest on $300, and clearly shows that kudzu is an in vestment well worth maintaining.” EITHER WAY ROUND Householder: It sure is tough to have to pay such high prices for meat. Butcher frankly: It would be even tougher for less, ma’am. THE NEWBERRY SUN FRIDAY, MAY 16, 1941 Spectator Predicts Lively Times In Barnwell . County Politics In Next Summer’s Primary Must England go down in defeat because of superior enginery of war produced by German genius under the compulsion of a Dictator? Are wars decided by numbers or artil lery? Is life, even, something which develops along the lines of planning? Are we not often fashioned by the imponderables, the unforeseen things which in all time have upset the plans of men? Napoleon had a splendid military machine and the finest mili- /tary brain. A rare man was Napoleon in many fields of activity. Deeply read in military history, he mastered the campaigns, the strategy and the tactics pf great generals of all time; and he knew when to use his know ledge; but much of Napoleon’s main strategy was the element of surprise, with speed as its handmaiden, and a disposition of his troops so that even if outnumbered, army for army, he threw a greater number into the main point of attack than the .enemy had to oppose him. With all his genius, he never overlooked the smallest de tails of equipment. So he and his army were ready; and they struck with the weight and force of tactical advantage. But Napoleon, yet in the full flower of his, genius, fell. Are there no more sunken roads in this day? I do not mean literally the sunken road which cost Napoleon so dearly, but are there not other fac tors which may intervene? Of course there are. There is the God of Bat tles who has many times humbled the mighty of the Earth and hurled them from their seats. Can the despoiler win- Hitler has disregarded the right of many na tions to live their own lives. Must we believe that the Supreme and Om nipotent One will let any mere man control the earth? In our Civil War General Lee had every reason to count on a victory at Gettysburg. If the order to take certain heights at four o’clock In the morning had been carried out, vie tory would almost surely have been with the South. Gettysburg was the turning point and it turned toward the North. Fervent prayers had been offered by many devout souls of the North and the South that Jehovah’s will might be done. We sons of the South have accepted the outcome and have been ready to prove by a full measure of devotion our firm ad hesion to the flag of the Union. A mere chance, as it were, eost General Lee a great victory, just as it was an incident that caused Gen eral Warren to defend the heights. So history tells of the unforeseen in cidents which turn the tide of battle. Hitler is stretching and straining his lines, and the strain may prove more than the center can stand. Whenever the full power of America is effective his defeat will be certain. Men who address the public some times wonder what to write or speak about, not that it makes much differ ence what theme they may develop— or touch on. Sometimes a topic comes to mind with tremendous force, such as a sharp thrust from a neighbor.' That sort of inspiration came to Bi shop Smoak and Brother Ben Davies recently. Then tbd Bishop- of Colle ton took a fall with Doctor Ball. But what’s the use ? Why write or speak ? Hasn’t everything been said or writ ten? What can be added? Still, we persist, or do we persevei^ ? A while back I thought of writing on the subject “Constitutional Gov ernment in South Carolina,” but my friend Hastie, of Organized Business, has been thinking along that line ,so I’ll let him have the field to himself, knowing that he will enliven the question. Just at the moment I have been turning over in my mind a statement recently made, that South Carolina does not care for her chil dren of school age. We spend eight een million dollars on the common schools, which is quite a sum of mo ney. There has been a misunder standing about our school costs. The State contributes about nine million, two hundren thousand dollars to the. common schools, and the counties and school districts contribute through lo cal taxes about nine million more. This may not be esiough, but who knows? What man or woman in our State knows exactly how much we need? And by the way, what do we mean by that—how much do we need? The modern fetish is statistics. Sometimes statistics are amusing and laughable, as when a man reported that one per cent of the men in a camp had married fifty per cent of the women there. There were 100 men and two women in the camp We are trying to judge everything by figures or statistics. It is conceivable that mine million dollars might pro duce better results than twenty mil lions, if the nine millions were paid to really competent teachers. Indeed, fifty millions, just as money, will not assure good teaching or resultful educational, effort. I cannot say that we spend enough; nor can I say that we get results in proportion to what we actually spend. I Nobody else can speak with author ity, based on first hand knowledge. We have been piling on one thing and another witholut any definite appraisement of achievement. A com munity may have an excellent build ing and twelve teachers, as well as ten buses, but the facts and figures of that sort do not prove the quality of the work done in the classroom or outside of it. Quite possibly we are more in need of good teachers than of good buildings. Our present plan does not do jus tice to the exceptional worker, whose merit shines through the pupils who come under her care. Teaching is so individualistic, that a good teacher ought to be above and beyond all ordinary rules. A really good teach er is a pearl beyond price. If she be old, or young, married or single, a local product or from beyond the State—wherever she may hale from —keep her. The Governor is not lacking in spunk; he must have known that when he appointed a personal friend of his sheriff of Barnwell County without a by-your-leave, or even po lite recognition of the powers-that-be, he was asking for trouble in- large measures. At once a bill was intro duced talcing a big share of the sher iff’s power away. Then the Gover nor vetoed the bill. This week the veto came up and the Governor was overruled’ by unanimous vote in both the Senate and House. This, according to clerks and others of Senate and House was an unprece dented procedure. The Governor is right in saying that he exercised the authority con ferred on him by law; but the issue was put to a test whether the Legis lature will support the Governor in the full exercise of his powers; or whether that body will support the Legislative delegation from Barn well in maintaining the supremacy of a delegation in matters affecting its County. Quite apart from the outcome of this veto the safest prediction is that this sheriff will not be chosen in the next Democratic Primary—un less times have changed and the whangdoodle mourneth not forever more. Any one wishing to have a lively time plight nove to Barnwell Coun ty now so as to be ready for the next Democratic Primary. Those of us from Counties of undisturbed tran quility will try to get seats on the side-lines—but out of range. What would you do with an old mule which has done good and faith ful service for ten years, but which now can’t work, can’t enjoy its food, is just wasting away? Some time ago my partner carried off an old horse which couldn’t eat. We had attachment for that old horse; but the old mule has been our Strong support, he and his co-worker. Other mules have died or been sold; some of the early friends are still carrying on; but Old George has passed his time. The pasture doesn’t appeal to him; he can’t get any strength from his food. We are put ting him on a special tonic diet, ’hop ing that his last days may be rest ful and comfortable. It is life’s great tragedy—waning faculties, the dragging step, the fail ing memory, the cloudy outlook, the lack of hope, the loss of interest. We remember old George, one of a pair of big, strong mules, fine, will ing workers, toiling through the cold of winter and through the heat of long summer days. He was of the pair which broke the ground in early fall for small grain; then came the winter plowing, later Spring and Summer cultivation. He pulled the disc harrow, the plow, the reaper and binder and the hay-baler. Now he has earned the reward due for the long days of steady work. Like old George, a man loses his strength, his ability to stand the strain of his youth; his food goes back on him; he walks about await ing the end. What should we do with old George? CONWAY’S FRIENDLY BELLMAN (By F. A. Thompson in News & Courier) In Common with every town in the country, Conway, in other years, had a character, a person know to every citizen—one greatly admired by his tnany friends during his life time and greatly mourned at his passing. He was a printer by trade; a native of Horry county. He had a large family connection and had a disposition' that won friends. He knew the section about Conway, par ticularly the woods and streams. He knew where the huntsmen could expect the most game, and he knew where the fishermen might expect the largest catch. His judgment as a weather prophet was respected, and many planned hunts were never com pleted until his advice had been sought as to the weatfier conditions on a certain date. He was always ready to give advice on these mat ters, and, even if he failed occasion ally in guessing the weather, the same folk who had made the in quiry would come back again for more information on the weather. Back in the days when churches got together and had all day basket picnics on the river, this man was always along. He was just con- Sider'd the head man of the whole affair. If folks wanted to find the baby that had gotten lost in the crowd; if their basket had been mis placed, or if some drinking water was needed, whatever it was, folk just naturally asked Mr. Jim Hard- wicke, for that was his name, and somehow it always happened that Jim Hardwicke got them Whatever they wanted. Sometimes, when it looked as if the older folk were about to forget the picnic, some of the boys would hunt their friend, Jim Hardwicke, and ask him if he could get something started. He would manage to do or say some thing that would’ start the ball rol ling, and soon the picnic would be announced. Occasionally in the old days when the express office did a large business in gallon jugs from out of state distilleries, folk came to town with a sack. They, not being ready to to return home, wanted someone to leave the package with until they were ready to gear up their mule and start home. There again, Jim Hard wicke came in splendidly. He would take care of the package, and when the owner came, it was ready for him. It might be that he charged or collected a small toll for his service, but if he did, it was gladly paid as there was never any argument be tween bailee and bailor on questions of this kind. Often he spent week-ends in the country with friend's, and they were always glad to have him. It has been said that Jim Hardwicke slept in more beds in Horry county than any man of his day. Folk just enjoyed having him around, and he liked to visit. His advice on medical affairs was sought. He usually knew the proper remedy, but if he was puzzled, he lost no time in advising a physician. He worked’ for the county paper and frequently sold subscriptions to it. He always hadi enough news in his possession to fill almost all of the paper for one issue. Mr. Hardwicke was never known to fight. He had a peaceable disposition and regardless of what kind of an af fair he happened to get into, there was never anything worse than a few bitter words, and they were soon for gotten. He just wouldn’t allow folk to stay mad with him for any length of time. He was the hero of practically every young boy in Conway. When he saw some young chap stealing away from his parents to smoke a cigaret or take a chew of tobacco, Jim Hardwicke would not tell; if some young fellow disobeyed his parents and went swimming out of season, Jim Hardwicke would not tell. If a boy played hooky from school and went fishing, he could trust Jim Hardwicke. As a result, all boys liked him. He could make about the best sling shot to be had. He could make a good kite, and sometimes he would write composi tions for the school boys. He was so cooperative and such an agreeable person that his popularity increased rapidly. Despite all his good disposition and friendliness though, there came a time when he ran afoul of the law. On Mam street in Conway is one of the oldest brick buildings in the county, the Conway Methodist church. It is still standing and is now used for the Mens Bible Class. Near the rear door in a small vestibule, there is an old bell cord. From the time the bell was installed in that building until the death of Mr. Hardwicke, that bell was rung at midnight on each New Year’s Eve. Jim Hardwicke did the ringing per sonally, and no one attempted to interfere with it until a policeman decided that the ringing of this bell constituted disorderly conduct. The policeman decided to stop the ring ing. Mr. Hardwicke was told not to ring the bell. He made it plain that he expected to ring the bell im mediately before midnight in New Year’s Eve and expressed the hope that no one would be so foolish as to attempt an interference. The news that the policeman had served notice on Jim traveled; and there was considerable interest in the ap proaching New Year’s Eve. New Year’s night was cold and rainy. Just before midnight the policeman went to the door. It was open, but he could see no one. At midnight the bell began to ring. The policeman struck a match and saw the rope going up and down and heard the bell ringing. He saw no one, and the story goes that he left with much more speed than he came. The next year as New Year’s Eve approached, Jim Hardwicke was told he would be watched, and the bell must not be rung. He stated that the bell would ring as usual. That night the officer went to the church, and again he saw the rope going up and down and the bell ringing, but he saw no one. On the following day he arrested Jim Hardwicke, charging him with disorderly conduct. There was a jury trial in the town court, and the testimony tended to show that Mr. Hardwicke had climbed into the belfry and there did the ringing. The jury filed out and stayed until the mayor sent for them. They came back to announce that they could not agree. They were discharged, and twice more Jim Hardwicke was tried on the same charge, and twice more the juror# could apt agree. So, an other trial date was set. In the meantime, there was another elec tion and the case of The Town of Conway versus Jim Hardwicke charg ed with disorderly conduct was lost. To this date, it has never been tried. During one of the trials, one witness, testified that many years before this time, some friends of Hardwicke had decided to scare him off the bell ringing. On the night that he came into the church to ring the bell, George H. Dusenbury, cloth ed in a white sheet, stood behind the pulpit and made gestures as though he were preaching a sermon. Jim Hardwicke, as he started to grab the bell rope saw this and inquired, “Who is that?” There was no answer. It was almost time to ring the bell. Hardwicke said, “Just wait there until I finish ringing this bell, and I’ll find out who you are.” He pro ceeded to ring the bell. Whan he had finished, he took his hea"y walking cane and walked toward the pulpit. Mr. Dusenbury said’ as Mr. Hard wicke raised the heavy walking cane over his head, he called to him, “Hold on, Jim, don’t hit me. This is George.” Nothing ever soared Jim Hardwicke away from this bell cord on New Year’s Eve Night. No policeman was ever able to keep 'him away from this bell cord, and no jury in Con way could ever be found to convict him. Several years ago, Jim Hardwicke died in Conway, and there passed a friend to all folk. Business and professional men of Conway today, who were boys in his day, will tell that the late Jim Hardwicke was one of the best friends they ever had- He never taugtit a mean oick, and he always stressed the fact that non- esty is the best policy. Jim Hard- wicke’s motto was: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” PERSONS QVER 65 INCREASED MATERIALLY IN 10 YEARS The number of persons 65 years of age and over increased materially in every state between 1930 and 1940, according to preliminary figures from the 1940 census of population. Persons 65 years old and over in the United States numbered 8,956.. 206, or 6.8 per cent of the total pop ulation, on April 1, 1940. In 1930 this age-group contained •3,633.806 pvrsons, o- 5.4 per cent of the total population. 'Hvere were thus 2,322,401 more such persons in 1940 than in 1930, an increase of 35.0 per cent, as compared with an increase of 7.2 in the total population. STATE EMPLOYS CAMERAS TO GET CATTLE THIEVES Olympia, Wash.—Cameras helped the state send 18 “gasoline cowboys” —cattle rustlers using trucks to haul away their booty—to the penitenti ary. The state’s seven livestock inspec tors ail were equipped with small cameras to carry with them on their inspectkxn trips. They use them to photograph truck license numbers, suspected stolen cattle, brands, and other evidence. KENDALL MILLS LUTHERAN Rev. J. B. Harman, Pastor Summer Memorial: Sunday 10 a. m., Sunday school. Mr. Eugene Shealy, Supt. 11 a. m., Church Worship with the Sermon. 6:30 p. m., Luther Leagues. Bethany: Sunday 6:30 p. m., Sunday school. Mr. E. B. Hite, Supt. 7:30 p. m.. Church worship with Sermon. Visitors are invited to attend all these services. Holiday Closing! The Following Automobile Dealers will close their places of business each Wednesday afternoon at one o’clock, be ginning Wednesday, June 4, in order that employees may have an afternoon each week for recreation. Hayes Motor Co. DAVE HAYES T. C. Chalmers DeSOTO & PLYMOUTH i Davis Motor Co. T. E. DAVIS W. H. Davis & Son OLDSMOBILE Shealy Motor Co. W. E. SHEALY