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PAGE TWO THE NEWBERRY SUN THURSDAY, DEC. 24, 1953 1218 College Street NEWBERRY. S. C. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY 0. F. Armfield, Jr., Owner Entered as second-class matter December 6, 1937 at the Postoffice at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $2.00 per year in ad vance; six months, $1.25. COMMENTS ON MEN AND THINGS By SPECTATOR Have you any ideas about the weather? Is our climate the same as it was in grandfathers time? Didn’t granddad break the ice for his morning bath? Are we favored with warm homes and heated cars and protected against the chill and blast of harsh winters? Well, let’s think from time to time about the weather. I mean the weather outside, not the coddled and pampered feeling of one who knows only the cold or heat between his home and his car. “A revolution is taking place in the world’s weather—and that it is occurring at an accelerating pace. Do you realize that last year, for example, in the City of New York, there were 1,160 more degrees of temperature than the average during the twelve months—and that in the year 1951 there was an excess of 920 degrees? Naturally, then, the ques tion arises whether a rise of a few degrees a day is important to the human being and his existence on earth. Probably the greatest study on this matter was made by Professor Hunt ington of Yale, who showed conclusively that even a slight rise of four or five degrees would have disastrous con sequences for the human race. Everywhere we turn, we find that ‘unusual weather is not the usual thing.’ For example, companies writing marine insurance report that this past season the marine disasters all over the world, due to unusual weather, were the great est for any period in all marine history. Take for example the disastrous storm that hit a good part of Europe this winter. Medical men in all parts of the world agree that the weather was so abnormal this past winter that there were an estimated 250 million cases of flue alone. There is no doubt of the all-important part played by weather, not only in our daily life, but in determining the prosperity and his tory of nations. There is something happening now which is going to have a most profound influence on the destinies of the major nations of the world—some being aided by nature as the weather turns milder and others bound to be set back as ruthless nature changes the climate for the various peoples of the world. To take an example from history, we find that the culture of ancient civilization de veloped best along the 70 degree isotherm in the Mediter ranean area. But as the weather changed, the civilization declined and the balance of power moved northward and westward in Europe and, later, to this continent. friend, it was clean and beautiful; lovely parks, broad avenues, splendid buildings. Oh, it was gorgeous; the most beautiful part of Heaven.” “Well, well” and the lordly one beamed. “And what about the people?” “The people? the people? There wasn’t anyone there.” So you see. Tennessee is not in that condition,'either as to resplendent loveliness or as to peculation becoming in short supply, to borrow an expression. However, here is something worth considering: “All recorded history tells us that socialism stifles pro gress, kills initiative and destroys ambition. One would wonder, therefore, why any people, with this knowledge so plainly before them, would continue to try the socialistic method. It is because people simply ignore the lessons of history? That would surely seem to be the case when people continue to fail to profit by the mistakes of past generations. Or is it because people do not recognize in a present situa tion any similarity with the socialistic problems of the past that have inevitably been doomed to failure? This latter reason is the more likely explanation—be cause socialism is seductive in its appeal and approaches the people in various guises. We have an illustration at hand in the case of the State of Tennessee. ^ A late report from the U.S. Census Bureau says that Ten nessee’s population has had a decrease since April 1, 1950 of 1 percent—or 32,000 persons. None of its neighboring states has had a sirr|ilar experience; in fact, a 3.1 percent increase was recorded for the South as a whole. This report is naturally causing considerable disturbance and discussion among state officials, newspaper editors, and the people themselves. And well it should, because such a situation is most unfavorable to the economic welfare of the state. It is no accident that the nations of the world who are always poor and in need are located in those parts of the globe where there is such heat that the human being simply doesn’t have enough energy to produce wealth. In this in dustrial age, there are certain countries in Europe and cer tain parts of North America which have been remarkably favored by a climate which has given them wealth, earn ing power, high intelligence quotients, and the energy to lead the world in industrial production. The more you study history, the more you find that there is a constant change in the balance of power between nations. No nation stays on top forever. One of the most important factors in bringing about changes in world power is the change in the world climate. Even a casual study will show remarkable changes taking place even during the lifetime of those now living. Captain Myers of the Hudson River Pilots Association, who has been on the river for more than fifty years, said to us re cently that the Hudson River used to freeze over all the way down to Yonkers, and that teams of horses and wag ons drove out on the river to harvest ice during the winter. The ice on the Hudson used to freeze three feet thick, and temperatures of 30 degrees below zero were frequent. History shows that in the days of the Roman Empire, The Tiber River froze solid. No doubt some of you have read of the great Frost Fairs held each year on the River Thames in London. On February 3, 1814, a whole sheep was roasted on the ice of the Thames, whereas today one could not roast even a squab on any of the important rivers of the western world. In prehistoric times, the weather on the earth was so cold that great ice areas not only covered all of Canada and the Artie area but extended as far south as the area from New York to St. Louis. Some of this ice was a half mile thick.” We’ve been hearing so many claims for the. wonderful things done by the Tennessee Valley Authority that one reads with amazement that the great State of Tennessee is losing population. Now surely we don’t rejoice in such vast and transforming blessings if the people are not there! I’m reminded of the story told of a man of a poor church who said to a pompous man of a great and rich church: “I had a dream. I went to Heaven. I went on a tour of the lovely city, the New Jerusalem. And I saw the section of the city reserved for your church.” “Is that so?” Asked the lordly fellow. “And what about it?” Well, said our humble The discussion of this decline in population has been mainly confined thus far to wondering why it has happen ed. Generally speaking, Tennessee has all the natural fact ors that make for growth and prosperity. It has abundance of natural resources, a good labor supply—in quality and in quantity, a favorable climate, good transportation facilities, and many other assets. It is natural to wonder, therefore, why Tennessee has had to decline in growth while the rest of the South has advanced. Three state oficials have now come forward with state ments about the decline, but they all deal with symptoms rather than causes. One says that his records show there has been a definite migration of workers to other industrial markets. Another says that these workers are going to other areas because they are not finding work in Tennessee or not find ing it at attractive wages. The third says it is now apparent that Tennessee is not obtaining new industry fast enough to absorb all the state’s working force. Why is Tennessee not obtaining sufficient new indus try ? That is the question. As the third official warns, the ability of Tennessee to hold on to its population or increase it in the future will depend largely upon development of industry to provide jobs. No one thus far seems to have an answer to this question. Yet, as one newspaper editor states it, the problem has “grave implications” for the State of Tennessee, and he wonders, “Are unforeseen factors bringing about a migration that could grow even more serious; if so, what are they?” One answer to this observation might be that Tennessee is located in the heart of the Tennessee Valley Authority. This is a factor that is perhaps not only ‘unforeseen’ but not even admitted by many, if any, state officials and news paper editors and by only a small percentage of the people. But it is there, nevertheless. • There has been a return to a private enterprise ‘climate’ in this country in recent months and many things hitherto camouflaged are now being exposed in their true light. There have been rumors for some time that industry has been hesitant to move into the TVA area. This census report would indicate that the rumors are true—that industry simply does not want to go to an area where the electric power supply, a vital factor, is complete government monoply and operated under a socialistic authority. This is some thing for the people to think about!” From the Seville Chronicle, Se ville, Ohio: "Why don’t you write an editorial about . . —a good share of what appears in this column is the result of a remark like that made to the editor by a reader. And that is only right and proper; to us a newspa per is a device whose purpose is to let everyone express views and opinions, whether it is an elected official seeking adequate publicity for a tax-paid project, a private cit izen whose rights have been abused, or the editor in a tantrum about something. This week this will be an omnibus of things that aren’t going to suit the editor. Let’s take that Demon Rum first; I don’t like our Ohio set-up’s face. Specifically, why have and occa sionally enforce, laws against drunken driving, so long as licenses to sell liquor are at the same time given to roadside taverns by which the last interurban ran 20 years ago? Evidently the state liquor licens ing board expects bartenders in these places to sell drinks only to motorists accompanied by a dry chauffeur. The law is ridiculous. Gambling also aggravates us. Bingo is illegal, but betting on the horses isn’t. We read in an area daily, which exposes bingo and oth er forms of vicious gambling on days when world news is dull, that bingo is frowned upon because ‘‘gangsters and a hoodlum element have taken over those forms of dropping a buck on which they frown, but racing, for which they print a special page of results and odds for horse-lovers, is carefully controlled. They may be right. Certainly we’ve never heard of any church group managing to muscle into a paramutual set-up like they have in bingo. Finally there are, of all things, the ads. Some companies must think the public is as stupid as their vice presidents. Anyone who thinks they can convince us that any kind of cigarette is good for us; that a slice of their bread will, replace, meat, eggs, butter and milk in our diet; that any sort of laxative will remove our finan cial worries and restore the bloom of youjh to our cheeks, or that their soap or’detergent will make clothes whiter than ever, dishes sparkle without drying, while hands dipped in it become young and beautiful overnight, has been smoking some thing besides tobacco. Why don’t you write an editorial? It’s fun! E MMA M. VICKERS, 5 S. Virginia Avenue. Atlantic City. New Jersey. was so worried and frightened one day at the age of seven that she almost lost her life. She and her brother Archie were sliding on the ice covering a large salt pond. Archie wouldn’t go on the ice because he knew it wasn t strong enough, but on went Emma. She slid across the pond and reached the other side where the ice was too thin. In she went up to her neck. For some reason an iron stake had been driven into the meadows at the edge of the pond, and at the very spot where she went through the ice. She grabbed this stake, hung on and began to cry, “Ooooh Archie, I’m a gonner—run for help!” She was so frightened that she could hardly hold on to the stake. As she saw Archie running across the meadows she began to pray. The only prayer she knew was Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep. She said that little CARNEGIE prayer over and over, more fervently than she had ever said it. Suddenly her fear vanished and she became calm and was able to hold firmly to the stake. Then she saw her father running across the meadows toward her. He pulled her out and took her home. She says she is sure that her prayer conquered her fear and enabled her to hold on to the stake when she otherwise would have gone down under the ice. 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