So
Editorially Speaking:
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DEMOCRATIC HARMONY SPURS REPUBLICANS
The testimonial dinner at
the country club last night to
inaugurate Peter D. Clark’s second term as chairman of the
Sixth Republican District of Luzerne County was an oasis
of harmony in a desert of political discord.
The apparent unity of the Republicans who came from
all parts of the Sixth to pay festive tribute to the dynamic
Mr. Clark was highly significant politically, not only because
the Sixth is now Luzerne County’s biggest Republican dis-
trict, but particularly because in other parts of the county
the GOP is not so unified.
The gravity of the Republican discord in Luzerne County
was indicated by the fact that Governor James himself was
sought last week-end to bridge the gap that lately has split
the Republican citizenry into two stubborn camps.
The
meeting with the Governor had the official stamp, because
the party included J. Henry Pool, Luzerne County Republican
chairman and key figure in the unfortunate situation which
has divided the GOP in a crucial election year.
The damage was done in the Primary Election, and the
responsibility lies now with those leaders who believed they
could close the primaries to all candidates except those on
a tight, little slate hand-picked by the self-appointed leaders.
Officially, Dr. C. Murray Turpin, who came within 23 votes
of defeating Mr. Pool, the slated nominee for Congress, has
abandoned his fight for that nomination, but his treatment
at the hands of county leaders
be quickly healed.
has left wounds which cannot
In defeat, Dr. Turpin and his fellow-independent, John
Wallis, hold the loyalty of thousands of Republican voters,
who believe the time is ripe for a reorganization of the Grand
Old Party in Luzerne County.
This cleft in the party has al-
ready caused a postponement of the county convention to
elect a new chairman, a move which has merely deferred
the open opposition long-threatened and brought to a climax
by the bitter Turpin-Pool vote embroglio.
If the leaders believe this editorial exaggerates the gravity
of the situation, we invite them to visit this rock-ribbed Re-
publican section to observe the surprising strength of J. Har-
old Flannery, the Democratic candidate for Congress and,
at the present time, a very
choice for the office.
likely victor over the GOP’s
We suggest, too, that they study the harmony which has
been achieved by the Democrats in Luzerne County. When
the time for action came the Democrats rallied behind James
J. Law and Senator Leo C. Mundy as the persons responsible
for their party’s success.
In every district convention they
elected the approved candidates of the executive committee
that takes counsel from Law
and Mundy. Morever, after
Law had rejected an offer of the State chairmanship, the
Democrats drafted him for county chairman, drafted him for
his third term of two years.
So, with harmony the Democrats are prepared to go
ahead. How far, depends upon President Roosevelt.
This
week it seemed to be Governor James’ move, and Republi-
cans looked to him to say how far and in what direction
Luzerne County’s GOP will go.
POST
SCRIPTS
\
There was a rustle somewhere,
like a sad sigh; a cool, damp bit of
a wind slithered across the back of
our neck, and we turned, puzzled,
just in time to see Eph McCoy, The
First Settler, striding through the
wall.
His lean features, which are the
color of well-oiled saddle leather,
were twisted into a bold grin and
his eyes, peeping out from their
crinkled settings, twinkled mis-
chievously. He was carrying his
Pennsylvania long rifle cradled in
the crook of his arm.
“By Washington's nose, it’s good
to be back,” he bellered, tossing his
coonskin hat on the desk. Our res-
ignation must have shown in our
face. “Ain’t ya glad to see me,
son?”. he asked.
Eph, a Revolutionary soldier who
built the first log cabin in Dallas
170 'years ago, invariably drops in
at the wrong time. His visits co-
incide with our darkest moods, and
if they fall on a warm, lazy after-
noon then we can be doubly sure
that the windy Eph will turn up, to
disrupt our work and frighten sub-
scribers who are timid about ghosts.
“It isn’t that we aren't glad to
see you, Eph,” we assured him,
waving to him to move over into the
shade. He fades terribly when he
stands any place where the sunlight
can stream through him. “It’s just
that we're feeling a little low and
we can’t get any ideas for this
week’s column and Germany's win-
ning and the market's shot and the
whole cock-eyed world is going to
pot. You'd better beat it, Eph, be-
fore you lose your youthful illu-
sions.”
The old Indian fighter leaned his
musket against the wall, within
handy reach, kicked a chair under
himself and proceeded thoughtfully
to shear off a hunk of the vile-look-
ing plug tobacco he favors.
““ppears to me you're in a mighty
bad fix, son,” he opined. “Good
thing I come back.
used to get about this time of the
year. There's something mighty
(Continued on Page 8)
i h I!
§ mind how i This week's fine weather brought
Wilcoxes Visit
Towr'sHansake
Blso Meet Descendant
Of Alexander Dallas
Dallas, Pa., and Dallastown, Pa,
were introduced to each other this
week by Councilman Morgan Wil-
cox of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s
Dallas.
Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox drove south
last week to attend their grand-
daughter’s graduation, but in their
side excursions they not only served
as good will ambassadors to Dallas's
namesake, but also found time for
a little historical research.
Dallastown, which the Wilcoxes
came upon unexpectedly while driv-
ing through York County, is a neat
little town, a little bigger than
Dallas. Dallastown was named for
George Mifflin Dallas, vice president
of the United States. Dallas was
named for his father, Alexander Dal-
las, an intimate of Benjamin Frank-
lin and a potent figure in Colonial
days.
Later, attending the graduation of
their granddaughter, Doris Lynch, at
Camp Hill, Mr. and Mrs. Wilcox met
a Mrs. Tyler, a descendant of George
and Alexander Dallas and again Mr.
Wilcox resumed his official dignity
to extend greetings from his fellow
councilmen.
Accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. W.
[H. Lynch of Camp Hill, the Wil-
coxes went as far south as Havre
de Grace on Memorial Day. On their
return they stopped at Ephrata and
visited the historic Cloisters, a set-
tlement founded by a German re-
ligious order about 1738.
Lake's Season Gets
0ff To Good Start
Warm, sunny weather has given
picnic places and concessionaires at
Harvey's Lake a running start on
their 1940 season. A good crowd
visited the resort on Memorial Day.
more crowds and although the wa-
ter is a little chilly yet, many people
were in swimming yesterday.
MRS. COTTLE'S NEW WIRE-HAIR
ENGLISH-AMERICAN CHAMPION
Champion Edgemoor Example of
Fenbor, a wire-haired fox terrier
famous for his show conquests in
this country and England, became
the property of Mrs. Margaret McL.
Cottle of Shavertown this week.
Sired by Champ. Gallant Fox of
Wildoaks, a New York kennel, Edge-
moor Example is a 4-year-old dog
with tan head and hound-marked
body. He finished his championship
at the Chicago International Show.
Mrs. Cottle, who will place him at
stud, bought him from Robert Ness
of Montclair, N. J. nationally-
known breeder of wires.
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5
Tur Darras Post
MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER, A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION
Vol. 50
FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1940
No. 23
1. More community spirit in the
Dallas area.
A concrete highway from Dallas
to Tunkhannock,
Centralization of police and fire
protection.
4. Better fire protection and lower
insurance rates.
5. More sidewalks.
CIVIC PROGRAM FOR 1940
It May Have Been
Superman In One
Of Those Planes!
Merriwell Tale Sounds
Like Propaganda, Post
Commentator Believes
By JAviE AICHE
Frank Merriwell arrived on
the Anglo-German front one
day this week. Or maybe it
was three other fellows. Of
course it could have been Gil-
bert Patton (Burt L. Standish
to you) who arrived at the
Ministry of Propaganda in
London. [
The net result, trom what-
ever source, was the heroic
story of how three Hudson
planes from America flew into
a formation of 40 of Hitler's Stukas
and bombers, not to mention a
column of fighting craft, and what
happened was fearful in the telling.
Five of the bombers were de-
stroyed, five of the Stukas were
pounded out of control. The other
30 German planes turned tail and
went away from there. (Was that
the alarm clock? What time is it?
Gee, what a dream!)
What you couldn’t mistake about
that piece of newspaper reporting
was that you, sir, were given to
understand that you or any other
son of the Stars and Stripes are as
good as 15 Germans even in the
element which the Germans happen
to control.
Let’s you and him fight!”
The cobbler who has his shop
around the corner was a soldier in
the army of Franz Joseph, on the
Rumanian front during that other
{war which the United States finally
resolved to the permenence of de-
mocracy. He tells a great story and
it is recommended to London that
he be hired right away—as Minister
of Propaganda.
“Them Rumanians!’ said he, and
there was scorn in his voice. “Poof!
You send out t’ree-four soldiers and
you see a whole division of Ru-
manians. You make face at them
Rumanians and they run like hell.”
Are They All Down?
Steve the Statistician has things
figured out. Up to Tuesday the
i British and French have destroyed
i 10 more planes than there are in the
Hitler legions. The Germans have
| wiped out five more than the com-
bined fleets of England and France.
There’s no British fleet at all, says
Steve, because his count of the
sinkings accomplished by the min-
ions of Hitler are four ahead of the
pre-June total of His Britannic Ma-
jesty’s battle line.
The same Steve figures that De-
mocracy on its last crusade created
three world-menacing dictators, a
militancy for Japan, left infernal
machines at the frontiers of six na-
tions that no longer exist and spent
fifty billion dollars. In an epilogue
to the story the statistics show 11
years of the worst depression Amer-
ica ever experienced, adoption of
two generations of waifs from the
storm, profligacy in public office and
no solution other than to go to war
again, reduce the population and
give more veterans more pensions
and bonuses.
At the cost of three more dic-
tators—in England, in France and
in the United States.
Superman, of whom there is not
the like on earth, in the heavens
over the earth or in the waters
around it, has become the most pop-
ular of all cartoon creatures.
Maybe it was three of him who
knocked down all those German
opponents.
Old Lumber Sheds
Must Be Levelled
The abandoned buildings on the
site of the old Adelman lumber yard
on Lake Street, Dallas, have been
condemned by the State Fire Mar-
shal and the owners have been in-
structed to raze the buildings, ac-
cording to word received by Fire
Chief Leslie Warhola of Dallas this
week.
Chief cause for concern has been
the tinder-dry shed which stretches
along the Lehigh Valley R. R. tracks.
A month or so ago a grass fire
licked dangerously close to the
rambling old structure, which is
close to an attractive dwelling which
has been vacant for several years.
Lately, the big shed has been a
gathering place for youngsters, who
are exposed to the danger of injury
because of the weakness of some of
the supports. The property is own-
ed by a bank:
The State also condemned several
old buildings behind the American
store on Main Street, Dallas, Chief
Warhola said, and those structures
have already been torn down.
|
WINS B. S. DEGREE
Charles S. Girton
. who received his Bachelor of
Science degree in mathematics,
science and social studies at
Bloomsburg State Teachers’ Col-
lege at commencement on May
28. Mr. Girton, the son of Mrs.
Anna L. Girton and the late Prof.
M. J. Girton of Dallas Township,
was one of 12 Seniors who receiv-
ed Service Keys for extra curric-
ular activities. He sang in the a
cappella choir for four years, was
president for three years, sang in
the mixed chorus, played trom-
bone in the band, was treasurer
of his class in his Freshman year,
played baseball, a member of the
Science Club and was elected to
two honorary fraternities, Kappa
Delta Pi and Phi Sigma Pi, serv-
as president of the latter in his
Senior year and as a member of
the interfraternity council.
\
Legion Presents
School Medals
Eight Eighth Grade
Pupils Receive Awards
Four eighth grade students from
Dallas Borough and Dallas Township
received handsome, bronze medals
this week from’ D «idow-Isaacs Post,
American Legion, in recognition of
their school records.
H. Brooke Arnold, a member of
the post, presented medals to Helen
Kocher and Graydon Mayer, mem-
bers of the borough eighth grade
class on Tuesday. On Wednesday
he presented two identical medals
to Jean Van Hyning and Harry
Martin, pupils in the Dallas Town-
ship eighth grade.
Medals also will be awarded to
pupils at Lehman and Lake Town-
ships. The local Legion post spon-
sors the awards annually, but the
selection of pupils is made by the
students themselves. The awards
are based on courage, character,
service, companionship and scholar-
ship.
Steal Hens From Coop
Thieves stole two red hens from
Mrs. Allie Morris's chicken coop on
Franklin Street, Dallas, on Satur-
day night. A watch is being kept
as a precar .on against further theft.
College IsNo
Soft Snap For
This Collegian
Kenneth Westover, a former res-
ident of Dallas and now a student
at Syracuse University, is doing his
level best to blast the illusion that
all fraternity men have to worry
about are (1) blondes, (2) bru-
nettes, and (3) which sports coat
to wear tonight.
So impressed, was a . Syracuse
newspaper by Westover’s energy
and versatality that it used a three
column picture of him this week
over its story relating how he car-
ries 17 hours of class work a week
at Syracuse University, holds down
a 30-hour-a-week job in the Mer-
chants National Bank and Trust
Company and is steward at the Phi
Kappa Psi fraternity house.
Westover, who is the son of Mrs.
D. F. Westover, also plays intra-
mural tennis, is a musician in the
school band and is working for a
scholarship in the law school.
Entering school with a scholar-
ship, Westover had to forfeit it in
1937 when he began working days,
so for the next two years he studied
at extension school. He resumed
his regular classes this year. He
has a Senior standing but he won't
be able to graduate until 1941, by
which time he will have made up
three or four required courses. After
that he intends to complete his law
course in four or five years while
working at the bank.
His mother, who visits Dallas oc-
casionally and has many friends
here, is living now at 960 Salt
Springs Road, Syracuse.
the country.
The activity about the Harding
home is another amazing develop-
ment in the unusual story of the
curly-haired youngster, known as
“The Little Prophet”, who has been
the center of a series of lively argu-
ments between her followers and
skeptical observers during the last
four years.
Mr. and Mrs. Harry G. Harding,
parents of the child, promised an
explanation of the landscaping and
renovation later, but the obvious
extent of the changes and the pres-
ence during the week of several of
the child’s distinguished patrons
from out of town indicated that
FAITH'SFOLLOWERS WILL MAKE
ASHRINE OF HER BIRTHPLACE
A crew of workmen were busy this week transforming the birthplace
of four-year-old Faith Hope Charity Harding of Trucksville into a shrine
which, the child's sponsors believe, will attract visitors from all parts of
something sensational is happening
in Trucksville.
Nation-wide publicity which came |
on the heels of claims that the pre-
cocious youngster was able, with
the help of a spirit control known
as “Entity”, to predict future events
brought thousands of letters to the
modest suburban home and scores
of visitors.
The changes being made to the
home this week were being spon-
sored by a group of wealthy per-
sons who have become interested
in the child and it was intimated
that the establishment of the shrine
is just a part of the plans which
have been decided upon for her.
K.T.H.S. Seniors
To Hear Emmons
68 To Receive Diplomas
At Graduation Tonight
Rev. Peter K. Emmons, pastor of
Westminster Presbyterian Church,
Scranton, will discuss “Youth in an
Adolescent World” at the 30th an-
nual’ commencement. of Kingston
Township high school tonight (Fri-
day) at 8.
Sixty-eight members of the class
will receive diplomas from Stanley
Davis, president of the school board.
The Salutatorian will be Elfrida
Rose Vrhel, who will speak on “To-
morrow’. Marian Frances Jones, the
Valedictorian, will speak on “The
Challenge to Youth”.
James A. Martin, supervising
principal, will award a College Mis-
ericordia scholarship and present the
(graduates. An alumni award will be
presented by Clarence W. Jones,
president of the Alumni Association.
Rev. Herbert E. Frankfort, pastor
of St. Paul's Luthern Church, will
invoke divine blessing and pro-
nounce the benediction. The high
school orchestra will play.
Officers of the class are John
Warren Meacham, president; Donald
Joseph McFadden, vice-president;
Audrey Mae Schmidt, secretary, and
Eleanor Mae Bartells, treasurer.
McCole To Speak
Before Graduates
Con McCole of Wilkes-Barre,
whose reputation as a humorist and
philosopher is known throughout
the East, will speak at Commence-
ment at Lehman high school tonight.
Diplomas will be awarded to 27
Seniors.
Charles Nuss, president of the
school board, will award the di-
plomas. Mr. McCole will be in-
troduced by E. H. Kent, a member
of the board. The Valedictorian will
be Richard Parks. Eleanor Hardisky
will be the Salutatorian.
A flag given to the school by Dad-
dow-Isaacs Post, American Legion,
will be presented to the Juniors by
the Seniors. The graduating class
will leave for Washington, D. C,,
jo Tuesday.
19 Are Graduated
At Laketon High
| Wayne County Educator
Commencement Speaker
Nineteen young men and women
were graduated from Laketon high
school on Tuesday night at Com-
mencement exercises at which A.
H. Howell, superintendent of Wayne
County schools, was the principal
i speaker.
The Salutatory address was given
by Miss Elizabeth Sorber and the
Valedictory by Miss Marian McNeel.
Awards for scholarship, athletics,
activities, music, school spirit and
dramatics were given by Supervising
Principal W. E. Roberts to the fol-
lowng students: Marian McNeel,
Elizabeth Sorber, Charles Kern,
Robert Payne, Josephine Hummel,
Richard Williams, Leo Johnson and
Otis Allen.
Russell Hoover, president of the
board of education, presented di-
plomas to the following:
Otis Allen, Olga Brin, Kenneth
Davis, Joseph Garrity, Eugene Gor-
don, Josephine Hummel, Leo John-
son, Charles Kern, Faith Kocher,
Marian McNeel, Florence Melusky,
Dorothy Nienius, June Oney, Rob-
ert Payne, Isem Pennington, Eliza-
beth Sorber, Reese Walters, William
Watlock and Richard Williams.
Believes GOP Is
Nation's Answer
Ewing Discusses Issues
0f Coming Campaign
The election of a Republican Pres-
ident this Fall will give the United
States new security against the
chaos which is whirling through
the rest of the world, Attorney Sam-
uel E. Ewing, Jr., dynamic young
Pennsylvania Republican leader, told
about 350 persons at Irem Temple
Country Club last night.
His audience, which included key
figures in county Republican politics,
important office holders, judges and
representatives from every munic-
ipality in the Sixth Republican Dis-
trict, had assembled to honor Peter
D. Clark of Dallas and to inaugurate
his second two-year term as chair-
man of the district.
Speakers were enthusiastic in
their tributes to Mr. Clark, under
whose leadership the Republican
registration in this district jumped
from 18,707 in 1988 to 25,632 in
1940, a gain which established’ the
Sixth District as the strongest Re-
publican sector in Luzerne County
and drew attention to Mr. Clark as
a likely successor to J. Henry Pool
as county GOP chairman,
Fred M. Kiefer of Dallas made a
witty and gracious toastmaster and
his lively comments kept the pro-
gram moving along briskly.
The general committee for the tes-
timonial dinner had as members Al-
bert Jones, chairman, Earl Layou,
Walter Elston, John Yaple, Olin Ide,
Floyd Chamberlain, Shadrach Goss,
Palmer Updyke and Fred Kiefer.
On the reception committee were
Burgess Herbert A. Smith, Dallas;
John Mecartney, Lehman Township;
George Bulford, Jackson Township;
Ralph Hazeltine, Kingston Town-
ship; Thomas Earle, Sr., Franklin
Township; Phillip Harris, Exeter
Township; Russell Hoover, Lake
Township; Herman Kersteen, Kings-
ton Borough; Sam Boyd, Forty
Fort; Donald O. Coughlin, Forty
Fort; Aldo Franconi, West Wyo-
ming; Joseph Cheslick, Swoyerville;
William Scureman, Wyoming; John
V. Hudock, Exeter; Russell Davis,
Luzerne; Strat H. Brandon, West
Pittston; William M. Williams, Dur-
yea; Meredith Phillips, Courtdale,
and Joseph Pickowtowski, Pringle.
Three-Way Tie Exists
Bs School League Ends
The end of this section’s high
school baseball league finds three
rival “claimants for the champion-
ship, Dallas Township, Kingston
Township and Lehman, each team
having won six games and lost two.
Since school ended for each of
the three teams this week, it is un-
likely that a post-season play off
can be managed. If such a series
were to be played, Lehman, which
held the lead during the first three-
quarters of the season, would be
handicapped, since two of its players
figured in a serious automobile ac-
cident last Saturday.
Bombs Over Lincolnshire
Among the sections of England
bombed this week was Lincolnshire,
the home of Geoffrey T. Serth,
British newspaperman who has fre-
quently contributed articles to The
Post discussing the war.
Dallas May Vote
On $20,000 Issue
Next November
Councilmen Studying
Plan To Cut Interest,
Finance Road Repairs
The advisability of floating
a $20,000 bond issue to cancel
all outstanding obligations
against the borough and fi-
nance a large scale road re-
conditioning program was dis-
cussed by Dallas Borough
councilmen at their meeting on
Tuesday night.
Councilman Joseph Mac-
Veigh and Peter D. Clark and
Attorney Arthur Turner, so-
licitor, were named members
of a committee to study the
plan and submit a report. If
their report is favorable council will
have the question placed on the
ballot in November, since the bond
issue cannot be floated without ap-
proval by the voters.
In an effort to stimulate employ-
ment, the borough has reconstruct-
ed Barker Lane, Ridge, Pinecrest,
| Machell, Terrace, Elizabeth and
Park Streets in the last several
years. Jackson Street and Center
Hill Road are now being improved.
Although this provided work for a
number of men, it imposed a finan-
cial strain upon borough finances.
On Monday night authority was
granted to borrow $650 on a de-
mand note, making the total indebt-
edness on short term loans $8,400.
In addition, the borough owes a bal-
ance of $3,000 on a bond issue
floated in 1921. The councilmen
hope a new bond issue might be
sold at interest rates which would
make a sizeable saving possible for
the borough.
Besides cutting interest costs, the
bond issue would enable the borough
to do needed repairs on streets,
thereby reducing the cost of mainte-
nance during the next few years.
An application was signed for
NYA aid in grading and stoning
Crescent Lane. A number of appli-
cations for building permits also
were approved.
School Board Snubbed ?
The good-natured rivalry between
the school board and council, both
of which have been claiming supe-
rior efficiency and dignity, enliven-
ed the meeting of the town fathers.
Last week, welcoming Councilman
James Ayre to a school board meet-
ing, Clyde Lapp, president of the
directors, called the councilman’s
visit to the attention of the other
directors and accepted it as proof
that the councilmen have finally
conceded the school board’s parlia-
mentary superiority.
© With great dignity, Mr. Lapp,
asked Mr. Ayre to convey to the
other councilmen and to Burgess
Herbert. A. Smith an invitation to
attend the next meeting of the
school board and ‘learn how a real
board operates.”
On Monday night the invitation
was received by councilmen, who
declined, instructing Secretary Wil-
liam J. Niemeyer to inform the
school board that because of the
“urgent demand on their time by
important borough business’ they
cannot find time to attend the board
meeting. At the same time, they
invited the school directors to at-
tend the next council meeting on
July 2, an experience which the
councilmen say they feel will be
beneficial to the directors. :
Miss Zimmerman Plays
Shakespearean Role
Chambersburg, Pa., June 6—Miss
Jean Zimmerman, Dallas, has been
chosen for: a role in “As You Like
It”, which the Kittochtinny Players
of Wilson College will present on the
college green Saturday, June 8.
The staging of a Shakespearean
comedy is a traditional part of Com-
mencement Week at Wilson. This
year’s production is expected to be
more than usually effective because
its setting, the Forest of Arden, can
be strikingly portrayed in Wilson’s
outdoor theatre.
Miss Zimmerman, a member of
the Junior Class, has been cast as
Corin. She is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Fred U. Zimmerman.
HIGHWAY DANGER SPOTS HERE /
STUDIED BY STATE ENGINEER
"A number of dangerous intersec-
tions in the Dallas area were in-
spected by John L. Herber, State
Highway Department district engi-
neer, this week at the request of
Norman Johnstone of Wyoming Val-
ley Motor Club.
As a result, safety measures are
expected at the junction of Route
115 and 29 at Pike's Creek, where
a high bank blocks the view; a new
stop sign is to be erected at Sweet
Valley on Route 115 and a danger
sign on top of Red Rock Mountain
on Route 467.