The Fr
>.>?!> wi lot !?*) * Tkuniii
in Times
S*r?Mif All 04 'rwklm CwMf
LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
Clean-Up Week
None of us should need a reason for
cleaning up around our homes aftd for
demanding that the streets and side
walks in our town be kept clean. But,
in case some of us do, the Louisburg
Garden Club and towi officials have
designated next week as Clean-Up
Week.
While the designation will most
likely not result in massive improve
ments where people themselves don't
care, it will nevertheness serve as a
reminder to those of us who do to put
forth an extra effort.
One interesting point about next
week's Clean-Up project is that a town
ordinance exists which prohibits lit
tering on the streets and sidewalks.
Apparently it has existed for a number
of years. We say "existed" because
as far as is known this is all the or
dinance has done. It has not resulted
in cleaner streets and as far as we
know, it has not resulted in anyone's
arrest for littering.
The same ordinance also prohibits
the obstruction of sidewalks and streets
by anyone for any reason This comes
somewhat as a surprise to us since
there have been few days in the past
years when the streets and sidewalks
were void of boxes, crates and other
obstructions. ??
We look forward to favorable results
next week from the Town of Louisburg?
Garden Club sponsored Clean-Up Week
We hope that every citizen will accept
this as a personal responsibility and
put forth an extra effort to brighten
the appearance of our town. We also
look forward to the enforcement of the
existing town ordinance or, in lieu of
this, perhaps, removing it from the
books.
Louisburg will never give the ap
pearance of a clean city unless all of
us work at it more than one week a
year, however great this effort might be.
Is There No End?
There seems to be no end to which
our national leaders will go to reach
new heights of absurdity; nd end to
which they will go to place another
batch on the public dole.
The term "federal funds" is as mis
leading as any term could possibly be.
The funds the federal government is
doling out to every Tom, Dick and Harry
are your funds, the taxpayer's funds.
The most recent disclosure, which
we will call the "Stupidi ty-of-th e
Month" since there are new ones coming;1
along with increased regularity, "con
cerns the poor, underprivileged murder
ers, robbers and rapists.
Already protected more thoroughly
than any average citizen, the criminal
is now slated to benefit from his months
(or in some rare cases, years) of con
finement.
According to Senator John J. Wil
liams of Deleware, in a speech on the
Senate floor recently, a convict solely
as a result of his work while serving
his term, can now, thanks to a new
Labor Department ruling, "establish
his eligibility for unemployment bene
fits, qualify for social security and
under certain conditions have the time
he has served in prison counted as
Federal service for the purpose of in
creasing his pension under civil service
retirement."
Senator Williams continued fr an the
Senate floor: "Heretofore, Federal pri
sons have been recognized as places
of punishment for persons after their
conviction of a crime to society. The
Great Society, however, has now adopt
ed an entirely now approach to the
criminal, an approach where the fringe
benefits may partially offset the punish
ment of confinement.
"In fact, so much is being said a
bout protecting the criminal that we are
losing sight of the rights of the victims
of crimes.
"As part of this new philosophy the
t Department of Labor on June 27, 1966,
issued a Special Bulletin No. 33. This
bulletin dignified the work performed
by a convict while serving his sentence
by classifying such work as Federal
service
"Secretary Wirtz recently confirmed
the unemployment benefits by stating:
"Since employment under the pro
visions of the Prisoner Rehabilitation
Act of 1965 and Schedule A established
by the U. S. Civil Service Commission
is 'Federal Service' under title XV of
the Social Security Act, it would be
considered in the same manner as any
other Federal service in determining
entitlement for unemployment compen
sation for Federal Employees.
"It is theoretically possible that
upon release from prison, a claimant
may establish entitlement to benefits
under a state unemployment insurance
law or the UCFE law entirely on his
'work release' employment and wages
earned in private industry or a Federal
job while serving his prison sentence."
And we had to ask what else could
they do.
The Death Of A Newspaper
BY JESSE HELMS
There was nothing natural
about the death recently of
The New York World Journal
Tribune. It was a sudden
death, a homicide, murder
with premeditation. Its epi
taph will be that it was a
newspaper choked to death by
ruthless men.
It Is necessary to examine
history In proper context In
order to view the remains of
what might have been a great
newspaper. At the turn of the
century, Ne\?j York City had
more than a dozen newspap
ers, all publishing with some
degree Ot profit. A series of
mergers, and a few bank
ruptcies, steadily reduced the
number - and Improved the
quality - of the surviving
newspapers. Then therp be
gan the golden years of Jour
nalism in the Big City, an al
most legendary period when
great effort and energetic
competition made New York a
marvel of Journalistic achie
vement.
And' then the, city's news
papers fell under the domina
tion of labor unions. A year
ago, three of the giants of
Journalism dropped in their
tracks, unable to meet the
demands of their unions. Oit
of the ashes rose a feeble
effort to put the three giants
back together again under one
masthead. Men took the torso
of The Herald Tribune, the
arms of The World Telegram,
and the legs of Tfie Journal
American. And 240 days ago,
the first Issue of The World
Journal Tribune rolled off the
presses.
It was a sort of Rube Gold
berg contraption from the be
ginning . It had the body, legs
and arms of great and honored
newspapers, glued limply to
gether with fear and appre
hension. But Its head was
manipulated by the whims and
the ruthlessnessof labor union
power, symbolized by a man
named Bertram Powers. Po
wers spoke for the unions.
Last week, when the des
perately sick newspaper was
struggling for survival, Po
wers demanded a 21 per cent
wage Increase for union em
ployees - a demand that would
have cost the already-unpro
fitable newspaper $10.5 mil
lion.
When the newspaper pr
ed, Mr. Power* retorted:
"Either pay or shut down."
The World Journal Tribune
shut down, and 2,500 people
were out of Jobs. The nation's
third largest newspaper was
dead, and Its former em
ployees hauled out their bot
tles and had a drink at their
desks.
There Is a lesson In all of
this, of course, for all men
and all Industries: The only
real Job security for any work
er must begin with an em
ployer who Is allowed to make
a profit. Any other philosophy
must end In a fight over a
cadaver.
It is something more than
coincidental, meanwhile, that
leaders of the North Carolina
Press Association last week
felt obliged to register a pro
test against threats of federal
Intrusion into the newspaper
business In North Carolina.
Earlier It had been disclosed
that federal "poverty" funds
would be used to establish and
operate a newspaper In
western North Carolina.
The first federal funds would
amount to $179,000, with more
sure to follow. Most tyran
nles arc born small, then
trow great. The federal go
vernment would hire 23 em
ployeeb, Including a ?10,000'
a-year-edltor. The paper
be mailed free-of-charge to
a beginning subscription' list
of 8,000 people.
The leaders of the North
Carolina Press Association
were quite correct in pro
testing this proposed govern
ment competition. And we
share their concern. Still,
other businessmen, who have
endured government competi
tion for years, may be for
given If they see a bit of wry
humor In the situation. The
newspapers of this state, for
the most part, have encourag
ed government Intrusion Into
other areas of private enter
prise - Into the electric po
wer business, for example,
medicine, financing; the list
Is endless. Now the shoe Is
on the other foot - and news
papers should have known that
It would be the Inevitable re
sult of a sprawling, domineer
ing government. The govern
ment wants to get Into the
newspaper business.
The moral of It all scarce
ly needs repeating, lest It be
mistaken for gloating - which
it is not. Crises are beginning
to come with a rush - even
In the newspaper business.
When the government finally
gets complete control of the
news business, the blanket of
tyranny will have covered us
all. And there Is Just one
final footnote worthy of men
tion: In his budget for the
current year, Lyndon Balnes
Johnson has $425 million at
his disposal for public Infor
mation, press releases and
public relations.
It's enough to make you stop
and think. Isn't It?
PJMlSHMENr SHOULD RT 7frk
Noted And Passed
Expo Montrea' Americans preparing
to journey to tlv World Fair" in Mon
treal, Canada, : ,ould prepare for some
shudders that hiven't been widely pub
licized in these parts. One, in parti
cular, is the Cuban pavilion. There are
some 250 Cuban delegates, 60 of them
"security personnel." And it shouldn't
take much imagination to realize the
types that Castro will trust to depart
Cuba to represent him in Canada. You
can get a Havana cigar there if you
wish. But don't turn your back on the
types passing them out.
/
Truth in Packaging: In Tallahassee,
Florida, State Legislator Donald Reed
asked the legislature to amend a "truth
in packaging" bill to prevent women
from wearing hair dye, wigs, wiglets,
false eyelashes, contact lenses, fal
sies, hippads, girdles or make-up. The
language of the amendment included
items tending to "alter the appearance
of any package to such an extent as to
deceive one as to the actual contents
thereof. "
The amendment was passed by an
overwhelming voice vote. Whereupon it
was quitting time and the legislators
had to go home to the little woman.
Congressman Reed withdrew the
amendment before adjournment.
Legislative News
by Representative James D. Speed
Raleigh ? A bill to permit twin-trailer "long" trucks of sixty
five feet overall length to operate on certain highways In North
Carolina passed the House over strong opposition and has been
sant to the Senate. I spoke lnopposltlon to this bill on the House
floor and voted against It on grounds that It will create addi
tional hazards to highway safety and further glut our already
crowded roads unnecessarily. Such two-trailer trucks are
10 tort longer than the largest now operating on our highways
and I feel It will be almost Impossible to find a place to pass
such a vehicle safely on our two-lane highways.
The bill waa amended to allow such 6 5- foot vehicles only
on four-lane highways. This was a major improvement but I
?101 disapprove and voted against the bill. It Is obvious that
this is a "toot In the door" approach to further revests for
wMIHonal truck lengths (up to 100 feet In some areas) as
well a* additional permitted weight loads.
1 cannot agree with the argument that this Increased length
and load space would be greatly beneficial to agricultural in
teracts. T be present length trucks along with railroads and
air freight service provide adequate trans porat Ion tor our
prssent and foreseeable needs. Our real need Is for more
adequate highways In more areas of the state and tor greater
highway safety on the roads we have.
Meanwhile I have Introduced or co-signed several bills which
we Consider to be of statewide Importance.
One of these is a bill, H. B. 1077, relating to state regulation
of the pest control Industry to a degree that the public may be
adequately protected from fraud, deceit, overcharges and poor
workmanship. We hope this bill will guarantee the public
ethical and professional service In cases of need.
B will cost mora because the bill provides an additional
small percentage of t<>e fee to finance 'a state Inspection and
ragalatloa program In the Pest Control division of the N. C.
nuai twert of Agriculture. This department has been handi
capped in the past because of Iniquities in the present law
u well as Insufficient provisions to provide a good control
program.
In recent months, however, the small Inspection force ha*
uncovered many cases In which Hie public has been over
charged and victimized by Inadequate or unnecessary Inspec
tions and pest control treatments. Some complaints have come
to me from our legislative district. A sound structural peat
control bill Is In the Interest of the public In rural and city
areas alike and should guarantee a dollar's worth of service
The Frajggin Times
Tk? Fraaklia Timtt, lac. t,
Btckett *v4. DM1 OT WW LOUMUM, M. C.
(or a dollar spent.
Our bill provide* for examination, licensing and supervision
of pest control workers along with identification as to their
qualifications and approval according to state standards.
Penalties of some consequence are provided for fraud and
misrepresentation In this field. There will be additional fees
amounting to one per cent of the total charge of such work to
finance an increased staff of Inspectors and a more effective
program on behalf of the public.
We feel that a bill introduced by Rep. Hugh Johnson of
Duplin and myself along with others will correct a major
injustice In the present law pertaining to revaluation of pro
perty. This new bill would provide for evaluating property
on the basis of Its present use rather than on its potential
use. Fot example, farm property would be valued as farm
property regardless of whether it may be considered as a
possible industrial site so long as it Is used for agricultural
purposes.
We feel many people In my district have been treated un
justly in this respect. Under existing law agricultural pro
perty which appeared to have some features permitting future
development for industrial of business purposes was classified
In a higher taxable category. This new bill will require that
regardless of the potential of any property for future use that
the present tax value be assessed on the basis of Its present
use. Under this bill, farm property near our cities and towns
may continue to be used for agricultural purposes without an
unjust penalty from overevaluatlon.
? This bill has the backing of the N. C. Farm Bureau and the
State Grange, and, we feel, has Wide support from the people.
Several bills from our district have completed their legis
lative requirements to become law. These Include school
board compensation and animal abandonment bills for Warren
County; well contractors and animal abandonment In Franklin;
filing of papers, officials pay and animal abandonment In
Vance County.
From The Office Of
Congressman Fountain
Efforts Made To
Improve School Bill
Washington, D. C. - By the time you read this, Congress pro
bably will have voted on the Administration bill to extend the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act beyond its expiration
date of June 30, 1968.
At this writing, It Is Impossible to predict the eventual out
come of the legislation. You might be Interested, however, in
some of the efforts that have been made to improve the blU,
nicknamed the " ESEA Bill," and make It acceptable to all
parts of the country.
I have attended at least 25 sessions? either formal talks with
large groups or Informal chats with one or two Individuals ?
to discuss the ESEA Bill.
These meetings Included talks with Congressman Carl Per
kins of Kentucky, Chairman of the House Commltteeon Educa
tion and Labor, and Congresswoman Edith Green of Oregon,
second-ranking Democrat on the Committee and a longtime
worker for better education.
Others included Albert Qule of Minnesota, second-ranking
Republican on the Committee, who offered an amendment to
substitute bloc grants direct to the states In favor of the
Administration's plan to approve each project separately In
Washington.
The Idea of distributing funds to the states on a bloc basis
has a lot of appeal. Many school administrators believe such
an approach would provide for much-needed flexibility at t|>e
state and local levels and eliminate a great deal of unnecessary
federal red tape. I
However, In the absence of hearings and a thorough study by
the Committee, there seems to be a hesitancy on the part of*
many, including some who favor the general idea, of suddenly
shifting courses until a fair and equitable formula can be
worked out.
One of the biggest criticisms of theQule Amendment was that
It would have required far less funds to be spent In poorer
school districts. Many felt this change of emphasis would defeat
the original purpose of the program first enacted in 1965.
In all these discussions with proponents and opponents of the
various bills proposed, I made clear my belief that such
legislation should:
1. Make It unmistakable that Congress Intends for funds ap
propriated for education to be used for education purposes and
not for harassment of local officials.
2. Strongly support the freedom of choice system--as upheld
by the courts.
3. Prohibit any deferral or withholding of funds from any local
school district unless and until a hearing had been held and
the district had been found guilty of discrimination.
* * *
School groups continue to come to Washington as graduation
nears tor thousands of young people In the Second District. The
latest to visit our office here was the Senior Class of Norllna
High School.
It Is always encouraging to see young persons Interested in
their National Capital and their Government. Although our
visits are ajl too brief, I heartily welcome the opportunity to
explain some of the problems of our country and to answer
questions about Congress.
Remember, you have a standing invitation to visit our office
here In Room 2400, Rayburn House Office Building.
And, speaking of graduation, I hope to see many of you In the
next few weeks. I will speak at commencement exercises at
Peace College in Raleigh on Mfcy 28, at South Edgecombe High
School in Plnetops on June 2, at North Carolina Wesleyan
College In Rocky Mount on June 4 and at Norllna High School
on June 5.