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Jackson Progress-Argus
PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY
J. DOYLE JONES
Editor and Publisher
Entered as second-class matter at
he Post Office at Jackson, Ga.
TELEPHONE NO. 166
OFFICIAL ORGAN BUTTS COUN
TY AND CITY OF JACKSON
SUBSCRIPTION RATES
TN ADVANCE
One year _ $2.00
Six months . 1.00
Single Copies .06
Every governmental official or
board whose duties include the han
dling of public funds should pub
lish at regular intervals an account
ing of it, showing where and how
each dollar was spent. This is be
lieved to be a fundamental princi
ple of Democratic government.
People are learning a lot of
geography these days, but some of
it they would rather not know.
Georgia politics, it is reported, has
reached the simmering stage and
some open eruptions are promised
a little later.
Atlanta, according to recent an
nouncement, is to have anew daily
newspaper soon. It is a bold ven
ture during war conditions.
If no new tires are available in
three years all of us will be back
where we started —on foot. Tire
rationing is the great leveler.
Every man and woman who is
physically able should enroll for
civilian defense. The training will
be useful during and after the war.
The division of wildlife says Geor
gia streams are being stocked with
fish. Under the new time dispensa
tion there may be more time for
fishing.
Early gardeners have a quarrel
with the weather person. Gardens
will be late this year in spite of
all the urging to raise bigger and
better gardens.
Big appropriations and big talk
will not win the war. The country
wants to see action and plenty of
it. Maybe the spring will produce
the long-talked of offensive.
There appears to be a healthy de
mand for real estate. The war will'
likely be followed by the greatest
back-to-the farm movement the
country has witnessed in years.
The Jackson Short Route is a
highway that ought to be speedily
built, but indications are it will have
to be built by the government. The
state has about adjourned read con
struction.
Georgia’s educational institutions
are in a mess and practically all of
them have been removed from the
accredited list. The enrollment is
several hundred short of the previ
ous year. This shows what happens
when politicians set out to wreck
the state's colleges and universities.
Old Man People will have to cor
rect the situation at the ballot box.
THE AMERICAN’S
CREED
I believe in the United
States of America as a govern
ment of the people, by the
people, for the people whose
just powers are derived from
the consent of the governed;
a democracy in a Republic; a
soverign Nation of many sov
ereign States; a perfect Un
ion, one and inseparable, es
tablished upon those principles
of freedom, equality, justice
and humanity for which Amer
ican patriots sacrificed their
lives and fortunes.
I therefore believe it is my
duty to my Country to love it;
to support its Constitution; to
obey its laws; to respect its
flag; and to defend it against
all enemies.—William Tyler
Paga.
Take It Or
Leave It
By J. D. JONES
America is prodigal with its na
tural resources. We cut down, wear
out and throw away things that
would sustain the people of other
countries. Indications are the war
is teaching the people of the nation
the meaning of thrift. We never
missed automobile tires until they
were rationed. We thought sugar
existed in unlimited quantities. We
cut down trees, take the best part
and throw away the remainder. As
S. K. Smith says in the letter column,
there should be some way devised
to save the by-products from tim
ber. Our natural resources, bound
less as they are, will give out some
day. Club boys and farmers are
searching the fields and highways
for scrap metal to keep the steel mills
in operation. Nobody thought of
this until the emergency arose. Save
everything and waste nothing has
been impressed on the people as
never before. It may be the coun
try will be called on to make more
sacrifices before the war is over.
Lessons in thrift now being learned
will do the nation good. Benjamin
Franklin, one of the nation’s truly
great men, taught many valuable
lessons in thrift. It would do Amer
ica good to practice Franklin’s ideas
of thrift. The fact is, we will have
to do this whether we want to or
not.
That was a fine list of club mem
bers published in the Progress-Argus
last week. No movement in years
has meant more to the county than
the 4-H club movement, which
stresses the co-ordination of head,
hand, heart and health. Valuable
lessons are learned in production and
marketing. These young people
grow products enough to make a
creditable showing and often shame
their elders in production of staple
crops, gardens and livestock. In
their own meetings the boys and
girls learn parliamentary law and
business procedure. Best methods
of marketing are studied. Club
members of today will assume posi
tions of leadership in a few fleeting
years. Butts county club members
are fortunate in having capable
leaders in the Extension Agent and
Home Demonstration Agent. It is
accepted that the boys and girls will
do their parts well. Now let the
rest of us support them in every
possible way and the county will
make progress through this youth
movement.
When the real fighting men of
the nation run down the enemy and
whip him to his knees, as they will
do when production begins to flow,
there will remain a job that they
ought to do and we hope they will
do. When the war is over and peace
signed, we hope these real fighting
men will dedicate the remainder of
their lives to running down and
stomping into the ground every re
actionary who is hindering the war
effort. In the reactionary group
are captains of industry, fighting
for the last dollar of profit and with
out an ounce of patriotism in their
mean and shriveled hearts. There
are also the labor racketeers who
are slowing up production and are
willing to see loyal Americans die
like rats while they hinder and delay
and collect union dues. The great
mass of Americans are patriotic and
loyal and self-sacrificing. In the
hour of supreme need it is unfortu
nate that the nation has its Benedict
Arnolds of big business and its Aaron
Burrs of organized labor. Each
group is trying to win the war—
\\ in it for its own selfish interest.
Human lives and blood and tears
mean nothing to these racketeers of
capital and labor. That’s the reason
when the doughboys come home from
their other job we want to see them
start in on these profiteering, rack
eteering gangsters and maul hell
out of the whole gang. And the na
tion will applaud the effort.
THE JACKSON PROCRESS-ARGUS, JACKSON, GEORGIA
A precedent was shattered the
other day when the Saturday Even
ing Post, established by Benjamin
Franklin, announced it would in
creases the subscription price from
five cents to ten cents per copy.
Other national magazines have fol
lowed the lead. Newspapers and
magazines are headed for a storm.
They don’t know just where they
will land or how they will emerge.
As long a3 value is maintained the
public will not object to the increase
—certainly not the intelligent pub
lic.
The Program Planning Committee
has outlined a comprehensive, work
able and practical farm program for
Butts county this year. The cen
tral idea is to increase food and
feed production for human and live
stock needs. This is being done in
every part of the state. It doesn’t
add up and make sense for Georgia
farmers to have to buy their food
and feed from other parts of the
country. Soil conservation, soil fer
tility, club woik, new cash crops,
larger and better gardens, commu
nity meetings to train for leadership,
and cooperation with the FSA and
other agencies, increase in 4-H club
enrollment—these and other fea
tures of the 1942 farm program
make it a good one. If generally
followed the program as outlined
will leave the county in better fi
nancial condition at the end of the
year. The. program is a good piece
of work. Now let’s adopt it and
make it work.
Necessity is the mother of inven
tion, according to the proverb. This
year when nitrates are scarce and
hard to obtain several mixtures and
combinations are being used on
grain, information shows. What
little soda can be obtained is being
mixed with potash or cottonseed
meal or commercial fertilizer and
it will be interesting to watch the
results. Nitrates have been sharp
ly curtailed and it may be a long
time before a normal supply will be
available. Farmers are really con
cerned about two things: The scar
city of nitrates and the scarcity of
farm labor. At a time when agri
culture is being called on to feed
and clothe the nation, fanners in
form the writer they don’t know
how they are to do the job
without adequate labor, fertilizer
and equipment.
There will be very little purely
local politics this year in Butts
county. The county must elect a
representative in the general assem
bly; the twenty-sixth district will
name a state senator, which under
the rotation system, will fall to
Spalding county; the Flint .fudicial
Circuit will elect a judge and the
Fourth District will name a repre
sentative in Congress. So far there
is little discussion about any of these
races.
Vocational training is the need of
the hour. The schools will probably
have to revise their courses of study
to meet changing conditions. Edu
cation must be made more practical.
A lot of the high-brow education
must give way to training to make
a living.
President Roosevelt, who has been
a consistent friend of farmers,
seems to have gotten off on the
wrong foot in regard to parity pri
ces. Farm income is still far be
low industrial and organized labor
income and there cannot be national
prosperity with farmers getting be
low parity prices for their products.
More power to the farm bloc.
MacArthur Day was observed
with fine spirit throughout the coun
try. Americans collected a vast
quantity of scrap metal to keep the
steel mills running and at the same
time paid tribute to a gallant gen
eral.
The cow that jumped over the
moon is more than a fairy story.
Livetock prices are soaring to new
heights. Georgia needs more live
stock to feed its own population and
with a surplus to sell to tho gov
ernment.
THE LAST STRAW
Bv VINCENT JONES
The bluebirds and robins are not
only harbingers of spring this sea
son but of wholesale slaughter that
is to soon follow in the scattered
battlefields of the world.
Too much importance cannot be
placed on the events of the next
few months in relation to the
eventual outcome of the war. Real
izing the tragic consequences of an
America fully armed and girded for
battle, Hitler knows that if victory
is his it must come in 1942 or never.
Knowing this, he is expected to re
new the offensive with an intensi
ty never before seen of believed pos
sible. The next six months will chart
the course of the war. The nations
winning then will probably win the
war. Americans are sick of the pap
we are being daily fed as to our
productive capacity in 1943; the
war will be won or lost this year
and unless we can get our thousands
of planes off the assembly lines and
into the battles, we stand an excel
lent chance of losing it.
This is war, not a gallant foot race
on the track at Eton where the win
ner might slow his pace to let his
opponent catch up. Japan and Ger
many do not intend to twiddle
thumbs while we take up the slack
in our war production and come
abreast of theirs. Already we have
been singled out as the focal point
of an Axis attack; the easiest way
for the Nazis to win the war would
be to blast our industrial areas, to
lay waste to our large and impor
tant rail centers, to terrify the civil
ian population and cause a lowering
of morale. We all know these to be
facts and yet there are some who
do not think the Axis powers will
attempt to bomb our cities. Have
they forgotton Manila, the open city?
Today, however, Americans are
not thinking in terms of defense.
They know that the word defense,
implying the thought of protection
from assault, is not the kind of
words that win wars. In a sense,
we have been lowrated; our govern
ment relations men have listened too
much to the story of England and
have tried to prepare our minds to
absorb the kind of beatings that
England has taken. Have they for
gotten this is America, mighty Amer
ica, that is still able to make the
world shake and dictators tremble
when she roars to the attack?
Do away with the word “defense”
in all our conversations and writings
concerning the war, and give us a
battle cry that will ring true to all
those oppressed and enslaved every
where that they may receive inspira
tion and join us in our battle. That
is the request all loyal Americans
ask today of their government. They
know the best defense, in war, in
sports, or in life, is a good offense.
They want to see our team with the
ball, even though some of the play
ers are their own sons and the stakes
come high.
Most of the confusion comes from
the leaders. Henderson says there
is ho rubber, not even enough for
military needs. His critics say there
is plenty for everybody. They want
to play ball in Washington but the
trouble is everybody wants to be
the pitcher or the one who hits the
home run. There aren’t enough
team players and no substitutes at
all. Henderson hints at conscription
of tires from civilian cars. He has
no right to make vague threats about
the future; he low-rates his people;
he calls them children emotionally
who are not willing to give up tires,
or other luxuries.
If you want tires, Uncle Sam,
take ours. If you want sugar, take
it all. If you want steel, take our
cars. If you want wood or money,
take our homes and bank rolls. But
if you want the American people to
get behind you 100%, give us the
leadership in Washington and the
offense in battle. Don’t take every
thing we have and then make vague
promises about what you will do in
1943. Take it all now. uncle, and
give it back to the Germans and
Japs. You can take our finest cars
and make scrap piles of steel ia the
WE’RE ALL IN
THE ARMY NOW!
The quiet, but determined wav in which Amei
ica’s middle-aged manhood recently registered for
wartime service, proves that our peace-loving home
folks have not become “too soft to fight,” or to make
sacrifices for their country.
We realize what it will mean for many of our
more mature citizens if they have to give up their
positions or businesses, to serve in this national
crisis.
Yet their spirit is shared by all of us. One and
all we will be proud and glad to do anything that
may be asked of us to hasten the hour of victory.
JACHSON NATIONAL BANK
JACKSON, GEORGIA.
Member Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
heart of Berlin or Tokyo, only do
it soon, uncle, do it soon. Next year
may be too late.
A TOUGH SITUATION
The next governor of Georgia
will not have easy sailing,- by any
means, as the Jackson Progress-Ar
gus points out:
“Georgia’s next governor, regard
less of name, will face a tough sit
uation. Gone are the days of magic
and pulling a financial rabbit out of
the hat. State finances have been
hard hit by tire rationing, automo
bile sales and a decrease in gasoline
consumption. This will react on all
counties and it is a time for sane
and cautious management of public
affairs.”
We agree. That’s one of the best
reasons why the people of Georgia
must consider well the primary of
next summer. We must never again
elect a man because he can snap his
suspenders and crack a crude joke.
We need a leader worse than we
have ever needed one before, and
that leader must not—shall not—
be one whose strong fascist tinge is
an outstanding characteristic. We
need a Democrat, not a Black Shirt.
—Newnan Herald.
Old John Barleycorn is a heavy
load for the nation to carry in its
supreme war effort. It would no
doubt be a wise thing for the nation
to ban liquor for the duration. It
would add immensely to civilian de
fense and army morale.
The collector of internal revenue
warns that the deadline nears for
paying income taxes. People are
urged to file returns and pay prompt
ly. The war effort is requiring
more money than ever and the tax
payers must foot the bills.
LOOKING BACKWARD
THROUGH THE FILES
News of 30 Years Ago
A Corn Club was organized in
Butts county with 40 members.
Cotton at public sale sold for 614
cents a pound, corn at 70 cents a
bushel and cottonseed at 76 cents
per 100 pounds.
W. A. Harris, 54, died Wednes
day after a short illness.
R. V. and R. T. Smith leased the
Foy Hotel for 1912 season.
The engagement of Miss Nina Garr
and William Gordon Barnes was an
nounced, the wedding to be in May.
Rating the honor roll of the Jack
son public schools for the eighth
grade were Annie Reid Harper, Flo
ra Cook, Ozella Smith, and for the
first grade were Jim Both White,
Box Thaxton, Lois McMiehael and
Lucia Smith.
W. J. Wood announced as a can
didate for treasurer; S. J. Foster
for re-election as clerk superior
court and L. M. Crawford for sher
iff.
THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 1942
News of 20 Years Ago
Farmers of Butts county were
preparing to plant peanuts as a
commercial crop.
A lively fight developed for post
master at Jackson. The patronage
was controlled by the Republican
state committee.
Butts county dairymen were ar
ranging to buy a carload of Guern
sey cattle in Wisconsin.
A city-wide revival was in prog
ress, with the Rev. C. F. Weigle as
sisting the Rev. J. R. Jordan at the
Methodist church and the Rev. T.
F. Callaway assisting Dr. Robert
Van Deventer at the First Baptist
church.
Dr. A. F. White of Flovilla sold
the firm of Mallet & Ball a carload
of corn, probably the first car ever
shipped in the county.
Newi of 10 Years Ago
In the primary of March 18 a to
tal of 25 candidates had announced.
B. M. Drake of Chattooga coun
ty was employed as farm agent by
the county commissioners.
A freak cold spell ruined early
gardens and the low of 25 degrees
Monday was the coldest weather of
the winter.
Judge Marcus W. Beck was nam
ed as Memorial Day speaker in
Jackson.
John T. Fletcher, 67, died Satur
day night.
The Emory Glee Club was to give
a concert at the auditorium Friday
night.
The eight Confederate veterans
and 23 widows of soldiers in Butts
county were paid March pensions.
Scrapings From
Hard Scrabble
dear editer,
Well, it looks like them good ole
days is comin back ergain. The ties
on our Tin Lizzie wasn’t the only
thing that wuz gittin thin. It wuz
jest like the Ole One Hoss Shay. It
give out all over. We had to motor
to the county seat the other day in
a mule and buggy and it shore tuk
a long time.
W e had some good roads though.
\\ ay back in my day and generashun
we didn’t have no roads and never
thot they wuz necesary. We just
rolled out uf one mud hole into
ernother and alius kept the wheels
in the rut. If we got stalled we’d
git out and put some chunks uf
wood in the rut and drive her out.
If we had to w'ait close by one uf
■-hem little stores we’d git us a peace
uf mullit and a hunk uf cheese fer
our dinner. Them wuz good days
and I dont mind if they’re comiff
back.
So long.
SUSIE STUCKEY,