^cuj^ - journal
O&io&na.
NATIONAL NEWSfWPER A?V2^j??ior*
ASSOCIATION association
Published l>eo lhursd?\ al Raeford, N.C. 28376
1 19 W Mwood Asenue
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Per Near ? W OO 6 Months? S4.25 3 Months? S2. 25
PALL DICKSON Publisher ? tditor
SAM C. MORRIS (.eneral Manager
BILL LINDAL Associate Kditor
MRS. PAL I. DICKSON
. Societ> Kditor
Second Class Postage al Raeford. N.C.
(LSPS 388-260)
THURSDAY. DECEMBER 31. 1981
Dismissal appeal
Regardless of the outcome of William Hales's efforts to get his
Hoke County dog warden job back, it's reassuring for the general
public and. of course, county employees particularly, that county
grievance policy protects the county's employees from arbitrary,
baseless dismissal.
Hales was fired November 23 from his job for a reason or reasons
that have not been made public by county officials, for the protection
of Hales's rights. He requested a hearing by the County Advisory
Personnel Board tQ get his job back. He has been represented by an
attorney in the hearing, which at this writing, has taken parts of
December 17 and 21 and was going into another session December
23.
The board of five members, none of them county employees, has
been hearing testimony given by witnesses for the county and for
Hales.
When the board felt it had all the information it needs to reach a
conclusion it would come to a conclusion and send Hales and the
county manager its recommendation and a record of the hearing
proceedings in writing. The recommendation, expected to be
reached between Christmas and New Year's Day, would say whether
the findings justify Hales's dismissal or his reinstatement. Then it is
up to the county manager to approve or reject the recommendation.
In brief, the county employee has been given as fair a chance as
possible to state his case.
Still, he has still another chance if his firing stands: he can take
his complaint to court if he wants to continue the fight as far as he
can.
The county's grievance procedure is the kind of security every
emplovee. public or private, should have in all fairness.
--BL
No defense needed " '
To call Green Berets in general "trained killers" in the worst sense
of the words because some have taken jobs training Libyan terrorists
and attempting an assassination after they returned to civilian life
makes as much sense as saying all doctors are quacks and all lawyers
are shysters just because some have been and are.
Special Forces men, active and retired, and their families and
friends have expressed outrage at an editorial cartoon parodying the
popular song "Ballad of the Green Berets" of the 1960s. The cartoon
in essence depicted former Green Berets selling their service-ac
quired skills for profit to undesirable "customers." such as Libya's
Kadahfy.
The long record of honorable service earned by Green Berets since
Special Forces was established in the 1950s requires no defense from
the veterans of the special organization. The standards soldiers must
meet to earn the right to wear the Green Beret are very high,
physically and mentally. It's not fool-proof, of course, but the
chances of a heartless, "beady-eyed killer" of the Mafia hit-man
mentality qualifying for membership in the elite organization are
about as good as Libyan dictator Khadafy's winning a Nobel peace
prize.
One commander explained that a volunteer must be in superior
physical condition to qualify for regular paratroop duty; but to
qualify for Special Forces takes not only superior physical condition
but something beyond that, a special dedication to his service. A line
of ex-Special Forces Sgt. Barry Sadler's ballad goes: "... 100 men will
test today. Three will win the Green Beret," a statement based on
experience.
Even soldiers toughened by hard duty in regular airborne outfits
have flunked the Special Forces gruelling test, and they've had no
reason for feeling discredited.
The mission of the Special Forces has been misunderstood by
much of the public ever since the Green Berets were established. The
misunderstanding has come from news feature writers and abetted
by movies like the late John Wayne's "Green Berets." with which
Special Forces men at Ft. Bragg expressed disgust and
disappointment. The misconception is the Green Berets are a sort of
fighting force that slips behind enemy lines, blowing up bridges and
generally wreaking havoc on the enemy on his home ground.
The historical fact is the Green Berets' mission is to teach natives
how to fight guerrilla style against an oppressive government, and
native troops how to deal with guerrillas trying to overthrow their
government for an enemy power.
Officially and historically, the Green Berets' job, fundamentally,
is to teach natives how to fight guerrilla style effectively and how to
defend their country against enemy guerrilla operations.
Apart from this primary mission. Special Forces men at times
have gotten information in peacetime in foreign countries for the
U.S. government.
Aside from these warfare duties, the Special Forces also have a
distinguished but little-publicized record of work in underdeveloped
countries, showing natives how to make life better for themselves --
improving sanitation, building better houses, schools, and roads.
Some in the back country of Laos even taught people it is safer for an
expectant mother to lie down instead of stand up when she is about
to give birth and that it is unhealthy to allow cattle to wallow in a
stream upstream from the source of the village's drinking water.
To teach, the Special Forces soldier, like the familiar school
teacher, learns what to teach.
Their education and training, however, includes a working
knowledge of the language of the country to which he is assigned,
and a basic knowledge of native customs, traditions, taboos and
Do not open 'til Election Day 1982'
prejudices. Each member of the Special Forces' basic field unit, the
15-member "A" Team, is trained and cross-trained, in use of native
as well as American weapons, making explosives in communica
tions. and emergency medical treatment, so that when one member
of the team is disabled, any other member can take over his duties.
The Special Forces team has worked with and works with native
groups, not independently. In combat, the members have served as
military advisors to native troops. In fighting in which the United
States has no regular troops committed, the advisors are under
orders in effect to not shoot unless shot at.
Judging the group by the actions of a few villages the thousands
who are helping in private life to make living a little better noi only
for their families but for everyone else in their communities, after
serving with dedication and courage in uniform, living the Special
Forces' motto: "To free the oppressed."
-BL
It's a Small \^orld j
by Bill Lindau
A man wrote columnist Miss
Manners (Judith Martin) that his
wife had noticed the bottom button
of his vest was unbuttoned and
remarked. "Hey, hubby, getting
fat you can't button all your
buttons?"
The man's letter asked Miss
Manners, "Please inform her that
buttoning all the buttons on a
man's vest is as much a breach of
sartorial protocal as her tucking the
back of her dress into her panty
hose."
The first few lines of Miss
Manners's reply read: "... Dear,
dear, what an unpleasantly graphic
comparison that is. Miss Manners
would prefer not to know its
provenance...." She did. however,
add that the man's wife was both
right and wrong. She explains the
custom of a man leaving the bottom
button of his vest unbuttoned
originated from courtesy to the
Prince of Wales, who became King
Edward VII. "His girth." Miss
Manners explains. "Made but
toning the bottom button im
possible. His subjects showed tact
by refraining from buttoning
theirs, thereby making his diffi
culty less conspicuous."
This sort of tact. I have been
told, also accounts for the lisp in
the Castilian Spanish language.
One of Spain's King Philips had a
natural lisp; so. out of respect, his
subjects started speaking with a
lisp. The Spanish spoken in the
Spainish-speaking countries of the
western world, however, doesn't
have this lisp.
So it you're ever in Spain and you
hear someone speaking Spanish
without lisping, you can show your
esoteric knowledge by exclaiming.
"Ha!! You're from South or Cen
tral America. You don't lisp."
Of course, if he does lisp in
speaking Spanish you could be
wrong if you exclaim, "Ha! You're
from Spain. You lisp when you
talk." It could be he lisps for the
same reason old King Philip did: he
was born that way. and he may
really be a prominent taco and
tamale salesman from Tenochtit
lan.
More information -- a lot more --
about Tenochtital. the Aztecs.
Mexacatl, the Yaki, and other
similar people and places can be
found in Gary Jenning's historical
novel. "Aztec." published in the
past year. Jennings goes into the
details of the nations and their
people who lived in the countries
now making up Mexico and Cen
tral America shortly- before and
during the Spanish conquest of the
earlv 1500s.
It's only fair, however, to warn
you that sections of the book take
a strong stomach to read: speci
fically. the descriptions of the
forms of punishment both Spanish
and natives inflicted on offenders;
and details of the religious rites
practiced by the natives at special
religious celebrations.
Puppy Creek Philosopher
Dear editor:
At the suggestion from a school
teacher who claims too much TV
watching makes p?x>r readers out ot
kids, 50 families shut their sets oft
for a month to see what would
happen. If I were connected with a
school system that's failing to teach
kids to read, I'd blame it on
television or anything else I could
get my hands on.
The 50 families survived all right
but have now gone back to watch
ing TV. Some of the families read
more than usual during the experi
ment but it wasn't reported what
they read. And as for reading for
reading's sake, unless you're a
book seller, what difference does it
make whether you're reading a
murder mystery or seeing one on
TV? Time passes about the same
and it takes as much electricity for
a reading lamp as it does for a TV
set.
Arguing that more reading
would be done if there were no
television is like arguing the world
would be safer if there were no
nuclear bombs. It's true but point
less, as television and nuclear
bombs are here to stay. At least till
some nut starts firing the latter, in
which case very few TV sets will be
working.
Back to the subject. Television
does interfere with some activities.
For example, it's true kids can't
read and crack wallnuts at the
same time, but on the other hand
they can't watch TV and listen to
records turned up loud at the same
time. This is equalized by the fact
they can eat potato chips and drink
sodawater while doing either or
both.
It's my guess you can teach a kid
to read but you can't force him to
keep on, and there are kids you
can t stop from reading, even way
past bedtime. This was going on
long before television.
Come to think of it. television
and nuclear bombs probably were
invented by people who read a lot.
On the other hand, cars and light
bulbs were invented by people who
read scarcely at all.
Yours faithfully,
J. A.
Hike calling
*?QTH CAROLINA
CLIFF BLUE . . .
People & Issues
OMINOUS -- We are living in an
ominous period. The situation in
Poland just might bring about a
serious confrontation between na
tions. that no one really wants.
When you have two powerful
nations with different ideologists,
they have to be very careful, lest
something tlare up accidentally
that would bring the roar of
bombers into play.
People of good will hope that
Poland will be spared such a
tragedy.
AMERICA -- With America
having just gone through the
tidings of great joy over Christmas
and what it means to millions of
people, we hope that we may
continue to be guided by the spirit
of freedom and love, without
wrecking this great nation between
Scylla and Charybdis, -- two
dangers, either of which is difficult
to avoid without encountering the
other.
Our nation is a strong nation,
can stand strongly for what is right,
and will come out well, we believe.
We realize that it is impossible to
remain aloof from warring nations
when "Pearl Harbor" takes place
out of a clear sky. We hope that the
world learned a lesson by what
happened to the Japanese leaders
who instigated "Pearl Harbor".
POLITICAL OUTLOOK -- 1982
is a political year despite the fact
that the elections between presi
dential elections every four years
are often referred to as "off year"
elections.
It used to be that the "oft" year"
elections were pretty quiet in North
Carolina as compared .to the Presi
dential and governor elections.
But, "politics" has now gotten to
be pretty much of a yearly play.
Gubernatorial talk got underway
almost before Reagan and Hunt
were inaugurated in 1981.
We will go over a few situations
alphabetically:
Attorney General Rufus Edmis
ten seems to be one of the front
runners for governor. He is almost
certain to run and has been
building a pretty good money chest
to run with. As ot now he might be
called the "man to beat."
Lanch Faircloth of Clinton is
another man who has been men
tioned. Faircloth may prefer to be
in the "kingmaking" class rather
than try for the top spot.
President William Friday, of the
University of North Carolina, evi
dcntally plans to-retire next yeaA j
when he will be 64 years old -* jusf
about right to run for governor. Not
too young and not too old. Reagan
is beyond 70 now. If we were to bet.
it would be that Bill Friday will be
in the race and if so he will likely be
the man to beat.
Lt. Governor Jim Green is not
out of the race by any means.
Insurance Commissioner John
Ingram m4y well be in the Goy
crnor's race. Despite the fact thai.'
he has had right much publicity
about his "vacationing" in Myrtle
Beach. I would not count him out.
Remember a few years ago when
Ingram ran for the U.S. Senate and
won out for the nomination over
Luther Hodges, Jr.. in the Second
Primary, but lost out to Helms in
the fall election.
Congressman Charlie Rose of the
Seventh District has come to the
front recently. He, no doubt. woul?J
like to be governor and may
possibly conclude 1984 is the
proper time. Don't be surprised if
he takes the leap -- just two years
hence.
Eddie Knox. Charlotte Mayor
has been mentioned, but Charlotte,
the city with the largest munici
pality in the state, seems a little
distant from other municipalities.
President Wiggins, of Campbell >
University of Buies Creek, has also
been mentioned as a candidate for
governor. Wiggins has not said
whether he would run as a Demo
crat or a Republican. He is a
registered Democrat. However.
Helms changed from a Democrat to
Republican to run for the Senate.
People do not seem to be too much
concerned about changing party
labels now, as heretofore.
Letter To The Editor
Editor. The News-Journal.
The 1981 holiday season may
remind many of us that some things
haven't changed. This year, once
again, we feasted upon a tradi
tional (and probably lavish) turkey
dinner, watched spectacular holi
day parades, gathered around the
television set to watch myriad
football games and fought crowds
in search of the perfect gift.
Some things haven't changed in
other parts of the world either. This
year, as in years past, people have
been forced to flee their home
lands. find shelter in crowded and
unsanitary refugee camps and
suffer the delilitating effects of
malnutrition and disease.
In the Northeast African nation
of Somalia, close to a million
people are living in these camps.
They are alive today because
international relief agencies are
providing them with the food,
water and medical care they need to
survive. But I am concerned about
the dependency this assistance
tends to create.
The 1981 holiday season should
remind many of us that it is time
for some things to change. It is time
to pi|t an end to widespread hunger
and to dependence upon daily
shipments of food. Some voluntary
agencies, such as Save the Chil
dren, have taken a giant step in this
direction by providing the Somali .
refugees with the skills and re
sources they need and want to
provide for themselves. Instead of
just handing out food. Save the
Children is handing out techniques
for growing food and for planting
seeds, trees and small-plot family
gardens.
The holiday season encourages
us to share our love with family and
friends. This season let's share our
love caring and concern witt "
members of the human family by
helping the Somali refugees regain
sefl-sufficiency. Any contribution,
no matter how small, can help.
Please mail your check today to:
Save the Children, Somalia Relief
Fund, Westport, CT. 06880,
attention Valerie Harper.
Sincerely,
Valerie Harper
browsing in the files
of The News-Journal
25 years ago
Thursday, December 27, 1952
A strong vote of confidence in the
textile industry's ability to make
favorable gains over the next
decade was voiced Monday by
Herman D. Ruhm, Jr., President of
Burlington Industries, Inc.
* ? ?
John B. Cameron, Saturday, was
presented a television set by Arthur
D. Gore, dean of the Hoke County
bar, on behalf of the lawyers,
county officials and associates and
friends of Cameron. The occasion
was Cameron's retirement from
the office of Clerk of the Hoke
County Superior Court after 14
years in office.
* * *
Stabilization of the textile in
dustry for Raeford highlighted the
news events of 1956 as Burlington
Mills and its subsidiary, Pacific
Mills, assumed control and opera
tion of the local mill in the first
week of June.
? * *
Billy Lester, Gerald Wright and
Miss Peggy Parks of East Carolina
spent the Christmas holidays at
home.
15 years ago
Thursday, December 29, 1966 ^
Only a "trickle" of contributior
had been received as of Wednesday
by the "Fund For Five" young
victims involved in a tragic camp
ing accident in November.
? ? *
Student Recognition Day will be
observed Sunday at Raeford
Methodist Church, with high
school and college students takinr .
part in the morning worshi,
service.
? ? ?
Capt. Edward H. Langston, Jr.
of 313 S. Main St. was con
gratulated by his commander in
Vietnam shortly after being
awardpd the Army Commendation
Medal for performance of "ex
ceptionally meritorious service"
prior to his coming to Vietnam.
* * *
Funeral services were held
Wednesday afternoon at Philippi
Presbyterian Church for Henry
Madison Gillis, 75, well-known
Hoke County farmer who died
Monday at his home on Raeford.
Rt. 2.