Newspapers / Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.) / March 14, 1947, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page Four EDITORIALLY SPEAKING: Laws Against Communism We think we’re about as anti-communistic as they come, but we view with alarm, this being our week for viewing with alarm, the proposal by Secretary of Labor Schwellen bach that the Communist Party in America be outlawed. The individual Communist, when he pledges allegiance A law would provide every sensation-creating ing democratic government, by force if peaceful methods fail. This pledge is seditious in thought and act, and con stitutes grounds for prosecution of a real Communist under existing statutes. Another law aimed against Communists would prove the beginning of the end of civil liberty as we know it today. The Dies and Rankin committees persecuted many an honest and able public servant with their smear sessions, to his party, pledges himself to the overthrow ot the exst agent or agency in this whole union with fuel for the fires of intolerance and bigotry, and the excesses of the Un- American Activities Committee would prove mild by com parison. Writing another law at this time will not end Commun ism. Let us end the evil by enforcing existing laws—and by correcting abuses which provide the Reds with their present talking points. Toward a Better Life The question of mechanizing farming in general and cotton production in particular, as set forth on the front page of The Record this week, is paramount with farmers in this area. Labor costs last summer cost many a farmer with a small family his profit on the 194<i crop, this blow coming at a time when his living expenses rose to the highest level in the history of North Carolina. The average farmer can expect no relief this summer, since there is still a flow of workers from rural to urban areas; this process is accel erated in the Piedmont because of the construction of many new factories —for example, we have in the last couple of years had a furniture factory built in Wendell and a veneer plant in Zebulon. The average veteran in this community, except for the seventy or so workers in F.d Ellington’s agricultural class, has little desire to return to the farm. Most of them wish to continue their education under the G. 1. Rill of Rights, or take training or employment in the more highly paid mechanical professions. Thus another possible source ot help is closed to the farmer. The prospect of a high price for tobacco this fall is not good. England at this moment is not living up to the spirit of the loan made to that country by the United States. English purchases of weed will hardly be made on the Amer ican market this year; instead England will take the bulk of her tobacco imports from her colonial empire. Most ag ricultural leaders, including Commissioer of Agriculture Scott, express fears that tobacco will bring 35 cents a pound or less. The prospect of the average farmer es pecially the average tenant making a profit on his to bacco crop this year after having to pay cash for his help is frankly poor. Cotton has long since ceased to be a profitable crop for this section for the very reasons given for the prospective decline (for this year at least) of tobacco as a cash crop. Most farmers during the war did not plant their full quota of cotton; last year they did not plant cotton at all. We can make farming more profitable by making the machine take the place of the man. (And we can make farming possible by the same method ) It is probably too late to do much about mechanization for this year’s crop. Farmers already have decided what they are going to plant and where it will be planted. But we can plan so the future. We can help get a mechanical cotton picker for this community. All that is necessary is for you to sign your name to the card you received earlier this week saying that you wish a picker allotted to Zebulon. The picker can be used in any county, for any farmer. The unit will save you money this year. It will show you how you can make more money next year. The Zebulon Record MEMBER NCPA AND APA Editor Ferd L * Davis Publisher Barrie S - Davis Entered as second class matter June 26, 1925. at the post office at Zebulon, North Carolina, under the act of March 3, 1879. Subscription rate: $1.50 a year. Advertising rates on request. The Zebulon Record By Mrs. Theo B. Davis Not often do I bother to correct mistakes in this column; but it is May 20 and not May 10 when leaves are supposed to be grown where I came from. Mrs. A. R House has given me some information about the or ganization which preceded the Pa rent-Teacher Association here. She said Mrs. Helen Whitley, Mrs. Annie Belle Hoyle Ayscue and Mis.- Edith Royster met one hot, dusty late summer afternoon at the schoolhouse in Wakefield to plan the w-ork before the opening of school. Mrs. Whitley and Mrs. Ayscue walked to the place of meeting, and Mrs. House thinks Miss Royster came down from Raleigh on the train. Active in the projects of these days were Misses Mary Kilpatrick, Cleo Scarborough, and Anabel Newton, who is now Mrs. F. E Bunn, and still active in the P.-T. A. It is well to have a family not too particular about one’s house keeping; but when something special has been done, apprecia tion is good. One day recently I had a woman put in nearly eight hours cleaning our diningroom— which doubles as an office, winter livingroom and nursery. Every inch of woodwork was washed, as were the windows, walls were brushed, the floor was waxed and Veterans Advised to Keep AS LI Congress has liberalized the Na tional Service Life Insurance Act to make it possible for veterans to reinstate lapsed term policies until August 1, 1947, without med ical examination. NSLI term policies, which have lapsed at any time, may be rein stated between now and August by payment of two monthly prem iums and the signing of a state ment that the insured is in as good health as at the time of lapse. Until the new law was signed by President Truman last week, the deadline for such reinstatements was February 1. Term insurance, it is ex plained, is the type issued to vet erans while in service, and which has not been converted to a per manent plan of NSLI. It may be reinstated, up to the top amount of SIO,OOO. in multiples of SSOO, So He Leaves the Switch On Now! This week, unbeknowing to our subject, we will discuss 18-year old James Mitchell Debjiam, ju nior at Wakelon School, a mem ber of the Bulldog basketball and football team, Zebulon’s only Eagle Scout, and Junior Assistant Scout Master of Troop 40. Two years ago the Zebulon Scout Troop was without adult leadership, and interest in the Scouts among the townspeople was practically nil. It took real effort to keep things going. James supplied that effort. So he’s a pretty iard worker. But our story this issue will not be concerned with what a s&ell guy James is—though ’tis rumor •ed that his gal would be well This, That and the Other furniture polished. When the menfolk came in at night I waited for comment. None came. I asked how they‘liked the room. With puzzled looks they surveyed it, then spoke as one man? “What has happened? I don’t see any differ ence." When I went to the Singer Store in Raleigh to see about get ting a motor for my sewing ma chine they told me no separate motors were for sale; but they would put my machine into a new case, installing a motor, for seven ty-five dollars. I must have shown surprise at the price, for the saleswoman began to explain that their work would make the machine look like a piece of fur niture instead of what it is. She gave me a pitying glance when 1 replied that I'd as soon have it look like a sewing machine as anything else, and repeated that no motors could be sold separate ly. To me there is something odd in trying to make so many things look like what they are not. If an article, implement or u+ensil is useful, there is reason for its existence, without necessity for disguise. My son Ferd is telling these days what a neighbor of years ago would have called a “rackmus tale.” He speaks of mechanized growing of cotton, no old-fashion- with SIOOO being the minimum amount permitted. The liberalized provisions of NSLI come at a time when the Veterans Administartion has be gun a nationwide program to in form veterans of their rights and benefits concerning “G. I. insur ance.” One feature of the new law is that veterans may obtain any permanent plan of NSLI from the administration without having previously held term insurance, which was a requirement of the old law. Despite heavy publicity given by newspapers to the advantages of “GI Insurance,” many ex-serv ive men and women have not yet had their term policies converted. The term policies have a maxi mum life of eight years, and as long as they are up-to-date, may be converted. pleased if we did concern this whole column with such stuff. As the story we heard goes, James has made rather frequent use of the ignition switch on the family auto when arriving home late from a date. He’d cut the en gine off and coast into the yard, slowing to a quiet, gentle halt, and nobody would wake. Our report ers say that it worked very nicely. But, on one occasion, James ar rived home in the Ford which he was not exactly used to driving. From force of habit he cut the switch as he turned into the yard, removed the key, and put it in his pocket. But, as those who have steered Fords know, the steering wheel Friday, March 14, 1947 ed hand work being done, from start to finish. I can go along with him till he reaches the place where weeding is to be done with a flame thrower, the cotton stalks supposedly being tough enough to endure heat that kills weeds. From there on I’m slightly dazed, and when the plants are sprayed with something to make leaves fall and all cotton bolls open at once, and the fleece is removed by a mechanical picker, with only one going-over, I am too far be hind to have any opinion on the matter, save to agree that the cotton thus grown and harvested may be of somewhat inferior quality. Because several persons have asked me how one gets into a Crosley automobile, I offer advice as follows: You don’t really get into a Crosley. The best plan is to back up to it carefully and sit down, having made sure the door is wide open. Then swing the feet and yourself sideways till you face front. That’s all there is to it. When it comes to getting out, I still don’t know how to proceed, never trying the same way twice in succession. No way yet tried is satisfactory, but if you open the door and wriggle hard enough the law of gravity will take over and you’ll come out. But. if you are past fifty, you‘ll probably feel a little silly. As an example of the low cost of government insurance, one lo cal veteran converted his entire SIO,OOO policy to the 20-pay-life plan. At the end of 20 years his policy will be paid in full. The monthly cost is but $20.50. A sim ilar policy with a civilian com pany for $2,000 costs over $70.00 per year. Complete information, includ ing the new features, and assist ance in reinstating lapsed term policies can be obtained by veter ans from the Veterans Administra tion at Winston-Salem. If veterans have any questions concerning their eligibility for National Serv ice Lite Insurance or about the procedure to follow in converting from one type of NSLI to ar other, they are urged to write the Win ston-Salem office at once. has to be locked befire the key is removed! That s what happened to James. So instead of straightening out alter he had made the turn, he kept turning. Luckily, the wheels were at such an angle that the Ford neatly sailed between the trees in the yard, coming to a stop without even a scratch—tho James’ knees were shaking for days afterward. And thereafter, our reporters conclude, no'matter how late his return at night Eagle Scout James Mitchell Debnam never cuts off the engine until his car is com pletely parked. Yon don’t have to believe it, but that’s the story that was told to us. —Barrie S. Davis.
Zebulon Record (Zebulon, N.C.)
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March 14, 1947, edition 1
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