?ltc Jflnutklht Tfixtss
nuit
?VOL. LXVII Number 25
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
S. SLOAN -...Business Manager
BOB
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
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iln Macon County ? One Year $2.50
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Three Months $1.00
Single Copy 10
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purchea, organizations or societies, will be regarded as adrertisiag and iswrted at
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fence with the postal requirements.
Strange
[\ "V ' '
From the office of Mr. (ieorge A. Shuford, can
didate lor congress from this district, there comes
to this newspaper a remarkable news release.
| Its opening paragraphs read:
George A. Shuford, Asheville attorney who is a candi
date for congress in the Democratic run-off primary
June 28, favors early completion of the Blue Ridge Park
t way.
I
Shuford tolif The Franklin Press that, if elected to
congress, he will urge an early appropriation to complete
the Parkway. His opponent, Frank M. Parker, recently
told an Asheville audience that "in times such as these
I do not think it wise to spend large amounts of money |
for the Parkway".
"If our government can afford to send billions in aid
to foreign nations, it can afford to spend the few mil
lions necessary to finish the Parkway", said Shuford.
That is .strange talk to come from the congress
| candidate who, it is generally agreed, is the can
i didate of the more conservative leader-hip in the
! Democratic party in thi> district.
| It is strange to' hear the conservative candidate !
'speak so casually of a "few millions"..
i
! It is strange to hear him imply that we are reck- ;
i lessly spending billions abroad, and so ii is all right
[to add a "few millions" more to ihe national debt.
(Mr. Shuford has wandered far from the conserva- i
tive doctripe that "pennies make dollars"? and mil- 1
Hions make billions.
It is strange because Mr. Shuford presumably
speaks for the conservative element. And it is the
conservative element that has cried longest and
loudest for government economy: that has been
most alarmed by deficits and inflation: that has
argued, quite logically, that heavy government ex
penditures are the prime CAUSE of inflation, and
that the only way to halt inflation is to postpone
every non-essential expenditure.
What is perhaps strangest of all is to hear a
candidate for congress suggest, at a time like this,
when the United States is faced with perhaps the
most gigantic problems and the greatest dangers
in its history, that the immediate completion of a
scenic parkway is a major congressional issue.
We respectfully .suggest that foreign aid is one
question, to be considered and decided on its merits.
We suggest that a thing like completion of the
Parkway is another and quite different question.
We suggest that a wrong decision about foreign
aid ? if the decision has been wrong ? is no excuse
for wrong decision about a parkway.
We suggest that of course we all want the Park
way completed ? Mr. Parker, no doubt, along with
the rest of us.
But we suggest that when Mr. Parker says "in
times like these" it would not be "wise to spend
large amounts of money for the Parkway", he is
talking plain common sense.
It is good common sense, that is, if we mean
what we say about the need for economy and a
balanced budget ; if we mean what we say about
the dangers of inflation.
As The Crops Grow
As the crops grow and the tourists arrive, any
thoughtful observer must be impressed by the bless
ings enjoyed by the people of Macon County.
Among the county's material blessings is its di
versity. It is a diversity so wide that it makes for
an interesting place to live and to visit, for an area
that is far rembved from the boom-and-bust type
of economy, and for a community where coopera
tion is easy.
Cooperation is easy here for the very simple rea
son that there are so many differences that there
is no real reason lor competition, between county
and towns, or between the two towns. In few
places, perhaps, is it so true that what is good for
the towns is good for the county, and vice versa;
and that what is good for one town is good for the
other.
A single example: Highlands is so unique, in
every way, that it is an asset to the entire county.
But Highlands would find it hard to exist, much
less prosper, without the rest of the county.
Few counties are so blessed in every way; none,
perhaps, is so blessed in having cooperation made
easy ? and profitable to all.
Common sense suggests that we make the most
of this blessing.
OuiKMacon County possibilities are almost limit
less. All that is necessary is to work together to
realize some of those possibilities.
To illustrate: Franklin and Highlands and the
rest of the County, working together, could make
the Franklin .Highlands scenic drive the moist fa
mous road in the southeast. And scores of similar
opportunities could be' cited.
' )nce attain wo are in the fly season. And once
again Franklin is beset bv these annoying and
dangerous |>ests. It is a situation that does not have
to exi-t ; really, there is little excuse, in this day and
age. for a town to be plagued by swarms of flies.
Something could be done about it : something prob
ably wotili.be. it the town had someone on the job
who had the necessary time- time enough to stndv
the problem, and then to take, action.
Our American Civilization
IT i r i > ? -j an expert to make recommendations ; ig
noring the recommendations.
Killing more people with automobiles than are
killed in war: boasting of the number of our auto
mobiles as an evidence of' n'rogresi.
Citing America as t land where there is respect
for the dignify of the human. -being : belittling that
dignir by destroying it- first essential ? the right
to privacy.
Poetry
Editor
EDITH DEADERICK ERSKINE
Weaverville, North Carolina
Sponsored by Asheville Branch, Notional League of American Pen IVomen
I
VACATION
Elements of summer play upon my soul.
Quietness of nature makes my spirit whole.
Like the grass and flowers I will rest in thee,
Spirit of the country, to make my spirit free.
ELIZABETH 'FIELD
r
i
Others' Opinions
LOOK WHAT HAPPENED!
(Roy Thompson in Winston-Salem Journal-Sentinel)
Now the Democrats have gone and done it!
They've been so busy spending millions to keep Europe from
going Communist it looks as if the United States is going Re
publican.
TACTLESS
(Sanford Herald)
Earl Tomberlin tells about the wife who said to the husband
one evening after they had come home from some kind of
community gathering: "I'll never go anywhere with you again
as long as I live."
Husband: "And why not?"
Wife: "You asked Mrs. So and So how her husband was
standing the heat, and he's been dead for two months."
DISCRIMINATION
(Abbeville (S. C.) Press and Banner)
. . . Perhaps no group or race of people in the United States
has been subjected to such discrimination as has the South as
a whole.
Certainly, too, no group of people has carried us so far along
the road to Socialism as has the present administration. We
feel that the people of the South realize the dangers more
than those of certain other sections and that it is not entirely
FEPC that has turned this section of our great nation against
the Truman Democratic party.
PHYSICAL CHECKS FOR CANDIDATES
(Burbank (Calif.) Review)
Complete physical examinations should be given candidates
for both the presidency and for vice president by a disinter
ested group of doctors appointed by Congress.
The strain on a President is tremendous. The public should
OUR DEMOCRACY tyM*
LIBERTY/s WEALTH
The ideas of such men as Roger. Bacon, philosopher
AND SCIENTIST OF THE 13* CENTURY, MET UTTLE
ACCEPTANCE AND EVEN ACTIVE DISCOURAGEMENT IN
THE TIMES AND ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THEr LIVED.
THEIR. RECOGNITION HAD TO COME LATER. .
*S/ .
? ? "
In our, democracy, the modern Roger, bacons are
ENCOURAGED TO THINK, INVENT AND DISCOVER
JCORDING- TO THEIR SENT ? ' A FREEDOM THAT
NOT ONLY ENRICHES THE SPIRIT, BUT THAT PAYS OFF
I J SOCIAL BETTERMENT AND INDUSTRIAL POWER'.
r.:0,ZALLy AND MATERIALLY, THE L/3E/17Y OF THE
1M DIVIDUAL IS THE MIGHTIEST FORCE /N
HUMAN PROGRESS*
know before voting whether or not the candidates are in good I
health
It is important to include vice presidential crr.'iUat'es in the
i '
| examination. Seven vice presidents have become chief cxecu- |
| tlves of ? he natii.-n us the r>?- ;i? of presidential deaths
| American. should aa*. all pei ti:v nt :Uormation berore 40
1 in;; to the polls.
? \ * i i i. . X . .
(McComb (Miss. 1 Enterpris. -Journal 1
America can well bo described i :ind where a lot of peo- I
pie favor the free enterprise .system 'for themselves and who j
are opposed to socialism except, ls jt r.:ay beneiit them in- 1
dividually 1 >)
I 'LA XX!'! I J SLUMS I
(Salisbury Posti j
It is not too harsh to say that here and there we are build- '
ing planned slums. A house ought to be a man's crowning |
pride, not his particular sldt in an expanding cell block.
HAVE OUR SCHOOL IDEALS DECLINED? |
Hartsville (S. C.) Messenger
Miss Crista Graf, German school teacher who has been in 1
Hartsville observing educational methods in our public schools,
has given a thumbnail sketch of the German school system in
addresses before several civic clubs. Our system does not look
too well by comparison.
German children start to school at six, same as ours. Upon
finishing the fourth grade, they are given a comprehensive ex
amination. Those achieving a certain rating are promoted to
another school, roughly equivalent to our high school, and go
on through the twelfth grade. The ones who don't measure up
remain in elementary school, from which they graduate after
finishing ninth grade.
German children go to' school six days a week. In twelve
years they receive fourteen years of instruction by our stand
ards. They start language courses in the fifth grade and by
graduation time can speak at least one foreign language flu
ently.
The net impression gained from Miss Graf's remarks is that
the education of children is regarded as a serious business in
Germany, that the standards are higher, the courses tougher
and hours longer than ours. The corollary conclusion is that
our high school graduates just aren't very well educated by
German standards.
At one time the American theory was that every child should
have the opportunity to receive an education. That sensible
viewpoint has given way to the proposition that every child
deserves and shall receive a high school diploma, whether fit
to be educated or not. This novel concept has apparently failed
to penetrate the historically excellent German school system.
The trend in the U. S. is toward painless public education.
It is toward shorter hours and less work. Children are neither
required by the schools nor expected by their parents to do
any school work at home.
"Let them have a good time while they're young," Is the cry.
The truth of the matter Is that education Is held in low re
gard In this country. The almighty dollar Is the measure of
achievement In our society. Education that prepares for high
paying jobs Is swell. The liberal arts courses are merely toler
ated as necessary evils.
The diploma itself is a badge of social position rather than
an index of learning.
This mercenary philosophy will degrade our people and re
sult In the destruction of those artistic, Intellectual and moral
values that are the essence of our lives.
! News
About
People
'gene dowdle observes
TWELFTH BIRTHDAY
Mr. and Mrs. Woodrow Dow
j die entertained with a picnic
' supper at Arrowood glade Mon
day night in honor of their
son, Gene, who was celebrating
his twelfth birthday.
Guests ~ include Rebecca
Reeves, Nanck Siler, Janice
Bowman, Beverly Bryson, Sus
an Wallace, Alice Ruth Angel,
| Frances Whittington, Ann Hall,
I Luana Baker, Bobbie Young,
Eugene Cook, Dickie Wallace,
Clarence Phillips, Larry Swin
j dell, Bruce Bryson, and Horace
I Hurst.
I
I FAMILY HONORS
IlIOLDEN SUNDAY
| A family get-to-gether, hon- -
[oring the Rev. R. H. Holden,
who is 36 years old, was held
Sunday at the home of his
daughter, Mrs. James Powell,
near Otto.
Mr Holden's children present
included Mr. and Mrs. W. L.
Jordan, of Tryon. and Mr. and
Mrs. J. M, Conlev, of Otto.
Four of his children were un
able to attend.
A number of frk'nds and, rel
atives were present and, the
^roii.) went to Arrowood glade
fov a picnii
"I Yv allied to see ali my chil
dren together once i^ain". Mr
:.i aid.
1 PERSONALS
, ; i
Miss Haniette Kinne';re\v
underwent an oneration a1" the
C. J. Har.rf Memorial hospital.
Sylv.i i-ist Friday.
Mrs. Jack Lever and two
children, of Bethesda, Md..
have returned home following
a stay of 1 wo weeks with her
mo'her, Mrs. Fl ie Franks
Mr. r:ul Mrs. Fred Cunning
ham and son. George, and Mrs
Aaron Cunningham spent sever
al days last week in Belmont
as guests of Mr. and Mrs.
Walter Hyde and son.
Miss Mildred Deal is attend
ing summer school at West
ern Carolina Teachers college,
Cullowhee.
Miss Imogen? Landrum has
returned to Langley Field. Va.,
after spending a yoek with her
mother. Mrs. Ruth Landrum, of
Franklin, Route 4.
Mrs. Oscar Martin and young
daughter plan to join Mr. Mar
tin at an early date in Barn
well, S. C. 4
Miss Georgia Dowdle, of At
lanta, Ga., is spending a two
week vacation with relatives
here.
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
i !
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
The Lower Burningtown and
Oak Grove sections had a heavy
hail storm Friday evening, great
ly injuring corn and grain
crops.
The Press learns that Mr.
Baz Picklesimer, of Tesenta, last
Saturday killed 45 rattlesnakes
and two pilots at a single lay
out. We do not know what he
expects to do when a good day
comes for rattlesnaking.
Capt. Jacob Fulmer, of Chero
kee county, is visiting his
daughter, Mrs. E. K. Cunning
ham, of our town.
25 YEARS AGO
That a cannery for Macon
county is now assured was an
nounced here Friday by County
Agent Lyles Harris. The full
amount of $3,000 was quickly
subscribed and the application
for charter has gone forward.
By a vote of more than five
to one, citizens of Iotla school
district, in this county, Tuesday
of last week voted . down the
proposal to take off the special
school tax.
For the past two and a half
years the fire loss in the city
limits has been exactly nothing.
Let us hope that our luck in
this respect will continue.
10 YEARS AGO
A collection is being made
for the purpose of purchasing
two pairs of spectacles for
Murphy's two umpires who gave
Muxphy a twin-bill Sunday at
Murphy by the score of 4-0 and
9-4. All donations should be
turned over to the Franklin
baseball club.
A true music lover is a man
who, upon hearing a soprano
in the bathroom, puts his ear
to the keyhole (Frankie Ma
con).