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NATIONAL NEWSPAPER f association
ASSOCIATION
Published Kvery Thursday it Raeford. N.C. 28376
119 W. EJwood Avenue
Subscription Rates In Advance
Per Year? $8.00 6 Months? $4.25 3 Months? $2.25
LOL LS H. FOCLEMAN. JR Publisher
PAUL DICKSON Editor
HENRY L. BLLL Production Supervisor
BILL LINDAL' Associate Editor
MRS. PALL DICKSON Society Editor
SAM C. MORRIS Contributing Editor
Second Class Postage at Raerord. N.C.
(USPS 3 8* -260)
THURSDAY. FEBRUARY II. 1982
Letters to editor
The editor received last week tor publication a letter detailing a
harrowing but valuable experience the writer had.
The writer, however, asked that her name be withheld. The letter
wasn't published because it contained referenced to the writer, and
with the name withheld it would stimulate creation of rumor, which
could lead to attributing the author's identity to the wrong person or
persons.
The editor has found through experience that any time anyone, be
it a public school board, county commissioners, city council, elected
or appointed public official or private citizen dealing with a matter
of public interest, withholds information from the public, rumors
start, and the rumor is often worse than the facts.
The reason the writer wished to remain anonymous is
understandable, in view of the details the letter contained, and she
has the editor's smypanty. But for the reason stated above, the letter
cannot be published.
The News-Journal has withheld names of letter writers on request,
but only when the subject concerns a public service, such as local
government, law enforcement, school systems, or other - public
agencies, and the writer's job would be in jeopardy if the writer's
identity were made public.
In these cases, they are the subjects, not the personalities
concerned, that are significant for the public. In these cases also, the
letter writers made their names known to The News-Journal . a
requirement for The News-Journal has before publication of the
letter without a signature is considered.
-BL
Excuse for non-exercise
A medical column says strenuous exercise may be hazardous to
your health, like if you're pushing middle age.
Now we don't have to feel guilty anymore about following our old
rule: when feeling like exercising, lie down till the feeling passes.
--BL
'Let Poland be Poland'
From The Christian Science Monitor
Many people have expressed at least mild embarrassment over the
administration's television spectacular "Let Poland Be Poland." Not
because they oppose a strong statement of moral indignation at the
suppression of freedom in Poland. But because a government
sponsored program, replete with Hollywood stars, risks criticism as a
propagandistic and undignified vehicle for such a statement. The
fact that the Poles cannot see it, that the West Europeans have
shunned it. and that many American TV stations also are reluctant
to show it suggests that the program serves domestic politics more
than the needs of international diplomacy.
What is significant, however, is that the administration has not
closed the door on a diplomatic demarche to Poland. Almost in the
same breath, as "Let Poland Be Poland" was going out over the
airwaves, the administration decided to repay some $70 million owed
by Poland to American banks, without requring that they declare
Poland in default. This may strike the public as slightly inconsistent,
but the inconsistency is understandable and points to the dilemma
confronting US diplomats. For reasons of Mr. Reagan's political
constituents, they cannot be seen to be "soft" on Poland; yet they
must seek a way of encouraging a political accommodation in Poland
that will make it possible to put the nation back on the road to
economic solvency.
The fact is. the Western bankers have an enormous stake in
stabilization and reform of the Polish economy. Default by Poland of
its $27 billion debt wjpuld have substantial impact on the West's
financial institutions. Therefore General Jaruzelski's actions ?
raising food prices and inducing farmers to deliver their produce to
the state ? are doubtless looked on more understanding^ by
Western financiers than by the Polish people. It has long been
recognized, by economists in and out of Poland, that bringing prices
in line with production costs is crucial to good management.
Much more is needed, however. General Jaruzelski's first priority
seems to be to stabilize the economic situation. He cannot expect
official endorsement from abroad for the unpleasant actions
required to bring this about. But the question is what comes
afterward. Washington, by not letting the American banks declare
Poland in default, indicates it is not tossing in the towel on Poland.
What is not clear is what terms will be exacted for some form of
dialogue and reconciliation.
So far the terms set are high; an end to martial law, the release of
all detainees, a restoration of press freedom, and talks between the
Polish government, the church, and the Solidarity free trade union.
It is relevant to ask, however, whether these are terms which General
Jaruzelski can accept and whether the demands can be refined in a
way to give all sides room for maneuver in a constructive direction.
Does the US require, for instance, that Solidarity be returned to its
pre- Dec. 13 status of a political opposition ? an objective that
would most certainly be unrealistic? Or would it be satisfied if it were
permitted to be a free trade union again? Does the three-way
discourse have to show results, or could it just be seriously begun
before some Western help were forthcoming?
It is clear that the Western nations can no longer underwrite
Poland's discredited economic system. It is also clear that they have
Be patient ? we're going in the right direction '
an interest in trying to ensure that the reform movement is not
entirely lost, that a liberalization process resumes even if does not go
as far as some would like, and that Poland not be forced into total
dependence on the Soviet Union. This means using the leverage
which the US and its partners hold in terms of rescheduling the
Polish debts and offering further, perhaps government-backed loans
and other aid. Talking about such incentives publicily may be
politically foolhardy and diplomatically premature. But it is to be
hoped that plans are being worked out behind the scene in
Washington and other Western capitals regarding the specific
conditions under which Poland could expect help ? and perhaps
being quietly communicated to Warsaw.
The US decision to repay a portion of Poland's debt to American
banks does, at any rate, keep open the door to negotiation. And
that, we suspect, is more important in the long run ? even to
Polish-Americans ? than "Let Poland Be Poland."
Letter To The Editor
Editor. The News-Journal
Kaeford. N.C.
In asking tor an additional
one-cent sales tax. Superintendent
of Public Instruction Craig Phillips
and some members of the state
educational establishment are
sending a message that needs to be
examined.
The advocacy of regressive sales
taxes hints at the superficiality ot
their own educational qualifi
cations. Even elementary knowl
edge of the principles of taxation
involves some awareness that such
taxes discriminate against
moderate and low income earners.
Not only does such advocacy
indicate educational superficiality;
to ask for a substantial increase in
the cost of food and of basic
necessities during a recession
points to a troubling lack of
imagination and of compassion.
Phillips and his allies would obtain
their objectives on the backs of
those least able to pay.
Anil their resort to this sort of tax
suggests also a certain toadying of
the rich and powerful who hate
taxes in general but love sales taxes
in particular. Why does Craig
Phillip* <iever? request additional
revenue from thy affluent? The
state constitution already permits
more income taxes from corpo
rations and from higher income
groups, but the Superintendent
somehow fails to remind his lis
teners of this alternative.
Responsible citizens everywhere
recognize the need for better
support of teachers and for public
education, but they will not ap
prove of getting this through
adding to the cost of basic neces
sities. Governor Hunt rightly has
said that the food tax ought to be
eliminated rather than increased.
Sincerely.
William Winn
Laurinburg. N.C.
Browsing in the
of The News-Journal
25 years ago
Thursday, February 7, 1957
Over 100 Hoke County farmers
were at the office of the Agricul
tural Stabilization and Conserva
tion office before it opened at 8:00
on Friday to sign acreage reserve
agreements under the soil bank
plan for cotton and tobacco, and
240 registered during the day and
have since signed agreements.
* * *
Richard Moore, engineer of
Asheboro. told the town commis
sioners of Raeford at their regular
monthly meeting Monday night
that there are two ways the town
can get the additional water supply
it needs.
* * *
Coach George Wood's Hoke
High School girls basketball team
are out of first place for the first
time in three years of play in
district one of the Southeastern AA
Athletic Association.
? ? ?
The Hoke County Board of
Commissioners at their regular
monthly meeting passed a resolu
tion asking Congress to enact
legislation which would allow to
bacco farmers placing their alloted
acres in the acreage reserve pro
gram or Soil Bank to be paid for
the tobacco not grown at the rate of
50 percent of parity, rather than
at the rate of 18 cents per pound
which is now being used in the
contracts.
15 years ago
Thursday, February 9, 1%7
Raeford town board took under
advisement Monday night a peti
tion calling for the establishment of
a housing authority to provide
low-rent housing for impoverished
families in the town and county.
? ? ?
Legal sale of beer, wine and
liquor in Hoke County has appre
ciably decreased bootlegging and
moonshining activity in the county,
according to Sheriff Dave Barring
ton.
* * *
Six Hoke County young men
formerly classified 1-y will be
inducted into the armed forces
February IS. according to the local
draft board clerk.
* ? *
The campaign to raise $6,000 for
band uniforms at Hoke High
School has been launched by a
group of Raeford mothers.
? ? *
Hoke County commissioners
have asked the State Highway
Commission to improve N.C. 211
from the Robeson to Moore County
lines, specifically to widen the road
to 24 feet between Raeford and the
Moore line.
* * *
A Raeford college student.
Wynona S. Stetler. won first award
in painting in the annual Pembroke
State Collegiate Competition.
mm i >k?iii ~ mm ?syaewaes^is.iSi?.
It's a Small W orld
By Bill Lindau
I corrected this thing once, and
now I'll have to do it again.
I've been under the delusion that
the line "How like a serpent's tooth
is a thankless child" is in a play by
Eugene O'Neill.
I found out the other day I was
wrong. Betsy said she thought it
was in somebody else's play:
Shakespear's -- "King Lear." to be
exact.
I hunted through Bartlett's
"Familiar Quotations'' at the Hoke
County Public Library and found
it.
?Sure enough, it is in "King
Lear." Act 1 Scene IV. line 312.
Also, I found I'd been mis
quoting it all these years -- over 20.
I think.
The line goes: "How sharper
than a serpent's tooth it is to have a
thankless child."
These errors also remind me
again of this line from Leonard
Nason's World War I novel Ameri
can soldiers in France: "If brains
was water, you couldn't give a louse
a drink."
? ? *
The January 27 edition of The
Presbyterian Journal has a piece in
the column. "Across the Editor's
Desk", that makes modern football
teams look like collections of
delicate people with tired blood and
maybe even nagging back aches to
boot .
For example, nowadays, and for
many years, it has been unthink
able for any football team worthy of
its name and institution to play
more than one football game a
week. 1 won't even mention Highly
school playing in rain or snow -- it'?^
rarely, if" ever, done anymore.
Tin- Pivshyteriiiii Journal's piece,
however, describes a season of the
old University of the South at
Sewanee. Tenn. In November 1899,
the team of Sewanee College, as it
was known then, played five games
in six days, and traveled nearly
.1.000 miles to play them.
Furthermore, they won every one^
of them and held every opponent?
scoreless.
On November 8 that season.^
Sewanee beat unbeaten Texas}}
University 12 0. On November lO^j
Sewanee clobbered Texas A&M%
32-0. The Tennesseeans didn't play^
the next day. because it wasOj
Sunday. On November 12. it was;!
Sewanee 34 and Louisiana State.^
described as "strong." 0.
The fifth victory was ovet^
Mississippi State the next davflP
!2-?. y
The Sewage squad, incidentally .>'
consisted of 12 players. The col-;
lege's entire enrollment amounted"
to 97 men. ;
Of course, that schedule,
naturally raises the question: when'
did the Sewanee players go to class?*
But to be fair about it. we can't-i
put down the modern athletes of!
the sport. They couldn't play
schedule like that these days even i^
they wanted to. in view of the rules*
and conditions that exist. For one^
thing, there are the fans to con "
siiler: how many can get to a*
football game, even at night, on a'
Wednesday, for instance? 'v
CLIFF BLUE . . .
People & issues
SHARING FEDERAL JOBS ...
From all that I read in the
newspapers about President
Reagan's hopes of balancing the
Federal budget, a great many
Federal office holders will soon be
looking for new jobs.
We certainly hope that every
man or woman who wants a job to
support his family can find one
and not be found among the
unemployed.
^flowev^Sf if President Re&?Sh Ts
going to cut government forces as
needs to be done, there is likely to
be long unemployment lines unless
some unusual things are resorted
to.
Our idea is this: We think that
the Federal government could be
operated well without a fourth or a
third of the number of people who
are on the payroll today.
We would suggest that in the
many places where three people are
doing the job. two could do as
well. Let the proper authority
designate the one to go, but if he or
she could not find a suitable job.
then let the three remain a
reasonable time, say 12 months.
However, let the three work the
same total hours that the two
would work ? 80 hours, about 26
or 27 hours each, until the one be
ing dismissed or one of the others
found a job elsewhere.
This arrangement might work a
little hardship on the three, but not
as much as on the one being push
ed out without much notice.
This would show compassion,
and most of us need compassion.
It could also make three people
more desirable. No doubt many
would be looking for another job,
but probably doing a better job for
Uncle Sam.
There would be some
"drawbacks" to this type of ar
rangement, but it would bring
about better stewardship and devo
tion than is evident among many
of the government workers today.
And it would go a long way
towards reducing the national debt
without throwing so many people
on the unemployment rolls. This is
what really counts.
BIG GOVERNMENT ... The
Reagan proposal offers the first
real chance of lightening the load
on Uncle Sam's back since the
beginning of Lyndon B. Johnson's
"Great Society" days.
There will hardly be a more op
portune time for the burden to be
eased from the Federal Govern
ment than now.
No sane person can expect the
Federal Government to go on and
on building up a bigger deficit each
year until we default in our Federal
obligations. If this happens, I
hesitate to contemplate the tuture.
HEMAN CLARK ... Governor
Hunt is to be commended for his
appointment of former Judge
Heman Clark of Fayetteville as
State Secretary of Crime Control
and Public Safety. It's one of the
most important jobs in state
government.
It's a great challenge for Judge
Clark. The field is wide open for a
man of Judge Clark's ability.
Heman Clark is 66 years old, in
the very prime of life. He has a fine
family background, the late Con
gressman Bayard Clark was his
father.
As Governor Hunt said at
Clark's oath-taking ceremony:
''He is a man with ideas, a man of
integrity and a man who cares, no Js
only about victims of crime, but
about the young people who com
mit crimes."
RE-DISTRICTING ... For more
than a year the North Carolina
General Assembly has been studv-i
in$ re-dtstTicrtng. If meyH6n't dd*
nmething pj'etty quick our opi-"4
nion is that the Federal Court will
do it for them. The delay is costing
the people of North Carolina when
you figure the cost of the General-*
Assembly when it's in session, ano^
the cost per-diem when only the
committees are in session.
HOOVER ADAMS ... We
quote Hoover Adams in his Dunn
Daily Record : "As former U.S.
Senator Robert Morgan pointed
out, 'The Constitution of North
Carolina does not permit the split
ting of counties and the Justice.
Department ought not to have the
authority to over-ride the Con- ))
st i t ut ion ol North Carolina or any ,
other State. 'Amen to that," says^
Editor Adams.
Puppy Creek
Philosopher i
Dear editor:
I have been thinking aboutu
President Reagan's proposal to'
turn a lot ol Washington's activities
over to the states.
I have no idea whether it'll work*
or not but I can see some
drawbacks in it that the President
may have overlooked.
I he main one is that it's going td!
reduce the amount of fun every-;
bod\ has cussing Washington.
Like it is. when something
docsn i go to suit you, your naturae
instinct is to rear back and blame if
on Washington but now thd
President comes along with a plart
to make us blame it on Raleigh. ;
How can anybody get a unahft
mous nation wide complaint on
anything when aim has to be taken
ai 50 different Governors? Or 50
different State Legislatures? ;
It's been so long sincc anybody
thought of blaming his Statc^
Legislature lor anything important
that it may take us years to get used
to the idea. Like it is. if you have i
complaint you write your Corn
gressman. You wouldn't any more
think of writing the State Legist
lature than you would the P.T.A;
Unless he s a lobbyist, the average
person can't name more than tw$
or three members of his State
Legislature, and one of those i$
known probably because of som \
shenanagan he pulled.
II the plan to shift the burden td
the slates takes effect and there*
upon the heat gets too great foi
Raleigh and it turns things over td
the counties, you know what'H
happen next. The county will tun}
the blame over to you and me. *
I have never yet seen anybody
who got any fun out of blaming
himself.
Yours faithfuHy
l.K. 1