The State Port Pilot Southport, N. G. Published Every Wednesday r f JAMES M. HARPER. JR Editor Entered aa second-class matter April 20, 192 8, at the Post Office at Southport, N. C., under the Act of March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATES ONE YEAR $1.50 SIX MONTHS 1.00 THREE MONTHS 75 Wednesday, June 15, 1949 Enjoyable Occasion It would be hard to say too many nice things about the Homecoming Day cele bration in which thousands of persons joined Friday in Southport. We believe that it is safe to state that this event in its final state assumed pro portions much greater than were envis ioned when the program was first con ceived in the minds of some hospitable Southport people who wanted to see a sort of community reunion. It is to the everlasting credit of some of our hard working women and men that their plans kept pace with the expansion, so that when Friday came there was plenty of fun, food and entertainment for every one. Of course, there was some valuable outside help. The 5th Infantry Division band from Camp Jackson was the first outfit to show up, and the walking sol diers had the situation pretty well in hand by the time that the first sailors from the lTSS Jeffers got shore leave Fri day morning. The band-made-the par ade, and that tight-drilling company of sailors didn't hurt things any when they marched past. In the air, Lt. Dave Oliver and his Coast Guard Heliocopter hover ed over large groups, many of whom were getting their first close-up of one ? of these strange aircraft. We think that Congressman F. Ertle Carlyle summed it all up when he said during the course of his brief address: "I have found that the men of our armed forces are as anxious to be of help during peacetime as they are during time of war." All of these things, and the imposing list of dignitaries headed by Admiral J. F. Farley, were just added attractions; and not one feature contributed so much to the success of the event as did the sincere and bountiful expression of hos pitality. This is an art at which South port and Brunswick county people have no peers, and Homecoming Day was car ried out to embrace all that is suggested by that term. We hope that there will be other events of this kind in our community, for not only is it a pleasure to have friends and relatives return for a visit ; it is good to have all of our people work together on something as big and as important and as successful as Homecoming Day. Baseball Program Brunswick county youngsters are growing more and more baseball mind ed, and teen-age teams are springing up in several communities. ' We are pleased that a number of these teams represent church groups, and it is noteworthy that at a meeting of the < Brunswick Baptist Association Sunday the moderator, the Rev. H. M. Baker, commended the good work being accom plished through this means of recreation. It long has been one of our theories that no boy playing baseball is as likely to get into trouble as one who isn't. The more participants we have on these ath letic teams the less likelihood there is for development of problems of juvenile delinquency. There is a long-range development in connection with this growing interest in baseball which intrigues us, and that is the possibility of developing enough players to justify an American Legion team to represent Brunswick county in the National program. This could happen in the predictable future. Exactly 60 more people were killed in North Carolina highway accidents dur ing the first four months of this year than were killed in the corresponding four months of 1948. It costs so little to smile, but it pays. Unavoidable? < Although a Brunswick coroner's jury may be forced to render a verdict of "un avoidable" in the accident which cost seven lives a few days ago, was it really unavoidable ? Is there such an animal ? Was it necessary that these lives be lost ? Who was guilty of this mass mur der? A determination of the blame in this single instance is of little consequence to those who died. But calm thinking on the part of all drivers ? calm thinking which could prevent another such trag edy ? is really important. Remember this item the next time you drive. You might have a better chance of returning alive. What Price Government? The death of James Forrestal at hia own hands emphasizes the tremendous cost of public service. The brilliant New Yorker had the honor of serving as the first Secretary of Defense and lived through a trying period. Then came his resignation, and a complete crackup of his mental machinery. The rest is now history. Forrestal, un balanced for some reason not yet clear, jumped out of a hospital window and went to his death. There are many reas ons to believe, however, that the strain of government service was too great. It is more difficult to hate people when we rub elbows with them. And it's easier to see the good in them when we know them beter. RALEIGH ROUNDUP SUCCESSFUL?... Remember only a few weeks ago when almost everybody was bemoan ing Governor Scott's luck with the Legislature? Let all those individuals now dry their tears. No Governor in North Carolina's history has accomplished so much in so little time. For this, give much of the credit to George Ross, new head of the Department of Conservation and Development, George Coble of Coble Dairy Pro ducts In Lexington, Harry B. Caldwell of Green boro, master of the State Grange, the Raleigh News and Observer, Santford Martin of the Winston-Salem Journal, and L. P. McLendon of Greensboro. OFF THE CUFF . . . H. L. Meacham of Ashe ville, head of the Allied Farmers Cooperative, is eager to leave this connection and may be come the new director of State Prison Farms. A State College man, he is former county agent in Hoke and Halifax and before going with the new cooperative a little over two years ago was marketing specialist at State College. He grew up on the Piedmont Experiment Station at Statesville, where his father, F. T. Meacham was superintendent for many years. ... A. B. Harless, who is with the Albemarle Peanut Company in Edenton, has been offered an important post in the State Agriculture Department. He is expected to refuse it. NOMINATING BROWN ... It now looks as if Bill Sharpe, North Carolina's crackerjack press agent, will be the next top-bracket State employee to move to private employment. This should happen by August 1 at the latest. If so, this column wishes to place in nomination for this position Aycock Brown, Number One public relation man for Coastal North Carolina. He knows all the angles of newspaperdom. An ex cellent photographer, a keen newshound on tourist attractions, and a tireless, efficient craftsman and, albeit, a teetotaler, he seems to be the man who could step into Bill Sharpe's big shoes with exceedingly little toe-wiggling. If he gets the place (he may not even be an applicant) and covers North Carolina one-tenth as well as he has the waterfront for the past five years, you need have no worry about this State's place in the national spotlight. Aycock Brown is a native of Caldwell County, but now calls New Bern-Morehead City-Nags Head, and points in between, home. NOTES . . . Insurance Commissoner William Hodges, Wake Forest alumnus (1928) and Mar tin County boy (only43) is raising his salary from $7,500 to $15,000 in going to that insur ance company . . .D. R. Graham, superintendent of the Credit Union Division of the N. C. Agriculture Department and Tabor City native, is in line for a juicy appointment . . .He's the man who has kept Governor Scott (and many another State bigwig) on the straight and nar row with his income tax for the past ten years . . . The Governor has no more loyal friend any where than Bob Graham, a whiz in math matics and a tax expert . . . FOR MERCHANTS ASSOCIATIONS . . . Governor Kerr Scott is not a profane man, but he used i "damn" with telling effect two weeks ago when he said that "civic clubs are not worth a damn when it comes to doing some thing worthwhile for the country people." Last Friday, then, he remarked that "some of the chambers of commerce haven't been so damn hot either." Although he had. taken right much cuffing about by some members of the Legislature and certain other groups, he didn't get around to the use of that hard-hitting four-letter word until the road-and-school bond vote came along. He can't lump the various merchants as sociations in the. "damn" group, however, for several of them helped with the road-and-school project, and the North Carolina Merchants As sociation ? knowing what he would talk about ? had Governor Scott come speak to its 47th an nual convention held in Charlotte on May 23 24. \ OPEN FORUM A eolnmn 8W& S ae?pV no "'responsl'lillltr MCM* "three ' hSSclrtd word* Editor, State Port Pilot Southport, N. C. Ash, N. C. June 8, 1949 Dear Sir; In regard to the criticism of W. T. Fullwood in this paper of June the first. He states that it was ignorance> on the part of the jury that caused a verdict of not guilty in a recent jack-light case. I am just as hard against night hunting as anyone, but X do still believe in fair trials and that j trial by jury is the best method to get one. In the year of '31 or '32 I was arrested at Waccamaw school in the seventh grade room by Gor don Britt and Luther Steward for hunting without a license. At that time I could not walk with out the use of a crutch, my left j arm and leg were completely I paralyzed. Exceedingly intelligent I people like Mr. Fulwood would know that I was not guilty of using a shot gun in that condition, | but there were two against one , and I didn't have the money to fight the case, so I went before ' J. B. Ward, who was a Justice of ! the Peace at that time and plead- ' ed guilty. All he could do was; to fine me and I am criticising ' him, for It was his sworn duty i just as It was the jury that said not guilty in the case in question. I "I'll bet that there are 75-per- j cent of all cars carrying a gun and flashlight that are on the highway at night, but wouldn't! they catch throuble if Mr. Full wood was a game protector or deputy sheriff or maybe a juror. I I have never served on a jury nor as a game protector but if ever I do and you want a man convicted, do me as I would Mr. Fullwood or produce evidence stronger than a gun and flash light. I have been taught that his tory repeats itself. That being true I might give someone else the deal that Mr. Fullwood writes as if he would have given. Anyone that cares to question any statement that I have made can feel perfectly free to do so. I prove all I have said. Very truly yours Carl Long. THOR JOHNSON (Continued from rafe 11 of his friends in Southport was taken ill and was in the hospital for two weks. During this period Dr. Johnson and his parents never missed a night of calling at the hospital for a visit with the sick man. Dr. Johnson has often been de scribed as one of the outstanding orchestra leaders that the United States has ever produced. Still only 35-years old, he is bidding fair to reach a position never before attained by an American Conductor. COLONEL BENNETT (Continued from we One) Major-General and the other a Brigadier-General. Chaplains, like other service men and government employees, are supposed to be at the age of retirement at 60. They can also retire under the 30-year of ser vice arrangement and under the 20-year retirement plan. Col. Ben nett, now only 57, has another 3 years to go before he will be automatically retired. However, he can step out next month under the 30-year service program if he wishes to do so. On this point he is not yet' fully decided. SHALLO TTE TAX RATE (Continued From pace One) would hardly be able to pay the legitimate expenses out of the CATHOLIC INFORMATION Miracles ? Why Not Now ? The Gospels tell us of Christ's ? miracles. The evidence is over- 1 whelming. Why did He perform them ? To prove to a doubting world that He was God. After His Ascension, we read in the Acts that Christ gave the' Apostles the power to perform | miracles in His Name. Why did He do that ? To certify to a doubt- 1 ing world that these men were; also God-directed in their teach- j ings. The Catholie believes that God still performs miracles at times, through the intercession of His Saints, just as He did when Peter and James and John walked the earth; and there is evidence ot, this, all-conclusive to him who would examine. At Lourdes in France, at Car fin in Scotland, at Beaupre in Canada, at Fatima in Portugal,1 and at many other Catholic shrines throughout thei world, God, through the intercession of His Blessed Mother and His saints, is yearly curing hundreds of humanly incurable cases, right before the eyes of throngs of people, including scientists from all parts of the world. These ' scientists, irrespective of their . faith or lack of it, are invited1 to sit in and thoroughly examine every case before and after, and to offer any reason for the cures other than the supernatural that they possibly can. Many people eaten away with cancer, tuberculosis, or some other organic disease, declared incur able by science, leave Lourdes whole of body and enlightened in spirit. Majiy well folks who have gone to scoff have remained to pray. The evidence is there. It is indisputable to him who has eyes to see and who uses them with an open mind. The Catholic believes ? and we think with reason ? that God per forms miracles to prove His exist ence ? that He performs them at Catholic shrines to signify the Church which He Himself builded ? that in the case of Lourdes, He also puts His seal of approval on the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, defined by the Church in 1856; for only four years later His own Blessed Mother, appear ing to the child, Bernadette ? so beautifully described by the non Catholic, Franz Werfel ? proclaim ed; "I am the Immaculate Con ception!" If it's anything Catholic, ask a Catholic! For further information whitf P. O. Box 351, Whiteville, N. C. Not Exactly News Don't be too much surprised if this week's column has a strong Homecoming Day flavor, because that event has been the No. 1 attract ion for Southport and Brunswick county this week . . . We have heard bands that could play well but couldn't march; and we have seen bands that could really march, but couldn't jplay; but the 5th Infantry Division band from Camp Jackson that was here for the Home coming: Day parade and concert was the best playing - marching military band we ever saw. j Everybody was surprised and delighted with the parade. It really looked big league, and the only people we felt sorry for were the judges, j whose duty it was to name the outstanding float . . . One unusual thing about the winning Woman's Club entry was that the ladies riding on the float were among those who had work ed the hardest Thursday afternoon and Friday morning to get it ready for the parade. Lt. Dave Oliver, pilot of the Coast Guard heliocopter, was a nice friendly young fellow who came near stealing the show with his strange mount. For most of us this was our first close-up of this strangest of all man-made flying machines . . . When the 5th Infantry Division Band whipped out a coupie tunes during the band concert sojJ audience began to wonder why 8n'' was needed to put on a dance. They',' th. Don't overlook the important Friday by the Coast Guard crash ^ made trip after trip to and from th? \ fers with parties of visitors aboarj Austin and his men were most acconl Hundreds of people took advantage ? portunity to go aboard the desti, sweeper that was here for the day. o2 men of the USS Jeffers were most fri? hospitable. It was interesting to kno?| was no dressed-up Tin Can, but an k goodness warship with a distinguish? record during World War II. For a time it looked like everybody operated to make a success of Ho'J Day except the weather man. It deveJ even he was on our side when the rajj overcast skies helped to keep the t?J nice and pleasant throughout the day j present has any lingering doubtj J value of these "Auld Lang Syne" occa2 meagre tax funds it will receive. "There will certainly be a lack of much needed funds for various purposes. We will not be able to make any progress at all on a 30 cent tax rate", he said. Other residents of Shallotte look at the matter in different ways. A few who were interviewed seem ed to agree strongly with the Mayor and former Mayor that the tax funds will be very inadequate for needed purposes. Others con tended they would get enough money to get along on. CHURCH SCHOOL (Continued from page one) ty: Mrs. J. T. Denning, Mrs. M. H. Sanders, Mrs. L. D. Hayman, Mrs. Velma Anderson and Mrs. Margaret Pigott. Mrs. Dallas Pigott will direct the music each morning and assist the special program with nursery-beginner groups. The committee members on the social staff of the church will be asked to help provide for some of the recreation and refreshment program. The pastor, the Rev. L. D. Hay man, will act as dean of the school. Enrollment will begin Sunday, June 19, and continue on Monday morning until 9:30 for credit^ awards. Enrollments will continue through Tuesday, June 21. However, after 9:30 Monday the pupils will not be able to re ceive awards of diplomas because of the limited number of days the school runs. FLOWER SHOW TO (Continued from page one) (large); 2. living room (small); (c) mantel; (d) coffee table; (e) dining table; (f) bedside tray; (g) seasonal; (h) porch. Class III, 1. potted plants (blooming); 2. potted plants (non blooming). Class IV, largest collection of fruits and vegetables grown by exhibitor, (canned, fresh, stored or dried). Read The Want Ads. Producing Plants May ?oonunue