Editorially Speaking: :
A Fair Price
When you walk into a store to buy a dozen eggs, a pair of
shoes, some kitchen utensils or any other article, what is a fair
price?
Is it the price that existed last year?
Or is it the price
that was in effect in 1940, or 1900, or any other date?
That question is obviously unanswerable. The price of any-
thing is made up of a long list of factors, all of which are in a
Raw materials, wages, taxes, transporta-
So does the extent of consumer purchasing
constant state of flux.
tion enter into it.
power.
So does employe efficiency and output.
demand for commodities which are in tight supply here.
Js
Tue Darras Post
MORE THAN A NEWSPAPER, A COMMUNITY INSTITUTION
se 20
So does foreign
And
so, to a very great degree, does the fact that we have a record
national debt, after the most destructive war in history, and the
government is still spending money at a prodigal rate.
Business, on both the manufacturing and retailing levels,
gets much of the blame for high prices. But business is as worried
about them as any consumer.
Mass production and mass distri-
bution are the backbone of the economy, and if consumers are
priced out of the market the ultimate effect will be disastrous.
A number of manufacturers have cut prices and absorbed the loss.
Retail margins, both independents and chains report, are shrink-
ing fast, and the inventory problem is the cause of much concern
and uncertainty among merchants.
Everything possible is: being
done to prevent further price increases, and to effect price de-
creases when possible.
It should be widely known that retailers’ profit margins are
now generally less than under OPA. The same thing is true of
many manufacturers.
board price cuts cannot be met.
of prices will be.
permit.
The demand for arbitrary, across-the-
No one knows what the future
But, by and large, they will be as low as costs
FROM
PILLAR TO POST
By Mrs. T. M. B. Hicks, Jr.
Montmorency has arrived, but without fanfare of trumpets and strictly
incognito.
When we first contracted for Montmorency, away back last
October when the nursery salesman with the pronounced Oxford accent
was beating the Back Mountain bushes armed with an order pad and
a profusely illustrated catalogue, we leaped to a somewhat exaggerated
and wholly unfounded conclusion.
It may be remarked in passing that
we are very green about nursery
stock, considerably greener than the
stock itself.
A two-year-old sour-cherry tree,
we felt, if planted within speaking
distance of the sickel- pear tree,
might very probably in the course
of a year or so be expected to sus-
tain half the weight of a hammock,
the ropes arranged in such a man-
ner that the older and more ex-
= 2d tree would bear the brunt
of the resting gardener. We have
on hand a sturdy hammock, one
of those air-conditioned netting
jobs, but oddly enough there are
not two trees near enough together
on the whole place to hold it up.
A hammock slung from two limbs
of the same tree leads to jackknif-
ing of the spine, besides suggest-
ing a cargo-sling.
Montmorency would come in a
truck, we dreamed fondly, a large
truck, his feet wrapped in a burlap
sack containing a snug ball of earth
to protect his tender rootlets. Two
burly individuals in canvas jackets
bearing the name of the nursery
in red outline-stitch across the
shoulder blades would lower Mont-
morency tenderly to the earth, and
place him near enough to the brink
of the larger of the humus pits
(garbage dump to you) so that
two amateurs could tip him into
place and pile potato peelings and
eggshells around his roots for add-
ed fertilizer, following the Indian
custom of planting a fish along with
the four kernels of corn per hill.
No trunk put in an appearance,
but the rural mailcarrier hung a
longish box containing raspberry
canes to the hook on the mailbox.
There were peremptory words on
the outside, mentioning dire results
if the canes were not planted at
once, and disclaiming all respon-
sibility if directions were not fol-
lowed to the letter.
With one eye on the ploughed
land, we filed the raspberry canes
along with the strawberry plants
in our Uh-huh department. The
garden still looked like a thick and
nourishing soup, with its excess of
water draining steadily into a later-
al ditch but with more, much more,
to come.
A week passed, and still not a
prayer of getting a tractor with a
harrow in tow onto that soggy
ground. The raspberry box re-
mained unopened, the roots pre-
sumably packed in damp fiber.
Came a sunny day when the up-
per reaches of the garden had dried
sufficiently to be worked. The man
With the Hoe sloshed around in
rubber boots, reducing what look-
ed like the by-product of a large
but misguided mole to something
more nearly resembling a seedbed.
We opened the box and lifted out
oma
‘the raspberry canes, all twelve of
them. There was a thirteenth cane
which had not been accounted for,
a trifle longer than the others, a
trifle thicker, and with a large and
naked root exposed.
Suspicion blossomed into certain-
ty. The unpromising looking walk-
ing stick bearing “two twigs like
horns at the top, bore a label. Here,
in the bark was the cherry tree.
Montmorency, we reflected bitter-
ly, looked not only dormant but
entirely defunct. Closer inspection
revealed three embryonic yellow
(Continued on Page Two)
Durbin Among
Highest Tenth
Gets High Mark In
Scholarship Tests
Word has been
that James Gordon Durbin, son of
received here
Mr. and Mrs. John Durbin, former
Dallas residents, scored among the
highest ten per cent of the selected
46,112 high school seniors through-
out the nation whb took the. Pepsi-
Se"
James is a senior high school
Cola scholarship
student ‘at fitchourg, Mass., where
the family now resides and where
his father is an electrical engineer
with the Simons Saw and Steel
Company.
The examination was prepared
and scored by the college entrance
examination board and administer-
ed in accordance with standard in-
structions.
Jimmy attended the first eight
grades at Dallas Borough schools
where his father was for several
years a school director. His older
brother, now with the Marines on
Guam, was also a former student
here.
His dad, a graduate of Penn
State, was formerly electrical en-
gineer with Luzerne County Gas &
Electric Company. Durbin Sunday
School Class of Dallas Methodist
church was for years taught by
his mother.
Parents’ Night
At Lake Schools
May Organize Parent
Teacher Association
All parents and patrons will be
guests of Lake Township students
and teachers, in the High School
Auditorium on Friday night, May
21. ’
G. E. Taylor, Supervising Prin-
cipal will speak concerning forma-
tion of a Parent Teacher Associa-
tion. These plans have been*under
way for some fime and afe nearing
completion. ,
§ AF
After introdirefion of the faculty,
Walter Nolan, teacher of physical
education, will present a gym ex-
hibition by the boys of the Junior
High School. Showing a typical
class in physical education. The
program will include calisthenics,
relays, group tumbling, special
stunts, boxing matches, and pyra-
mids.
Following the entertainment
there will be an open house. Special
exhibits have been prepared, and
teachers, assisted by student hosts
and hostesses, will be in their
rooms to further entertain visitors.
Outstanding among these exhibits
will be the new Homemaking De-
partment, Vocational Shop, and art
work of the elementary students.
Refreshments will be served cafe-
teria style by members of the
Homemaking Department, in the
Homemaking Room.
Vol. 58, No, 20
Lehman Firemen
Name Chairmen
For Horse Show
Hendricks Is General
Chairman; Ed Hartman
Is Chairman Of Show
Committee chairmen for the
fourth annual Lehman Horse Show
on July 3 were appointed Monday
night at a meeting fof Lehman
Volunteer Fire Company by Héward
L. Hendricks, general .g Airman.
Assisting Mr. Hendricks as vice-
chairman will be Edward Oncay.
Edward V. Hartman is again show
chairman. Walter Chamberlain is
show secretary and Charles Nuss
is treasurer.
Committee heads are: host, H.
A. Smith; advisory committee, H. A.
Smith’ and Howard Risley; parking
and police, Joseph Ide and L. E.
Beisel; program, Morton Connelly;
admittance, Walter Chamberlain
and Harry Edwards; show grounds,
Arthur Ehret; stables, Alex Tough;
publicity, Howard Risley.
The list is still incomplete and
will be increased as plans progress.
Mr. Hendricks appointed the dinner
and refreshment committee who
will report at the next meeting.
Members are Mr. and Mrs. Lansford
Sutton, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Ide,
Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ehret and
Mr. and Mrs. Loren Keller.
As plans are now developing the
show will be larger than last year’s
and includes many new features.
Horses from nearby counties as well
as Luzerne will be shown. Seating
arrangements will be the same as
last year, but box seats will go on
sale shortly.
Planned primarily to give local
horsemen, as well as those who
had taken part in a horse show,
an opportunity to exhibit in compe-
tition, the Lehman show was
started in 1942 and after two sea-
sons was interrupted by the war.
Last season it was resumed.
As a community affair supported
by the entire area it is in a cate-
gory with the Memotial Day Parade
at Sweet Valley; Back Mountain
Library Auction and Hallowe'en
Parade in Dallas; Fireman’s Field
Day at Shavertown; and the Fire-
men’s Bazaar and Fair at Trucks-
ville.
William R. Neely
Now Eighty-Five
Retired Merchant
Honored By [Directors
William R. Neel eighty-five
years have been blessed with birth-
day anniversaries that came dur-
ing the midst of the apple blossom
season. The one on Wednesday
was no exception.
Mr. Neely was the honored guest
at a dinner given at Evans Falls,
by W. B. Jeter, president, for the
Board of Directors of First National
Bank.
On Sunday he received a number
of lovely gifts at a family party
at the home of his daughter, Mrs.
Alice Elston of Lehman. There
surrounded by his sons, daughters
and grandchildren, he recalled
events during his almost fifty years
as a merchant in Lehman. Home
for the day were his children and
their families: George L. of Syra-
cuse, N.Y.; Walter of Bloomsburg;
Mrs. K. L. Terry, Berwick; and Mrs.
Elston. Six of his eight grand-
children were also present.
Mr. Neely retired from active
(Continued on Page Five)
FRIDAY, MAY 14, 1948
Seniors In Final
JOHN MILUS
Township Board
Lets Contracts
Budget Provides For
Cafeteria Dining Room
Dallas Township School Board
has formally adopted the new
School Budget for 1948-49. Pro-
vision was made for construction
of 3 cafeteria dining-reom, and for
boys’ and girls’ shower rooms.
Actual work on these projects
will not, however, start unless con-
struction estimates are well within
the sum set aside in the budget.
Bids were opened for bus trans-
portation of students, and were
awarded to Andrew Bittenbender :
and Arthur Newman, who hold
present contracts.
The secretary was authorized to
advertise for bids to be opened in
June for coal for the coming year.
Present were: Donald J. Evans,
president; Stephen N. Davis, Walter
J. Elston, Thomas S. Moore, and
Floyd W. Chamberlain, secretary;
Prof. Raymond E. Kuhnert, super-
vising principal, and Attorney Jona-
than C. Valentine, board solicitor.
Next regular meeting will be held
Tuesday evening, June 1st.
Lay Leader To Speak
Mr. G. Wesley Lewis, lay leader
of the Wilkes-Barre District Meth-
odist Church and a delegate to the
general conference of Methodist
Churches recently held at Boston,
Mass., will present the legislation
and trends of the Methodist Church
as evidenced at the Conference at
the Sunday morning service in Dal-
las Methodist Church. Rev. Fred-
erick Reinfurt will be in charge of
the worship service.
Mr. Lewis, a resident of Mt. Zion,
is fast becoming one of the out-
standing lay leaders in the Meth-
odist Church.
one of two men selected in the
North Eastern Jurisdiction to serve
on an important committee for the
coordination of actions and organi-
zations of the Church.
He was recently]
Concert Tonight
CHARLES NUSS
Lehman Twirler
BETTY IDE
Pike's Creek Quarry
Employs Fifteen Men
Coon Certified Concrete has
opened its Pike's Creek Quarry
where fifteen nien are employed
under superintendent, Frank Piatt
of Fairmount Sprifigs.
The quarry has been operating
during the summer season for the
past eight years and all sizes of
blue stone are crushed there for
highway and driveway and build-
ing construction. The firm has con-
tracts with the county and State
to supply thousands of tons annual-
ly. It also supplies various sizes
of broken flagstone for sidewalk
and terrace construction.
The plant is located two miles
from Pike's. Creek corners, near
Loyalville.
Harvey's Lake Service Club
Holds Mother-Daughter Tea Party
The Harvey's Lake Womens Ser-
vice Club held a Mother and Dau-
ghter tea in the Elbow room at the |
Harvey's Lake Hotel on Thursday
evening, May 6. Table decorations
were tall tapers, and a three tier
Mother’s Day cake.
The president Mrs. Joseph Rauch,
had charge of the meeting. Plans
were made to hold a rummage sale
June 14, 15 and 16, in the Keller
Building in Luzerne. Any one hav-
inging any rummage should get in
touch with Mrs. Otis Allen.
Mrs. Donald D. Smith, who at-
tended the county convention
March 31, gave a report on Litera-
ture, which was given at the con-
vention by Mrs. Baker, the State
chairman of Literature. Mrs. Giles
Comstock and Mrs. James Garey
gave reports on the health seminar
which was held at Hotel Sterling.
The president announced that
the club had won the county and
state award for increase in per-
centage of membership.
A musical program followed
called “Melodies Through the
Years”, with Mrs. Alan Sanford as
guest singer. Mrs. Sanford also
led the club in group singing. The
narrators were Mrs. Martha Price,
and Helen Biologowicz. Mrs. Harry
Ro8sman played several guitar
selections.
Present were: Mrs. Harry Ross-
man, Mrs. Minnie Hoover, Mrs. Roy
Rogers, Mrs. Richard Williams, Mrs.
Warren Dennis, Mrs. Alan G. Kist-
ler, Mrs. Sara Sanford, Mrs. Rob-
ert Payne, Vida Comstock, Helen
Bialogowicz, Mrs. Dorothy Morris,
Carol Scouten, Mrs. Carolyn Gebler,
Mrs. Loretta Nelson, Edna Miller,
Mrs. Helen Fittin, Mrs. Therese
Franzoni, Mrs. Margaret Garey, Bert
Kern, Anne Borton, Mrs. John
Stenger 3rd. June Kistler, Helen
Scouten, Anna Fittin, Bessie Armi-
tage, Carol Deets, Mrs. William
Deets, Mary E. Senigo, Mrs. June
Deater, Mrs. Hazel Kerr, Mrs. Gene-
vieve King, June Swanson, Mrs.
George Taylor, Pauline Davis,
Bethia Allen, Hilda Leinthall, Mrs.
Eva Allen, Mrs. G. N. Carpenter,
Mrs. Esther . Gay, Miss Eleanor
Humphrey, Mrs. Raymond Garinger,
Mrs. Harry B. Allen, Mrs. Fred
Swanson, Mrs. David Price, Mrs.
Edgar McMurtry, Mrs. Calvin Me-
Hose, Mrs. Grace Sorber, Mrs.
Ferne Smith, Mrs. Hattie Wesley,
Mrs. Henry Wolfe, Mrs. Dean
Kocher, Mrs. H. R. Garinger, Mrs.
Albert Armitage, Mrs. Harvey Kit-
chen, Mrs. Joseph Rauch, Mrs. John
Zorzi Jr., Mrs. Donald Smith, Mrs.
Harold Payne, Mrs. Earl Payne, Mrs.
Elwood Whitesell, Mrs. Clarence W.
Payne, Mrs. H. E. Payne, Mrs. Harry
LaBar and Mrs. Harry Broadhead.
6 CENTS PER COPY
Lehman Band
Plays Tonight
Top Ranking Band Was
Formed Ten Years Ago
Lehman High School Band will
observe its tenth anniversary to-
night at its annual Spring Concert
in the High School Auditorium.
The program will feature opening
numbers by the girls’ chorus of
sixty voices followed by“ a piano
solo by Mary Joan Williams and a
marimba solo by Alice Ehret.
The senior band program will
feature required and selected num-
bers used in the State Forensic
Contest at Oil City in which the
band competed two weeks ago and
placed fourth among seven com-
petitors.
Also featured will be Forensic
student conducting by John Milus,
a senior member, who competed at
Oil City and won a rating of ex-
cellent.
Charles Nuss, another senior
member, will be featured in a trum-
pet solo in an earlier part of the
program.
Just before the concluding num-
ber, Betty Ide, senior, will give a
twirling exhibition. Miss Ide re-
ceived the rating of excellent at
Oil City and was also this year’s
May Queen. !
Two of the seniors graduating
this spring, John Milus and Charles
Nuss, started with the band when
it was organized ten years ago.
They are the only remaining mem-
bers of the original organization.
The entire progrom will be un-
der the capable direction of Ber-
nard J. Gerrity who has made an
enviable reputation since coming
to Lehman as the head of its music
department. Twice during his
brief tenure he has had his band
in State competitions.
Mothers Receive
Crimson Azaleas
Mrs. Jenkin Oldest
Mother At Services
Mrs. Bertha Jenkin was the old-
est mother at the services of Hunts-
ville Christian Church on Mothers’
Day. Two of her daughters, one |
grandson and two granddatighters,
and three great-granddaughters
were present with her.
Mrs. Milton Culp was the mother
having the most children and Mrs.
Carleton Hadsell was the youngest
mother.
Attending church with Mrs. Wal-
ter Covert, Sr., were three of her
children, three grandchildren and,
one great granddaughter.
All received crimson azaleas.
Oldest Native
MRS. ALLIE MORRIS
Mrs. Allie Morris, 83, 1s making
a slow recovery and is now able
to sit up in a chair part of the
day after undergoing a serious ill-
ness. Mrs. Morris, the widow of
the late Frank Morris, beloved Dal-
las schoolman, is the oldest citizen
of Dallas who was born in the
Borough. Mrs. Jane Stroud, her
neighbor on Franklin Street, is
ninety-five and has lived here for
many years but was not born in
Dallas.
Mrs. Morris’s father, the late Ira
D. Shaver, was an outstanding pion-
eer citizen and for many years con-
ducted the leading store when Dal-
las had only 200 residents.
Mrs. Morris enjoys company and
would like to have her friends call
Back Mountain Highway Deaths and
.
DALLAS
BOX SCORE
Serious accidents since V-J Day
Hospitalized Killed
2 1
1
20 4
2
3
2
31
Federal Jury
Indicts Former
Dallas Woman
Mrs. William Howey
Charged With Using
Mails To Defraud
A Federal Grand Jury sitting in
Philadelphia on Wednesday in-
dicted Mrs. Gertrude Howey, Shav-
ertown, formerly proprietor of the
“Les Lilias Shoppe” Dallas, on
charges of using the United States
mails to defraud.
The indictment handed to U. S.
District « Judge J. Cullen Ganey
charged that Mrs. Howey received
merchandise valued at $5,000 from
Philadelphia stores, sold it and
failed to pay the suppliers. Bail
was set at $1,000. Judge Ganey
issued a bench warrent for her
arrest.
The indictment charged that Mrs.
Howey received toys, furniture,
furs, books, smoked turkeys, cloth-
ing and other items on credit after
supplying references and then sold
the merchandise to patrons and sec-
ond hand stores and pocketed the
money. It was further charged
that she tried. to obtain additional
goods on credit by postponing and
delaying payment for the mer-
chandise she previously had re-
ceived.
Although Philadelphia stores
pressed the charges, it is alleged
her field of operations covered the
United States, and thousands of
dollars worth of merchandise was
shipped to her through the Dallas
freight and express office during
1945, 1946 and 1947 when she oper-
ated her “Shoppe” in her, home in
the former Albertson house on
Church street.
At one time shipment, of a grand
piano by a distant firm was for-
stalled only by a quick-witted exe-
cutive who called Dallas for credit
information. At other times Mrs.
Howey filed claims against the Le-
high Valley Railroad for merchan-
dise received in damaged condition,
and after collecting, failed to pay
the supplier.
Her operations in Dallas and sur-
rounding areas have been common
knowledge for several years, local
bankers, taxi drivers, railroad men
and postal workers said this week.
U. S. Postal inspectors investigated
the case several months ago.
. Her husband was formerly em-
ployed by the U. S. Department of
Agriculture. The family moved to
this area several years ago.
Kiwanis League
Opens June Ist
Six Kids’ Teams To
Play Twenty Games
Potential Babe Ruths’ and Lou
Gerhigs’ of the Back Mountain re-
gion will get a chance again this
year to show their stuff in the Dal-
las Kiwanis League. Six teams
represented, reports George Mont-
gomery, chairman of the clubs base-
ball committee, are: Dallas, Fern-
brook, Dallas Township, Trucks-
ville, Shavertown and Jackson, a
newcomer.
Players must be under fifteen
years of age and have a strong de-
sire to play baseball. Richard Prynn
is League Supervisor with the team
managers, elected by their fellow-
players, to assist him.
The league opens Tuesday, June
1 with each team having a schedule
of twenty games, ten home and ten
away. Teams have their own dia-
monds with the exception of Dallas
and Dallas Township, who will
share the Dallas Township field.
The games will start at 6 PM.
The Kiwanians are providing
baseballs and bats and are financ-
ing part of the cost of furnishing
each team with distinctive bi-
colored jerseys. At the close of
the season Kiwanis Club will give
a banquet to the championship
team.
Branch Rickey, owner of the
Brooklyn Dodgers, has written a
letter commending Dallas Kiwanis
and asking them to be on the look-
out for local baseball talent.
5
National Director
Meade J. McMillen, Shavertown,
past president of Wyoming Valley
Junior Chamber of Commerce, was
elected a director of the national
organization at its convention ‘in
on her.
Philadelphia last weekend.
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