Page TWO
THE PILOT—Souihern Pines, North Carolina
FRIDAY, JANUARY 1, 1£
Southern Pines
North Carolina
“In taking over The Pilot no changes are contemplated. We will try to keep this a good
paper. We will try to make a little money for all concerned. Where there seems to be an occa
sion to use our influence for the public good we will try to do it. And we will treat everybody
alike.”—James Boyd, May 23, 1941.
Let The Door Stay Open Always
It is quite a joke on the newspapers of North
Carolina that aU the time they were campaign
ing for freedom of information in connection
with legislative committee meetings during the
1953 General Assembly, there was a new law
abridging freedom of information, unknown
to most if not all of the editors, already nestling
among the myriad proceedings of the 1951 As
sembly.
This strange little red-haired stepchild of a
law, which permits secret sessions of boards of
county commissioners, new pops up grinning
and thumbing its nose not only at the press
but at the people of North Carolina. For free
dom of information is the people’s right. It is
the press’s right because it is the people’s right,
not vice versa.
The press believes in this right and works for
it and against secrecy in elected public govern
ing bodies at all levels not to satisfy the press’s
curiosity or vanity but because the overwhelm
ing majority of editors and publishers in North
Carolina and the nation believe that the Con
stitution’s guarantee of press freedom and its
logical extension—freedom of information—is
a great trust and a challenge it would be trea
son to ignore.
What a sorry legislative piece of business we
are presented with in this newly uncovered law!
Of the two co-sponsors who pushed it through
in the final confusion of an adjourning 1951 As
sembly, one is dead and the other says, if you
please, that he was unaware that it altered the
previously existing legal requirement for open
public sessions!
It is no credit to the state-wide Association of
County Commissioners that the group is named
by the co-sponsor as the agency requesting the
bill. Like all attempts by those with power to
limit essential freedoms,, secrecy laws are fear-
inspired. The pattern is the same everywhere
and always: power begets fear and fear begets
oppression. The pattern, with differences in de
gree and emphasis, is the same whether in a
county courthouse or in the Kremlin at Mos
cow. And often the press and freedom of infor
mation are subjected to the first blow.
Paradoxically, the North Carolina press, gen
erally speaking giv,es full-scale interpretation
and news coverage, plus enthusiastic backing,
to the great majority of legislative actions at
both county and state levels. We don’t believe
there is a state in the Union where the press
works more .extensively and intensively shoul
der to shoulder with local and state government.
Against this background, laws to limit free
dom of information and fetter reporters and
editors appear particularly shoddy.
There is probably not a reporter or editor in
the state who has not, at some time, been eject
ed from a session cf an elected public legisla
tive body. Although this is a professional insult
comparable to telling a physician watching over
a sick patient that he had better go home as
he cannot be trusted to make the proper deci
sions at a critical, complicated stage of illness
there is probably not a reporter or editor who
would then refuse to report, explain and back t
the hilt important actions taken by that same
legislative body, the same day, the next week
or the next year.
The newly revealed secrecy law is unworthy
of North Carolina—unworthy of its legislators
at all levels, most of whom understand that
they will be remernbered (and re-elected) not
for what they do behind closed doors and hide
from the people, but what they do in the open
with the people, through the press, fuUy in
formed «o that they can understand, judge, ac
cept or reject on merit alone.
After years of trying to compromise and co
operate with elected legislative bodies who go
into secret sessions, we have come to the con
clusion that there is no excuse for secrecy when
the body is meeting at its stated public place
and time to conduct public business. If such
bodies want to get off somewhere and talk over
“embarrassing” or “controversial” business, let
them go—we don’t expect to be invited. But
when they are in public session, let the door
stay open always.
Since the foregoing was prepared for publica
tion, the co-sponsor of the 1951 bill has announc
ed that he will favor putting the provision
guaranteeing open meetings back in the law
if he returns to the General Assembly in 1955.
Likewise, the executive secretary of the As
sociation of County Commissioners has said
that removal of the open meeting guarantee was
not his intention when he asked for revision of
the law in 1951 and that such revision was not
advocated by the Association.
We are pleased that these opinions have been
expressed and trust that the County Commis
sioners Association will push for restoration of
the guarantee in 1955. The vast majority of
county commissioners, we believe, are not afraid
of open sessions.
It remains amazing and disturbing, however,
that such confusion in regard to the 1951 action
could have prevauled and the incident is a
warning to the General Assembly of the dan
gers in hasty and undebated law-making.
Better Year Ahead?
A friend who used to write glowing letters
about the glories of fast-paced big-city life—
who worked hard all day and played hard all
night, made five times as much money as we
did and expressed bewilderment that we chose
to reside in the remote wilds of North Carolina
—^sends a subdued Christmas note reporting that
his ulcer, a product of 1953, is better.
“At any rate,” he philosophizes hopefully, “I
feel that 1954 is bound to be better than 1953.”
While he didn’t assert that 1954 couldn’t possi
bly be worse than 1953, we^think he’s got some
thing there.
That might be a good watchword for us aU:
“1954 is bound to be better.” Not automatically,
of course, but it appears to us that opportunities
will be emerging—clearer, less nebulous oppor
tunities—to make 1954 better locally, nationally
and internationally.
An astute national columnist recently became
pardonably mystical along this line. He quoted
Winston Churchill’s assertion that, in the mid
thirties, Churchill felt war coming “in my
bones” but that his bones do not convey that
ominous message now. .
Consulting the message that our own bones
are broadcasting, if any, we do feel a New
Year optimism.
Like the big-city resident noted above, many
persons, it seems to us, are now becoming more
subdued and thoughtful, more questioning as to)
the future, less wrapped up in the immediate
concerns of the moment.
Could it be that this marks the closing of
the “post-way” period during which many of us
have rejected much serious thought of either
an unpleasant past or an uncertain future?
If now we stop, take stock of things and plan
more carefully,^ think more deeply and assume
more responsibility, 1954 is “bound to be bet
ter.”
Textbooks In Lawlessness
Petty thieves are exhibiting more and more
finesse in their operations. Sheriff C. J. Mc
Donald pointed out recently.
When a country-store burglar goes to work
these days he very likely will be wearing gloves
to eliminate fingerprints. At one store, not long
ago, glass in a door was taped with adhesive
so that it would not shatter noisily when brok
en—a neat trick that may have been responsi
ble for the success of the operation.
Question: Do you think, sheriff, that the de
tailed instructions in criminad procedure appear
ing in many so-called comic books, given there
as “educational” material or “exposes” of crim
inal methods, have anjdhing to do with this sit
uation?
Answer: Yes, I do.
Question: Do you know, sheriff, that in these
comic books youngsters and adults with the
brains of youngsters, some of said brains no
doubt hovering on the verge of criminality, are
provided with graphic diagrams and instructions
on how to accomplish many acts of violence or
lawlessness, ranging from how to pick a lock
to how to kill a person quietly?
Answer: So I’ve heard. I’m worried about it.
I don’t like it one bit. It isn’t right.
The prosecution rests.
What Will Prevent Such Tragedies?
For the second time within recent months,
a murderous automobile accident involving
teenagers has brought a particularly heart
rending tragedy to families in an adjoining
county.
When, some weeks ago, brothers in two fam
ilies were killed in a Hoke County accident, the
whole state was shocked and it seemed that
such an occurrence could scarcely happen again
for years to come.
Then, a recent night, came an accident at
EUerbe in which five boys, including two sets
of brothers, were killed.
Speeding and reckless driving, arising not
from drunkenness, stupidity or criminal intent
but simply from the exuberance of youth, ap7
pear to have been factors in both these terrible
accidents. '
No one but young people themselves can pre
vent such tragedies. They must be introduced
to the automobile with all the life-or-death
seriousness with which boys are taught the use
of firearms. Their consciences must be led to
react to speeding and reckless driving in the
same manner as conscience reacts to pointing a
loaded weapon at another human being— it
just isn’t done and that’s all there is to it.
Driver training courses in the public schools
would, we believe, be the most effective step
that could be taken toward establishing a rigid
driver’s conscience in youth.
Last Half Century Only a Prelude
State On Threshold Of Greatest Era
By BEN E. DOUGLAS
Director, N. C. Department of
Conservation and Development
The foundation for industrial
leadership was well laid in North
Carolina in the first half of this
century. In that time, we achiev
ed national supremacy in three
major industries — all stemming
from our basic agricultural econ
omy. These are the manufacturing
o'f textiles, tobacco and wooden
furniture. The mid-century found
us a State with its economy diver
sified between agriculture emd in
dustry, but it also found us lead
ing in industries, and in crops,
that yielded relatively low per
capita return.
The new half-century has al
ready been marked by progress
in developing new and diversified
industry, and introducing new
agricultural practices that offer
at the same time the opportunity
and the challenge to increase sub
stantially the wealth and well
being of our people and our State.
The introduction of these new
industries — notably electronics,
chemicals and specialties requir
ing skilled labor and highly train
ed executives—and the expansion
of cur agriculture with greater
emphasis upon production of live
stock and use of advanced meth
ods to bring higher cash returns
from other crops, was not accom
plished cheaply and not without
far-sighted* planning.
The public schools, the techni
cal training centers, the roads and
electrical systems, the hospitals
and other public institutions that
were developed at such heavy ex
pense, and which by their nature
were investments, both public and
private, for the future more than
the present, are now paying divi
dends in the development of our
new economy.
They have already enabled us
to stabilize our Stqte taxes, while
other states not so far advanced
in their essential services are hav
ing to levy new taxes and increase
old ones.
Our dividends from these invest
ments in the future will continue
tcf increase, in the form of greater
advantages and lower taxes for
public services, if we make the
most of the opportunity these
basic improvements open to us,
and as we bring in new industries
and new people to help us convert
our natural resources and attrac
tions for living, working and
playing intO' ever-increasing pros
perity.
In attaining its present indus
trial leadership in the South,
North Carolina preserved its basic
agricultural economy. That makes
for an uncrowded state—a state of
small towns and many small
farms. We have no large cities. We
are isolated from congested popu
lations with their disadvantages
beth from the standpoint of indus
trial development and security,
but our geographic location gives
us easy accessibility to the world’s
greatest markets and we serve
them by every form of transpor
tation—rail, highway, water and
air.
As we capitalize upon 'the op
portunities presented to us, we
may look back upon the great ad
vances of the last half century as
only a prelude. The foundation is
firmly laid. North Carolina is on
the threshold of its greatest era,
and to its achievement the facili
ties cf the Department of Conser
vation and Development are dedi
cated.
The 1953 production of hay in
North Carolina is estimated at 1,-
145,000 tons from 1,164,000 acres
harvested. This is the smallest
harvested acreage since 1942 and
the smallest output of hay since
1941. Production in 1953 was 11
percent below 1952, and 11 per
cent below the 10-year (1942-51)
average production of 1,280,000
tons.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE PILOT
MOORE COUNTY'S LEADING
NEWS WEEKLY.
Grandpa^s Southern Corn Pone
(By Allen© E. Thornburg in the
Chrisliein Science Monitor)
Of all the varieties of corn
bread made in the South my
grandfather preferred corn pone.
It was served to him twice a day
aU his life, hot for his two o’clock
dinner and cold for supper.
Corn pone as it has been pre
pared in our family in North Car
olina for a good many genera
tions, consists of corn meal and
water melded into a oval-shaped
mound about two inches thick and
baked in the oven slowly until
a thick hard-brown crust has
form.ed over the entire exterior.
Sometimes a bit of salt may be
added to suit an individual taste,
and occasionally the corn meal is
scalded befere molding, but these
are modern innovations which
were' neither acceptable in my
grandfather’s time nor included
in the original recipe. And never
was sugar, even a grain of it,
made an ingredient in corn pone
or any kind of corn bread. To com
mit such a faux pas would have i
evoked criticism even from my i
grandfather who was the most i
amiable of men. [
Corn pone is sometimes confus- j
ed with hoecake, muffin bread,
spoon bread, and other forms of
bread in which corn meal is the
basic constituent, but these re-1
quire either a different process of |
cooking or additional ingredients, I
and are therefore not the saune as*
corn pone.
Freshly baked in the old wood- j
burning range which wais used in
my grandmother’s kitchen in win
ter, corn pone smelled deliciously
of ripe corn, hot summer sun
shine, and roasted chestnuts all
blended in one hot savory aroma.
Its exterior was hatrd and crisp
but the inside wais soft and firm.
Eaten while hot with a generous
spread of butter which melted
and penetrated throughout the
coarse porous interior, and wash
ed down with a glass of cool,
freshly churned buttermilk, it
was food fit for a king.
Grandpa liked his hot corn pone
served at dinner with such vege
tables as cabbage, turnips, col-
lards, “snap” or string beans, mus
tard and turnip greens (usually
called salad), and other green
vegetables. But he did not like it
with legumes. In fact it was con
sidered proper to serve hot bis
cuits only with butter beans and
garden peas, while hoecake was
the suitable and indispensable ac
companiment of black-eyed peas
and fried or baked fish.
When hot, corn pone is more
easily served by either breaiking
it into individual portions before
bringing it to the table, or by al-
lowng each individual to break off
a porton as it is passed around the
table. When cold, however, it can
be sliced neatly without breaking
or crumbling. That was the way
Grandpa liked it at the end of his
evening meal.
For, regardless of the hot dishes
especially prepared for the eve
ning meal, my grandfather’s sup
per was never complete without
a slice of cold corn pone. What
ever portion was left over from
dinner was always placed beside
his plate at the supper table. As
a' child when I happened to be
there for this meal, I would watch
his every move in eating this last
Course. It fascinated me because
he was so deliberate and precise j
in > the process. The maid would
reiiiove his supper plate and place
the ccld corn bread in front of i
Grancpa. He would hold the pone «
in his left hand and with the
sharp steel blade of his steak
knife held in his right, he would
cut through the pone sideways,
deftly slicing off a thin slab which
he would then spread with butter,
honey, or preserves, or eat with
a slice of cold boiled ham. No one
else participated in this last
course. It was Grandpa’s special
ty.
ENGRAVED Wedding Announce
ments and Invitations. Quick
service, reasonable prices. Tht
Pilot
The North Carolina cotton cl
for 1953 is now estimated at 4J1
000 bales (500 lbs. gross weig
—20 percent below the 569^
bales producedqn 1952 and 13 ;
cent below the 10-year (19421
average production of 522j
bales. The 1953 cotton crop
off to a favorable start. AlthcJ
some replanting was necesM
most growers were able to ai
above normal stands of cottc
The PILOT
Published Every Friday
THE PILOT, Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carol]
1941—JAMES BOYD—194^
Katharine Boyd EditoS
C. Benedict News Editor^
Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr.
C. G. Council Advertising
Mary Scott Newton Business
Bessie Cameron Smith .. Society
Composing Room
Lochamy McLean, Dixie B. Ray,
Michael Valen, Jasper Swearingen
Subscription Rates:
One Year $4. 6 mos. $2; 3 mos. $1
Entered at the Postoffice at South
ern Pines, N. C., as second class
mail matter
Member National Editorial Assn,
and N. C. Press Assn.
Drs. Neal and McLean
VETERINARIANS
Southern Pines, N. C.
Xx
FUEL OIL-KEROSENE
PRODUCTS OF QUALITY
Metered Delivery
We will appreciate the opportunity of
serving you.
Call - 9261 Aberdeen. N. C.
PAGE & SHAMBURGER
DISTRIBUTORS
Notice Of Town Garbage Can
Requirements
In order to comply with the new Town Sanitary
Ordinance which was designed to make South
ern Pines a cleaner, healthier and more beauti
ful community, the following garbage can
requirements must be complied with before
February 1,1954:
1. Garbage cans must be metal and must be
water-tight.
2. J Garbage cans must have handles.
3. No can may exceed 30 gallons liquid capac
ity and no can may weigh more than 20
pounds empty.
4. All cans must have a tight-fitting cover.
5. Sunken patented cans properly installed,
flush with the ground, are encouraged.
Failure to comply with this ordinance may re-
splt in a fine of not less than $5.00 nor more than
$50.00. Each day’s violation is a separate of
fense.
TOWN OF SOUTHERN PINES
SANITARY DEPARTMENT