The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 7

THE COURIER-JOURNAL', LOUISVILLE, WEDNESDAY, MORNING, FEBRUARY 19, 1911'. 1 SECTION I Pity Poor Trout His Lost Cause Is Now Found A man's entitled to a ground hog day, hut Trout's may soon he the public's By Robert L. RiggM tide which is sweeping forward toward the adoption of February 26 as Ground Hog Day. 'J'HE whole thing can be blamed on Mrs. Laura Cooper Lee, of Carrollton.

On February 4, 1939, Allan published a note from her which said: "We have in this section what is called Trout's Ground Hog Day, which is February 26. It was originated by the five Trout brothers, namely Isaac, Jacob, William, Alexander and Daniel, who lived in this section many years ago." That was enough for Allan. He has been expounding ever since the merits of February 26 over February 2 as Ground Hog Day. The basic idea back of any Ground Hog Day is that the little fellow semi-hibernates during the winter in deni in the ground. He emerges during February in semi-blindness.

Hence, he it startled by his shadow if the sun is shining, and runs, thoroughly frightened, back to his den for another six weeks, during which the weather will be bad. Allan's argument against February 2 is that the weather is going to be bad anyway for six weeks after that date, and, thus, the earlier date docs not give the Ground Hog a fair chance. By February 26, Allan argues, the little fellow has a sporting chance in his prophecy, because, if. he sees his shadow on the 26th, it still is possible to have six weeks of weather. On the other hand, if he does not see his shadow, the six weeks of ensuing fair weather may be laid directly to the ground hog's prophecy, and not to dumb chance.

J1JOWEVER dubious this reasoning may be, it seems to have been accorded a warm welcome by the public. Allan has QXE of these days the great Commonwealth of Kentucky, weary of all this needling, is going to enact a law making February 26 Ground Hog Day. That will be as scurvy a trick as it it possible to play upon your friend and my friend, Allan M. Trout. Fr when they take Trout's Ground Hog Day away from Allan and make it public property he is going to be like a lawyer who has lost his oldest client, or a doctor deprived of his most faithful patient.

It is Allan's firm conviction that all Journalists particularly columnists and editorial writers should have a Lost Cause. In other words, they should be the uncompromising advocates of some fantastic proposal upon which they can write with vehemence, without the faintest possibility that anyone will ever put their proposal into effect. 'J'ROUT'S Ground Hog Day had all the earmarks of a perfect Lost Cause when Allan adopted it for his life's work a couple of years ago. But the thing has grown into a veritable Frankenstein monster which is about to turn on Allan and rend him into bits. Unless drastic action is taken soon, there is every danger that the next session of the Kentucky Legislature will take Allan's private project away from him and make it compulsory for you and you and you to own a piece of Trout's Ground Hog Day.

The simple truth is that Allan has been hoist with his own petard. He has done too good a job arguing in behalf cf Trout's Ground Hog Day. It is not too much to say that public sentiment is aroused beyond all hope of stemming the Defense 'Delay' Misleading Term BREAD AM) CIRCUSES By Richard Renneisen gOME sample of how certain items of national defense can become ensnarled in the public mind with the general wide terms "delays" and "bottlenecks" is being supplied locally by Bowman Field. The Army's great new plant out there is, for practical, hurry-up working purposes, ready for use today. Bombing planes could come in there, fuel, take off, come back at night and be staked out, just as planned, and the vast personnel would have places to stay.

But there are no planes of the new outfit based there yet and work seems to be going ahead as if the preparations were in midway. This is confusing many people who remember the statements last fall about the immediate need for the field and about plans for having the planes there early this year. facts now and the statements then are not fundamentally at variance. What Is not fully appreciated is that defense plans last September 'were in a considerable muddle compared to what they are now. No one could announce a plan, especially of the somewhat extravagant character of some of the plans announced at, that time, and be certain it would be carried out on schedule.

Last September England was, or at least seemed, much nearer collapse than she is, or seems, today. If an emergency existed for this country because of England's plight, it was a comparatively greater emergency then in the minds of United States defense planners of this school of thought than it is now. Result: The Nation-wide system "of priorities, swung into action, put certain items up on the list, certain others down. JJOWMAN FIELD happened to go down, not mainly because defense planners who were crying for new Army airport facilities had overplanned, but because there was a great shuffle for putting first things first. Even despite this fact, all the basic requisites for the groundwork operation of the new Army plant are ready to go, cither ahead of contract schedule or right on schedule.

That some contracts for Bowman Field items haven't even been let is not the argument that it seems for the point of view that the Army headquarters could have been located elsewhere. It simply means that there were many alterations in the big national swirl of defense preparations. That certain finishing touches on the Army plant will not be put into reality until August doesn't mean there will not be plenty of Army flying there long before that. Nor does it mean this flying will be seriously hampered for lack of the facilities. Greetings From ALLAN M.

TROUT. Flash! Bulletin! Stop the presses, boys, and make room for the most remarkable true story I ever read, as follows: "When I was a boy living at West Point, writes T. E. Jenkins of Lexington, "I had a pal by the name of Ed Laswell. Ed had an uncle living on Salt River in Bullitt County.

One spring Ed's uncle brought us boys two young ground hogs about the size of large rats. "We tamed and trained them to do such stunts as jump through hoops, stand up to be fed and roll over and play dead. "We made little suits for them, with pants and coats, out of cottonade. They wore these suits, without much discomfort. They would sit up to a little table, eat, then walk for a short distance on their hind legs.

All this was very amusing indeed. "They lived around the barn at house and slept in a box stall in the barn. That fall they disappeared. Winter came and, for the time being, we forgot about them. "On Christmas Eve morning the main chimney at Ed's house sank about two feet, tearing the floors and plastering as it went.

There was consternation in West Point because nobody could account for It. "Nothing else happened until New Year's Day, when one corner of the kitchen caved in. The chairs and table all piled down in the corner. This, like the chimney, went the rounds of speculation, but no solution was reached. The necessary repairs were made.

"The little town of West Point was startled again toward the last of January when the entire side of Mr. Laswell's house fell in. "Came February 2 and our two ground hogs emerged from a hole in the barn and played around in the yard. They had lost their coats, but retained the pants. The waistbands had cut in to their stomachs, making a wrinkle around their middle parts.

They almost had overgrown the wrinkle, however, as they were nearly full grown ground hogs by that time. They presented a funny spectacle in their cottonade britches so tight around the waist. "We kept them all summer and guarded them against Mr. Laswell. He wanted to kill them for ruining his house.

Wc finally sold them to a showman for $10 each, upon his promise to be good to them. "If Ed Laswell or a boy named Bud Carlisle are still living, they can verify this story. I would like for them to write me at 1384 Fontaine Road, Lexington, Ky." Friends, if any of you know Ed Laswell and Bud Carlisle, please show them this valued communication from their boyhood playmate at West Point. Aid for Children Waits On Pension Rehearing His Lost Cause By Sending Ground Hogs to Allan Trout. The simple program of this fine body of men and women calls for every farmer in Kentucky and Southern Indiana to send one or more live ground hogs to Allan at Frankfort by February 26.

This, of course, is a most worthy project, and the committee sponsors hope that hundreds of ground hogs will arrive at Frankfort by that date. Allan has promised to place about the neck of each animal he receives a metal tag bearing the name of some prominent Goatherd, and turn the ground hogs loose throughout the surrounding counties. yyiHCH brings up the question of: What is a Goatherd? Nobody seems to know exactly, but if you should take an active part in any movement opposing Trout's Ground Hog Day, you undoubtedly will find yourself labeled a Goatherd in the Greetings column. News-Week Magazine got Ed Edstrom to go to Frankfort and interview Allan as the founder and sole owner of Trout's Ground Hog Day. When the magazine's editors received Edstrom's copy, they immediately wrote him asking him to define a Goatherd.

Edstrom didn't know, and most of the boys in the off ice, didn't 'know. Are you a Goatherd? The memdk Trout Loses been swamped with mail on the subject, the letters being written on everything from engraved letterhead paper to sheets torn, from cheap tablets. The letters, from lawyers, preachers, teachers, doctors and housewives, have averaged fifty a week. The interest in the campaign to change Ground Hog Day has become so intense throughout this area that a group of public-spirited citizens has formed the Committee to Aid Kentuckiana Farmers HenSerson plete reorganization of the office methods as a whole. "The handling of public monies is a difficult task.

"In addition to the accomplishments and improvements which we have made in this office, the effect of our work is shown in other departments. (That burned up some of the other department heads.) Still speaking of his own office Mr. Hatcher said: "Despite the many handicaps encountered, the office is to be together with the attention and personal labors of those who advised and contributed their efforts to assist in bringing this about." He closed with: "My constant aim is to uphold the laws of the Commonwealth, and to properly carry out the functions of the State Government entrusted to me, and to better serve the public; and from the records of this office, and from the response of those wre have served, makes me feel confident that I have complied with all I SAY glX appellants (judges of the regular Court of Appeals) will shortly file a petition for rehearing in the judges pension case that denied them pensions. They will seek an oral argument on the rehearing. They lost, last month, by a four to three decision.

Meanwhile the constitutionality of a $500,000 appropriation for aid to dependent children and the needy blind waits the final decision of the judges pension case. Judge Richard Priest Dietz-man, attorney for the judges and for the plaintiff in the dependent children litigation, said last year he wanted to get the Judges case out of the way before he pushed the other suit. It has been a year since the appropriation was passed. The test suit still is in the Franklin Circuit Court. Unless some speed is shown, it will be next November before the dependent children program will begin to function if it passes court scrutiny.

'J'HE Secretary of State's office ought to be the most modern and efficient in the State government. A few years ago A Republican Made This Lease-Lend Suggestion WHAT I THINK By J. Howard A decision on the legality of the appropriation waits on the judges' final word Mrs. Emma Guy Cromwell served as head of the office, and for four years flooded the newspapers with stories of the improvements she initiated. Now unlike her in many ways, George Glenn Hatcher, incumbent, is out with an annual report telling of the modernizing he has done.

He mailed Kentucky papers a twenty-five page report (enough to fill vtwo pages of a newspaper) asking that it be "carried in full, or as much as possible." The report was not addressed to the Governor. It is not required by law. Mr. Hatcher addressed it "To whom it njr concern, greetings:" but mailed it at State expense. gOME extracts from the report: 'Tast experience has taught me to be conscientious, careful and particular in matters of public concern.

"Modern day business demanded a com- GO ROUND By Dreto Pearson ADMINISTRATION leaders are handing orchids to Senator George of Georgia for the fair and efficient manner in which he piloted the lease-lend bill through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. A skilled lawyer, George let the opposition put on their best witness (Lindbergh) first, and saved his best witness (Willkie) until last. It was largely due to his efforts that the committee vote was 15 to 8 instead of 13 to 10, as expected. Most surprising vote in the committee was that of ebullient Senator Bob Reynolds of North Carolina. All during the committee hearings Reynolds' cross-questioning of witnesses followed an anti-British vein.

But when Senator George called the roll, Reynolds responded: "For the bill with reservations." "Are you voting yes or no?" asked Chairman George. "Yes with reservation replied Reynolds. "Yes or no?" insisted the Senator from Georgia. "Yes," replied the Senator from North Carolina. CALIFORNIA no longer has a copyright on the "Grapes of Wrath." Its drama is being re-enacted the country over as a great footloose army of migrant workers moves on defense centers in quest of jobs.

Senator Bob Reynolds his vote was a surprise I The sharp, slender blade of the Chinese dagger gleamed in the lamplight. Walt's hand trembled as he gripped its carved ivory handle then he adjusted a blindfold over his eyes stepped into the center, of a floor carefully covered with newspapers and began turning 'round and 'round the gleaming Chinese dagger held high in the air Such strange behavior deserves an explanation. Let it be pointed out at once that Walt was not crazy. Nor was he dangerous in spite of his menacing appearance at the moment, as he stood blindfolded in the center of the room with a deadly Chinese dagger poised in his hand No, Walt was neither crazy, nor dangerous. Welt was just lonely! We realize that there are lots of lonely people in the world and we're thankful that they don't go wandering around blindfolded with Chinese daggers in their hands, as Walt was doing at the moment.

Except for that, almost all lonely people are just like Walt. They are lonely because they are unpopular and they are unpopular because they are always gloomy and unpleasant. They never have any friends because they don't add to other folk's enjoyment of life they don't bring happiness and good cheer into the lives of others. That's why Walt was unpopular. He had gotten himself so thoroughly disliked by being gloomy himself turned around several times and was now ready to throw the Chinese dagger at the newspapers spread over the floor.

The dagger would stick through some news article and Walt would go to whatever place was described in that article England, or Africa, or Japan, or New York, or somewhere and start life over again! He raised the dagger high in the air and threw it point-down at the newspaper pages spread over the floor! Excitedly he removed his blindfold and knelt beside the Chinese dagger to read the article which would determine his future The dagger had pierced the center of an article which read "The secret of popularity is cheerfulness Nobody likes a gloomyglum. The way to win friends is to keep cheerful yourself and bring good cheer into the lives of others. "The best kind of folks are cheerful folks they cheer you up! The best kind of beer is cheerful beer Oertels '92 it cheers you up! Keep refreshed and keep cheerful with Oertels '92 and get more fun out of life So Walt didn't leave town. He had learned Life's greatest lesson that happiness is not the result of WHERE you are, it is the result of WHAT you are Walt became the most cheerful, friendly man in town and the most popular. Everybody always has a good time at Walt's house now and if you go there, Walt will serve you cheerful Oertels 92 and show you the Ch inese dagger which pointed the way to popularity and happiness! THE MERRY Washington.

most important amendment to the lease-lend bill was introduced in the House by Republican Representative Charles Dewey of Chicago, who was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury under CooHdge. Spurned by the Administration, it is now being taken up by wiser Democratic leaders in the Senate. By the Dewey amendment, Britain would turn over to the U. S. A.

for safe-keeping all her stocks and bonds in- Dewey suggests change vested in South American railroads, meat docks, electric light companies, street railways, etc. British investments in this area are tremendous. It was the British who developed Argentina and still own a large part of it. And should Britain be defeated, nothing would give Hitler an easier and quicker excuse to flaunt the Monroe Doctrine than taking over these vast interests from the British. Then he would have an American-made excuse for landing the marines.

Important fact is that South Americans dread such a possibility and are the strongest rooters for the Dewey amendment. However, the State Department has done nothing. LMOST every day recently the stock market has dipped one dollar, two dollars lower. Meanwhile industrial production is enjoying the biggest boom since 1917. Insiders give two reasons for this: 1.

The large number of British stocks which the traders know must be liquidated. As long as they hang over the market, prices are bound to be low. 2. The imminence of the concerted Hitler attack and doubt as to what is ahead for the British Empire. The experts have no doubt and this view is widely held in Wall Street that if the British Empire falls, all Europe and Africa will be in the hands of Hitler; with 11 Asia and possibly Australia in the bands cf Japan.

4H and Robert S. Allen It is one of the most serious problems faced by defense executives. Yet they have done relatively little about it. Over 3,000,000 destitutes, mainly from rural sections, have hit the road in the last six months looking for defense jobs. Seven cities alone Charlestown, Corpus Christi and Orange, Texas; Radford, Detroit, Boston and the Norfolk-Newport News, area have attracted more than 250,000.

Only a fraction find steady employment. The rest eke out a half-starved, hand-to-mouth existence, depending largely on odd jobs and private charity. Many States have "settlement laws" which bar migrants from relief until they have lived a certain length of time in the State. An example of what footloose job-hunters are up against is the Lockheed aircraft plant at Burbank, where the average weekly number of job applicants is 2,050, of which 1,450 are turned down for lack of training. Lockheed officials estimate 75 per cent of those rejected are from outside the State.

The unemployment crisis is so acute in some Texas towns, where cantonment construction is under way, that migrants assemble each day in "bull pens" (vacant lots) to be hired. A "bull pen" in Brown-wood, Texas, site of a National Guard camp, averages from 500 to 1,000 Jobless a day. Living conditions of the tent-town wayfarers are unbelievably bad and, due to housing shortages, are not much better for those lucky enough to find work. At Mineral Wells, Texai, where Camp Walters is located, many workmen sleep in crowded dormitories, equipped with one shower, four water faucets and one toilet for sixty men. United States Public Health officials are at a loss to explain why the lack of proper sanitation among defense migrants has not resulted in widespread disease.

However, only two minor epidemics of flu, in Louisiana and Texas, have been reported so far. Note The Social Security Board has been urging employers not to solicit workers outside their community until local offices of the U. S. Employment Service have had a chance to fill requirements. Copyright.

fji) and unpleasant that he had decided to leave town. Where to go? Walt didn't know I He didn't even care! So he would let Fate decide That's why he had carefully spread the evening newspaper over the floor had taken the Chinese dagger from his collection of curios blindfolded mm (Til (I hM (i V' ULJIIO i CHEER IP CLUB Sponsored by the dlUll BREWING INCORrOIATID. LOUISVILll. II, OIRTIk BREWING.