Always Good, Edna Blez And Rives Matthews Excel Their Own lively Record With Their Contrasting Notes On This Week’s Editorial Page. Read Their Pieces Today. ¥ More Than A Newspaper, A Community Institution "THE DALLAS POST In Editorial Content, As In Its “Neo-Dynamic” Makeup, The Post Is Attuned Precisely To The Times, Streamlined For The Enjoyment Of Its Discriminating Audience. Vol. 49 POST SCRIPTS ODDS AND ENDS OF THE WEEK RETREAT We have seldom struck so sour a note as we did in our anti-Spring diatribe last week. Practically no one enjoyed it. People scowled furiously at us on the street. Our best friends and severest critics jumped on us. One charming correspondent, whose remarks were otherwise exceptionally encouraging, jolted us with the line, “It's only some old sour-puss who can mean what you wrote!” Four’ buds pop- ped bravely out on a bush beside our office window and on the first day of Spring a robin, wearing earmuffs, hop- ped up on our window sill and winked. mee Orem EUROPE The boys who burn the cables from Europe are having a difficult time these days, not only because of the fantastic speed with which boundaries are be- ing shifted, but because of the strict censorship which prevails in capitals abroad. Hitler's latest move was car- ried off with such suddenness that it surprised both radio and newspaper correspondents. The coverage by radio has been nothing like what it was dur- ing the Munich crisis and the five newspapers we've been reading every day frequently have had five different versions of what was happening. A typical example came on the morning when The New York Times’ correspon- dent reported that “one million people lined the two-mile, flag-draped, gar- landed route and cheered themselves hoarse” as Herr Hitler returned to Berlin on his return from Czecho- Slovakia. On the same morning the United Press reported that “only a few scattered groups of citizens were awaiting the return of the Fuehrer, and many of these, including the labor menberships, had been aroused from their homes by Storm Troopers and huddled in the cold rain and wintry wind, stamping their feet and clapping their hands to keep warm.” There was no question about which report we wanted to believe, but the fact remain- ed that we couldn’t tell which was true. All week, the bewildered cor- respondents had Rumania playing a game of “on again, off again, on again, Finnegan”. Ia the morning, Carol would be with Hitler; by afternoon, he would be with England. Maybe that will be settled, anyway, by the time this is published. The most incredible episode of all was in the Carpatho-Ukraine, which was actually under three flags in 27 hours. In three days Carpatho- Ukraine, smallest sector of the tripar- tite Czech State, fought two wars—the first to drive out the Czechs, the second to keep Hungarians from coming in. Then in mid-week we lost our Atlas somewhere and became so confused we began ignoring everything in the pa- pers except the sports section. —0— COLLAPSE If we believed anything this week it was the report on European affairs Rev. C. Duane Butler of Lehman brought back from Ohio Wesleyan Uni- versity, where he had several informa- | tive chats with Canon Charles E. Raven of Ely Cathedral, England. As master of Christ College, Cambridge, and one of the court preachers to His Majesty, George VI, Canon Raven plays no small part in formulating England’s policies, and his opinions, therefore, command respect. Canon Raven, ac- cording to Rev. Mr. Butler, admits Eng- land is not prepared for war, but he believes also that Adolph Hitler's reign will end within another six months.. He bases his opinion upon reports re- ceived from strategic points in Ger- many, where antagonism to Hitler's ruthlessness is mounting. There is less satisfaction, however, in the good Canon’s belief that Goering will suc- ceed Hitler. The Englishman has rea- sons to believe, too, that the Berlin- Rome axis is not as solid as it was, an opinion which has been borne out by news dispatches this week. No propa- ganda machine, Canon Raven believes, can wipe out the traditional hatred be- tween Germans and Italians. In one of his conversations with the local (Continued on page 4) Vv Believe New Plan May Solve Problem 0f Water Service ~ Local Group To Confer At Capital With PUC On Monday Morning Irked by delays in securing satis faction in their campaign for more adequate water service in this section, consumers this week determined to accept what seems to be the last re sort and set out to investigate the possibility of establishing a municip- ally-owned water system here. Henry Disque, who has been promin- ent in leading the crusade for better service, asked James Franklin, Dallas Borough councilman; | Mrs. / James Schmerer, leader in the consytners’ pro- test, and Howell E. Regs, managing editor of The Post, to be members of a committee to confer with the Public Utility Commission to discuss this de- velopment. The committee has an 2ppointment for a conference with the staff of the! Commission at Harrisburg next Mon- day morning. At that time the local people will present the case for the consumers and invite the Commission’s co-operation in determining how a publicly-owned water system can be promoted and financed. “I have never advocated municipal ownership,” Mr. Disque said, ‘but there seems to be no other way to get satisfaction. I am informed by quali- fied experts that a solution under our present set-up might take years. The consumers have waited long enough for relief. Now we propose to get ac- tion. We have nothing to lose, and we may find that the municipally-owned plant is the logical, and perhaps the only, solution to our problem. Lets find out about it, anyway.” Although many consumers of the water company have no difficulty since the utility carried out an improvement program several years ago, residents of the higher sections of town frequently are without water. The situation grew sC UFbeai#hl4last November that 60 consumers banded together and asked for better service, addressing their complaint first to the Water Company and later to the Public Utility Com- mission. Later a citizens’ meeting was held with Dallas, Borough Council and the councilman authorized a formal com- plaint filed with the P. U. C. The Com- mission sent engineers here to make a survey but no date has been set for hearings and there has heen no intima- tion of any move that might provide a permanent solution to a problem which has handicapped this community for 40 years. In recent weeks leaders in the move- ment have been annoyed by the delay in securing relief and have discussed prospects for better service with in- formed persons here and at Harrisburg. As a result of their discussions they have come to the conclusion that the set-up here prevents much hope for permanent relief under the plan that has been followed. They have suggest- ed that some new and more direct move be launched—and the decision to investigate the possibility of acquir- ing a municipal system is the result. Upon its return from its conference with the P. U. C. staff, the committee will make a full report of its findings and probably will be enlarged to in- clude a greater representation of the community. It is planned tentatively to hold a public meeting, which would be addressed by some qualified author- ity on municipal ownership, so every- one may have an opportunity to be- come acquainted with the matter be- fore any plan is recommended or adopted. Aviator Sounds Alarm A Buffalo-New York mail plane avia- tor aroused farmers at Chapman Lake last week when he spotted a house afire below him. By zooming his ship, sounding his landing siren and circling the blazing building, the aviator awak- ened farmers and attracted their at- tention to the fire. CONGREGATION WILL BURN LAST NOTE ON NEW CHURCH A $2,000 note—representing the last indebtedness on the brick church built after First Christian Church of Sweet Valley was destroyed by fire in Oct- ober, 1926—will be burned with ap- propriate ceremony next Friday night. The note, which was paid off early this month, will be burned on a platter and the ashes scattered to the four winds. The ritual will be a part of a program being planned by Rev. Ira C. Button, pastor. When the old church burned the congregation built a tidy new brick edifice which was| dedicated on April 24, 1927, and a debt of.$7,000 was as- sumed. The first note, for $5,000, was paid off some years ago. Rev. Mr. Button will review the his- tory of the church at the ceremony next Friday, securing much of his in- formation from Mrs. Elizabeth Smith and Mrs. Martha Bronson, oldest active members of the church. The Shawnee Warblers will sing and members of the congregation will participate in the program of entertainment. THE DALLAS POST, FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1939 Valley Newspapers Closed By Strike, Prepare To Publish Idle Since Last October, 900 Newspaper Workers Hail End Of Suspension Idle five and one-half months as the result of a strike called by the American Newspaper Guild," Wilkes- Barre’s three newspapers were prepar- ing last night to remew publication within a few days—possibly next Monday. The strike, which attracted national attention, came to an end early Wed- | nesday morning when members of the Guild voted, 108 to 24, to accept an agreement approved by their repre- sentatives and the ‘publishers follow- ing several day’s conferences with John L. Lewis, C. I. O. head, in New York City. Before resuming publication, how- ever, the newspapers had to negotiate contracts with the International Typo- graphical Union and the Pressman’s Union, who had not been on strike, but whose contracts expired last October. Conferences began on Wednesday and moved so rapidly an early agreement was expected. " When the newspapers publish again, 500 men and women will pick up their tasks where they dropped them after the Guild called its strike on October 1. Wages Yet To Be Fixed No wage schedule is included in the agreement which ended the strike but it contains provisions for the creation of a five-man arbitration board which is to begin conferences immediately to establish a schedule. Among principal objectives gained by the Guildsmen are these: The Guild shop, a stipulation that employes in the. editorial, advertising, circulation and business offices shall be members of the Guild or shall become members within 30 days. Severance pay upon dismissal, begin- ning with one week’s pay after six months’ employment and increasing to 20 weeks severance pay for veteran employes. Dismissal is to be only for proven incompetency after warning. A five-hour day on holidays. five-and-one-half day week, effee-] tive imediately, and a five-day, 40-hour week, effective Labor Day. Time and one-half in cash or equal time off for overtime. Two weeks’ pay with salary and a continuation of the present policy of sick leave. Reinstatement of all employes, with- out prejudice; no dismissals to make contract effective, and no pay cuts. The wage rates are still to be es- tablished by the arbitration board. Two members will be selected by the Guild, two by the publishers. These four will elect the fifth member within five days. If they cannot agree, selec- tion will be made by Jonathan Eddy, executive vice-president of the Gud, and Eugene McKinnon, representative of the publishers. In case Eddy and McKinnon fail to agree, both parties are to accept as fifth member of the board Dr. Thomas Larkin, umpire of the Anthracite Board of Conciliation. The negotiations must be concluded within 60 days. week. Strike Began In October The strike was the second called in Wilkes-Barre within a year. On Elec- ‘| tion Day, November 2, 1937, The Rec- ord was closed for a week by a Guild strike. The agreement which settled that controversy expired on October 1, 1938, and when that date came and no contract had been agreed upon the Guild called a strike against the three dailies and the one Sunday newspaper. Two of the newspapers managed to publish for one day without reporters, but on October 3 all papers shut up tightly. . A jurisdictional dispute between the Guild and the Office Workers’ Union, one a C. I. O. affiliate, the other an A. F. of L. union, delayed negotiations for several months because the pub- lishers declined to meet with the strik- ers until the National Labor Relations Board had determined which union had the right to represent employes. In November The Sunday Independ- ent, by negotiating separately with the Guild, reached an agreement but the I. T. U. reversed its decision and The I. T. U. refused to permit printers to work until its new contract had been accepted by all papers. In mid-Novem- ber the I. T. U. reversed its decision and The Independent resumed publica- tion. Late in January the Office Workers’ Union agreed to disband and its mem- bers joined the Guild. With the knotty “jurisdictional” issue eliminated con- ferences were resumed hopefully but sporadic meetings during the next month failed to produce a settlement. The conferences were interrupted again a week ago when the Guild turned down what the publishers called their “best offer.” NEW POLE ERECTED A new telephone pole was erected at Birch Grove yesterday to replace the one snapped off by an automobile on Tuesday night. { Church, which won a anticipated. The Grand Jury is inquiring into’ the charges of District] Attorney’ Leon Schwartz that State {Highway Depart- ment payrolls were “padded” in excess of $500,000 during the last year’s bit- ter election campaign. Mr. Bierley’s protest was aimed par- ticularly at the custom of calling more witnesses than can be heard in one day. On nearly every day since the Grand Jury investigation began there have been from 15 to 22 witnesses who have had to come back a second day because they were not called as quickly as expected. Witnesses, most of whom testify only a half-hour or less, received $3 a day. Witnesses Complain Of Delay The first complaint came from the witnesses themselves, especially those who were summoned from distant parts of the county. Since they receive mileage expense only once, their fees, when they are called back a second day, frequently are used up by their expenses and they protested that they COST OF PROBE MOUNTING TOO FAST, BIERLY WARNS Controller Asks District Attorney To Conserve Eppropriation; Left-Over Witnesses Expensive Alarmed by the rapidly-mounting expense of Luzerne County's Grand Jury investigation of “padded payrolls”, County Controller Robert M. Bierly warned the District Attorney’s office this week that unless a different policy is followed in summoning witnesses the cost of the probe will be triple what the court cannot afford to return to Wilkes- Barre a second day without getting mileage expense. On Monday 19 witnesses waited all day and had to be called back on Wed- nesday because the jury did not reach them. On the following day 15 witness- es were left over. It was estimated that the cost of the probe, now ending its second week, has been about $3,085 to date and My. Bierly estimated that if District At- torney Schwartz calls the 3,000 wit- nesses available it will take 90 days to complete the testimony and the orig- inal appropriation of $10,000 granted by the court will be exhausted within a few weeks. Most of the men summoned to testify this week were laborers and their stories were merely a repetition of the information which has been accumu- lating since the investigation began. No prominent political figures have been called yet and probably the most important witnesses will be summoned last. JURY DISAGREES AFTER BEING FORCED TO SPEND NIGHT IN COURT HOUSE Spending a night in the court house because all hotels in the city were filled didn’t pacify a split jury which disagreed this week in the suit of a Honolulu newspaper- man who wants the county to pay a reward to him for his services in helping to capture a murderer. When the jury had failed to agree by nightfall court house at- taches began to search for accom- modations. All hotels were filled. There was no tourist home large enough to accommodate the jurors. And, ever since the bedbugs ate up $7,000 worth of court house couch- es, there have been no sleeping #hrooms for jurors at the court house. The two women and 10 men spent a restless night, draped over chairs or stretched out on make- shift beds. Maybe that had some- thing to do with the fact that they were still unable to agree when court convened next morning. After a poll of the jurors, Judge Thomas F. Farrell dismissed them. Police Say Hower Passed Bad Checks Visitor Arrested After Business Men Complain Charged with having passed fraudu- lent checks upon business men in this section, Lester A. Hower, alias Lester Harvey, 29, Riverside, Northumberland County, was committed to Luzerne County jail this week in default of bail after being given a hearing before Jus- tice of the Peace Harold Lloyd of Shavertown. Hower was arrested Saturday about 5 p. m. as he was preparing to leave town. Constable J. E. Ide of Lehman apprehended him at the Greyhound bus terminal in Wilkes-Barre. Hower had a ticket for Binghamton, Ide said. The constable had the man admitted to the county prison and brought him to Shavertown on Tuesday night for a hearing on charges of obtaining money under false pretenses and passing fraudulent checks. Justice of the Peace Lloyd fixed the bail at $600. According to Ide and Lloyd, Hower was released from Cglumbia County jail on January 30. He came here on a visit. In passing one of the checks he went to a local business place shortly after bank hours, made some purchases, and asked that a check for $120 to himself be cashed so he could pay. When the store protested that the check was too large to cash, Hower write his own check for $10, which was cashed, and took the change. He has a criminal record in several counties in Pennsylvania, police say. Blderson Group Wins Play Tournament The group of amateur actors from Alderson M. E. Church won the play tournament sponsored by Dallas Dis- trict Youth Council at Dallas Borough High School on Tuesday night. winning play was “Wild Hobby Hors- es”. The prize was $10. The entry from Shavertown M. E. preliminary tournament, competed with Alderson and were awarded second-prize of $5. Judges were Mrs. Warren Taylor, Miss Mary Nolan, Miss Catherine Buckley and J. D. Hutchison. The | Good Citizens All, They Score High Most Local People Could Pass Citizenship Test An informal quiz on things every good citizen should know established a high percentage of first rate Amer- icans in the Dallas district this week. Taken from the standard test given at the Luzerne County Prothonotary’s office to aliens applying for citizenship papers, the questions related mainly to governmental affairs of common knowledge. Simple enough for the average grade school pupil to answer and yet tough enough to catch some of the leading citizens, the queries brought on sev- eral arguments, were educational in some respects, and brought to light, of all things here, at least two Demo- crats.’ Most everybody knew the answer to the first question: What kind of gov- ernment have we in this country ? The majority of those questioned said we have a republic or a democ- racy. But Art Major, Lehman mer- chant, was a trifle skeptical: “I'd say we have a helluva setup. What would you call it?” Another Lehman man just grunted. In spite of the dissent- ing note, the correct answer is a re- public, which brings us to the next question: What is a republic ? Pete Oberst and George Hofmeister, Dallas barbers, answered in unison: “it is a government where people se- lect their own officers and legislators.” That was too pat, and it turned out that both Pete and George, the cheat- ers, had clipped an article which had both questions and answers of the cit- izenship test from a newspaper. Every- body had the right answer to that one, anyway, except Art Major's friend, who just grunted again. Next query: Name the three branch- es of the government. Roosevelt, Farley and Hopkins One person said the House, the Sen- ate and the President, and a man sit- ting next to him said Roosevelt, Farley and Hopkins. That may pretty well cover it, at that, but the real answer is legislative, executive and judicial, and the batting average of Dallas peo- ple was pretty good on that question. If the President should die, who would suceed him ? George said Pete Oberst, but since he had the answers he was only kidding. Besides, Pete declined the nomination. Most people knew the vice-president was the next in line, but nobody ques- tioned could tell who came after the (Continued on Page Five) No. 12 Alderson Man Dies; Three In Hospital After Smash-up Peter Davis, 68, Victim Of Crash; Condition Of Mrs. Herson Is Serious A Harvey's Lake man died and three other persons are in the hos pital—two of them in serious condi” tion—as a result of an automobile crash on the wide curve at Birch Grove, below Trucksville, on Tuesday” night. Peter Davis, 68, Warden Place, Harvey's Lake, died at 10 Wednesday morning in Nesbitt Memorial Hos- pital. A passenger in the automobile, he suffered a fractured skull, frac- tured ribs, and cuts about the face, head, body and legs. ; The injured: Geraldine Herson, 41, Warden Place, Harvey’ Lake, lacerations of face and body, possible frac- ture of spine. Condition serious. Berkley Herson, 84, Warden Place Harvey’s Lake, driver of the car, lacerations of face and body. Condition fair. Mrs. Mary Hubbell, 28, Warden Place, Harvey’s Lake, lacerations of chin, possible fracture of jaw; cerebral concussion. Condition se- rious. Cecil Hubbell, husband of Mary, was discharged after treatment and was able to return to his home at Warden Place. Mr. and Mrs. Herson and Mr. Davis were rushed to Nesbitt Memorial Hos- pital, Kingston, while Mr. and Mrs. Hubbell were taken to General Hos- pital, Wilkes-Barre. Snapped Off Telephone Pole The five people were riding in a Buick coupe and were bound for Har- vey’s Lake when the accident occurred about 9:30 Tuesday night. Berkley was driving. Motorists who stopped to see the wrecked car expressed the opin- ion that the driver lost control, since there was no ice which would have caused the car to skid. Later that night a light snowfall did make the highway treacherous. On the curve near the Birch Grove street car station the car left the right side of the highway and rocketed across, struck the guard rail and then smashed into a telephone pole, sever- ing it about two-thirds of the way up. A crowd quickly gathered and extri- cated the injured from the demolished automobile and carried them to the hospitals. A wrecker from James Oli- - ver’s garage towed the car, which is almost a complete wreck, to Dallas. Mr. Davis, a former resident of Larksville, has been living at Warden Place, Harvey's Lake, for about six months. He lives a few doors from the Hersons. He is survived by a son in Larksville. Fire Company Auxiliary Has Enjoyable Banquet Women of Dr. Henry M. Laing Fire Co. auxiliary held a lovely banquet at the Tally Ho grill on Tuesday night. There was an entertaining program. The following attended: Mrs. Maude Eipper, Mrs. Florence Schooley, Mrs. Marie Shaver, Mrs. Edith Templin, Mrs. William Franklin, Mrs. Marcus Ide, Mrs. Charles Kins- man, Mrs. James Franklin, Mrs. Kath- ryn Van Campen, Mrs. Earl Monk, Mrs. Marie Cairl, Mrs. Clyde Veitch, Mrs. Joseph Wallo, Mrs. G. A. A. Kuehn, Mrs. Mary Kamor, Mrs. George Snyder, | Mrs. William Cobleigh, Mrs. Daisy Jos- eph, Mrs. Rozilla "Carlin, Mrs. Hazel Hildebrant, Mrs. Freda Hughey, Mrs. Jennie Newman, Mrs. Walter Davis, Mrs. Joseph Schmerer, Mrs. Sarah Dis- que, Mrs. Nancy Brace, Mrs. D. P. Honeywell, Mrs. Sherman Wardan, Mrs. Ira Frantz, Mrs. John Frantz, Mrs. T. R. Williammee, Mrs. David Evans, Mrs. Maude Baker, Mrs. Margaret Robinson, Miss Helen Himmler, Miss Marion Eip- per, Miss Arline Ide. MISERICORDIA DANCE Miss Kathleen Stack is general chair- man of a tea dance of the Women's Athletic Association of Misericordia College, to be held April 10 at Fox Hill Country Club. LAST WEEK OF ROLL CALL BRINGS CALL FOR The last week for people of this sec- tion to contribute to the annual Roll Call of the American Red Cross begins today. A group of volunteer workers from Dallas Junior Women’s Club will be at the local post office this afternoon, to- morrow morning and Monday after- noon to solicit contributions for the annual Roll Call of the American Red Cross. A booth will be placed in the post office through the courtesy of Joseph Polacky, postmaster, and at it local folks will have an opportunity to make SUPPORT their contributions. The young women who have volunteered to serve are Ed- na Whitesell, Barbara Oliver, Millie Devens, Alice Yaple, Viola Morrett, and Wilma Elston. Both Daddow-Isaacs Post, American Legion, and its auxiliary have in- dorsed ‘the Roll Call and contributed to it. Pupils of Dallas Borough schools were invited to contribute this week by T. A. Williammee, supervising prin- cipal, who is in charge of the school division. The names of contributors will be announced in The Post next week, when reports of volunteer workers have been received. }
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers