The
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LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
Proud Men
One cannot escape the feeling, when
viewing units of the area National
Guard, the fact that they are proud men.
Their conduct, their efficiency and
their confidence in themselves is an
obvious credit to them and to the three
communities they call home.
At Ft. Sill this week, we had an op
portunity to witness first hand, the
activities of these citizen-soldiers. In
a setting filled with historical army
lore, where soldiering is a profession,
the men from the Fifth Rocket Battalion
are standing their own with the best of
them.
The officers and men from Louis
burg, Youngsville and Zebulon and the
officials from State Division Head
quarters are carrying out the traditions
of long standing, of service to their
country.
The delicate, complicated job of
firing a modern day electronic missile
would tax the resources of any man,
even those who would make a career of
such activities. It is especially re
warding to note that those who make
their living in varied ways, far afield of
rockets, computers and logistics, are
nevertheless proficient in their assigned
duties.
Certainly it is hoped the Fifth Roc
ket Battalion is never needed to bolster
our armed forces, but it is comforting
to know that when and if they are need
ed, they will be ready.
The area is proud of these men, who,
justifiably, are proud of themselves.
Our Land Is Green
"Here's to the land of the longleaf pine,
The summer land where the sun doth
shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the
strong grow great,
Here's to "down home", the Old North
State!
If one word could be cued to describe
North Carolina, the word would have to
be "Green." The beautiful trees which
adorn every nook and cranny of the Old
North State are too often taken for grant
ed.
Flying over Tennessee, Arkansas,
and Oklahoma, one cannot help but no
tice the difference between these states
and North Carolina. The difference is
trees.
Miles and miles of barren brown land
is vi sable in these states where only a
few patches of open land can be seen
while passing over North Carolina.
Whether we ever stop to contemplate
the blessing of our green land or not,
trees, shrubbery and nature's growth Is
a blessing in North Carolina.
Our rivers are filled, even in times of
drought where rivers in other states are
dry. Bridges span dry river beds in
Oklahoma. The land is dead. As dry
as it has been, North Carolina is bless
ed with its natural resources of land,
water and trees.
Sometimes one must leave home to
really appreciate it. Here's to "down
home", the Old North State.
NATIONAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
Tire Standards
It is gratifying to see Congress
finally acting to establish uniform
standards for tires. If this were the
only benefit to derive from the recent
publicity ftirorover automobile safety
the nation would gain much.
Whereas in some countries safety
standards have been in force for
years, the great American market has
been an unregulated frontier, and
this is a case where federal regula
tion is desirable and needed.
For decades tire manufacturers
have been bombarding the public
year after year with "sensational"
new tires which allegedly double
milage. If all the claims were true*
if tire milage had been doubled
every time the advertisements made
that claim, our tires would not be
running 200,000 miles.
We have all kinds of tires ai d
false claims on the market and
the right one Ibr one's automobile
is no longer simple. Moreover, there
should be certain minimum safety
standards, a means whereby the cus
tomer can distinguish grades easily ?
better than the present system in
which just about every manufactuer
has his own set of labels represent
ing grades, grades which may or may
no correspond to other lines.
Dangerous tires should not be al
lowed on the market In some coun
tries tire inspections are mandatory
(and in some states) and worn tires,
without enough tread to be safe, are
rejected. In some countries one's
collision insurance is not valid if
one continues to drive on rejected
tires. The U.S. public is entitled to
protection and straightforward grading
standards, also, and it is good to
see we might be getting both.
Cheers To Miss California
In California a young lass recently
demonstrated an independent mind ?
and it is good to see a beauty queen
withstand the trend and pressures
of the times.
Donna Coleen Dan wr was named
Misa California in the annual beauty
contest. Then, considering that she
would have given a year of her life
to public appearances, being used as
a publicity gimmick, and for other
purposes, etc., she declined the
title.
"I want to continue my education
and the type of life 1 have been lead*
ing," she told reporters and friends,
(She is ? very good student at Po
mona College.)
Cheers for Donna! Too many beauty
queens have been ruined and spoiled
by the fuss and fame made over
their physical endowments, which
are not, in themselves, overly im
portant. And in time they become
less and less of a consideration.
Unless the giri involved can adjust
to life and the change, after being
a sort of celebrity, disillusionment,
maladjustment and unhappiness often
result.
The Fra^fjin Times
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"Something Constructive From The Finger Pointing"
by Jesse Helms
It may be that something construc
tive will yet emerge from the frenzy
of flnger-polntlng concerning the
alleged lack of quality In Negro edu
cation In NQfth Carolina. But so far
the dialogue^ such as It has been,
must surely have been depressing,
If not Insulting, to the Negro teachers
and school officials whose responsi
bility it has been to operate the
schools and colleges for the young
people of their race.
We have a feeling that these school
people are being short-changed In the
recognition due them. Certainly It
seems apparent that a great many
notable factors are being Ignored In
the ^analysis of stark statistics re
lating to declarations of alleged edu
cational Inadequacy of young Negroes.
It may seem easy to some for the
whole problem to be dismissed as
Weather Forecast
purely * result of lack of money and
because of racial segregation. Hit
that argument evaporates when on*
examines the number of successful
Negroes who are products of the
very educational system which Is
now being so severely criticized.
Indeed, the president of Shaw Uni
versity, Or. James E. Cheek, is
himself an Illustration that the Ne
gro public schools of North Caro
lina have offered an avenue for learn
ing. Dr. Cheek sprang from the dusty
roads and fields of Halifax County.
Somehow he was motivated to learn,
and to aspire to seek higher educa
tion. And It seems evident that he
was able to qualify for achievements
that, in all candor, elude all too many
young people of both races. But some
how the spark In James Cheeli was
struck by somebody, and since he is
a product of the days of limited
school funds and total segregation tn
North Carolina, it is apparent that
he was not deprived of an opportunity
to develop his mind.
The question, then, is what happened
to Dr. Cheek's schoolboy classmates?
They were taught by the same teachers
In the same schools. Was the dif
ference in family attitude? Qr was It
a matter of his possessing a superior
Intellect? If it was either, or both,
then obviously the root of the trouble
lies not with any unfairly assumed
inadequacy on the part of Negro
teachers nor with the State Board of
Education. It may be a painful con
frontation with truth, but herein may
lie the greatest challenge facing the
Negro citizens of our State.
The problem of poorly-prepared
Negro pupils is not likely to be
solved merely by the approprtationof
vast sums of money, and certainly not
by massive Integration of the public
schools. These are typical political
solutions, and no doubt they will con
tinue to be advanced by those who seek
easy answers to difficult problems.
But If Negroes really hope to achieve
equality ? which Is now no more than
a cruel political euphemism?then
they must decide and evaluate pre
cisely what It Is that they would be
equal to. And this must begin at the
core of Negro social consciousness?
or the lack of It. In short, It must
begin in the home. ,
This Is no simple thing to engender
In great masses of people. In fact,
evidence abounds that the white man
has not really begun to achieve it
either. This, then, Is not a conflict
between superiority and Inferiority.
Rather, It Is to be hoped that It may
ultimately become an honest search
for the best way to elevate one group
without resorting to the Illusory pro
cess of dragging down another.
We would say, therefore, that there
Is little virtue In broad, generalized
charges about the responsibility for
any educational deficiency that may
exist among the products of Negro
schools, or that segregation and eco
nomic deprivation, per se, have
caused It. Those who make such state
ments may sit comfortably In their
confidence that they cannot be speci
fically proved In error. But they none
theless risk painting themselves, and
much of the Negro race, Into a corner.
It may ultimately be a matter of
deciding which must come first, the
chicken or the egg. But somehow the
message must get across that per
sonal repsonslbllity Is the first step
on the stairway to opportunity. And
for men of any race In a civilized
society, personal responsibility must
begin In the home. And that Is about as
segregated as you can get.
Fad And Opinion
COLUMBIA, MBS., PRO
GRESS: "So far as we have been
able to observe, there are two
kinds of taxes: good taxes and
bad taxes. Good taxes are those
that are levied upon other people
and bad taxes are those that
make us pay. . . .if you will
thoroughly understand the dis
tinction that we make In regard
LBJ and Human Frailties
Reprinted from the Washington ( D.C .) News
SWhit* Home Prets Secretary Bill D. Moyers Jays President Johnson prefer*
talking to the public directly, via TV and radio, rather than thru a press conference.
According to Mr. Moyers, the press conference is too likely to be interpreted by
newsmen who are "subject to all the frailties of human nature."
The President also believes ? again according to Mr. Moyers ? that the press con
ference has become a "circus."
Furthermore, said Mr. Moyers in a television interview, "in Washington, the press
generally tends to write its opinion of a matter, and then seek out the facts for it."
He then admitted candidly that he plants questions with friendly newsmen on
subjects his boss wants to discuss.. He defended this practice on grounds that, after
| all, the Presidential press conference is only a "device ... for the President to say
^ what is on his mind."
A In other words, it is all right for the President to give a one-sided view of a
? problem, and for his Press Secretary to help this along by planting the questions.
? But it is all wrong for an experienced Washington reporter to follow this up with
his own interpretation of the situation.
If we said Mr. Moyers were trying to manage the news, presumably it would only
prove that we are "subject to all the frailties of huipan nature."
to taxes. . you will be able to
understand a great deal of the
squawking you hear."
DELMAR, DEL., WEEKLY:
"There Is no argument. . .
against a self-sustaining Post
Office Department, Ibut we sure
do wish that Washington would
take the same approach when It
comes to financing some of Its
other services. . . .Oh well. You
can't have everything. But you
do sort of wonder sometimes
about a system which doesn't
even flinch when It comes to
pay tog the freight on a c^sule
bound for an uninhabited, zlp
codeless place In space, but
gave up completely when It
came to maintaining the penny
post card."
LA PORTE, IND., HERALD
ARGVJS: "It Is suggested tHat
If the real enemy Is Inflation,
the source of the trouble Is the
bigness of government Itself.
And more massive fedeittl
spending programs are on the
launching pad. President John
son would be setting an example
by seeing that government cuts
back on nonessential handout
programs. But these are rather
popular politically."
A Trip To Oklahoma
Jackrabbits, Geronimo And The Fifth Battalion
There It was as big as life.
An Oklahoma Jackrabblt,
fitting proudly on the long
concrete runway, awaiting no
doubt, the arrival of the party
of North Carolina National
Guard Chiefs and newamen.
The temperature was 102 de
grees. The animal was
oblivious to this weather con
dition and we have an Idea
It couldn't have cared less
about the big plane, disturb
ing Its midday siesta
Four hours and thirty-two
minutes after leaving Ra
leigh-Durham Airport In a
drlule of rain, the party,\
led by Major General Claude
T, Bowers, Adjutant General
of North Carolina, touched .
down in the btg Air National
Guard Super Conatellatlon.
"Captain, you done good,"
said one of the newsmen to
Aircraft Commander William
D. Lackey of Charlotte, a
civilian cattleman. The trip
had been uneventful except for
what one newsman t&served
was, "very fine fellowship."
Staff Sgt. William T. Caton,
full-time Guards Airman of
Charlotte, trip Loadmaster,
acted as host to the group,
serving coffee and son drinks,
and on occasion, advising,
| "Fasten your seat belts."
Major Blaine B. Nash, was
Instructor Pilot of the craft
and Master Sgt, Wylte D. Lo
we ry and Master Sgt. Gary
, H. Lathan were the Flight
Engineers. Second Lt. Ro
bert B. TUl was also amoif
the orew as a student pilot.
All are members of the lMth
Military Airlift Squadron In
Charlotte. The same crew
,J returned the party to North
Carolina Wednesday,
Following lunch Tuesday, In
tlx swank officer's mess at
Fort Sill, the official' party
and newsmen were transport
ed around twenty-five miles
from the base to the site of
the Honest John Rocket firing.
To say that the trip ran
through dry, 'desolate Okla
homs country would be an
understatement. River and
streams were dry. One could
have sifted the sand off what
must have been, at one Mme,
running creeks. Huge bridges
spanned the expanses of the
dry creeks. Storm shelters
could be seen In practically
every yard. This Is tornado
country.
'Til never understand why
we fought the Indians for this,"
said one Jokester, from the
rear seat of the alr-condl
tloned limousine. "1 could
have a "food time on that golf
course," said another, as the
caravan passed a duffer's ha
ven ... a golf course without
trees.
"We plant that slse tree
for shrubbery back home,"
still another newsman re
marked, as some small trees
were seen off the distance.
Approaching the firing
range, one could view astrli*
of mountains . (In North
Carolina, they'd be hills).
Oklahoma travel guides make
a great thing of these mouhds.
They refer to. It as the
Wichita WUdllfe Refuge.
The six newsmen agreed,
with tongue In cheek, that the
range had been selected so
that the Oenetal's motorcade
would have to paaa by, travel
a couple of miles to girt Inside
? $
the gate, and return. "This,"
said on* writer, "'Gives the
boys time to get ready." There
was no confirmation from the
Battalion Information Officer,
1st Lt. Oliver Williams o i
Raleigh.
After explanations and the
actual firing of the XM-50
Rocket, and with the official
party, writers, photographers
and drivers roasting In the
afternoon sun, someone had
failed to unlock the gate which
would allow the motorcade to
return to Fort Sill. "Captain,
get jne that man's serial num
ber, I already KNOW his
rank," some wag In the back
of the limousine said, mlmlc
lng what he thought the Gen
eral might be saying In the
car Just ahead. The General's
car went for the key. S
returned with* It and half the
National Guard. Nobody, but
nobody, keeps a General watt
ing.
At the range, we ssw Sgt.
James Pearce of RolesVllle,
who had flown out with the
party, after being returned
home on emergency leave
when his wife gave birth to a
daughter. Pearce reported his
wife doing fine, but was Some
what concerned about the In
fant. Several other men from
the area were seen at the
firing, Including Sgt. Q. 8,
Leonard, PFC BUI Perry,
Phillip Taylor^ Bobby Wester,
Curtis Ch? vion and Ronnie
Pearce, all of Loulsburg.
You ngsv (lie's "B" Battery put
on the demon?tr*tlon before
the firing and Zebuloa'a "A"
Battery did the actual shooting
of the Rocket. -
Tuesday evening was filled
with an elegant dinner party,
given to the group by General
Bowers.
Wednesday morning, fol
lowing breakfast, the group
toured the Artillery Museum
on the base and aaw mementos
of past days when Indians
played an Important pert In the
lives of those living In the
Fort Sill area. Geronomo, the
most noted of all, has a"cell"
In the old stockade all tohlm
self. There are relict of
Wlchltaa, Comanches, Klo
was, Apaches and others.
Finally, the motorcade
moved to the Headquarters
Battery, made up of men from
the Loulaburg area. They were
waiting. Photographers snap
ped pictures, others inter
viewed or Just visited the
Ouardamen.
The area men reported that
the food at Ft. S1U had been
good, their quarters were
adequate and, "We'll be glad
when Sunday gets here," re
ferring to their departure
date.
A demonstration of mtaaile
handling and transfer was
given Wednesday by "A"
Battery of Zebulon. Capt. ,
John L. Strickland was in
charge. Platoon Commander
Lt. Alfred Elmore and Sgt.
Billy Tant directed the de
monstration by Firing Sec
tion Che.
Major V. A. Chlotakla, Army
Adviser, handled the count
down for Tuesday's firing.
He signaled photographers
Just when to snap the abutter.
The Intense heat marred
what was an otherwise lm
presslve display at the train
ing received by the local
Guardsmen as the Honest John
firing went o H on schedule
and although a faulty firing
e caused It to miss hlttlnf
bullseye, It was described
as a "perfect shot" by most
observers.
One newsman theorized that
the reason for making tM
shoot so far from the base
and In such Isolated country
was "They don't trust these
North Carolina boys out
here."
At the quarters of the Head
quarters Battery, ]ust prior
to leaving for Ralelgh-IMirham
Wednesday, the group talked
with Sgt. Wyatt Freeman, Sgt.
Paul Mullen, W/O Bob Cheat
ham, Sgf. "Wlnky" Ferrell,
PFC Bland Proltt and several
others.
The flight back was almost
as uneventful as the trip out.
The road back was a little
rougher, with "Seat belts
fastened' ' Instructions In
effect most of the way.
In expressing our gratitude
tor the wonderful hospitality
we remarked to one of the
officers, "Either the Army
has changed since our day,
or the officers had It a lot
better than we suspected."
The group was given the VIP
treatment everywhere it went.
Some said that waa because
of the presence of the Central,
but we'd rather think It Is al
ways this way when one visits
the Fifth Rocket Battalion . . .
and we believe It U.
*
The business man who de
pends on luck finds that when
he needs It most, he hasn't
got much of ft.