North Carolina Newspapers

r age TWO THE PILOT—Southern Pines, North Carolina THURSDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1964 Southern Pines North Carolina “In taking over The Pilot no changes are contemplated. We will try to keep this a good paper. Wo will try to make a little monej 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 i'.3. 1941. ✓ Goldwaterism: Dead-End Road As told without words in today’s car toon, the discredited followers of Sena tor Goldwater, from both parties, are the center of national attention and appear puzzled as to what comes next. It seems incredible that the Arizona Republican who dragged the GOP down to the worst defeat it has experienced in nearly 30 years can continue to lead his party. The defects of the Goldwater phi losophy are so abiding and inflexible that they will be just as repugnant to the bulk of the American people in 1968 as they are in 1964. Because that philosophy— challenging the basic premises of modern democratic capitalism—is not one that can be expected to change, grow or de velop with the times. It is looking back ward today and can be counted on to keep on looking backward, no matter how far it is extended into the future. “Goldwater Republicans,” therefore, must either resign themselves to continu ing defeat and rejection or adjust them- selve to support a new and more en lightened leader- As for “Goldwater Democrats,” we hope that they, too, will see the light .and that they can then adjust their conser vatism to the sort that can function con structively, as a certain brand of conser vatism has in the past, within the De mocratic Party. Or, if they can’t in good conscience return to the Democratic fold, let them join the non-Goldwater Repub licans in wresting the GOP from the Goldwater extremists during the next four years. Extending the analogy of the cartoon, we’d say that the real extremists who latched on to Goldwater (and recmved his encouragement) — isolationists, racists, sowers of doubt and suspicion and fear— are the true political black sheep in the United States today. Yet, in their char acteristic misreading of the temper of the times, they now see themselves as riding .high, basking in the glow of some 26 million votes cast for the Arizona sena tor, only a fraction of which votes, thank goodness, actually endorse their radical views. The crushing defeat handed Senator Goldwater must surely have given pause to many Americans who voted for him. No matter how thick-skinned they are, they must, in large numbers, be asking themselves why the nation as a whole voted two to one against them. A good question, indeed. No wonder the black sheep in the cartoon look perplex ed. The nation can only hope that this perplexity, as often happens, is a prelude to a new kind of understanding and a change of course. The state of things in the Congo is growing more and more confused, more and more threatening- As in Viet Nam, the United States seems to be sinking deeper and deeper into the mire. Why— the question is on many lips—why should the United States be so deeply involved? The nature of the last involement and the circumstances surrounding it add to the mystery and the unease. American planes were used to transport Belgian paratroopers for the attack on Stanley ville and the hoped-for rescue of the white hostages. It is wonderfully lucky that the planes were available and were so well-manned. We must be ever fer vently thankful for every life that was saved from that dreadful holocaust of savagery; at the same time it is not poss ible to keep from wishing that the make up and subsequent actions of the pass enger forces had been different, and Americans not involved. From the start of the Congo troubles, the Belgians have been under a cloud, and it is a cloud which has darkened their reputation for many years. The history of Belgian colonization, starting with ex ploitation of the natives under the old emperor, Leopold, and the discovery of The Congo Grows Darker the diamond mines in Belgium’s Katanga province, has been a blot on the escutch eon of this small but powerful country. Belgian mercenaries have been severe ly criticized during recent years, for their severity and even cruelty and the Belgian government’s hasty and irres ponsible departure from Katanga, leaving virtual chaos behind, has been blamed for much of the present trouble. For these reasons, it is a pity that American planes had to be used to transport the Belgian paratroopers, thus involving the good name of this nation in the vengeful slaughter of rebel tribesmen carried out by the Belgians. It is all very well to say that such things don’t count and that the rebels fully deserved their fate. That is not the point. The tribesmen were acting as they have always acted in such a crisis: beating, killing, even, it is reported, horribly eat ing the flesh of their victims. But the rescue troops had centuries of civilization behind them. It is sad that the Belgian troops forgot their training and the im plications of their UN role. It is unfortun ate, for the American image, that United States forces should be associated with the undisciplined Belgian actions. When you see a dam being built, or hear about it, that means progress is go ing on. It means power, light, heat. It means good things. It also may mean bad things. Sometimes the bad may cancel out the good. Up in Alaska, for instance, progress is coming—and with it a great, tragic loss. On the Yukon River, 700 miles from the settlements of the coast, the Army Engineers and Alaska power interests are all set to build Rampart Dam. This will be the biggest dam in the western world. The lake which it will create will be as large as Lake Erie and will take 30 years to fill; power generated at the dam will reach to lower California and back into the western states as far East as Idaho and Montana. And the Good Job, Well Done After years of community service. Southern Pines is finding the Junior Chamber of Commerce—^more familiarly known as the Jaycees—about as close to indispensible as any private organization can be. They are long on doing and short on talking. And the community benefits. Recently, it was the Jaycees’ fine man agement of the Golf Carousel—an event that pleased hundreds of visitors to the Sandhills—that led us to praise them. To day, we are thinking about the new downtown Christmas decorations for which they not only took the initiative in raising funds from business people but actually hoisted into place, with an as sist from some local firms’ equipment, giving their time and energy at an early Sunday morning hour which anybody feels he has a right to claim as his own. We like the new decorations. We think they add to the attractiveness of the town at this fast-approaching holiday season. They are a good compromise between the necessary sparkle and the excessive garishness that too often characterizes such displays. For the town, we say: Well done, Jay cees! What Price Progress? IF TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE IS ASSURED For Recognizing Communist China tragic loss? Let the report of the U- S. Fish and Wildlife Service tell: “The project would eliminate the great runs of fish that spawn up the river, the salmon alone account for between 300,000 and 400,000; a valuable and unique water- fowl production area, where some mil lions of birds nest and rest yearly will be destroyed. The wilderness to be covered by the lake is the habitat also of big game, including a moose herd of 5,000 and many black bears and grizzlies, the latter fast disappearing elsewhere.” The area is also the home of thousands of small animals, holding their own at present against the inroads of trappers who ship out “an average of 41,000 pelts yearly.” If the dam is built with its giant reservoir this greatest sanctuary for wild life in the nation will be destroyed. Conservationists are up in arms against the Rampart project. The most powerful group among them, the Sierra Club of California, actually comes from one of the states that would benefit most from the power project. They and others of their kind have banded with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service to oppose the bill soon to come before Congress for authorization of the Rampart project and they are marshalling powerful argu- mants. One would seem especially telling. The fact is that Alaska’s need for power is urgent and could be satisfied quickly by smaller dams instead of waiting the 20 to 30 years it is estimated Rampart will take to build—^the last generator will, ac cording to plan, not be installed until 1990. Cost of the project will be about one and a half billion. Here, it would seem, is something to watch. Whether you are for this huge project for distant Alaska or not, any thing as big as this needs to be known and thought about. The Alaskan wilderness is the last great sanctuary and breeding ground of birds and beasts in the nation. Its preser vation or loss, life or death, goes beyond state lines. This is something for the entire nation to decide. The General Assembly of the United Nations will soon meet again, and there is a chance that it will seat Communist China among its members. Even if this development is postponed for a year, it is surely going to take place sooner or later. When it does happen, over the protest and against the de termined opposition of the United States, American prestige will suffer a blow, American in fluence in the Assembly will be sapped and the United States will find itself at odds with its major allies. There is no good reason why all this should happen. On the contrary, as we have said many times in the last few years, there are sound reasons why the Uni ted States should seize the oppor tunity to break with the barren record of the past, take a fresh look at the alternatives at hand, recognize Communist China and withdraw opposition to the seat ing of Communist China in the Assembly—always provided, of course, that the people on the Island of Taiwan are assured of the right to determine their own future, including separate mem bership in the UN. This proviso is essential; and if the mainland Chinese refuse to accept mem bership on such terms, the fault would be theirs, not ours. The first sound policy for adopting a new Chinese policy, and doing so boldly and prompt ly, is the basic wisdom of the From The New York Times doctrine of “universality”—that is, the belief that all countries should be brought into the fold of the United Nations, where they can at least be consistently exposed to its moderating influ ence. Similarly, diplomatic recog nition of China would be in ac cordance with the doctrine that such recognition should be ex tended to any de facto govern ment without passing judgment upon its morals or its policies. The second sound reason for both recognition and admission to the UN is that the United States cannot dodge the fact, particular ly now that Communist China knows how to construct the atomic bomb, that it is impos sible to make any realistic agree ments concerning such matters as disarmament without refer ence to the position of the most powerful nation in Asia. The United States knows this to be true and has at least partially admitted it to be true: for a doz en years this Government has pretended that the Chinese Communist Government did not exist, yet has simultaneously carried on negotiations with it through diplomatic channels in Poland. A third good reason for adopt ing this aboveboard approach is the chance, at least minimal, that it will help to break the dreary and exhausting deadlock now prevailing in the Far East. The United States is shoulder-deep in the morass of an almost hopeless war in South Vietnam and skirt ing by a narrow margin other troublesome involvements. The power of Communist China is a basic factor in this situation. A shift of policy in Washington and in the United Nations might con ceivably help to break this dead lock elsewhere. The new Administration, in which the electorate has just overwhelmingly expressed its confidence, is in an excellent position to undertake this change of direction. We believe, and have believed for years, that the American people are adult enough and perceptive enough to recognize both the existence of Commnuist China and the wis dom of bowing to the inevitabil ity of its admission to the United Nations. The Public Speaking A REPORT FROM JAMES BOYD IN NEW YORK UN Outlook For Admitting China Background information on the question of the admission of Red China to the United Nations, as discussed in the editorial reprinted from the New York Times, is supplied as follows by James Boyd, reporter on the scene. This editorial in the New York Times completely summarizes my views of U. S. policy and admission of Red China to the United Nations. . , „ «,. • The political fact of the situation at the UN is as follows; Albania will introduce a resolution at this year’s 19th General Assembly similar to the one they introduced last year for recognition and seat ing of Red China in the UN. Last year it was defeated by a vote of 41 to 57, with 12 abstentions. This year it is reported that the 47 nations who met at Cairo at the non-aligned conference in October will vote for this resolution. Assuming that last year’s nations do not change their vote, the vote will now be 68 for, 41 against, with 7 abstentions. But the U.S. has already gone on record that it will invoke Article 18 which states in part that “important questions in the General Assembly shall be decided' by a two-thirds majority by members pres ent and voting.” The Albanian resolution will not obtain this majority this year but the chances are very good that it will at the 20th General Assembly. As the admission of Red China to the United Nations is only a matter of time and, sooner or later, the U.S. is bound to be defeated on this issue, it would be of far more value politically for the U. S. to take the inititative now than to be forced to accept admission of Red China to the UN. Such a step taken at the 19th General Assembly could well open up new foreign policy prospects, for instance: a negoti ated settlement in South Vietnam, the inclusion of Red China in the 18-Nation Disarmament Conference and possibly a conference to stop the spread of nuclear weapons and obtain China’s signature to the partial nuclear test ban treaty. In taking, a few weeks ago, the politically risky step of closing down more than 90 military installations, President Johnson showed the courage that is a strong point in his character. To reverse American policy on the admission of Red China to the UN will call for courage of a far greater degree. However, we believe, with the Times, that the President has such courage and that the people will support him in such a course. —JAMES BOYD Grains of Sand Visitor Finds Cemotery Appears More Run-Down To the Editor: I am a former resident of South ern Pines and have just returned from a two-week visit there. My wife is buried in Mt. Hope Cemetery which is owned and operated by the Town. In recent- years I cannot help but note the pretty little cemetery which used to be so well kept looks more run-down each time. I spent a couple of hours weeding my plot—and weeds are numerous all over the cemetery. The roads are full of ruts. Some pine needles have been raked and left in piles, but in the old part of the cemetery, the pine needles have been left all over the graves. In former years, rye grass was planted and a tinge of green appeared during the fall. The grave next to my lot had a cave-in. There used to be an attendant who worked in the cemetery five days a week from 9 to 5. At the town hall, I was told I would find him there, but during my stay I drove through the ceme tery around 3 p. m., on three dif ferent days, and he was not there. A longtime resident of South ern Pines said the former city manager had a deep interest in keeping the cemetery and town pretty and that the town em ployee at the cemetery had a full-time job, but that now this worker probably spent part of his time elsewhere. I hope you can bring this to at tention of the citizens of South ern Pines and that some good may come out of it. DOUGLAS JOSCELYN 208 Greenway Road Salina, Kan. Reader Praises Article On UN Dues. Last Week To the Editor: Thank you for publishing, in last week’s paper, the explana tion of the USSR position on the UN dues. Ordinarily, I look for such material in New York or Washington dailies, but nowhere else, so far, have I seen as clear an account of the case. W. W. WHITMAN Southern Pines You Have To Be Somewhere A 16-year-old boy is in court charged with stealing an automo bile. The car belongs to his grandmother with whom he was living and the grandmother swore out the warrant for her grand son’s arrest. 'The judge’s questions turn loose an avalanche of troubles and complaints from the old lady. “He live with me but I can’t do anything with him. I tell him don’t do this an’ don’t do that, he go right on an’ do it. I tell him he can’t have the car less’n some body be with him but he pay me no mind. He take it, run around in it. And then he stole it, yessir, judge, STOLE it. Make off with it an’ got stuck. . . ” The old lady glares at the boy where he sits, slumped down, long thin legs twisted around the legs of the chair. The judge asks the boy: “How long you been living with your grandmother?” Boy: “About a year, maybe.” Judge: “You know, you must do what people say when you stay in a person’s house.” No an swer. “Do you like living there with your grandmother?” the judge asks, and, as an after thought: “How many people are living in the house?” Boy: “Eleven.” “Thirteen,” cuts in the grand mother. Judge: “Thirteen! In that house?” He is gazing at the boy, then: “They say your mother lives here. Why aren’t you living with her?” Boy: “She don’t want me.” “Do you want to go on staying with your grandmother?” The boy starts to speak and the old lady bursts into protests: “Judge, I can’t take him. He too hard. He just want to get in my car again and ride. You know he will.” Judge: “You know your father wrote from Florida and said he’d send money for a ticket so you could go down there and stay with him. You want to do that?” Boy, after long pause: “How long does I have to stay?” Judge, sighing: “That’s not the point. You’re going to have to be somewhere. There’s no room at Morrison Training School; they have a waiting list of more than 60 now. You have to be some where.” Boy: “Does I?” The judge looks at him blankly. “Yessuh,” says the boy. Result? The case was nol pressed. “I’m not going to list this case,” says the judge. “At least I won’t give him a criminal record.” Happiy Dogs From the Cyrus Butler's daugh ter, Nancy, via her Aunt Helen of Valhalla, out on the Morgan- ton Road, comes an exuberant letter that should tickle all who love the sun, love something gay and love dogs. (In other words just about everybody.) The letter was written from La Paz, in Bolivia, where Nancy is teaching mathematics in the University as a member of the U. S. Peace Corps. Here is a bit of it: “Our weather is approaching summer. Today has been exqui site. I got up early and took a walk in the bright sunlight. “As I strolled through the streets I came suddenly upon a number of dogs, a common sight hereabouts, but there was some thing most peculiar about these dogs. Every one was decked out in bright ribbons. Someone had felt for these unfortunate wan derers and had dressed them up. “One in particular caught my eye. He was seated in a patch of warm sun in a quiet side street, enjoying the glory of the day. A pink ribbon hung from his neck and there was a red bow on one front paw and a soft blue bow on the other. In himself, this dog was decorated,, his white coat was a mass of curls. Never have I seen a dog look so happy!” THE PILOT Published Every Thursday by THE PILOT. Incorporated Southern Pines. North Carolina 1941—JAMES BOYD—1944 f Katharine Boyd C. Benedict John C. Ray C. G. Council Bessie C. Smith Mary Scott Newton Gloria Fisher Editor Associate Editor Business, Adv. Advertising Advertising Business Business Mary Evelyn de Nissoff Society Composing Room Dixie B. Ray, Michael Valen, Thomas Mattocks, J. E. Pate, Sr.. Charles Weatherspoon, Robert Coffin. Subscription Rates Moore County One Year $4.00 Outside Moore County One Year $9.00 Second-class Postage paid at Southern Pines, N. C. Member National Editorial Assn, and N. C. Press Assn.