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VOL. LXVII Number 10
Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press
At Franklin, North Carolina
Telephone 24
Entered at Post Office, Franklin, N. C., as second class matter.
WEIMAR JONES Editor
BOB S. SLOAN Business Manager
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Let's Take It Easy
As congress and the country debate universal
military training, the most important consideration
to keep mind is that UMT is proposed not as a
temporary .substitute for the draft, but as a perm
anent, peace-time national policy.
In the light of that consideration, at least three
major objections should be answered to the com
plete satisfaction of the American people before
congress goes any farther with the project.
1. If we proceed to put universal military train
ing, as a permanent policy, into effect now, it will
be a cynical admission that we have no faith that
a real peace can be achieved, ever ; that the best
we can hope for is a temporary armed truce.
Such an attitude is to be expected from the na
tion's military leaders. For it is their responsibil
ity to assume the worst, and to be prepared for it ;
their job is not to work for peace, but to be ready,
at all times, to wage successful war. ?,
But when the United States, made up chiefly of
civilians, embarks on a permanent program of uni
versal military training, it will be serving notice on
the rest of the world that all our talk of peace is
sheer hypocrisy : that the present situation really is
what many in Europe already believe ? not an ef
fort to build a peaceful world, but a conflict be
tween the United States and Soviet Russia.
It will be serving notice, too, on the youth, and
the parents, of this country that war is ahead. Be
cause, though it is true that being prepared some
times may temporarily avert war, every sustained
international arms race in the history of civilization
has ended in war.
2. When we launch a program of universal mili
tary training as a permanent policy, we .shall be
placing a heavy mortgage on freedom, in an effort
to buy a little temporary physical security for the
nation.
That is true because freedom depends upon de
mocracy's working, and. the most important essen
tial if a democracy is to work is both the freedom
and ability of the individual citizen to do his own
thinking. And military training is hardly the school
in which to learn independent thinking!
i On the contrary, one of the first things a- man is
told, when he enters the armed forces, is that he
is "not supposed to think". Of course he isn't sup
posed to think ! Thinking means questioning, and to
question authority is ? and probably has to be ? a
crime in the armed forces. He is supposed tci do
just one thing ? carry out orders, blindly, unques
tioningly.
Yet it is proposed that we place every able
bodied youth in the land, at the impressionable age
of 18, under the dominating influence of men whose
entire training teaches them not only that might
makes right, but that obedience to authority is one
of the supreme virtues. To say that such a system,
over a period of years, would not have an adverse
effect on independent thinking in America is to de
ny the force of, environment. Carried to its logical
conclusion, the doctrine that it is a virtue to give
authority blind obedience c{>uld lead to voluntary
acceptance of dictatorship.
A favorite argument of proponents of universal
military training is to cite the lact that almost
every military and veterans organization in this
country has endorsed it. That fact is proof not that
UMT would be a good thin if. b'U that military
N training doss greatly influence tp.e thinking ol those
given that training. Otherwise, military men and
veterans would be divided on this question in about
the same proportion as civilians.
3. There is considerable evidence that advocates
of univcrr,?.' military training are hurrying to get
it in effect during this period of crisis, on the theory
A Lift For Today
i The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise ? Ps. 51:17.
IF OUR NATION? and the peoples of other lands? would
muster the soul-force of prayer to the breaking down of the
walls of hate and suspicion, the result would be more awe-in
spiring than the explosion of an atom bomb.
1M nt hearts, O Lord, of rancor and distrust, and make
Umi fit Mr tba indwelling of the Spirit of the Prince of Peace.
that, unless the country becomes accustomed to it,
the system will not be tolerated in more normal
times. And there is even more evidence that advo
cates took advantage of the, emergency to yet the
original L'.MT law on the statute books.
But if neither of those things is true, this one is:
During a period of crisis and of hysteria, we
have adopted a permanent, peacetime policy that is
in conflict with every tradition and every practice
of American democracy.
"But the policy has already been adopted by con
gress", advocates cry; "let's go ahead and put it
into effect". As though sticking to a mistake would
remedy it !
Would it not be wiser to repeal the act adopting
L'.MT in principle?
Not because it necessarily is a bad policy ? there .
are good arguments on both sides. But because a
period of emergency is not the time to change a
fundamental peacetime' policy.
Let's meet the problems of the emergency with
emergency measures.
But let's wait until we are a little cooler, and our
heads a little clearer, to legislate for normal,, peace
time needs ? especially since nobody has any idea
of what the world will be like in five or ten or
twenty years. j
Needs Examination
The editorial, "War Without Reason", from the
Charleston News and Courier, reprinted on this
page, appears to us to be both unfair and extreme.
It is reprinted, nevertheless, as a forceful statement
of a viewpoint that is widespread. Because it does
express the attitude of many persons, it should be
given careful consideration ? especially by those
who disagree. If it is wrong, it will be proved so
when ? and only when ? it is examined. If, on
the other hand, the U. S. policy in Korea is right,
that policy can, and must, be explained so simply
and frankly that the thousands of mothers and
fathers and youths typified by this Texas mother
will understand why it is right.
It May Mean Something
In the old days, when a revival ("protracted
meeting", it often was called) was in progress, it
was the custom in the village that Franklin then
was for all the business houses to ciose during the
morning or afternoon hours of the week-day serv
ices.
That custom long since has passed.
Which made it remarkable when business houses
here closed for one hour last Friday afternoon for
the AVorld Day of Prayer service. It was note
worthy, too, that the Presbyterian church, where
the interdenominational service was held, was pack
ed. Similar programs were held e'sewhere in the
county, and many of the schools interacted their
classroom work to take part in this world-wide ob
servance.
What the significance of all this is is problema
tical. It could mean that people here, and through
out the world, are becoming desperate in this dan
gerous and complex age, and are turning to a pow
er outside thfemselves for help. Today's problems
are serious enough to warrant that ? and few of us,
certainly, ever turn to prayer until desperation
drives us to it.
? ? ? ? ?
The Children Show The Way
i If there are those who have wondered if the an
nual children* s concerts here of the N. C. Little
Symphony orchestra are worth while, whether they
really mean anything to the children, they are get
ting their answer.
This year only those children will attend who
express a desire to go. And they are asked to give
concrete evidence of their interest bv bringing a
quarter each to school.
When a school boy or girl puts up some of hfs
money for a thing, he really wants it. And already
approximately 1,(XX) children from schools through
out the county have signified their intention of at
tending the children's matinee.
Of course the children alone, for all their en
thusiasm. cannot finance the appearance of a sym
phony orchestra in Franklin. And whether Frank
1'n continues to have these annual concerts will de
pend upon how many adults lw is? memberships
and attend the adult program March 14.
The children have taken the lead, and if this
newspaper knows its Macon County, the adults
once again will fill the Methodist church for the
evening concert ? Friday of next week.
Our American Civilization
>
Suffering from ttncmployment, an industrial dis
ease; seeking to cure the disease by more and more
industrialization.
Shouting from the housetops for lower taxes;
glutting the mails with pleas to our congressman
for expenditures in our district.
OUR DEMOCRACY byM..
OUR MONEYS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
I
So IF we SHOUT FOR GOVERNMENT ECONOMY AND DENOUNCE
EXTRAVAGANCE, OUT AT THE SAME TIME PRESS FOR FAVORS
FOR OUR SPECIAL INTERESTS OR OUR COMMUNITIES, WE
CANNOT ESCAPE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RESULT.
? Others' Opinion.?
FUN CAN BE DAXG".I.OT".
As March winds begin to blow, the young: b-ys, cr.i e.ea,
some girls, remember that it is kite fly-in;; tim: s airi.
Flying kites is fun, and perhaps as fin? v. r: reatior.,as a
youngster can indulge in, when it is don? wit .5 extreme care.
The care comes in staying clear of e'ectrlc w.res.
Already, there have been two young boys electrocul in this
state this season when the!r kite became entangled in high
tension wires.
"v li te flying was made fo: the wide open spare: and not the
conjested areas v. here vires span the area. ? Wayr.e?vil!e Moun
tainjer
WAR WITHOUT REASON*
Tin l earns o Americans will go out to Mrs. Doris Davis of
Lubbock, T who'e husband has be:n shot dov:n in Korea
afte" destro- inT 11 ensmy Jet fighte.s.
'I: I could ieel he lost h'.s '.if: for some good reason, I could
feel ireitor abcut it," says Mrs. Lavs, "but this is a .var with
out reason."
In no o'her war in our histoy have the rank and f 1? of
Americans been so convinced that our country is em'csrlied on
a course "without reason."
We are fighting the most senseless of all wars.
We are fighting a slave people, who take their orders from
someone else.
We are lighting, theoretically, to show the world that we will
resist "aggression anywhere" ? and our policy has been so weak
that actually we have shown the world that we can be humi
liated by a third-rate military power.
We are fighting" without hope of victory? stalemate is the
best we can hope to achieve under our plan of limited con Uct.
We are fighting a war which was thrust upon us by execu
tive order. Neither the people nor their representatives have
been consulted. Congress has not voted to declare war.
Understandably, Mrs. Davis and thousands of othe ? Americans
who have lost members of their families in Korea feel that
they have been betrayed.
The Korean "police action" is, indeed, a war without reason.
Many arguments can be advanced as to why w: should have
;top- ed the invasion of South Korea. But no \alid argument
can be advanced as to why our men were p evented fro.::: win
ning and thus ending the war.
Da- by day, Ameiicans die in Asia whi'.e our go "eminent ?
which h?.sn't even the honesty to call the war a %var ? h:ids in
check our m.litary mifeht. Meanwhile, cur government plays in
ternational politics, around a phony peace table, with the evil
cer ar.t3 of an evil master. ? Charleston News and Courier.
? Poetry
EDITH DEADFRTCK ERSKINK
Editor
Weaverville, North Carolina
OLD HOUSE
A long forgotten builder laid your stones,
Rough-hewed the timbers, made the beams to hold
Against the sprawling wind and quick night storms,
The sultry sun and winter's driving cold;
Your hearth made wide where pots and pans have hung
Blackened from use and charred by frugal duty,
Where bread was made and children warmed and fed.
You had no gilded mantle framed for beauty.
Now that your brood is gone, your thoughts are still.
Like an old woman with a noble face, '
You wear the haloed, wistful loveliness
Of half-lost memories that legends trace.
You stand aloof, with- shuttered blinds of blue,
The night wind sings an old song over you.
MARIE HALBERT KINO.
Ashevllle, N. C.
Here's Another
Reason For Blue Mold
Control
There's an extra reason why
Tar Heel tobacco growers should
spray or dust their plant beds
this spring for blue mold con
trol, says H. R Gar.ris, plant
pathologist for the State Col
lege Extension Service.
Mr. Garriss says a disease
known as anthracnose was
found attacking plant beds in
a few counties last spring. It
appears that the recommended
dust and spray treatments for
blue mold control will also con
trol the new disease.
Anthracnose was first discov
ered In North Carolina in the
spring of 1951. During the sea
son it was found at seven lo
cations in the counties of Car
teret, Columbus, Craven, Johns
ton, Wake, and Davidson.
"Presumably, with these wide- *?
ly scattered sources of Infection,
the disease could spread rather
rapidly," says Mr. Garriss. "On
the other hand, no one can
oredict whether the disease will
become a serious problem. It
has been quite a problem in
some other tobacco-growing
areas, especially Maryland."
Infected plants may be
dwarfed with puckered leaves.
Circular, tannish leaf spots with
reddish-hrown borders develop.
The lower surface of the mid
vein and main lateral veins
have reddish-brown, elongated,
sunken areas.
The disease is capable of kill
ing plants in the plant bed out
riyht. Damage in the field could
occur if wet weather prevails
after plants fro.m "diseased"
plant beds are set out.
"We don't want anyone to be
come alaimed about this dis
ease popping up," says Mr. Gar
riss. "However, since it has the
possibility of becoming a seri
ous problem, let's be sure to
take the proper precautions ?
which at present seem to be a
good dusting or spraying job
for controlling blue mold."
Here's New Way
Far Laymen To
Learn About Art
"I know what I like," a new
Frit sh television program, each
week assembles eight or ten
people who have only an aver
age knowledge of art, and asks
them what they like and dis
like about three paintings dis
played before them.
An art critic suggests some
points they might consider, and
in the lively discussions which
follow many opinions are con
firmed or revised Finally, the
discussion leader gives an im
partial summing up of the views
expressed.
A new group appears before
the camera each week, and its
members are selected from as
many dif:erent types of people
as possible.
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward through
the fHes of The Press)
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Miss Charlotte Young has or
ganized a class here for the
study of elocution. She is board
ing with Mr. and Mrs. W. F.
Curtis.
The people of Franklin are
getting very hungry for mall.
We had no mails from Dillsboro
Friday and Saturday on ac
count of the weather.
Rev. T. Bright, of Sylva, came
over Monday and Is visiting
among friends here.
25 YEARS AGO
Sala of the Franklin Phar
macy was announced here Mon
day. The business was sold by
O. E. Kimsey to T W. Angel, Jr.
The board of directors of the
Chamber of Commerce, at their
regular weekly meeting last
Monday night, elected Z. B.
Byrd as a director, to fill out
the unexpired term of A. R.
Higdon, resigned.
? Editor Dan Tompkins (of
Sylva > wants to know if all the
wars in the world have, sudden
ly been moved to the zone be
tween the Georgia line and the
Cowee Gap. No. There is still
the weather war waged twixt
editors east and west of the
Balsam.
10 YEARS AGO
At the meeting of the county
commissioners last Monday, re
pairs to the jail were author
ized which will amount to an
expenditure of $500 or more.
RECORD BREAKING SNOW
FALL OF 13 INCHES COVERS
MACON, Cars Stalled, Traffic
Held Up, Wires Down, Schools
Closed, (headline).