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FEBRUARY 26, 1953
Let's Endow It
In a letter to a friend a few days ^igo, W. Ran
dall Harris referred to the fact he had just ac
cepted yet another community responsibility, and
half-jokingly remarked :
"Why I do these things, I don't know."
His friends know why.
It was because Randall Harris' innate goodness,
his passionate desire to obtain the best for his com
munity, his region, his state, and his selfless gen
erosity rarely, if ever, allowed him to refuse any
call upon his time and his energies to serve others.
But he was so quiet, so self-effacing that even
his close associates did not realize, until his death
in Asheville last week, how varied were his activ
ities and how widespread and deep was the influ
ence of his efforts.
Probably not a score of people west of the Bal
sams were personally acquainted with Mr. Harris;
and the few who were would have said that he had
little or no influence in their communities. Yet one
of his last pieces of community service was to help
save a movement that has had, and will continue
to have, tremendous influence in making these far
western counties better places to live.
Though few people knew it, Mr. Harris was
largely instrumental in raising the money to con
tinue, for another year, the activities of the Agricul
tural Development Council. That is the organization
that sponsors the Rural Community Development
Program in this mountain region ? a program that
has revolutionized rural life in many communities,
and that, so far, has only scratched the surface.
What will happen to that program when funds
are needed again next year? Without a Randall
Harris, will it be permitted to die?
This movement need not die ? next year, or ever !
Why not endow the Community Development
Program?
It would be expecting too much, perhaps, that
Mr. Harris' personal friends in Asheville should
contribute enough for an adequate endowment. But
if, to their contributions, there were added the do
nations of a hundred dollars here, ten dollars there,
and even quarters and dimes, from people through
out the mountain region who want to see a better
rural life in Western North Carolina, this move
ment's future would be assured.
And what finer memorial could there be to any
man than a richer rural life in the region he loved
and served so well !
2 and 2, It Seems, Make 5
Some strange things happen in the government ?
whether the administration be Democratic or Re
publican.
Last week, for example, the Office of Price Sta
bilization made an eleventh hour change in the list
of items to be freed from price control. In a last
minute switch, it kept price controls on cigarettes
and other tobacco products, and took them off, in
stead, of dairy products and oleomargarine.
If there is any virtue whatever in price controls,
if there is any reason whatever to hold down the
price of any item, surely that item is milk ? an es
sential for children.
The OPS, however, thinks an increase in the
price of tobacco would be worse.
Am vncbacked majority is a despotism ?John C. Calhoun.
r A Thin Veneer
Whether Julius and Ethel Rosenburg, convicted
as spies, should be executed is one question ? sub
ject, perhaps, to debate.
Whether, while they live, they should receive
humane treatment is another ? not subject to de
bate.
This man and wife have been in Sing Sing pris
on's death house almost two years, and they have
been forced to face that long period of suspense
and strain and fear in terrible loneliness.
"Occasionally, they are allowed to exchange let
ters, and they have been permitted to meet face to
face a few times", a news story reported the other
day.
What possible harm could it do the nation for
them to exchange letters often, to meet face to face
often? Indeed, why should this husband and wife
not be permitted to occupy the same cell?
No matter how guilty they may be, no matter
how despicable their crime, now these two human
beings are in deep personal trouble. Surely, while
they live, they should be allowed the comfort of
each other's presence.
The very casualness of the way the news story
reported the fact that they are kept separated, in
dicating that such separations are usual, suggests
how thin is our veneer of civilization, of Christian
ity.
The truth is we aren't far removed from the
cruelty of the savage, and we betray that cruelty
most often in our treatment of those who are at
our mercy ? our prisoners, our mentally sick, and,
too often, the inmates of our county homes.
"Study for Cutting Budget is Begun", says a
headline.
If the studiers find out how to cut a budget,
there are a lot of us not connected with the gov
ernment who would like the secret.
? =
Some Thoughts On Brotherhood
(EDITOR'S NOTE: This article below was received
too late (or publication during Brotherhood Week. But
since brotherhood is a constant and universal need, Mr.
Wood's article would be timely amy week.)
Whether brotherhood is to be only an empty word, receiving
an indifferent oral recognition or a dynamic force for good,
in the affairs and relationships of man, depends largely upon
whether men will learn to resolve their petty differences by
applied reasoning, or whether they will emotionally enlarge
them into insurmountable obstacles. Differences of opinion
and personal preference among individuals are very real but
subordinate in value to many things we all have in common.
It Is interesting to note, in this connection, that: of the
2,200 millions of humans living on this earth, there have not
been found any two having exactly the same finger print pat
terns. Each one of these persons has a brain many thousands
of times more complex than their finger tips and thus capable
of Infinitely greater variations in pattern. Each of these in
dividuals Is constantly exposed to a countless variety of expe
riences, suggestions and impressions which influence or estab
lish tfte thought patterns that manifest themselves as mind.
That mind and opinions must, by the very nature of things,
have infinite variety seems obvious.
Would it be any more unreasonable to quarrel with our
neighbors about their finger print patterns than about their
mental patterns or their personal tastes or political and re
ligious opinions? Would it not be more rational to consider
how, through necessity and experience, each individual has
acquired a different thought pattern at varience with all
others In countless ways, but yet in harmony in so many ways
through the need for harmony. In reality, mankind has much
more in common than at divergence; his basic needs are the
same, his differences are in the realm of mind. "He fashioned
their hearts alike; he consldereth all their works." Pslm 33:15.
Mankind needs the harmony of the brotherhood of man now,
at the dawn of the atomic age, more than at any other time
In history.
In view of the natural and acquired differences of thought
patterns that keep mankind divided against itself, can we hope
to find somewhere a common denominator of values great
enough to outweigh our petty differences? Would it not help
if we would sincerely try to effect in our dally lives and be
havior the ideals imparted to us by the founders of the
Christian philosophy? If we truly take this teaching to heart,
we will find that we should all live as brothers. "Seeing he
glveth to all life and breath and all things, and hath made of
one blood all nations of men, for to dwell on all the face of
the earth." Acts 17:25.26. "The earth Is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof; the world and they that dwell therein." Psalm
24:1. "For we are labourers together with God. Ye are God's
husbandry, ye are God's building." Cor. 3:9. "He therefore
that desplseth, despiseth not man but God, who hath also
given unto us his Holy Spirit." Thes. 4:8. "Whosoever hateth
his brother is a murderer." 1 John 3:15. "Take heed that ye
despise not one of these little ones." Matt. 18:10. "Verily I say
unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done It unto one of the least
of these my brethren, ye have done It unto me". Matt. 25:40.
We should learn to accept our differences pleasantly. "For
as we have many members in one body and all members have
not the same office so we being many, are one body in Christ
and every one members one of another." Rom. 12:4,5. "Now
there are diversities of gifts but the same spirit. And there are
differences of administration but the same Lord. And there
are diversities of operations but it is the same God that work
eth all in all." Cor. 12:4,5,6. "One man esteemeth every day
alike, let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind."
Rom. 14:5. "Let us not therefore judge one another any more
but judge this rather that no man put a stumbling block or
any occasion to fall, in his brother's way." Rom. 14:13. "More
over if thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his
fault between thee and him alone." Matt. 18:15.
Thus we should be at peace with our fellowman for:
"If it be possible as much as lieth in you, live peaceably
with all men." Rom. 12: IS. "Let us therefore follow after the
things which make for peace and things wherewith one may
edify another." Rom. 14:19.
We are not lacking in know how; we lack only the will. The
way was pointed out for us almost two thousand years ago.
For finally over and above all else, we have the crowning com
mandments given to us through Luke 8:28,31, 35,36,37 and 38,
which are eternally right for all men everywhere.
A. S. WOOD
Cullasaja, N. C.
Others' Opinions
TWAS TOLD US
(Zebulon Record)
It was reported to us, although the reporter is noted for
prevarication, that a Wakelon first grade teacher read her
pupils some nursery rhymes last week. Then to find out wheth
er they had been paying attention, she asked them questions
concerning the rhymes.
"Why did the cow jump over the moon?" she inquired of an
overalled farm pupil.
He answered quickly: "Probably because the milker had cold
, hands."
OF SUCH IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
(Smithfield Herald)
Too much of any day's news is distressing. We read about
wars and rumors of' wars, deaths on the highway, atomic ex
plosions, diplomatic disgraces, thievery and bribery and cor
ruption, divorces and murders among the adults and deliquency
among the Juveniles. There ought to be a column of "Good
News."
We are glad to report that there is such a column. It ap
pears on the first page of the Saturday Review, an intelligent
weekly magazine which devotes most of its pages to reviews
of books and plays and movies and records but which is also
constantly vigilant about the State of the World. It more often
Views with Alarm than Points with Pride.
But under the title of "Good News" are such encouraging
events as these on the world horizon:
A campus-wide campaign at the University of Toronto has
provided gifts of books and special equipment for three uni
versities in India and Pakistan.
As a gesture of friendship, school children of Japan have
gathered 100,000 cherry tree seeds to be distributed to Amer
ican citizens which would like to have them for their parks
and schoolyards. \
Youngsters in East Poultney, Vt. ? and in our own Raleigh
for that matter ? added a new trick to their Hallowe'en "trick
or treat" by collecting children's clothing, money or other
articles for distribution overseas instead of their usual quota
of candy and fruit.
In Malone, N. eight prisoners volunteered to donate a pint
of blood each at a Red Cross clinic. When they returned to
Jail the sheriff cooked steak dinners for them? and the steaks
were donated by a market owner who offered a pound of
porterhouse to every blood donor in the community.
Such Instances of "the helping hand" are indeed good news
around the world. And such Instances of good will, wherever
they are found, will help to cement friendship between indi
viduals and between nations. Of such is the Kingdom of
Heaven.
News Making
As It Looks
To A Maconite
? ?y bob SLOAN
Carroll Angel, field represen
tative of the state's Highway
Bafety Division, had one or two
Inconsistencies In his talk two
weeks ago to the Franklin Ro
tary club. He belittled the pay
that bus drivers receive and yet
according to him bus drivers
make about $1.00 an hour for
their driving time. Also he
spoke somewhat slightingly of
the work of adult bus drivers.
Here in Macon county we are
extremely proud of the fine
safety record of our drivers
since we have never had a
fatality resulting from a bus
wreck. Also Mr. Angel would
have done well to make men
tion of the fact that in this
county we have extremely dif
ficult driving conditions.
Concerning the pay increase
the bus drivers are asking I
think that the public is entitled
to know two things also. If this
pay increase were put into ef
fect it would take 16 cents of
the tax levy to furnish the
amount Macon County supple
ments the sum tht state pays
the drivers. It would cost the
county $6840.00 in addition to
what we are now paying.
Macon County drivers now
receive $60.00 per month ? $20.00
from state funds and $40.00
from county funds. Swain coun
ty bus drivers receive $46.50 per
month ? $20 from state funds
and $26.50 from county funds.
Jackson county adult drivers
receive $46.50 per month? 420.00
from state funds and $26.50
from the county. Jackson coun
ty student drivers receive $40.
50 per month. They have 18
student drivers and 18 adult
drivers. The driving conditions
and working hours In these
counties do not vary a lot.
Perhaps the drivers need
more pay, but I think the pres
sure should be put on the state,
not the county, since we are
already far ahead of our neigh
bors In bus driver pay.
Two men that I think de
serve praise and thanks for
their stands on issues which
have recently confronted them
are Judge Francis L. Valentine,
of the New York General Ses
sions court and Representative
Clinton Kiser of the North Car
olina State legislature.
These two men stand out In
my mind because of their stands
on subjects which were very
far apart. But in their stand
they both showed the same
stuff ? moral courage.
Judge Valentine, when he
barred the press from the trial
of Jelke, dirty and sordid af
fair, did what he could to keep
our circulation hungry press
Continued On Page Throe?
Do You
Remember?
(Looking backward through
the files of The Press)
50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Falsehoods are like fleas ?
they are allowed to live because
it is too much trouble to chase
them down and kill them.
Mr. H. G. Trotter returned
from Clay County Thursday.
Scientists have discovered
deadly microbes in kisses, but
the brave lasses of Kentucky
are not afraid of so small a
thing as a microbe.
Mr. J. G. Siler went to Waynes
vlile Monday to spend a month
taking lessons in banking, as he
has been selected as cashier of
the new bank to be established
here.
26 YEARS AGO
If the people want to save
three or four thousand dollars
a year, make the sheriff a sal
aried officer.
Mrs. W. T. Moore is spending
this week with her uncle, Mr.
John Fulmer, at New Orleans,
attending the Mardl Gra-s.
Miss Margaret Cozad, who is
a student at Weaver College, re
turned to her studies Wednes
day after spending a few days
with her mother, Mrs. Henry
Cozad.
10 YEARS AGO
Mr. and Mrs. R. F. Bradley
left last Friday for Weavervllle
to make their home. Mr. Brad
ley, who has represented the
circulation department of the
Citizen-Times company in the
county for the past four years,
is accepting a similar position
in his new field.
Frank I. Murray, who la on
defense work at the Charles
ton Navy Yards, is visiting his
family this week.