The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, May 16, 1941, Image 4
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