ailij Jtetjird
DUNN, N.C.
RECORD PUBLISHING
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Entered rs second-class matter in Hie Post Office In Dunn,
H. C., undor the laws of Congress, Act of March 3, 1879
Every afternoon, Monday through Friday.
The Upper Room
Blew the Uri O my soul, and lorn! not all his benefits, trsalm
163:2.)
PRAYER: We know. O God. that Thou art exceedingly cood Is us each
day. Help us not to tercet that Thy lore never fail* us even when we
spurn Thee. Give us trace to see Thy blesalncs aU about Us and have
thankful hearts. In the Master s nasse. Amen.
Shall We Cooperate Or
"Let Dog Eat Dog?”
This newspaper has always taken the position that
, the qyestion of hours and holidays to be observed by lo
cal merchants is a matter strictly up to the merchants
to decide for themselves.
It will continue to be our position.
But the present situation — the lack of cooperation,
to be specific — is so deplorable that we think it’s time
time body spoke up in behalf of the customers — the men,
women and children whose dimes and dollars keep our
merchants in business.
Let us preface our remarks, however, by pointing out
that we are 1Q0 per cent behind our merchants in what
ever these projects are taken in a unified manner end in
a spirit of cooperation for the betterment of the merchants
and the public they serve.
We believe Dunn’s meehants are as fine as those to
be found anywhere and we want them to prosper. Our de
sire for their success is no passing fancy, either. We have
both a public-spirited and a selfish reason for wanting
them to prosper because unless they prosper this news
paper which serves them and the public cannot hope to
prosper.
W© realize, too, that anytime a newspaper is honest
enough and bold enough to criticize a merchant he runs
the calculated risk of facing retaliation and loss of reve
nue. However, we feel that the situation now existing in
Dunn is so obviously bad that most merchants will agree
with us and will accept our comments in the same friend
ly spirit in which they are given. We are sure the fair
minded ones will.
It has gotten to the place in Dunn that when an an
nouncement is made concerning opening and closing hours
or holidays that the public doesn’t know what to expect.
Past experience has shown that he can sometimes ex
pect exactly the opposite.
There have been three recent instances. *
The Dunn Merchants Association announced that
Dunn stores would remain open until 9 p. m. the week be
fore Christmas. The announcement was widely publiciz
ed. Not a single merchant let it be known that he wouldn't
be open, but many stores ignored the announcement of
its merchants’ association and closed as usual.
i*f.' Even on Christmas Eve, the dime stores (those great,
popular American institutions) closed at 7 o clock, or ap
proximately that hour. And, goodness knows, most people
make a last-minute trip to the dime store for wrapping
«paper or other needed item for Christmas.
The point is: What did the customers, think, partic
ularly our rural friends who drove miles to get to Dunn,
when they got here and found part of the stores open and
the others closed? Next year, they might decide not to come
at all, that such announcements cannot be relied on.
Then New Year’s Day rolled around. One group of
r merchants advertised in this newspapuer that they would
be closed New Year’s Day. Another group dissented and
the following day published an ad to the contrary that
they would be open. We do not say which group was right
or which %as wrong.
The only firm profiting by that was the newspapers
and, frankly, we’d rather to have seen cooperation than
to have received the revenue from those two advertise
ments.
Last Friday afternoon, a meeting of the Retail Mer
chants Association was held. Despite the fact that all mer
chants were notified in the press and, we assume, by di
rict- mail, only 14 out of more than 200 bothered to attend.
That fact alone is deplorable. U is difficult to understand
the failure of any merchant.to attend these meetings, ex
cept in the event of some, ready extreme emergency. Af
ter all, the association is for his benefit.
Anyway, it was decided hy a democratic vote of the
majority to begin closing this week on Wednesday after
noons. The vote Wgs 10 for and four against
There was heated discussion, but there was nothing
wrong in that. Those issue* should properly be fought out
on the floor at meetings — not the next day in the drug
store or by telephone- We understand one merchant strode
out angrily, banging the door behind him, which shows a
very poor spirit indeed. We’re glad we do not know who
that merchant was because we'd lose respect tor him.
Early this week, we were told, various merchants who
knew of the vote (including some who didn’t bother to at
tend the meeting or even to send a representative) started
phoning ofcber merchants to find out what they were go
EXPANSION
ing to do about it, even after the closing decision had been
publicized.
This seems strange to us. It appears that if a mer
chant. belong to an oganization he will either abide by
its decisions or get out and let the public know he s not
cooperating. We are at a loss to understand why theie
was any question about it — unless somebody deliberate
ly started phoning for the specific intention of trying to
override the decision of the association.
It just goes to show again that an official announce
ment from a duly-elected official of the organization ap
parently means nothing to its members — if the mem bet-,
disgarees with the decision.
Retiring Chairman Charlie Hildreth was plagued by
the unfortunate situation all last year and we sympa
thized with him in his efforts to do a good job. So we start
the new year off by giving the new chairman the same
disrespectful treatment.
After his election as chairman Friday, Ed Black, Jr.
made a wonderful little speech in which he called on mer
chants to put aside personal and petty differences and
to cooperate and work together for the benefit of every
body and the town.
Charlie Hildreth and others said Ed’s speech was one
of the finest they had ever heard at a merchants’ meetSr
ing.
Ed Black is a splendid young man and a capable busi
ness man who realizes the necessity for cooperating. The
merchants are fortunate in having such a man as their
leader_ but nobody can lead them under present cir
cumstances.
It seems that Dunn ought to be able to profit by the
mistakes of other towns where such a condition has set
the town backward and proved costly to its business firms.
Frankly, the spirit exemplified by some here is actual
ly frightening. One downtown merchant had the nerve
to tell us not many months ago that he was trying to get
all his competitors to close on a certain day so he could
remain open and profit by their closing. He even advocat
ed it at a merchants meeting.
Just imagine that.
Does any merchant with such a spirit really deserve
to prosper? Does he deserve the support of his customers?
Is he actually worthy to be a member of a merchants
group? You know the answer.
And let us say here and now that we respect the
rights of the individual. We feel that any merchant has
a perfect right not to belong to the merchants associa
tion. He has a perfect right to operate as a lone wolf if
he so desires. We will help him fight to preserve that
right. But, if he decides on such a course, he has no right
to belong to the association or to attend its meetings.
He should have no voice whatever in its actions.
We recognize, of course, that there must be excep
tions made for certain types of businesses whose opera
tions requires a different schedule. We refer to such
groups as automobile dealers, farm supply dealers, drug
stores, service stations and other service agencies. These
groups already have well - established hours known to the
public.
It seems to us that only two courses are open:
1, For the merchants to get together and form a uni
fied front behind its association and to abide strictly by
its decisions.
2. Go back to the old system of every merchant do
ing exactly as he pleases, ignoring everybody else, and “let
dog eat dog," so to speak.
Possibly the merchants association needs to draw up
a strict set of by-laws which would require high percent
age of attendance at meetings or ouster from the group;
make rules to define what constitutes a quorum at meet
ings; and also rules concerning what action should be tak
en against members who do not cooperate.
, , And the public should be kept informed at all times,
through window stickers or other-wise, concerning mer
chants who do cooperate and those who do not. We are
confident that it would’t take long to whip most of them
into line.
We have confidence that the merchants of Dunn will
do the right thing and will pursue the proper course tc
insure the continued growth and pros peri y of our busi
ness district.
As we stated in the beginning, the public has a righl
to know what to expect from its merchants
We don’t care what hours or what holidays are .ob
served. It’s immaterial to us. But when an announcement
is made, the public has a right to expect the publicizes
announcement to be lived up to.
If any business firm, or any town, is . to prosper, i
Molly Mayfield
... " —
Pot Your Kootloooe P»b
In Their Place.
DEAR MRS MAYFIELD
I am married. I have a wonderful
wife I love her We are very hap
py
Is this a crime?
To hear some of my friends talk
you'd think it was You see. there
are two fellows with whom I come
in contact every day One is mar
ried. and the other stUl available
to alT came-ORS
Every day over a cup of coffee
or a sandwich these Casanovas
continually converse about con
quests of the opposite sex One
boasts bravely about his sneak
raids with his wife back when, be
fore they were married The other
raucously rants his successful scav
enger seatology Ahem!
Now and then a member of the
opposite sex will pass our way and
even though she smiles and extends
a greeting these two tomcats start
howling. Would she be game (and
available) for a week-end junket?
Would -he be this? Would she be
that? Look at those legs, look at
those curves . . . eeeaaagghh!”
They call me a ditpe, a nut . .
tell me I betorn m the dark, dark
ages for nor latching - on to their
rooster routine? They claim a
mans given herfHje is to “take
all. and play the field." I say:
1 J AM MAhRIED! Tnose wed
ding vows I took “to have and to
hold till death do us part" were
not Just so many words hut a ste
rn f leant pledge to fulfill a lifetime
contract.
a. I HAVE A WONDERFUL
WIFE! She Is the sweetest, loving
est. l il gal tn the world. I found
her, and dagnafb it, Itn keeping
her!!
3 I LOVE HER! The fulfillment
I find in life with her is enough
to make me know that any satis
faction I might pick UP on the
side would be cheap and gaudy
4. WE ARE VERY HAPPY! Now
what more could a man desire?
All this I have explained to my
two pals, but they dont under
stand and keep right on trying to
make hie feel like a mouse. As I
so really wrong? _
WRONG MAYBE. BUT HAPPY!
P. S. I want them to see your
answer,
DEAR BUT HAPPY-'
Let s skip that -WRONG MAY
BE part, shall we, since you’rg so
100 percent right?
Why. those “pals" of yours are
dopes- Not necessarily for crowing
like rosters, and howling like tom
cats (we m.ight add bleating like
old goats) on their own behalf. It s
probably just the nature of the
beast as far as they're concerned.
But to try and convince you that
their tactics should be yours—why,
shame, shame £n you for even lis
tening.
They, poor dear-, are to be pit
ied. You are to be envied—and
congratulated. That bachelor bird
might be excused. After all. what
bachelor isn't a bird of prey? But
that little playmate of yours, the
married one, why. you have to feel
downright sorry for him. Well, sor
ry in a disgusted sort of way.
Cheers to you—and boo to them.
M. M.
Not Yours TUI She gays “Yes”
DEAR MRS MAYFIELD:
I have gone with the same girl
for the peat six months, snowing
myself to get serious about her She
is an R ti. (registered nurse) work
ing on her B. S
Now that she is In school. 300
miles separate us—and that makes
it rough on dating. When she was
here we went out three and four
time weakly, got along Juat fine.
Now if* different.
On the eve of her departure for
college. I asked her to marry me.
Tills, of course, with the under
standing that we would wait the
two years for her to finish school.
I promised her that I would wait
patiently, but that she might go
ahead and date so as to assure her
self that I was THE ONE for her.
All I asked was a letter a week,
and her consideration. Not asking
very much .from a fiancee, dp you
think? ' ’ -h.
She I* 21. and I am 36. s school
teacher. X felt that X should have
an immediate answer In regards to
marriage so that I could plan for
our future. She said she would
have to let me know later on.
Well, after she left, she Wrote
fairly regularly but her correspond
ence took on a less personal atti
tude with each other. After not
seeing her for 105 days, we go* to
gether for a talk, and she said.
"You are the moat wonderful guy
I have ever known.”
However, she feels that we should
only be the beat of friends." and,
if we date, only double-date so as
not to get involved in necking. I
say to heck with that!
Her friends believe that In time
I would stand, a chance once she
got this phony college world out of
her system. The only thing Im
sure of right now is a set of ulcers!
Please advise me what to do.,
SOLITUDE
DEAR SOLITUDE:
Actually. I dont see that you
have much choice. If this la the
girl of your dreams there’s not
much percentage in breaking off
with her because she won't say yes
to your proposal. On the other
hand, I wouldn't advice you to pin
much hope on a future together as
long as she doesn t even want to
single-date with you.
Why don’t you try tricing out
some other young ladies—Just to
take your mind off the ulcers?
M. M.
Liz Taylor Has
Bad Neck Injury
HOLLYWOOD W — ActresB
Elizabeth Taylor must -pend the
next three weeks In bed with her
neck in a traction rig for a ruptur
ed disc.
The screen beauty said the injury
dates back five year* when she
hurt her neck while water skiing
Doctors ordered her to St. John's
Hospital in Santa Mo»uca whare
her neck was placed in the trac
tion rig. She leaves the hospital
■today and will be confined in the
rig at her Beverly Hilts home.
NO ROMANCE
NEW YORK — Actress Marilyn
Monroe in denving a report Ual
playwright Arthur Hiller left
his wife for her, said:
“I haven't bee^ dating. I have
no romance. It’s awful."
must have the confidence of the people. Unfortunately,
the present deplorable condition does not serve to instill
confidence but serves rather to promote apprehension and
confusion.
We don’t know who is to blame. We’re not blaming.
We’re not dealing in individuals or personalities. We like
all our merchants. Perhaps the system— or lack of sys
tem in the past — is to blame.
But, whatever the cause, it should be corrected —
and immediately. Let’s get together, pull together and
continue to go forward.
* FUNNY BUSINESS + '
UP aw tell that
SANG OF LOAFERS
•N TMAT WARM (
l DRUG STORE TO 1
tSatOWNH^E
ON THESE ROPES
BEFORE WE SIT
/BAP AN' TAKE V
THIS 6AON ^
l HOME/ Js'Xr
* EARL WILSON +
t — ON BROADWAY - *
GUYS St GALS Sc
GAGS St GOSSIP . .
NEW YORK — .Have a guess.
Which one of 56s much-headlined
marriages is about to blow up?
Harry S. Truman told Wash’d
friends Ike misses Gan. Omar
Bradley now — 'cause Bradley
made up his mind tor him. . . ■
“The Man With the Golden Arm"
Set wants to re title the LUliaA
Roth story. “The Girl With the
Bent Elbow" . . Virginia Wareen
and Conrad Hilton deny the mar
riage rumors; they’re just wonder
ful friends . . 1 “Taffy Tuttle,”
according to Tony Pettito of Sau
gus. Mass. "ordered a dry aiertihi
because she wasn’t realty very
thirsty.”
TAFFT
TV TATTLE: Herb Shriner'
going to be next year’s Perry Conic
— with an hour CBS variety show
Friday nights. Who’ll do “Two Foi
the Money” is undecided. tWhy
not Fred Allen, whose illness made
it possible for Herb to get it and
hold it for four years?) Herb’ll dc
a monologue, etc. Some preset TV
viewers don't know he did that
when TV was young. “Geo whnU
kers,” said Herb when he heard
about It. "maybe I’ll get discover
id!”
When I mentioned to tha E W
that I had a cold in my head, she
very graciously commented, “Well,
that’s something, anyway.”
Our favorite Hojj^rwaod gai, Kim
Novak, wtfi fe 33 on Feb 13 and
anybodf fishing to send iwr a
birthday card may send it to me
and I’d deliver It to her person
ally, huge «y rifw though it it be.
She'll be lo Montreal and Toratuo
f
then, hex first trip out of the
country; so I may have to go up
there to deliver it,
Kim’s beau. Mack Kri.n, won’t
be with her, nor is he here with
her now. "I wouldn't have Ume to
see him,” says she. But a guy
bearing birthday cards, how could
she refuse?
Pulitzer Prize Piaywrigh; Sidney
Kingsley — who signed a $760,000
deal with CBS — was asked whet
her he's going to produce specta
culars. “Please!” he said. “ ’Spec
taculars’ are on another network.
We call ours ’special pr grants.’ I
know — I made the same nJVake
at the first meeting!”
Though Sammy Davis Jr’s fi
ancee, Cordie King, is due here to
marry him, pretty dan-or Gerry
Davts of his “Mr. Wonderful” troupe
wears his initialed ring and cuif
nnks proudly — but silently , . .
Jun Hagerty, Ike’s press secretory,
ts the loyal one. “I haven't tatted
to a soul about another Job and
wouldn’t,” he says. “He’s my boy
I won’t do a thing until he make.1
up his mind. But if he does get
out of government, I hope to get
cut with him!” - . • Sheila’.i Gra
ham and her husband, W S. WoJ
ciechowicz, whom she called "Bov/
Wow” or ’Bow” for short, have *
split. ,
THE MIDNIGHT EARL,.. ‘
Popular Bob Weitman resigned
his ABC vice presidency. . . Look
like Jackie Gleason won the duke;
"Stage Show" will probably stay
on. but at 8:30. and “The Honey
modners’" will move up to 8. “Stoge
Show” will be strengthened with
Names . . . Lilli Palmer and Rex
Harrison wili try to straighten out
the separation here.
SUSAN HWWAKD
Eden told Ike that Queen Eliza
beth may be here alter the inaug
uration in *57 . . . Frank Sinatra
wrote cute Jill Corey he’d s<* her
here about March 1 . . . Susan
Hayward (now in “The Conquer
or") will -take her twin sons to
Europe for the winter sport.
Mias America’s first unescpt'ed
date since winning the title was
with publicist Gino di Grandi. ' .
Igor Cassini will co-produce “Strip
for Action” ... at the Composer:
singer Sylvia Syras with Martha
Have's estranged husband, Ed Be
gley . . . Mrs. Errol Flynn (Pat
Wymore) and their chlid arrive
from Europe soon . . . Busty Joan
Diener is set for the “Ziegield
Follies.” .
Phil Silver’s “Top Banana" mo
vie. never a winner. Is billed in
ie-runs as/ “starring TV’s Sgt.
Bilko” . . C. Comic Bobby Shields,
touring Israel, fell off a camel,
and writes, “How do you sue a
camel?”
Ban’s Pearls. . .
A man was fined $30 for
cutting off all his wife’s hair,
and complained. “These bathers
sure have a strong union,'' —
H. O. Hutcheson.
WISH I’D SAID TH\T: “The
triangle that causes most Iriction
in marriage is husband, wife and
overdrawn bank account." — Mar
tha Scott.
TODAY’S BEST LAUGH: It’s
Mike Connojly s line: “If you don’t
see why a girl * wgaxs a Mr-cut
gown — she shouldn't”
A locai movie owner (says TeU
Steele) wag ag^ious to show “111
Cry Tomorrow4 — but he couldn’t
get a liquor license. That’s earl,
brother.