Newspapers / The New Bern Mirror … / March 11, 1960, edition 1 / Page 1
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M. Ronald Smith, Jr., of 806 Clark avenue, is a native of our town who can personally testify about the beauty and friendliness of New Bern’s mother city—Berne, Switzerland. Back in 1952, while serving as a staff sergeant with the U. S. Air Force in Germany, he qiade it a point to visit the Swiss capital, and came home with deep respect and warm affection for the people there, “When I got to Berne, I decided to call on the mayor,” says Ron ald, “but naturally I didn’t knpw how to go about reaching him. I started off by talking with a janitor in a broom closet in the Public Works Department, and worked on *up from there.” It took a little time, but he fin ally got to the top, where he was treated very cordially as a visitor who hailed from New Bern. “In fact,” recalls the tall New Bernian, “The mayor’s secretary was assign ed to me as a guide, and that after noon we toured the city in' a limou sine,” Two points of interest that ap pealed particularly to young Smith were the Rose Garden and the Bear Pit. “Those bears were really some thing to watch,” he says. “Specta tors would toss carrots and other vegetables to .them, and they clap ped their paws in human fashion to show their appreciation and ask for a second helping.” Since Switzerland is recpgnized all over the world as a nation that symbolizes peace, Rnoald was Sur prised to learn during his brief stay in Berne that all males young and old‘ate in the Army and un dergo training each summer. “They have a very small stand ing army,” he tells us, “but every man and boy is ready to defend his country if it becomes necessary. The soldiers are very striking look ing too in those monstrous helmets that they wear.” There are a great many national shooting matches, and through fre quent use of rifles in this sort of competition the men become ex cellent marksmen. This brings to mind the World War I story of how Germany’s Kaiser threatened to send 5,000 soldiers into Switzer land. Asked what they would do if the order went through, the Swiss re plied, “We will issue 5,000 rounds of rifle ammunition.” When it was suggested that 15,000 soldiers might be sent into Switzerland, the answer was, “In that case we’ll is sue 15,000 rounds.” Thus did the military in this peaceful country remind the Kaiser that they knew how to use bullets without waste. According to Ronald, he discov ered quite pleasantly that Berne doesn’t take advantage of tourists when it comes to prices. “Every thing was 'reasonable,” he says, “and I found that true in staying at one of the biggest and best ho tels.” Not being able to talk .their lan guage wasn’t a handicap'to Smith either. “Even when I came across people who couldn’t speak English I managed to make them under stand me. They were courteous and patient and -considerate. That help ed, of course.” So impressed was the New Bern service man that he went back to Berne several times. He has quite a few .souvenirs to remind him of these visits, and some excellent photographs. Perhaps more than anyone else, he has found the pho tos of Berne carried in The Mirror during the past year particularly interesting. “One learns very quickly,” he says, “that the Swiss are proud of their country and their heritage. This no doubt accounts for their efforts to preserve its beauty, and to get along with others in a world (Continued on Back Page) The NEW BERN *4iS "V|,Y 5i VOLUME 2 NEW BERN, N. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 11, 1960 NUMBER 50 5 'Vv ill NO PARKING ‘PROBLEM-^—There were fewer horselese carri^es. in the good old days, so it was easy for Hyman Supply Company to line up its cars aitd trucks for this phot© in-front of the establishment on South Front street. If you remember scenes like this, you’re no spring chicken. In fact, you’re pretty much of a museum piece yourself. Don't Shoot Those Bushes, You Might Hit a Candidate BERNE’S JUSTICE FOUNTAIN On the surface, there doesn’t seem to be much agitation in New Bern’s political pot at the moment, but down underneath there’s more turbulence than meets the eye. Our two local candidates for the Congressional seat that Hap Bar den is vacating—State Senator James O. Simpkins and Mayor Rob ert L. Stallings, Jr.—are going through the bushes like a berry picker competing for grand hon ors. Other aspirants for the Third District office are similarly engag ed. With a second primary a certain ty, the big problem for those run ning is the business of garnering enough votes outside their own im mediate camping grounds to re main in the race after the first ballots have been cast. It goes without saying that both Simpkins and Stallings will tun strongly in New Bern. By the same token. Dr. David Rose can count on a heavy vote in Goldsboro and the rest of Wayne county, while David .Henderson’s strength in the Wal lace area can’t be seriously chal lenged in the first round. Although Morehead City’s Skin ner Chalk has made it clear that he is campaigning on a financial shoestring, the reports from down east say that he will have a very creditable vote in Carteret coun ty, if nowhere else. From the local viewpoint, both Simpkins and Stallings have ex pressed confidence that they will be in the second Primary. Obvious ly, somebody is due for a disap pointment, since no one interview ed in a sample Mirror survey feels that New Bern has the remotest chances of finishing first and sec ond with its candidates on the ini tial trip to the polls. Seasoned political prognostica tors throughout the District are saying that Simpkins is the front runner, with Henderson in the run ner-up spot. In their reasoning they cite the fact that the former, an admitted novice at the time, ran a surprisingly good race against Con gressman Barden when the two tangled in the last election. Simp kins, since elected to the State Senate, is admittedly the best known candidaTe of the lot and can count on a great many key sup porters who helped him in his first Congressional race. Stallings, an excellent organizer, is undoubtedly smart enough to realize that he must cover a lot of ground in a short period. He must meet voters—a great many of them —and sell them on his qualifica tions. New Bern’s mayor intends to do just that, and friends sajr he is making plenty of headway.' It is a known fact that a number of'in fluential people throughout the district are in his comer. In the governor’s race, New Bern is strong for John Larkins of 'Tren ton, with Fayetteville’s Terry San ford in the runner-up spot. With Dr. I. Beverly Lake in the race now, and the racial isuses in pros pect, there are many persons ex pressing the belief that Lake will run much better than is generally expected. There is very little talk about Malcom Seawell here, when the race for governor is mentioned. (Continued on Back Pago)
The New Bern Mirror (New Bern, N.C.)
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March 11, 1960, edition 1
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