The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1945-10-25

HAZEL
EYES
~ HAZEL

The war against the south is still
being fought by rabid eastern in
terests as shown in the account CIV
en- herewith by Douglas Larsen,
Washington correspondent for NEA,
a column distributed nationally.
Mr.. Larsen was a recent guest of
Mississippi members of the National
Press Club, a group of newspaper
men who sponsored a dinner in
Washington for newspapermen to
tell them what Mississippi is doing
to balance agriculture with industry.
The banquet was simply a job in
public relations with no politics be-
ing involved, no axe to grind.
We would not give space to MI.
Larsen's article in this paper except
to acquaint our readers with what
some folks in other sections seem
to think Of US . possibly to prod
the self-satisfied feeling sometimes
held by little people Like ourselves
In small southern towns.
Mr.. Larsen cannot be much of a
newspaperman because his article
isn't even accurate, the first law Of
good newswriting. He must not be
a man Of very high ethics because
. man Of high character would not
misrepresent anything as he did in
his article. He's bound to be pretty
much Of q sour-puss and boor
for only q boor would accept hospi-
tally and then ridicule his host.
The kindest view to take Of Mr..
Larsen is that the syndicate he
writes for, NEA, is anti-southern and
instructed him to write such an arti-
Gle. We wonder. Certainly no real
newspaperman Of ability would
write such an article as we quote
here:
Mississippi Food.Fsst
BY Douglas Larsen
Washington, Oct. 20-Mississippi
bigwigs have been worried about
the bad publicity their Senator
Theodore Gilmore Bilbo and Repre-
sentative John Elliott Rankin have
been getting. Regardless of what
they thought about these men per-
sonally, they believed that their
antics were giving the state a bad
reputation.
So these state leaders back home
got together and decided to come to
Washington and explain to folks
particularly newspapermen - that
there are some pretty solid citizens
in and from Mississippi and the place
is pretty good generally. They raised
close to $4,000 and decided to give a
fancy party at the swanky Statler
Hotel as the vehicle for their expla-
nation.
OF course, they couldn't come out
openly and announce their reason
for the affair. but no guest was in
doubt as to why he was there. The
sponsors called it a testimonial din
ner for Governor Thomas L. Bailey.
Naturally, Mississippi was the motif.
Before the dinner there was a
cocktail party. In addition to the
spirits, a table piled more than six
feet high with Mississippi jumpo
shrimp, which retails here at $l.38
a pound, was extremely popular.
When the guests were feeling a
warm glow of friendship the serious
eating of the evening started. There
were many empty seats, but none at
the speakers table. Senator Bilbo'
extremely sour, sat at table No. TO-
close to the door, and Representative
Rankin was hidden back in the
crowd at table No. IA.
Fried chicken was the principal
dish. Not Mississippi style. Strictly
Statler style, which isn't bad. The
bar was kept open during the mea
and received considerable attention
The eating went without a hitch ex-
cept for a small interruption when
one of the women correspondents
missed her chair by a fraction OF an
inch as she attempted to sit down.
After dishes were removed the
notables al the speakers table were
introduced. Then the POSTMASTER
looked around and said, "Oh, yes, we
have others from Mississippi here
too. Let me call out their names, ou'
will those persons, in the interest o.
saving time, please refrain iron
making speeches"
Then he called Bilbo's name. INT
Senator hunched himself up brie1iA
and forced a smile. There was hgh
applause. Then he asked Rankin u
stand. There may have been a htti
more applause. :.
Governor Bailey was the man
speaker. He started by saying:
1.-The State of Mississippi Is some
times misunderstood -.