davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1949-09-18
By Don S. Warren

When he took over the reins of
the Senate District Committee
recently, Senator Matt Neely, the
inveterate officeholder from West
Virginia. was following a tried and
proved formula in setting out to
find what the people wanted"
It is a formula that has served
him well ever since he first jumped
into the political swim as Mayor
of Fairmont. w. Va. in 1908.
During the long course of years
since then he has suffered some
severe defeats and there have been
hot arguments about what the
people really want. But such a
modus operandi has enabled this
Bible = quoting. poetry reciting.
liberal-minded Democrat to bounce
from defeats to victories and
establish a remarkable career.
Quarter of Century in d. C.
Few can boast of such q wealth
Of legislative experience for he
has served most of the past 40
years in public office and in 26 Of
the past 80 years he has spent
most of his time in the National
Capital.
After a two-year term as Mayor
Of Fairmont.. where he set his
sights higher and aimed at State
and national posts. he became
clerk of the West Virginia House
Of Delegates and since has won
seven terms in the House and four
in the Senate with a four-year
tour as Governor Of his State
gliding the picture.
This formula of pushing for
what he found to be the wishes of
most of his constituents was
adopted at the outset of his public
career back in Fairmont.
His home town, over 40 years
ago. was in bitter fight over the
liquor issue. His opponent for the
Mayors job came out as wet.
Youthful Mr.. Neely, q dry, an
nounced that If the town voted
dry he would see to it that is was
dry in fact; and If it voted wet
the tavern keepers would have
their full legal rights-but with
mo after-hours business or selling
to druI1ks.
He was elected and Fairmont
went dry-by only 50 votes. It
was . hot seat. with half Of his
City Council dry and the other
protestingly wet and with an equal
split among major parties on the
Council. But he braved possible
political doom to carry out his
|pre-election pledges.
In West Virginia, where organ
lied labor is q very solid chunk of
the voting populace. he found that
what the most of the people
wanted usually meant what labor
wanted. A ready believer IN the
Evening star., 1949-09-18
Neely Tries Old Formula on d. c.

The end results Of these round
tables still Is matter of conjec-
ture but there is no doubt but
that the veteran lawmaker, now
"a, revived interest in city affairs
that was about to die with this
session Of Congress.
Lack Of an outpouring Of en-
thusiastic general agreement on a
new program, however, apparent
ly was a disappointment to him.
In this he is learning a new lesson,
despite all his years on Capitol
Hill. that deciding what Washing
ton wants is one of the principal
headaches of District Committee
mfmbers.
When the Senate confirmed his
selection as the new District Com
mittee chairman he was eager, i'm
patient. straining to get going, but
yet bafned reporters by saying he
did not want to get into "contro-
versial issues" He pushed aside
questions as to his personal views
on continuing or ending the seq
regsted dual system of operating
the city's public schools or ending
racial segregation In the public
swimming pools.
Il want to have peace instead
Of provoking controversies" he
told reporters. II don't want to
have people at each others
throats." At the time he even re-
fused to state his own position
on congressional representation
for the District, saying that was
controversial.
Impressed by Words
His friends say he really is in
love with Washington. There is.
for instance, the first-hand story
Of one observer who followed his
career as West Virginia Governor
Finding the Governor at the
Statehouse one midnight, he asked
what was doing-and listened for
an hour while Mr.. Nicely talked
about things in the National
Capital where he already had
served both as Representative and
Senator. He even asked If q traf-
hc light had been installed at one
congested intersection.
Our new Senatorial mayor
was born in a log cabin in the
rugged hills of Doddridge County,
| w. Va. A farm boy, he was only
II when he became impressed by
oratory and the poetical power
of words.
He didn't make the jump from
farm to fame in one leap. No
doubt he was brushing up on quo
tations from the Bible. Shake
speare, Longfellow, Tolstoy, Emer-
son, Burns and other classic
authors, but intervening were two
years as q school teacher. seven
months service in the Spanish
American war. college studies iu
West Virginia and q sixYear span
los . youth In the legal profession,
Evening star., 1949-09-18

labor causes, a New Dealer and
Fair Dealer, Mr.. Nicely has been
a consistent spokesman for labor
all through his colorful career.
There are many other facets to
his State and national programs,
of course, but his consistent cham
pionship Of this big sector of West
Virginia voters frequently is given
as one of the basic reasons for
his long service in public Office.
It was a part Of the same pat
tern, therefore, that he should
call in the people here to find out
what they wanted when he sue
ceeded to the Craftsmanship of the
Senate District Committee. But he
made it clear it was not an idle
gesture. From the start he said he
wanted also to learn what pro-
grams would have united backing.
After holding three of his Dis
trict legislative idea clinics he
was somewhat dismayed at the
apathy" Of disfranchised Wash
ington residents and what he has
termed their lack Of ambition
or unwillingness to fight for
their rights"
Revives Civic Interest
Suffrage for the District, both
local and national, was the center
OF this attention. although his
protests were general when he
likened District residents to 1
submissive flock Of sheep sur
rounded by . pack Of wolves"
If I had found myself q resi-
dent Of the District and had seen
my sons and grandsons growingg
UP with no chance to vote or
serve in Congress-" he said. Il
would have had band and I'd
have gone out on the street cor
ners and shouted about this in
justice until I drove people crazy
or won the point"
Evening star., 1949-09-18

wrong voters" running the key
program.
The President. only once, held
up a requested Hoffman appoint
ment. He indicated he had "in-
formation" that the selectee was
about to run for top office as q
Republican candidate. Says Mr.
Hoffman: Il was saved consider
able embarrassment because the
Presidents information proved
correct"
Today. forced on the Democrats
Mr.. Hoffman is the chief irritant
to conservative Republicans who
would scuttle the whole Marshall
Plan. Their desire to argue that
the program is "spenders' foolish
ness" Is hampered by the fact
that 1t is headed up by one OF
their own. man, to reverse a
favorite Republican jibe, who
knows all about meeting q pay
roll"
Mr.. Hoffman preached, at the
beginning. that his was a IT.
billion-dollar program to run -four
years. Now he says that cost may
60 below IS billion but it still
must run until 1852. He adds that
it was something intuitive" that
made America embark on the
great effort.
Search into the American
thinking" he says, "and you will
find the people supported the Mar
shall Plan originally because they
liked the theory that no aggres-
sor would attack strong. free
nations banded together.
Two Goals Ahead
They figured that Hitler anc
the Kaiser moved because they
thought the free world was divided
and easy picking. Similarly. they
estimate Russia's dictators as
without moral scruples and hesi-
tant to attack only because they
are dubious of success. And, just
as those things were true 1e
months ago, SO they are still true
today"
But Mr.. Hoffman is worried to-
day. because ECA has gone too
well% He lists the gains Of 18
months:
Evening star., 1949-09-18

R1O<AANOAOA AAACo WAAANAA NoAAA
be Stopped by the failure of sup
plies to arrive from Britain or
Europe.
Standardization Stressed
This attitude is not defeatist or
cynical. It does not mean that
Canada expects British produc-
ton to be stopped or the coun-
tries Of Western Europe to be
overrun. But to erect q compli-
Gated industrial process In q
relativelNs safe area and allow 1t to
be dependent on supplies from an
extremely vulnerable area and .
risky transport route would. the
Canadians say, be sheer madness.
When the pact powers start
discussing the pooling Of their
military resources one Of the main
subjects in the background Of
their talk will be the standardiza-
tion Of arms and equipment. This
is 4 subject OF vital importance in
all military planning. but Canada
finds herself even nd RE closely
Evening star., 1949-09-18
ECA's Hoffman Fabulous Salesman
Trying to Impress
Europe on Need
Of SeIf-HeIp

Europe's runaway imitation is
back under control. The poll
tical velocity" has turned in
favor Of democratic government.
The situation has cleared that a
year and a half ago seemed to
offer Europe a choice between
dictatorship Of the "far right" or
the same on the "far left" With
only Spain and Portugal left
under dictators, representative
government. says Mr.. Hoffman, is
more firmly intrenched than at
any time in Western European
history"
The Communists, he insists, are
ION the defensive" They have
had to abandon their Zine" that
ECA cannot promote recovery and
switch to the theme that a COM
ing United States depression will
blow 1t up.
Overall European production is
up IS per cent over prewar levels
and, in England, it is 80 per cent
above prewar.
But" Mr.. Hoffman pleads to
those who look at the cost and
want to fold up and stay home,
the fight is not over. The fact
that the flames of communism
have died does not mean that the
fire is out. If we quit now, all we
have gained will be lost in six
months"
Mr.. Hoffman says two assign
ments must and will be completed
before ECA closes it's 1852 books.
First, a better standard of Euro
pean living must be established.
People there" he says. will
go for these belt-tightening pleas
just so long as they believe their
austerity is the road to better days
ahead. Let them lose that hope,
and they will kick over the apple
carts and anything can happen.
Next. says the ECA boss, Europe
must be able to earn her own
dollars for United States market
ing.
Patient and Persistent
Until she does" he adds, "our
relationship cannot be good. Free
nations must be sufficient
if they are to stick together. The
idea of one permanently giving
and the others receiving hurts
both ways. Those that give begin
to resent it and those that receive
are frustrated by their inability
to be independent"
Mr.. Hoffman says both goals
can and will" be achieved by
1852. and then. he continues, "a
man named Hoffman is going
back to that good life that is
waiting In California"
If and when he does, WASH
ington will remember him as the
man with the amazing ability to
stay calm and ION course" despite
hostile gun fire.
A high percentage of his WASH
ington days are spent before con-
gressional committees where, to
quote Senator Vandenberg, "he is
batted around like shuttlecock."
But the amiable Mr.. Hoffman,
called by one writer "a baby
faced Battling Nelson" learned
before he came here that nobody
ever won slugging Senators on
their home ground. Assaulted, he
just rolls. takes q deep breath
and starts his gospel all over
again.
One day choleric Senator Nc
Kellar Of Tennessee. who likes
Hoffman no better than he does
any administrator who gives jobs
to other than deserving Demo-
Gratis" roared out: Hoffman, you
ought to resign"
That's right, Senator, I
should" smiled Mr.. Hoffman, but
now, as was saying"
Evening star., 1949-09-18

not to supply money to foreign
governments to explore and drill
for oil. so long as there is private
capital available for such purposes.
We will also be wiping the slate
clean of all reservations we may
have had on the subject of the
appropriation by Mexico or any
other country of properties owned
or operated by United States citi-
zens.
Evening star., 1949-09-18
Irritates Some Republicans

Ironically, Mr.. Hoffman. as ECA
head. has become an accomplished
"drafter" of other reluctant busi-
nessmen. His technique, when
they demur against leaving plush
industrial jobs to take the grief
and low pay Of an officer in the
cold war against communism, is
to say abruptly: "Oh, go home
and try to live with yourself" !"
Few can.
Mr.. Hoffman resigned from
Studebaker and came into Gov
ernment with cabinet rank" in
every particular except that he
does not attend cabinet meetings.
LAS a Republican," he says. II
would have no business at cabinet
meetings"
He was promised a free hand
in selecting his subordinates and
says he has had it. despite the
objection of professional politi-
Clans"
Prior to November 4. some Re-
publicans wanted Hoffman to keep
all Democrats out Of ECA. Presi-
dent Truman was just a lame
duck" anyhow, they argued. so
Democrats did not count. After
the election many Democrats
walled to the White House about
Evening star., 1949-09-18
Canada Wants to Gear Its
Defense Machine to Ours
Standardization of Weapons One of Chief
Objectives, but Congress Holds Up
Integrated Production Plans
By MichoeI Borkwoy

OTTAWAThe nteeration of North American
greatest possible extent Of
has itself Although partly by
shortage OF dollars and by the attitude
defense material be acquired from United
with American forces remains the Canadian
decision build fighters United States type for
Evening star., 1949-09-18
US. S.OilLOan for Mexico
Will Reverse Our Policy
Many Political and Economic Angles Must
Be Considered by This Government
Before It Makes Decision
By Edword TomIinson

MEXICO CTTYApparently entering new era in our
administration
intention make mutimiion
government
only forgiving forgetting
complete reversal of the State pepartufuts
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
The Outlook Says

Fred Brester, who lives about
three miles west of Laurel and is
employed as a mechanic at the
o. M. Void Implement company
il Laurel, was injured in an acct
dent Friday afternoon. While ad-
justing a piece of machinery at
a farm, the equipment went into
gear and caught his hand. Be-
fore he could be freed, he had
lost three fingers from his left
hand. He was given treatment at
a doctors office in Laurel and was
then taken to his home.
Mrs. L. L. Smith returned home
Sunday from Helena where she
had been visiting her son and
daughter-in-law, Mr.. and Mrs.
Lawrence Smith, and her new
granddaughter, Linda Marie, born
Sept. %.
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
Rain Makers
Back to Laboratories

NEW YORK. - Scientists can
make it rain-but they agree
that they can't make it any time,
any place. So they r going
back to their laboratories to see
what they can do about it.
The making of rain with dry
ice, experiments with which be-
gan some three years ago, can
not be done just with any old
cloud or at any old place.
The United States weather
bureau has recently concluded
three rain-making experiments
with negative results they got
more than a year ago in tests
over Ohio when $50 attempts
failed to show how to make rain
of economic importance to farm
ers.
Scientific rainmaking, how
ever, has proved one new point
beyond doubt - namely, that
clouds, their structure, why the
rain and why they develop the
power to cause disasters are a
lot more intricate than has been
supposed.
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
Old Indian Village
Is to Be Restored
By Wisconsin State

AZTALAN, WIS. - Today about
$50 persons live here at Aztalan
where five hundred years ago about
1000 Indians dwelt in a thriving
village. The Indian inhabitants van
ished about 1900 and now the site
of the once busy Indian village is a
big, bumpy field knee-deep in
weeds; but the state Of Wisconsin
plans someday to reconstruct the
village to look just as it did CEN
turtles ago.
The state Of Wisconsin has pur-
chased the site for a state park.
But no construction Of the village
a be done until the topsoil is
carefully scraped away and the
undisturbed ground below the plow
zone scrutinized.
Ten brawny, sun tanned archaeolo-
gists are spending the summer IN
the middle Of the field, carefully
scraping the soil off and cataloging
everything they find. The expedi-
ton, headed by Chandler Rowe, as
sistant professor of anthropology at
Lawrence college, has uncovered
many broken jugs, bird and deer
bones, shell hoes and an occasional
sharp bone used by the Indians as
a shuttle in weaving.
From the materials found. the
archaeologists reconstruct the Gull
ture of the Indians who lived here.
Rowe pointed to a circular blackish
area about six inches across, and
explained that it was a decayed
post. Series of such post holes have
indicated the exact location of a
stockade that surrounded the vii
lage and the size and shape Of the
houses. When the conservation de-
partment restores the village, it
will be able to sink posts in the
exact places where the Indians did.
Archaeologists have been excavat-
ing Aztalan off and on since 1919.
Their discoveries show pretty GER
tainly that the Indians wer from
the middle Mississippi valley.
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
TREWIN

Mr.. and Mrs. Jos. Bare of Reed
Point and Mrs. Bare's mother,
Mrs. Hart of Columbus, Eel call
ing at the Grubs home Friday aft
ternoon.
Mrs. Riddle of Park City and
Mrs. King Dorrah of Absarokee,
we're here on business Thursday
afternoon.
Mrs. Herman Harding and Mrs.
E. H. Reimann attended the
Trewthorne club meeting at the
home of Mrs. Dorothy Kukula,
Wednesday afternoon.
A4ma Bongiani, who has been
attending the Laurel high school,
has transferred to Park City high
school.
Mr.. and Mrs. A. l.. Grubs had
as their guests Sunday at dinner
Mr.. and Mrs. Charles Grubs and
children and Mrs. Kenneth Shay
and children of Hawthorne.
Harry Barthuly of Laurel was
q Sunday visitor at the I. Oshima
home.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cecil Walters of
Park City spent Saturday eve
ming at the Mike Beslanowitch
home.
Miss Louise Munoz who has
been visiting her parents left
Sunday to join the air corps.
Mr.. and Mrs. George T. Sparks
and Mrs. Lucia Bongiani and chill
dren attended a birthday party at
the home of Mrs. Robert Watson
in Laurel Monday evening. The
occasion was in honor of the
birthdays of Miss Alma Bongiani
and Barbara Watson.
A. l.. Grubs and Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Grubs attended the King
Darrah farm sale near Absarokee,
Wednesday.
Mrs. Joe Munoz and daughter
Louise were visiting Mrs. W. D..
Killebrew in Laurel Thursday.
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
The News
ofLAUREL
IHn mi mn nHNn-

Mr.. and Mrs. Homer Sheets
drove to Kansas last week to visi
relatives. They expect to be gone
about 10 days.
The adult Bible Fellowship me-
Tuesday evening with Mr.. anC
Mrs. D. l.. Hafer as hosts. Ray
Harris led the lesson study. Next
Tuesday evening there will be
family night at the church, so nc
meeting of the class will be held
The following Tuesday Mrs. c. A
George will be hostess.
Mrs. Loren Shay and daughter.
Miss Carol Shay, spent two days
this week in Powell, Wyo., visiting
Mr.. and Mrs. Wilbur George and
family.
MI. and Mrs. C. A. Duncan re-
turned Saturday from a three
weeks trip east. In Greensburg,
Ind, they were guests of Mr..
Duncan's cousins, Mr.. and Mrs.
Robert Duncan who accompanied
them on the remainder of the
trip. They visited Washington, D.
c., Philadelphia and New York
City. In New York their hosts
were Mr.. and Mrs. E. J. Thompson.
Mrs. Thompson is Mr.. Duncan's
sister.
Mr.. and Mrs. Earl R. Granger
are parents of a son, born in
Billings, Sept. 26.
The fourth grade Brownies had
a short business meeting at the
school Thursday afternoon, with
Sandra Cartee presiding. At the
close of the meeting 16 members
made a trip to the doll hospital
and museum, with transportation
furnished by Mrs. Clarence ALEX,
Mrs. o. X. Chapman, Mrs. Karl
George and Mrs. E. H. Ebersviller,
Jr. Mrs. Beardon gave a short
lecture on the items in her col
lection. The girls report a very
interesting afternoon.
Mr.. and Mrs. Roy M. Christmas
of Missoula were weekend guests
of Mr.. and Mrs. B. Meyer Harris
and family.
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
Hypnotic Therapy Credited
With Curing Amnesia Case

NEW YORK CITY.-Hypnotic
therapy has been credited with
restoring memory to a New Roch-
ellie housewife who apparently had
been suffering from total amnesia
for the past nine years.
The patient was Mrs. Emily Nor
ton, 26, mother Of two young chill
dren. She was reunited in New
Rochelle with two of her brothers
who arrived from Braddock, Pa,
her former home which had been
erased from her mind.
Details of the cure were told by
DR.. Nathaniel E. Selby, who placed
the young matron in her hypnotic
state. He said that when she came
to him last Thursday she could re-
member nothing Of her past save
that she had tainted on a street in
Philadelphia in 1912, was unable to
identify herself and started life
anew as a waitress.
Four years ago she met and
married John A. Norton in New
Rochelle. They had two children,
Robert, 3, and Melaine, aged l.
Fearful of delving into her past,
she had told her husband she was
an orphan. She came to DR.. Selby
for diagnosis and treatment of
headaches.
The phychiatrist said that under
ordinary questioning Mrs. Norton
could remember only the names
of "Kybski' and Braddock. Pa.
DR.. Selby communicated with
the Braddock police. They told
him an Emily Kobalanski had dis
appeared in 1910 and had never
been found. The family, consist
ing of father, mother, four broth
ers and a sister, were dubious after
having checked so many fruitless
clues. But they told the doctor
Emily had a snail scar on her fore
head.
When Mrs. Norton visited him
Tuesday, DR.. Selby saw the scar.
It was then that he hypnotized
her and, he said, "she had a full
return Of memory" except that
some details of her past between
1910 and 1912 still remain to be
cleared up.
Laurel outlook., 1949-10-05
People Urged
To Right Acts
By Conscience

$50
man conscience sometimes makes
men do many strange things.
Among these is the particular act
or decision to ease ones conscience
by making restitution for a fancied
or real theft or deception.
For instance, the White House
recently received a letter the other
day which said:
Enclosed is 5 cents which / ore
the government. While out on the
Atlantic in a boat l dropped a
nickel overheard. He is another
n to put back in the mint"
Officials believe the letter was
written in all sincerity. that there
was nothing facetious about it.
Many federal agencies get letters
from people with guilty c~onsciences
and most of the letters contain
money. If they do. they go to the
conscience fund" under the treas
ury's bureau of accounts; Joseph
A. Woodson, chief. The money ends
up in the general federal kitty and
is spent.
Started in 1911
First known contributions to the
conscience fund were during the
administration of President Madi-
son back in 1911. The total that
year was $3.50. For the fiscal year
1948 it was S124, 1912
Some people sign their names;
others do not. A great many say
they have found religion, and with
it a pang of conscience for some
past wrong.
A few jokesters are involved.
Like the I'M who sent SC in
stamps ito be applied against Jul
251 billion dollar public debt"
The letters, though, are not funny
to the conscience fund people who
maintain a large office on the fourth
floor of the treasury building and
keep an elaborate file and book
keeping system on such matters.
Each signed letter is answered po-
litely.
The current crop of notes con-
tains many from former service
men.
One sent a money order for $50
to pay for property he stole while
wearing an army uniform. Another
had filched "a bunch of light
bulbs" from the navy. II don't
know how many" he said, but I
think $40 will cover it."
Returns $3.50
A marine declared he had been
overpaid by $2.62 at the time of
his discharge. He returned it, plus
10c in interest.
A soldier said he had walked out
of a separation center (somehow)
with his discharge papers in n
hand and a bass drum in the other.
He sent $3.50 with a notation that
sit was such a poor drum it
couldn't have been worth more
than that"
A woman not long ago mailed in
$3.50 in cash. She explained that she
owed the government that much
and had sent tbs amount in before.
st didn't receive any reply from
you the first time, so here it is
again" She didn't sign her name
to either letter.
Sometimes the amount is small,
but in the past startled clerks have
opened plain envelopes containing
as much as $50, 900.