Editorial
THE CHARLOTTE LABOR JOURNAL :
AND DIXIE FARM NEWS ,|
Published at Charlotte, North Carolina
OLDEST LABOR PUBLICATION IN THE TWO CABOLIXA3~
H. A. Stalls, Editor and Pnbliaher W. M. Witter, Associate Editor
Entered as second-class mail matter September II* 1931, at the
Post Office at Charlotte, N. C., under the Act of Congress of
March 8, 1879. —-Bess*
Endorsed by Charlotte Typographical Union, Number 388. An Af
filiate of Charlotte Central Labor Union and the North Carolina Fed
eration of Labor.
■ *_ i i. -
POLITICAL “LEADERSHIP”
It is doubtful if any political “leadership” has ever been
as widely divergent from the actual stream of American
opinion as that which is now being offered by Guy Gabriel
son, the Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
.In his partisan approach to the fight against communist
aggression in Korea, the Republican Chairman seems par
ticularly out of step with the rest of the country.
At the start, when United States and United Nations
forces were fighting a delaying action against the well-pre
pared aggressors—trading space for time—the leader of
the opposition party was loud in criticism of what he called
U. S. "bungling” and ^Unpreparedness.”
When the inevitable counter-attack was launched success
fully, the Republican Chairman reacted as though he re
garded this as a blow to his political strategy. He expressed
the strangely-worded belief that “the GOP can win the No
vember 7th elections on the Korean war issue even if it ends
in a United Nations victory before then.”
Mr. Gabrielson sought to disassociate the Republican Party
from the whole American endeavor to localize and crush
the Korean threat to world peace. The Democratic Admin
istration, he said, “would have been glad to have us share
' 1 he Critic
r
EVERY TIME I
TRY TO MAKE A
Campaign issue out
OP SOMETHING IT
BLOWS UPON ME •
the blame for the casualty lists, the blood shed, the tears
and the sacrifice endured by every American home." But
the Republican Chairman prefers to wash his hands of it.
Has any political shaft ever been wider of the mark?
And has any political "leader" ever been guilty of a more
flagrant misjudgment of the attitude of the American peo
ple? ^ .
The Chairman of the Republican Party would be better
engaged in claiming credit—which no one would wish to
withhold—for the co-operation of most Republicans ip Con
gress in steps initiated by the Truman Administration to
meet a grave threat to the peace of the world.
Mr. Gabrielson gives the impression of desperately reach
ing for an issue—any issue—but without comprehension of
what the people of the country are thinking This Republi
can desperation is understandable, for all of the earlier GOP
- "issues" have exploded like over-inflated toy balloons.
* A year ago they raised a campaign banner against the
"Welfare State." The only enthusiasm which this aroused
was on the other side. Next they solemnly decreed that the
1950 battles would revolve around the “issue” of Liberty
vs. Socialism." But the barrage proved to consist only of
blank cartridges left over from 1936. Next came the abor
tive attempt to persuade the people of the United States
that their government was being run by “communists.”
This smear campaign has also now become a Republican
liability.
Contrived “issues,” and catchy slogans, empty of any
real meaning, will not fool today’s voters. And they seem
particularly inappropriate at this time, when our country
faces great dangers and real problems.
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{
RALEIGH, N. Ci Associate
Justice A. A. F. Seawell’s death
Saturday brought a long-simmer
ing State Supreme Court situa
tion to a bail. • * ••
At least three of the Justices,
including Mr Seawell, were eligi
ble for retirement. All three
wanted to retire, hut when Gov
ernor Scott was elected did not
do so. They felt that occupation
of the State’s highest tribunal
called for men of dignity with
the highest concept of their du
ties. They did not retire because
they were afraid of the type men
Governor Scott would name to
replace them.
These three Justices, accord
ing to members of the bar, felt
that Supreme Court Justices
should be men of conservative
leanings with the utmost respect j
for the State laws. They were
afraid that the Governor would
name as their successors men
with too liberal a viewpoint. They J
felt, too, that Scott might select
' their successors from a political
standpoint rather than giving
j what they felt was due consid
eration to their legal abilities.
In other words, from a State
standpoint they were afraid that
their retirement would put the
Governor in a position of “pack
ing” the State Supreme Court,
much in the same manner that
President Roosevelt sought to
handpick members of the nation’s
highest tribunal.
Thus the Governor’s appoint
ment to succeed Justice Seawell
will be given the utmost scru
tiny, IftKe Justices are dis
pleased with the appointment,
feel the Governor has done just
what they feared, there will bo
; no retirement until, after the
next gubernatorial election They
will stay on, and possibly will
; kelp campaign for a conservative
governor in 1952. Howev >r if
Scott names a conservative, or
even a “conservative liberal,” two
of the remaining justices likely
of teh remaining justkcs likely
will go ahead and retire if they
are convinced Scott will do like
wise in naming theft- successors.
The new appointment prob
ably will be made by the time
this reaches print. But there is
no dearth of candidates for the
Supreme Court seat. Among
those seeking the spot are (or
were) Attorney General Harry
McMullan; Jeff Johnson, cam
paign manager for Senator Frank
Graham and who has been
classed as a .conservative out is
more liberal than some folks
think; Superior Court Judge Hunt
Parker; and Allan Langston, Ra
leigh attorney. Those are just
a few of those who wanted the
job.
Jeff Johnson, at this writing,
apparently had the inside track.
But some Scott supporters felt
that appointment of McMullan to
the bench would be the smartest
political move that Kerr Scott
could make. McMullan, a con
servative who has fought Scott
in many matters — particularly
the SmithsGraham primaries—has
the knowledge of the law that
is needed. He would satisfy the
remaining court justices. And his
appointment would give the Gov
ernor the chance to name his own
man as Attorney General. Some
of McMullan's rulings have been
i adverse to the Scott administra
j tion, and since a ruling by the
i Attorney General stands in lieu
of a Supreme Court decision, it
I could be very important for the
j Governor to have his own boy in
that job.
*
Secretary of State George
j Marshall’s recent order that trav
eling congressmen—including Tar
Heel Harold Cooley—must travel
by private plane and at their
own expense where possible has
an interesting background.
Two years ago Cooley’s Repub
lican opponent charged that Cool
ey was galvanting over the
world, and taking his wife along,
at government expense. Cooley
denied the charge.
Now Marshall has ordered that
the globe-trotting Cooley and
other congressmen can not travel l
by U. S. government planes un
less there is no other transporta
tion available. The ruling fol
lowed a hop by the congressmen
via Uncle Sam’s aircraft.
Over in Sampson County, an
investigation is turning up charges
that the county attorney, A. L. j
Butler, has accepted pay for ex-j
tra services. In paid advertise
ments, m group culling themselves
the “Sampson County Taxpayers
League” says Butler was paid
$4,000 for extra services in con
nection with the Sampson Coun
ty hospital and Sampson County
Jail. The group charges that the
services should have been covered
by Butler’s regular salary as
county attorney.
Although the ads are being
signed as non-partisan, there are
political overtones. Butler is a
state Republican leader. He is
nephew of the late Marion But
ler, Populist U. 8. Senator from
North Carolina in Reconstruction
Days. The group making tne
charges is made up of Sampson
Democratic leaders. And the Re
publicans have held Sampsou
County offices since 1938.
The investigation probably will
be taken before a grand jury.
In addition, it is expected that
the “Taxpayers’ League” will
pay attention to activities of L.
A. Hall, chairman of the Samp
son county board of commissiop
ers.
Incidentally, the investigation
has turned up information that
the Sampson sheriff makes better
tiian $20,000 a year. It is all legal,
but good pay. The income comes
from the regular $3,300 sheriff’s
salary, plus fees and a cut oi
insolvent tax collections allowed
by law. It puts Sampson sher
iff’s pay at more than that of
the Governor of the state.
Reports are reaching me that
Negro leaders are—passing the
word to members of their race
to scratch Senator Nominee Wil
lis Smith’s name from the ballot
and vote for Republican E. L.
Gavin of Sanford.
The reports are that Negroes
are being urged to turn oi}t in
record numbers at the general
election, and to vote the straight
Democratic ticket except for
Smith.
Labor is instructing its mem
bers to write-in Frank Graham's
name if they don’t feel they can
vote Republican.
And despite Senator Graham’s
call to, all his supporters to vote
, for Smith, there are persisting re
ports that a lot of them either
will write-in Graham’s name, not
vote in the senatorial race, or
will vote for the GOP standard
bearer.
Democratic leaders are pooh
hoohing the idea that a Republi
can be elected, of course, and no
one will know until the ballots
are counted. It is a very unlikely
event, however, but not altogeth
er impossible.
Party harmony is the keynote
of the congressional district ral
lies, which wind up next week.
And you can’t tell how folks
will vote when you listen to
them talk. Apparently the final
decision depends on the number
of people who will stick to the
party line as compared to those
who vote for or against the in
dividual. Don’t be surprised,
though, t if the Republicans cap
ture the biggest percentage of
votes in the Senatorial race in
many Sign. a :
The Hackney Body Works com
pany at Wilson has come through
on its contract to build school
bus bodies for the State. By the
time you read this, the Wilson
firm probably will have delivered
the last of 350 buses it was slated
to build.
At first the Hackney outfit had
a contract for 450 buses, which
were to have been delivered be
fore school opened in September.
But by mid-August the company
had not delivered but a few, and
100 of the buses were taken from
Hackney and alloted to another
firm, with Hackney paying the
difference between its bid price j
and actual cost plus transporta-1
tion of chassis.
The Wilson firm had been!
caught short in the steel squeeze,;
caused by the war in Korea, but,
finally got going and delivered
the buses a month late.
The shennanigans at the con
gressional rallies are leaving the j
so-called political experts talking |
to themselves.
Conservatives are touting Bill'
Umstead of Orange as a candi
date for governor in 1952. The
experts can’t make up their
minds whether this is a sounding
out process—trying to get the
Scott-led liberals to say who
they’ll back—or whether it’s a
THE YO-YO HAT
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■"TTVT ■■■■
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serious move to put U mstead in
the race.
It could be a move to find out
whether or not the east-west tra
dition still is holding firm. If
it is, Umstead would have one
strike—at least — against him.
Reported willing candidates Sec
retary of State Thad Eure, State
Treasurer Brandon Hodges, Agri
?ulture Commissioner L. Y. Bai
lentine, Highway Commissioner
Henry Jordan, and Asheville Pub
lisher D. Hiden Ramsey are keep
ing quiet. The furore caused by
a premature, and according to
Thad., unauthorized announce
ment of Eure’s candidacy has
died down.
If Governor Scott has a favor
ite^ he isn’t.letting - ithe known.
And all of the above-mentioned
men have been doing the rallies
except Ramsey, who has said
nothing and is laying low.
Some eyebrows were lifted
when Congressmen Bob Doughton
and C. B. Deane told voters to
send Kerf Scott some men to
the legislature who would help
him carry out his program.
It sounded fine to Scott sup
porters on first glance, but a
second look had the governor’s
friends wondering what good the
pleas were. Most of the house and
senate members were decided in
the primaries, and general elec
tion will have little effect on the
makeup of the 1951 General As
sembly.
The Governor’s announcement
that Congressman Ertel Carlysle
will lead a fight for flood con
trol and hydroelectric develop
ment of the Cape Fear came as
a surprise. The governor was
credited with some astute man
euvering.
All in all, the rallies give the
appearance of some of the poli
ticians seeing that Scott’s popu
larity is on the upgrade and try
ing to climb on the bandwagon.
But one suspicious Scott sup
porter tabbed it as a “feint be
fore they (opponents of the gov
ernor) swing a roundhouse punch.”
Anyway, things should be in
teresting politically speaking,
around the Old North State for
some time to come. ..
Some of the officials of the
Forestry Division of the Depart*
ment of Conservation and Devel
opment do not particularly care
for Kerr Scott and that feeling
is echoed down in District 7 of
the Forestry Division.
Some time ago, I reported a
district meeting near Little
Washington on August 18 at
which forestry men reportedly
said “Whose Afraid of Big Bad
Kerr Scott.”
As all reporters do I made
some mistakes. That meeting
was not District One, it was Dis
trict Seven. And It was not
near Little Washington, it was
in Washington County. And no
one now remembers singing of
any such song.
But here’s a statement made
by one of those present:
"At one table was Warden
Darden of Washington County
and others, some of whom were
plenty high. A friend of Dar
den’s made a statement speaking
of Kerr Scott and said he (Scott)
is ‘just something they pulled
from a mule’s tall, sent to Ra
leigh and made governor.’ To
which many applauded and Mrs.—*
(the wife of a Raleigh Forestry
official, whose name does not
matter) went so far as to reach
across the table and shake his
hand . in gratitude. This man
made many nasty statements
about Governor Scott and some
of those at the central office
(Raleigh headquarters) seemed
to enjoy it. Governor Scott was
cursed, damned and belittled be
yond human decency.”
Following pul>i:.*ak'on of the
original story, I was asked to
check the facts. No one seemed
to be worried about the report
ed misuse of State property in
District Seven, but some of the
Raleigh brass was unhappy about
the reported singing of a song
derogatory to the governor.
That story was used only be
cause I thought it v*as funny.
Folks who work for the State
have a perfect right to like ar
dislike their governor, jest as
everyone else does.
A cheek showed that after the
story came oat In CAPITAL RE
PORTER, a meeting of all Dis
trict Seven cctfrity wardens was
called oh September 20 at 10 a.
m. in Elisabeth City. The meet
ing was held at the district ware
house. Nine wardens were pres
ent — one, fltajB Martin county,
being able to come because he
was appearing in court as a wit
ness. The session was called by
V. W. Herlevitch, district for
ester.
Herlevitch said that there had
been a lot of undue publicity
about the August 18 party, that
he was going to get to the bot
tom of the matter and that it
would be just too bad for the
man who talked to this reporter.
He said everyone would be inter
viewed and that they had better
tell the truth.
If it will make Mr. Herlevitch
any happier, the original story
did not come from one of hta
wardens, nor did it come from
Raleigh.
And nobody cares whether he
or anyone else likes the governor.
Bqt how about checking up on
‘be report—that has been turned
in to Raleigh headquarters—that
one man hauled away State
property for his own use, and
used a State-owned truck to do
the hauling?
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