The Skyland post. [volume] (West Jefferson, N.C.) 193?-1988, 1938-01-27
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The Senate continues to pause
and consider respecting the anti
lynching bill, a measure theoreti-
cally of Importance but practically
of less moment than many other
matters with which the Senate
might proftably take up valuable
time. According to trustworthy re-
turns, but nine persons were lynch
ed in 1886, Georgia standing at the
head with six, Arkansas having two
and Florida one. Thus it seems
that territorially reviewed, no ma
tional problem is involved, and that
the states might well be left to
work work out their own salvation
During the period under considera-
ton, more than nine persons
starved to death, but the anti-lynch-
ing filibuster goes on in the Sen
ate. There may be some truth in
the contentious of those who main
tain that politics chiefly is in
volved.
The anti-lynching bill is an index
to the fact that, like it or not, there
is a growing conviction, in some
quarters at least, that there should
be a Washington finger in every pie,
the latest manifestation of which is
the suggestion of Gov. Earle of
Pennsylvania that Congress be
asked to nationalize the anthracite
coal industry, the conditions of
which are said to cause active adj
minc trative concern. Federal own
ership of mines is proposed, coupled
with control of production, regula-
ton of marketing and private oper-
alton under leasing plan.
Upon the whole, it seems as
though the old order where chang
ing slowly, though to what extent
none can tell at this time, the states
as such falling gradually into the
background and becoming subject
to a central federal control respect
ing matters that formerly were re-
garded as purely local, but the pen
dulum never stands still and many
now living may see it at the oppo-
site end of its stroke 1t is to be re-
called that Europe once was at war
for thirty years and that in general
history of civilization, the period is
covered in a half-dozen lines. What
is going on or proposed today in the
United States may be considered of
no more Importance three hundred
years hence.
The famed Tennessee Valley Au-
thority is coming in for skinning,
it being charged that large corpor
atoms are reaping benefit through
it by obtaining cheap power, and
that by entering into long-term
contracts, the organization has lost
its potency as means for determ-
ming air future prices for current,
al of which, if correct, takes con-
siderable kick out of the word Eau
thority' in the official title.
If House Resolution No. 568 be-
comes law, the Federal Trade Com
mission will get fifty thousand dol
lars to pay for an investigation of
the automobile business. Investi-
cations, by the way, always have
been popular, but what has been
profted by them sometimes is hard
for the. public to determine. The
United States has % million motor
vehicles or more than two-third of
the automobiles of the world, and
in one month gets rid of 80 million
barrels of gas, and so it happens
that although some of the money
spent on cars and their maintenance
might better go into provisions and
warm underwear, the industry is
big enough to warrant inspection.
Perhaps what the country really
needs is a non-bendable fender, but
probably that will be outside the
scope of the Commissions investi-
cations.
A House committee has given its
approval to a bill appropriating
more than a half-billion for the Ma
wy, the largest sum ever set aside
for that purpose in time of peace.
When the bill, which may be re-
garded as routine matter has been
disposed of, the President will be
In a position to deliver promised
message dealing with special ap-
preparations for national defense.
It may be possible to lick the Unit
ed States on the home grounds, but
it looks as though there were going
to be some obstacles in the way of
getting here to do it, and in the
way of doing it after arrival.