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VOL. IJtVI Number 7
Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press
At Franklin, North Carolina
Telephone No. 24
Entered at Post Office, Franklin, N. C., as second class matter.
WEIMAR JONES Editor
BOB S. SLOAN Business Manager
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? nee with the posul requirement*.
Two Questions
Two puzzling questions, about national defense
policy keep bobbing up in the minds of average
citizens. One deals with manpower; the other
with military training.
Our defense program is just beginning to get
under way, and the administration plans an armed
force of only i]/2 million men at this time, yet we
already are finding it necessary to draft 18-year
olds, and only Monday the daily .press carried a
headline that "Women Are To Replace Combat
fit GI's". Accompanying those developments is
the constant cry about manpower .shortage, about
".scraping the bottom of the barrel".
During World War 2, when we had 12 million
men under arms, it was the latter part of the war
before we drafted 18-year olds, and before we
used women in great numbers to replace men.
The question inevitably arises: Have we reached
a manpower situation already that did not arise,
only a decade ago, until we had been engaged in
an all-out war for several years? And if we have,
why have we?
The other question is: Why is it necessary, as
our military leaders tell us, to have both the draft
and universal military training? If we have one,
why do we need the other? Do they not duplicate?
And isn't the draft, with its effort at selecting the
men to serve in the armed forces, the more orderly
of the two methods for a time of stress?
There may be ? there quite possibly are ? good
answers to those questions. But it is important
that the answers be given.
Until and unless they are, the government in
Washington will be handicapped by lack of the
vvho'le-hearted support that can come only from a
public opinion tliat is informed. And if these and
similar questions remain unanswered long enough,
another, more serious one will arise: Is the gov
ernment being entirely frank and honest with its
citizens?
There probably is no deliberate intent to cover
up or deceive. But there is going to be the feeling
f that there is, unless the apparent conflict in the
.statements and the decisions that are coming out
of Washington are explained.
Consider the Newspaper Headline
Consider the newspaper headline.
Somebody, some day, surely will get his Ph. D.
degree for writing a thesis on this extraordinary
phenomenon, and on what.it has done to the Eng
lish language. A single instance: The word "meet"
is rapidly coming into ordinary language as a
noun ? "I attended the club meet". But, by all the
standards of both the dictionaries and etymolog
ical logic, "meet" is a verb and nothing else ? "1
will meet you". 1
The reason for. tnto^headline being what it is
and doing what it somKimes does, is^of course
quite simple: The headlineWritecjriU'St tell th<
story in brief ; and he must do it in a narrowl)
limited space, and a space that is exactly as flex
ible as the steel bars that surround the type as s
newspaper page is made up.
Here are a few examples of what happens undei
those circumstances:
"Taft Raps Truman; Hoover Plan La.shedM
Analyze the words. First you get a picture of Sen
ator Taft, ruler in hand, rapping the knuckles o
President Truman ? just like the school teachers o
another age. Next you get a picture of a whi]
coming down upon the bared back, if it had a back
of a plan. It happens to be a plan sponsored b;
former President Hoover.
Another :
"Deadline Finds Strikers Clearing Up Freigh
Jam*'. Now jam, of course, is a perfectly goo
word in that sense; the sense of things thickl
packed together. But the headline, if analyze<
brings to a lot of minds a picture of a lot of me
with wet rags, on their knees, wiping up jam
maybe it's strawberry !? around a freight statioi
Another:
"UN Group Drops Russian Charges",
The flrpt picture ii of iome kind of explosive
presumably made by the Russians, beuitf dropped.
But obviously that can't be right. So we turn to
another meaning of "charges", the -idea of some
one fbr whom another ii responsible, usually some
one Under age. The picture then becomes that of a
lot of Russian children being held Up by the heels, .
and suddenly dropped. : . .
Still another :
" 'Percenter' Figure Indicted".
Read the story and you'll find out that a man
mixed up in the per cent business in Washington is
facing trial, but the use of "per cent" and "figure"
together certainly suggests that somebody wrote
a figure in percentage ? and that the headline
writer meant to write the last word "indite".
Do you really read your headlines? Take time to
do it, and you'll get double pleasure out of your
newspaper ; a lot of laughs along with the informa
tion.
But, if you've got time to do that, take a little
more and shed a tear for the poor guy who sweats
out these headlines. Better still, cover up the head
line and try to write one yourself.
Bouquets
Members of the Franklin Rotary elub, at last
week's meeting, had an opportunity to see first
hand what is being done at the high school here
toward teaching public speaking. Four students,
two girls and two boys, who previously had been
chosen in an elimination contest, spoke to the Ro
tarians on "World Peace". Each student had pre
pared his own talk, and when the talks, were de
livered at the Rotary meeting, the speakers held
the audience's attention every instant ? and left
the adults with the feeling that these youngsters
not only are learning public speaking, but also are
learning how to think.
Public speaking is being taught here by Miss
Roberta Enloe, as a part of her courses in history,
and by Mrs. S. F. Beck, as a part of her courses
in English. The public speaking is above and be
yond the literal call of duty for these teachers.
They are due the community's appreciation, there
fore, for this extra effort. They are due, too con
graduations for the success of their efforts.
* * *
We take most good things for granted. In a
town or city, such things as uninterrupted electric
current, plenty of water, available by the mere
turn of a spigot, and prompt, effective fire pro
tection are expected ; most of us think of them
only when they fail.
In the small town, however, at least one of
these ? fire protection ? is usually prompt and ef
fective chiefly because of the fire department's
members' willingness to serve their community
and pride in doing a good job.
Franklin is fortunate in the attitude of the mem
bers of its fire department. These men not only
respond to every call ; they respond with an ef
ficient promptness that would do credit to a full
time city department. Recent alarms, persons who
live in the vicinity of the fire station say, have
found the fire truck on its way even before the
alarm siren ceases screaming its call.
? ? ? ? ?
"Solons Face Problem of Stream Pollution",
says a headline. We might get more action if vye'd
make 'em smell it, too.
Who was it complaining that "we don't have
cold winters any more"?
? Others' Opinions
HE'S AN EXPERT
?V i ? i
WhUe standing In the hall at the High- School during the
Farmers' School, we heard one elderly gentleman explain to hU
^\f*#nda that he dldnl come to Slier City to attend no "derr
' tool school."
k
[ "Them county agent fella* cant teach me nothln," he ex
* claimed. "Why T know more about (arming than them youni
squirts will ever know. Why, I done worn out three farms al
l ready!"? Jim Parker In Chatham News.
? ? ? ? ?
r IT SHORE DID!
Two Sanford men went up In the western part of the stat*
recently on a hunting trip. They wanted to turn off on a sld
f road but there was a sign which said, "Do Not Enter, Roa<
f Ends." They talked it over for a while and one Insisted tha
p he knew the road was open so they drove on In. They drov
for a mile or two and then suddenly the road ended. Ther
y was nothing they could do but turn around and drive bee
out. As they entered the main road again they noticed thi
some other passerby had scribed on the back of the sign, "1
t Really Did End, Didnt It?"? Sanford Herald.
J
u ??????
J SCHOOLS THREATENED
n The people of North Carolina cannot Afford to Uk? light
- the framing of the SUM Board of Bdueatlon that the aehoo
n. of thfta itate face dlauter afileee the general aeaembty u
erlaeai mbetaatially the appropriation* recommended br tl
Adrieory hudget Qomwlaetofl,
g( TM MM fedftrt Oi MuMMM Ml (UMOMtfAtdd UMl ai
jam.3i.i734- ROBERT MORRIS -MAY 8,1806
'-EACH TO HIS ABILITY... THE SOLD! ? A CAN FIGHT, THE
STATESMAN CAN INSPIRE- ITS MY TASK TO RAISE MONEY. "
ROBERT MOM. IS BACKED THE CONTINENTAL ARMY TO THE
EXTENT Or #60Q000-A VAST SUM FOR THOSE TIMES- PART
REPRESENTING THE LOAN OF HIS OV 'N FORTUNE .PART RAISED
by pledging his personal credit, as he went all-out
FOR THE CAUSE.
Today, the financinb of our military preparedness
CALLS FOR THE SAVINGS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE- * EACH
TO MIS ABILITY - AND ALL OF US BACKING THE CAUSE OF
FREEDOM WITH THE SAME FAITH THAT LED ROBERT MORRIS
TO FLE06M HIS DOLLAR* FOR DEMOCRACY.
^ n EDITH DEADERICK ERSKINE
? Knptinr Editor
* wv M J Weavervllle, North Carolina
Sponsored by Asheville Branch, National League of American Pen Women
HOME OF MY DREAMS
I dream of a home that looks to the hills,
That is sheltered by kindly trees,
With a sweep of meadow beyond where grey rocks
hold their mysteries
And a clear brook sings its way through banks
Of blue-ets and wild marsh grass
Where a somber group of pine trees watch
the miracle seasons pass:
The apple blossom wonder Spring,
The drift of a Summer cloud ...
The bright, swift glory of the Fall
old winds crying loud . . .
I dream of a home that looks to the hills,
To the woods and the fields and the streams ?
Reminding myself, when it seems far off,
That all things first are "dreams"!
BESS HINSON HINES.
Oxnard, Calif.
(Formerly of Highlands).
time again that it is a very conservative body. The last dem
onstration was in its. recommendations lor the budget lor the
1951-53 Wennium, lor which the present general assembly will
appropriate.
The Board ol Education asked lor 169 more teachers lor the
1951-52 school year and 730 lor the 1952-53 year in order not
to increase the present teaching load which is, without excep
tion, the highest lor any qiacle in the entire United States.
? The budget commission made provision lor only 30 ol the
169 additional teachers requested lor next year and lor only
77 ol the 730 requested lor the following year.
Now actual ligures on the dally attendance lor the , llrst
? months ol the 1950-51 school year are available and these
ligures show that the board's requests were lar too conserva
tive. Instead ol the 169 teachers originally requested or the 30
1 allotted by the Budget Commission, the actual need lor next
' year is 558 additional teachers. And the following year (when
1 the record breaking number ol births in 1946 will lirst be re
llected in school attendance) the actual need Will be 1,684 in
contrast to the 77 allotted by the Budget Commission and the
5 730 originally requested.
When it is remembered that none ol the above ligures con
template reduction ol the outrageously high teacher load, but
merely the retention ol that already Inexcusably high ratio ol
students per teacher, the Importance ol this matter is easily
seen.
8 Provisions ol enough teachers to maintain the present nlg
e gardly standard is only a part of the picture.
a The Board of Education points out that the appropriation
* recommended by the Budget Commission is similarly lnade
e quate in almost every detail. There will not be enough busses
e to haul the children, not enough drivers to man the buses and
k not enough money to operate the buses the entire school year.
lt There were also arbitrary cuts in such essential Items as fuel
for the school buildings.
On top of all that, it la proposed that teachers take a 10
per cent cut in their present salaries. ?
The State Board of Education again demonitrated its con
servatism when it said: "It will be utterly impossible to oper
ly ate the schools on theii present levels; lt may* even be lmpos
1* iible to avert ? disastrous deterioration in the itate school
system."
* Till North Carolina public ichooli held improvement. Th<
least the general assembly ean be espeeted to do is to main.
Ul tain present lew leveli. ?Raleigh Newi and obeerter,
Business
Making
News
? By BOB SLOAN
I have a question on my mind
nd before the Editor stops me
rom editorializing in this col
unn I believe I'll get It off. Be
ides after February we have
o get back to work any how.
So that I won't stray too far
rom the general idea of this
leading the question has to do
irith a phase of business ? sav
ng money.
I believe that by such a slm
>le thing as ' a change in our
ittltude, the Federal govern
nent could save enough money
o that Senator Harry Byrd's
>roposed budget cuts would look
Ike in comparison the dlffer
;nce between the Indian Mound
ind Wayah Bald.
Here Is the question:
Why do we citizens, who are
;oing to have to pay the bill In
;he end, when dealing with the
government figure that the
nore we can make it cost the
jetter. As I said, we are only
'unning up a bill for ourselves.
[ will give two illustrations, one
,ocal, one national, to illustrate
what I mean.
There has been considerable
talk here in the county to the
efiect that the government
should pay the lodging for
diaftees who find It inconven
ient to be here at the early .
hour of 7:30 a. m. when they
are leaving to go In service.
That way they would spend the
night in Franklin. However, if
the policy Is applied through
out the United States as any
draft regulation must be - ap
plied, it will cost thousands of
dollars. Now ordinarily If those
boys were coming to town for
amusement or even to see about
a Job they would get a neigh
bor to bring them if they didn't
have a car. Perhaps they would
pay him. Immediately you say,
and we agree, "Well! the nerve
of him, suggesting that our
boys ought to have to spend
their money to get to town
when they are going in the
service of our country. We cer
tainly are NOT suggesting that. <
Here is our suggestion. The
(Turn to Back Page 1st Section)
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
SO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Some Hayesville young-bloods
are just now catching the fever
that Franklin's y-b's had over
a dozen years ago. They are ex
perimenting with home-made
telephones.
It would be Interesting to
know whether the weather man
had his eye on the ground-hog
this month.
Under Charley Reece's new
administration as jailor, Mon
day morning in broad day light
"Bud" Waldroop, who had been
caged for playing with "moon
shine", walked out of the Jail
and hied himself away with all
ease.
Our neighbor county of Jack
son is very much agitated about
an attempt to have the county
site removed from Webster to
Sylva.
25 TEARS AGO
You cannot afford to miss
Lockhar and his Lassies. They
are acknowledged to be the best
attraction on the Lyceum cir
cuit. At the court house Febru
ary 15.
A certain citizen of Franklin
is buying a lot of farming lands.
He evidently goes on the theory
that "A farm a day will keep
the wolf away."
Mr. J. H. Stockton left last Sat
urday to spend a month In
Florida. Horner and Mr. Lee
Leach have quite a bit of land
listed and no doubt Mr. Stock
ton will sell enough land on
this trip to pay expenses ? and
then some.
10 YEARS AGO
The Junior class of the Frank
lin High school Is sponsoring ?
costume valentine carnival In
the high school auditorium Fri
day evening.
Services are being held each
week In the new Highlands
Baptist church, although the in*
terior Of the building has not
been completed.
Monday, two timber lUnd
improvement demonstration!
1 were conducted lh Mtoon coun
ty.
. ft
rooir
rtpilri,
Th