The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, June 07, 1919, Image 4
Interesting Interview Giving
Former Governor's Impres
sions of Conditions Abroad
feOOD CHEER FOR
COTTON FARMERS
War Ravaged Countries in Dire
Need of Clothing and Next to
Food Their First Concern
(By Walter Duncan.)
"I return home a prouder, a better
*'>jtnd a more enthusiastic American
than when I went to Europe."
Former Governor Richard I. Man
ning so stated, when accompanied by
Mrs. Manning, he stepped from the
train at Sumter on his return to South
? Carolina yesterday.
The former chief executive, appoint
. ed a delegate to the peace conference
representing the League to Enforce
Peace, brings back to America after
weeks spent in France and England
some clear and forceful impressions
of the world situation as it has been
left in the wake of the greatest war
. in- human history. In Europe, he has
made a close study of the situation
and the enormous economic and po
litical problems arising out of it as
- . he "has watched the great actors in
their, tremendous work at Versailles.
. With these he*has been in close touch,
officially and as a distinguished guest
- in Europe. . .
Acc?rdng to Mr. Manning's view?
and the same view is shared,. he de
clares, by those who are watching
from even more advantageous posi
tions?Germany will sign the peace
treaty when ail the efforts of her
emissaries to. secure a modification of
?the termsTiave been exhausted and it
? finally becomes apparent to them that
t they have ho alternative.
President Wilson, according to the
testimony ?f one who has during the
? pest few weeks traveled over a large
part of France and who has visited
England, is regar.led by the people of
Europe as the exponent of their hopes,
? feeling that the great American presi
dent can do" more and has done more
to bring about a realization of these
; than any of their own leaders, and
that it has been Woodrow Wilson. who
- has put new ideas info the minds and
. iearts of the people of the world and
given them courage to look with con
fidence and courage to a future of
i peace.
r While imperfect in form and sub
. stance, ?ae League of Nations, the
'?f'former governor" believes, will form
the foundation for the world's Magna
Charta, and when it is perfected and
becomes operative will prove history's
greatest instrument and agency for
huiman liberty, to guarantee the rights
of man and for the security of peace.
As the League of Nations and its
adoption is President Wilson's work
and his own contribution, the Amer
ican president is the controlling factor
at the' peace conference. Mr. Man
. ning has been able to see with what
magnificent success President Wilson,
who clearly perceives what the world
? needs in this crisis, has forced the
adoption of some of his forward ideas
upon his associates. That he has done
so, says Mr. Manning, has been the
salvation of more than one European
country. Except for the conversion
of the other members of the big four
to his views regarding matters of the
deepest import involved in the set
tlement with a defeated Germany
some of these countries would find
themselves at war with Germany
again in a few years. France, for
instance, would have taken ov*"- the
whole of the Saare Valley and creat
ed another Alsace-Lorraine, which
.?qfcould hav.? inevitably produced an
other war as soon as Germany could
recuperate sufficiently to provoke it.
"The world is undoubtedly bare of
cotton," declared Mr. Manning, turn
ing to the situation as it directly af
fects the agricultural interests of
South .Carolina and this section. "Cot
ton and cotton goods are needed in
:. Europe second only to food.
There is urgent need for every bit
. of the cotton in the world today and
all that we are going to raise."
Mr. Manning then spoke of the de
plorable financial condition of Eu
rope, citing the fact that the mark,
normally worth 20 cents, is down to
. 7 1-4 centSj and the franc, the va ue
. of which was about the same as the
, mark, is now worth only about 16
cents. This, he pointed out. is neces
sarily going to be a big factor which
must- be considered in connection
witfi marketing cotton in Europe.
"I am not in favor of further gov
ernment loans," he said, "and I real
. Jtee that corporations must be formed
and credit extended on a larger scale
, than heretofore. Therefore, while all
cotton will ultimately be taken, we
will have to exercise patience and
judgment in feeding it to Europe. This
must be done slowly and gradually.
If we undertake to feed it fast the
market will be glutted and disaster
i win follow."
The depreciation in European cur
rency, the former governor pointed
CfUt. makes the cost of cotton to the
Europeans much more, and this with
a lack of credit are the two big things
which must be considered first of all.
"Bernard Baruch and Vance Mc
Cormick are doing all that lies in th"ir
power and are honestly working *o
establish credits for cotton, whatever
their critics in this country who are
misinformed and ill-advised as to their
work and their intentions may say to
the contrary." Mr. Manning emphati
cally stated.
i As soon as Mr. Manning: reached
Prance he took up with Herbert Hoov
er the cotton seed situation, which
wa* then acute. "I am glad to s**e."
he said, "that it has been worked out
?long the lines I suggested to .Mr.
Hoover and in which I was promised
his help/'
Mr. Manning then went to Baruch
and McCormick to see what could .be
done to get cotton exported to some
of the European countries. Mr. Ba
ruch stated that he. was working to
lift the blockade, and shortly after
wards succeeded in getting 40,000
bales into Poland. Mr. Baruch gave
Mr. Manning his assurance that cotton
j would be gotten into Poland and other
I countries as fast as credtis could be
! arranged. Again he emphasized the
fact that the taking of cotton must
She slow.
"I believe," said Go v. Manning,
"that the South's greatest opportunity
is at hand, but first we must settle
down to the problem of working out
credits, which will give us an oppor
tunity in European trade for every
thing ve produce and manufacture. If
we persist in a policy of a better bal
anced agriculture, raising food sup
plies and all that is needed at home
and plant the rest of our land in cot
ton we will have profitable prices for
all that is raised.
"Europe will offer a profitable mar
ket for all foodstuffs America can
raise. The outlook for European crops
this year is poor."
Passing then to bigger and broader
problems, Mr. Manning, after express
ing the opinion that the former
kaiser's condemnation when he is
haled before an international tribunal
will be only verbal, declared that the
Bolshevik situation is bad and that
its dangers have not yet been passed.
It is a fact, however, that when food
?shipments have been landed in cou'n
: tries torn by Bolshevism the quiet
!ing effect has been immediately no
i ticeable.
[ "The two things most urgent in
the world today," in the opinion of
the former governor, "is that people
all over the world must get together,
and that the people must have food."
There is still danger, Mr. Man
ning thnks, of the spread of Bol
shevism into every country of Europe
with the exception of England unless
it is checked and unless the disturb
ing situations'are quieted and the
peopie are enabled to resume their
normal lives in a very short time.
In England the situation, he says, is
improving rapidly. There is a bet
ter feeling between iabor and capi
tal and a higher sense of justice to
ward labor is reflected." With the
characteristic love of the British for
their institutions and their devotion
to their present form of government,
I do not believe there is any more
danger of Bolshevism in England
than there is in America.
"Never again," said the former
governor, "do I expect to see condi
tions as they prevailed before the
war. Never again will the wages
of labor be disregarded, in this coun
try or in England."
Further discussing the danger of
the spread of Bolshevism, Mr. Man
ning declared that the salvation of
the world depends largely upon what
America, France and Great Britain
ire going to do. France must, in his
Dpinion, change her attitude. The
Peace Conference .has gone as far as
it has been humanly possible to satis
fy her, and she does not seem to rea
lize that pressing her claims further
she would be digging a pit in which
she might be the first to ultimately
fall.
Mr. Manning comes back to Ameri
ca more ardent in his admiration for
President Wilson and of his magnifi
cent action in the arena of world
statesmanship, and for the critics of
the great man who hah "calied into
being a new world fashioned out of
the corrections of the evils of the
old," he has only cond em nation.
"I blush at the attitude of con
gress, not only because of the but
spoken utterances of Republican sen
ators, but because of the little snip
ing and carping criticisms of men of
achievements of the administration
first in fighting the war to a suc
cessful conclusion and then in the
great work that has followed. Xo
one. unless he has been as I have been
and has seen the magnitude of this
undertaking can have any adequate
conception of what has been and is
being accomplished. When peace is
signed and the world is at work
again, this sniping criticism will cease
and recognition of Woodrow Wilson
will extend not only to the masses
who already look to him as their
leader the world over, but to those
who are now his harshest critics.''
Unless the Repunlican senate shall
ratify the peace treaty with the league
of nations practically intact Woodrow
Wilson will, in the opinion of Govern
or Manning, be forced to accept the
Democratic nomination in 1920. and in
that event he will be elected for a
third term.
Mr. Manning expressed absolute
satisfaction with the peace treaty.
As it was being prepared at Versail
les he was privileged to acquaint him
self with its provisions section bi
section as these were completed and
long before they were presented to
the German envoys.
Asked his opinion regarding the
problems of Turkey, Mr. Manning de
clared that he would not favor the
United States becoming mandatory
for Constantinople, but that in his
opinion, England. France and the
United States should jointly under
take that responsibility. Although,
this plan, once discussed, has been
overridden, there is the probability
that the proposal will be revived,
and this may be the ultimate solu
tion.
After"such a survey as be has been
able to make, the opinion of the for
mer governor on any subject affect
ing our national life and institutions
is of importance. Mr. Mannng talked
freely regarding many matters of the
widest public interest.
In his opinion, immigration should
be severely restricted under the most
drastic limitations until those already
in this country have been American
zied.
The Irish question must be settled,
but there is so far no prospect of a j
settlement which will satisfy. Mr.;
Manning while in Europe formed the
acquaintance of Sir Horace Plunkett.j
with whom he was thrown a great
deal, and with whom he discussed the
Irish situation at first hand. An in
teresting sidelight in this connection
is Si.- Horace's statement regarding
the co-operative farmers' societies
which he has formed in Ireland. There
are now 100,000 members, and these
societies are transforming Ireland in
to the greatest prosperity the coun
try has ever known.
There was a general feeling among
the peace conferees when Mr. Man
ning left France that something more
should be done for Russia striving to
shake off the yoke of Bolshevism.
Since his return to America he has
Iread of the conditional recognition of
i the anti-Bolshevik governments which
I will enable the alles to lend help, not
I of men but of money, supplies, arms
land ammunition, and this the former
j governor regards as significant since
lit is the first definite policy toward
J Russia which has been determined
!upon. Mr. Manning is hopeful that
this recognition will lead eventually to
the overthrow of the Soviets.
Universal military training follow
ing the conclusion of peace would not
only benefit America in every way,
through the advancement in citizen
ship, but such training would, in the
opinion of Mr. Manning, bring a recog
nition of authority which would be as
good for the country as the physical
and mental training would be for the
youth of the land. The nation would
be strengthened and universal mili
tary training would afford a tremen
dous lead and assistance in solving,
problems bound to arise. Like the
selective service draft it would work
without regard to class, vocation or
money and would prove a great stim
ulus to Americanism.
"To the American woman who has
been serving in the war in the Re^I
Cross, the Salvation Army and the T.
M. C. A., I take off. my hat," said Mr.
Manning. "I have been privileged to
observe what a great service she has
rendered, a service second only to
that of the American soldier. Too
much praise cannot be given her.
"As for the doughboy, the courage
the patience, the endurance and the
dash of these men has simply beep
beyond estimate. They won the war.
I believe every American who has
been in Europe shares the feeling I
have that because of our part in the
war America will be stronger and betr
ter than ever before and that these
men will be better Americans. They
have shown the world in the most
magnificent manner that we are not
too fat to fight, but they have shown
themselves the equal of any soldiers
in any war in any age."
Mr. Manning was tremendously dis-|
appointed to learn that practically
nothing had been done in South Caro
lina since his departure for Europe
to bring about an improvement in
highways.
"Somebody fails to appreciate and
to understand the necessity," he said..
He spoke then of the roads of
France. Notwithstadning that a steady ;
stream of heavy traffic passed over *
these roads for the four years of war,
they are still practically perfect. This
applies not only to roads used for f.
many years, but when a military i^ail- ?
road was built to Verdun the French j
built a highway.over which there was j
a constant stream of trucks without j
intermission. 1,500 in line, yet it is -
possible to drive over this road 40 or
50 miles an hour with comfort. 'But
for such roads it would have been im
possible to have transported the nec
essary supplies for the armies, v
Mr. and Mrs. Manning were ac
corded every courtesy in both France
and England, especially by the mili
tary authorities, and were enabled to
visit many parts of France and to
make many observations which would
otherwise have been denied them.
About 30 miles north of Verdun they
located the grave of their hero son.
Major William Sinkler Manning, who
was killed in action on November 5.
at the head of his men. and in this
sacred place they spent some time,
learning of Major Manning's move
ments from the last letter he wrote
his father on November 1 until the
day he died with his face to the foe.
The proud parents, rich in their sac
rifice, dined with the officers of Ma
jor Manning's regiment and from
those heard of his heroism and mar
tyrdom. It was a source of gratifica
tion to Mr. and Mrs. Manning to
know that before their soldier son
gave up his life he had the satisfac
tion of seeing the Germans driven out
of their stronghold and in retreat he
fore his men.
"We feel," said Mr. Manning yes
terday, "that there was nothing more
to be desired."
Mr. and Mrs. Manning also visited
the spot where the Old Hickory boys
broke through the Hindenburg line, j
They inspected the ground over which j
the Carolina and Tennessee boys!
fought back the Hun. dislodging him t
from his stronghold, and even went!
Into the tunnel and fortifications sup- j
posed to be impregnable until th'i
boys of the Thirtieth proved that a
fallacy and a myth. The physical evi
dence when studied in connection with
the war maps and official report
shows, says Mr. Manning, that it was I
the Thirtieth supported by the Twen-1
ty-seventh division which actually!
smashed the Hindenburs line <ind
went forward the farthest into the |
enemy lines.
In London Mr. Manninjr was called j
upon by former Ambassador Bryce to ]
preside over a session of the League j
to Enforce Peace and visited the!
house of commons then in session.;
Among the interesting acquaintances I
formed in London was that of T. I*, !
O'Connor. j
At a chateau at Chatillion Mr. and ,
Mrs. Manning occupied the room i
where General Foch wrote his famous j
order during: the first battle of the
Marne. They were guests of honor at
many dinners given by army officials. ;
among these the officers of the Eigh
ty-first division. They visited their j
three sons and saw many South Caro-j
lina boys.
"Hut 1 have seen nothing that look-j
ed as ;rood to me as does South Gar-]
olina." declared the former governor. ;
"I am optimistic of the future " j
he continued, '"but this optimism !=l
tempered by the fact that it will re-1
quir?' time, diligence and patience Lo"!
work out the difficulties that must !>s
overcome by reason of the tremendous
loss of life and property in Ruropej
and the depleted" condition of Knro
pean resources."
Mr. Manning says he has no plans
for the future, but for the present in
tends to rest, devoting his attention!
to his farm. I
Weights and Measures
Harris Will Have Inspectors
Make Tests in All Section of
State
Columbia, June 3.?The State de
partment of agriculture, commerce
and industries is endeavoring to put
a. puncu into the enforcement of the j
regulations regarding the misuse of j
weights and measures. The short |
measures of all sorts of commodities J
will be regulated if Commissioner!
Harris can perfec his plans, and he
expects to do so.
Soon after he came into office. Mr.
Harris caused to be made an examina
tion of the laws of other States and
he has made regulations which will be
enforced strictly. Inspectors will go
throughout the State inspecting sales
and weighing devices and other meas
ures.
Capt. H. W. McCreight. chief clerk
of the department, has just returned
from Washington where he attended
a conference of weights and measures
officials from all Sta:es in the Union
which have laws. South Carolina's
interest in the enforcing of such reg
ulations was approved and Captain
McCreight was given much valuable
information which will be used in this
State. Commissioner Harris is now in
Charleston with two inspectors look
ing over the field there.
Following is the%report of Captain
McCreight upon the meeting in Wash
ington to Commissioner Harris:
"As directed byn-ou, I attended the
foregoing mentioned Weights and
Measures convention and beg to sub
mit the following report. The pro
gram wa^p prepared by L. A. Fischer,
chief, division of weights and meas
ures of the. bureau of standards, who
presided at all sessions of the conven
tion. Thirty-two delegates were pres- J
ent representing 24 States, several
States having several delegates, and
69 city and county dealers. Also a
hum bier of manufacturers of series,
measures and liquid pumps were rep
presented, making a total of about
120 persons, including several officers
of the burpau of standards.
"State delegates reported laws, pro
gress and conditions in their respec
tive States, being allowed a maximum
of five minutes each. I am pleased to
report that South Carolina is ahead
of many States represented and is
behind only a few, namely: New York,
Massachusetts. New Jersey, Pennsyl- [
vania and New Hampshire. The last j
mentioned have separate departments
of weights and measures i nder a com-1
missioner and his assistants, thus be-!
ing able to devote their time exclu- f
siyely to this work and r.aturally are |
able to go deeper into' 'the study and \
performance of the duties. It is con- {
ceeded that testing scales, measures |
and liquid pumps for'accuracy are.
merely. the ABC's of this work. ]
though certainly the most important
ind ;.most. valuable to the masses. Es
pecially during the present period of
high prices-of ail necessary commo
dities, the matter of accurate weights
and measures should receive attention.
'?Commissioner H. A. Webster of
New Hampshire stated that the laws
of his State prohibited the sale of
wood in any manner other than bv
the cord or fraction thereof, and that
notices to this effect are posted
throughout the country districts and '
otherwise advertised. I believe that
other States should enact similar laws,
as many venders of wood place same
at all sort sof angles with the view*
of deception as to quantity and sell
at so much per load.
"A paper was read on "Fraud in the
Sale of Ice" which was followed by
an interesting discussion. It appears
that ice is rarely weighed but is cut
by estimate. However, experienced
honest ice cutters can usually cut a
piece of ice within a pound or so of
the desired quantity and the purcnas
er should average the correct weight.
It is not practicable to sell ice ac
curately by weight as other commodi
ties are weighed and sold, as a small
additional piece would not be desir
ed by the purchaser, nor would the
ice man care to cut off a small over
weight. However, when short weights
are regularly given, or the shortage
is considerable, fraud is evident and
should be prosecuted.
"One of the interesting and import
ant subjects stressed. was that of the
unnecessarily large number of sizes of
I containers for vegetables, fruits and
i berries. F. P. Downing, of the bureau
I of markets, addressed the convention
; and exhibited many sizes of these con
| tc.iz.2rs from a quart to a bushel and
larger. Unless the basket or crate,
supposed to contain a bushel, but of
ten' a quart or more short, can be
compared with an accurate- contain
er, the difference is not noticeable,
and frequently one is taller and the
other wider which prevents a com
parison calling attention to errors in
sizes. The bureau of standards rec
ommends reducing the 20 or more
sizes to five or six, these to conform to
certain measurements as to height
and width of top and bottom so. thai
anyone with a rule may verify the
accuracy. Resolutions were adopted
that as far as possible the use of dry
measures be discontinued and that
the commodities be sold by weight,
and that flour and other commodities
not sold by the hundred weight cr
multiple thereof but. by 196 pounds,
etc.. as at present, be sold on a basis
of 100 pounds.. The convention' was
unanimously in favor of standardized
weights and me'asures,. using- those
adopted by the bureau of standards
as a basis..
?="Liquid Pumps?Investigations have
shown that a large proportion of in
accuracies in liquid pumps is caused
by faulty installation. Most pumps
are accurate when shipped, by the
manufacturer, but due to careless
ness or ignorance in installing, the var
rious pipes are not placed at correct
angles and parts of the apparatus are
not level and the measure is found in
accurate. To avoid the. necessity of
tearing up cement work on complc
tion of installation for the purpose of
correcting inaccuracies, it would be
far better to have a public dealer test
first for accuracy. .Also, should a
plumber or any other than a trained
representative of the .manufacturer
install the pump, directions and- blue
prints furnished should be carefully
read and followed. Pump" manufac
turers are more than willing to co
operate with purchasers," and when
possible furnish an expert to. install
! the pump, i respectfully suggest that
about two Seraphin field standards
(five gallon measures with patented
devices attached which indicates, the
exact quantity over or short) be pur
chased for the use of our sealers^he
[attached letter and descriptive .e^am
' pie explains in* detail the advantages
fand cost of this standard with Valid
without traveling case. -,' ..
"Dr. C. L. Alsberg, chief of the bu
reau of chemistry, delivered an inter
esting and instructive address on. the
"Enforcement of Net Weight Amend
ment to the Food and Drugs Act."
Canners of tomatoes, peas and other,
vegetables and fruits mark the net
weight on the cans, but frequently it
is found that the purchaser buysJar&e
quantities of water. In some cases
results have been obtained by prose
cuting this fraud under the head of
adulteration or misbranding rather
than short weights. A certain quantity
of liquid preservative must be allow
ed, but this fact is taken advantage
of by fraudulent manufacturers' and
should be closely watched.
"Many States are changing the name
of weights and measures, to depart
ment or bureau .of standards, which '
covers a larger field in this line of
work. ?
"William C. P.edfield, secretary of
United States commerce, in ah inter
esting address told the convention that
they were divinely as well as legally
charged with their duties, citing ka~,
passage from the Old Testament as
follows: "False ; measures are an
abomination to the LordV' This pro
voked considerable laughter though
the truth was duly /appreciated.'.'
'T am attaching a quantity , of lit
erature in connection with these paat
ters of value to our sealers an^^rust
that after studying same thai all of
value be kept for future reference.
"Respectfully submitted^
: "H. W.?^cCreight,
. . ,^ "Ch^f Clerk."
_-?-?? "'' >
A. G. I/. Operate Income. %
Richmond, Va., June Otgn>
atihg income of the . Atlantic ^Gpast
[Line Railroad on. Aprilwas
I 288,507;* ;as'' compared, .'with'.. 1^301; -
i 729 last year and $8^6,874 ta^;i$t7,
according, to a statement ^?st^jss?ed:
Aftervdeducting taxes th? . o^ralirig
' income, fpom January 1.to April .30
was $3,.794,3S2. In the "same period
in 191$'" it was $5,177,564, j^rm the
preceding ? year it was $5,05$&fc2:L^,;
Distribution of the regular .2' per
cent* semi-annual dividend, ^payable
June 30, has been authorized by*, the
Chesapeake and Ohio Rattt^y ..Com
pany through its-directory, according
to an announcement just made.
-.-?--3KPT.?
Why We Handle United States Tfres
Because they're good tires. Because we KNOW- they're good
tires. Because our experience has taught us that they will satisfy
and gratify our customers. ..." ?
There are United States Tires for every need of price or use;
We can provide exactly the ones for your car.
United States Tires
are Good Tires t
We know United States Tires are good tires. That's why we sell them.
Anchor Auto. Co.
Slimier .Motor Co.
W. C. Rogers. Bishop vi lie.
1$. (\ Gillis & Co., Kembert.
\\. C. PlowuVn?N'osv Zkwt.
D. H. skinner, Elliott,
Geo. M. Hall, Lucknow.
I. X. Griffin, Lynchbarg.
Dalzcll Mercantile Co.. Dalzcll.
II. Fj. Thomas?Maycsrilfc