Weems Will Work In New Wales Park Samuel P. Weems, Super intendent of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the scenic route link Washington Comments Washington, D. C.—The re cent gathering of leaders of Congress at the President’s ranch in Texas was a deadly serious business and the deci sions made there — and con curred in by opposition Re publicans — might be crucial to the nation’s stability in the next eighteen months. President Johnson was not taking the initiative in pro posing to cut three billion dol lars from the current budget and to trim something from current spending in a sudden move for approval from eco nomic conservatives or in an appeal for voter approval, primarily. He was acting because there are grim signs that unless the nation balances its budget and its international payments the dollar may at last collapse in international financial cir cles. Gold has been flowing steadily out of the nation dur ing the sixties. France is currently seeking to set up a European bank which would add emphasis to gold (and its movement). This could cause serious pro blems for the dollar and Washington. The French think the pound is highly sus pect and that devaluation is only a matter of time. They are convinced Prime Minister Harold Wilson is go ing to lose his desperate fight to save the pound and that when the pound is devalued the dollar, too, will have to be devalued, since there are cr» m an v foreign countries holding dollars in such great amounts the United States could not redeem them all, in a run, at $35 an ounce. Not only foreign govern ments but foreign banks close ly watch the U. S. budget and the U. S. balance of payments. For some years now leading government and private .bank ers have warned Washington that the dollar (gold) drain must be checked, that the U. S. must balance its internat ional payments. These warn ings have, in effect, been ignored. President Johnson, with his commitment in Vietnam now costing 2l/z billions a month (some of this regularly end ing up in the Bank of France) is faced with the moment of truth, lie courts the real dan ger of a loss of confidence in the dollar. And unless the dol lar can be maintained, the pound will surely collapse— for the dollar has saved the pound in two crises in two years. Republican c o n g r essional leaders know these ominous facts and support the Presi dent’s proposal to trim five billions from next year’s bud get; they have, in fact, been preaching this theme in vain in recent years. They see their support of the President in his current course as vindica tion of their warnings in re cent years. --l about this question: “Our fireplace damper dropped shut while we were out of the room. I see a $500 cleaning and repaint ing bill at least from the smoke damage. Does a Homeowner Policy cover such a loss from smoke damage?’* f COE Insurance : 6l Realty Company ’ 111 East King St —. ing Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina-Tennessee, will assist the government of the State of New Wales, Australia, in organizing a national park system and in developing in terpretive, training, and other park programs, the Depart ment of Interior announced to day. His assignment, made in re sponse to an invitation from the Minister of Lands of New South Wales and financed by that State, is part of an over all effort on the part of the Department of the Interior’s National Park Service to fur ther park conservation activi ties throughout the world. National Park Service Di rector George B. Hartzog. Jr., said Superintendent Weems is ideally qualified for his new assignment. All of his park career, which has spanned three decades, has been de voted to the development and administration of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most heav ily visited unit of the Na tional Park System. For his outstanding work on the Park way, he was awarded the De partment of the Interior’s Di stinguished Service Award last spring. Superintendent Weems will report for duty in Sydney, New South Wales, in January and remain there from 12 to 18 months. Comment On Lawrence Pittsburgh, Pa—Both for mer President Harry Truman and President Lyndon B. Johnson, commenting on the death of ex-Governor David Lawrence cf Pennsylvania, described him as one of the major forces for good in the Democratic Party in recent decades. “THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING!” Mrs. U.S. Savings Bonds—Joan Berry of Lusk, Wyo.—tells Mrs. America con testant, Janeway Murphy, of Eau Claire, Wis., that Savings Bonds are the perfect Christmas gift this year. Use Christmas Seals, Sales Chairman Asks With this issue of the Democrat, many merchants remind the public only 13 shopping days remain until Christmas. Additionally post masters and postal employees are urging residents to mail cards and packages right away. “They are important sug gestions,” says Charles H. Blackburn Jr., Seal Campaign Chairman. “Also of importance is your use of the 1966 Christmas Seals on all mail and pack ages and your early response to your Christmas Seal let ter.” Blackburn says a late count shows that citizens of Wata uga County have made much progress toward the Seals goal set for this year, al though others, who are doubt less busy preparing for the holidays, have failed to reply to their Seal letter. In the next few days, he said, a note will be mailed to “those busy people who have not yet answered their let ters. Many firms and indivi duals of Watauga County have sent their contributions, but many more replies are needed.” Belgian regime plagued by economic troubles. St. Lawrence Seaway traffic increased. Every Boy Wants a m a Johnny Speed Race Game $ I A Delightful Toy For Any Little Girl Baby Secret $1199 Mif Hamt It \Bakq Stem m $099 The Famous Baby Magic * $1299