Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1935-08-01
GETTING DOWN 10
"BRASS



Some OF you have been kim
enough to tell us that you hav'
missed Brass Tacks.' That was aw
fully good Of you, although we hav'
often wondered who got the mos
pleasure out Of the colmn-thOe'
who read 1t or the one who has tn,
fun of pounding" In the tacks. Al
ter all, this freedom OF the prees'
is a great American birthright. 1
has been abused numerically man,
times by INSCRIPTIONS writers. an<
we editors anne nigh onto losing 1
during the short flight Of NRA'i
cradle talk of licensing newspap
ers. but it is really something tina
the press Of the country cherishes a
their greatest heritage. Anyway
BIT is happy to appear with the Her
aid again, and We hope to have
many more good visits with oul
readers through this column. Yot
know when this "comdc strip" wat
inaugurated we told you 1t was go
ing to be a place where it's author
would speak frankly, but always
kindly. We have never used the col
umn for vilifying attacks solely fol
the purpose OF defaming peoples
character-attacks aimed at one, but
whose glancing blows more often
strike members OF an innocent fam,
hy. Also. In our opening announce
ment, you will recall, we invited
contributions to the column from
our readers. Some Of these have
been sent in occasionally, and have
been greatly appreciated.
An incident happened last week
that seems most deserving OF com
ment here-when one OF Plenty
woods well respected citizens wis
the victim of an accident that will
leave him manned for life. Thor
Thorstenson, standing by the plane
that has carried him thousands OF
miles through the air, happened to
place his hand In the idling propel-
lor blade, and has lost several fin
gers off his LETT hand. The accident
occurred when Thor FASTENED to mo-
ton a spectator away from the
whirling propeller. He lost a large
portion of his hand endeavoring to
prevent injury to another. 1t was
just what would be expected Of
Thor. Big Thor, as he was called
because OF his large stature, was
just as big In heart as he was In
size. Always pleasant, no matter
how heavily trouble might weigh up
on him, he was always a most gen.
ial person with whom to visit. He
loved flying, and nee started with
1t. persistently followed his training,
mostly alone, from the local airport.
It was a most common occurrence
to hear Thor's "CurtisslRobin," its
motor purring smoothly, circling Ov-
er the city amy evening. The per
sistent pilot was building up time"
the two hundred hours that was
required before he might be permit
ted to take his examination and fly
ing test to secure the coveted IL
cense OF a transport pilot" the
highest ranking given to any flyer.
What stories we imagine Big Thor
and his CIR could tell II they at
tempted to relate the many harrow
ing and exciting incidents that &C.
cOmpanied many OF those student"
flights! 1t was only natural OF
course that when he finally did take
his examination, he passed every
test with highest honors. Thor
was not only a pilot; he was an ex-
pert mechanic. He knew his crate"
from the smallest bolt to Its longest
strut. He had taken 1t to pieces
(like a playful boy with an Inger-
soll) and put 1t back together again
always an improved ship. Little
wonder that he became not only q
fully licensed transport" pilot, but
q most efficient instructor. No one
could be better able to mpart the
knowledge OF operating a plane to
a student. Physicians now say
that Thor may have sufficient use OF
his hand to enable him to continue
flying. We sincerely hope SO, and
wish for him many more hours OF
success and happiness "in the air"
Numerous rumblings n already
beginning to be heard along the
states political horizon, some OF
them significant In that they are
seen as ominous clouds hanging over
some OF those ~coveting positions OF
higher distinction in the state and
nation. Perhaps OF most interest Is
the news" that Governor Frank H..
Cooney will not seek reelection, but
has set his eyes quite deterwningly
on a seat in the United States sem
ate-that now occupied by James
Murray and whose term expires next
year. While Cooney has not made
any public announcement of his In
tentions, those close to him, general
ly admit that his mind Is quite
made up" 1t has long been known
that bad blood" existed between
Montana's junior senator who was
ewept into office along with b. K.
Wheeler last year on an avalanche
OF Democratic votes, and Governor
Cooney. 1t was very apparent dur
ing the campaign a year ago, and
the rift has seemingly grown wider
since.
Just how far Cooney will get In
his effort to replace Murray Is sub
ject for the "soapbox" f~orecasters.
Elevated to the office of chief exc
cutive In Montana more by accident
than popular choice, we have him
on one hand claiming to be Mon
tana's most independent" governor,