Evening star., 1933-09-24

brought the Vaughn to shore. The call for
help was sent by the captain In . cask
weighted at one end and bearing = nag on
the other which was picked up BY lame old
Irishman and carried miles to . telegraph
ONCE The boy never forgot any Of the incl
dents Of this experience though he did not
understand their significance until much later.
This was his initiation into sea life.
Capt Dixon's seafaring has taken him IN
windjammers all over the seven seas. He
has always been an interested observer Of
everything connected with his sea hfe, whether
or not there was need for navigation purposes.
In his logs he has kept records Of tempera-
lures. currents, icebergs, heights Of seas birds
and nsh seen, and geographical facts noted.
The Superstitions Of sailors interest him and
ne relates many Of them. The supersttions
about sharks arise quite naturally from the
fact that they are supposed to attack men.
So when a shark Is caught sailors are stupidity
vengeiul and fssten his mouth open and throw
him overheard to meet starvation. Around the
Horn Capt. Dixon had some Of his most in
terestng experiences. 1t is a ticklish voyage,
which he made q number of times He COM
ments on ''perceptible tenseness" In ship
as the Horn is approached. 1t is dreaded
place. Of nasty weather. where the force OF
the Antarctic Ocean meets the ship. South
of the Straits Of Magellan barren, mountainous
islands form an archipelago, where, against
rocky walls huge breakers continually crash.
There Is need of careful and skillful naviga-
ton there. Capt Dixon does not exaggerate
difficulties or dangers or exploits; he tells
Straightforward narrative, which Is stirring
enough for any one. He takes frequent op-
portunity to debunk some of the popular
notions about sea life, notions often created or
encouraged by amateur sailors. The three
sailing vessels which Capt. Dixon commanded
were the Erin's Isle the Arctic Stream and
the Elgnshire. His last voyage was on the
Elginshire from Durham to Liverpool, IN Octo-
Der, 1919. The illustrations, from photographs
taken by Capt Dixon add greatly TO the ap-
probation of parts Of the narrative One shows
Capt. Dixon shaking hands with Count Luck
ner. The most artistic ones are Of an iceberg
of Cape Horn and of albatross at close range.
THE COTTON CO-OPERATIVES IN THE
SOUTHEAST. BY Wilson Gee. Phi. D.. and
Edward Allison Terry. New York: D. Apple
ton-Century Co. For the Institute for Re-
search in the Social Sciences, University Of
Virginia.
THE cooperative movement is significant
factor in the social development Of the
Southeastern States today and one which has
possibilities for economic rehabilitation. The
authors OF this book have limited their study
Of the movement to one staple product and to
four typical cotton growing States-North Caro-
lima. South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama.
-Four cooperative associations have been chosen,
one in each State, and their histories have been
related, with detailed accounts Of their origins,
organization, functions and accomplishments.
Dr. Gee is director Of the Institute for Research
in the Social Sciences and professor Of rural So
cial economics at the University Of Virginia. Mr..
Terry is research associate in rural economics
at the same university They have employed
the most thorough methods Of research in their
investigation and have embodied their conclu-
sions in an excellent summary. The rise OF
commodity cooperative marketing followed the
World War when the financial plight Of the
farmer cried for some remedial measures.
Cooperative associations were then estab-
lished for marketing a variety of agricultural
products including cotton, tobacco, fruits and
other Southern crops. Some Of the cooper
atives expired after short time, but the cot
ton associations have shown tendency to per-
sist in all of the States in which they were
started The profitableness of cotton produc-
tion is leading determinant in the prosperity
of the South. Though King Cotton is not as
sturdy a provider as he once was, he Is still
the best which the South possesses. With agri-
cultural income falling steadily in the South,
the leaders in the cotton belt decided about 10
years ago that if improvement could be brought
about, it was most likely to be through coop
erative marketing. Under the guidance of
Aaron Sapiro. many such organizations were
formed, and from the start had to fight the
long established cotton trade. But legislation
was secured to protect the co-operatives and
they gradually gained in efficiency of structure
and experience of directorships. They are
farmer owned and controlled, without capital
stock or profits. Their financing somewhat
difficult at first was achieved through local
banks and banks outside the States. In one
case financing was through the War Finance
Corporation The conclusion of the authors is
that the co-operatives a battle for the
farmers themselves. and that though the rec