PAGE TWO
THE PILOT—Southern Pines. North Carolina
FRIDAY, APRIL 2. 1954
Southern Pines
North Carolina
“In taking over The Pilot no cheinges 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.
Responsibility To Keep Within The Law
The gambling that took place at the Stoney-
brook racetrack recently poses no great prob
lem for this area. Although newspaper accounts
of the situation implied that such gambling is
frequent and continuous, it was a one-day thing
conducted wholly by bookmakers who spent
the least possible time here. As a moral, legal
or financial threat to the community, the
gambling was not of great importance.
By this we do not in any way mean to con
done such gambling—only to place its relative
position among the many problems of law en
forcement that face Moore County officers.
Gambling is against the law and this illegal
betting was altogether regrettable, but
certainly no problem facing the county has re
moved itself so speedily and of its own accord
as did the bookmakers. Control of gambling at
future races should not present much difficulty,
now that those in charge of the track and offi
cers of the law have all been alerted by this
year’s experience.
Solicitor Lament Brown and Sheriff C. J.
McDonald, neither of whom were present at
the races where bookmakers had their stands
set up, are to be commended for conducting an
investigation o^f the affair and attempting to
bring the guilty persons to trial. It is somewhat
humiliating for all parties concerned that it took
a newspaper photograph in.an out-of-town pub
lication to touch off this investigation—al
though of course, it is possible that complaints
would have been made from other sources. The
photograph, showing bookmakers with then-
stands set up at the track, appeared the morning
after the Saturday afternoon' races.
It was very much in order for City Manager
Tom E. Cunningham and Councilman C. S.
Patch, Jr., to point out in letters to the news
paper that the races were not held within the
town limits of Southern Pines and that the town
in no way sanctions or condones the “open
gambling” that was headlined as taking place
at “Southern Pines races.”
The gambling incident is a warning to the
Stoneybrook Hunt Racing Association that it
must henceforth keep its own house clean of
gambling or face the consequences. The very
fine event staged this year by the Association,
featuring an Eifternoon Of top-notch entertain
ment by noted horses and riders, points to a
rosy future for the Stoneybrook Steeplechase—
if the Association 'takes its community respon
sibilities seriously- and sees to it that gambling
is eliminated at the races in future years.
The H-Bomb And U. S. Responsibility
On March 11, the Atomic Energy Commission
issued a statement that, in the recent explosion
of the H-bomb at Bikini, 28 Americans and 236
natives were exposed to radiation.
This release was followed by accounts of the
injured Japanese fishermen and the investiga
tion made in Japanese markets to deteripine if
the fish they had caught were radioactive.
This morning the papers carried the an
nouncement of Admiral Lewis Strauss, head of
the Atomic Energy Commission, that another
experiment had just “been carried out success
fully.”
The Admiral’s statement is similar to the one
he issued following the March 1 explosion. That
also was called “successful.” Yet in that explo
sion many were injured. President Eisenhower
said of it that he thought it must have “sur
prised and astonished” those taking part.
The people of this country have not yet been
given any details of these experiments, but it
is clearly apparent that though termed “suc
cessful” what happened went way beyond plans
or expectations. Walter MiUis, writing of the
affair in the Herald Tribune, speaks of it as
“dangerously uncontrolled”; others have voiced
the gravest warnings against the possible results
of further experiments.
Meantime, Russia is also exploding bombs.
The Japanese report a fall of radioactive ashes
that can only have come from Siberia. This is
land nation, then, is being hit from two points
of the compass, bracketed in an increasingly
perilous barrage from two directions.
Must this thing go on? Why must there' be
further experiments? That is what many are
asking. The formulae for making bigger and
better bombs are in the hands of the scientists.
Experiments would seem at least to verge on
the unnecessary: the bombs ahfeady iii exis
tence and thoroughly tried out are capable of
doing their ’ dreadful work with utmost
thoroughness. Why is anything worse needed?
To continue these ghastly demonstrations not
only risks injuring, perhaps beyond recovery,
our friends, the Japanese, as well as others who
may stray within a danger area whose limits,
it has been shown, cannot be clearly controlled,
but there is a graver risk involved. The sight
of so much horror and its apparent place in the
plans of the nation, which first loosed the dread
ful weapons upon Asiatics may so antagonize
the peoples of the East, and of people every
where, that we shall lose in friendship a thous
and times over whatever advantage this may
bring us in material strength.
Is the time then ripe for reopening an attempt
to confer with the Russians? Molotov said, in
a recent Moscow speech: “It is now true that
mankind has to face only the choice of a fresh
world slaughter or a so'-called cold war. Every
thinking man cannot help wondering now what
could be the next step to be taken.”
As one of the thinking men, perhaps Molotov
is now ready, as he has not been before, to enter
into consideration of that next step. Surely for
this nation, at least, that should be the right
path to take.
That Corkscrew Turn
Whenever we drive to Pinehurst and find our
selves having to negotiate that V-turn, a veri
table corkscrew of maneuvering, off the high
way, we experience a feeling Of deep-down
pleasure. That’s Pinehurst, to us. Here’s a town
that actually maikes it hard for people to get in!
Pinehurst is what it is just because of things
like that corkscrew turn. The people who plan
ned it and run it know that that’s the way it
has to be, and has to be kept, if it is to con
tinue as one of the finest, best-known resorts
in the nation. A big part of the reason for its
justified fame lies in the spirit that conceived
that ,turn and had the gumption to make the
road go that way.
The thing is: Pinehurst is a secluded place,
with an atmosphere all its own. And the turnoff
from the highway means you can’t come roaring
into Pinehurst and then, like as not, go roaring
through and out again. You have to want to go
there. You have to look for the turn, as you’d
look for a rare thing; you have to slow do-wn,
to drive carefully. That means you’re going to
notice the surroundings, the beauty of the place,
the fine trees and planting, the nice shops and
houses. Nine times out of ten, you’ll want to
stop and stay.
But the turn means more than that. It means
that Pinehurst cannot be turned into a
thoroughfare for racing motorists. 'The people
who live there need not fear for their lives
when they cross the street and the air is not
full of noise and exhaust fumes.
That turn off the road is a good introduction
to the atmosphere of leisure and charm that
means Pinehurst to so many. Here are few signs
of the busy world outside: no filling-stations, no
“quick lunches,” no advertising signs, no mo
tels with their air o^f over-night stops and rush
ing on somewhere else as fast as possible. Pine
hurst, with its taU pines, flowering shrubs, its
maze of thickly planted twisting roads, is made
for staying.
And why is all this? It didn’t come by chance;
it. came because of the shrewd business sense
and perspicacity of its New England founders.
Of course, Pinehurst isn’t meant for year-round
habitation; in summer it turns into a ghost town,
with homes and hO'tels and many shops closed.
It is meant for a resort and it fills that need
superbly. Nevertheless, many year-round towns
might well take a leaf out of Pinehurst’s hand
book, realizing that progress and beauty and
charm may go hand in hand and that it is both
possible and profitable to try to combine them.
Pooches Up For Vaccination
Presence of rabies in Robeson and Hoke Coun
ties—no less than five people have been bitten
in Hoke and are taking the long and painful
Pasteur treatment—adds importance this year
to the annual dog vaccination program that
starts this week.
While the rabies problem: is only one of the
dog problems in Moore Coimty, it is Of primary
concern because it affects human life and wel
fare directly. It is the responsibility of each
dog owner to comply with the vaccination law.
If a dog owner misses the veterinarian at one
of the stops, he should attempt to meet him at
another before the vaccination period is over.
Few families would neglect the vaccination of
their children against smallpox—a measure that
has practically wiped out this dise?ise—yet a
The Public
Speaking
BEHIND THE BARS go the veterans of the
pack, to give the puppies a chance during the
last weeks of this season’s hunting for the Moore
County Hounds. With regular meets over for
this year, W. O. Moss, huntsman of the local
pack and joint master with William J. Brewster,
announces: no more fixtures. The young entry
will be tried out, however, on good scenting days
until it gets too hot. Anyone who wants to go
along will be welcome. “Just call up the night
before and see if we’re going out,” says Mrs.
Moss.
0^ ScuuC
Wings Can Go Round
How many saw the helicopter
go trundling by Friday?
We were sitting out under the
pines basking in the spring air,
sun shining softly down. Up on
the top of the big oak, just be
ginning to leaf out, sat a mock
ing-bird, singing to beat the band.
Tail spread to hold him steady, he
threw back his head and fairly
hollered. Then the slow, knock-
ety-knock of the engine came
along. And there it was, big wind
mill wheel buzzing Eiround, whole
fimny contraption tilting along.
Just over the treetops it seemed
to be. You felt the folks up there
in it, were moseying along on an
afternoon stroll, so leisurely and
casual it looked.
They passed right over the top
of the oak where the mocker was
and he never even missed a note.
Just kept right on singing, head
tilted back, looking the folks up
above right in the eye. Didn’t
seem to strike him at all queer
that the wings were on top and
turning round and round.
Oh well, he doubtless thought;
Spring is here. No telling what
queer goings-on we’ll see, with all
this soft air and green and flowers
smelling so sweet.
Wings can go round and round
for all of me, sang the mocker.
The Homing Instinct
The famous Dr. Joe Rhine of
Duke was a visitor here last week.
So everybody got to telling him
stories. Not about ha’nts and
ghosties and ghoolies, this time,
or cards, but about queer things
that have to do with animals.
That’s what he’s been working on,
most recently: the homing in
stincts in pigeons and so on.
He told about the kitten who
had gone 1400 miles to find her
folks and then Paul Green told
about the cat that had tried to
commit suicide by putting her
head on the railroad track.
But that was frustrating because
Paul didn’t know why. Was it
for true love, blighted? Or the
loss of a beloved husband? Or
mistress? And then: did the train
come along or didn’t it? Left
everybody in terrible suspense.
And Elizabeth Green said: “It
was probably the Norfolk and
Southern, so the train was late
and the cat got tired of waiting,”
or “died of hunger instead,” said
someone else. But even so. Dr.
Rhine was interested.
He wanted to hear, too, the
story of the donkey who mourned
for his dead master. He said he’d
never heard of a donkey in that
sort of situation. Generally it
would be a dog or a cat.
Of course, this was an Italian
donkey. That might make a good
deal of difference. Italian donkeys
have enormous dark eyes that
look as if they might start to cry
at any moment. Here’s the story:
the next Grain:
Un Assino Piange
It goes on “sul padrone morto”,
and — warning! — this is a sad
story.
The above says “a donkey wept
over the body of his master.”
The story comes from an Italian
newspaper with the dateline:
“Traviollo”. It says that an old
farmer named Giovanni Conti dur
ing his life had been the owner
of a donkey. He had developed a
strong affection for his little don
key, it goes on, so much that many
times the farmer brought the don
key into his kitchen to sleep in
stead of leaving him in the barn.
The animal, as a result of this,
was very much attached to his
master.
The other day, says the write
up,. the farmer became sick and
died. At the moment of his death
the donkey was in the room and
those present saw that he was
crying. Real tears flowed from the
little donkey’s eyes. Later, when
they tried to lead him away, they
were unable to persuade him to
go out of the room, and he did
not go until his master was car
ried to his grave.
At the time the despatch was
written, the little donkey had
watched beside his master for 48
hours without taking food. “And
now,” says the writer, “the poor
animal brays all day long in his
stall and will not come out of it
for anyone.”
They Finally Got Her
The ways of those wiggly things
we still call germs are mighty
mysterious to most of us. And
sometimes we suspect they are
just about as mysterious to the
Ph.Ds and high-fallutin’ folks
who work on them and their do
ings.
This is by way of leading up to
the surprising news item that
came our way this week: that Mrs.
Henry Klingenschmidt of Vass,
home economics teacher at Aber
deen, has been having the
measles.
Mrs. Klingenschmidt says she
has been in school for some 20
Study GroHp Explained
To the Editor:
There seems to be some confu
sion about the discussion of the
sewerage question at the meet
ing of the Study Unit Groups of
the League of Women Voters. It
had nothing to do with extension
of sewerage in Weymouth
Heights, KnoUwood or Pinedene.
At this meeting infc^rmation was
given that most of West Southern
Pines is without sewerage. The
big majority of houses have out
door privies and drain sinks cuid
tubs onto the ground. The point
was made that this naturally leads
to unsanitary conditions which in
I case of an epidemic would be a
danger to both communities.
I The suggestion was made that
a $150,000 bond issue could fur
nish -sewerage to West Southern
Pines within a year or two. The
interest for this bond issue could
be paid for by the sewer rates.
When the question of the large
deficit left by the former govern
ment was raised as a reason for
not going into debt for extension
of sewerage, it was explained that
the sewer rates could not be used
to pay the deficit, that they could
only be used for sewerage.
May I point oUt that the local
branch of the League of Women
Voters is at present taking no
stand on, any of the questions
brought up by its findings. It is
merely studying, learning, and
discussing. "The Town Survey
Committees are “fact-finding
committees.”
A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE
Prize-Winning High School Speech
Patti Woodell Talks On WorldPeace
family that does not have its dog vaccinated
may be subjecting its children to a far worse
physical threat: rabies.
It is a foregone conclusion that the army of
stray dogs that roams the towns and rural areas
of Moore County will not be vaccinated. They
constitute a public health menace that should
not be ignored. A vast number of unvaccinated
doge can do much to destroy the value of the
vaccination program.
We can see no solution to this problem except
a dog warden and dog pound operating on the
county level. We urge the county commission
ers to give this proposal serious consideration
at their regular meeting next Monday. As a
public health measure alone, it merits every
effort to make it a reality.
UN's 'Pre-Atomic
Age' Charter Is
Held Inadequate
In a recent speaking contest at
Southern Pines high school, Patti
Wocdell won the gold key first
prize for her speech on the topic,
‘Building World Peace: How Can
the United Nations Prevent Com
munist Aggression and Prepara
tion for Aggression.” Here is the
winning address:
By Palti Woodell
It is hoped that the United Na
tions can find a way to end the
menace under which humanity
has existed for so long.
When the Charter was drawn
up in San Francisco in the spring
of 1945, no one knew of the atomic
bomb which was to fdll on Hiro
shima in the summer of 1945. The
Charter is thus a pre-Atomic Age
Charter. If the immeasurable
power of this bomb had been
known beforehand, the provisions
of the Charter dealing with dis
armament and the regulation of
armaments would have been more
emphatic.
Another way in which the
Charter is inadequate lies in the
fact that the then “big three lead
ers,” Roosevelt, Churchill, and
Stalin, looking upon the United
Nations as a peacetime prolonga
tion, placed major authority in
the Security Council and stipula
ted that the great powers perma
nently represented on that coun
cil must be in agreement. This
was somewhat altered and a
greater scope was given to the
General Assembly. Still, however,
the Security Council had the
right to “veto” and the General
Assembly was permitted only to
“recommend.” Now we can see
the ineffectiveness of an organ
ization whose fimctioning depends
upon cooperation with a nation
which is dominated by an interna
tional party seeking world domin
ation.
The present United Nations can
not prevent Communist prepara
tion for aggression. It has no pow
er to prevent Soviet Russia from
arming with atomic bombs, bomb
ers and any other weapons she
can make. The United Nations
could not send inspectors into
North Korea before the aggres
sion of June, 1950, to see that the
North Koreans did not pre:pare
tanks and guns to attack South
Korea or to see that arms were
not shipped from Russia.
As long as Russian Communists
can prepare for aggression they
are more than likely to commit
aggression, as they did through
their North Korean puppets in
1950. The United Nations has no
armed services of its own, and
it is not a certainty that the
United Nations would recommend
action against aggression^ or that
many nations would take part in
resistance against the aggression.
The existence of the United Na
tions tends to discourage Com
munist aggression. The United
Nations in Korea brought many
nations together to fight aggres
sion. This was better for the free
world than if the forces had been
limited to South Korean and
American.
Russia has built up a cause for
greater resistance, opening the
eyes of many delegates, by her
dishonesty and ruthlessness at the
United Nations.
Immiediale Problem
Today the immediate problem
is Soviet Communist aggression.
Ten years ago Germany, under the
control of the Nazis,, brought
about World War II with the help
of Fascists in Italy and warlords
in 'Japan. Twenty-nine years
earlier, the Kaiser’s Germany
brought death and destruction in
World War I.
The present rearming of former
enemy countries could possibly
eventuate in aggression at some
time, unless such rearming were
held in reasonable limits.
Yes, it is clear that aggression
and preparation are much older
and broader than communism.
Then we ask, “Why must ag
gression and preparation for ag
gression be stopped as soon as
possible.” The present situation is
intolerable. President Eisenhow
er said on April 16, 1953:
“What can the world or any
nation in it hope for if no turning
is found on this dread road?
“The worst to be feared and
.'best to be expected can be simply
stated.
“The worst is atomic war.
“The best would be this—a life
of perpetual fear and tension; a
burden of arms draining the
wealth and labor of all peoples;
a wasting of strength that defies
the American system or the Soviet
system to achieve true abundance
and happiness for the people of
this earth.
“Every gun that is made, every
warship launched, every rocket
fired signifies—in the final sense
—a theft from those who hunger
and are not fed, those who are
cold and are not clothed.
“This is not a way of life at all,
in any true sense. Under the load
of threatening war, it is humanity
hanging from a cross of iron.”
I thought it alarming to learn
that the cost of one modern heavy
Bomber could finance two electric
power plants, each serving a town
of 60,000 population, it is a mod
em brick school in more than 30
cities. Last year our country spent
(Continued on Page 6)
years, watching the kids come
down regularly with the spots and
sniffles that preluded a bout of
measles. She prided herself on be
ing immune, and no wonder.
Well, pride goeth before a fall,
Mrs. K! Anyway, it’s good to hear
that you are well over the nasty
things and back on the job. Inci
dentally, those 20 years included
elementary, highschool and col-
le'ge years. . . just to keep an im
portant record straight.
In and Out of Hospital
It was a great disappointment
for Sheriff C. J. McDonald, a life
long loyal Democrat, that he was
confined to Moore County hospi
tal, recovering from a long-lasting
and deep cO'ld, when Adlai Stev
enson arrived in Moore Cotuity.
He was unable to attend the open
house welcome at Carthage Fri
day night.
Released from the hospital last
week-end, the sheriff was able to
come to his gffice for part of the
day Monday. It was just his luck,
he commented to associates, that
as soon as he was released from
the hospital, Mr. Stevenson went
into the hospital—taken to Duke
for treatment Sunday night.
Here’s hoping that some day be
fore Mr. Stevenson leaves the
Sandhills, he and the sheriff will
be able to meet—and not in any
hospital.
Praise For Committee
Folks this week were praising
the work of the committee that
made arrangements for the “open
house” for Adlai Stevenson at the
gymnasium in Carthage last Fri
day night. One member of the
committee, Bob Hyman of Deep
River township, is said to have
devoted several days of almost
full-time activity to the project,
preparing the welcome signs in
town and at the gym and taking
over other tasks.
One prominent Carthage man
said he was talking with Hyman
the night of the event and the lat
ter was saying how much more
could have been done. The Carth
age man said he didn’t agree, that
he thought the event was “charm
ing in its simplicity.”
“Carthage is a small country
town,” he said. “There’s no reason
for us to try to do what might
have been done in a large city.
The spirit of thp whole occasion
was just right,” he averred, “and
I believe Mr. Stevenson apprecia
ted such an informal and demo
cratic gathering.”
The PILOT
Published Every Friday by
THE PILOT. Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941-JAMES BOYD—1944
Katharine Boyd Editor
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