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Your Award Winning County Newspaper
LOCAL EDITORIAL COMMENT
"A Crook , A Crook 99
It has grown more arul ,inorv diffi
cult in recent months to gather news
of crimes, criminals and what. if any
thing, is being done b> investigative
agencies. Most any reporter will ver
ify this statement. Those in the know
on such matters shun news reporters
as though each carried some type of
plague and replies, in most instances,
are vague and often even misleading.
There has always been an inherent
tendency among many officials to
keep secret, save to their closest
friends, all matters of their official
actions. Only when the goodwill of
a newspaper is needed for election or
promotion of a cause or recognition
are most reporters treated as equals.
With this every day fact in mind,
comes now the startling news that
the American Bar Association has
taken it upon itself to attempt to fur
ther censor news reporting of crimes.
It has always been left to the pub
lisher and editor to determine what
should and what should not be printed
about all matters in which the public
holds interest. If lawyers are allowed
to take over this duty today, then it
may well be that the medical profes
sion will do so tomorrow and the
clergy, labor, management and heaven
only knows who else in the days a
head.
- The Bar Association underesti
mates people. They iie not about to
let this happen.
This newspaper subscribes to a
statement made some time ago by
Clifton Daniels, son-in-law of former
President Harry Truman, managing
editor of The New York Times and a
native of neighboring Zebulon. Mr.
Daniels said in a talk reported in
"Trial", official house organ of the
American Trial Lawyers Associa
tion: "The press will not submit to
censorship. It will not be told by
peace officers, lawyers or judges
what it may print."
"We do not believe that a law de
grec necessarily makes a man nobler
and wiser than a degree, in journa
? 1 ism. or that elevation to the bench >>
#s equivalent to canonization," Mr. ^
Daniels continued.
It is understandable that any at
torney worth his salt wishes to pro
tect his client. To this degree, the
attorney would like for the public to
be unaware of his client's prior crimi
nal record. He would undoubtedly
wish that the newspaper would report
that his man is a home-loving type of
guy who never did anything wrong in
his life. Under the recent actions of
the Bar Association, it is hoped by
the voting members, that henceforth
they will be able to see that this is
done.
For 98 years this newspaper has
Called a crook, a crook when he was
proven to be one. This practice is
not going to change at this late date,
regardless of who his attorney might
be.
The courts already have powers
to fully protect the accused from what
the courts might suspect to be unfair
news coverage. Trials can be moved
to other locations, juries can be
brought in who -have never heard of
the case and any matters can be dis
cussed in closed quarters when the
court feels this is necessary. News
men can be removed from the court,
but they cannot be told what to print.
It will far better serve the public
interest for law officials to give re
porters the full and straight story than
to hedge. The facts are going to be
reported sooner or later, the Bar As
sociation's actions notwithstanding.
Public trials public hearings and
information on activities of law en
forcement agencies paid by public
funds are vital parts of the people's
right to know.
It is highly unlikely that any news
paper is going to be caught short of
its obligation to the people. Certain
ly, this one does not intend to be.
J. ?
Curtain Going Up
Friday marks the filing deadline
for all but loc,al office seekers in
North Carolina. The line has been
long and often tiresome. The parade
of candidates and the deluge of state
ments emerging from the State Board
of Elections, headquarters has become
extremely boring, to say the least
More oratory, however, is promis
ed. The fight 'has just begun. Each
candidate will seek to make clear his
stand on the issues and most will end
up sounding exactly'alike.
All will speak of the need for lead
ership and without coming right out
and saying so. each will imply that
only he can offer such.
Incumbcnts will defend their ac
tions by going to the constitution and
rules and regulations. They will make
it clear that their opponents cannot
possibly do anything good for the
people that they are not already doing.
Newcomers will promise the moon
and will speak of new brooms and
action.
Youngsters and pretty girls, none
old enough to vote, will wear crazy
hats, fancy buttons, sashes and
broad smiles as they attempt to per
The Fra^n Times
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suade their elders to vote for the man
that's paying them. Already tons of
press releases have poured into news
offices all over the state.
It shapes up as an old. old story .
about to he told again. There are,
however, some minor changes that
might - with some luck - make the
newest telling a bit more interesting.
One innovation is a Republican pri
mary, as scarce as item as could be
found in the Old North State. Another
is the young Turks seeking to uproot
the firm fixtures on the Council of
State, including one young Turk seek
ing to uproot the whole kit and ka
bottlc and grab the Governor's chair.
This year's production comes in
several parts, but mainly it will be
taken in three - local, stale and na
tional. The main show comes in No
vember but before the snow falls,
it's likely to get extremely hot in
May and possibly June.
Programs for this gala production
are going like hotcakcs. For surely,
this is one year and one play where
you can't tell the players without a
program.
Curtain going up.
A diplomat U a person who can tell
you to go to hell In such a way that
you actually look forward to the
trip. ? Caskle Stinnett.
The woman who'd dreii to please
her husband wears last year's
clothes. ?Joseph F. Morris
There are two things In this Ills
tor which we are never fully pre
pared, and that la twlhs.? Josh Bill
ings. ?
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HAW!
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WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING
Freedom Of Choice On Way Out
The Nashville Graphic
It now seems likely that the
freedom"' of choice plan under
which schools in tkfs and other
areas are trying to operate even
tually will be ruled invalid by
the courts.
The plan simply is not bring
ing about integration of the pub
lic schools as rapidly as some
of the Washington bureaucrats
would like, and it appears that
school boards are going to be re
quired to substitute forced inte
gration for the freedom of choice
plan.
It has been, charged that free
dom of choice i s. not working in
some areas because of coercion
and intimidation. Even if this is
the case in some individual "in
stances, however, it does not
follow that forced integration is
a better answer to the problem
Giving school students an
honest freedom of choice as to
the school they wish to attend
is as much as school boards
should be required to' do. Going
beyond this, and forcing any child
to attend a school he does not
wish to attend, is both unfair and
undemocratic, and it certainly
will not improve the quality of ed
ucation in the public school sys
tem .
Another facet of the problem
is that many young people who
might be interested in teaching
careers or other education-relat
ed jobs are turning elsewhere be
cause of the turmoil over school"
integration.
This applies also to poential
candidates for school boards who
are discouraged from running for
office because of the continuing
problems and headaches brought
about by dictation from Washing
ton on the integration problem.
Candidates brave enough to
run may have a sincere desire to
make a contribution to the cause
of education, but they are likely
to find that what they have been
elected to is a board of integra-'
tion instead of a board of educa
tion^
So Long, Old Sawtongue
The Chapel Weekly
State Senator Tom White's de
cision not to seek re-election
this season, after fifteen years
in the Legislature; is a cruel
loss to newspapers in North Car
olina.
Doubtless his taking the veil
also is a loss to our august law
making body which bent to Tom
White's iron will more than once
or twice. But most of all his ab
sence will be felt by newspaper
men who suffered his scorn, wrath
and abuse, who squirmed under
his merciless needling, guffawed
at his dry wit, and who, incident
ally, were transfixed by his peer
less legislating.
Some of Tom Wh ite's" frontal
attacks on the press were class
\cs in grandiloquence, and what
ever they might have lacked in
reason, fairness and logic was
more ' than compensated for by
his soaring rhetoric.
Only rarely was there any real
malice involved in the thrusts
between Tom White and the press
White might cKoracteri ze editor
ial writers, his favorite whip
ping-boys as cretims or somf
such, t' ev would ,n t^rn desx
cribe White as a braying ass and
the whole exchange wduld be ac
complished in aTpirit -tof thinly
disguised good-will.
"You'll have days when customers will be
nasty, mean, rude and troublesome ... of
course you'll have some bad days too."
We have an idea there will
never be another newspaper-bai
ter anywhere near the equal of
Tom WJiite in the Leoislature,
and for that reason we re-yet his
retirement from the fray.
We might also add that in his
own confounded way, Tom White
happens to be a great North Car
olinian Let him try to make
something out* of that.
'COME
TO
THINK
OF IT..."
frank count
One thing about writing a column. . . .you get letters. Some
are worth reporting. . and some, bless 'em. . .are not. Funny
thing about most of them is that they are unsigned. Folks
write telling us all kinds of things we ought to do. . .with
everybody knowing who it is that's doing it. . .but these
brave souls who want it done. . .are afraid to even sign
their names to the suggestion. j
Now we don't take much stock in this kind of writer. . .If
he's ashame of who he is. . .then why should we take up
his fight for him?
Sometimes, however. . . .there are exceptions and one re
celved this week is that
kind of letter. We can't
for the world understand
why the writer declined
to indentify him. . .or her
self. . .but If that's the
way they want it. . .it's
ok by us.
"A Reader" writes, .that
the Frahkllnton Junior
Varsity Basketball team
has had a " very success
Jul year this season". We "Mjssed A Shot At The Basket"
say bully for them. .. .we
are glad for them. "Quite a number of people in Franklinton
are very interested in this team". . ."A Reader" writes. We
can believe this. Every parent and a number of friends are
Interested. . .we are sure. But. . .how interested? This is
the first we've heard of the team. Where are the coaches
and parents who might have reported the games. . .without
signing their names^of course?
. .and think they deserve a write up in "The Franklin
Times". . .the letter Concludes.
We're not sure that a write up in this column Is worth
the phrase "deserving". . .but we are certain these kids
deserve our support and they have it. We congratulate them
on their successful season. . .and we appreciate "A Reader"
letting us know about It.
We counted the basketball players in the county a few years
back. . .there were 290 of them. Now almost singlehandedly
the sports department of this paper reports regularly results
of 22 high school basketball teams plus Louisburg College.
Occasionally, we even report a Jayvee game or two and we
shutter to think where all this will end. . .Louisburg, and we
don't know how many more schools. . .now have fifth grader
squads. . .
Any day now we expect to get jumped on for not reporting
the results of the kfndergarden set. Scoff if you must. . .
but we saw a two-year-old cryin| his little heart out the
other day. And the reason? He hadfjust missed a shot at the
basket. . .and would you believe it. . .this was not at Youngs
ville.
are overlooked by all save their parents and coaches. . .
They play at the most unusual times of the day and with no
schedules ever disclosed* . . .and the earth would shake and
probably shatter if ever a game was reported. . .and we don't
know who makes it this way. . .certainly we don't. . .and
apparently it is just One of those little facts of life.
There is some Consolation. . .these youngsters will some
day grow up and become members of the varsity. . .and then. .
they'll get theirv names in the paper. . .for what this might
ever be worth. . . .
But this column is 100% for them and are happy to hear of
successful seasons. . .and would even like to hear from those
not so successful. . c. .'Cause. . .come to think of it. . .it
takes both kinds. . ..
From The Office Of
Congressman Fountain
, v -
Private Case Can Help Many
Washington, 13. C. -- Some*
' times a private problem can
lead to unexpected help for
thousands or even millions
? of other individuals.
This Is -the type situation a
Congressman often runs a
cross in trying to help con
stituents solve their parti
cular problems. It seldom gets
in print because even before
we act on one problem, another
presents itself.
A recent example of this un
expected "bonanza" situation
started with a letter I re
ceived from a constituent, a
minister who lives in the Se
cond District. I'm sure he
wouldn't mind if I released
his name, but for the pur
pose of this report, that isn't
necessary.
He questioned the sale of a
substance labeled as a sugar
substitute when In fact the
?product actually contained a
high degree of milk sugar
or lactose. As you know, per
sons with diabetes must be
extremely careful about any
sugar Intake.
Through the Subcommittee
on Intergovernmental Rela
tions, of which I serve as
Chairman, the Food and Drug
Administration confirmed that
the particular product lnques
tlon did Indeed contain milk
sugar, a fact not discernible
from the label advertising the
substance as a substitute for
sugar.
The FDA, after appropriate
Investigation, contacted the
manufacture^ who agreed to .
alter.the label. This was done
and the new label states the
substitute's contents and the
facl that "this should be taken
Into account by diabetics."
It is well known that lack of
information about circum
stances under which some
drugs should or should not
be taken often results in a
patient's death.
We later found another sit
uation similar to the first
one, and FDA Is now taking
action to correct Unlabel
ing of all suglr substitutes
in order to adequately pro-'
tect diabetics. -
This case,1 ln_ my opinion,
produced safeguards for thou
sands or millions of diabetics
^whq might purchase this par
"ticihar substance in restau
rants or at the market for
home use.
Another Incident in which a
constituent's letter presented
one s^bcuic problem affecting
many persons dealt with flu
vaccine. > ; ,
A county health 'director
wrote that he was unable to
find a source of supply for a
particular type of Asian flu
vaccine believed by medical
authorities to I* needed this
winter in.certaln areas.
Hundreds of 'persons in two
large Industries and an un
disclosed number of others
were waiting for immuniza
tion.
Calls to the National In
stitutes of Health produced
a list of manufacturers of
the particular vaccine need
ed. Follow-up calls to the
factories located a supply of
vaccine which was delivered
In time .for shots to be given
before actual outbreaks of flu
began.
In addition, we called this
problem to the attention of
another Congressional Com
mittee which was already con
ducting an Investigation of dis
tribution practices In the drug
Industry, to determine why
the problem occurred and to
prevent Its recurrence In the
future.
Both of > these cases first
came to my attention as single,
separate letters from con
cerned constituents. Fortu
nately, In both cases, I was
In a position to help.
Most fortunately of all,
many, many persons were?
and will be? the ultimate
beneficiaries of what one*
were two Individual problems.