Page TWO
THURSDAY, MARCH 31, 196(1
“We Have Decided To Give Careful Consideration
To The... Er... Problem Of Control!”
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. Wherever there seems to be
an occasion 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.
Opening Doors to Understanding
Events of the past few days on the school
front are opening doors to public understand
ing of the momentous question of what is go
ing to happen to the three school systems of
the county—the Moore County system and the
Southern Pines and Pinehurst administrative
units.
A meeting in Aberdeen Tuesday .night, re
ported in detail elsewhere in today’s Pilot, was
attended by persons from every school dis
trict in the county. A committee was formed,
with representatives from each district, with
the purpose both of informing people about
the high school consolidation program and re
porting public opinion back to the county
board of education.
Of equal importance and also essential to
public understanding, is a study of consolida
tion being conducted by the Southern Pines
and Pinehurst boards of education, a study
that was discussed in a joint meeting of the
two boards last Friday night, as also report
ed elsewhere in our news columns.
The Pilot hopes to keep as closely as possible
in touch with these study and opinion groups
and to give our readers as complete a picture
as we can of the high school consolidation
proposals, as they relate to all sections of the
county.
The reason why public understanding is so
important—aside from simple interest in the
destiny of the county’s young people—is that
huge amounts of money are involved, money
that would probably be raised by bond issues
that would have to be authorized by a vote of
all of the county’s people.
Thus, for instance, if general opinion in the
Southern Pines and Pinehurst districts turned
out not to favor consolidation (the proposal is
for Southern Pines, Pinehurst and Aberdeen
to unite), consolidation could be blocked for
all the other schools by a negative vote on the
bonds in these locally disapproving districts.
So—at this stage in this very complicated
educational, financial and legal problem—
open minds of everyone involved must be the
watchword. And the focus must be on what
is best for the children, all the children. Above
all, school progress must not be blocked by
resentments between various areas of the
county.
To go back to our original figure of speech,
le^ all the doors possible be opened, pro or
con, on the high school consolidation question.
We feel that people of good will and having
a sincere interest in the welfare of the coun
ty’s youth are seated on all the school boards
involved and on the new study and informa
tion committee.
It would be incredible if all. these good peo
ple, with the advice of an informed public,
can not emerge with a satisfactory and effec
tive program for improving high school educa
tion in Moore County.
n
n
/Si
2:'
i(^
Action on School Night Basketball
1 ^ X
RED CHINA LOOMS IN BACKGROUND
The Pilot, which has suggested several times
in these columns that school officials of this
area consider eliminating Tuesday night high
school basketball games, is pleased to note
that the Albemarle Conference, which oper
ates in the eastern part of the state, has taken
Official action to end the mid-week game in
all its schools, in its 1960-’61 schedules.
The principal of one of the schools said that
his school planned to play its non-conference
games on Saturday nights, with the regular
conference games scheduled only on Friday
nights.
The change was made “in consideration of
improving academic work of playing stu
dents.’’ When this action was taken, many a
parent, teacher and school official must have
breathed a sigh of relief.
Highly enthusiastic basketball fans, in any
community, probably would not approve can
cellation of the mid-week game, but it seems
in order to ask ourselves, in judging this mat
ter, whether several hours of studying time—
not to mention resting time—for hundreds of
students (players and spectators) should be
sacrificed in the interests of community en
tertainment.
Surely, the persons who expect or demand
this entertainment could find something else
interesting to do on Tuesday nights. It is ob
vious that the schools exist to instruct, not to
entertain. And we cannot get rid of the old-
fashioned notion that night-time, for young
people, is a time for study and rest—not ath
letic activity nor the feverish excitement that
often accompanies high school athletic con
tests.
With many schools involved and custom and
community attitudes to be considered, chang
ing a basketball schedule is not an easy task.
But we'^hink that the school officials, teachers
and parents of Moore County owe young, peo
ple the consideration of thinking seriously
about the matter and taking action on it as
soon as possible.
Important Break in Arms Race
The WUderness Bill
There is a bill under discussion by Congress
that should have the earnest support of all
who are interested in conservation of the nat
ural resources of the nation—and who is not?
It should also have the support of all hunt
ers, fishermen and folks who just like to go
out into the wilds and enjoy its beauty and its
peace. And who among us is not, occasionally
at least, in that category?
'The Wilderness Bill, as it is called, will place
extra legal safeguards around the parks and
preserves and the game and bird sanctuaries
already in existence. Its passage should also,
it would seem, call attention to the need for
more of these natural treasures, these islands
of resources, both actual and spiritual, and
ease the way to their establishment. But, most
of all, it should be passed in order that they
may remain established.
This is no light comment. These parks and
wilderness areas, few as they are, are under
steady pressure from encroaching interests.
Among these are, besides the private interests
of paper companies, lumbermen, ranchmen,
geologists, miners, some of the government
bureaus themselves. Of these the efforts of the
Forestry Department and Public Lands Bu
reau are perhaps most persistent. “Wise for
estry production,” “good conservation praa;-
tices,” are used as slogans to lull the public
into acquiescense to what in many parts has
developed into a whittling away pf the forests
and the establishment of dams and other im
pedimenta of civilization along the streams
and valleys. Ranchers are demanding—and
getting—grazing rights on mountain slopes
and prairie lands; the few parks are becom
ing smaller as the tourist flood increases with
corresponding need for roads, food and lodg
ing. The result is that the truly wild areas,
where beasts and birds may live and be stud
ied in their natural habitat, are in great dan
ger of eventual disappearance.
This is the sort of bill that depends on wide
public support for its passage. The Wildlife
Association, the Audubon Society and all such
groups will be back of it as a matter of course,
but the support must touch a wider circle to
be effective. For this is a measure that prom
ises -nothing concrete, nothing substantial in
the way pf visible economic advantage to any
one. It is not going to make any money for
anyone; no great interests are pushing for its
enactment. The plea of aiding in the defense
effort cannot even be made in its behalf.
Or is that statement sound? After all, things
of the spirit, the least visible and concrete
things, rank high in this human struggle. The
attitude of a great nation towards its own re
sources, both its. heritage of history and its
heritage of nature itself: these are surely part
of its armored strength.
The wilderness that was America is to be
found, now, in only a few small corners of
the land. It is to be earnestly hoped that this
Wilderness Bill will pass and that these pro
tected spots may be preserved forever, as
evidence that the land—the lonely, beautiful
land, “from sea to shining sea”—was conquer
ed by a people in whom the humble faith that
made that conquest possible has not been lost.
Library Week
“Open Wonderful New Worlds. . . Wake Up
and Read!” ,So proclaims the slogan for Na
tional Library Week which will be observed
here and' throughout the nation April 3-9.
North Carolina is going all-out jn observance
of the special week. The Governor has issued
a proclamation that urges “all our citizens to
unite in this national effort to achieve a bet
ter-read, better-informed America.” News
papers, TV and radio are cooperating. And a
state-wide Book and Author Fair, being held
in Greensboro Tuesday and Wednesday of
next week, will put thousands of books on dis
play and bring nationally known authors and
illustrators to the fair for various parts of
the program.
The Southern Pines Library is using a hob
bies and pastimes theme, with exhibits at the
library and in a Broad Street office window,
to let people know how much interesting and
instructive material is available in the library
here for persons who have hobbies or who
want to develop one.
The Moore County Library, which furnishes
invaluable bookmobile service to all sections
of the county, is taking part in the observance,
urging even more rural readers to take ad
vantage of the service that brings books to
their doorsteps on a published schedule.
In hundred."; of visits to public libraries, we
have never failed to see something that caught
our interest—usually many things—and would
gladly, though this was not often, possible,
have spent the rest of the day there. The fas
cination of libraries is endless—and we hope
more and more persons, particularly young
people, continue to experience it.
Joseph C. Harsch. special
correspondent for The Chris
tian Science Monitor, writes
from Geneva with his custo
mary lucidity on the great is
sues of arms reduction and
the suspension of nuclear tests
—issues in which the presence
of Red China in the back
ground, as depicted in Bill
Sanders's cartoon above, is of
prime significance. The Pilot
reprints Mr. Harsch's article
by special permission:
As stated in a previous column
in this space, Moscow’s change of
position on nuclear test bans is
regarded among Western diplo
mats here as the most important
“break” in the arms picture since
nations began seriously seeking
some restraint on the arms race.
And it is worth repeating tl^at
the Zorin formula presented here
March 19 reflected more than
Soviet workmanship. It was the
product of considerable consul
tation with Western diplomats
who have become satisfied that
Moscow is seriously, even earnest
ly, seeking a real agreement with
the West to end nuclear testing.
This conclusion is fortified by
the mere fact that to get an
agreement Moscow is prepared to
admit Western inspectors to in
ternational control posts inside
the Soviet Union. This is a major
concession by the world's most
isolationist state which reeards
its internal secrecy as a major
military asset. It is a reasonable
deduction that Moscow would not
be ready to pay such a price for
IfSs than an overriding reason.
The question for us to weigh
most carefully is the nature of the
reason.
Soviets Fear
We Westerners cannot know
the reason, but a considerable
body of evidence exists and it all
points in the same direction. The
evidence is strong that Moscow is
decreasingly coficerned over
American, British, and French
nuclear power but is increasingly
anxious over the possibility that
unless something is done quickly
the Soviet Union will be ringed
by other new nuclear powers and
that this someday will include
inevitably West Germany and
Communist China.
French success in achieving a
nuclear explosion is evidence
that nuclear secrecy no longer
exists seriously. What France has
done today Sweden can do to
morrow. It might take Commun
ist China one year or five years
more to reach the same stage, but
It certainly will get there soon.
West Germany possessses both
scientific knowledge and indus
trial skill sufficient to do the
same. Unless the process is check
ed, the time will come when even
President Nasser’s Egypt and
Premier Fidel Castro’s Cuba
could become nuclear powers.
The present negotiations here
are only between the United
States, the Soviet Union, and
Britain. But if they achieve a
test suspension, they will invite
others to subscribe to it. Conceiv
ably some might resist signing.
But if Washington, London, and
Moscow joined forces, their pow
ers of persuasion, added to gener
al public uneasiness about nu
clear testing, could be extremely
persuasive. The three together
probably have it within their ca
pacity, if they work together, to
end the proliferation of nuclear
powers in the world—provided
they can agree among themselves.
We have lived for a decade in
a world dominated by the fact of
two centers of nuclear powers—
the Soviet Union and Anglo-
America. This has become famil
iar. Neither has used its power
against the other. The situation is
called a stalemate of terror, but
it has been a stalemate. Power
computations and calculations
spiral upward each time a new
country enters the nuclear club.
Stalemate
Nothing could be more disturb
ing to this status quo th.-’n t^
have both West Germany and
Communist China become nu
clear powers. Certainly we do not
want China so armed. Moscow
has obvious reasons for feeling
the same about West Germany.
Moscow cannot say publicly it
would prefer China to remain
non-nuclear, but nothing would
so reduce Soviet power stature
than to be sandwiched between a
nuclear China and a nuclear West
Germany.
We do not know for a fact that
Moscow would prefer to keep
China nonnuclear, but Moscow
has proposed a denuclearized zone
for Asia which Peking has back
ed with monumental lack of en
thusiasm. And the socalled Khru
shchev disarmament plan inter
estingly schedules arms reduction
in such a way that if ever adopt
ed (which it will not be) at the
end of the second stage, the prin
cipal victims would be China and
West Germany.
A process of depolarization of
power probably will take place in
the world. It can come about
either by generalization of nu
clear weapons or the gradual
suppression of nuclear weapons.
EventuEtlly either all modern in
dustrial countries will have them
or those which have them now
will at least cease testing them
and eventually reduce their
stockpiles sufficiently to persuade
others to refrain from making
them.
U. S. Middleman?
The implications of Moscow’s
interest in avoiding the solution
of generalization are interesting
and pose problems for us. In es
sence we must decide whether or
not to join Moscow in an opera
tion which would protect the
Soviet Union from being sand
wiched between nuclearized
China and West Germany. Clear
ly to Moscow this is the greater
evil—the lesser evil being our' in
spectors inside Soviet frontiers.
If we do join, we shall have
entered into a project which cuts
across the lines of the old cold
war. If we refuse to join, we shall
be responsible, in part, for the
nuclear arming of many states
not yet so armed. There will be
interesting changes in the politi
cal geography of the world
whichever course we elect.
The Public Speaking
'Pertinax' Summarizes
Opinions He's Stated
To the Editor:
Mr. Harrington states that,
though he is not in the least in
terested in my opinion as to hoW
calamitous it would be for the
United States, if Nixon should
become President, nevertheless
he is interested to point out that
my previous statements are “in
accurate and without foundation,”
whether inadvertently or by de
sign he knows not. He refers, I
suppose, to previously expressed
opinions—
L That Republican professional
politicians have already chosen
as their “most available” candi
date, one of their own number,
Richard Nixon.
2. That, consequently, the Re
publican convention will be
merely a farce, played out by
stooges.
3. ’That, when Nixon is nomina-
ted-on the first ballot, after some
staged windy oratory, only the
most naive Republicans will be
able to delude themselves into
believing that they, the rank and
file, acting through their dele
gates, have actually had a voice
in choosing the official candidate
of the party of Lincoln.
4. That, in the vernacular of the
political pro, the word “available”
means not only that the candidate
has a chance to be elected, but
also that, if elected, he “can be
reached” in the White House by
the party bosses.
5. That “can be reached” does
not imply that the man in The
White House is corrupt: it may
mean no more than that he is un
usually naive.
6. That, among all thirty-three
Presidents, not one has been cor
rupt, though a number have been
deplorably weak, four in the last
forty years.
7. That the bad Presidents I
instanced—Grant, Harding, Cool-
idge and Eisenhower—illustrate
perfectly not only how widely
different weak Presidents may be
in background, character and
brains, but also that each of them
had been deemed available by the
professional politicians in ad
vance of the party conventions,
just as the pros have now deem
ed Nixon •'‘available.”
As for the Democratic conven
tion, it would seem to be a wide
open fight. Not even the most ex
perienced Washington newspaper
man has dared to predict the win
ner. All I can do here is to wish
him the best of luck against
Nixon, whoever he may be. Thus
I follow literally Mr. Harrington’s
advice, namely, to vote for the
policies and the people behind the
candidate.
PERTINAX
Southern Pines
Grains of Sand
Discrimination Is The Word
You can’t run a bird into the
ground. That is our belief. At
least, that is, not as a subject of
the most intriguing interest. Like
the birds, such a topic seems to
take wing and soar away. So
—blame the birds, folks, for this
column’s obsession with their do
ings.
We pick up with the evening
grosbeaks. This time, with their
discriminatory practices.
Why, for instance do they go
to everybody in town’s feeding
trays and not to K. Boyd’s? Why,
out in the country do they visit
everybody except Helen Butler?
The latter reports that they go
to her neighbors, near and far;
the McCrimmons, down on James
Creek, entertain the grosbeaks,
but when they come to the Butler
place, they flit up and over.
This is odd, -calling for study.
So far the main thing we can
think of that these two slighted
individuals have in common is
that they are both newspaper
people?
Does this indicate that the gros
beaks shun publicity? Part of that
finicky group that shudders tq^see
their pictures in the paper? If so,
they’d better change their ways
and their looks, too. How folks
like that think they can keep out
of the limelight when they ’dress
up so gaudily and go swooping
all over the place making the
most ungodly chatter wherever
they light—!
But that’s the way a lot of folks
act about a newspaper. Cut a big
dash around the place and then
expect the paper to tell about
everybody’s business except
theirs.
Old Trees
Aren’t there any ancient trees
in North Carolina?
An article telling about famous
trees of the nation lists many of
surprising age and size from oth
er states, but none from this one.
It appears that Philadelphians
got excited about their trees
when they were getting ready to
celebrate the 250th anniversary
of William Penn’s arrival in the
New World. The question was:
how many of the old trees, still
alive, were there when Penn
. landed?
Philadelphians organized, schools
got into the act, boy and girl
scouts, garden clubs, of course;
they all teamed up and succeeded
in finding 350 trees growing
around Philadelphia that were
alive and sizeable trees on that
day 250 years ago. Most of them
\\ ere oaks but there were actually
36 species in the 350. One of the
finest and oldest was a giant but
tonwood, twenty feet in circum
ference, (California redwood tree
union, please note). This button-
wood stands at General Lafa
yette’s headquarters near Chadd’s
Ford.
But that’s not nearly the oldest:
there’s a white cedar at Natural
Bridge, Virginia, that is supposed
to be—hold onto your hat—be
tween 800 and 1,000 years old;
probably the oldest tree in the
east unless some Florida cypress
es have an edge on it. Not con
sidered likely.
Tree people think there are lots
Of other ancient veterans of the
centuries to be found still stand
ing if folks would just bestir
themselves and go look. Maybe
there are some big ones, like
those others, around here, but,
with the forest fires sc bad in the
old days, chances are there aren’t.
Borings have been taken in che
Round Timber on the Weymouth
ridge that showed ages between
two and three hundred years.
Mere infants.
Still and all, they’re probably
among the oldest, biggest trees
in the state, barring some of the
giant swamp cypresses.
The PILOT
Published Every Thursday by
’THE PILOT, Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941—JAMES BOYD—1944
Katharine Boyd Editor
C. Benedict Associate Editor
Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr.
C. G. Council Advertising
Mary Scott Newton Business
Bessie Cameron Smith Society
Composing Room
Dixie B. Ray, Michael Valen, Jas
per Swearingen, Thomas Mattocks
and James C. Morris.
Subscription Rates:
One Year $4. 6 mos. $2. 3 mos. $I
Entered at the Postoffice at South
ern Pines, N. C., as second class
^nrail matter.
Member National Editorial Assn,
and N. C. Press A^.