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THE NEWBERRY SUN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 1948 m inn 1218 Collejfe Street NEWBERRY, S. C. 0. F. Armfield Editor and Publisher PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY Entered as second-class matter December 6, 1937, at the Pbstoffice at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In S. C., $1.50 per year in advance outside S. C., $2.00 per year in advance. COMMENTS ON MEN AND THINGS BY SPECTATOR What shall we do with the holidays? What is a holiday? We have .New Year, L.ee’s birtnday, Liincom’s birthday, Wasning ton’s birtnday, Jetier- son .Davis’ birthday — and a number ot outer biruiaays. Then we have Confederate Memorial Day, National Mem orial Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Armistice Day, Thanksgiving and then Christ mas. 1 have made no effort to recall all the occasions for bank or postoffice closings, and other closings. The closing of a bank for a day may be a special kindness to someone, but a great inconvenience to the public. The closing of postoffices, State, Federal, Coun ty and Municipal offices is a time of play for the employees, but not in any sense an ap propriate celebration of the oc casion. Unless a holiday be a day of special emphasis on the oc casion, a valid, meaningful, celebration of an event or a cause, why have it? We recently had Armistice Day; it means little or nothing to this generation. We have fought an even bigger war since. And if I, a Southerner to the marrow, say that the Confederate Memorial Day now means nothing to the masses, I say it sorrowfully, for it should mean something. When a people make great sacrifices for a principle, they honor themselves: and we could hon or ourselves by remembering, cherishing th e Confederate sol dier and his wife, and those faithful Colored* people who maintained loyal relations. This we should do, but we don’t. The day is as meaningless to the majority as the figure of the Confederate soldier, stand ing in solitude and forgetful ness on nearly every Court House Square throughout the South. The National Memorial Day is just as empty, though we might all agree to make it the real memorial for the men and women of all the wars. The South has about for gotten that noble figure, Robert E. Lee. We refer to him some times; the writers of editorials recall him by hastily reading a sketch, but the South has put Lee on a pedestal and left him in majestic grandeur, just a great name. Washington, George Wash ington, for all his service as the great National figure, is just a remote figure of long ago. Of course Thomas Jeffer son is quoted and misquoted, but he lives through his writ ings. The Fourth of July is a noisy day of the vaguest relation to any thing worth while. A few orators, a few writers, perhaps a few teachers, think of it, but we don’t celebrate it; we mere ly quit all useful work and de vote the day to more or less idleness or riotous frolicing— all unrelated to the deep mean ing of the day. Labor Day—I never did know what that was intended to Ijonor. Can it be the spirit of work, the need for useful toil? Or. does it commemor ate Labor as a political fac tor? Surely Labor Day can’t mean th e promotion of Closed Shop, or feather-bedding, or sit-down strikes. There is no Managers Day, nor Owner’s Day, so why have Labor Day—a day without la bor THERE IS NO'TIME LIKE THE PRESENT In providing adequate life insurance protection for those dependent upon you “there is no time like the present.” While you are healthy you can get life in surance with very little trouble. Some healthy folks, unfortunately, put it off. Then health faik and life insurance becomes either expen sive or impossible. These people, of course, need life insurance more than ever. But it is too late! * / Does this alarm you? We hope it does. Do some thing about it before your alarm clock goes off again. (^ //? / THE OLD R ELTA~B L E • SINCE Ta¥l MOMS OFtICS • — ATLANTA 11011-2 Caldwell St. District Office Thanksgiving is the day re membered for the big dinner, the big hunt or the big dance. Conceivably one might express his thankfulness in a feast re membering thankfully all the mercies and blessings of the year. Yes, he might do that- but does he? For what are we giving thanks—or do we give thanks? And then comes Christmas! Already we are astir, all agog, over Christmas, 'but why? What is Christmas? Well, there are two ideas about it: one is re ligious; the other is commer cial; perhaps there may be a third — individual selfishness. Christmas is the greatest com mercial occasion of the year; it is also the time when folk exchange trinkets, or great values. The wondrous story of Bethlehem is remote from the day except as a picture may re call it. or a sermon or religious service seek to renew it. The coming of the Son of God, the presence of the Divine Spirit, the proof of Infinite compassion —too often the fruit cake, the egg-nog, the exchange of gift*, the toys—all come first. It is a singular commentary on our religious reality that the salva tion of mankind is not the dominant note of Christmas. These observations are not of a cynic; they are statements of fact in a day of fancied realism. The mystic element in us needs to be revived and strengthened. “Man does not live by bread alone,” means that we lift our souls to the Eternal for refreshment, for that transformation which comes from the renewing of one’s mind and Spirit; for the refinement and enobling of life by communion with the Omni potent Spirit, by whom all things were made. Social Security, as it is call ed. embraces many things, but the average man thinks of it as the old-age relief for which he pays one per cent. Every employee, except farm and do mestic help, pays the one per cent, the employer matching it. It is not relief but insurance, and is properly called Old Age and Survivor’s Insurance. At the age of sixty five the work er can claim his benefits. But, like so many Government plans it seems to have features that detract from it. In the first place, if it be insurance and not a Government hand-out, why is a man of 65 ineligible to draw these benefits if he is still employed and drawing fifteen dollars a month? Since the payments allowed are en tirely inadequate to support a iamiiy, why not encourage a man to work and be thrifty, even though enjoying his monthly check? Since this is not relief, but insurance why have a foliish Restriction on the gainlul activities of the person insured? Of course a man may work as his own boss and make what he will, but he must not work for some one else!! Isn’t that typical bu reaucratic nonsense? Since 1937, when this law be came elfective, the Govern ment has received about nine billions of dollars more than it has paid out. That nine bil lions—not the exact figure by the way—is a trust fund re served for those who are in sured. That is spent by the Government and I.O.U. placed to the credit of the trust. What sort of childish financing that is I leave to your imagination. Now the trust fund, the nine billions, was not given by the Government; that is the ac cumulated surplus from the payments made by the em ployers and their workers. Incidentally, it is said that people on relief receive more on an average than those who draw the Government old age insurance. It is true, probao- ly, for the Government loves to throw money around. So does the State. It is now proposed to extend the coverage of the Act. That means that millions of people not now paying — and being paid for—will be included here after. The plan is to increase the tax about fifty per cent so as to include them. That does not seem exactly fair. The nine billions now on hand—in paper I.O.U.’s, is sufficient to take care of all now covered. They are the ones who paid that nine billions. Why take in a few million people and let them participate in that? Let them build their own surplus and let the rates remain as now. I sometimes wonder if any body nows exactly the condi tion of the United State Treas ury. No one can tell exactly what the Government will re ceive through the various trust funds, such as Unemployment Compensation and Old Age in surance, but the Government receives the money, spends it and puts I.O.U.’s in the box. $9,750,183 is what the Wel fare Board asks of the Legis lature—virtually ten millions. Just a fgw years ago when I predicted that this Welfare un dertaking would soon cost three millions a year I was regarded as a wild dreamer. Observe it: about ten millions! And that would enable the Board to give away about $23,500,000 in a year. An the State Aeronau tics Commission wants a stiff increase so as to qualify for a million of Federal money. Is it sound financing to spend a million dollars you can’t af ford in order to get another million you don’t need? What sort of childish phantasy is this, that we are always chas ing the Federal Government— spending more than we should, in order to grab some Federal money? Why indeed, does the Federal Government throw money around like a stewed seaman in a foreign port? All these Government under takings bear the imprint of amateurs playing with money and dreaming grandoise schemes. Not only must the hungry be fed but we must send young ladies out to see people, al most drumming up business. And an unmarried girl with children can get benefits. How’s that? But we people are not competent to recognize pover ty; one must have attended a course somewhere so as to know a rteedy case. What ut ter drivel and tomfoolery! I have long thought that every dollar over a million is about wasted—and a consider able part of the million, too. And the cost of administer ing this; the cost of giving it away, is $977,183. Isn’t that ridiculous? If Dr. Kinard, the Chairman would introduce sen sible changes the Federal aid would be lost. The Federal Aid! We must do as the Fed eral Government says!! So it is with all the Federal aid. I have warm regard for Dr. Kin ard, but this is the system in which he is ensnared. Some young seeker after truth, like my resourceful friends of the press, Messrs. Duncan. Workman, Booker and Cauthen—and others, might delve into this: have we as many people on relief today as were unemployed in Hoov er’s time? In Hoover’s day the Government was not spending hundreds of millions on relief; the employers of the Nation were not paying several hun dred millions a year in the form of Old Age insurance and unemployment compensation. So, if you consider all those receiving any form of Govern ment aid, how have we im proved? We have, apparently put the Hoover unemployed on the Goernment payroll. In 1938 we still had 11,800,- 000 unemplyed; how many to day draw relief regularly, in some form? By TeJ Kesting Has the shotgun reached its ultimate development? The gun reached practically its present form in England about 200 years ago. Since then there have been only two marked improvements: the choke dev eloped about 1866, and- im provements in ammunition dur ing the iat 20 years. And there development nas stopped, at least temporarily, writes Col. Townsend Wheien, noted arms and ammunition authority. By a process of elimination British gunmakers and sports men found that the most effi cient weapon for killing flying oirds was a smoothbore gun of approximately 12 gauge, with a barrel about 26 to 30 inches long, shooting about one to 114 ounces of shot propelled by about three to 314 drams of black powder, the gun weigh ing seven to eight pounds, with a stock about as that made at present. If the barrel was longer or the gun made heavier, it be came too unwieldy for wing shooting. A shorter barrel did not burn enough of the pow der charge to give the velocity and penetration necessary to hit and kill. A lighter gun or a heavier charge gave too much recoil. A larger charge of powder spoiled the pattern and increased recoil. Smaller gauges down to 20 and up to eight have been used for special purposes, but from the very beginning the 12 gauge proved to be the best all-round bore, and still is. With this balanced design gunmak ers seem to have been stopped, and except for the two im provements noted above, they are still stopped today. There is nothing much that is new to write about the types of shotguns—double barrel, ei ther side-by-side or over-under, pumps or automatics. The dou ble hammerless gun reached its about 1897, and the Browning perfection about 1890, the pump automatic about 1905. All will shoot exactly the same accord ing to their gauge and choke. The choice between these types is a purely personal one. Discussing quality or makes is treading on dangerous ground but we might safely put it this way. Guns selling at less that about 50 to 60 dollars are 20-year or 20,000-round guns, given proper care; those above this in price are lifetime guns. PINE TREE PLANTING DEMONSTRATION A pine tree planting demop- stration will be conducted by the Newberry district of the State Commission of Forestry on Charles Shealy’s farm on the road between Little Moun tain and Pomaria on Wednes day afternoon, December 1st, at 3 o’clock. The planting demonstration is being held for the benefit of those landowners who have ordered pine seedlings to plant this winter. Any others who are interested are cordially in vited to attend. Heavy Crops Drain Soil of Plant Food Mineral Supply Needed To Restore FertaSity Heavy wartime croppings drained twice as much nitrogen from Illinois soils as was put back by fertilizer applications or legume crops, de clares O. L. Whalin, University of Illinois. What was true in Illinois was true of farm soils in numerous other Midwestern states. Approximately 3,300,000 tons of ni trogen were removed from the soil In harvested crops in the 1942-46 period, Whalin points out. But only about 1,500,000 tons of nitrogen were returned to the land. This replace ment included nitrogen in fertilizer applications, plus 60 per cent of the nitrogen in legumes harvested ond In sweet clover turned under. The supply of other mineral ele ments was seriously depleted. Whalin estimates that only about half of the phosphorus taken from the soil was replaced. Less than one- thirtieth as much potash was added through commercial fertilizers as was removed by harvested crops. “This heavy drain on the soil’s mineral supply,” says Whalin, "has reached :he point where crop yields on many soils definitely depend on the amount of minerals applied. Ma nure, inoculated legumes, phosphate and potash are required, will main tain and even increase yields on most soils.” Carrying out such a program, he adds, calls for use of lime on much Rich West Virginia mountain lime plant. Lime is sold to the farmers to increase production on crop and pasture land. of the land in order to grow leg umes: Lime should be applied on the basis of soil tests. It should be used from six months to a year be fore legumes are seeded, in order to sweeten the soil. Deep-rooted legumes work in two major ways to improve tilth, re build soil structure and increase the supply of mineralized organic matter. s 1 Well-fed legumes such as sweet • clover or alfalfa push their tap roots deep into the soil. These roots TIGHT SOILS CUT YIELDS open up tightly packed earth be low the plow furrows. Neither wa ter nor air can penetrate such com pacted soil. Crop roots cannot do their job of carrying nutrients to the plant growth “factory” above ground. ~'vBut when deep-rooted legumes are grown frequently in the rotation, tilth and soil structure are improved. The land becomes loose and easy to work. Channels for air and water and passageways for the roots of following crops are made. 2 Deep-rooted legumes are effl- • cient feeders on the soil’s avail able phosphorus and potash. They can forage for these plant foods when other crops will fail. The legumes gather these nutrients into their taproots. When plowed under, these roots put all-important min eralized organic matter down where it should be, readily available for the roots of other crops following In the rotation. Soil Fumigant Stops Work of Nematodes In its war on soil pests, scientific Research has forged a fatal new weapon against nematodes, the eel like worms whose burrowing activi ties cause nearly two million acres of farmland in the South to lay idle every year. This weapon is a soil fumigant known as D-D, whose chief component is dichloropro- pane and its use allows repeated plantings year after year of many crops which now are rotated. "MAGICALLY YOURS” BE HELD AT COLLEGE Newberry College auditorium will be the scene of merry mys tery Friday, December 3, when Clint the Magician and com pany bring “Magicall Yours” to the stage at 8:15p .m. i‘1Magically Yours,” with a company of six entertainers and technicians, presents a glit tering array of the world’s greatest magic. The show is being sponsored here by the Block “N” club. Clint the Magician presents “Troubled Hubby,” an act un ique in the magic world, in which the culinary woes of the befuddled male animal is humorously solved via sorcery. “A Night in Mystic India” presents many of the time-; honored illusions of th e contin ent. Clint the Magician will apparently swallow real, sharp TO BROADCAST CHRISMAS CAROLS AGAIN THIS YEAR Secretary of Chamber of Commerce. Cliff Graham an nounces that Christmas Carols will agin be broadcast from the Chamber of Commerce office this year. The broadcasting of the car ols will begin about December 15th and continue through the holidays. razor blades! Another young magician with the show, Sherman Gordon, will present his own night club cigarette act. A ventriloquist as well as a magician, Clint will introduce Emery Atkins, his “little wood en-headed pal” for an interlude. “Magically Yours” will ap pear her for one performance anly. Admissions will be 60 cents and 35 cents. NEWBERRY ALUMNI MEET IN FLORENCE A large crowd of Newberry college alumni enjoyed an eve ning together at the Florence YMCA last Thursday, November 18th when the Pee Dee chap ter held its Fall meeting. - Alumni Secretary Phil Kelly made a few remarks and show ed several reels of scenes at the college, including the P-C -Newberry football game of last year. At the spring meeting of the Pee Dee chapter it was agreed that outstanding high school seniors in that section would be guests of the chapter. The Rev. Enoch D. Stockman of Florence, president of the Newberry Pee Dee chapter presided over the meeting. NEW BARNS is a fob for the forests . . . but it’s only one of thousands of jobs for which we need wood. Our country uses many times as much wood as any other nation. We are constantly finding new ways to use this vital material 4* a result, many Americans make a business of GROWING trees for our use. They are called "tree farmers”. The forest industries of America endorse and support the TREE FARM movement, which is teaching owners of ] our woodlands modern management methods for the pro duction of new and profitable forests. They are planning today for tomorrow’s wood requirements. This means permanent’forest industries assuring profits and benefits for our community; Whitener Lumber Company Time to start Saying ...with Safety... Here! You will be surprised how regular savings will grow to bring you the financial independence you want. Liberal earnings are added!