Newspapers / Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.) / Feb. 24, 1966, edition 1 / Page 4
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— Editorial Opinions - YOUR HOME NEWSPAPER’S editorials are the opinions of staff members. As such they may be wrong. Whether you agree or disagree our columns, under “The People Write” heading, are open for you to express your own opinion. Rethinking Farm Aid Is A Must Their Master’s Voice Almost all officials associated with farm programs predict that two trends will determine what kind of agricultural economy we have over the next five to It) years. The first trend is a continu ation of the decrease in the number of small farms and the continued growth of the size of the farms that con tinue to operate as businesses rather than family farms. At some point in the future a farm of 100 acres will be too small to support the necessary capital investment of $100,000 or more that can compete in a freer market. The second trend being predicted is brought about by the fact the govern ment is going to use food as an economic weapon in the cold war and for recon struction of underdeveloped countries to such an extent it will have to reverse the current agricultural policies from control of surpluses to the raising of production, The increases in production policy will not include tobacco and cot ton, for they will continue to be in sur plus until some other trend develops to change the conditions in current world markets. In rural counties where most of the budget goes to farm programs and edu cation, this new government approach to agriculture should bring about a re lease of funds that would allow the counties to undertake new programs. In all of the counties of the Roanoke-Cho- wan section there are 40 or more farm specialists who will have to reorient their programs if they are to be in step with the new federal programs or the state extension services. During Governor Sanford’s adminis tration an effort was begun to get farm agents to spearhead rural development efforts. It was done with some success until federal programs moved into the field. Most of the row crop specialists in the area have in the past done an astounding job of raising farm income in their counties. The extension service directors at N. C. State have adopted the view that their workers should now adopt a more comprehensive view of their task and become rural sociologists. The most valid criticism of current farm programs is that the better and “fiST^ers geJimjgLj^.p financially and in technology)- than any other segment 'of the American economy while the smaller and poorer farmer has neither the background nor attitude to benefit from the governmental services that are available. The same problem shows in services through the women’s agents where most of the young girls are going through high school and will not want or need the older home service type of program. In one area county the staff serves a total of less than 200 wom en members, less than two per cent of the population. More and more of the time of the farm and women’s agents must be converted to community development work and to supervise the vast sums of money avail able under federal anti-poverty pro grams. It would be good to consider whether or not some of these jobs could not be converted into work in this field and to staff new services such as indus trial development. We realize that to raise this question in a farm county is to risk an emotional tidal wave from the older generation but, since a majority of the population in all of the counties is still under 25 years of age, we think the county government should be orient ed toward future needs rather than to ward past history. Two of the counties in the Roanoke- Chowan now have more people earning a living outside of direct farm interests than in traditional farm activities. If those who have moved away in recent* years could have found jobs in this area, this would be true of all four by now. This, then, is the sphere in which more and more interest is needed by local governments. To accomplish this reorientation of farm aid, it would help if we could see our counties as they will be in 20 or 50 years, Since this is impossible it would be well for the planning boards to try to project for us what the demands on local government will be. This one thing we know, there must be more money for non-farm programs and if the farm econ omy gets back into the free market and is prosperous, the funds could be divert ed from this area. A Hungry Brain? It would be an interesting race of human beings in this world if the minds of men and women demanded food with the same insistence that the stomach does. Suppose your brain, if neglected and forgotten for a day, would set up the same insistent clamor for sustenance that your body does. Would you know more, or do you, maybe, take care of the normal cravings that visit intelligent mipiis,,iand.-i!ee to it thaf proyide,^ a diet for the thinking machine, as well as for the stomach? Truth is supposed to be the goal of education and philosophy and religion, as well. The truth will “set you free,” the Bible declares. How many of us realize that the best pursuit of truth comes only when a mind is free of passion, prejudices and popular superstitions? How many of us make any systematic effort to remove such cob webs from our brains? Carlton Morris Writes- How Long, How Long Oh Lord; Only Men Die In Stupidity Sighted Sensibility, Sank Same The latest round of conflict over whether or not to allow free speech on North Carolina’s state supported college campuses — particularly the university campus at Chapel Hill—comes as a dis appointment to those both for and against free speech. Most of us thought the special session of the legislature in November had settled the question. Unfortunately it did not. As a result of all the confusion, the state now ap pears more silly than ever over this is sue. The latest round has left Duke Uni versity the only university level insti tution in North Carolina which can trust its students to find out right and wrong for themselves. It has also given a couple of insignificant people heaps more pub licity than they would ever have gotten out of speaking in Chapel Hill. As it is they have the publicity and are going to speak in Durham anyway. The question of allowing communist speakers has become so emotionally charged in this state, so misunderstood, we hestitate even to talk about it any more. Positions have become so hardened it has become difficult to get people to think any more. Probably we would not attempt discussing it again if we had not run across a humorous piece from the Wiuston-SaleTn Sentinel which gets the point across in amusing fashion. Everybody has become too serious al ready over what is an increasing silly situation. Says the Sentinel: “In one of the great intelligence coups of the Cold War, the Sentinel has in tercepted the following dispatch from the chief Soviet spy in North Carolina, Comrade Shmirkov. to his chief iti the Kremlin: “Dear Comrade Commissar: "Everything is going our way in North Carolina. The University is jumping. The students and professors are mad at the Governor and trustees. The Gov ernor and trustees are mad at the stu dents and professors. The university ad ministration is prostrate with chagrin. The newspapers are — well, you know the capitalist press. “I wish I could take credit for this happy state of affairs or at least say it was the work or our local Communists of whom we have at least two or three in North Carolina. But actually it was brought about by our good conserva tive allies, who so often do the best work for us. “It all started with an invitation from some of the students to Comrade Ap- theker. You remember Comrade Ap- theker — he’s the schnuck who thinks Little Red Riding Hood was Lenin’s niece. “This invitation spread panic across the state. The Governor roared. The trustees trembled. The university ad ministration, professors and students pleaded. The press cried outrage. Then the Governor and trustees ruled that Aptheker could not speak to the stu dents. Between us. Comrade Commis sar, I believe this is the best break for communism in years — Aptheker is a bore even by Moscow standards. "Well, there it is. The way things are going this state will be jumping for months. And, by the way, next month Robert Welch, the President of the John Birch Society, will speak at the Univer sity. He’s the peerless leader who said Eisenhower was a tool of the Commu nist conspiracy. With enemies like Welch, who needs friends? “Submerging again, "Shmirkov.” The Sentinel has helped to get our public sense of humor back on the speaker banning farce, while at the same time focusing well the real silliness of it all. In addition we need desperately to get back in North Carolina our faith in this democracy of ours. If we cannot trust it to win in free debate the minds of our own citizens, young or old, we ought to pull out of Viet Nam at once. How are we going to convince the hea thens, if we don’t really believe our selves? Best I remember, World War I was drawing to a close and I was Just a small boy, but I had heard about war over and over again. To my childish mind it seemed like a terrible thing and it still seems the same way. Then I was walking to church on a Sunday morning along our sandy road along with an older youth, who was expecting to be drafted If the war kept going. It seemed to us as if the war had been going on forever and with the knowledge of youth, I uttered some words of wis dom that have remained with me to this day. “Looks to me like,” I declared, "this war has been going on long enough, and if we can’t win it, should surrender,” My age hadn’t yet reached two figures and 'Sur render” was a word I had picked up by listening to older people as they talked of the war. In those days children listened to their elders or else they lived to regret it. They never dared contradict or argue or rudely Interrupt older people as they are allowed to do in the present generation. Yet even with ail the listening, I had only a faint idea about what surrender meant, Many people love to repeat the old adage about people growing weaker and wiser, but I must take viedent opposition to such an argument. We grow weaker. I made a silly statement when I was probably six or seven years old, and despite the stories of brain children and genuises, I’ve never met one at the age of six and if I was one, nobody ever got around to telling me about it, so my surrender re mark was only a sign of my childish stupidity. Now the same silly thing that I said as an igno rant child about World War I, is being put before us about the VietNam war in almost the same lan guage. There is one noticeable difference. This time the speakers are grown men, usually from our revered institutes of higher learning. Mine was spoken to one other person along a lonely country Only men die in their stupidity. The People Write: No Jobs Created By 14-B Retention To the Editor: That the retention of 14-B does not create one job. If it had been repealed it would create many Jobs at a living wage. That the employees of the railroads in North Carolina, the so-called-right- to-work law does not ^ply to them. In order to work for the railroad in North Carolina you must Join the union. That only .07% of the people in North Carolina belong to Unions. That is the lowest ratio in the nation. The average is about 30%, the State of Oregon has 45%. Farmer Pettyjohn Sees Need For Law To the Editor: I certainly congratulate you upon the articles you prepared. You did a most masterful Job. How you did it in the short time you were here is a mystery to me. I have read and re-read the ar ticles and am now wondering If I could obtain five copies of the issues ofFebruaryTthandof Febru ary 10th, I have concluded copies of those issues should be in the hands of our esteemed legisla tors, in Richmond, and Mrs. Joyner would be most happy to have a copy. I would be happy to pay you the charges, whatever they may be. Also, if you should write additional articles on the problem, I'd sure like copies of any and all. AS you so ably brought out, there Is unquestion ably a real problem in the line, particularly from the Blackwater River west dividing Southampton and Northampton Counties that could and should be corrected. I have written the Geologic folks in Washington for information as to why the Marker on Highway 35 was placed where it is. If you’d like a copy of Mr, Kilmartln’s reply I’ll be happy to send it. Just what will happen is most interesting to figure on. It should certainly be brought up in you all’s next meeting of your legislature, this com ing winter, I believe. If you have suggestions as to how I might help in getting that done I’d appreciate them, L. E, "Farmer” Pettyjohn Suffolk, Va. MIHAMPTON HMES-ltfS RICH SQUARE, N. C- THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 24.-1966 iHiiiiiimiiiniiiiiimiiiiiiHniHin* CUFF BLUE ... People & Issues road and has never been remembered again by any one but me, and I only remember it because of its stupidity. But our present day brains are given full TV and newspaper coverage, thus giving comfort and aid to our enemies and leading many to believe we are a nation grown too soft and fat to die. This • isn’t wisdom either. It's plain childish even when it comes from our brain busters and fellow trav elers as well. We’ve gone full circle in our childish search for knowledge. Nowadays, some of our so called brains are telling us God is dead. And true to their usual pattern, mass news media give them full and complete coverage. Thus the theory is pro jected to all the unlearned mlndgofthe world, win ning a great battle for the antl-Chrlsts and the terrible forces of evil that are loosed upon the earth. How long, oh how long will the Lord allow such things to exist before His wrath is kindled against us? And there’s no use for us to sit back and say we don’t believe such nonsense. Ifwe aren't willing to do something about it, we may as well believe it, for the rain has a way of falling on both the Just and the unjust in the self-same manner. I have very strong feelings on this subject and I think it’s high time Christians oil up their knees so they'll bend, then get down on them and beg for mercy. We’ve procrastinated long enough. Even now it may be too late. But we can still see His footprints in the sky each time the sun comes up. We can behold His handiwork each time a seed germinates and we can hear the whisper of angels’ wings each time a baby smiles in his sleep. We can thank only Him for all these things be cause we’ve never met a man, who could do such simple miracles and thus we know He lives for ever. By CLIFF BLUE LOSS. . .Tar Heel Journalism lost two of its outstanding mem bers to the call of the grim reaper last week v*en Mrs. E. F. Mc Culloch, long-time publisher of the Bladen Journal and D, Hiden Ramsey, retired executive of the Asheville Citizen-Times passed away. Both these citizens were leaders for a better way of life and truly great citizens. Mrs. McCulloch who was named "North Carolina Mother of the Year” in 1950 became editor of the Bladen Journal in 1929, and since 1952 had served as editor and publisher. She was dedicated to the upbuilding of BladenCountyandNorthCarollna and was in the forefront working hard for every worthwhile and forward-looking cause. She was the first principal of Elizabethtown High School. Through her personal activities and the Bladen Journal she was ever a wide-awake and ringing chamber of commercefor Bladen County. Seventy-six and working right up through the day before she died, Mrs, McCulloch earned the rest and peace that crowns the life of Christian women. D. Hiden Ramsey, a mountain man from Asheville, was a rare combination of the erudite scholar, writer and leader of men. A gifted speaker, his choice of words reminded one of Churchill or Adlal Stevenson. He was a leader in the field of education, serving for many years on the State Board of Education and was the first chairman of the N. C. Board of Higher Education, He had a keen Interest in politics and was mentioned as a candidate for governor and might well have been elected had he saw fit to make the race. Mrs. E. F. McCulloch fromBladenCountylnthe East and D. Hid en Ramsey from Buncombe County in the West leave rich heritages of dedication and service. May their comrades in journalism and public service carry forward the torch which they held so high and carried so far! JIMMY GREEN. . .Rep. JamesC. Green of Bladen County is being urged by friends to seek re-election to the House, to run for the Sen ate in the 15th district composed of Bladen, Brunswick and Colum bus Counties which will elect one senator, and also for Congress, Some say that Alton Lennon’s vote against the KKK motion in Con gress has resulted in sentiment for Green to consider the Congres sional race, JOE TALLEY. . .When Vice President Humphrey starts running for president one of his Tar Heel leaders will likely be former Mayor Joe Talley of Fayetteville. JERRY ELLIOTT. . .Jerry Elliott who Is press secretary to Gov ernor Moore was a supporter of Richardson Preyer in the Demo cratic primary campaign in 1964. Elliott was tapped by Joe Hunt for public relations director in the highway department, and then a few months later by Governor Moore himself. Both Moore and Hunt knew that Elliott had supported Prey er when they picked him. They told Elliott that they were looking for a man to do a job and they felt he was the man. Today, Governor Moore does not have a more loyal and devoted member of his team that Jerry Elliott who sincerely feels that his boss is doing a real good job. GEORGE WOOD. . .Rep, George Wood of Camden who is now com pleting his second term In the House - and a real ible le^litor, ” has announced that he will not be a candidate lor re-eiec«on;-'How-i ever, close friends report that' Wood is being ur'^ed to ei^ter' the' Senate race In the first district composed ofCamden, Chowan, Cur rituck, Gates, Hertford, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans and Washington Counties which will elect two senators. It was George Wood who led the House battle for naming State College North Carolina State University and against "North Caro lina State of the University of North Carolina.” 13TH DISTRICT. . .If Senator Robert Morgan of Harnett runs for Congress against Dave Henderson in the third district, chances are that Lee County will field a candidate for Morgan’s place in the Senate. Lee men mentioned as possible Senate candidates includeformer Senator Jim Hoyle and Bill Station. Lee and Harnett are both In the third congressional district and Harnett could hardly expect to furnish both the congressman and the senator. Chatham is also in the 13th senatorial district. The Senator forgot to say that approximately 80% of the merchandise that comes into this state is union made. That means that people who work for non-union wages have to buy the necessities of life and pay prices that don’t compare to their wages. All the trucks and farm tractors are made by the United Auto Workers Union, He forgot to tell the working people that theUAW people at age 55, if they have been working as much as 30 years receive a pension of $400 per month for the rest of their life. Have you ever examined the retirement plan of the worker in our rlght-to-work-lawstate? I am afraid it would make you sick to compare the two. The Senator forgot to say where he got his big gest campaign contributions. I think if he had told you, it would probably have been from the people who really receives the benefit from the so-called right-to-work law. National Association ofManu- facturers and other big business, not from the working man. All the working man has are votes, and by the right propaganda campaign they can convince the working man to vote their way. Does the working man really have a candiate to begin with? He will have a candidate if the law is ever changed making it a Federal offense for anyone or any company to donate over lO dollars to any one campaign. Then and only then will a politi cian be able to vote his true convictions. Yes Senator, you brought home a victory to your large campaign contributors, but you broughtade- feat to the working people who elected you. It Is sad indeed. For God’s sake, let us freely hear both sides, error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it! Thomas Jefferson. Silas Fletcher Ironworkers Local 79 Route One, Gatesville Information gained through Russia’s soft-landing of a package of instruments on the moon seems to answer affirma tively the question as to lohether man could walk on the moon, but there is still no satis/actory answer as to why he would want to do so. R-C Editors Say... The Minister Hod A Story He Said By MARIE WOOD News Editor The Herald Ahoskle He had a gentle face and might just as well have worn his collar backwards as some do because everything about him bespoke a man of the cloth. One knew he was a churchman before even he said he was. And he had come, he said, because of a feature story that he thought ‘Your Home Newspaper” might like knowing about. 'Your paper does seem to take an Interest in such things,” he added thoughtfully. And what he had in mind was a story about an elderly little woman maybe 75 - maybe 78 - anyway, she is in her late seventies. And she lost her husband a year ago. And you know how it is when a woman loses her husband, at first everybody comes in and then after a little while nobody comes in. And she is left alone. But in this case it has been different. The husband has been gone more than a year now but folks are still coming in. They come all the time. And the reason seems to be the little old woman herself and her wonderful outlook on everything. She isn't sorry for herself - not at all - although she loved her husband and now she Is left without him and all her children live in distant places so that she rarely sees them. Instead she Is bright and pleasant and her outlook is wonderful so that people just can’t help being attracted to her. They seem glad to come and see her and sometimes they take her out for a drive, as she is infirm and doesn’t get around too well but you mostly can find her at home if you decide to call. And, the caller explained, that he felt the little old woman is such a decided change from so many elderly women who are left widowed and alone and put on long, dreary faces and can’t seem to stop feeling sorry for themselves, that hejustfelt more folks ought to know about this woman. So he took his time to drop around and call the little old woman to the paper’s attention. Because, he said, he knew that a reporter would find her worth visiting and, he also said, he thought that maybe a story about her kind of a person might do somegoodfor some of the other kind who are left alone very soon after they find themselves alone and who do’ nothing but bemoan their fate and their lack of friends and their sorrowful existence. And, you know, we were right ready to agree with him. So the story is on our pad to do the first thing in the morning. In the meantime, the visit of the man of cloth suddenly also seemed worth mentioning.
Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald (Ahoskie, N.C.)
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Feb. 24, 1966, edition 1
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