davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16

Without questioning the good motives OF
two young Mississippians, who in an open
letter to the Legislature and the public have
warned against the ~anti-Southern views OF
a young, newly elected legislator, we are
nevertheless concerned with its content and
with it's implied insistence upon utter con-
formity as the gauge and measure Of patriot.
ism. We are just as concerned with its criti-
cism of certain unnamed professors of Ole
Miss "who have directed his thoughts in the
channels he makes clear
The letter in question is signed by Elmore
d. Greaves, Jr., of Jackson and John Bell
Hood, Jr., of Jamestown, and is directed
against Representative Brinkley Morton of
Senatobia. We know none of these adversar-
les whom we presume to be recent or present
students at Ole Miss. Nor, because of its
length, can we quote their letter in full. But
its substance is this:
Mr.. Morton, apparently while an Ole Miss
student, wrote a letter in 1916 to the univer-
sity magazine, THE Rebel" in which he
strongly critized many aspects Of the South
eI0 SCEHG. ludt COMMUNICATION ID ItpiOQultQ
in the open letter Of Messrs. Hood and
Greaves. Mr.. Morton's troubled letter to
The Rebel" as quoted, was largely intem-
perate and in its quest for perfection had al
most nothing good to say for Mississippi in
particular and the South in general. He
recognized that stern measures by the fed
eral government are required to liberalize
Mississippi" and stated that universal suf-
frage is a prime requisite to characterization
of this section He denounced prohibition,
sRankin, the then living Senator Bilbo, the
rise Of the bootlegger to political power, the
state of the public school system, and atagon-
ism toward organized labor. He advocated
federal aid to education and greater indus
trialization. AS a result, two of his contem-
poraries are warning the public against him
and some unnamed teachers.
We repeat that his language was intem-
perate, and we suggest that federal action
is neither sure nor a palatable panacea.
But we too have denounced prohibition,
demagoglery, political bootleggers, dis
elimination, the un~der-financed school sys-
tenn and labor batting, among other things
and we would be astounded, angered and
perhaps a little amused II anyone were to
write an open letter to the legislature ard
the public warning them that we were run
ming around loose.
1t seems to us that this is an unhappy
proof Of the mounting tendency to make con-
formity to all custom and the status quo the
definitionof loyalty and ever of good citizen
ship. That definition we renounce. 1t flower
II 49, - r. Il RI. MI IL. -.
a tragic welter of accusations and persecu-
tons, and it has taken deep root again in
our present postwar period of hysteria and
fear. And these young men, moreover, have
accepted by their own statement the political
philosophy under which a citizen of Missis-
sippi mus swear that he subscribes to eigh-
teen principles of varying worth and mean
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16
THIS WEEK
in Other Years

FIVE YEARS AGO THIS
WEEK, a Rickenbacker squad
ron was formed at ingalls, and
the Treasury Departments Min
ute Man flag was presented the
yard because of its outstanding
record in the purchase Of war
bonds Gulf area shipyards
adopted the 8-hour shift /.
Moss Point swore in 20 volun-
teers as auxiliary police
construction began on the cafe
terra on Lincoln avenue and the
supermarket at Lincoln avenue
and Market street planting
of victory gardens was urged.
No editorial was carried.
FOUR YEARS AGO THIS
WEEK, the charter signed and
in order, election OF directors
of the new Pascagoula-M Moss
Point Chamber of Commerce
was scheduled the ingalls,
built "Samnel Chase" became
Lucky Chase fire caused
about $4,000 damage to mems
dormitory in EastlaEn /.
Staff Sergeant. Vincent Cox re-
turns for furlough after having
been listed as missing Two
new elementary schools near
completion Editorial: for
nation of Chamber of Com
MERGE hailed as most important
step in the welfare of Pasca-
goula and Moss Point.
THREE YEARS AGO THIS
WEEK, Ingalls, awarded con-
tract for four more l8,000-ton,
CO cargo ships for the u. S.
Maritime Commission May
or John Watts, other city Of
ficials of Pascagoula take Of
flee state highway engin-
GERS here to supervise construc-
ton of $4,000 access road to
Ingalls, set up offices $685.
600 bond issue for City's part
in the $4,000 recreation build
ing program voted Editor
ial: State highway department
scored for failure to improve
bridges between Pascagoula and
Gautier.
TWO YEARS AGO THIS
WEEK, support of clothing
drive for European War suffer-
ers asked launching of Del
Norte, country's first post war
passenger ship, scheduled -.
carpenters union calls workers
off job at new recreation build
ing, delaying opening Edi-
torial: passage of workman's
compensation by legislature
urged. . Work of some legis-
lators in fight against pollu-
ton of states streams is prais-
ed.
e sHAn .
ONE YEAR AGO THIS
WEEK, "open house, at recreat-
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16

ingfulness in order to vote in a Democratic
democratic means of qualification SO COM
pletely hat they say with alarm: This man
Morton) ran in the Democratic primary in
which he insisted he endorsed the eighteen
points laid down by the State Democratic
Executive Committee"
We can only ask. what of it? Those prin-
ciples were a subterfuge which was not in
tended TO be applied to white voters.
And her they reach their conclusion with
this paragraph, which might be a summa
ton at q Salem witch trial:
Our Legislators should regard the fact
that this young man is a product OF an in
s~titution in which there are teachers who
have directed his thoughts in the channels
he makes clear in this article. He has de-
nounced, repudiated and condemned the
entire. Southern section of the nation-its
people, government, leadership and insti-
buttons. He has passed judgment on our
problems and has rendered opinions which
place him in opposition to the customary
and proven methods which our people have
tried and found through experience to be
most feasible in both this and past genera
tions. This letter is not to be construed
as to assign any particular political faith
to this young man or to approve or disap-
prove of the political position of the late
Senator Bilbo on national questions. This
constitutes simply a general warning to
the people of this young mans anti-South-
ern views"
We don't know what the legislature .ol
public will do about this general warning
as to Mr.. Morton. Maybe a committee will be
appointed to determine whether he had q
Yankee grandfather, or to suggest that if he
doesn't like it where he is why doesn't he
move somewhere else. But this spirit is too
symptomatic of America today to be laughed
off or ~disregarded. And the implication tha
~skullduggery and dangerous thinking amonl
the Ole Miss faculty are worth looking int
is part and parcel of the whole national psy
chology of fear of ideas and of inquiry int
the state of the union. 1t was an opposite
psychology which made this nation great ant
which alone can keep it great. There is al
American tradition of free speech and FREE
inquiry, of defending with Voltaire the RICH
of every man to have his say even if we dis
agree with him entirely.
And as for our schools, remember the
principles upon which the University of
Virginia was founded by Thomas Jeffer-
son--a noble Southerner and American, a
revolutionary, a dissident and a critic of
many majority beliefs of his day. Here is
what jefferson said:
This institution will be based on the
illimitable freedom of the human mind.
For here we are not afraid to follow the
truth wherever it may lead nor to tolerate
any error, so long as reason is left free to
combat it,"
Neither the University of Mississippi no
any school could nave a worthier model, no
our citizens and Legislators a finer precept.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16
MRS. GUEST

Mrs. w. R, Guest was hostess at
a perfectly appointed luncheon
at Longfellow House Saturday in
honor of her guest, Mrs. Wade
Owens of Birmingham who visit
ed her that day and Sunday.
Covers were laid for IA.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16

ly handing over his loose coins
to the owner. AS proof of this
point we examined four slot
machines that were recently
destroyed in the court house
yard in Pascagoula. Two of the
devices had small metal plates
bols, including the jack pot
fastened over "pay-off" SYM
bars, making it mechanically
impossible for the plunger to
stop these "pay-off' symbols,
thus tipping the take of the
machine to some 30 or 80 cents
out of every dollar that goes
into them.
A Connecticut lady, Miss
Vivian Kellems. somewhat of
an industrialist in her own
right, advocates the abolish
ment of all income taxes. which
she brands as the strongest
weapon ever placed in the
hands of an INSCRIPTIONS gov
eminent" Asked how the gov
eminent could get along with
out income taxes, she replied
that ii would be very simple.
I'VE just have less government,
we spend less money ]"
Following the lady's reasoning
to its logical conclusion, we
would like to suggest an even
simpler solution. Let's abol-
ish all taxes, then we could do
away with all government and
thus return to the law of the
jungle. What could be simpler
than that?
Another little girl is violated
and murdered because of our
outmoded and criminal handl-
ing of sex maniacs. Harold
Beach served five wears in a
New York state institution for
a sex offense, was released in
1947, and a few months later
criminally attacked and stabbed
to death an eight-year-old girl
in Cleveland. A vast percent
age of sex offenders and sex
violence in our country is COM
mittel by pardoned offenders,
or those who have served out
short terms. Sex criminals are
mentally sick, and should be
handled accordingly. We have
seen a number of offenseS COM
mitted in Jackson county in the
past few years and in nearly
every instance, the offenders
had served prison terms for
similar crimes. National and
state governments should make
a realistic APPROACH to the prob
lem, and set up separate in
stitutions of confinement with
modern methods for treatment
and possible rehabilitation of
sex offenders. Those that prove
incurable should be confined
for life and not be periodical
ly turned loose TO repeat their
offenses.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16
ANoLA CLUB LUNCHEON

A luncheon meeting of the Ano-
la, Woman's club of Pascagoula
win be held at Gulf Hills Friday
with Mesdames T. S. Boswell, A.
NJ. Hardy, Julius McIlwain and
E r. O'Malley as hostesses..
Mrs. Manuella Taylor will be
guest speaker and Mrs. NJ. M.
Flechas, Jr., leader of the pro-
gram.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16
MRS. DANTzLER HOSTESS

Mrs. A. F. Dantzler entertained
a small group of friends of Mrs. ].
w. Browder and Mrs. E. d. Media
witt of South Bend, Ind, who is
visiting the latter, with a soft
drinks party at her home on
Beach Boulevard Wednesday
morning.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16

The peak of electric street car
development in the United States
came in 1917 when more than 3d.
600 street railway cars were OPP
Grated on $4,000 miles of track.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1948-01-16
How Witch Hunts Begin

(Reprinted from Delta Democrat-Times
Evening star., 1948-12-22
Murray
Continued From First Page

would ignore the subpoena, Mr.
Murray challenged, among other
things, the authority of subcom.
mittee of the House to act without
representation of the minority
party on 1.-THE Democrats.
Mr.. Hoffman admitted Mr.. Muir
ray was right in that contention
from a moral standpoint and fol-
the sake of good government" but
he added there was legal prece-
dent" for the one-man subcommit-
tee idea. He declared he believed
the minority party should always
be represented on a committee, but
no Democrats were available to
serve on his group.
Cites 1947 Resolution.
The lawmaker declared Mr.. Muir
ray was completely wrong in chal-
Ienging his Fight to issue the SUBJ
poena and he cited resolution
passed by the House early in 1947
giving subpoena power to the chair
man Of the Labor Committee or to
any member designated by the
chairman.
Mr.. Hoffman said he had thought
that Mr.. Murray would have well
coined the opportunity to condemn
activities of the "CIO COON squad"
at the Kalamazoo plants. He
charged that similar CIO "goon
squads" had been operating over the
country since 1887.
Murray Releases Letter.
In a letter he released yesterday,
Mr.. Murray told Mr.. Hoffman:
II assume that in claiming to act
as chairman of a special subcosn-
mittee' you are relying on Congress
man Hartley's letter, dated Decem-
Der 2, 1948, which purported to ap-
point you chairman of special sub
committee of one.
II am advised by counsel that no
authority in law exists for the ap-
pointment by committee chairmen
of subcommittee of one and that
your purported authority under
Congressman Hartley's letter is &C
cordingly. wholly void"
Representative Hartley, Repub-
lican, of New Jersey, Is chairman of
the full committee.
Mr.. Murray said he checked with
Representative Lesinski, also OF
Michigan, who, as ranking Demo-
crat, will head the Labor Commit
tee in the Eighty-first Congress.
He quoted Mr.. Lesinski as saying
that Mr.. Hoffman had no authority
because subcommittee must include
of both parties.
The Michigan Demoeratt'was not
even SO much as advised of Con-
gresham Hartley's purported desig-
nation of subcommittee" Mr.. Muir
rays letter added.
IT am advised by counsel that the
purported subpoena is void and that
your claim to constitute one-man
Evening star., 1948-12-22
Legality Of AIabama's
Vote Amendment Studied
BY The A:sociotsd Press

MOBILE, Ala, Dec. pa three
judge Federal Court had under con-
sideration today arguments on the
legality of Alabama's Boswell
amendment fixing voter qualifica- =
tions.
The court announced at the end
of a two-day hearing yesterday that
it's decision would be returned at q
later date
Counsel for 10 Mobile County
Negroes attacked the amendment as
a weapon of white supremacy"
advocates and urged that it be
declared unconstitutional.
Assistant Attorney General Silas
c. Garrett III, asked the court not
to strike down" the law because Of
alleged maladministration of off,
cials acting on 1t.
The amendment. adopted in 1946,
requires applicants for registration
as voters to be able to understand
and explain" the Federal Constitu-
tion to the satisfaction of the Board
of Registrars.
George N. Leighton, attorney for
the Negroes, contended that the
broad powers of dissection given the
registrars were used to discriminate
against Negroes.
Evening star., 1948-12-22
Of these was not brought out0

of these was not brought out.)
A Republican broadcast from
Kediri, in East Java, said incoming
reports of the fighting are generally
more satisfactory than disappoint'
ing" It closed with a declaration
that Trotskyist Tan Malaka is "tht
father Of the proletariat who will
lead our people to freedom. Tar
Malaka Is the leader of a Commu.
mist faction.
(Other Republican broadcasts,
recorded in Singapore, declared
Indonesians were rising through
out Java. Guerrillas were re-
ported advancing on the Dutch
naval base of Soerabaja and the
port of Cheribon, the latter the
scene of a Dutch -Indonesian pact
that fizzled.)
Two Cities Still Unclaimed.
Only two major cities Of Repub-
lican Central Java are still un-
claimed by the Dutch. These are
Kediri and Madden, both east OF
Soerakarta.
In Sumatra the picture of Dutch
success appeared much the same
The army announced yesterday that
it fully occupied the Assahan plan
tation area south of Medan and
landed troops farther south at Ba-
gansiapiapi.
The Dutch communique said ION
the whole there was very little re-
sistance" and no Indonesian coun-
terattacks whatever.
Evening star., 1948-12-22

documents in a convenient booklet
formB although all except four Of
them were released for publication
in newspapers during the last week
Communist activity IN labor
unions will be described in a booklet
set for publication by the commit
tee tomorrow.
Part of o Series.
The booklet is one in ques-
ton and answer series under the
general title 100 Things You
Should Know About Communism. I"
Before the end of the year the
committee also expects to put out
a booklet, 100 Things You Should
Know About Communism in Gov
ernment"
Evening star., 1948-12-22
William H. Thornton Rites
Will Be Held Tomorrow

Funeral services will be held al
II am. tomorrow for William Har-
risen Thornton, 80, retired Pullman
conductor who served on the Wash
ington- Boston route for 80 years
He died Monday at his home, 1876
Nineteenth street NV, where he
lived with his sister, Mrs. j. Elvans
Mayfield.
The services will be held at the
Nineteenth street address. Buria
will be in Glenwood Cemetery.
A native of Amissville, Va, Mr.
Thornton had been a Washington
resident for SO years. He retired
from the Pullman Co. eight year!
ago. Mr.. Thornton was a member
Of Harmony Masonic Lodge and was
a Knight Templar.
A widower, he is survived by his
sister and a brother, James Taylor
Thornton of Gainesville, Va.
Evening star., 1948-12-22

$40, 100000 in reconstruction aid for
@L;y,o
Evening star., 1948-12-22
Indonesiu
Continued From First Page

forces or maneuvers CI the Repub'
lican Army which should have giver
rise to apprehensions and alarm
leading to precipitate action on thl
part of the Netherlands.
In commencing military opera
tions on 10 December the Neither
lands government acted in violation
of its obligations under the Rem
vile truce agreement"
(This agreement, signed aboard
the United States Navy transport
Renville off Batavia last Janu-
ary II, provided for a truce and
Stand-faSt orders while the
Dutch and Indonesians negotiat-
ed a final political settlement.
The agreement gave the Dutch
the most productive oil and rub
ber areasD
IndOnesian Version Lacking.
The committee said it had not
been possible to obtain an authors
tative Republican version of the
developments. President Soekarno
and various members of his Repub-
lican government are in Dutch
custody in Jogjakarta.
The committee report said:
"A military operation of the nature
carried out by the Netherlands
forces must have involved consider
able planning and it Is difficult fol-
the committee not to conclude that
plans for such operations were in
progress" during the exchange OF
correspondence in the last few DAYS
before the action started and at
the time Netherlands authorities
facilitated transfer OF the commit
tees headquarters to Kalioerang."
Other Towns Claimed.
In addition to Bukittinggi, on the
Indian Ocean side of Sumatra at
the Equator, the Dutch claimed pos
session of:
Soerakarta, the Republics second
city and center of Java's railway
system.
Tjepoe, north of Soerakarta, where
the Republics only oil processing
facilities were situated.
Kalioerang, a Central Java noun
tain town where a United Nations
staff of 18 was based. The Dutch
reported all 18 safe.
The towns of Parakan, Setlang
and WonoSobo.
Blitar, a communicate tions center
100 miles east of Soerakarta, and
the Kalikonto irrigation works
nearby.
Dutch Forces Unite,
A Dutch column sweeping south
from Semarang was reported to
have Joined Dutch airborne forces
IN the neighborhood of Jogjakarta,
the Republics No. capital which
the airborne forces captured Sun
day.
The. army announced that Dutch
casualties since the start of the ac-
tton were eight men killed and IA
A Dutch Army spokesman con-
f1rmed reports that incidents have
broken ouC in the Dutch Federal
territories of West Java. The
spokesman said, however. they were
only small incidents" The nature
Evening star., 1948-12-22

donesia. But he said they would
not get their independence until
the Dutch were sure the citizens OF
such q federation would not fall
under the dictatorship of an Tex
tremist party"
He asserted that Communists are
high in the councils Of the Indone-
sian Republicans and threaten to
control the Republic.
(The Indonesian Republic re-
Gently suppressed a Communist
revolt in Republican territory.
Several Communist leaders were
killed by the Republican forces.)
Mr.. Van Royen said the Neither
lands offered to submit the issue OF
U. N. jurisdiction to the Interna-
tional Court of Justice at The Hague
for decision.
Evening star., 1948-12-22
Spy Inquiry
Continued From First Page. }

Ilieves Congress should enact to
tighten exising statutes against
espionage.
3. The committees Interpretation
of evidence already obtained from
Mr.. Chambers and others to support
its contention that Communist spy
rings not only f1ourished in the
Government before the war, but pos
sibiy operated during the war and
may still be in existence here.
Mr.. Mundt said the report would
not name two of the six persons
first mentioned by Mr.. Chambers in
1889 to the then Assistant Sec
retary of State Adolph A. Berle, jr
Mundt Refuses to Give Names.
Isaac Don Levine, a magazine ed
itor, has told the committee that
Mr.. Chambers had mentioned those
names to Mr.. Berle and that one
of them was Laurence Duggan, who
plunged to his death from New
York Office building Monday. Mr..
Mundt said Mr.. Chambers recently
gave the six names to committee
investigators.
While refusing to give out any
of the names, Mr.. Mundt said that
all except two had figuerd in earlier
published stories of the committee
inquiry in the Hiss Chambers case
Those four also probably will be
mentioned in the coming report, he
added.
Referring to Mr.. Levines state
ment about Mr.. Chambers, Mr..
Mundt said a careful study of the
transcript of Mr.. Levine's testimony
in closed session of the committee
on December contained no testi-
mony that Mr.. Duggan turned over
secret information to Mr.. Chambers.
May Contain Texts.
TT is important to remember" +"
Mr.. Mundt said, that the various
people who have been named by
Mr.. Chambers and others as .engag-
ing in Communist apparatus work
we're generally of two kinds Some
reportedly gave information to Com
munist agents or relayed 1t for
transfer to such agents. Others had
the job of influencing policy. as, for
instance, through aide memories
dealing with China Or sYalta." "
The committees report also may
have q supplement containing texts
Of all the State Department, docu-
ments received by the committee
from Mr.. Chambers, who. asserted
that they had been given him by
Mr.. Hiss. Mr.. Mundt said there
has been "a tremendous public de-
mand" for publication of all of those
Evening star., 1948-12-22
THE EVENING STAR WASHINGTON D c. As


subcommittee is likewise void and
illegal"
Hearing Reveals New Angle.
The steelworkers Jailed in Kala:
mazoo for contempt are Harry Wor-
rell, Ralph Barbigian and Gordon
Barnard, all of the Detroit area
Circuit Judge. John Simpson, ir
finding them guilty, said they may
gain their freedom by reappearine
before the grand jury and answer
ing its questions.
The contempt hearing revealed
for the first time that the grand
jury Is trying to learn whether the
union hired any of the 300 men
who overturned cars, invaded the
struck plant, smashed property and
injured seven persons.
The question Mr.. Barbigian had
refused to answer was did you re-
ceive any pay from anyone De-
cember ~"
Mr.. Barnard had been asked
whether you drove your car any
where on November 80 or Deem
Der l."
The question Mr.. Worrell would
not answer was not revealed at the
contempt hearing.