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Che Summerville News
The Official Legal Organ of Chattooga County
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Editorials
Did FDR Know?
John Toland, one of the nation’s most
respected historians, has charged in his
latest book, Infamy, that President
Franklin Roosevelt and a small circle of
intimate advisors knew, in December,
1941, that a Japanese carrier task force
was headed for Pearl Harbor.
In the 348-page work, Toland traces
the various Pearl Harbor investigations
and conducts his own, tenth, investiga
tion of the attack. He is convinced that
FDR lied, and that General George Mar
shall and Admiral Harold Stark, head of
the Army and Navy, also lied, many
times, in claiming they knew nothing
about the impending attack prior to Dec.
Toland blames former Secretary of
State Hull and Secretary of War Henry
Stimson for unreasonable attitudes
toward the Japanese — who he believes
were almost forced to fight when Presi
dent Roosevelt cut off their oil supplies in
July, 1941. Without oil, the nation would
have been forced to capitulate, and that
was too much to expect of a proud people
in a crowded island which had to export
and to find markets to prosper.
Toland makes an impressive case. And
it comes close to being conclusive. But it
is not quite that, and the reader must
decide for himself. In his book, Toland
uses statements which cannot be at
tributed until the party being quoted
dies, etc. While that is impressive, it is
not final.
What can be said is that the new book,
and evidence compiled and put together
by Toland, makes a good case. It’s possi
ble, one will conclude after reading it, that
FDR knew the Japs might strike Pearl
Harbor. It seems even likely that he knew
a carrier force was within striking
distance — and that others too knew that.
The idea was to get the Japs to strike
first and unify the American people, who
would be infuriated by a sneak attack.
Did FDR think the Japs would get a
hot reception from U. S. Hawaiian forces,
or did he really fail to warn the com
manders there, fearing a warning would
2
73 YEARS AGO
The following are excerpts from the Jan. 7, 1909, issue of The Summerville
News.
* * *
DIRTTOWN — Move! move! move! Some people will move. They get
started to moving and can’t be still. Every one has moved in our burg and
some twice.
* * *
AD: Many little lives have been saved by Foley’'s Honey and Tar for
coughs, colds, croup and whooping cough. It is the only safe remedy for in
fants and children as it contains no opiates or other narcotic drugs, and
children like Foley’s Honey and Tar. Careful mothers keep a bottle in the
house. Refuse substitutes. Sold by all Druggist.
* * *
NAVY TO HAVE GREAT WIRELESS PLANT: Washington, Jan. 5 —
Today marks the expiration of the time set by the navy department for the
receipt of bids for the equipment of the vessels and shore stations of the
United States navy with new wireless telegraphy apparatus.
When the contract for the construction of the apparatus is satisfactorily
fulfilled the wireless equipment of our navy wijll have no peer on earth and sea.
The department will be able to communicate quickly with any ship of the
navy, no matter where it may be stationed.
* * *
BRAVE FIRE LADIES often receive severe burns, putting out fires, then
use Bucklen’s Arnica Salve and forgot them. It soon drives out pain. For
Burns, Scalds, Wounds, Cuts and Bruises its earth’s greatest healer. Quickly
cures Skin Eruptions, Old Sores, Boils, Ulcers, Felons; best Pile cure made.
Relief is instant. 25¢ at Summerville Drug Co.
at e T
FOR SALE — 640 acres of land in Coldwater district at $4 an acre. Fine
buildings on place and six springs. Central railway runs through farm. Two
hundred fifty acres under good fence for pasture. Elevated springs so water
can be run down to house. See J. T. Barker or W. S. Henderson at Lyerly.
e
Commencing next week, the Trion Mfg. Co. will only run their gins two
days per week. The customers of their gins will find them ready to do ginning
on every Tuesday and Friday. Any other time they will not be in shape to do
any ginning.
induce the Japs to cancel the attack? The
most convincing indictment Toland
presents concerning Marshall and Stark
are their repeated claims that they
couldn’t remember where they were on
the night of Dec. 6.
Toland tells where they were. The
reader will find it hard to believe the
heads of the Army and Navy couldn’t, for
years afterward, remember where they
were on the night of the Dec. 6. That
alone indicates there is, and has been,
more to the Pearl Harbor story than has
yet met the eye.
MIRRORED
Flattery is the art of describing others
as they seé themselves. — Coast Guard
News
LOOKING BACK
Becoming wiser today isn’t an unmix
ed blessing. It causes a person to realize
what a fool he was yesterday. — Bristol
(Va.) Courier
Letter Policy
The Summerville News encourages
and welcomes letters to the editor from
its readers. All letters for publication
must be signed. Names will not be
withheld. We reserve the right to edit all
letters, when needed, in the interests of
space limitations, clarity, grammar, punc
tuation, and good taste, while at the same
time preserving the writer’s message.
Letters should be addressed to: Editor,
The Summerville News, P. 0. Box 310,
Summerville, Ga. 30747.
Mountain Echoes
by Jimmy Townsend
‘Big Meeting’ Bugs’
We have a name for about everything
up here in the muntains. The trouble is,
some of our names for things do not ap
pear in anybody’s dictionary. City folks
call those little things that can crack the
still of a hot summer night with their
noise “‘crickets.” We call 'em ‘‘big meetin’
bugs.”
It’s obvious to us why we call them
that, because when these bugs do their
thing the loudest is in August, when we
have our ‘‘big meetin’s.” I never think
about revivals but what I think of ole
Elmer Barlowe. Elmer could out cuss
anybody in the United States; and most
of the time, his language was filthier than
a United States president’s.
When it came time for our ‘‘big
meetin’,”” ole Elmer hung up his cussin’
and attended every service. Now this is
also the time of year when ‘‘roast neers”
come in, or ripen, in the mountains. So
when Elmer quit cussin’ and kicking
dogs, folks just naturally referred to his
new change in life style as ‘‘roast neer”’
religion.
Before the morning services, he would
go to town and walk up and down the
sidewalks with an angel-like smile on his
face. When he met someone, he would
Dialogue . . .
by James Budd
Loose Talk And A Fifth
They come from the hills of Haber
sham, the valleys of Hall and the marshes
of Glynn to the concrete canyons of
Atlanta at least once a year.
This year, like last year, they’ll be
meeting under the Gold Dome in Atlanta
for a second session. And like last year,
they’ll be ironing out new redistricting
lines, more specifically new congressional
lines for the Fourth and Fifth Districts of
Atlanta. Meanwhile, the money meter
will be running to the tune of SIOO,OOO to
absorb the legislative costs of the august
body.
Why the special session, you might
ask? Back in February, the U. S. Justice
Department, acting under the guise of the
Voting Rights Act reviewed and rejected
portions of Georgia’'s redistricting plans.
The problems with the House districts
around Albany and Augusta were quickly
ironed out by the legislators under the
direction of Rep. Joe Mack Wailson,
D-Marietta, chairman of the House Reap
portionment Committee.
However, both chambers rejected the
Justice Department’s rejection of the
Fourth and Fifth District Congressional
lines, saying they’d rather fight than
switch. The legislators said a 57 percent
black Fifth District would do just fine
and they directed the state attorney
general to take the matter to court.
Last summer, the legislature rejected
a plan by Sens. Paul Coverdell, a white
Republican from DeKalb, and Julian
Bond, a black Democrat from Atlanta.
They proposed chopping off the black
portion of DeKalb County in the Fourth
and putting it with the Fifth District. The
plan would have insured a 69 percent
black Fifth District and a lily-white and
presumably Republican Fourth. Not
since Lincoln has there been such an
-ARGENTINE LOGIC:
1. THISISWHITE =P -
2. THSISATRIANGLE —p O
> VORALVICTORY Hie — e
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clap his hands and say, ‘“Hal-le-lu-jah,
brother, hal-le-lu-jah!”’ Sometimes, as he
passed another, he would simply say,
“Praise the Lord.” That's all, just,
“Praise the Lord.”
He would make it to the church for the
morning service in time to stand around
the church yard with others. Still, he just
had two sentences: ‘‘Hal-le-lu-jah,
brother,” and ‘‘Praise the Lord.” Elmer
could out shoot anybody, even Sister
McKinney. Some said that he could quote
the Bible from ‘kiver to kiver,” while
others said that he could quote it
backwards.
After the preachers finished, which
was usually one o’clock in the afternoon,
Elmer would mill around in the congrega
tion as the choir was singing ‘“‘Amazing
Grace” and ‘‘Shall We Gather At the
River.” He would ask folks to come up to
the mourners’ bench and pray with him.
Some did, some didn’t.
The same procedure was repeated at
the night services, which was usually four
preachers and five hours long. Preacher
Callahan could preach the longest, and we
knew that when he said, “‘and in conclu
sion,”” we were in for another hour. One
see MOUNTAIN ECHOES, page 5-A
unlikely coalition of blacks and
Republicans in Georgia.
Why do certain individuals want such
an overwhelmingly polarized redistric
ting plan? I am pretty sure, Sen. Bond,
D-Atlanta, would not mind being called
U. S. Rep. Julian Bond, D-Georgia, and
perhaps some folks in Washington would
like to see more Republicans in the U. S.
House. Politics make strange bedfellows;
it’s old but true.
I could not help but note with some
amusement last week’s testimony by
Rep. Wilson. It seems some Republicans
on the House Reapportionment Commit
tee reported that Wilson made racial
remarks about drawing up an all-black
district and lily-white district for
Republicans. Wilson confirmed the
reports with some embarrassment.
Wilson, a caustic, balding jeweler
from Marietta is known for his quick wit
and country jargon — I know because as
a reporter I had to deal with him in
Marietta. He told me in no uncertain
terms when I called him for a legislative
preview at his jewelry store prior to
Christmas to get lost and maybe he would
talk to me in January.
In all fairness Wilson, a 20-year
veteran of the House, uses certain slang
words in a joking manner. I've seen him
cut up with Rep. Bill McKinney, a black
legislator from Atlanta, using racial slurs
aimed at both blacks and whites. In fact,
McKinney defended Wilson’s language as
jive talk last week.
However, I think Wilson’s loose talk
will be mistaken as truly racial, insuring
the court’s rejection of the state’s
redistricting plan for the Fourth and
Fifth.
Just goes to show you how much trou
ble loose talk and a Fifth will get you into.
X
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CLOSE UP ""~ 77 s
Facing South
A Syndicated Column
Voices Of Tradition
In A Changing Region
ALTHEA SIMMONS: A SELF-CONFESSED
“WORKAHOLIC”
Washington, D. C. — Althea T.L. Simmons’ eyes
brighten, her neon smile lights up, and she speaks at
length when asked about the Voting Rights Act. “‘I hope
you're getting the information you want, but when you
mention voting rights, I get all wound
up,”’ she said during a recent interview.
Securing voting rights for blacks
has been an integral part of the =
NAACP Washington Bureau é“\
Director’s life for the past 20 years. f
“Because I was born in the South, I !
know what it’'s like to be denied the s )
right to vote. In my hometown, in e g
Louisiana, only certain people were T
allowed to vote. Then I went to Texas,
where poll tax had to be paid. I just feel that this basic
right is one that every person of voting age should have.
Because I feel so strongly about it, I work hard to get it
done.”
Ms. Simmons began working with the NAACP more
than 20 years ago as executive secretary of the Texas
State Conference of Branches, an unpaid position she
held while working in a law firm and editing a weekly
newspaper. In 1965, she agreed to come to New York as
National Director for Training Programs. Since then, she
has held positions as legislative advocate, special field
representative, field director, Summer Projects director,
and director of the NAACP Voter Registration Project.
* Asthe NAACP’s chief lobbyist, she wields power that
legislators do not ignore, commandeering the NAACP’s
1,800 branches, 600 youth and college chapters, 50 state
and 38 area conferences.
Although she currently serves as the conduit for
transmitting the needs and problems of the grass roots to
the nation’s lawmakers in the House and the Senate, Ms.
Simmons’ education and experience qualify her for an ex
ecutive position in any major corporation. She holds an
M. S. degree in marketing from the University of Illinois,
and a J. D. degree from the Howard University School of
Law. She made a choice to reject offers from the big com
panies based on a deeply burning conviction that will not
allow her to rest easily while fair housing, minimum
wages, voting rights, and educational opportunities are
questionable for blacks and other minorities.
Hard work only mildly describes Althea Simmons’ in
volvement in winning and maintaining the right to vote
for hundreds of thousands of American minorities;
especially in getting the current Voting Rights Act, due
to expire in 1982, passed through the House of Represen
tatives with no crippling amendments.
The vote in the House, which took place Oct. 5, was a
triumphant victory — 389 for, 29 against. ‘‘The vote was
not a surprise; we knew we'd win big. But we won even
bigger than we thought,” she beams, proud of her suc
cess.
““That’s our bill,” she explains. ‘““The Leadership Con
ference on Civil Rights (a group of 157 members of
organizations which monitors and supports civil rights
legislation) carved out that bill line by line, comma by
comma, period by period.”
Passage of the bill in the House required the lights
burning in her office into early morning hours while she
and her staff of four worked persistently. She compiled
anq sent two ‘‘care packages’’ to each congressperson, ex
plaining the bill and its provisions, offering information
and comparisons. They polled each legislator, that’s 435
of them, on each provision of the bill.
The night before the judiciary committee reviewed the
bill, Ms. Simmons worked on final drafts until 4 a.m. She
returned to the office three hours later and the bill was
ready for the committee at 10 a.m. During the final
crunch, 36 hours before the vote on the house floor, she
called every office of every legislator for a final poll on
how they would vote. On the big day of the vote, she
stood in the foyer outside the voting area from noon until
10 p.m., answering questions, monitoring votes, and
tracking down congresspersons needed on the floor.
: And ):et,.Ms. Simmons knows that her battle may be
just beginning — she still has to see the bill intact
through the Senate. President Reagan is slow to take a
stand on the bill, and Attorney General William Smith
and several Senate leaders disapprove of the bill as it was
passed in the House. But that’s the type of challenge and
stamina and endurance test that Althea T, L. Simmons
seems to thrive on. When asked what she does to relax,
.she smiles and admits, “I just work some more.”’
— SHARON LOPEZ
reprinted from the Journal and Guide
Norfolk, Va.