Newspaper Page Text
VOL. XXXIX. No. 15
Economic Highlights
Happenings that affect the din
ner pails, dividend checks and
tax bills of every individual.
National and international prob
lems inseparable from local
welfare, as reported by The In
dustrial News Review:
As is usual at this time of
year, business sentiment is
somewhat mixed. Reports from
various parts of the country
point to a change for the better
in industrial activity, always an
encuraging sign. Financial ob
servers seem to be a trifle more
optimistic. Even the high per
centage of commercial failures
impresses many as having a fa
vorable side — elimination of
weak units in the industrial ma
chine is essential to getting it
going again at full speed.
At the recent retailers’
tion, it was forecast that sales
would drop 20 per cent
the first quarter of 1933 with
improvement in the second
quarter. A majority of retail
authorities believe that prices are
gradually being stabilized.
To many, one of the good
events of 1932 was a decline in
the cost of living of 9.4 per cent.
This, too, has its other side—
the continued decline is com
modity costs is one of the most
stubborn influences in prolong
ing depression. Another bar
rier to industrial rehabilitation
is the growing fear of heavier
taxation and the possibility of a
general sales tax that will fur
ther damage purchasing power.
The state of the public finances
continues to be unhappy, with
the deficit hovering around the
,200,000,000 mark. Federal re
ceipts are below expectations,
due principally to the lost po
tency of the income tax.
Consumption of electricity,
like car loadings and bank clear
ings, always plays an important
part in the making of business
barometers. It is, therefore,
cheering to know that since Ju
ly sales of power have been con
stantly increasing and in greater
proportion than the normal sea
sonal increase. The December
advance marked a greater per
centage gain than did the in
crease in the same month
1930—a year of extraordinary
electric consumption.
Latest reports v u majut indus
tries show:
uuilding—-Improved, with con
tracts ahead of same period last
year.
Lumber — New business con
tinues to exceed production,
and in southern pine district is
13 per eent ahead of last year.
Steel—Fell off after moderate
expansion; consensus of opinion
looks to improvement in next
few months.
Gopper—Profitless at present
5c Price; best side is that domes
tic consumption leads produc
tion.
Wool—(Sales close to normal
so far this year.
Oil—The drop in crude from
63c to 38c a barrel, in the face of
proration agreements, and be
cause of overproduction, is one
of the most discouraging of re
cent events.
Newsprint — Price-cutting has
lead to losses.
Shoes, Silk and Automobiles
show definite improvement.
Employment declined 4 per
cent in December, with four out
of seventeen major industrial
groups marking increase. White
collar workers constitute 28 per
cent of those out of work. Even
slightest change upward in pur
chasing power should be imme
diately reflected in employment
statistics, as stocks of finished
goods of all kinds are now at an
irreducible minimnm and only
demand is needed to make fac-
GIBSON RECORD
Published to Furnish the People ot Glascock Coun ty a Weekly Newspaper atnd as a Medium for the Advancement of the Public Good of the County.
Imperative Need of Georgia Cotton Farmers
i>uiiKeis, iJuMue–s men, pi uic^iuiiui men, lUiiiicis, lauoicia,
\JL\ja 0 iU A-.Cfciaiat.UiC . Hi«ti oa.ii cars lu near rel non near.
1 UbiUtUj illOJi uiAUVtu OUoAUUA CVCi C^/iiilvmlUifc
liAC C.OUOU * «* tUv i ** » l!*»d VCA^r UiUiUCiU, Ulku UlUChh SU1UC“
1U1U 0 1 * UVUC I'J Gut «-tUlC t.au iNiUioUUi VAO\ Cl tllliCiii i.U.Ulii/l"
AAl-cl U*C aiUtOSl dlUiklUfc UollOll nuiiicr Will COlUiilUC lO DC
u>e srasc or rue muucj po\.cr ror years to come, uany lanu
owjucis comrltuc lo ioac uretr miiumgs, outers ine-luac savings
u«u uomes io me mortgagee, tuven our o. s. uovernment is suit
lureciosing reat estate mortgages anu in most instances taKing
over me acreage, or trausiermg irom one farmer to another
rea-iy getting nowhere.
i ne National Government should have assumed leadership in
discontinuing loreclosures, declaring a two or three year mora
torium. Many Insurance Companies have already agreed to such
procedure, by so doing this will have a soothing effect and in
some measure quell the anarchical feeling that now pervades
many sections oi our country. With twenty million people on
the bread line and thousands more losing their homes by mort
gage foreclosures, thereby daily creating a bigger breadline, of
course ciiaotic conditions will continue to reign. Hungry men
with responsibility ol the care of wives and children with no
work and no promise of a job, brings about unrest, crime and
eventually anarchy, unless the Government, of which they are
a part, lends a helping hand.
Now as to the SERIOUS, DANGEROUS conditions of the Cot
ton Farmer it behooves the Georgia Legislature, every business
man, professional man, banker, farmer and laborer to contend
for and urge a cotton holiday for the year 1933. If this can be
had by a gentlemanly agreement, all okay, hut if jt cannot, then
lets have it by law. We do not want to take away the constitu
tional rights of any farmer, hut we do want to protect the small
helpless cotton farmer from the unscrupulous rich farmer. If
the Government and bankers forced the small cotton farmer to
curtail cotton acreage where they make loans, this will positive
ly accomplish nothing for the reason many large farmers who
have money to finance their own crop will double their cotton
acreage thinking he will cash in on the decreased acreage of the
smalt farmer.
What the South wants is to REDUCE THE BIG COTTON
SURPLUS and it must he done or we as cotton farmers will con
tinue in slavery. Yes, slavery is the right word. It’s nothing
short ol a terrible tragedy or suicide to produce this year a 15,
000,003 bale crop ot cotton.
Let the Georgia Legislature enact a cotton holiday law with
provision that it does not become operative unless the other
large cotton growing states enact a similar law. Then further
let the National Government pm*– the actual DIRT FARMER to
purchase the number of bales of cotton he would produce under
normal conditions with the money furnished by the Seed Loan,
using said cotton as a collateral. HOLD THIS COTTON oil the
market lor a year and GROW NO COTTON THIS YEAR and the
entire South will he happy and on the road to prosperity.
It this plan had become operative a year ago when the cotton
farmer, donned in blue overalls, begged for it with all his soul,
today the larmers, the hankers and business men w'ould all be
wearing a smile instead of a look of despair. Yes, take the thir
(teen million bales of cotton we made last year at a heavy loss
from the already large surplus and the price of cotton this min
ute would he selling for not less than 15c or 20c per pound.
Anybody with half sense should know this is true. Then why
don’t those in power rescue the drowning cotton farmer when
the remedy is at their command?
Why permit the filibusters, those “feeches” who thrive on the
life blood of the slaving cotton farmer, those enemies and gamb
lers who name the price of cotton to argue “it can’t be done by
taking away their constitutional rights” and other silly stero
typed phrases. Let every red blooded American farmer contin
ms to beg, plead and urge those in power for protection from the
enemy who would have u s continue making cotton indefinitely
much below the actual cost of production for their selfish ends.
DON’T WAIT—let’s plead for IMMEDIATE ACTION, for
when the cotton crop is planted eight weeks from now it will
then he too late.
Am I right or am I wrong? J. W. Whiteley.
Warrenton, Ga., February 17th, 1933.
lories hum.
VUuie larm conditions show
litue tnaiige, a goou sign is tfiat
tue lunuaiuentai supply and de
mand situation in regard to
wb|at is steadily improving, thus
warranting the opinion that price
improvement will come in the
future. There have been some
farm price setbacks, with cat
tle and hides holding tenaciously
to the upward trend. Foreign
demand for cotton has been
moderately good.
Of national interest is the fact
that forced farm sales totaled
9.5 per cent of all the farms in
the country during the five years
ending March 1, 1932. Tax de
linquencies were responsible for
3.5 per cent of these.
A rise in prices—probably
temporary — recently \ occurred
in Bolivia, with but little change
in the South American countries.
Basic British industries are re
ported to be more active. For
the first time in 30 years the
Nationalist Government in China
has succeeded in balancing its
GIBSON, GA., WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 1933.
Timely Topics Talks^
Mrs. A. R .Shivers
County School Superintendents
over the State are urging the
legislature to make some provis
ion, other than has been pro
posed by the governor, lor the
common schools of Georgia.
They are clamoring for a gen
eral sales tax; the diversion of
lrom allocated funds,
and a bill taxing intangible prop
el ty.
f To be plain, they want it all.'
Your columnist has not stinted
Oil paper and stamps hi the fight
against the sales tax or any oth
er, as for that, and in endeavor
ing to show legislators that
schools, teachers and their up
keep is far beyond the service
we are getting! 1 did not have
to go out of my own county to
find an example.
When the U. S. Senate “fired”
I Sergeaiit-at-Arins, Mr. D. S. Bar
ry for saying Congressmen ac
cept bribes, it was the worst
thing Senators could do—for we
are'believing now that it is true.
Barry sure can’t be handled for
“misprision . of treason.” I
would be a traitor to my country
if I should seal my mouth against
disloyalty in high places. 1
often .wonder what will be the
cqnsequencels when the itop is
off, and the filthy doings of men
are exposed! The Scriptures
say “there will be weeping and
wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
We-read the opinions of peo
[ pie on repeal of the 18th amend
iment. Some are silly of course,
but I notice with peculiar inter
jest the ones who favor present
Conditions. Some one remarked
recently that the sheriffs and
lawyers were getting more out
of the liquor business than the
one that makes it. Well, the
“middle men,” whoever and
wherever they are, have always
done that!
If one have an inventive
mind; a bright idea; a good in
tention; an optimistic view,
there is always some one of evil
designs, right ready to “snatch”
them away.
We may well say, “He who
steals my purse, steals trash.”
But Whitney had his invention
stolen, but when one steals
another’s thoughts, they are at
once detected, and are goats in
the sheep-fold!
There were not enough mem
bers in the House Friday to
make up a quorum, and the
Speaker said he would have to
wait another week and see if
budget. Rumania showed a
large favorable foreign trade bal
ance for the first nine months of
x932. Canadian business con
tinues low.
{Smilin' Chariie Saw
*
(I
-J
w i ^
,
✓
\
*4
•Many 4 man’? pr ide
has bein' Kept afle him f afford from
a little pride! *
Dnm’I Always Work
A woman doctor says that a child
should be made to face reality. But
It would be very annoying for mother
If she had to remove her make-up ev
ery time she kissed the tittle one good
night.—London Humorist.
attendance improved. Whose
business is it if the members of
Georgia’s legislature stay away
from its sessions and continue
to draw their per diem? It is
everybody’s business!
Whose business is it when the
schools persist in keeping “sap
heads” as teachers, and you
pass the school building at any
hour of the day, and the chil
t|ren—some standing in the
windows, some playing ball, and
others in silly conversation with
the teacher? It is your business,
Mr. 'lax Bayer!
If you sleep much longer,
there will be no need to wake
up; lor the thing will be done!
We are to have a bill to pro
hibit banks from breaking “over
night;” a hill lo amend the bank
rupt law, prohibiting bankrupt
cy to avoid payment of debts.
We need these in Georgia right
now!
How would you like to never
be allowed to read your newspa
per or Bible, but always have
some read to you, and only such
portions as the readei wished to
read? We don’t need and “spir
itual leaders” and priests in
Georgia and in Warren county.
Better get your eyes open! And
see and read for yourself!
(Continued on last page)
SUBSCRIPTION $1.00 PER YEAR
CAN THERE POSSIBLY BE ANYTHING IN THESE
STATEMENTS?
While we do not agree with or endorse all their conclusions
we have noticed recently articles relative to the educational sys
tem of America published in The Saturday Evening Post 1,written
by Edwin Lefevre) and in The American Mercury (written by
H. L. Mencken) and are reproducing below parts of both articles
because there is food for thought in them for the average citizen
in these troublous times and we pass them on for the considera
tion of all who read them:
By Edwin Lefevre in The Saturday Evening Post:
“We all clamor for reduced governmental expenses, but where
is the voter who will take the trouble to fight politicians?
“Legislatures look for sugar-coated, revenue-raising bills.
“In New York state, the average teacher’s yearly salary is
equal to the annual profit of ten farms.
“The cost of education has been increased twenty-two times
since 1890.
“The present educational system could be made not only less
expensive hut MORE USEFUL to the nation. Boards of educa
tion cannot conceive of improvements in any direction that do
not entail still greater expenditures.
“The obligations of American public-school teachers toward
the nation have been ignored by many of them and by the legis
lators in all the agitation for reduction of salaries. The accept
ance of pay cuts is to be rewurded by applause! There is some
thing wrong with an educational system when the most striking
result of the expenditure of stupendous sums on it is that today
it is hard to Had anywhere in the United States first-class carpen
ters or first-class masons or first-class cabinet-makers under for
ty years of age who are American born. A white-collared Amer
ica has educated itself out of first-class mechanics and crafts
men. We turn out college graduates—dentists and doctors, law
yers and clerks, bond salesmen and advertising experts—far in
excess of any possible demand. The American white collar is
the most expensive article of wearing apparel in the history of
humanity.”
By H. L. Mencken in The American Mercury:
“in 1880 education look $5.'iA) per clmd per annum ... in
1914 $21.04, lour limes us mueii nut slut wiiiun tne means ol a
rieu anu gallant people . . . nut in 1933 tfiey are matting ott wna
donut'tiling like $100.
t uk mrny tusw o*a\y, proteeuus. cost only oue-ioutttt as
inucn.
"in no other held oi government nave expenditures leaped
iorwaru at any sucit rate.
"me putme scuoois nave gone on a joy ride.
"Tnere is, inueed, very lime eviuence, that they have actually
earned the money tney have demanded and got.
“if their lunuamenlai aim is to provide the country with an
enlightened electorate, iney have failed completely and misera
bly.
“On the contrary, there is plausible reason tor believing that
it has gone backward in intelligence, for it handles its business,
not with increasing prudence, but with increasing imbecility.
“'ilie American people of a hundred years ago, when public
schools were still lew and meagre, might have been described
plausibly as notably political-minded, hut today they are so
lethargic that it takes a calamity to rouse them, at all, and so stu
pid that it becomes more nearly impossible every year for intelli
gent und self-respecting men to aspire for public office among
them. i
“The public school has been largely
“In all ages the pedagogues have been the bitterest enemies
of all genuine intellectual enterprise.
“More than any other class of blind leaders of the blind they
are responsible for the degradation and standardization which
now afflicts American people.
“So long as the public schools confined themselves to teaching
the three R’s there was little chance for them to do any serious
damage . . .
“Each swarms with experts to harrass and terrorize the
ma’ams, and super-experts to inspire and inflame the experts.
And out ot each is vomited the standard product of the New
Pedagogy—an endless procession of adolescents who have been
taught everything save that which is true, and outfitted with ev
ery trick save those that are sociably useful.
“Let any rasli fellow challenge it (their racket) and he is de
nounced at once as an enemy to the true, the good and the beau
tiful.
“It has deluded the great majority of Americans into believ
ing the superstition that if the public schools were shut down
the country would at once go to pot.
“It becomes an insult to remind them that their main business
is tsill to teach the children reading, writing and arithmetic.
“The child is now a guinea pig in a low comedy laboratory,
and there is no end to the indignities it must endure.
“Let them heave out their bogus experts, and return to the
three R’s and their days will be longer in the land which the
Lord their God has given them.
“The public is under no more obligation to provide for the
teaching of everything to everyone than it is to furnish everyone
with forty acres and a mule.
“The notion that they (the teachers) have done and are doing
any ponderable good is mainly a delusion. What they have act
ually done is a lot of harm. They are responsible, more than
any other agency, for the present pathetic hopelessness of the
American people. The United States has been going down hill
since the pedagogues grabbed their first hHlion.
“The newspapers are all with them. Any publicist bold
enough to flout them would be posted distantly as an agent of
the Pope, if not, indeed, of Belzebub.
“They are being hoisted by their own petard, hexed by their
own magic, drowned in their own juices.”