The Charlotte News

Thursday, May 15, 1941

SIX EDITORIALS

Site Ed. Note: Candidly, we find the first piece a bit backwards in its reasoning, but so be it. Whether it was by Cash, we don't know. The phrasing of it makes it an unlikely candidate. More, it wasn't one of those in the original print we examined which bore the little red checkmark; but then neither did "Twelve Men", plainly by Cash for its similarity to "Sea Fight". Nor did "One Comfort", below, which may not be by Cash.

The latter is the second piece, both from the past three weeks, which we have run across showing a variant edition of the column between that which apparently was disseminated only in Charlotte and that distributed elsewhere in the state. The first was from April 25. There were likely others, at least in this time period, for these two come from only the handful of thirty odd dates of original newsprint to which we have access spread over Cash's 43-month tenure. But we may never know for sure, as there is only one version of the microfilmed print. And, of course, there are those 70-odd missing dates not on microfilm, 60 of which occur in 1938-39. So if any old News collections out there still exist in their original devil's face from 1937-41, we pay top dollar--just as did the paper for the best daily riddle and the previous year's daily winning letter, just as for the winning riddle of this day--yessir, top dollar.

The story of the fellow, Pokey, in Chapel Hill who went to wash the Mayflower by the creek and wound up sporting his court in the process, gives, we think, Snoopy and the Red Baron a wholly fresh meaning.

Citizens Body Gets Good Man, Lets Appearances Go Hang

If somebody should argue cynically that the new idealistic Citizens Group is starting out to be just another bunch of politicians, adhering to standard political practice by appointing as City Attorney a lawyer who had been vigorous in its campaign, about all you could say in reply would be that it wasn't so.

In the appointment of Mr. Tillett, as a matter of fact, the shoe is on the other foot. If the Councilmen had had politics uppermost in mind, their most astute choice of a City Attorney would have been Mr. Scarborough, present counsel. Then they could have boasted, "You see, we told you we weren't going to play politics, and this appointment of a man who is against us is proof of it."

That would have been a grand gesture, but a policy of being so full of lily-white pretense in the selection of any man in the City Administration would very likely have frustrated the purposes which are the genius of this popular movement.

To accomplish what it is supposed to want to accomplish, the Citizens Group has got to depend upon men of a like mind and zeal in positions of responsibility. The designation of Mr. Tillett as City Attorney, a place he must have taken at some deprivation and reluctantly, was a highly definitive act.

It seems to show a resolution to get the right men to do the work, even if they have to be drafted, even at the risk of being accused of playing the same old politics.

In short, it seems to show that the Citizens Group is so certain of its non-political intentions that it does not have to issue the appearance of politics. Men being what they are and dreading to be misunderstood, the Group's appointment of Mr. Tillett and his acceptance of the place were both in the bravest style.

Adolf and His Pal Try To Conjure Away a Shadow

Adolf Hitler usually pays attention to leaders in the countries he has marked out for his victims in proportion to his fear of them because of their correct diagnosis of his intentions. Long before the war he habitually denounced Eden and Duff Cooper because they were wise to him, passed over Chamberlain who didn't see through him. And now it is Churchill and Roosevelt for whom he regularly saves his hate.

Hence, when we find his newspaper denouncing Mr. Stimson as insane and as having no notion of what has actually happened in Europe, we may conclude that it adds up to a tribute to the acumen of the Secretary of War.

In lighter vein was the plaint of an Italian radio commentator Tuesday evening.

This little man spent the first half of his broadcast denouncing Roosevelt and trying to persuade the United States that it would get rich if only it would stand aside and let the Axis win. Almost in the same breath he bemoaned the fact that the United States was inhabited by Anglo-Saxon people, "the stupidest and most strong-headed breed," and spat out a crack about "a kind of sub-human species."

Then he rose to masterful heights and grieved aloud that Columbus had ever been born.

Plainly, there are many uneasy necks in Axis lands these days.

Senate at Least Keeps Out the Rush Holt Influence

Joseph Rosier,71-year-old college president and a former president of the National Education Association, has been seated as United States Senator from West Virginia, after a four months' contest.

The circumstances of his elevation to that dignity were none too creditable either to himself or his sponsors.

He got the job by appointment when Senator M. M. Neely resigned in order to become Governor. In return he gave his promise not to be a candidate in the election two years from now. It was plainly a deal designed to allow Neely and his machine to retain control over the job and its patronage.

But there is perhaps a grain of comfort in the outcome of the case.

Rosier's opponent was one Clarence Martin, a lawyer of Martinsburg. He got his appointment a few moments before Homer A. Holt, brother of Rush Holt, handed over the Governor's office to Neely. This, in its turn, was an obvious attempt by the Holt machine to get control of the job and its patronage.

The two deals were about equally snide. And we know nothing about Martin, save the company he keeps. But we do know about Rush Holt, now fortunately a dead duck.

And it appears likely that it is just as well for the country that the Senate did not see fit to seat a man with the Holt brand upon him.