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A : 3 m THE NEWBERRY SUN, NEWBERRY, S. C. Let's Face Facts Boom in Farm Values Looms Up as Menace To Economical Farmer By BARROW LYONS WNU Staff Corrmspondmt , Barrow Lyons Country America is headed direct ly into a land-boom spree, if some thing isn’t done to stop it. Average farm land values rose nine per cent In 1942 over those of 1941. In 1943 the rise was 15 per cent—a boost of 25 per cent in two years—and values are still going up at a rate of at least 1 per cent a month. In some areas the upward push has been even greater. In Kentucky, for instance, crop controls for to bacco before the war and the ab normal demand for Burley leaf during the war have brought about an increase in farm land val ues of 70 per cent over the 1935-39 average. Out on the Pacific coast, the quest of thou sands of war factory workers for security on the land and the increase in produce values meant a rise of 30 per cent to 50 per cent in farm land values during the same period. The great rise in prices of farm commodities has induced many pur chases for quick profit. A California land dealer reported the sale of a 1,000-acre rice farm at $50 an acre that’s $50,000—but the farmer who bought it was able to obtain more than $50,000 for his crop in one year. A vineyard near Fresno valued at $200 during the depression sold re cently for $8,000. Even the land brokers are worried Ibout the situation, despite down payments of one-third the selling price. No one expects farming to continue to be as profitable as it is now for an indefinite number of years, even if farm produce prices remain on a high level. The day when it will be hard for many pur chasers to continue payments at the rate contracted for is foreseen by conservative land dealers. War Bonds Preferred Secretary of Agriculture Claude R. Wickard has urged repeatedly farmers who are making money to pay off mortgages and invest it in war bonds, rather than in more land, if by doing so they bid up the price to a point where it would be come unprofitable to farm during pe riods of depression, especially if the buyer must give a heavy mortgage. It is clear that every farmer who so burdens himself with large in stallment payments will have to meet the competition of those who have paid off mortgages out of the $34 billion income farmers have re ceived in the last two years. During a trip I made through the Middle West and South last winter I discovered that the most progres sive farmers were very well aware of this situation, which is happening In greater or lesser degree in nearly every part of the country. They were particularly resentful of the men who have had comparatively little experience in farming, but now see a chance to make a quick cleanup on high markets. Not only do these newcomers pay too much for their land, but without the perspective of years of experi ence, pay much higher wages to their help. This’makes it especially difficult for the experienced farm ers to keep good farm hands, espe cially in the face of demands of selective service and the compe tition of munitions industries. The Farm Credit administration is doing what it can to retard the pres ent tendency. Throughout the coun try it has refused to make loans based on sales at exorbitant prices. Its loan business has been greatly curtailed, and tenant farmers con templating purchase are being ad vised to figure with great care what they can reasonably expect to earn on a farm over a period of years and to base their purchases on such calculations, rather than on present commodity prices. It has even been suggested that down payment of half of the price should be a legal requirement for any farm purchase. Refuse to Match Speculators There is little the individual farm er can do to check this growing menace, except to hold on to his farm and refuse to meet the com petition for acreage of speculative farmers. But there is a good deal each can do, if he will inform him self of the situation in his own area and then let his congressman know about it. He might also write directly to Senator Josiah W. Bailey of North Carolina, who has been named chairman of a subcommittee of the seuate finance committee named to consider two bills introduced by Senator Guy M. Gillette of Iowa. The other members of this group are Senators Robert M. La Follette Jr. of Wisconsin and Harry F. Byrd of Virginia. The Gillette bills would tax the profits from the resale of farm land within two years of pur chase of 90 per cent, with diminish ing taxes on resales up to six years. Public hearings have not been held on these bills as yet and the subcommittee has made no report. A show of public interest in the mat ter undoubtedly would get some action. Seabees Open Ice Cream Parlor Destined for the scrap heap because many of its parts were worn out and could not be replaced, an ice cream manufacturing unit of Guadal canal was salvaged and put in order by a naval construction battalion and now is turning out ice cream twice a week for Seabees and the marine unit to which they are attached. Pegging a Strike at a Jap Pillbox Watch Skies This photo was made as General Eisenhower (arrow) was on an inspection tour of an RAF bomber wing, somewhere in England. With him at the control tower are, top left, Maj. Gen. L. H. Brereton, USAAF; top right, air marshal Sir Arthur Coningham; center left, group captain C. R. Dunlap. The general at lower left is unidentified. Sewell Avery Family A Jap pillbox has been located on Bougainville island, and Sergt. Charles H. Wolverton of the 37 th division sticks out his tongue as he takes aim before letting a grenade fly to its target. These are two of the soldiers who beat back Jap counterattacks in the Empress Augusta Bay area in Mareh, taking a toll of about 7,000 Jap dead. Rail Key Loss Perils Honan Province Two critical -situations face China as Jap drive along the Peiping- Hankow railroad (1) has resulted in the taking of Chengchow by the enemy (2), key points on the north-south line. As the map shows, Cheng chow is on the northern rim of the Honan province, a great food-raising area. From Chengchow the rail line cuts across Chinese territory (indi cated by dark areas). Sewell Avery, chairman of the board of Montgomery Ward ft Co., Mrs. Avery, and their daughter, Nancy, shown after the annual meet ing of the stockholders of the com pany, in Chicago. The Ward plant was seized under President Roose velt’s orders. Behind Firing Line Prize-Winning Waste Paper Campaign Photo The above picture won the national grand prize in the news picture contest sponsored by the V. S. victory waste paper campaign. It was en tered by John Mendicino of the Chicago Sun. Award was a $500 war bond plus $200 war bond for first place in the East North-Central region. Prize winners were announced by Linwood I. Noyes, president of the ANPA. As if they didn’t have enough shooting, these American doughboys who came back from the front line at Anzio beachhead for a rest, bang away at targets on the rifle range, somewhere in Italy. Miss Pan-America, ’44 i By VIRGINIA VALE Released by Western Newspaper Union. M ETRO’S going to do big things the week of June 22nd, in celebration of the or ganization’s twentieth birth day. Their first big picture was “The Big Parade”; their thousandth, now being shown, is “The White Cliffs,” starring lovely Irene Dunne. During anniversary week practically every movie ’heater in the nation will show some Metro picture—a short, a newsreel or a feature. At the studio there’ll be a ceremony honoring those who have served the company for 20 years. And a cqast-to-coast broadcast will feature every star un der contract to the studio. King Vidor’s “America” and “Dragon Seed,” with Katharine Hepburn, will feature in the celebration. —*— Chili Williams, model now under contract to RKO, is too popular for the good of her bank account. One photograph in k weekly magazine CHILI WILLIAMS brought her 40,000 requests from servicemen for pin-up pictures. Think what’ll happen after they see her in “Having Wonderful Crime”! * When the temporary chairman of the Republican national convention calls the party delegates to order, the National Broadcasting company will have eompleted six months of preparation; for the sixth time, they’ll handle both the big political conventions. * A program of real importance will originate over about 500 radio sta tions this month; it’s “The Life of Premier and Field Marshal Jan C. dmuts of South Africa.” The South African Broadcasting corporation at Johannesburg made a dramatization in 13 episodes, and the discs were flown to New York and there re processed into master recordings. The series begins with the discovery of diamonds and gold in South Af rica, tells the legendary exploits of the famous field .marshal, ends with the Union of South Africa as one of the United Nations. —*— Relatives and friends in Wades- boro, N. C., of Pvt. Rowland S. Pru ett had heard nothing of him since he was reported critically ill in an I tab an -hospital-—until 'they heard his voice when he spoke from Algiers on the Allan Jones-Frankie Carle air show. His wife and mother were called out of prayer meeting by friends in time to hear his last few words on the broadcast, which later was done over for them by the local station. * Maybe K was because he was kid naped at the age of three months, or perhaps it’s because of his appear ance in a mystery play when he was three; Frank Readick doesn’t know, but he’s been living a profitable life of crime for some time. He played the title role in “The Shadow” for eight years; he’s the villain in “The Crime Doctor,” “Gangbusters,” “Mr. District Attorney,” and other air shows, including “Portia Faces Life.” Lovely 19-year-old Virginia War- len of Miami, Fla., bolds huge tro phy presented to her, following her selection as Miss Pan-America of 1944, at a contest held in Miami. Gen. H. H. Arnold, commanding the army air forces, recently wrote the president of Paramount express ing his appreciation of the compa ny’s wide distribution of “The Mem phis Belle.” There’s a picture that no one can afford to miss. It’s a four-reel Technicolor documentary film dealing with an American bomber mission over Germany, and “superb” and “thrilling” are much too tame a description of it. * “Double or Nothing,” radio’s old est quiz show, is working hand in hand vith the movies these days. John Reed King and Frank Forest went to Colorado Springs for the first showing of “Buffalo Bill”; right after that, the quiz show went to Philadelphia for the grand opening of “Mark Twain.” Now all they need is some more bigger and better movies, with celebrities to appear on their show. * ODDS AND ENDS—“Girl of the Lim- berlost,” made once by RKO, once by Mon ogram, will be remade by Columbia, star ring Jeff Donnell. ... W. C. Fields has been chosen pin-up man for Subchaser 1360, novo in action against the enemy; seems when everything goes wrong they gaze at his picture and break out in laughter. . . . Hollywood owners of trained shepherd dogs have been taking them to RKO for tests—one will play the second most im portant, role in ~The I’unipkin Shell.” . , . Don Ameche has been asked to serve on President Roosevelt’s Committee for Ital ian Relief.. .. Constance Moore’s baby cun call Mrs. Cary Grant godmother. RHEDMATIC PAIN Rm4 aU tftll year •«y—•*» titer H l» Don’t put off getting C-2223 to Re lieve pain of muscular rheumatism and other rheumatic pains. Caution: Use only as directed. First bottle purchase price back if not satisfied. 60c and $1.00. Today, buy C-2223. DON'T LET CONSTIPATION SLOW YOU UP • When bowels are sluggish end yon feel irritable, headachy, do at milliona .do —chew FEEN-A-MINT, the modem chewing-gum lezative. 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