The Fr
?vary Tmiiiy A Tlwcsief
Times
WrviMf AN Of PrmiiNii Cwiity
LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
With Honors:
Housewife, Student , Mother
For many people one career at a
time is enough. For those few excep
tional people, who by their determina
tion and sacrifices distinguish them
selves in more than one career simul
taneously, there is not only self-satis
faction, but a unique place among the
rank and file.
Such a person is Mrs. Janet Leonard
Wester of Rt. 4, Louisburg. A mother,
a housewife and a student, Mrs. Wester
returned to college after an absence
of several years and graduated at Louis
burg College with top honors in 1965.
Now comes the announcement that
she is one of four chosen from "1,379^
liberal arts students at N. C. State
University for the Liberal Arts Scholas
tic Award. She earned the award on the
basis of her near -perfect 3.9 grade aver
age.
This is quite an accomplishment.
She now plans to teach at Edward Best
High School near her home, with plans
to return to college to obtain her Mast
er's Degree later.
Mrs. Wester is not the only mother
housewife-student combination in Frank
lin County. At least two others have
done or are doing exceptionally well in
multiple careers. Mrs. Jane Wilder of
Franklinton, Rt. 1, and Mrs. Judi Hinton
of Louisburg are also playing the part
of housewives, mothers and students.
These three ladies are vivid examples
of what can be done when a person is
motivated to reach for greater heights;
when continued improvement of one's
self is moved from a day dream into
reality.
These three and others like them
are a credit to themselves, their fami
lies and their community. We congratu
late them all and wish them continued
success.
Come On In, The Water's Fine
Last night, throughout Franklin
County, hi^i school seniors marched
across the various stages, taking their
final steps which began many years ago
and which at times, to them and perhaps,
their parents seemed arv eternity. Gra
duation had at last come.
In one fleeting moment, all the joy,
all the sacrifices, all the tears, the
work, the anxiety vanished. It was as
though a magic wane had been brought
to bear upon them and suddenly . . .
there they stood, men and women.
How could this be? Only yesterday
they had to be sat up with; hand fed;
cared for with tenderness and prodded
to brush their teeth. What had these
teachers done to them? How much they
had changed. So tall; so beautiful; so
impressive as they walked across the
platform.
Wonder if they knew? Could they see
the tears in the eyes of their parents?
Could they sense the pride; the sadness;
the longing for days gone by? Did they
feel the sense of relief, now that's it
over?
How could they-so young-be expected
to feel so many things in the brief mo
ment when the man shook their hands,
uttered congratulations and passed to
them that little white slip of paper
which said: Well done.
Where will they now go? More school
ing? Could things ever again be the
same? Are they really grow? What do
they want to do? Where will it all lead?
How lonely will home be, now that the
books are closed and the rumble is
quieted? ,
Whatever they do; wherever they
might go; whatever they accomplish in
the days ahead, one thing is almost a
certainty. Some day, some where, they
too will sit, mixed in the crowd, and
muse over these same things when that
day comes for their own.
For now, if not in entirety, certainly
in part, they have become as we are.
Older, perhaps wiser. Soon they, too,
will be burdened with the responsibili
ties of being adults.
One bright thought as the curtain
closes, this old life isn't so bad. It
hasn't been for us and chances are it
will not be for them.
So as they march out into the sea of
life, we mumble ever so quietly to each
and every one: Welcome. Come on in,
the water's fine.
NATIONAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
The Drug Firms .
A Senate panel investigating high
drug prices in the United States was
recently told that some city
hospitals are paying forty times
what others are paying for the same
drug. Senators hearing the testimony
expressed ^hock and indignation.
Far years the price of drugs in
the United States has been some
thing of a suppressed scandal. Am
ericans traveling abroad have often
found-when they purchased medi
cine? that prices were a third or
half what they are in the United
States, for the same drug produced
fay the same Arm.
Drag companies, especially when
they are first with a new drug (and
new cures are always in great
demand) can, for all practical pur
poses, charge what the traffic will
bear and individual druggists can do
little about it. They have been ac
cused by the government of joining to
keep prices artifically and unjusti
fiably high.
One line of products which should
be available to the American people
at a fair price is that of drugs and
medicines. If Congress or the
people reject some regulation, then
the answer might be in allowing
foreign firms to compete duty-free in
U.S. market.
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This Is Clean-Up Week??
Sensible Perspective
-Ought To Be Applied
BY JESSE HELMS
It (ell the lot of a former
director of tbe federal budget
to provide a bit of sensible
perspective that ought to be
applied?but won't? to consi
deration of President John
son's plans to spend $18 bil
lion more during the next 12
months than the federal
government will take In.
Former Budget Director
llauaice H. Stans wUl be Ig
nored, of course, as sensible
men seem always to be these
days when the subject of
economy in government comes
up. Mr. Stans simply con
tends that the nation doesn't
have to give up a lot of govern
ment activities and projects?
though that, he said, wouldn't
be a bad idea either. All
that's really necessary, be
says, is to slow down for two
or three years and let federal
revenues catch up with federal
spending.
The problem with the federal
deficit, Mr. Stans explains,
has been that the Increase in
federal spending has been
pushed about three years a
head of the natural increase
In revenues. For example,
the money taken In by the
federal government this year
would have comfortably handl
ed tbe federal budget three
years ago. And the proposed
budget for 1068, even includ
ing the cost of Vietnam war,
would fit very nicely within
the projected federal re
venues for 1971.
So, Inquires Mr. Stans, why
not Just slow down federal
spending a little so that the
spending of 1968 will match
tbe Income of 1968? Nothing
planned tor ' 1968 would have
to be abandoned ? just put
It oft tor two or three years.
As he put It: "We don't
have to veto progress; we
Just need to get away from
the 'orach' psychology that
we can solve all human Ills
by massive doses of instatt .
money."
He wonders II the fate of the
nation really depends upon
getting to the moon in 1970.
Wouldn't 1973 or 1975, be soon
enough to discover what's In
the rockplles there? With
labor and equipment In such
short supply, he wonders If
It really would be disastrous
If we decided to complete the
Interstate highway program
In 1973 or 1975, Instead of
1971.
The head of any household
will quickly understand what
Mr. Stans means. Few fami
lies are able to buy a new
car the year they would like
to have one; most must get
along with what they have
until family finances are. such
that it becomes prudent to
make a trade. It can scarce
ly be argued that any real
hardship results.
Yet, in the federal budget
for the coming year is an
enormous amount of money for
the development of a super
sonic plane to fly to Paris
in two hours. Who can specify,
in terms of priorities, any
reason why this item should
not ? or could not ? be
delayed without any Injury
to the nation's progress? And
how about the billions being
demanded for such projects
as developing a train that will
travel 120 miles a hour, or to
rebuild portions of certain
cities, or the building of cer
tain dams? Will transporta
tion come to a screeching
halt, or will the few cities
Involved crumble Into for
gotte n history ? Of course not 1
The simply truth Is that we
could afford to tighten our
belts and economize ?and live
within our national Income.
There is a very great argu
ment in support of the idea
that we'd all be better off If
we did.
And then there Is the politi
cal "poverty" program.
There Is room to wonder what
would happen If funds were
allocated only for the benefit
of the truly needy?the citi
zens who are unable to help
themselves? and If all others
were required to shift for
themselves. There are hun
dreds of thousand s of Jobs
going begging throughout the
country, while the Idle line
up for unemployment and wel
fare checks. In New York
City, It was recently announc
ed that welfare checks will
be Issued for anyone signing
a simple written statement
saying that he needs It.
Who will seriously argue
with Mr. Stans, the man who
once served as director of the
federal budget? He Is merely
advocating a return to common
sense. We have wandered
too long and too far away from
it?and, strangely enough, al
ways In the political name of
"progress". Americans
ought to pause long enough
to laugh at themselves.
Noted And Passed
Draft-Dodging Plan: Lawrence Tim
bers, of Washington State, suggests
legislation permitting any young men
who so wish to refuse to serve in the
armed forces. By this plan all the young
man would have to do is sign appro
priate papers giving up for life the right
to vote, the right to hold public office,
or to receive Federally financed bene
fits of any and all kinds.
Korean Truce Violations: A friend
supplied us a copy of a letter from the
; Department of the Army. It states, in
| part: "A record has been kept of the
"Gnal D&y, Friday! Footprints IT
Korean truce violations on both sides
since Military Armistice of 27 July 1953.
The violations as of 1 November 1966
are as follows: a. The United Nations
command has charged the North Korean/
Chinese Peoples Republic with 5,300
violations . . . b. The North Korean/
Chinese Peoples Republic have charg
ed the United Nations command with
42,211 violations ..."
That's an average of 70 alleged
violations a day on both sides. Busy
peace, isn't it?
?w mk mow wm it ?*-?? m
*OOft?OUK KFOKIW MM ON KMRV-'
F/om Th? Offlc# Of
Congressman Fountain
New Books Based
On Fountain Hearing
Washington, D. C. - Two books have been published recently
which draw considerably from hearings on drug problems I
conducted as Chairman of a Government Operations Subcom
mittee.
Another book, originally published In 1965, Is to be reissued
soon In paperback editloA and expanded to include some of the
findings our Subcommittee turned up.
The new volumes are THE PILL CONSPIRACY by George
Johnson and THE HANDBOOK OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS by
Dr. Richard Burack.
Johnson explores the practices of the drug Industry In de
veloping and marketing new drugs and the regulatory role of
the Food and Drug Administration In approving drugs for sale.
Burack' s book contains voluminous lists of various drugs,
their brand names and generic names and prices charged for
them by various manufacturers.
The older book which Is to be updated Is THE THERAPEUTIC
NIGHTMARE by Morton Mlntz. He Is a reporter for the Wash
ington Post juid has been present at almost three years of
hearings conducted by our Subcommittee.
The effectiveness and safety of drugs affects Just about every
one of us. It Is a rare person who has not needed medicine at
one time or another, whether a prescription drug or medicine
bought "over the counter" at the drugstore.
The Importance of drugs to all Americans and the danger
Inherent In their mishandling at some stage from the laboratory
to the user led me to held the hearings.
We were particularly concerned about drugs that might have
harmful effects on unborn children. You all remember the
thalidomide disaster which resulted In the births of deformed
children In several countries.
Fortunately, we were spared the worst of this situation in the
United States. The possibility remained, however, that other
drugs thought to be safe could actually be harmful If taken by
pregnant women.
We concentrated one phase of the hearings on a group of drugs
sold without prescription for persons suffering from nausea.
Nausea Is common to women In earlier stages of pregnancy and
to others whose stomachs get woosy while traveling or otherwise
In motion such as while riding rollercoasters.
In brief, we found that some of those drugs had been sold
without proper warnings either to the users or to doctors who
sometime prescribed them.
We also found that the Food and Drug Administration has been
lax In requiring the proper labeling and notices to doctors of the
possible dangers Involved.
The Fold and Drug Administration, since our hearings, has
undergone a change of top officials, and Its scientific staff has
been strengthened.
New labeling practices also have been put Into effect.
Many Improvements have been made and others will be re
quired.
The Subcommittee staff Is now working on the final recom
mendations which will be published toward the goal of better
and safer medicines for all of us.
Was It Sudden? jerry M?mi?
? i
'Bipartisanship'