Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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c* THE NEWBERRY SUN. NEWBERRY, S. C. BAUKHAGE Washington Digcsty Now He Loafs in Florida, Catching Fish, Mermaids \ ' . By BAUKHAGfc News Analyst and Commentator. FORT PIERCE, FLA.—As you read these lines I expect to be back where the quiet along the Potomac will be dis- turbed by the plans for an old-time inauguration party and the beginning of a new legislative year. But as I write I can see the blue of the Indian river whose eastern shore line is a slim silhouette of palm trees screening the Atlantic beyond. When I stand up I can look over the seawall and watch mullet jumping higher than I ever saw a fish leap except when the Washington state salmon were hurdling the falls on their way to spawn. A little way north of here a wide <§• ■ • inlet breaches the natural strip of beach and dune, scrub pine and cabbage palm which forms a part of the barrier be tween the ocean and the great in land waterway stretching from New York harbor to Miami These occasional intrusions of the ocean don’t dis turb the Indian river in the slight est for through the dredged channels come the fish and the deep-sea fishing boats, the shrimpers and the freighters that mingle with the trim pleasure craft in the yacht basin. Approaching this spot on land you are welcomed by the brilliant red of the Turk’s Caps, the flower that never opens—never has to. Perhaps it is too lazy. It loafs along the ditches, growing wild in fields or tamed in gardens, showing no envy for its more aristocratic sister, the hibiscus which throws its flames out in wide tongues, the dainty bouganvillea blossoms, or the languorous poinsettia. When a crane flashes up from the river edge, a polished silver streak in the sun, yon know yon have left the northern city canyons far behind. Now the groves. Ripening oranges among the leaves shine like lit tle golden beads against rich, green velvet tapestry. Quite a different green from the deli- eate tint of the little lizard sunning himself on the window screen beside me. He would match the tender tint of the clusters of new pine needles un dulating in a breeze that keeps the palms fanning themselves with their rippling fronds. I am met in new, blue truck which also transports fish, groceries and whatnot—even a marauding wildcat which has suffered his just deserts among the palmettos at dawn. Over the cottage great bulbous blossoms of the yellow trumpet vine are waiting until the sun sets to send out their intoxicating per fume. s The next day starts, as it should, on the river. Overhead are the soaring flshhawks, the nervous kingfishers, the greedy, speedy and graceful black cormorants and high, above all the tireless man-of-war birds with their wide sweeping wings, like an upper-case M, which never seem to change their shape. Little snappers are so thick that we couldn’t bait fast enough, but we are fishing for our supper! And so days pass with no sense of time passing with them—trout and a few fighting jacks that flop and grunt but which is of little in terest to the commercial fisherman. Not a “honey-money” fish like a trout or pompano, as my wife, would say, making a little more euphemistic the terminology of the commercial fisherman. Bill Turner smiles. He knows the personal histories and hab its of the furred, feathered or finny folk that inhabit these parts and gets as much pleas ure out of seeing somebody else land a catch as he does doing it himself. And he has an un canny sixth sense that takes him straight to the spot close to the bank in the green shadow of the mangroves, outside on reef, deep in the cuts wherever fish will be if fish there are. ... I watch my wife pull in four speckled beauties. I get none. That’s not what the male animal ordinarily calls good fishing. But I don’t resent the fact that she is the fisherman in this family. In Baukhage and Friends fact as far as I am concerned, she, not Hernando de Soto, discovered the place. ... I land a snook, enough! Fried, with corndogers, crisp and golden brown, a salad of grapefruit, oranges, pineapple and fresh cocoanut from tne back yard, that snook is delicious. And so to bed. Next day I go after a different species of marine fauna. (See ac companying photograph.) Mer maids aren’t as hard to find as they used to be before that in genious creature, hpmo-press-agen- ticus, was discovered and carefully cultivated by the chambers of com merce of all energetic resorts. Although I didn’t intend to make a busman’s holiday out of my va cation I couldn’t help getting one or two interviews. I called on Douglas Silver, presi dent of the local chamber of com merce. I had known him when his beat was Broadway and the New York advertising district. His of fice was as busy as one in the Merchandise Mart or Radio City. "Do you like it any better here?” I asked him. “In some ways it’s worse,” he said. I nearly fell off my chair. Such a statement from a Flo ridian! He saw my consterna tion, immediately realized my misunderstanding, and hastily proceeded to put me right. “I see you don't mean what I mean,” he 'said. “I thought you were asking me if I like work any better here. Frankly, I have the same allergy to useful effort that you have. But work for you up north is all you have to do. Now look out there.” He pointed out the window to a gentleman in wrinkled slacks and a faded khaki shirt sit ting in a boat out on the river. Even from where we stood we could see the look of almost child ish contentment on his tanned face. Just then he stood up and be gan reeling in his taut line. Silver gave one look and pushed back his chair. “Listen,” he said, “I can finish up what I have to do in about 15 minutes and we’ll get right out there. But to answer your question: work is no better here than any place but the difference here is that when you quit you don’t have to take a train or a plane to get where you really want to be— you’re there already." • • • Shrimp Also , Abound There The lizard has moved over to get into a patch of sunlight leaking through the leaves of the magnolia tree. Some shrimp boats are coming in through the inlet. This is probably the biggest shrimping port south of Savannah. I think I will go over and see if I can’t get some nice fat ones. Bill Turner will clean them until they are sweet and delicate as a newly opened gladiolus. They will be boiled with just the right amount of salt. They will be chilled (not drowned in ice water until they are mushy). Mywife will do something miracu lous to the sauce. How I long for that dish. Why I haven’t had a real shrimp for I don’t know how long— it must have been as long ago as yesterday at lunch! Fort Pierce Has History Fort Pierce was a real fort once —built in 1838 as one of the chain of east coast defenses against the Indians. It was a strategic point on the Indian river because a natural opening to the sea permit ted easy water communication with the north. Settlers came, fought off the Indians, planted their pine apples, citrus groves, and vege tables for the winter markets. Later the artificial inlet was dredged so the big ships could dock. Florida played more of a part In the Civil war than most textbooks record. It was the food basket of the Confederacy and also one of the great blockade running bases, and 1 have no doubt these cuts shel tered many a contraband cargo going to or from Cuba or the Bahamas as they did in the 'days of the rum runners. The town felt the shock of World War II, literally felt it, for the submarines crept close to the coast and explosions rocked the- houses far inland. Wounded sur vivors were brought in and cared for here as in other coast towns. Later, because land and water con ditions could be simulated to re semble the terrain in the Pacific, It became the country’s largest amphibious training base. BACK HOME . . . Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt is shown as she ar rived from Paris-aboard the air liner Star of Michigan. Landing at La Guardia field, she pooh- poohed reports that she was a possibility for secretary of state. LIFTS BAN ... For the records, James Petrillo, head of the Amer ican Federation of Musicians, signed a new coitract with recording companies in his offices following the decision of Attorney General Tom Clark that clauses pertaining to the musicians’ welfare fund were not contrary to law. This means that orchestras once more can begin to make recordings of musical hits. Petrillo is shown giving the victory sign with Samuel R. Rosenbaum who has been named a trustee of the welfare fund. SENSATIONAL SWIMMER .... This is Ronald Gora, 15-year-old sophomore sensation who recently cracked two Hlinois state swim records. He attends Lane Tech high school in Chicago. Against an op posing high school team, Gora raced through the 50-yard backstroke in 28.7 seconds. Then he churned the 100-yard free-style event in 54.2. In practice sessions, Ronald has been clocked in record time in other events. GREAT START . . . Frank Stranahan, Toledo, Ohio, amateur golf star on the right and Stan Staszowski of Winsted, Conn., a rank outsider among the professional clan, turned in four under par 66s to pace a star studded field in the first round of the Miami open golf tournament. Here they are in front of the clubhouse scoreboard happily congratu lating each other on their unusual opening rounds. SILVER CRADLE . . . Peter Milton, engraver and polisher, puts the finishing touches to the silver cradle for the christening cake of Britain’s royal baby. The work is the creation of Col. J. W. Bell, a wounded English veteran. WINNER . . . Otto Matthes of Philadelphia is pictured at the Roney Plaza hotel in Miami after he won the national open in dividual bridge championship foi 1948. PRODIGY ... . Susan Lola Schwartz, 6, is shown rehearsing for her appearance with the Phil adelphia symphony orchestra De cember 11. She has been study ing the piano since she was four and was the youngest soloist ev er to appear with the orchestra. OBSOLETE DEFENSE ... Huge coastal defense guns became as obsolete as the bow and arrow with the development of the airplane. This big 16-incher at Fort Fuston, built to defend San Francisco bay, 's in the process of being cut up for scrap. The gun is 69 feet long :nd weighs approximately 370 tons. The barrel is being cut into five- i.>ot sections, each weighing about 23 tons. FLEES . . . Count Heinrich von Einsiedel, great grandson of Otto von Bismark, has quit his job as editor of the Russian licensed Taglische Rundschau and fled to the western sector. He has been arrested in the D. S. zone sev eral times before. Letter for Special Delivery To the American Anto Industry, Gents: I didn’t get too hot and bothered by that Washington inquiry into auto agency practices in the auto short age. I suspect that many a man who can be loudest in his squawk; against an auto dealer would, in a similar spot, be going after the last dollar, too, with gusto. The urge to make a fast buck is fairly general. Stacked right up beside the dealer who is out for all he can get I give you the customer who is not any too ethical. • For every dealer who takes your back teeth there are plenty of cus tomers who resort to back alley ne gotiations, larcenous proposition! and indiscriminate hocus pocus to get what they want when they want it. I have failed to run across a case where a car seeker yelled for the cops when discovering a way to get a new beach-wagon ahead of Joe Doakes. Nevertheless, the go ings on in the retail auto business have not been free from bad smells. They are not good for the automo bile Industry. And since the Indus try has poured countless millions of dollars into the job of creating customer good will, I am flabber- gasted that it hasn’t gone all out to prevent this good will from being shot to bits. * No matter whether the dealer is more to blame than the cus tomer, or vice versa, in the routine of forgotten priorities, low trade-in allowances, bribes, tips, etc., the public is sore. Al most from the time of the first horseless carriage, good will was the top aim of the auto in dustry. Dealers bad to beArarm, genial, popular figures in the community. And back of them stood the manufacturer shooting the wad to keep everybody hap py- « Then, bang!—look what happened! Due to the war and the car short age, a situation developed which, let the blame fall where it may, changed the old time friendly deal er into a deep-freeze unit, trans formed countless salesrooms into .polar icepacks and. made the public sore as a p^p at everybody from the phone girl in the town agency to the Detroit motor mogul himself. * Sure, the dealers have bad their troubles. They have been in a tough spot. But why have they chilled up on Otis P. Kar- buyer so much. Why that aloof ness? Why those brutally low ’ trade-in allowances? Why must the salesmen react to a guy opening the front door as if he were the community polecat? I’m only asking. • Mister Auto Manufacturer, you can do something. The dealers are not at heart bad guys. They will repent and revert to type if made to realize from the right quarters that they have been getting into bad habits. Maybe it needs a cam paign of re-education with some movie of the old fashioned auto dealer and an illustrated talk on all the things he would rather do than go cold on a customer and lose the good will of even a distant prospect. How about it? Yours for youi' own best inter ests, ELMER • P. S.—I remember away back when no dealer was too busy to answer the phone unless a cus tomer first briefed his secretary on who he was, and if so why. Them was the days, boys. • • • VANISHING AMERICANISMS "I don’t want any trouble with any body." "Let’s play safe and keep in the right auto lane." "Take care of the pennies and the dollars will take care of themselves." • * • General Eisenhower’s book on the war is a best seller. Lots of G.» I. veterans of the conflict have been yearning to know just what hap pened in their many battles. The general has also contributed a recipe in a new book on cooking, proving how versatile the big brass can be. It is for vegetable soup, never, we think, to be popular in German restaurants. What in trigues us in the recipe is this, "As a final touch in spring when nastur tiums are green and tender, take a few stems, cut them into small bits, boil them separately and add the Juice to the soup.” Nasturtiums in the soup? Was the war fought for that, Ike? • * • The site of the old Tombs prison in New York has been leased as a parking lot for downtown Gotham. We will never be able to put our car there without wondering whether it can get out again on good be havior. It will also bother us to decide whether we are parking the bus or incarcerating it. And in our sleep we see this parking lot sign Drive in your car And, no red tape. We guarantee It won’t escape. Teeth for Children Sodium fluorine, the magic chem ical that helps prevent tooth decay in children, now is in general use throughout the country. President Truman was informed this week by officials of the American Dental as sociation. Virtually all dentists are using it to various extents, chiefly on school children. "I’m mighty gla/l to hear that progress is being made,” the presi dent told a delegation led by Dr. Clyde M. Minges of Rocky Mount, N. C., president of the American Dental association. “I’ve been very interested in sodium fluorine since the public health service first re vealed its amazing qualities.” Then the President added with a smile: "It would be a wonderful thing if we could shed our teeth when they start bothering us jnd grow a brand new set.” Truman promised to give "se rious thought” to a proposal by Dr. Minges and his colleagues that he proclaim a national chil dren’s dental health day next February to stimulate greater interest in the care of teeth by school children and their par ents. NOTE: The Washington Merry- go-round on March 5 first reported the amazing progress'of the public health service in using sodium fluo rine to preserve children’s teeth, and gave credit to Congressman Frank Keefe, Wisconsin Republican, for helping the public health serv ice. It was reported that sodium fluorine would save about 50 per cent of the children’s teeth from decay. At that time the American Dental association’s journal was critical both of this column and the public health service for publishing this claim, but ADA officials now admit that painting children's teeth with sodium fluorine at proper intervals when under the age of 13 will pre serve them in about 40 per cent of the cases. 'No War 1 —Clay Powder-Keg-Sitting Gen. Lucius Clay expects the Russians to intensi fy the cold war. but to stop short of a shooting war. Talking privately to visiting congressmen from ' the house armed services committee. Clay predicted that the Russians would haunt Europe with (he specter of war, but would 3ot fight their cause on the open bat tlefield. Their game is to stir up chaos and fear, as a breeding ground for Communism. The general admitted, however, that a misfire in this delicate battle of nerves could easily precipitate a war. Greatest factor holding Russia back is American air power. Clay said, despite the fact that he is a ground soldier. “The Russians have more respect for our air power than some of us at home have,” he declared. The constant droning of the Ber lin airlift in Russian ears has only increased that respect, he added, and, at the same time, impressed the rest of Europe. It is Clay’s be lief that Russia wants to test wheth er the airlift can sprvive the win ter before backing down from the Berlin blockade. Clay told the congressmen that the Communists are going from door to door in Berlin as systemat ically as magazine - subscription salesmen, trying to scare individu als into the Communist camp. At night their threats are backed up with kidnapings and acts of terror, hundreds of individuals have disap peared forever behind the iron cur tain. Bouncing Bob Butler For years controversy has raged inside the state department regard ing the relative merits of the career and the political diplomat. Career diplomats resent the intrusion of ambassadors appointed because they have ponied up during a politi cal campaign—and this resentment is sometimes justified. So also, po litical appointees resent the lack of imagination, the routine viewpoint of many career diplomats. One political ambassador who got cuffed around at first is bouncing Bob Butler, the for mer St. Paul shipbuilder, who became U. S. ambassador to Australia. Today, however, Butler is ambas sador to Cuba and doing pn A-l job. Not only does he have the warmth and human quality which some career diplomats lack—and which Latin Americans love—but he has imagination. It was Butler who conceived the important idea of bringing President Prio of Cuba up to the United States on a good-will visit. Good will between the United States and our Latin neighbors is something which needs a lot of working at. Since Statesman Sum ner Welles got out of the state de partment it has been woefully neg lected. But today, energetic, likable Bob Butler is doing a great job of warming up our good-neighbor pol icy—which is a lot more important than deciding who should sit where at dinner. Classified Department AUTOS. TRUCKS U ACCESS. zoo FACTORY-BUIZ.T oak stake bodies (4 and Vt ton. Ford, Chevrolet. GMC, Dodge, International, Studebaker. t. A. Stoddard - Stone Moontain, Ga Phone SS41, Stone Moontain. FARM MACHINERY & EQUIP. CLOSE-OUT—Empire 2-unit electric milk- ing machine, brand-new, all attachments, $59. HOME ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES, Inc., 109 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Decatur, Ga. DE 98G6. FARMS AND RANCHES CANADIAN FARMS—Writ* at for FREE Tl* FORMATION on farm iettlement opportunltl«e. Fertile toils. Reasonably priced. H. C. Bosworth Canadian Pacifle Railway. Union Station, fit Paul. Minn. HELP WANTED—MEN THE SOUTH’S largest insulation^appli cator has sales pos:‘ ' ositions open in this ter ritory, selling rock wool insulation and weathe ' *" T icrstripping. COMPANY, Ine., 961 Confederal Atlanta, Georgia, for an interview. Write the M UNFORD ~ * - fe Ave., INSTRUCTION DANCING GIRLS We train and now have stage positions open up to $60 per week. CHARLES W. GRIFFIN. Theatrical Agent, 1620 Main Street, Jacksonville, Fla. Phono 4-4888. MISCELLANEOUS TREE RIPENED ORANGES Picked fresh from the tree and delivered to your door by fast express. $3.00 per bushel express collect. Send your order and check to R. B.T>OWNING, JR. Box 625 - * Wauchula, Fla. Beantifnl Bushel Cartons of Delieiodo TREE RIPENED CITRUS FRUIT - - • 1 via United States tipon receipt of your check or money order. Write A. F. COSEY. Box 295, Wauchula, Florida DIESEL FOR SAW MILLS: reconditioned with new engine guarantee. GM 75 h. p., $1,775; Chrysler 80 h. p.. $1,350. Also an International model U-21, $750. Vs cash, 12 months. SIMMONS DIESEL A EQUIP MENT CO., Dial 7121, Walter boro, S. C. ANESTHETIST For approved general hospital. For full particulars. Write DIRECTOR, P. O. Bex 5013, Richmond, Va. WANTED TO BUY Squirrel Hunter*—-Ship dried Grey or Fox squirrel tails to Herter’s. Wepay 6c and Sc each, plus postage. Herter’s, Waseca, Mina* Buy U. S. Saving* Bonds! When Your Children have COUGHS ...DUE TO COLDS ^ GIVE THEM 'GOOD-TASTING SC0TTS EMULSION Helps build stamina — helps build resistance to colds, if youngsters don't get enough natural A AD Vitamins! Scott's is a high energy FOOD TONIC-a "gold mine" of natural AAD Vitamins and energy building natural oil. 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