Brilliant Parade, Talk By Dozier Are Features of All-Day Festival

Photographs of Cotton Festival on Page Five-B.

BY JOHN A. MONTGOMERY
(Staff Correspondent)

Camden, October. 12 – Coming on the heels of announcements that South Carolina’s lint yield was expected to establish a record of 350 pounds an acre this year, this famous resorts city and the rest of Kershaw County joined hands today with the rest of the state in paying homage to King Cotton.

With Miss Emily Zemp reigning as queen, the second annual Camden and Kershaw county cotton festival attracted thousands who participated in the festivities of the occasion, which included a Rotary guest luncheon with the principal address by Gen. James C. Dozier, adjutant general of South Carolina, on the position of American in world affairs, and a gorgeous parade.

Droning airplanes scattering showers of colored confetti, exquisite floats, beautiful girls, martial music from three uniformed bands, polo players astride their mounts, carriage of ante-bellum days, the queen and her lovely court and other units combined in the picturesque procession.

Events of the day started at 10 o’clock this morning when Farmer-Mayor Nicholas P. Gettys of Lugoff and his council of farmers took over the city. Then followed a hog calling contest, a husband calling contest, races for fat men and stout women, a water fight between policemen and firemen and a ball that brought the program to a happy conclusion.

The parade, two and a half miles long, was one of the most elaborate ever witnessed in Camden. The Lancaster high school band led one division, the Charleston police band, one and the University of South Carolina band, one.

Winner in the float divisions were: Agricultural, South Carolina State farm; rural Community division, Red Cross, first, and Kershaw Council of Farm Women, second: organization, Camden Garden Club, first, and Junior Welfare league, second, with the Boy Scouts getting honorable mention; miscellaneous. Kershaw County Tuberculosis association, first, and United Daughters of the Confederacy, second.

Winners in the window decoration contest were: The Fashion shop, first; Belks, second, The Outlook shop, third.

At the guest luncheon, sponsored by the Camden Rotary club, General Dozier, who was awarded the congressional medal for valor and bravery in the World war, declared, “In the United States we can meet together in fellowship like this, we can preserve our traditions, serve our country and look to our president and our government to lead us in the right direction. Let’s not jump at conclusions; we are 3,000 miles away from the European war and we can stay neutral.”

General Dozier pointed out that with the United States, in agreement with other nations, had sunk its own battleships with its own guns after the World war, which it fought for the purpose of preserving democracy. Other nations, instead of disarming as agreed, laughed at the “foolishness” of Uncle Sam and continued their programs of armament and training.

In the light of this experience, General Dozier said he was a strong advocate of a strong national defense. He said that he did not favor a big standing army, but that he did favor the training of young men so that they would be able to protect themselves and not be caught unprepared as they were in the last war.

He condemned Fritz Kuhn, the bund leader, and others who were taking refuge behind American citizenship to promote anti-American activities in the United States, saying he believed in the expulsion of all persons of similar characters and intentions. These un-American aliens give a foreign salute and use Old Glory for an office floor mat, the speaker said.

General Dozier pointed out that the star of power had visited many people during history; The Babylonians, Syrians, Mongolians, Huns, Romans, and finally, in the 17th century, Great Britain; but during the World war, which Uncle Sam entered as a giant wrapped in swaddling clothes, the star of power moved over the United States.

“Let us keep it there,” he said, “and by the example of peace show the rest of the world the strength of democracy.”

General Dozier indicated that he considered repeal of the arms embargo as the best road to maintenance of neutrality. He pointed out that Germany and other countries were now fighting with weapons of United States manufacture and design, that three-fourths of Japan’s munitions used against “the poor Chinese” came from this country. Spain, he said, was used as a proving ground for new implements of war.

General Dozier was introduced by Senator M. M. Johnson of Kershaw county. Henry G. Carrison presided over the program part of the meeting. Jack Whitaker, Rotary president, was presiding officer for the luncheon.

Mayor F. N. McCorkle of Camden welcome the visitors. He said that Camden and Kershaw hoped to make the Annual Cotton festival a statewide affair.

N. P. Gettys, farmer-mayor, advocated the county’s raising all the foodstuffs it could to supply its home needs. He introduced the members of his council; B. C. Jones of Liberty Hill, J. B. McCoy of Camden, R. F. D., W. A. Boykin of Boykin, M. G. King of Bethune and L. P. Rose of Blaney, and Farmer-Police Chief D. G. McLeod of Blaney, Councilman J. W. Sowell of Kershaw was the only absentee.

Congressman James P. Richards spoke briefly, congratulating those in charge of the festival and contrasting the strife of Europe and the peace of this country.

Senator Jeff Bates of Columbia brought a word of greeting from Richland county.

Mayor L. B. Owens of Columbia said he believed that Camden and Kershaw, by promoting the festival, had done much to increase the yield of cotton in this state. He advocated the donation of prizes to counties and individuals for high lint yields.

Mayor Robert Frazer of Chester said he hoped to see the Cotton festival grow into proportions of “another Mardi Gras.”

Kershaw County Representatives Estridge and Clyburn spoke briefly and called attention to the many improvements made in Camden in the last quarter of a century.

Dr. J. Rion McKissick, president of the University of South Carolina, Dr. E. M. Gwathmey, president of Converse college, and a number of other guests were introduced.

Largely through the efforts of Frank H. Heath, secretary of the Camden chamber of commerce, the annual Cotton festival was inaugurated last year. This year’s event even eclipsed last year’s splendid program and gave promise of continued growth in future years.