Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume], October 29, 1942, SECTION B, Page 11, Image 19

About Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1931-1948

Image provided by: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library, Chapel Hill, NC

                
A FATHER’S FAREWELL
TO HIS SOLDIER SON
(BiU is William H. Purcell, Jr.,
son of W. Henson Purcell,
managing editor of the Daily
American, West Frankfort, III.
This article is reprinted from,
the Daily American of March
9, 191,2.)
WELL BILL, your number is up.
You are going to the army. There
is a job of serious, nasty, uncivil
ized business to be taken care of
and you have been assigned a part
in it.
The task is unpleasant, repul
sive. The assignment is different
to anything that you had planned.
Yet, it is a privilege as well as a
responsibility. For only Ameri
cans — the finest of the nation’s
manhood — are eligible to march
with Uncle Sam’s armed citizenry
and to participate in this grim
game of war.
There is, now, but one thing to
do. Make the most of it. Be a
soldier in every sense oi me
word.
I told you, as a little curly
headed boy, when you started to
school, that I wanted you to en
deavor always to be the best in
your classes. I had no idea that
you would achieve that distinction.
I had not been that calibre of
student before you. But that kind
of aiming never has a bad effect
on the score.
Then, when you grew up and
were thinking of your first job, 11
told you that, even though you
were employed at nothing more
important than ditch-digging, I
wanted you to try to be the best
ditch-digger on the job. I had no
idea that you would achieve such
top-rank standing in your chosen
vocation. I had not. but ambi
tion and the will to get ahead
never kept anybody down.
Now7 as you march with mil
lions of other sons from millions
of other American homes, I
want you to put all that you have
into this business of soldiering.
It matters not whether you ever
wear bars or stars if you are man
enough to be a good soldier. And
fe-———
being a good soldier means more
than drilling and marching and
fighting —and dying.
It means lining — in a man’s
world — as a man should live.
There is an inclination on the
part of too many men, once they
are in the army — away from the
influences of home and family and
reputation — to cut loose, go the
gaits. There is in the army, as in
civilian life, every type of manhood
and of every social strata. Every
man is on his own. The choice
is yours.
Men, like water, ultimately seek
their own level — in the army as
elsewhere. Don’t lower your
standards, Bill.
Then, there is the matter of
soldiering. The fellows who have
difficulty with army life are those
wno reiuse to adjust tnemseives
to the rigid discipline that, al
though quite stern and harsh, is
as necessary as are guns and tanks
and planes. The “yes, sir" men
are those who get along in the
army.
To attempt to buck the game is
folly. The army is bigger than
any man in it. Failure to become
a working part of it is the worst
mistake any soldier can make.
Army life is not easy. To culti
vate a mental feeling of resent
ment and self pity can only make
it more difficult. That is true of
any station in life.
So, I hope, Bill, that you will be
able to accept your lot in this grim
business as just another chapter
in life's exacting school of exper
ience and endeavor to get out of
it something worth while; some
thing that will help in the years
ahead.
You can always find that some
thing if you search diligently for
it. Never cease searching.
I am saying these things to
you — not because you are differ
ent to the millions of other young
men who have gone and are going
out to engage in this world contest
in death — but because you are of
my own flesh and blood.
Because, man though you are,
you will ever be that little boy of
mine.
The uniform that will shortly be
issued to you stands for the high
and noble principles upon which
this nation was founded and has
since existed — principles that, to
much of the rest of the world, are
unknown. It stands for freedom
among men and nations; the right
to live and the will to let live. It
stands for humanity, civilization,
It has never gone to war except
in defense of the principles for
which it stands. It has never gone
on a rampage of conquest or op
pression. That uniform, Bill, is
the hope of Old Glory and 130
million Americans. It is the hope
of civilization. Wear it proudly.
I remember well that day, almost
twenty-four years ago, when,
while sitting in a lecture period at
Camp Gordon, I was handed a
telegram that announced that you
had made me a father. I was the
soldier, then. You were the war
baby.
I remember the day, four months
later, when I gazed for the first
time upon your face. I remember
every day of your life since that
time. I shall watch — and pray
— every anxious day for your
safe return.
When you have a son of your
own some day, as I hope you shall,
you will know what I mean. I
hope your going to the army will
be more successful in freeing
your sons from the scourge of war
than was mine for you.
There are two things that I
want to give you, Bill, as you go
to join other fathers’ sons in this
business of killing, from which
God alone knows whether you will
return.
Both went with me into the ar
my twenty-five years ago.
One is a khaki-covered textbook
on military methods and soldiery.
Peruse its pages and endeavor to
master the art of being a good
soldier. It may not bring you
promotions and high honors for
there are in the army, after all,
more mere men than anything
else. But it will bring to you the
satisfaction or doing well what
ever you do. It will help you to
learn more quickly what is ex
pected of a good soldier.
The other, also khaki-covered, is
a Bible. Don’t feel that to take
it is being sissy. There will no
doubt be times when just to hold
it in y^ ur hand will bring a mys
terious comfort. I confess that I
read it but little while I was in
uniform. Yet there were times
when its nearness — the know
ledge that it had stood the test
of all time and countless other
wars — seemed to sort of satisfy
my longing for you and Mom —
lull my homesickness for all the
peaceful ways of life that had
been disrupted by war.
Take them, Bill, and use them.
Make the most of the army and
come back a better man than
when you left. There is, you know,
a personal as well as a national
victory to be won.
It seems a bit silly, doesn’t it,
to send you away with a gun in one
hand and a Bible in the other?
-2
The gun to kill. The Bible: ‘‘Thou
Shalt Not.” There is no explana
tion except that the gun appears
for the present to be necessary
to our national security. The Bible
has ever been our hope of eternal
security.
Learn to use the gun, Bill, but
rely, finally, upon the Bible.
And may the Good Lord — al
though I confess it is a big as
signment — watch over and keep
you, and those who go with you
as the guardians of American
freedom, until the day — and may
He speed the day — when we shall
thank God for peace and a safe
homecoming.
So long, Bill.
HALIFAX WOMAN’S CLUB
The Woman’s Club of Halifax
met Thursday afternoon at the
home of Mrs. Z. T. Cox. Hostess
es for the club were Mesdames
Z. T. Cox, J. A. Dickens and Jes
sie Shearin. During the business
session Mrs. V. C. Matthews was
elected president to succeed Mrs.
Cox, who leaves soon to make her
home in Rocky Mount. The pro
gram was under the supervision
of Mrs. Florence Cox, County
Home Demonstration Agent, who
discussed renovating old clothes.
Mrs. Cox demonstrated her talk
and also showed pictures and de
signs of dresses — new and re
novated. At the end of the pro
gram Mrs. Z. T. Cox, the outgoing
president, was presented a mis
cellaneous shower. Mrs. Caswell
Shaw made the presentation. The
hostesses served coffee, toasted
nuts and sandwiches to the 22
members present.
i
DON'T
leave your tires
on the pavement!
When wheels are out-of-line—
your tires suffer. Wheels that
wobble and shimmy grind away
rubber. These and other mis
alined conditions eat the tread
away. Thus every mile you
drive, small particles of rubber
are left behind on the pavement.
You can save your tires—get
more mileage and save money
by having your wheel alinement
inspected at our shop on genu
ine Bear Wheel Alinement E
quipment. This service not only
saves you money but offers
greater comfort, easy steering
and safety, too. Drive in today.
Identify our shop by
this Happy Bear sign.
BRICKELL
MOTOR CO,
WRECKER SERVICE
Dial R-414-1
STATEMENT
PACIFIC MUTUAL LIFE (ACCIDENT DEPT.)
INSURANCE COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
Condition December 31, 1941, as shown by statement filed.
Amount of Capital paid up in cash — See Corporate Account
Amount of Ledger Assets December 31st of previous year,$25,737.844.79
Income—From Policyholders, $4,901,047.67; Miscellaneous,
$1,272,142.21; Total _ 6,173,189.88
Disbursements—To Policyholders, $3,471,020.66; Miscellan
eous, $3,418,683.68; Total _ 6,889,704.34
ASSETS
Value of Real Estate _ 3,229,917.52
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate -- 13,669,198.22
Loans secured by pledge of Bonds, Stocks, or other
collateral _ 210,000.00
Value of Bonds and Stocks - 6,838,311.09
Deposits in Trust Companies and Banks not on interest _ 164,427.25
Depostits in Trust Companies and Banks on interest- 25,000.00
Premiums in course of Collection - 821.021.90
Interest and Rents due and accrued - 199,275.88
Bills Receivable _ 11,031.10
All other Assets, as detailed in statement- 52,423.25
Total _$25,220,606.21
Less Assets not admitted _ 222,856.15
Total admitted Assets _$24,997,750.06
LIABILITIES
Unpaid Claims _$17,045,607.00
Expense, Investigation, and Adjustment of Claims - 828,207.00
Unearned Premiums _ 1,352,644.00
Commission, Brokerage, and other charges due - 203,952.82
Salaries, Rents, Expenses, Bills, Accounts, Fees, etc.,
due or accrued _ 69,941.00
Estimated amount of Federal, State, county, and municipal
taxes _ 140,524.00
All other Liabilities, as detailed in statement_ 5,356,874.24
Total amount of all Liabilities except
Capital __,_—$24,997,750.06
Capital paid up — See Corporate Account
Total Liabilities _$24,997,750.06
Business in North Carolina during 1941
Accident Premiums Received _$21,537.; Losses Paid __$11,377.
Health Premiums Received _ 6,266.; Losses Paid — 7,576.
Non-eancellable accident and
health premiums received _ 37,353.; Losses Paid — 77,672.
Total Premiums Received _$65,156.; Losses Paid __$96,625.
President, A. N. Kemp Secretary, Russell Harriman
Treasurer, Howard S. Dudley
Home Office, 523 W. 6th St., Los Angeles, Calif.
Attorney for service: DAN C. BONEY, Insurance Commissioner, Ra
leigh, N. C.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT
Raleigh, March 16th, 1942
I, DAN C. BONEY, Insurance Commissioner, do hereby certify
that the above is. a true and correct abstract of the statement of he
Pacific Mutual Life (Accident Dept.) Insurance Company, of Los An
geles, Calif., filed with this Department, showing the condition of
said Company on the 31st day of December, 1941.
Witness my hand and official seal, the day and date above
written.
(SEAL)- DAN C. BONEY, Insurance Commissioner
STATEMENT
PENNSYLVANIA CASUALTY COMPANY
LANCASTER, PA.
Condition December 31, 1941, as shown by statement filed.
Amount of Capital paid up in cash _$ 400,000.00
Amount of Ledger Assets December 31st of previous year,
$2,470,900.47; Increase of Capital during year,
$50,000.00; Total _ 2,520,900.47
Income—From Policyholders, $4,988,494.04; Miscellaneous,
$90,737.06; Total _ 5,079,231.10
Disbursements—To Policyholders, $2,616,986.62; Miscellan
eous, $2,062,010.12; Total _ 4,678,996.74
ASSETS
Value of Real Estate _$ 126,115.00
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate _ 15,000.00
Value of Bonds and Stocks _ 1,452,505.65
Cash in Company’s Office _ 35,680.25
Deposits in Trust Companies and Banks not on interest_ 316,993.56
Premiums in course of Collection _ 826,757.82
Interest and Rents due and accrued _ 12,314.53
Bills Receivable _ 9,763.12
All other Assets, as detailed in statement _ 139,005.43
Total _$2,934,135.36
Less Assets not admitted _ 168,045.07
Total admitted Assets _$2,766,090.29
LIABILITIES
Unpaid Claims _$ 960,876.59
Expense, Investigation, and Adjustment of Claims _ 10,543.66
Unearned Premiums _ 802.979.72
Commission, Brokerage, and other charges due _ 140,160.87
Salaries, Rents, Expenses, Bills, Accounts, Fees, etc.,
due or accrued _ 2,500.00
Estimated amount of Federal, State, county, and municipal
taxes _ 98,000.00
All other Liabilities, as detailed in statement_ 51,029.45
Total amount of all Liabilities except
Capital _$2,066,090.29
Capital paid up _$400,000.00
Surplus over all Liabilities _ 300,000.00
Surplus as regards Policyholders_ 700,000.00
Total Liabilities _$2,766,090.29
Business in North Carolina during 1941
Accident & Health Premiums
Received -$68,013.; Losses Paid __$ 56,422.
Auto Liability Premiums Received_220,619.; Losses Paid_ 98,079.
Liability other than auto Premiums
Received _ 16.
Auto Property damage Premiums
Received - 98,690.; Losses Paid_ 56,563.
Auto Collision Premiums Received_ 127.
Totals, Premiums Received_$387,465.; Losses Paid __$211,065.
President, Howard W. Body Secretary, Chas. H. Koch
Treasurer, Walter Kramer
Home Office, 228 E. Orange St., Lancaster, Pa.
Attorney for service: DAN C. BONEY, Insurance Commissioner, Ra
leigh, N. C.
STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT
Raleigh, March 2nd, 1942
I, DAN C. BONEY, Insurance Commissioner, do hereby certify
that the above is a true and correct abstract of the statement of the
Pennsylvania Casualty Company, of Lancaster, Pa., filed with this
Department, showing the condition of said Company on the 31st day
of December, 1941.
Witness my hand and official seal, the day and date above
written.
(SEAL) DAN C. BONEY, Insurance Commissioner