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<l from page one)
watermelon land was all planted
In tomato seed, producing one of
the best crops of plants ever
grown anywhere.
To speed up his packing for
shipment by truck, Mr. Sheppard
constructed what is said to be
the first tomato plant packing as
sembly line in the world. With
this machine and unskilled labor
he was able to pack one hundred
thousand plants per hour.
For 1950 he will double his
plant producing land and will al
so construct another plant pack
ing assembly line. He plans to be
in a position to pack and ship two
million plants per day.
The experiment in growing to
mato plants In Brunswick county
is all over, according to Mr. Shep
pard. From now on it is an as- '
sured, established business, one
that is likely to grow into huge
proportions.
With hardly more than a 10th
of the labor or time required to
produce a crop of tohj
with the returns per acr? a
or larger than those ,
from tobacco, a few yea
now may see plant pr^
Brunswick county estatq
an extensive business.
While the operation! j
have all been confined to j
er Road area, Mr. Shep^
other plant producing i
from the east see no rea
the growing of tomato ?
plants should not sprat
sections of the county. ?
and climate are right |
crop, will have everytkej
ested and be ready fa
by the 15th of May.
It is believed tint tj
production possibility ]
county are practically 4
The most important nee:
moment is to show ttei
industries what Mr. 3
has done in the way of |
ing tomato plants.
Read The Want
]& easy to own al
Three models-*124'95 to *17"5
Easy terms? liberal trade-in. Lei ni
show them to you today.
KINGS ELECTRICAL SALES CO.
Shallotte, N. C.
SCHEDULE
W- B. 8C B. BUS LINE
Southport, N. C.
EFFECTIVE TUES., JAN. 20, 1948
WEEK-DAY SCHEDULE
LEAVES SOUTHPORT LEAVES WILMINGTON
?? 7:00 A.M.
7:00 A.M. ?9:30 A.M.
9:30 A. M. ~ 1:35 P. M.
?1:30 P. -M. 4:00 P.M.
4:00 P. M. 6:10 P. M.
6:00 P.M. 10:20 P.M.
? ? These Trips on Saturday Only..
???This Bus Leaves Winnabow at 6:10 Daily.
- SUNDAY ONLY -
LEAVES SOUTHPORT . LEAVES WILMINGTON
7:30 A.M. J 9:00 A.M.
10 :50 A. M. 1 :35 P. M.
4:00 P.M. 6:10 P.M.
6 :00 P. M. 10 :20 P. M.
FIELD PEAS
Western-grown Field Peas $4.50 pe
.
Southern-grown Field Peas $5.25pe
MULSIFOS
For Control Of Tobacco Lice
MINTZ & CO.
Harry L. Mintz, Jr., Mgr.
Supply, N. G.
BUILDING MATERIAL
LUMBER
We Have Plenty Of Good Sea
soned Lumber For All Purposes.
Bring Us Your Bill Of Material
And We Will Save You Money.
BUILDING MATERIAL
We carry a stock that will take care of most of youf
building needs, including doors, windows, nails, shingl*
es, cement, brixment, sheetrock ? in fact, just about
everything you will need for your new building or ft'
pair job.
SHALLOTTE LUMBER CO.
Shallotte, N. G.
CINDER BLOCKS
New And Used Blocks For Immediate
Delivery
G. W. McGLAMERY
v Southport, N. G. '