Newspaper Page Text
FRIDAY, JUNE 23, 1933
LETTERS FROM THE
PEOPLE
Wealth in Forest Lands
Editor Progress-Argus: It was my
pleasure to spend the day at Forsyth
on last Saturday and listen to that
eminent scientist, Dr. Herty, on his
experiments with the Georgia pine.
By his great experiments he has al
ready produced white print paper
equal to the spruce pine of Canada.
He is a great pioneer, one who is
several years ahead of his time and
even the imagination of the people.
One of his hardest fights will be to
get the landowners to see that there
is great wealth in our old field pine,
and that they must be protected from
fires of the winter and spring
months.
We should teach our people to be
as careful with fire as we are with
dynamite. I saw several county pa
pers that were printed on paper
made from trees grown in counties
where papers were published. Then
if we nave such great wealth just
thrust upon us by nature should we
r.ot use our best efforts to protect
it and utilize it in some manner?
Knowing the lands of Butts county
as I do, after listening to Dr. Herty
there should be given over to the
forests fully one-half of our acreage
and *be getting ready -for the new
day that is bound to develop on this
people. On every farm there is
enough poor land that is being culti
vated at a loss to absorb the profit
cf the productive land. Then why
r.ot lay out your farm in a systema
tic way, setting aside your timber
acreage, reducing the cost of your
crop production and at the same
time be planning for old age with
a beautiful timber growth that you
will not have either to toil or spin
for, just one of nature’s gifts to
man?
It was demonstrated to us when
the boll weevil made his destructive
march through this section our tim
ber was our only asset that was not
frozen. With all our abuse by fire
and otherwise we had to turn our
eyes to the forests to get money to
pay taxes and meet other obligations.
Suppose we ,had only been cultivating
our best lands, leaving our hills and
bluffs to our timber money crop to
have been harvested in a systematic
way? Our coffers would have been
bulging with wealth.
Any man now with a surplus of
money can grow rich by investing it
in land at present prices and give it
over to timber. Pardon me for refer
ring to one’s self, but I first want to
tell the young man who has become
skeptical of land of one instance of
what timber will do. Just a few yeais
ago my father owned a farm in Jas
per county. He offered this farm foi
$1,600. He did not receive an offer.
Four years ago we sold the saw tim
ber from this farm for the net sum
of $3,000.
Now suppose Dr. Herty’s plans had
been in operation? We perhaps would
have received $1,500 more for laps
and waste that was left to decay.
There is one thing to do and that
is to educate the landowner to the
fact that his timber has a potential
value. Then he will become more in
terested in its care.
I feel that our governor made a
serious mistake when he handicapped
Dr. Herty in his research work. This
work should be financed fully by
the state ko as Georgia people will
fully share the benefits from it when
it is fully developed. The world at
this time has its eyes on the old field
pine of the South and Dr. Herty is
bound to succeed, even if it is done
by capital outside of the United
States.
I wish to ask my farmer friends if
Dr. Herty comes near you go out and
hear him and give him your en
couragement by your presence, foi
he- has the key to unlock a vast store
house of wealth in the South.
O. E. SMITH.
Looking Backward
Through The Files
New* of 50 Year* Ago
Uncle Gus Gunn discovered cotton
blossoms in his crop June 18, the
earliest we have heard of.
Mr. J. E. Weaver brought a load
of home-raised bacon, hams, shoul
ders and sides to town last Wednes
day and sold it to one of our mer
chants. That’s prosperity.
Our carpenters and painters are
all busy. That is a good sign anu
one we want to see for a long time
to come.
We have had some delightful show
ers this week and crops are doing
well.
CONSTRUCTIVE BUSINESS
OH
RACKETEERING
Which Will Georgia Choose
?
WHEN Governor Talmadge calls the mem
of the Georgia Public Service Commission
up on trial before him on next Monday, the
State of Georgia will be on trial also.
The serious question which Governor Tal
madge must decide is whether constructive
business, wage-paying and tax-paying busi
ness, law-abiding business, can continue to
enjoy th£ protection of the law in Georgia,
or whether all businesses in Georgia hence
forth will be in danger of the ruthless rule
of racketeers.
The real issue in this case is not whether
electric rates in Georgia are too high or too
low. That is a minor matter by comparison
with the main question. The important is
sue is this —
Can a clique of half a dozen so-called la
bor union leaders in Atlanta—by threats,
intimidation and other racketeering meth
ods —so completely dominate the govern
ment of Georgia that no elective official
and no judicial body will in the future dare
do otherwise than bow to their commands?
The decision, which Governor Talmadge
must make is this —
Can individual citizens or businesses get
justice in Georgia if this Atlanta clique
says ‘‘No”? _ ?
On his decision hangs not only Georgia’s
hope of future development, but even the
safety of private property.
When you know the past history of this
case, you can understand clearly the hidden
motives back of the petition filed with the
Governor by the Georgia Federation of La
bor, at the instigation of this Atlanta clique,
demanding the removal of the Georgia Pub
lic Service Commission:
The petition pretends to be an attack on
the Public Service Commission. Actually the
petition was brought for the sole purpose
of doing injury to the Georgia Power Com
pany. This is clearly revealed by the fact
that the petition devotes itself exclusively
to this Company. It scarcely even mentions
any other utility undelf the supervision of
We Have No Quarrel
With Organized Labor
The Georgia Power Company has no quarrel
with organized labor. For many years, cordial re
lations have existed between this Company and a
Urge number of members of organized unions who
are in our employ.
Our adversaries in this difficulty are a small
group of Atlanta men, about half a dozen in num
ber, organized into a clique for the purpose of
exploiting organized labor and promoting their own
selfish political interests.
This Atlanta clique induced the Georgia Fed
eration of Labor to permit its name to be used in
their petition to the Governor. On this basis, the
clique claims to represent all of the 30.000 mem
bers of the Georgia Federation.
THEY DO NOT REPRESENT THE 30,000
MEMBERS OF THE FEDERATION.
We have been dealing with Georgia workers
organized and unorganized, far many years, and
we know what kind of people they are. We know
they do not approve of racketeering any more
than other Georgia people do.
We do not believe that this clique represents,
in spirit, more than a small percentage of the total
membership of the Federation.
This Atlanta clique, these half dozen Atlanta
men, represent chiefly themselves alone.
THE JACKSON PROGRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
Mr. George Elder, of Indian
Springs, carried out from the shops
of McKinley & Murphy on last Mon
day one of the finest hacks that has
ever rolled over the roads of Butts
county in many a day. It is now run
ning from the depot at Indian
Springs to the hotels at the spring.
Jt was drawn by two dashing spotted
steeds under the cover of Mr. H. W.
McArthur’s finest make-up of har
ness. Success to little George.
Mr. M. L. Duke is putting up the
first work on his new warehouse on
the west side of the square.
The cherry crop was a complete
failure.
News of 10 Years Ago
Butts county’s campaign to ran e
its quota of $284,000 in w.ir sav
ings stamps was to begin on June 28,
it was announced by Chairman R.
P. Sasnett.
Butts county’s quota of the state
road fund, a total of $225,226.55, de
rived from the automobile tag re
ceipts and covering a total road mile
age of 80,110, amounted to sl,-
405.78.
Butts county was visited by a se
vere wind and sand storm Monday
afternoon. The fruit crop was dam
aged and power lines were damaged
by falling trees.
Eighty-five negro select men were
sent from Bu'ts county to Camp
Gordon Wednesday morning.
A semi-annual dividend of 4 per
cent was ordered paid by the direc
tors of the Jackson National Bank
DYN AMITE?
In publishing this advertisement, our motive
is quite . frankly an attempt to bring about some
abatement of an attack which has been carried
on against us over a period of months.
This Company is now being attacked in a
more malicious way and with more destructive
dynamite than that which has been used <Vn our
power lines in the past and we are taking this
means of putting the facts before you.
Georgia people, we know, have no tolerance
for the racketeering methods —threats, intimida
tion, violence —practiced in the big cities of the
north and east. Georgia people doln’t want to see
racketeering imported into our State. They would
be quick to stamp it out if they knew it existed.
Racketeering does exist in Georgia, and it
must be stamped out NOW.
In asking for public support in this situation,
we are asking for no special consideration, no spe
cial favors, from the Goverlnor, the Public Service
Commission or anyone else. We do ask, and we
have the right to ask, that cases involving this
Company be heard on their merits, and that deci
sions be rendered on the basis of the facts and
the law, by courts and commissions protected by
public opinion from intimidation by racketeers.
IT DOES NOT MATTER TO US WHO
SERVES ON THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMIS
SION, SO LONG AS THEY ARE FAIR AND
IMPARTIAL MEN.
the Commission.
THE PETITION, IN ALL OF ITS AC
CUSATIONS AGAINST THIS COM
PANY, IS A TISSUE OF FALSEHOODS
FROM BEGINNING TO END.
Here are the events leading up to the fil
ing of the petition—
Some two years ago, a regrettable labor
dispute occurred in Atlanta, and a small
group of electrical workers employed by
this Company went on strike. The strike
was wholly unjustified and, under business
conditions then existing, it was a futile
and foolish strike.
It was NOT a dispute between this Com
pany and its employes which brought on the
strike.
There was no disagreement as to wages,
hours or conditions of work between this
Company and its employes. Instead, this
Company and its employes were dragged
bodily into the trouble by this clique of la
bor union officials. Their dispute was with
a separate and distinct company, Allied
Engineers, now out of business. Even
while that dispute was in progress, an ac
ceptable labor contract between the Geor
gia Power Company and its own union em
ployes was drawn up, agreed to verbally
and was waiting to be signed.
But when the union officers decided to
break with Allied Engineers, they likewise
called a strike on the Georgia Power Com
pany, frankly admitting that their sole pur
pose in calling the strike against this Com
pany was to intimidate the other company.
Admitting that they had no just griev
ance against this Company, they neverthe
less were so determined to RULE OR RUIN
they did not hesitate at sacrificing the jobs
of the members of their union, called them
off their work, and launched their campaign
of intimidation.
Since that date, this Company has been
and the Jackson Banking Company
at meetings held Monday.
The Fovilla chautauqua was to be
held June 29 to July 2.
Ice deliveries were stopped in
Jackson by order of state food ad
ministrator Soule.
A war department order said 800,-
000 American troops were in France
and the number was to be increased
to 1,000,000 early in July.
The Georgia legislature was to
convene June 26. Dr. R. W. Mays
was Butts county representative.
--
SUNDAY SERVICES AT THE
1 LOVILLA METHODIST CHURCH
Preaching Sunday at 11 a. m. and
8:15 p. m. by Rev. Harvey A. King,
pastor.
subjected continuously to a ruthless and un
scrupulous attack.
For a period of months, the Company’s
property was dynamited time after time,
until outraged public opinion forced a ces
sation of that vandalism.
And alongside that vandalism went a
more malicious attack, openly under the
leadership of this Atlanta clique.
Openly admitting their purpose to annoy,
harass and injure this Company in any way
possible, they have carried on a widespread
propaganda campaign, seeking to poison
the public mind by circulating twisted facts
and deliberate falsehoods, in public speech
es, radio talks and published statements.
They forced through the Atlanta City
Council a series of ordinances designed to
hamper and harass this Company.
They have sought to make this Company
an issue in every political campaign and
they have openly thrown their support to
any candidate who would join them in their
scheme.
They have directed an especially vicious
attack' upon the Public Servce Commission,
because they know that this Commission
has the power almost of life and death over
this Company. They know that they can in
jure us most if they can terrorize the court
which controls us.
Throughout it all they have set them
selves up as crusaders for the public wel
fare. But, time and again, they have exposed
their true motives when they have sent
emissaries to this Company, offering to call
off the attack and stop their ‘‘crusade,” if
we would discharge faithful workers and
give their jobs to the strikers —a proposal
which obviously we could not even consider.
Now they have made their boldest bid.
Determined to RULE OR RUIN, made arro
gant by such successes as they have gained
so far, they have marched into the Gover
nor’s office and demanded the heads of the
Public Service Commission served to them
on a platter.
This trouble began as a private fight be
tween the Georgia Power Company and
half a dozen Atlanta labor union officers.
Now it is no longer a private fight. These
men, by their bold attempt to get a strangle
hold on the government of Georgia, have
made this a matter of direct concern to ev
ery citizen of the State.
If these men, in order to satisfy their
selfish personal ambitions, can oust any of
ficeholder who stands in their path—
If these men, by trumped up false accu
sations; by threats and intimidation, can
overturn Georgia’s commissions and courts,
regardless of the law, the facts or the truth,
then —
WHO IN GEORGIA CAN BE SAFE?
i
Georgia Power
Company
A CITIZEN WHEREVER WE SERVE
Sunday School opens at 10 o’clock.
Rev. Jesse Terrell, Supt.
Epworth League 7:15.
Subject morning sermon: “Paying
Life’s Fare.”
Why go to church anyway? Be
cause the church is God’s way of
saving, conserving and keeping hu
manity from moral degeneration.
Get out of the daily grind. Go to
church on Sunday.
SINGING SUNDAY WILL BE
HELD AT PLEASANT GROVE
There will be a singing at Pleasant
Grove church 'Sunday afternoon,
June 25, beginning at 2:30. All sing
ers and music lovers are invited to
be present and take part.