f OATHmi J. MOTOnCAlK MOTS

OUT of the MAILBAG Co. B, 31st Inf. Tmg. Bn. 2d Platoon Camp Croft, S. C.

Dear News: I thought I would write and tell

you how mudi I £^preciate your sending me the paper. It sure makes me lo(^ foiward to mail call Tuesday morning.

There are several other Dela-ware boys here and they like to read The News, too. By the time it has made the rounds the print is nearly read off.

The army sure hardens you up. A four or five mile hike is just a starter now and a lot of the boys have lost a couple of indies under the belt, although most of them haven't lost any weight.

Yours sincerely, Willis Sanford

Fort McClellan, Ala. May 14, 1942

Dear Folks: We had a great time last Sun-

day. About 1,400 soldiers of Fort McClellan were the invited guests of the combined diurdies of Birm-ingham on Mother's day. I was lucky enough to be one of the twenty chosen from my company. Seventy army trudcs with twenty men eadi set out on the sixty-mile trip about six a. m., after mess.

Every city and village along the route turned out and cheered them-selves hoarse as we passed through. In Birmingham (300,000 pop.) thousands lined the streets and did the same thing. We went through the city to the Legion stadium where we left the trucks and were picked up by hundreds of cars and taken to private hcwnes.

A sergeant and I were lucky enough to be taken by a Mr. Alex-ander, who is a retired detective of the Birmingham police force. He is about 55 years old. His wife is about the same age.and just as nice as he is. ,We visited awhile and then all of us went to the West End Baptist church of Birmingham. It is a huge and beautiful church. It was filled to the doors. As we went in the young: ladies of the church pinned a nice big red rose on eadi soldier. The services were good but what a choir they had! There were about thirty in it. I'll bet that I shook hands with 200 people.

We then returned to the Alex-ander home, which, by the way, is as pretty a sany ia Birmingham, and the city as a whole is nice. The Alexanders had invited in two young ladies (about 25) and good looking to dine with us. What a feed— fried chicken, brown gravy, ri^, sweet potatoes, salad, scal-loped com, biscuits, strawberry shortcake with whipped cream and many other things too numerous to mention. They tiave a colored cook but the Mrs. did most of the cooking. We ate so much we could scarce)^ leave the table. Mrs. Alexander called us "mah" boys.

After dinner the Alexanders told the young ladies to take the car and show us the dty. We saw the huge blast furnaces in opera-ti<m, the big hotels of the city, the ritzy district and the Jefferson county court house and also the huge statue of Vulcan. We <dimbed to the top erf Vulcan from where you can get a beautiful view of Birmingham.

We were ordered to be back at the stadium by 5 p. m., so at 4:30 p. m, we were taken by our hosts and after bidding them goodbye we got back in our trudcs and with a bi gpolice escort started bade to the fort. In each truck there was a corporal to keep order and also many sergeants and lieuten-ants who commanded the trip.

Sincerely, Bob Russell

Station WZI, Post Fidd Fort Sill, Okla. May 21, 1942

Dear News: As I stepped out of the day

room last Friday afternoon at Morrison Field I was sharply spoken to by another sdldfer. Eagerly as I was trying to open one of the letters frran home the speaker infcomed me that I was to report to the orderly room at one o'dock. That I did to leam I was to leave for Duncan Field, Texas, the next nK»ning with 13 (nice number) other solmer. And so it was that we left sunny Florida.

CXu* trip was another of those tiresome cross-country jaunts. As we approached San Antmiio, Texas,

were put hig^ spirits by the sis^t of tiie pride of tiie air corps

—^Randolph Field. Arriving at San Antonio in mid-aftemoon we waited for our army bus (truck) to come to take us to Duncan Fidd. Here we were due two surprises. First by the fact that KeUy Field, where advanced cadet training is taken, was just across the road from us. Our other sur-prise came when we were informed that we would be leaving that very night for another field. We were given our supper and time for a good shower. Then we were off again. This time we were split up and only eight of us set out for Post Field, a part of Fort Sill, Okla. We arrived late Tuesday aftemowi, tired and glad to be well taken care of at once.

At the preswit we are'learning to pun the strings in a radio sta-tion. I still have the good fortune to- have a fellow here with me who started in school with me at Scott Field. We've been together all this time and hope we can still stidc together.

Until something of more im-portance takes place Fll say good night and good luck. I (»ily hope your paper continues to readi all the other fellows in camp as it has me. As ever.

Pvt. Stan Barber P. S. I saw the first mountain Tuesday that I have seen since I left New York state last October. They sure look good.

A&P Lowers Earning Rate; Volume Rises

Net earnings of the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea company, for the fiscal year ended Feb. 28, 1942, were $16,744,222 after charges, including federal income tax of $11,900,000, John A. Hart-ford, president, reported to stock-holders today. These earnings were 8.68 per cent lower than the net of $18,336,617 after charges including federal taxes of $7,100,-000 reported last year.

While gross sales increased to $1,378,147,240 from $1,115,774,058 for the preceding year, the net earnings rate declined for the third successive year to 1.21 per cent, as compared with 1.64 per cent last year and 1.88 per cent in 1940.

"The further decline in the net earnings rate is directly attributa-ble to the company policy of using savings achieved through greater operating effidency to lower prices to consumers, raise wages of employes and increase returns to farmers and other suppliers," Mr. Hartford said. "In spite of increased taxes, wages and returns to growers, the company was able to effect several reductions in its gross profit rate during the year to the point where our customers are continuing to enjoy the lowest retail prices in relation to our costs in the history of the grocery industry."

Attributing the lowering of the markup to further elimination of costly handling (qi^ations and re-ductions of waste and spoilage, Mr. Hartford dted as an example an 11 per cent increase over the preceding year in the direct de-livery of food to retail outlets from packing or processing plants or rail unload points.

FLETCHER DOIG, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Doig of Andes. He is a member of Co. A, 106th Inf., APO 41726, care of Postmaster, San Francisco. —^Photo Ctourtesy Walton Reporter

<Sid' Would Enlist Sidney A. Kelly, aged 76 years,

one of , Margaretville's oldest soldiers, asserts that "We've got to win this war, and if I could, would go and help them out." He was an Indian fighter in the days of Sitting Bull. He enlisted in 1887 and went .in service at $12.50 per week, but before his enlistment ran out he was brought in the class at $40. When but a lad of 19rhe served under CSeneral Miles, Buffalo Bill scouted for him. He was also under Col. William R. Shafter, who fought with Theo-dore Roosevelt in the Philippines. Sid says, "How that man could swear." He is now a veteran mail carrier on the Margaretville-Dun-raven-New Kingston star route. Sid is never sick and does not smoke "only when sitting arouhd." But he says he does like to chew. Sidney Kelly was' bom in 1866 at Dry Brook. He was married to Margaret Waterman of Ashland, who is still living and active as well as her husband.—Stamford Mirror.

Given First Aid Certilicates The following pepide have been

awarded the >^erican Red CIross advanced first aid certificates:

Katherine Adcerly, Kelly Cor-ners; Philip Bley, Margaretville; William Fox, Fleisdimanns; Har-rtd GkxxJridi, Margaretville; Mrs. Pearl Griffin, Pine Hill; Doris Halstead, Piiie Hill; Bertha Hub-bell, Kelly Corners; Lyndon Kdly, Fleischmazins; C^wford Lasher, Fleisdimanns; Helen Longhi, Pine Hill; aara Norton, Pine Hill; Don-ald Neff, MargaretviUe; Helen Riley, IDghmount; Clarence Rowe, Big Indian; Gerald Saddlemire, Margaretville; Vera Smith, Pine Hill; Amcdd WiUiams, Fleisdi-manns.

Card of Thanks I want to thank aU that helped

me and my wife during my recent illness in the Margaretville hospi-tal; doctors, nurses, donors of blood, also for the beautiful flowers and excellent food. Sin-cerely your frioods,

miiry C Meeker and Wlf^

Undergoes Operatton Mrs. Ward E. Roberts of this

village was taken seriously ill Sat-urday morning. Dr. Gilbert Palen of Margaretville was called and took her to the Margaretville hos-pitaf for an operation for strangu-lated hernia. She. was operated on Saturday afternoon and is making a satisfactory recovery. Her daughter, Mrs. Albert Widc-ham of New Kingst(Hi, is taking care of the home. — Halcottville Cor.

In Advanced F l y ^ S^iool Pilot Cadet E. W. Johnson Jr.,

son of Mr. and Mrs.^E. W. John-son of Margaret>dlle, has reported to the Air Corps advanced flying school at Turner Field for the final stage of training as an avia-tion cadet.

You Can Purchase

New Gas Stoves With Federal Approval

WE WILL BE GLAD TO OFFER OUR ADVICE WITHOUT CHARGE

We have New Gas Ranges in stock

Also two Used Gas Ranges

One New Gas Refrigerator, oper-ated without electricity. It can be installed anywhere. You may have modern refrigeration in your kitchen — even though far from electric current

MARGARETVILLE ELECTRIC & GAS COMPANY

Margaretville

DINE AND DANCE AT

KASS' BAR and GRILL On Rente 80, Between Margaretville and Kelly Ck)men

EVERY SATURDAY EVENING BURT PEASE and His Orchestra

BALLANTINE BEER AND ALE ON TAP No SDnlmnm or Govw Charge Bound and Square Dancing

The Pakatakan Golf Course Opens for the Season May 29

Wc have a limited supply of new golf balls on liand and in June Spalding & Bros, will' send us our order of reprocessed balls as soon as they come in.

THE GOLF COMMITTEE

• ? !

The News One Year for $1^

DKORATION DAY DANCE Satuitlay, May 30,1942

THE TAVERN O U V B I E A , N E W Y O R K

at

Music by Catskill Mt Hill Billies No Cover - DINE, WINE, DANCE - No Minimum

m mittm Hi