Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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7 1218 Collage Street NEWBERRY, SOUTH CAROLINA O. F. ARMFIELD Editor and Publisher Published Every Friday In The Year Entered as second-class matter December 6, 1937, at tht poatoffice at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. Spectator Governor Ransome J. Wiliams has fired his heaviest guns at Editor Wilton Hall of Anderson. It is all very interesting. Mr. Hall does not seem to appreciate the Governor; nor does he hate him among the great statesmen. The Governor, stung by a recent editorial by Mr. Hall, loads his gun with a lot of ru mors, political “dope”, and the like, and fires point-blank in Mr. Hall’s face. One may not know anything, of Governor Williams’ ammunition, but the heavy powder charge probably knocked Editor Hall flat on his back. However, Mr. Hall is not likely to “take it lying down’’; he will prob ably buy from some friendly drug gist enough vitamin tablets to match the slashing style of the Governor’s fighting method. Governor Williams seems not to have refered to Brother Hall’s veil ed hint, that a slow count in Charles ton was a factor of interest in bur public life of today. Charleston must need new blood at the polls. In former days, according to rumor, election managers there were credit ed with a degree of mathematical wizardry that was nothing short of prophetic. They could tell at twelve o’clock how the vote would be at four-thirty or six-thirty. Slow count, indeed! Even a week ahead they had all the details clearly resolved, know ing even who would vote. If, by any chance, there is the vaguest flaw in the Governor’s title, Editor Hall must know, for there are as many rumors about the “slow-count” as there are about “Brother Bill”, and his candidacy for Governor. Let us hope we may have more light on the slow-count. I don’t know anything aboat it, of course, but that campaign of 1942 brought together the strangest group of po litical enemies. They fought during the campaign as brothers of the warmest affection. It is still a bit difficult to understand the political conscience. I said Conscience, so let’s not quibble about it. When five or six men say, even over the tele phone, all manner of unprintable stuff ^out one another—(double- crossing liar being the mildest and sweetest term used)—it is baffling how they can make common cause and go forward to victory—or defeat. Well, defeat is the worst of all af flictions, isn’t it? Brother Hall needs no help, but if Governor Ransome doesn’t let up on “Brother Bill”, Brother Olin may step in, on behalf of himself and Brother Bill. If that happens, The Anderson Independent will increase its circulation by at leant a thousand copies among tbe gentlemen in pub lic life. Everybody likes a good fight. Although Congress, under the whip of Mr. Roosevelt, flimflamed and doubl-crossed American business men in the most atrocious manner, Mr. Truman, who took part in all the double-crossing, now turns to busi nessmen with the most innocent man ner and wonders why they seem to be shy. If blundering and economic stupidity could have wrecked this Nation cotnpletely within a few years, America would be today like the cities of Japan which felt the blast of the atomic bombs. Mr. Tru man has common sense, but he is still the politician. Politicians sel dom build great economic structures; they are quite capable of uprooting most good things, if votes may be had by the uprooting. Of all Ameri cans, Mr. Roosevelt was most mor bidly obscessed with one idea—pow er. That came threugh votes. Votes, then, were his fetish. The genius of the man cannot be denied; he flim flamed the whole nation—as Mr. Churchill flimflamed him. It was all right, though; America will have a hundred years to remember Mr. Roosevelt’s greatness; even longer, for America will still be footing the bill for Roosevelt foolishness and extravagance 150 years from now. January 19th marks the anniver sary of the birth of Robert Edward Lee, one of nature’s noblemen and one of the world’s great soldiers. America looks back over a roll of illustrious sons who increase in sta ture with the passing years. Wash ington, Jefferson, Marshall, Lee, Wilson—all Virginians, but of out look that was National and even world-wide. How fortunate a coun try which has such leaders. Those who talk about the “era of the Common man”; and who loosely speak of democracy, forget that a nation usually grows great under great leadership. A leadership which is selfish and designing may glitter for a time like the tinsel on a Christ mas tree; but a leadership which seeks the enthronement of truth and fair-play will sow the seed of a con stantly developing plant. General Lee is the idol of the South, but he is a military figure of world acclaim. To us he is not merely the great chieftain on horse back; he is the great man; So great a man that we forget the details of martial glory in the larger figure of supreme unselfishness, of sublime nobility of character. With all rev erence, one feels that it may be said of General Lee what the Master said of Nathanael “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile”! The General Assembly made a good beginning when the House passed the bil to require a member to resign twenty four hours before the election by the General Assembly for any position for which he is a candidate. That is something, but NOTICE I wish to announce that Floyd Dennis has returned to Newberry after serving 27 months in the Army and is now id partnership with me at Dennis' Shoe Shop. He will be in charge of the shoe repair department and I will have charge of the upholstering department. We invite our customers and friends to call on us for quick, efficient service. We guarantee our materials to be te best that money can buy and we are striving to make our workmanship best ever. j ' J. THOMPSON DENNIS £ * AT ’’ 1 DENNIS SHOE SHOP not much. Let’s see about it; A legislator wishes to become a mem ber of the Public Service Commission. f6r example. He is on the inside 3II the time; in the House or Senate; in tbe Committee; in all tbe camar aderie of the Legislature, perhaps for three months. He certainly has done most of his politicking and cam paigning long before a day before the election. And even if he should re sign a day or two days or two weeks brfore the election he enjoys certain privileges as an ex-member, so . he can go merrily on. If. then, the House bill has any merit, it is very slight. Before we go into ecstasies over a great reform let us appraise it practically. It is a step in the right direction, but a short step. Governor Ransome Williams made recommendations to the General Assembly which we may well ponder. They are: 1. A constitutional Convention 2. A State Police System 3. State ownership and operation of liquor stores. It may be an indictment of our training of today, but it seems that we don’t know how to draft bills and Constitutional provisions. Nor do we jrespect those which an earlier gen eration wrote with more clarity than the legislative productions of recent years. The literary deficiencies might be obviated, but the world is so topsy turvy that it would be a calamity to embody in the basic, supreme law, some of the new ideas now floating about. Consider a recent contention that two employees in a newspaper office are said to be at their business when they have a fight over a pretty blond who works across the street; over the blond (or even a bruneftt) is entitled to medical attention and weekly benefits against the employ er on the theory that the injuries arose out of the newspaper work. I don’t think we need say more. There is another argument against a Constitutional convention; We don’t need a new Constitution. I say this with some knowledge of our Consti tution; it is a favorite topic of mine. But if we do not respect the simple and clear provisions of the one we have, why have another? Why have any? The State Police force is an old hobby of mine, except that I thought of something simple a nd inexpensive. Obviously the Highway Patrol should be the heart of it. And all County and municipal law enforcement offi cials should be members. This would link up all enforcement authorities, in any given area. Paved roads a nd big bridges have enabled criminals to travel faster than the enforcement powers at times. Let us correlate the agencies we have. The suggestion that the State op erate the liquor business comes un happily, it seems to me. Some one recently said that our people are spending fifty million dollars a year for liquors and that we should there fore pay the teachers more. The two propositions are hardly related, but do permit some one to remark face tiously that the State ought to per suade all purchasers of liquors to abstain from liquors and contribute the money to a school fund. The old State Dispensary still has a bad odor. Why should the State engage in the liquor business? IVhy not in the furniture business? All THINGS ONE REMEMEERS THE PUNCH THAT COUNTS One reads in the newspapers of “picket lines” preventing the owners or managers of facotoiy properties having access to their premises. One wonders why we refer to the United States as a free nation. Such cir- cumstanes indicate complete capitu lation of the police powers of cities and states to the organized forces of revolution. Suppose, for example, in a strike bound plant, management would hire pickets to prevent employes from entering their own homes so long as they were on strike. Can you imagine such a condition being allowed to exist And yet, legally and morally, where is it any dif ferent than labor union paid pickets preventing the owners and managers of facitories from entering their own properties ? ' There are clearly two kinds of law enforcement in the United States today, and it is frightening to see how the rights of minorities are . ignored by our lawmakers, pur i courts and our police power. who are under fifty would do well to inquire about South Carolina’s ex periment as a liqour dealer from 1896 to 1915. The people voted it out. And there was a reason for it. The Dispensary became so rooted and interwined with our politics that throughout the State all candi dates, as a rule, from Coroner ’ to Governor, made a solemn declara tion on every stump in favor of the State Dispensary. Charleston prob ably was an exception. We have enough trouble now; let us avoid putting a liquor tag on all candidates. The recent non-stop flight of an army bomber from Guam to Wash ington, D. C., caused the Honorable Reneth C. Royall, Under-Secretary of War, to remark: “As our thoughts range across the troubled vista of our post-war world, our minds dwell uneasily on the speed with which a new outbreak of international dis cord could vault the barriers of land and ocean and reach our farms and cities. From these thoughts, we as Americans, draw two lessons: “First and foremost, we must do everything humanly possible to bring about world peace and preserve it . . . “And second, at the same time that we are doing this, we must keep pur own nation in a constant state of readiness to do its part in, maintain ing world peace and in repelling any sudden attack that may be made upon us. . . .” It was the ability of industry to convert and produce mountains of armament—in time—that won World War II for us, as much as the cour age and skill of our fighting men. However, the element of time will never work on our side again. If war should come and find this coun try in a state of unpreparedness comparable to 1940, we will face speedy disaster. As the Under-Secretary added, “Our ability to survive will depend . . . on our ability to strike back im mediately. . . . The time available for the initial mobilization will be measured, not in months but in weeks. ... It is a problem of stock piling raw materials, and completed weapons, of maintaining standby plants, mines and other facilities,, pf keeping industrial as well as military manpower in readiness. “ . . . Our industry is sn indis pensable element in our military strength. If we are to keep strong, we must estimate now our futpre war needs—-for armament and civil ian 'economy. We must translate these needs into factories, tranaEpr- tation facilities, machine tools, man power.” As far as transportation facilities go, no one is more alert to the prob lems and the needs of the future than are the railroads. They are soberly aware of their key position in the defense of the United States. They make no bones about opposing legis lative measures that permit one form of transport to enjoy a competitive advantage over another. They are fighting for conditions under which a privately financed, independently operated transportation system can flourish because it has been proven that only in this way can the country have strong railroads and strong in dustries—ready for any emergency. NOTICE FOR APPLICATION FOR NEW CERTIFICATES OF STOCK Notice is hereby given that I shall apply to the Newberry Cotton Mills for two new certificates of stock totaling eight shares. The original certificates issued to me were No. 2955 for four shares and No. 2966 for four shares, they having been lost or destroyed. B. C. Banks. January 18, 1946 J25-£tp HEART... * v ■ WHAT CAN YOU SPAM THAT SH€ CAM WSAMT • Qodung that you may consider old can bring new life to some suffering person to whom war brought despair and destitution. Goal of the Victory Clothing Collection is 100,000,000 garments, plus shoes and bedding. If your contribution seems negligible, bear this in mind: Every garment you give means one more human being saved from cold or sickness or possibly death. About 25,000,000 people overseas received clothing collected from Americans last spring. But for every person clothed so far, a dozen more remain virtually threadbare. Your spare clothing will be distributed free, without dis crimination, to the victims of Nazi and Jap oppression in Europe, the Philippines, and the Far East. In ’most any town or city overseas there is someone who can translate English. You can help build international friendship by writing a simple, friendly letter to pin to the clothing you contribute. Dig into your attics, trunks, and closets today ... dig out all the clothing you can spare ... take it to your local collection depot now. What YOU Can Do! 1 Get together oil the ; you con spore. 2 Take it to your local 1 depot immediately. * 3 Volunteer soma spare time to your local committee. ^ ’ Dig Out Your Spare Clothing TODAY, J V sv.rcooti VritMa ¥ ■nn Ji** ¥ topcoat* VJcmsm ¥nkm ‘ ” ¥ suit* ¥ ftldrts ¥ jack«n ¥ gle.M ¥ pant* ¥ cap* The more you do tho bettor you’ll tool Victory Clothing Collection for Overseas Relief >4 HENRY J. KAISER National Chairman This advertisement was prepared by the Advertising Council for the Victory Clothing Collection, and is sponsored by THE SOUTH CAROLINA NATIONAL BANK Member FDIC