Page TWO
THE PILOT—Southern Pines, North Carolina
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1965
Southern Pinei
ILOT
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.
Housing Need Is Real — Let’s Meet It
The town council is doing well to
investigate whether Southern Pines
should seek federal aid in the construc
tion of low-rent public housing here—a
possibility that was outlined in a news
story in last week’s Pilot.
We agree with the council that the
need is here, especially in West Southern
Pines. We were most interested, too, to
hear from the federal housing official
who spoke to the council that special
rental units for elderly persons, many of
whom have to live on low incomes, can
be made a part of such housing projects.
Such units would be particularly wel
come in Southern Pines where older per
sons of limited income sometimes find it
hard to find suitable, accessible accomo
dations—despite the fact that the town
makes much of inviting the retired as
residents.
As with other federally aided projects,
the government is lending a hand in
housing primarily because private enter
prise has failed to fill a need. Govern
ment’s part in encouraging and supervis
ing construction of housing may be de
plored by rugged individualists, but
government is there because few private
builders have moved to meet the needs—
sometimes quite desperate needs—in this
field.
We have never understood why good
low-rental units (as well as low - cost
houses for sale) have not been built by
private business, when the need for them
is so extensive, so obvious. The closest we
have gotten to an answer is to be given
to understand that financing is difficult,
buyers or tenants in the low-price range
are said to be frequently unreliable and
that the profits involved are not worth
the headaches likely to be acquired.
Whether these opinions are valid is
seldom tested. In so far as they dre nega
tive opinions, based on a low estimate of
human nature, we tend to distrust them,
having found that this sort of opinion is
closely akin to myth and so is blindly
perpetuated with little actual reference
to reality.
So much for theory. The fact is that,
with population growing and older hous
ing deteriorating constantly. Southern
Pines, privately or publicy, must move
ahead in the low-rent housing field—and
there seems to be no other adequate,
large-scale answer in sight except the
government-sponsored program.
We hope that our news story last week
made clear that such housing is not a
government “hand-out.” Aside from the
federal guidance and helping hand in
getting started, it is very much a capita
listic enterprise, with bonds issued by a
locally chosen public housing authority,
to be paid off by income from the project.
Unless there is some major flaw that
we have not detected, we see no reason
why Southern Pines shouldn’t get
with the matter as fast is it can.
on
No Substitute For A Sense Of Values
The resignation of more than 90 cadets
from the Air Force Academy in Colorado
(at the last count we saw), appears, from
the cartoon on this page, to be a rather
forcible resignation. So it was.
Strict moralists have had a field day
in calling down doom on the youth of the
nation, lambasting the success-at-any-
price philosophy of their elders, on the
side. Others, siding with outraged parents
of some of the rejected cadets, have sym
pathized with the young men who ignor
ed that part of the Academy’s honor code
which requires the reporting of cheating
on the part of others, equally with the
rejection of cheating by oneself.
We have heard some observers express
dread lest future Air Force officers, who.
would cheat or condone cheating while
at the Academy find themselves unable,
as responsible military leaders in future
years, to exercise their duties properly.
A sense of honor, once violated, these
observers reasoned, could well be violat
ed again, to the nation’s peril.
A New York Times article quotes a Co
lumbia University survey which shows
that academic cheating in American
colleges—and elsewhere in the world, too
—is much more widespread than is gen
erally supposed. (In Russia, it seems there
is a “long record” of cheating—^not by
students but by teachers: they have to
justify their accomplishments and take
the easy way!)
This article sensibly raises the question
as to the compatibility of honor systems
and military institutions: “The contrast
between rigid military protocol and the
honor system may well be too extreme.”
There is truth, as we see it, in all these
points of view. And there is another
truth which no one, in considering what
happened at the Air Force Academy, can
overlook. By far the largest majority of
the cadets did not cheat or condone cheat
ing—a much larger majority, it appears,
than those who revere inflexible honesty
at the civilian colleges, according to the
survey reported by the Times.
Surely, there is a warning in what hap
pened at the Air Force Academy—and
what is happening in colleges every
where. It is this: there is no substitute
for a deeply ingrained sense of values.
And there is no instant value mix on the
market, today or ever. The process of
value judgments starts with the cradle
and continues, we have noted, ad infini
tum.
As we ponder what happened in Colo
rado, we realize that the oldest solutions
apply to the newest problems. Ends do
not justify means, for an infant or an
octogenarian. It’s as simple as that.
Water Plan Shows Increasing Maturity
In hearing last week’s town council
meeting discussion with Aberdeen and
Carthage officials about linking up the
water systems of the three towns (a com
plicated project that we won’t attempt
to summarize here), we couldn’t help
wondering if Moore County wasn’t deal
ing with a miniature version of the
“megopolis” phenomenon which is rapid
ly producing a gigantic single city from
Washington, D. C., to Boston, Mass.
Only a decade or so ago, a proposal
that these three towns pool their resourc
es in water, piping, treatment facilities
and so forth—not only for their own use
but for benefit of intervening residents
and potential residents—would have been
highly improbable.
The plan—and it remains to be seen if
it’s practical—reveals a new cast of
thinking, an abandonment of insularity
and isolationism. The plan is .based
on real needs, just as Washington, Phila
delphia, New York and Boston can’t live
to themselves alone. Yet we feel that
the new attitude is evidence of a widen
ing and deepening maturity, a quality
that can be defined in terms of what is
involved in the three-town proposal:
looking ahead, anticipating needs, work
ing together with others for mutual bene
fit, sharing resources.
What’s been happening in education in
Moore County is additional evidence of
the same spirit. Consolidation of several
high schools was accomplished because
the people of the county became convinc
ed—and it wasn’t easy to convince them
(—that retaining small isolated inade^-
quate schools (no matter how hard it was
to give up what was “theirs”) wasn’t the
way their children would get the best
possible education.
Whatever the discussions about the
water proposals may bring, there is a
great deal of sense in what is being pro
posed. We salute the imagination, the
cooperation and the foresight being
shown.
‘A Change of Seasons’ — And How!
The Sandhills, it’s said by devotees of
the area, is preferable to Florida or Cali
fornia as a place of residence because a
southerly latitude has modified the cli
mate here, but “there is still a change of
seasons.”
Indeed there is—and sometimes all four
seasons within a week or two, the way
the weather’s been behaving.
Short-sleeved shirts have stayed in the
top drawer, this winter, because you
never knew when they’d be needed. Down
the hall, a winter overcoat and scarf also
have been ready. And all have been used.
Fall and Spring have had their turn.
There have been crisp days with the feel
of autumn and there have been gentle,
misty mornings when the first thing you
noticed on stepping out was the daffodils
poking up and, in some cases, almost
ready to bloom.
Our Japanese quince bushes threw all
caution to the winds and burst into full
flower a few days before the mercury
dropped way down imder freezing. They
paid the full price for their indiscretion.
Brown and withered now, there’ll be no
real Spring for them. Somewhat more
cautions, but skirting close to the line
of peril, the forsythia has been opening
a yellow eye, here and there, as though
to test the outlook, but most of the buds
are tight enough, we hope, to withstand
a freeze or two.
Don’t mention the dogwoods—or the
peaches. Just keep your fingers crossed.
Wild Blue Yonder
w
HEP
re
united NATIONS REPORT
Future Of UN Hanging In Balance
BY JAMES BOYD
United Nations Correspondent
Just before the week-end of
January 24, Foreign Minister
Gromyko and Secretary of State
Rusk commented upon the inter
national situation. No mention
was made of the United Nations
and the crisis that now faces this
organization.
The problem goes to the very
heart of the United Nations. It
is: whether this international
body will function on a regularly
assessed budget for Peacekeeping
operations paid by all Members,
or whether the money will trickle
in at the whim of each nation.
stroyed because the two super
powers of the organization can
not agree on how and when to
make a contribution.
The principle involved is
whether the General Assembly
has the right under the Charter
to carry out Peacekeeping opera
tions and make assessment for
same.
The argument started in 1960
when the United States, support
ed by the majority, got the Gen
eral Assembly to act on a Peace
keeping operation for the Congo
and the Middle East. This involv
ed an assessment which came to
$52 million for the Soviet Union.
Later a ruling was obtained from
the International Court to the
effect that this assessment con
stituted “regular expenses” of the
organization.
But the Soviet Union stepped
in. It does not recognize the In
ternational Court and did not ac
cept this ruling. Steadfastly Rus
sia maintained that the whole
operation was illegal, including
the assessment.
The United States’ position, in
spite of all it has said, is not
entirely unclouded. It emphasizes
the principle involved, namely
that the Soviet Union is obligated
by the International Court and
the rule of the majority to con
tribute to the past Peacekeeping
operations. But when questioned
on the future, it is interesting to
note that the United States tends
to side with the Soviet Union’s
view that future Peacekeeping
should be left to the Security
Council. The reason is clear: The
United States no longer controls
the votes in the General Assemb
ly. The Assembly is dominated
by Africans and Asians who are
often unsympathetic to the Unit
ed States’ point of view.
Confrontation Avoided
The direct confrontation be
tween the Soviet Union and the
United States, which seemed un
avoidable, a confrontation which
would have meant a defeat for
one or the other nation, which
would, in turn, have precipitated
a walk-out, was considered one
of the most serious moments in
the history of the United Nations.
The Public Speaking
You First, Sir!
Last week the situation had the
earmarks of a childish dispute as
to who goes first. The Soviet
Union stood by its position that
it is not in arrears but, to help
the financial crisis of the United
Nations, is willing to make a
voluntary contribution—but only
after the General Assembly starts
its normal proceedings, which in
cludes voting. The United States,
on the other hand, insisted that
the Soviet Union must make this
contribution before the voting
starts and it must be of sufficient
amount to satisfy both the United
States and the Secretary General.
Election, Inauguration
Should Be Held Earlier
To the Editor:
There may be a thousand ways
to catch the “common cold.” One
of the surest is to stand or sit for
several hours outdoors on a Jan
uary day in the city of Washing
ton, D. C. Yet that is precisely
what a foolish custom requires
many of the most important men
in our national and state govern
ments to do, once every four
What does not make this whole
affair a ridiculous matter is that
the very future of the United
Nations hangs in the balance.
This great organization was
conceived by the United States
as well as the Soviet Union in
1945 “to save succeeding genera
tions from the scourge of war,
which twice in our lifetime has
brought untold sorrow to man
kind,” and up to now it has
done pretty well on a very limit
ed budget (compared to the $52
billion that the United States
spends each year for armaments.)
The UN has been able to calm
down a number of dangerous
trouble spots. It has done much
to help the poor and backward
people of the world through its
technical aid and specialized
agencies: to eradicate disease,
build dams and irrigation ditch
es, plant trees and crops as well
as supply food to vast millions
where death from starvation was
years. ,
The outdoor inauguration all
began when a stupid and selfish
Congress refused the request of
President Monroe to be inaugu
rated in a room of the Capitol.
Congress tried to justify its bad
manners by stating that the inau
guration of a President was a
matter that concerned the Execu
tive Branch alone, and that the
Capitol was a building construct
ed for the use of the Legislative
Branch alone.
I suggest that it is stupid to in
augurate a President outdoors in
January. I also suggest that it is
equally stupid and unnecessary—
modern communications being
what they are—to stretch out a
Presidential campaign over a
period of four months. To be
quite honest, after two months of
last year’s campaign, I confess
that I was growing a bit weary
of my own party’s (Democratic)
candidates, and downright dis
gusted with their opponents. By
Labor Day my mind was made
up; I was ready to vote and I im
agine that there were millions
who felt as I did.
Funds Urgently Needed
To Aid Home For Boys
To the Editor:
Just a note to share a particu
lar problem with your readers.
We didn’t receive enough funds
from our Christmas appeal let
ters to cover our boys’ care costs,
and also to make a $5,000 pay
ment which is due this month on
land which we purchased two
years ago.
Any share that your readers can
take in this urgent need will be
deeply appreciated.
a common occurrence.
It is hard to conceive that the
United Nations is now to be de-
I suggest that it would be to
the advantage of all Americans,
most of all the respective candi-
R. N. McCRAY, Director
Boys Home
Lake Waccamaw, N. C.
Grains of Sand
It Won't Be Long, Now
We find in last year’s calendar
(yes, that’s why things have gone
a bit awry for us of late) the no
tation, under Feb. 1: “Remember
to go out and look for arbutus
EARLY.”
With a bit of snow on the
ground and the air still nippy,
this sounds like a forlorn hope.
Surely the arbutus won’t be
starting to show for some time,
you say. Don’t be too sure. Give
it a few weeks longer maybe but
not too many.
“Trailing arbutus,” is the way
old-timers speak of it, adding
grace to its name. It used to be
that little tykes would gather
around the Postoffice with tight
small bouquets of arbutus in
their hot fists, crushed together
with rubber bands. They got a
quarter for a good bunch (there
were few good ones). You don’t
see such a sight nowadays, or sel
dom. Are the children less enter
prising? Less energetic—it takes
a bit of walking to find arbutus.
Or did the little boys pull so
much of it up by the roots that
they have created a scarcity?
That seems the likely explana
tion. If so, it’s a great pity.
This was the showdown that
seemed inevitable, last week.
Then came the death of Win
ston Churchill, that great states
man who, with Roosevelt, had
dreamt up the idea of the At
lantic Charter which became the
basis of the UN. As a mark of
respect the President of the As
sembly called a week’s recess in
honor of Britain’s heroic leader.
Coming Events
Another thing you start see
ing out in the woods pretty soon
is the litte pine seedlings.
Each one is an utterly fas
cinating miniature. There is the
cone, rather dishevelled, lying in
a sandy spot, and there around
it are the seeds it has cast forth.
Look close and you’ll find one
that has started to take root. One
end of the seed is buried in the
earth and a long crack runs up
its tough brown hide. At the top
is the tiny pine. You could think
it was a bit of moss, the kind
that has minute “trees” on its
back. But this is a real tree start
ing, a perfect replica of what it
will grow to be some day, if no
one with an axe or a cross-saw
comes along. And no one steps on
it.
We remember such a tiny tree,
a seedling of last year that had
had a very close escape from a
passerby. But it wasn’t a man’s
footmark, or the hoof of a horse.
It was the slim track of a fox.
Because of this respite, further
delay has been gained in which
to work out this critical problem'
and there has been much activity
behind the scenes. Secretary
General U Thant has asked for
suggestions on how best to pro
ceed and some pressure has
been applied on this country to
moderate its stand.
The general opinion seems to
be that confrontation of the two
big powers should be avoided, if
possible, that the General Assem
bly should take steps to pass the
arrears matter on to the 1965
budget, and that a committee be
set up to study the whole busi
ness of the Peace-keeping opera
tions.
The fact that no nation ob
jected to this plan would ■ indi
cate that the United States will
go along and that once more the
UN way of negotiation and com
promise will win the day.
dates, to move both Election Day
and Inauguration Day two
months forward. Congress could
change the date of Election Day
by deleting the word “Novem
ber” from the present law and
substituting the word “Septem
ber.” Similarly, November 20
could be substituted for January
20 as the date of the President’s
Inauguration. All over the
United States better weather is
practically assured in September
than in November, and in No
vember than in January.
Under this plan. Election Day
would immediately follow Labor
Day. Vacationing voters would
have the holiday to reach home
to vote, in fact they would have
the long weekend beginning the
previous Friday. I believe that
such a change would increase the
total number of votes cast. Cer
tainly this suggestion, or some
thing like it, is worth pondering.
DONALD G. HERRING
Southern Pines
“Not as big and strong and deep
as a dog,” we used to be told,
“not as round as a cat’s print or
travelling as wide; not the little
hands of a coon or the big point
ed toes of a possum, but slim,
slightly pointed, the padmarks
almost in line.” If there had been
snow, now, you might even have
been able to make out the slight
shadowmark of the tip of his
brush as the fox stepped deli
cately past the little pine.
Now we are on this subject of
animals, has anyone seen one of
those bold black squirrels, late
ly? Or heard a great horned owl
whoo-hooing from the deep
woods? The big squirrels used to
be a fairly frequent sight in the
Round Timber tract, between
Youngs Road and {Connecticut
and along the Azalea Swamp,
but no one has reported seeing
any for some time. Maybe the
countryside is getting too civil
ized and full of people.
As for the big owls, it should
soon be time for them to start
talking.
Listen the first spring-like
night and ten to one you’U hear
the deep, shivering call that sud
denly brings the wilderness close.
Almost you find yourself wonder
ing: “Was it an owl, or a creep
ing, crawling Indian?” The night
is suddenly darker; a cloud slides
over the moon. “Whoo-hoo-te-
hoo-hoo-” comes the cEill. Chief
Big Owl is scouting the terri
tory.
Stop Press!
About the squirrels: even be
fore we went to press came an
official reply that the big blacks
are still around. Mac Goodwin,
warden-naturalist of Weymouth
Woods, reports many blacks in
the Nature Preserve. Also dark
brown and tri-color. “Kind of an
olive shade,” he says.
THE PILOT
Published Every Thursday by
THE PILOT, Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941—JAMES BOYD—1944
Katharine Boyd Editor
C. Benedict Associate Editor
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Composing Room
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Coffin.
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