Under the Direction of
R. N. NEFF
PERSONNEL DIRECTOR
Associate Editors;
Cameron Lowder
John Barger
PLANT REPORTERS:
RUBY SWANSON-Nelson
PHYLLIS BLACK—American
MACIE MATTHEWS-Adrian
PAT RHYNE-Madora
PREDIA GOODSON-Rush
CECELIA DARNELL - Textured
Yarn
BLEAKA BLAIR-Spun Fibers
MILDRED ROBINSON-Dyeing &
Finishing
CAROLINE BLACK-Thread Syn.
JANIE HEWITT-Maiden
MAE PARKER-Albemarle
BETTY PHILEMON-Albemarle
TOMMIE EFIRD-AJbemarle
HARRILL RICK-Thread Sales
GLENDA DAVIS-Thread Sales
LOIS SISK-Tait Yarn
DITORIAL
A LESSON IN SOCIALISM
As a teacher in the public schools, I find that the socialist-communist
idea of taking “from each according to his ability” and giving “to each ac
cording to his need” is now generally accepted without question by most of
our pupils. In an effort to explain the fallacy in this theory, I sometimes try
this approach with my pupils:
When one of the brighter or harder-working pupils makes a grade of 95
on a test, I suggest that I take away 20 points and give them to a student
who had made only 55 points on his test. Thus each would contribute accord
ing to his ability and — since both would have a passing mark — each
would receive according to his need. After I have juggled the grades of all
the other pupils in this fashion, the result is usually a “common ownership”
grade of between 75 and 80 — the minimum needed for passing, or for sur
vival. Then I speculate with the pupils as to the probable results if I actually
used the socialistic theory of grading papers.
First, the highly productive pupils — and they are always a minority
in school as well as in life — would soon lose all incentive for producing.
Why strive to make a high grade if part of it is taken from you by “author
ity” and given to someone else?
Second, the less productive pupils — a majority in school as elsewhere
— would, for a time, be relieved of the necessity to study or to produce. This
socialist-communist system would continue until the high producers had
sunk — or had been driven down — to the level of the low producers. At
that point, in order for anyone to survive, the “authority” would have no
alternative but to begin a system of compulsory labor and punishments
against even the low producers. They, of course, would then complain bit
terly, but without understanding.
Finally I return the discussion to the ideas of freedom and enterprise
— the market economy — where each person has freedom of choice, and is
responsible for his own decisions and welfare.
Gratifying enough, most of my pupils then understand what I mean
when I explain that socialism — even in a democracy — will eventually re
sult in a living-death for all except “authorities” and a few of their favorite
lackeys.
Thomas J. Shelly
News and Views
Vol. 7 Spring. 1968 No. 1
Published Quarterly for
The Employees and Friends of
American 8c Efird Mills, Inc.
Mount Holly, North Carolina
PLANTS AT
Mount Holly, North Carolina
Albemarle, North Carolina
Maiden, North Carolina
Whitnel, North Carolina
Lincolnton, North Carolina
ON THE COVER
A full set of colored pictures»
such as the one on the cover, have
been hung in the hdlls at the Main
Office.
Pictures were taken of all typical
plant operations. A person who is
not familiar with our operations can
follow our procedure from an open
bale of cotton through all processes
right up to the shipping to a cus~
tomer.
The picture on the cover also
shows part of the new card cleaning
equipment which has recently been
installed in most of our spinning
mills.
This pneumafil system cleans the
lint and carries it through ducts to
a central waste area. It eliminates
much of the dust and lint which,
in the past, was a source of irrita
tion for all of us who have worked
in the Card Room.