The Charlotte News
Wednesday, July 30, 1941
FIVE EDITORIALS
Site Ed. Note: The discussion on embargoing silk from Japan, as set forth in "Silk Supply" from this day's page, and the consequent sacrifice to cotton in its stead for the ladies' legs, was by no means fresh. There was talk of a boycott, albeit one short-lived, as early as late 1937. The actress Frances Farmer was a leading advocate. (See "Trade Is Trade", December 30, 1937, "Did They Say Silk?" December 27, 1937, and "Reflections Inspired by an Earnest Lady", December 18, 1937. (Sorry about the colorful commentary: for our junior editor, "Shorty" by name, anything goes, come Christmas time.))
The column, even a year and half earlier, was calling for stiffer embargo measures on silk, recognizing in the meantime the potentially irritating consequences, both to women's comfort and the mill employment of hosiery workers. (See "Useless", January 26, 1940)
In Charlotte, the local college women had announced latter to that point their own boycott of silk stockings, as chronicled in "Expression", November 13, 1940.
"Chemists to the Rescue", October 24, 1938, had reported the new developments at Du Pont in "Yarn 66", a rayon for the road.
"Something to Think About", November 20, 1938, we wouldn't pull or even break your leg, had reported on the economics of the whole enterprise.
"Jolt for Japs", July 28, 1939, had reported on the statistical significance to Japan of the U.S. trade in silk. (See also "Defenders of the Stork", April 9, 1938, for implicit suggestions.)
So it was oil for silk, no more. But not quite yet.
And, ah yes, we see where Senator Reynolds was in favor of non-renewal of the draft because he saw no threat to the nation here in the last days of July 1941, with the Germans pounding the Russian front, inching their way toward Moscow, the British digging out from the rubble of nine months of bombing, France and a large portion of its empire interests in the hands of the Nazis, not to mention the rest of Central Europe, and the Japanese fully occupying Indochina as an obvious prelude to a drive toward the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies, Burma, and general occupation of the entire south Pacific region.
But, all of that was quite alright with Bob, posed no consequence to him at all. For the Senator had probably read his George Berkeley while at Carolina, and was fully aware that all those little evanescences of the augments didn't amount to much of anything, just as Mr. Newton had postulated in his thesis. Indeed, just the sound of them likely gave Bob too much of a headache to bother with them after a long, grueling day before the bar in the Senate chamber, studying all anent silk stockings and other lovely things. Bob obviously understood how to straighten out curves. They were just too hard on him there in the newspapers. He simply missed kissing Harlow ever since she had died in 1937. Bob meant no harm. He was simply mentally infirm. You simply had to understand him. "Chairman" of the Military Affairs Committee was, regardless of the hoopla, simply one of those affectionate, honorary, metaphorical titles--such as "Colonel" Bob or "Cap'n" Bob or "Ranger" Bob, or "Vindicator" Bob.
Anyway, we must now go out and hop our popsickle, take our scattergun and shoot us a couple or three doodlebugs before the other heil buggies get us up along the yardbird road here. We think Darjeeling may be in sight. Have you got the map?
Framed Edition
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