Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PACE EOtnfc TPTE Pj w 0 j^RRT SDK FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1942 1218 College Street Nerwberrjr, S. C. O. F. ARMFIELD Editor and Publiahar One Year ■ One Dollar Published every Friday Entered aa second-class matter December 6, 1887, at the poet office at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of March 3, 1879. Great changes hav e taken place in this country since Pearl Harbor. New and unprecedented economic controls have been imposed. A con siderable proportion of the nation’s manpower has either entered military service or left peace industry for war industry. Very heavy increases in taxation have been applied to in dustries and individuals. In short, we have definitely moved in the di rection of a “total war economy.” But, as many authorities are now pointing out, this is only the begin ning—and a comparatively small be ginning at that. Inside the next year, unless the world military situa tion changes radically and unexpect edly, the adjustments that will take place in American life will be abso lutely revolutionary. The manpower situation is a case in point. High selective service of ficials have recently said flatly that within about a year, the great major ity of able-bodied men under 45 and over 18 will be in the army, the navy, the Coast Guard or the marines. Al ready the nation’s reserve of i-A men is about exhausted and in many areas draft boards are calling mar ried men without children into the service. By the first of the year, many boards will probably begin call ing married men with children. Men who were previously classified as 1-B (that is, handicapped by minor phy sical disabilities) are being reclassi fied into 1-A and inducted. It is be lieved certain that, directly after the elections, if not before, the draft law will be extended to include 18 and 19 years olds. That, however, will not increase the 1-A class as greatly as might be anticipated, for the rea son that a considerable percentage' of the youngsters have enlisted with the consent of their parents., War industry has been told to start training draft-exempt people to take the place of physically-fit tech nicians now employed. That means that a big share of war production will fall in the future on the shoul ders of women, of men physically un fit for military service, and on men past draft age. That will require great adjustments, and an immense expansion of vocational training fac ilities. War industry executives, in this connection, say that women have done surprisingly well in jobs that were once considered the exclu sive prerogatives of men, such as welding, wiring, pipe fiting etc. The new and strict “anti-inflation” controls which the President announc ed on Labor day have long been ex pected. Inflation comes when con sumer purchasing power exceeds the volume of goods available—and that is precisely what has been happening to an ever-increasing extent in this country. Past OP A price policy was not adequate because many commodi ties were exempt from control, and because wages, farm prices and other costs continued to rise merrily. Excess purchasing power led to the establishment of a growing “black market,” which bootlegged proscrib ed or scarce goods to the highest bidder. Many economists are con vinced that inflation cannot be pre vented unless the most stringent kind of restraints are placed upon wages and salaries—and, in addition, wage-earners in the low-income as well as the high-income brackets are taxed to the limit. Soon after the first of the year, widespread commodity rationing is to be expected. In most warring coun tries, a food or clothing ration cou pon is far more desirable than mere money, and that may come to pass here. The future of what is called “non- essential” business is shrouded in mystery. The official list of “criti cal” and “essential’’ industries is brief, and involves only businesses which produce war materials or basic civilian supplies and services. The worst blow is falling upon small businesses which were unable for one reason or another to adapt them selves to war business or secure war orders. Thousands of businesses have closed their doors, and it looks like a great many more will have to follow suit in the future. The small- industry problem is one of the worst the war has produced, and no one, despite all the talk, has appeared with a solution. How far taxation will go is any man’s guess. Some influential mem bers of Congress are alarmed at what pending taxes may do to the Ameri can industrial structure—the propos ed excess-profits taxes, for instance, might make it impossible or next to impossible for some big war indus tries to keep on operating as private enterprises. There is no question but wnat mor e and more legislators are reluctantly turning to the sales tax as one way out. And the enforc ed savings idea is also gaining head way. These are but a few of the revolu tionary influences now at work. Never in history has war demanded so much of a nations money, resources energies and manpower, from an eco nomic as well as a military point of view, this war is without precedent. It is swiftly reaching into every home and directly touching the life of every citizen. It is a rash man indeed who will forcast what the ultimate conse- quer.ces will be. The Spectator The papers recently were full qf the President’s war powers. It is even suggested that the President may put a ceiling on farm products below the 110 per cent of Parity which was specified by Act of Con gress. Along with that statement, is the further statement that a ceil ing may be put over wages also, but that all drawing less than 275 a week may be allowed an increase of 15 per cent. Several points here deserve the most thoughtful consideration. First and foremost is the aleged power of the President to disregard and nulli fy an Act of Congress; secondly, the alowance of a 15 per cent in wages to those receiving less than $75 a week. If we put a ceiling on farm prices below the 110 per cent of Parity, are we to regard farm prices as something apart from a farmer’s in come? Or shall we set and fix a minimum income for farmers? We know that not all farmers are equal ly capable; not all earn the same profit; but that is equally true of Labor. Labor is not paid by piece work. As a mater of fact, the Fed eral Wage and Hour Law is a bad law for that reason, above all. It pays the slothful the slow, the dull, the deliberate time-killer, the same wages as the bright, quick, indus trious and ambitious. The inevita ble effect of such a levelling of pay is to lower the volume of work. It is very human to do only what one has to do, and to do no more than the others, when all are paid alike. So the farmers, as farmers, are just as entitled to minimum profits as the wage-earner is. O course this is all economically unsound, and no country can thrive on it, but our present-day political philosophers are not deeply concerned about economic soundness or sanity; they are re making the Nation on the pattern of a purely theoretical and speculative social program which is the most gorgeous and flamboyant air castle ever fashioned in the mind of man, something which rests on a founda tion as unstable and insecure as that of the house which was built on the sand. IS Look at the figures in the light of conditions as we know the condi tions. A man drawing $70 a week may be allowed a 15 per cent raise. $70 a week is $3,640 a year. How many farmers have $3,640 a year? Allowing for rent and vegetables, chickens and eggs, milk and butter, how many farmers have $2,500 net for their services? Count them;' it won’t take you long. If you find a farmer with that much cash income you will find a man who is operating a large farm. That farm is fully the equivalent of a business or factory in town with an invested and operat ing capital of $15,000 at least. What would be a fair income, including salary for the manager of tnat busi ness, counting wear and tear, plus a profit on his investment? Now if we lower the farmer’s prices, shall we proceed without regard to the farmer’s income? The farmer’s prices and the farmer’s net income are not exactly the same, by any means. I feel that I ought to say that the whole thing is wrong; the Govei-n- ment has no business trying to gov ern the wages, business and agricul ture of the Nation. Beyond prevent ing monopolies controlling common commodities, and regulating some e- sential utilities, the general scope' of business, including agriculture, in dustry and wages, is not properly a matter for political intervention. We who farm will never catch up with the industrial wage-earner, but be tween us farmers and the industrial wage-earners we are crushing mil lions of our fellow citizens. They have no political pull, no occupation al organization, no organized class consciousness—and they are being ground to shreds. Before dismissing the subject, lei me repeat: if the Government as sumes the pampering care of indi vidual wage-earners, as it does 'by conceding a 15 per cent raise for those receiving less than $75, let it stop meddling with farm prices. Let it take up each farmer, individually, and guarantee him a cash income on a fair basis of comparison with la bor, and then fix farm prices on the basis of that arrangement. I don’t argue for this. I indicate it as a measure of economic equality. It is basically unsound, all this gov ernment meddling. If, however, the farmers had political equality with Labor, prices would be so high that the average town man would have to go to a museum to enjoy the sight of an egg. FO^ ! \ The right to COME and GO when we please T HIS is a fight-to-the-finish we are in—a grim war for survival. The stakes are the highest in all the history of mankind. And one of them is the American’s traditional right to come and go when he pleases. Our enemies say that they will erase this birthright of ours; that they’ll tell us when we can come and go. But they’ll find that it’s easier said than done. No goose-stepping Nazi; no squint-eyed Jap is going to tell Americans that they can’t run down to the seashore or vacation in the moun tains or take the children to visit Aunt Mary back home. For we are going to win this war! How? With the bravery and the brilliance of our men in uniform. With the toil and sweat of millions of loyal workers in forest, field, factory and mine. With our genius for invention, organization and production. With the willing sacrifices of every patriotic Ameri can. Yes, we will win this war—even if we have to lay aside for awhile our right to come and go when we please. That’s why the officers and employees of the Southern Railway System have solemnly pledged their all to the winning of the war. That’s why our entire transportation plant; all our re sources of man-power and experience are en listed for the duration in the service of the na tion. That’s why we put the transportation! needs of Uncle Sam first—before any and every civilian need—that your right to come and go when you please may be preserved for you and for the generations of Americans yet to come. In the first seven months of this year we have carried almost 600,000 men in uniform, all moving under orders. They traveled in 2i,915 coaches and Pullmans; in 1,564 special trains and 5,563 extra cars attached to our regular passenger trains. And these figures do not in clude the additional hundreds of thousands who have traveled over our lines on furlough or in small groups on transfer orders. That’s why our trains are often late—troop trains and war freight have the right of way. That’s why they are often crowded—so many boys want to visit home at the same time. That’s why we have pressed old coaches into service— in our desperate effort to help everyone to come and go when they please. That’s why we have had to lower temporarily the standards of serv ice of which we have been sc proud. And that’s the way we know you want it to be. Your willing sacrifices of some travel com forts and conveniences are more than a personal contribution to the war effort. They are an inspiration to those of us who railroad to plan for the day when victory comes; to plan for a better Southern Railway System better to "Serve the South”. For, with victory, we know that a new day will come to our Southland; a new day of prosperity and happiness and peace; a new, day with freedom to come and go when you please. That is worth fighting for! President. , SOUTHERN RAILWAYS SYSTEM X H e ’souther arrO ike s ~ac h e SOUTH As to the War Powers of the Presi dent: The Constitution of the United States is very clearly expressed document. It is a marvel of sim plicity and condensation. There _ nothing obscure about it to any one who has read the history of Eng land and knows of the struggle for the right of the individual to be a man. Lawyers have strained and twisted the Constitution until at times it is made to sanction or deny propositions under a sort of legaliz ed mangling process. But the clear intent of the Constitution is that all legislative powers belong to Con gress. In fact the Constitution says just that—“All Legislative Powers Herein Granted Shall Be Vested In A Congress, Of The United States.” It is Section 1 of Article 1—the first really controlling part of the great document. Then it proceeds to grant specific powers to Congress includ ing the power to declare war to raise and support armies, to provide and maintain a navy, to make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces, to make all laws which shall be necessary and -proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, And All Other Powers, Vested By This Constitution In The Government Of The United State-, Or In Any Department Or Officer Thereof. If the President can set aside, nullify, an Act of Congress, he might just as well impose taxes of his own will and draw money from the treasury, without an Act of Con gress. The powers of Congress are just as clear, just as exclusive,in one case as in another. Any man who can read can see that. Article 2 of the Constitution de fines the powers of the President, but makes him virtually subject to the Congreso. The control of Congress over the whole government is finally shown in the power of impeachment. The Congress is supreme; it can im peach the President and the judges, and remove them from office. So, obviously, all this talk about the Pres ident’s warpower is a piece of fanci ful surmising without regard to the explicit provisions of the Constitu tion. All the war .power idea is built on Section 2 of Article 2 which says the President shall be commander-in chief of the army and navy of the United States, and of the Militia, when in actual service of the United States. Now even a blind man can’t read that wrong. He is the supreme commander of the armed forces. That is a limit on the powers of Congress in the sense that Congress may not elect a man to be supreme commander. The President is the head, but under the laws and regula tions of Congress. That is as plain as the noon-day sun. Even the offi cers appointed by the President have to be confirmed by the Senate. The whole tenor of the Constitu tion proves that the president is to carry out the will of Congress, ex cept m certain ce.ses which are spec ified. Even in those cases he must act subject to approval by congress except in one instance—he may grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in one instance—he may grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of im peachment. We should resist any assertion of presidential power other than that given by the Constitution. We are a people who respect legal preced-. ents and should not allow an act of presidential usurpation, an act of flagrant dictatorship as would be involved in the assumption of the power to nullify or suspend an Act of Congress. This war will be all for nought if the blood and treasure of the Nation are poured out to establish a dicta torship. If an enemy were invading our shores and the Congress were not in session, the President would be ex pected to take all necessary military measures of defense; but to set aside an Act of Congress on a matter like prices of farm products would be a usurpation of authority negating all our declarations of war for democ racy. The nation’s life is not at stake over parity payments, so let us not allow further executive encraoch- ments and usurpations in the guise of protecting citizens from the farm ers. It is not the farmers who are imperilling the National safety and welfare, and no smooth talking should reconcile us to acquiescence in a dictatorship which would cloak it self under the mantle of so-called war powers. All the war powers be long to congress. Except as the congress confers the power, jhe President ha s very little. This is vital. If America is worth fighting for, she is worth saving from dictatorship masquerading as a Constitutional executive power. AN ORDINANCE Be it ordained by the Mayor and Aldermen of the Town of Newberry, South Carolina, in Council assembled, and by the authority of the same': SECTION 1.—That the Clerk and Treasurer of the Tov/n of Newberry, South Carolina, in the collection of taxes of the town of Newberry, as sessed for and during the year 1942, be, and is hereby authorized, to al low to all taxpayers of the Town of Newberry, South Carolina, a discount of one per cent, on all taxes paid dur ing the month of October, 1942, and to allow a discount of one-half of one per cent, on all taxespaid said Town during the month of November, 1942. SECTION 2.—This Ordinance shall take effect immediately upon its ap proval. DONE and ratified in Council as sembled, under the corporate seal of the Town of Newberry, South Caro lina, on the 8th day of September, A. D„ 1942. H. S. LANGFORD, Mayor. * D. L. NANCE, Clerk & Treas. FOR SALE—Genuine Oliver mower repair parts at DAVIS MOTOR CO. 4tc. APARTMENT—For Rent. Apply to Mrs. TOM P. JOHNSON, 1237 Cal houn street, Phone 220J. WANTED—Wire coat-hangers, will pay 1c each for them. Bring them to us or phone 310 and we will pick them up. Newberry Steam Laundry and Dry Cleaners Co. 4tc WANTED—Will purchase or rent typewriters from individuals. See, write or telephone Miss Alvadele Wilson, P. O. Box 168, telephone No. 64, Newberry, South Carolina. COTTON SHEETS—For the best Cotton Sheets see Johnson-McCrack- in company. 4tc WANTED TO BUY—Scrap Iron, Copper, Aluminum, auto radio parts. Rags, Inner-tubes and Zinc. Loca tion in alley leading to Standard Oil company bulk pla>nt. W. H. Sterling. NOTICE TO CREDITORS AND OF FINAL SETTLEMENT I will make a final settlement of the estate of Effie G. Lominick, de ceased, in the Probate Court for Newberry county, S. C., on Tuesday, October 6, 1942 at 10:00 o’clock in the forenoon, and will immediately thereafter ask for my discharge as administrator of said estate. All persons having riaimsaonhpgdt Ail persons having claims against the estate of Effie G. Lominick, de ceased, are hereby notified to fiile the same, duly verified, with the undersigned, or his attorneys, Blease & Griffith, Newberry, S. C., and those indebted bo said estate will please make paymetn likewise. J. W. LOMINICK, Administrator of the estate of Effje G. Lominic, deceased. Newberry, S. C., Sept. 3, 1942. J ms maslc attes protection agairu by gas. Opaline Motor Oil protects engines against attack of heat and friction. Make protection your first thought when you buy motor oil for your car. Make sure the oil does not contain any “5th Columnist” wax and petroleum Jelly—those non-lubricating substances that turn water-thin in heat. > | You can be sure by buying Sinclair Opaline Motor Oil. Opaline is free! of wax and petroleum jelly by an extra refining process. It protects your * 1 * * * * & engine on the hottest day. And it lasts so long it saves you money. Play safe and save money. Ask your nearby Sinclair Dealer for Sinclair Opaline Motor Oil. Strother C. Paysinger AGENT SINCLAIR REFINING COMPANY To The Farmers of Newberry ... and Surrounding Counties Bring your COTTON to the FARMER’S BONDED WAREHOUSE, Federal license No. 2-1294 for prompt Service. Having been approved by the CCC and having received contracts for the 1942-43 Gov ernment loan, we are now ready to put your cotton in loan and issue check here at the Warehouse. If you want to sell, two buyers on yard at all times are paying top prices for both long or short staple. —YOUR PATRONAGE APPRECIATED. FARMERS Bonded Warehouse JNO. W. ROBERTSON, Manager