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Entered at Post Office. Franklin, N. C.. as second class matter
Published every Thursday by The Franklin Pre6s
Franklin, N C Telephone 24
WEIMAR JONES Editor
BOB S. SLOAN Business Manager
J. P. BRADY News Editor
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.SEPTEMBER 15, 1955
Stops At Color Line
Not since prohibition ? perhaps not since the
abolition movement ? has there been a subject so
few people could discuss calmly and reasonably as
is true of the segregation-integration issue.
The substitution of emotion for logic, on the part
of the extreme segregationists, has been pointed out
repeatedly. Little attention, though, has been given
to the "prejudice" of the extreme integrationists.
They crusade on behalf of justice ? but their
fervor stops at the color line.
The recent murder of a 14-vear old Negro boy in
Mississippi is an example. It was, of course, a ter
rible crime. But it was not the enormity of the
crime that gave it national prominence ; it was the
fact that the victim was a Negro. And the preju
dice is so strong that the State of Mississippi can
clear its skirts only by getting convictions ? with
or without a fair trial. Who outside of Mississippi,
in fact, will be interested in whether the defendants
are given their constitutional rights in the court
room ?
And in North Carolina there is a great to-do
about whether three Negro hoys from Durham
shall he admitted to the freshman class at the Uni
versity. (It is not as though no Negro could set
foot on the U. N. C. campus ; Negroes are enrolled
in the graduate and .professional schools there.)
The question has been solemnly adjudicated by a
three-judge federal court. It has held the young
Negroes must be admitted to the undergraduate
school ? must be admitted, presumably, without
regard to their personal qualifications of character,
personality, and scholarship; must be admitted,
that is, because they are Negroes.
An almost parallel situation exists at Chapel Hill
with respect to women students. They are admit
ted to the graduate schools and to the junior and
senior classes; but they are denied admission the
first two years.
If we were consistent, wouldn't somebody have
brought suit about that? ? and wouldn't the Su
preme Court have handed down another historic
decision? For is discrimination worse when applied
to a race than when applied to a sex? Is there
something sacred about race that sets it apart?
(Extreme integrationists surely would be the first
to deny it, since they deny there are any real dif
ferences between races!)
And whenever has a single crusader against the
discrimination of segregation raised his voice about
the segregation and discrimination, as between of
ficers and men, practiced by the armed services?
In the matter of integration jn the schools, one
would suppose that the first and great objective of
the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People is to assure the best possible edu
cation for Negro children. Yet only the other day
Thurgood Marshall, counsel for the N.A.A.C.P.,
was quoted in an interview as saying not even the
possible destruction of the whole public school sys
tem would deter his organization from invoking
the letter of the Supreme Court decisions to bring
about integration at the earliest possible moment.
? * *
The point, of course, is not that the kettle is as
black as the pot. The point is a question :
How can we ever get anywhere, so long as each
side in this cold war assumes it has a monopoly on
right, justice, and good sense? ? and when neither
side is really honest in its thinking?
I
It is the right of our people to oppose any law, and any part
of the Constitution with which they are not in sympathy. ? Al
fred E. Smith.
If you have any Influence In the world to get you a start In
life, dont use It. The worst thing fiat can happen to a man la
to start life with influence ? Char, es M. Schwab.
i
New Theory
There're a lot of theories being advanced on
juvenile delinquency and how to combat this social
thorn whose infection is spreading at an alarming
rate.
And there's little doubt that even the most radic
al theory makes some worthwhile point, from the
one which holds that psychological factors are to
blame, to the one that crime is inborn.
But don't forget there's a pre-1930 generation of
men and women who can vividly recall that some
sharp licks across their backsides by an irate papa
had a much more lasting effect on their social
destination than all the theories.
Well, whatta va' know ? a new theorv, WOOD*
SHED-ISM!
Others' Opinions
'Loaded' Terms
(Chapel Hill News Leader)
In trying to find a way through the complexities of the
desegregation question in the schools, the State officers and
all other speakers will do well to avoid words and terms loaded
with an emotional significance and perhaps even with preju
dice.
The Attorney General of the State, referring to the suit
brought by Negro parents in Montgomery County, calls it "the
first in the State in which Negroes are seeking to force ad
mittance into white schools."
"Force" as used here is a loaded and unjustified term.
People, whether white or Negro, who use legal methods are
employing the opposite of force. Any citizen has a right to
Invoke the law and the courts in pursuit of legal ends and
does not earn any stigma thereby.
The schools of North Carolina are not "white" and do not
belong exclusively to white people. They were established for
tha benefit of all the people, regardless of color.
The Attorney General is supposed to be the servant of the
whole people who make up the State of North Carolina.
He is not doing them a service when he acts and speaks as
if he represented an exclusive group.
The question of the schools' future must be eventually set
tled in accordance with the oldest American tradition of de
mocratic methods. Otherwise it will return to haunt us.
Could Have Been 'Rotarians'
(Smithfield Herald)
When Khrushchev last winter demanded that Russian agri
culture Increase Its corn production for livestock feed eight
fold by 1980, the Des Moines Register published an editorial
inviting a delegation from Russia to visit Iowa farms and find
out how capitalistic farmers made a success of growing corn
and raising livestock.
There was surprise when the Soviet Government took notice
of the editorial and approved the Register's idea. The Eisen
hower administration didn't think much of the idea, but finally
was prodded into clearing the way for the Russians to visit
American farms.
The Russians came and, it appears from news accounts, they
have had "quite a time" in capitalistic America. The Russians
have learned a good deal that may be helpful in solving Soviet
agricultural problems. And their visit has taught the Americans
something.
The Russians, we are told, have been rather amazed by the
production of a typical American farm family. On the George
Hora farm in Iowa, they saw that Hora and his 17-year-old
son were able to farm 160 acres with scarcely no other help.
It seemed Impossible to the visitors. They were astonished at
the quantities of feed used on the Hora farm, at the farm's
annual expenditure for machinery, and at the annual net
profit of the Horas. The Russians wouldn't admit the superi
ority of private enterprise farming over collective farming,
but they must have been stimulated to do a lot of thinking.
And what did the farmers of the American Midwest learn?
That "Russians" and "Communists" were human beings who
smiled and shook hands and joked and laughed. That they
were friendly and respectful toward their American hosts.
That, in the words of one reporter, "they could almost have
been visiting Rotarlans."
Now, of course, the Russian visitors have put up their best
front. Their friendliness alone does not prove that Americans
have nothing at all to fear from Communism. The overwhelm
ing majority of Americans will continue to reject and resist
the philosophy of Communism, just as the Russians will con
tinue to prefer their own economic system.
But the Intermingling of the Russians with Americans
should do much to enhance friendly relations between the
United States and Russia. It should help to speed the thaw
of the Cold War and to promote the attitude of "live and let
ilve" which must prevail in international relations if the
world Is to avoid a suicidal atomic war.
More Russians should visit Aqierlca and observe life here
first hand, just as more Americans ought to visit Russia and
get a close-up view of life under Communism. The more we
understand each other, the less the tensions will be.
# Letters
Tribute To Mr. Slagle
Editor, The Press:
May I take advantage of your courteous columns to pay this
belated but heartfelt tribute to the late Carl Slagle?
As his neighbors and friends well knew, Carl Slagle was an
Intelligent, industrious, progressive fanner. Through his own
success, he contributed substantially to the economy of his
county and of this mountain region. His example In efficient
operation of his farm was more impressive and more effective
than. the lectures of many agricultural experts.
But it is about Carl Slagle's self-effacing, faithful and com
petent services as a member of the North Carolina House of
Representatives that I would write particularly. There was
nothing glamorous about his legislative career. He spoke in
frequently and then always with matter-of-factness. He never
mistook wisecracking for wisdom. But he attended punctually
house and committee sessions. He listened patiently and In
telligently. He did his own thinking and reached his own con
clusions. At all times, he placed the welfare of the state, as
.he saw it, above the importunings of the lobbyists or the
clamor of the popular side. There was something massive
about his sense of public integrity. North Carolina was the
beneficiary of his one term of service in the House of Repre
sentatives. The pity is that he could not have been prevailed
upon to seek reelection. He would have ripened Into one of the
most useful and respected lawgivers that Western North Caro
lina has known in recent years.
The last time I saw Carl Slagle for any considerable period
of time was on March 27th. Dr. and Mrs. Frank P. Graham,
Mrs. Ramsey and I had spent that bitterly cold week-end at a
fishing camp at Rainbow Springs. Early that frigid morning
he visited us to see how we were faring and to offer any as
sistance that we might require. This visit and this offer were
typical of the neighborly character of the man. He was truly
a thoughtful friend and neighbor whose solicitude for others
will linger long In the affectionate memories of many.
Faithfully yours,
D. HI DEN RAMSEY
Ashevllle, N. C.
As we grow rich, our Ideas grow rusty. ? Poe.
W. D. WORKMAN, Jr.
NEEDED: A Foundation For The South
In Charlotte Cj k?
For long enough now the
South has been on the receiv
ing end of an unwarranted, un
charitable, and basically unin
formed barrage of political, ec
onomic, social, and educational
propaganda. The time is at
hand for a counter-attack.
But whatever the South does
in its defense should be dpne
in good humor, in good sense,
and in good will. Angry recrim
inations might .relieve pent-up
Southern resentment, but they
will not improve the situation.
What needs to be done is to
spread understanding of the
region, of its problems AND of
its accomplishments, through
out the non-South.
Fortunately, the South no
longer is the nation's Number
One economic problem, although
some Southerners still talk
"poor mouth" through force of
habit. What the South wants is
not sympathy nor assistance,
but enlightened understanding
from those who live elsewhere
in the nation.
The mid-century South is no
land of "'moonlight and mag
nolias," although some of the
grace of that tradition still
linger, and desirably so. Nor is
the South a sprawling area of
"sow-belly and segregation," to
borrow the words of an actor
more gifted at pretense than
at profundity.
Segregation, of a sort, still
characterizes most of the South,
but it is not the covert and dis
criminatory segregation of the
non-South it is an open and
generally accepted pattern of
racial separation which has
made the South an area of op
portunity for Negroes as well
as whites.
It has stimulated and pro
duced more Negro teachers,
doctors, dentists, professional
persons and business men than'
in any portion of the non
South, whether measured pro
portionately or numerically.
But the racial aspect Is only
one phase of regional under
standing, or misunderstanding.
An approach to a broader un
derstanding might embrace this
proposal for establishment of
some sort of agency ? semi
official in nature? which would
aim toward the betterment of
relations between the South
and the non-South:
For lack of a better term,
the agency could be called the
Southern Foundation, borrow
ing a term which came into
temporary use several years ago
when the Southern Governors'
Conference toyed briefly and
inconclusively with this same
problem.
Such a Foundation could fos
ter recognition of Southern
achievements (and attitudes)
in the fields of Industry, agri
culture, politics and govern
ment, education, and sociology.
It could serve as a clearing
house for information of South
wide progress In all those areas.
It could serve the South in the
exchange of ideas and serve the
nation as a point of dissemi
nation for current reports on
the Southern scene.
In the field of education, the
Southern Foundation could de
velop and execute plans for
student axchange, teacher ex
change, scholarships and fel
lowships, and other devices
making for a greater inter
change of and appreciation for
the Southern point of view.
In the related field of pub
lications, it might aid in break
ing down the obvious and dis
criminatory refusal of Northern
publishers to print anything out
of the South which does not
conform with their preconceiv
ed Ideas of "liberality In the
New South."
A Southern Foundation could
offset some of the mealy-mouth
ed preachments of "do-gooder"
organizations within and with
out the South which seek to de
velop a guilt complex among
Southerners for simply being
Southerners.
Southern seminars, held pexi
odichlly at the various colleges
and universities throughout the
region, could attact outstanding
scientists, educators, industrial
ists, and other prominent fig
ures from, the South and, non
South to ^discuss Southern re
sources, developments and po
tentials in ill fields.
In the refclm of politics, the
Southern foundation would nec
essarily tread lightly, for there
Is no longer a. "solid South" In
that sense ?a a developrr*nt
which In Itself'1 ^speaks South
ern progress. But even so, there
are political attitudes common
to most of the 'South, and the
Foundation could serve to pub
licize not so much those atti
tudes as the reasoning which
supports them. >
All this is a larfe order, and
would require financial support
as well as Intellectual and or
ganizational cooperation. It may
not be feasible. Some may not
think it desirable. But there are
many who see the South as the
repository of much that is sound
and sensible amidst the chang
ing scenes of American life. To
them, an understanding of the
South would be a blessing, not
alone to the South, but to the
nation.
News Making
As It Looks.
To A Maconite
? By BOB SLOAN
i
According to recent surrey*,
large business concern* win
have this year by far the larg
est profits to report, even after
taxes, In their history. The
same prosperity does not seem
to have extended to the farm
er and small business. Those of
us who have contended that ec
onomic conditions are so regu
lated under a Republican ad
ministration as to favor the
large business organizations
ana investors
seem to have
some proof to
our argument.
Whether the
contention of
Mr. Charley
Wilson, that
what Is good
for General
Motors is good
for the rest
of the coun
try Is true re
Sloan
mains io oe seen. FranKly, It
seems to me that the best sign
for those who till the soli end
the small businessmen (the
last example of real free en
terprise) is that next year is a
big election year and the num
bers of these two groups may
be considered legion enough to
merit some consideration. I
really think that the plight of
the small businessman in this
country is becoming increasing
ly serious. People may not real
ize he will probably soon re
place the American Indian as
the rightful owner of the title,
"The Vanishing American."
? * ?
The mare I think of it the
better the idea seems to me
that Macon County should
make a concerted effort to
bring about the establishment
of a small college here. Just
for example think what it
would mean to the town of
Highlands if such an institu
tion could be established there.
It would be a fine payroll dur
ing the Winter months. Being
old fashioned, I am one of
those who thinks that in this
country where there is a will
there is a way. That is if the
will is strong enough. What
about it Highlands?
* ? ?
The same old fashioned idea
of a will and a way applies
here in Franklin concerning the
Youth Center. By carrying out
the idea expressed last week
by my blond brainy associate,
JPB of "having a working" we
could have a nice Youth Center
here. The only question is do
we want It bad enough. How
about it, Franklin?
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward throairb
the files of The Preset
SO TEARS AGO THIS WEEK
The United States Geological
Survey has two men at work in
this county. One good thing
they are doing is marking the
altitude at different places
along the roads on trees and
bridges in white paint.
Mr. and Mrs. Virgil L. Jones
probably arrived at their home
at Fairbault, Minn., last Mon
day from their European trip.
Miss Jones was the former Miss
Isabel Ellas.
Misses Annie Woodfln, of
Ashevllle, N. C., and Mildred
Holt, of Macon, Ga., were here
last week.
25 YEARS AGO
Uncle John Crawfard, of Clay
County, who Is eight months
more than a hundred years old,
attended the Lee Crawford fu
neral Tuesday.
Mr. Edwin Bleckley and fam
ily were in Franklin last Sat
urday. Mr. Bleckley has been
in Tampa, Fla., for several
months, and his family has
been residing In Clayton. Oa.
10 YEARS AGO
Mrs. Reby S. Tessier has just
returned from New Orleans, La.,
where she attended the wed
ding of her son, Lieut. Jack S.
Tessier, to Miss Mitzi Olivia
Schaden on Tuesday, Sept. 4.
Mrs. James Fowler and Mrs.
P. M. Maukee, of Knoxville,
Tenn. and Mrs. Ethel Ray, of
Dallas, Tex., are spending sev
eral days at their home on
West Main Street here
Miss Barbara Zoellner left
last week to begin her fresh
man year at Mars Hill College.
Miss Zoellner was an honor
student in the graduating class
at Highlands High 8chool the
past spring. ? Highlands Item.