The Fr !???? Tww*#y A Thwrftf Times Your Awart Winning County Newspaper LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT r I The People Are Grateful Attorney General Robert Morgan has filed a request with the federal court for permission to enteiThe Franklin County school suit. This comes as welcomed news for both the people of the county and the long persecuted school officials. Mr. Morgan seeks to intervene in the suit as Amicus Curiae - friend of the court. He wants to be heard on the question of his department's ruling on the charging of tuition for students whose parents live outside the state and, perhaps of more im-. portance to Franklin County, he wants to be heard on the charges of contempt against the Franklin Board. Mr. Morgan states that he wants to be allowed to "present the views of the State of North CaroHna on these subjects." In all probability the court will allow him to do so. The Franklin County school system totters today on the brink of complete disruption. Having already lost over 700. students to private schools or schools outside the system last fall, large numbers of parents have more recently enrolled their children in private schools for the coming year. The uncertainty of the Franklin system's future is cause for great concern among both parents and teachers. Such is Jhe injustice of the latest take-over move by the federal government. Many citizens, ' whose support is difely needed are abandoning the public school system in its darkest hour. It is, then, heartwarming indeed, that there is one high State official who has been willing not only to listen to Franklin's plight, but is equally willing to join in the struggle. Robert Morgan has long been noted as a fighter, it is encouraging to know that he will be on Franklin's side. The issues are large and the lines' are drawn. The future of school systems in untold numbers of counties are perhaps, even states, is at stake. The people of Franklin are grateful to Mr. Morgan today. The people of North Carolina will be grateful tpmorrow. Not The Only Hanky-Panky It now comes to light that the twelfth-hour slap at the Franklin County Board of Education by the outgoing Johnson administration At torney General is not the only bit of last minute hanky-panky by the re tiring Democratic regime. While loudly shouting there could be but one President at a time in the United States, Mr. Johnson was busily trying to further his influence even after the Nixon administration had taken over. President Nixon has just withdrawn 489 of Mr. Johnson's last minute appointments. One observer termed this "stuffing every possible slot in government with a faithful party favorite" by Mr. Johnson and" a "co operative" Congress. Mr. Nixon has also ordered certain coveted air routes, awarded by Mr. Johnson to certain airlines, held up. But the clincher, if one is needed to brand Lyndon Johnson for what he is, comes with the disclosure of the downright disgraceful actions ap parently taken by his Secretary of Transportation Alan S. Boyd. In the heart-warming last minutes of the Johnson era, Secretary Boyd was diligently seeking the job as Presi dent of the Illinois Central Railroad. After all, ever high government of ficials have to live when their party is' out of power. Strange, indeed, how ever, is the report of the approval by Mr. Boyd and Mr. Johnson of a little grant of $25.2 million to Illinois Central, a gift taken, of course, from the American taxpayer. At present the new Transportation Secretary is hold ing up this little batch of goodies the Johnson administration sought to hand out. Needless to report, Mr; Boyd is already President of Illinois Central Railroad. What happens to his position should the Nixon administra tion decline to grant this little gift is, at this point, unknown. Meanwhile, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark is having some unkind things to say about the new ^administration. According to one re port, he has "thundered that Mr. Nixon's actions raises a question of 'whether Mr. Nixon keeps his word'." Even though things may not be going to suit Mr. Clark right now, there are many who certainly hope Mr. Nixon keeps his word on the many things he said during his cam paign. One thing is certain, the John son administration caught , him nap ping on the surtax, but the new President was wide awake to catch, at least, some of the hanky panky. And most of us are always grateful for even the smallest favors. I AM THE NATION R&printed with the permission or "No* polk It Western Railway, Roanoke, Va. Jwas BORN on July 4, 1776, and the Declaration of independence is my birth certificate. The bloodlines of the world run in my veins, because 1 offered freedom to the oppressed. I am many things, and m^ny people. I am the nation. 1 am 200 million living souls ? and the ghost of millions who have lived and died for me. I am Nathan' Hale and Paul Re vere. I stood at Lexington and fired the shot heard around the world. I am Washington, Jefferson and Pat rick Henry. I am John Paul Jones, the Green Mountain Boys and Davy Crockett. 1 am Lee and Orant and Abe Lincoln. I remember the Alamo, the Maine and Pearl Harbor. When freedom called I answered and stayed until it was over, over there. I left my he roic dead in Flanders Fields, on the rock of Corrcgidor. on the bleak slopes of Korea and in the steaming jungle of Vietnam. I am the Brooklyn Bridge, the wheat lands of Kansas and the gran ite hills of Vermont. I am the coal fields of the Virginias and Pennsyl vania, the fertile lands of the West, the Golden Gate and the Grand Can yon. I am Independence Hall, the Moni tor and the Merrimac. t am big. I sprawl from the At lantic to the Pacific ... my arms reach out to embrace Alaska and Hawaii ... 3 million square miles throbbing with industry. I am more than 3 million farms. I am forest. - field, mountain and desert. I am quiet villages ? and cities that never sleep. You can look at me and see Ben Franklin walking down the streeti of Philadelphia with 'his breadloaf un der his arm.,You can see Betsy Ross with her ne?tUe. You can see the lights of Christmas, and hear the strains of "Auld Lang Syne" as the calendar turns. I am Babe Ruth and the Wdrld Series. I am 130.000 schools and col leges. and 326.000 churches where my people worship God as I hey think best. I am a ballot dropped in a box. the roar of a crowd in a stadium and the voice of a choir in a cathe dral. I am an editorial in a newspa per and a letter to a Congressman. I am Eli Whitney and Stephen Foster. I am Tom Edison. Albert ! Einstein and Billy Graham. 1 am Horace Greely, Will Rogers and the Wright brothers. I am George Wash ' ington Carver, Daniel Webster and j Jonas Salk I am Longfellow, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Walt Whitman and Thomas Paine. Yes, 1 am the nation, and these are the things that I am. I was conceived in freedom and, God willing, in free dom I will spend the rest of my days. May I possess always the integrity, the coinage and the strength to keep myielf unshackled, to remain a cita del of freedom and a beacon of hope to the work). This is my wish, my goal, my prayer in this year of 1969 ? one hundred and ninrty-three years after I was born. ' OWSfffUlTjOA/ FOR 0MStKYATl0N'5 SAKE * M 'Whew! And I thought it was chilly in Alaskfil' WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING A Judges Words: If The Boy Had Just Heard Earlier By Tom Cotfey In The Savannah (Georgia) Morning News "Because you have no previous con viction, I am permitted to give you parole. . . But if you never see the inside of a peniten tiary, you will not have escaped the penalties of your crime." These words were said by a judge in Iowa to a convicted 16-year-old felon and were reprinted, along with the judge's other re marks, in the St. Francis (Kan.) Herald and the Kentucky Bar Journal. A reprint of the article came across my desk the other day, and I found the judge's words so penetrating that I decided to use some of them, for whatever impression they might make on any young man. The judge went on to explain to the young parolee the tragic effect of a felony conviction. Listen: "The -record of your conviction will be here as long as the courthouse stands. No amount of good conduct in the future can erase it. . . If you are ever called to witness in any court some lawyer will point his finger at you and ask: "Have you ever been convicted of a felony?". . . And the question will be asked for the purpose of casting doubt on your testimony. Convicted felons are not believed as readily as other persons. "It may be that someday. . . you will-, apply for a passport. You will not get it. . , No country will allow you to become a resident. "Your world is, oh, so muph smaller than it was. "Some day you may seek a position in the civil service. . . You will find the question: Have you ever been convicted of a felony? Your answer will bar you from examination. "You may want to take a position of trust, wherp a surety bond is required. On the application will appear this question: Have you ever been convicted of a felony? "In a few years you will be 21 and others your age will have the right to vote, but you will not ... You will be ^citizen of your state and county, but you will have no voice in public affairs. "Your country is calling men to the colors. . . But the Army will neyer accept you, nor will the Navy. . . You may serve your country in a labor battalion perhaps, but never behind guns. Yours may be the drudgery of war, but never the honor that comes to a soldier. "I am granting you a parole. A parole is in no sense a pardon. You will report to the men who have accepted your parole as often as they may ask. Your convenience is not a matter of importance. You will answer fully and truthfully any- question they may ask. Should they suggest that you refrain from going to certain places or with certain companions, you will follow their sugges tions and without grumbling. "You will also obey your parents... You will perform such tasks as are assigned to you. Your parole is a fragile thing. "Should the slightest complaint of your conduct reach this court, your parole will be revoked immediately... You will not be brought back here for questioning or ex planations. You will be picked up and taken to prison without notice to you and without delay." Those were the judge's words, said to his friend's young son who stood before him for sentencing. The judge remains anonymous. So does the young prisoner. But we can imagine the heartache that the judge must have felt, passing judgment on a family friend. We can. imagine the family's heartache. Even th?"' young boy's. K We can imagine, too, that if the young boy had heard or read words like this before he committed his crime, he might have stopped to reconsider. Perhaps someone else will stop to recon sider. That's why I have passed the words along. Fermentin cGEMIEJRLML A.ffifglEMlBILY a. SS as? "IfcAtMSgj -p*/ ORIMK ISSUE tCMMtW HWi< "COME1 jji TO THINK t _ OF IT..." by _frank_cqunt Sometimes I wish I wuz a National guardsman. They have a whole heap of fun. They ain't got to worry about finding something to do-like everyday folks -every Sunday. That's taken care of for them. They all gather at the armory lounge and sit around and eat and tell funny stories and draw their pay. I'liein that's married, fares the best. They got a excuse for leaving home. What better reason can a man have f?r not t iking his wife to het mama's on Sunday after ' noon than to proudly pro claim . . "My country needs me.^ must go and defend Bull Runn Alley." > Bad days are the best. Sometimes . wlu'ii it's real pretty outside . . . one of them eager-beaver officers hollow . . . "Everybody out on the street for inspection." That alua\? t- ' '< 'n;tl guards man up. lit jn-? by his simple and pure nature don't like to be hollowed at. Rut, as one of them said just I he other day . . Frank.1 in I his life, you got to take the bad with the good." He's in the philosophy section. But on bad days, the officers are pretty considerate. They don't believe in getting wet and since they Vaii'i hardly order the men out without going out themselves . . . Ixid days are the best. That's "when lunch is brought in to the men and served hot by a carefully selected group of non-military waitresses. Usually they get fried chicken or steak with all the trimmipgs.^And after they eat and the dirt \ old dishes are hauled away . . . dirty dishes have alwavs distmhed soldiers, somehow . . . they all take a little nap The officers stand watch so's nobody will distrub their men while they're resting. Sometimes . . . when they are awake, thev get to see the latest Army films. Ain't that nice? - And the benefits they get. Just take (I reeii fatigue uniforms if you will. They are undoubtedly made of the most miracle fabric known to man. They don't ever wrinkte. And they keep them warm in the winter time and cool in the summertime. We are guessing here . . . but . it makes good sense . . . since they wear the same ones all ypar long. We've seen them when it waa a hundred its personnel and long-range planning subcommittee I have been appointed vice i chairman of the committee on State Government, and ; will serve on the committees 3 on Banking, State Personnel. and Conservation and Devel 1 opment. I also wtll serve on he committee on University1 Trustees and have been ap pointed Vice Chairman of committee on Higher Educa tion. All seven of these are important committees. I feel sure they will be called on to > make some very vital dert sions during the coming months. Thus far I have sponsored or cosponsored four slate wide bills One would es tahlish a recommended sys tem of Youth Councils. A second would increase head of-household personal income lax exemptions from $1,000 *t> $2,000 to resolve an in equity in our tax laws. I co-signed a bill for free fish ing licenses for anyone over 65 years of age. and that is self-explanatory. It is in the Wildlife Committee: I also co-signed a bill which would require a "cau tion" label on each bottle of whisky sold in North Carolina similar to (he label now re quired by federal law on each package of cigarettes. I definitely will oppose any effort to place additional taxes on tobacco. My posi tion on this is well known. I feel strongly that sub stantially more support must be given the public schools and I will support measures to increase average teacher salaries to the national level, provide teaching aides and auxiliary help. Of primary interest will be the securing of a technical Institute for Vance County, to serve the Vance-Warrety Franklin area. A formal re quest for this intfitute has been presented to and ap proved by the State Board of Education, officials of the Department of Community Colleges, and all necessary procedures have been com plied with, ft does not require a special act of the legislature, but it la important" that the necessary funds are included in the 1969-71 Appropria tions Aet. ,