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Entered at fnt Office. Franklin. N. C . m eeonnil dan milta
Published every Thursday by Tha Franklin FM
K.C.
J P BXJLDT News Editor
mas ?in LOO FOOTS omoe Manacer
I F. CABS Machanlcal Superintend en I
H. SUTTON . . Stweotypar
C8 E WHITT1NOTON Pieeanun
SUBSCRIPTION BATES
I lfaco* Couwtt ' Iim Macon Coohtt
$3.00 One Tear P?
8U Months 1.73 Six Man the 1.71
Three lion the 1J0 Three liontha 1.00
DECEMBER. 1$, 1953
Step On It!
Now the State Highway Patrol is taking a poke
at the slow poke.
No longer will patrolmen devote their efforts to
seeing to it that drivers stay within the 55-mile
speed limit ; they also will see that no driver loiters
along at 20 miles per hour. (Wonder ^rhat they're
going to do about the big trucks going up a hill.)
No longer will it be possible (without a repri
mand or a fine) to drive slowly along a Western
North Carolina highway, of a Sunday afternoon,
and enjoy the view. No, indeed ! You and I have no
right to get in the way of the fellow who wants to
go lickety-split, 55 m. p. h., to get ? nowhere in par
ticular!
Well, maybe the patrol knows what it is doing.
Maybe this speeding up traffic makes sense.
Maybe. But we'd always understood that the
chief cause of accidents was speed ? not lack of it.
And it occurs to us to wonder if the automobile
death toll still isn't high enough to warrant the
patrol's giving it's entire attention the that chief
cause of slaughter on the highways ? the speeder.
What Shall It Profit?
What about the people who say it is better to let
nine Communists ? or even 99 Communists ? escape
than to convict one honest man? Are all those peo
ple Reds?
And what about the people who say of Senator
Joseph R. McCarthy, "maybe his methods are
wrong, but . . ."? Are all those people Fascists?
It unfortunately is true that many persons in this
country would answer one or the other of those
questions with an unqualified "yes".
That readiness to damn a whole group illustrates
the vast confusion among Americans today about
two of the major .problems of this period.
The first problem is how to protect the Amer
ican government and what we call the American
way of life from Communist conspirators.
The second is how to protect fundamental Amer
ican freedoms from those who would sacrifice them
on the altar of anti-Communism.
A part of the confusion grows out of the ten
dency to assume that, because the two problems are
related, they are one and the same : whereas they
are distinct and different.
What probably has confused a far larger number
is the somewhat hysterical assumption that one of
the two problems is so important the other doesn't
matter.
That viewpoint is illustrated bv some of those
who have invoked the Fifth Amendment to the
Constitution to avoid testifying before Congres
sional committees: for undoubted! v some of those
who have refused to testify were honest, patriotic
Americans ? so patriotic thev were willing to sacri
fice their reputations in order to protest against
what they considered an invasion of the right of
free thought and free speech. People at that ex
treme are so ready to underrate the spy danger
they are quite likely to say there is no such thing
as a spy ? a dangerous assumption for any nation.
On the other hand, many of those who defend
Senator McCarthy undoubtedly are equally honest
and. patriotic. In their case, the fear of Communists
has become such an obsession thev have accepted,
consciously or unconsciously, the McCarthy philo
sophy that a good end justifies any means ? an as
sumption that is fatal to freedom, as well as to
morals.
What both groups fail o? refuse to see is that
there are two problems, not one; that they are
equally important ; and that the right solution of
one will be fruitless unless at the same time we
find the ripht solution of the other.
For what shall it profit America if we save the
legal shell of our constitutional freedoms but be
come a satellite of Soviet Russia? It is not the
guarantees of freedoms, but the freedoms them
selves, that count.
Conversely, what shall we have gained if we win
the contest with Russia but sacrifice our freedoms
to do it? A dictatorship is a dictatorship, and what
name it goes under is of little consequence.
And if the Harry Dexter White case and the long
series of similar incidents have proved anything,
they have proved that the right solution will come
from neither extreme; that if either should gain
control, it would solve one problem at the expense
of the other. '
I
Yet to stay free ? of domination either by Rus
sia, on the one hand, or by a totalitarian govern
ment that is American in name only, on the other ?
we must find the right solutions of BOTH prob
lems.
Who will find those solutions? There is consid
erable evidence they will not come out of official
Washington, Democrat or Republican.
In the final analysis, th? answers probably de
pend on the courage and the good sense of average
Americans ? or people like you and me.
i
We Wonder
A new automobile financial responsibility law,
which will ^effect every motor vehicle owner in Ma
con and the state's other 99 counties, will go into
effect January 1. (See "Free, at the Gas Station",
on this page.)
The law is being hailed by newspapers over the
state as a big step forward. It is argued, quite log
ically, that it is not right to permit a person to
drive an automobile who hasn't first made provis
ion, either through his own financial resources or
through insurance, for paying for the lives he may
take or the damage he may cause, as a result of an
accident.
But is the new law right? We wonder.
First of all, there is the question of whether, in
an age when a motor vehicle often is a necessity in
earning a living, it is right for the State to force
every driver, regardless of his income, to carry
heavy liability insurance ? perhaps the most expen
sive of all insurance. Is not .such a law discrimina
tory? Does it not say, to all intents and purposes,
that the driver who can afford liability insurance
may drive, but that the man who cannot may not
drive? What about the small trucker who is barely
earning a living now?
Second, we question the moral right of the. State
of North Carolina, or any other governing body, to
demand of its citizens that they buy a given com
modity from private business, paying thereon a
profit ? for of course private business is and must
be operated for profit.
Would it not be as reasonable for the State to
require every citizen to be able, either through per
sonal financial resources or insurance, to meet the
costs of possible illness ? so he would not become a
public charge?
Automobile financial responsibility .is needed, as
a matter of justice. But if the State is going to re
quire liability insurance ? and the law's alternative
is a purely technical one? then the State should it
self set up the machinery for such insurance and
provide the insurance at actual cost.
Others' Opinions
WHO'S DELINQUENT?
(Matton, 111., Journal Gazette)
?> . v
Sudden thought: Perhaps there was far less juvenile delin
quency in the good old days because our forefathers had better
parents than the present younger generation has.
DRY WIT
(Fort Myers, Fla., News-Press)
There had been a long dry spell and two cowboys were dis
cussing the lack of grass.
e
"Just how bad are things over at your ranch?" asked one.
"Pretty tough," replied the other. "Why, our cattle are so
thin that by using carbon paper, we can brand 'em two at a
time."
THE ALTERNATIVE
(Morganton News-Herald)
This question from a reader:
"You suggest that Morganton's approach to the sewage treat
ment system problem should be a positive one, and yet you
imply that there is an element of compulsion. What if the
city should fail to provide the sanitary facilities? What then?"
We don't know, but it would be our prediction that there
would be strained relations with neighboring towns, possibly
lav suit* In which Morgan ton would be In ?b indefensible
position, and a guilty conscience for not having done what
should have been done loog ago.
We doot know any other town of comparable aiae which
does not have a sewage treatment system or which has tried
to* "get by" as Morganton has.
FREE, AT THE GAS STATION
(Charlotte News)
Tour car may be winterised, but that is not sufficient prepa
ration to operate It in North Carolina after next month
Between now and the end of the month every Tar Hael car
owner and driver ought to do two things.
1. Get a copy of the booklet on the Motor vehicle Respon
sibility Law, which goes into effect January 1, from a filling
station.
2. Check to be sure that you carry enough Liability insurance
on your car to cover claims up to $11,000.
The reason for ?the first step is that {his booklet tells what
you must do, and heretofore did not have to do, if you are
involved in an auto accident.
The reason for the second step is that if you are in an acci
dent, and do not carry liability Insurance, you may end up
with no driver's license and a big debt.
Furthermore if, after January 1 someone driving your unin
sured car gets involved in an accident, both of you may find
yourselves without driving privileges.
If you .are the operator of a car involved in an accident in
which someone was killed or injured, or there was total prop
erty damage to an apparent extent of $100, you will have to
do the following:
1. Immediately report the accident to a policeman, patrol
man or sheriff.
#
2. Within 24 hours make a written report on the Department
of Motor Vehicles form that you can obtain ftom a policeman,
patrolman or sheriff.
The operator of every car involved in the accident, whether
or not he was responsible for the accident, must make these
two reports. If a claim results from the accident, and your
liability Insurance Is in order, your worries are over, as far
as this law is concerned. If, however, you dont carry Insur
ance, you may have to post security requirements, which could
be as high as $11,000, within 60 days? else lose your driver's
license. Of course you wont have to raise that money If other
parties In the accident, or the courts, obsolve you from liabil
ity.
This law is an important part of North Carolina's highway
safety program. It Is much better than the law it will replace,.
Motor Vehicles Commissioner Ed Scheldt, who explained the
law over the radio last night, and the petroleum distributors
and gasoline station operators who are passing out the book
lets, are all co-operating nicely to help you, the motorists learn
about this law.
TBUCE
The soldier rests, his rifle cools?
The soldier knows that men are fools.
The war that ended Just last night
Did not prove what's wrong or right.
The soldier rests and now at last
He prays the clouds of blood have passed . . .
He sits upon the pock-marked son
Hoping never to repeat this toll.
Somehow he knows across the way
That his enemy feels the same this day.
PVT. DAVID W. SHIELDS
2nd Regiment,
351st Infantry.
STRICTLY
PERSONAL
By WEIMAR JONES
CHAPEL HILL.? They went In
for culture, over Raleigh way
last week, three or four days
of it.
There were meetings of the
N. C. State Art Society, the N.
C. Society of County and Local
Historians, the N. C. Literary
and Historical Association, and
the N. C. Society for the Pres
ervation of Antiquities..
A youthful wag, noting the
preponderance of elderly women
at the meeting of the latter
group, wisecracked that "all the
antiquities were there".
There is a lot of good natured
joking, too, about all this con
centration of culture, within a
period of less than a week, with
frequent comments about it's
being culture spelled with a
capital C.
There is general recognition,
however, that these organiza
tions, through presentation of
awards and otherwise, have
done much to help North Caro
lina lift itself by its own boot
straps in the fields of art, his
tory, literature, etc.
Thanks to an invitation from
Walter Spearman, University
journalism professor, to go along
with him, I had the opportun
ity to attend the final session
of the Literary and Historical
group. Then, after the program
proper, I followed him to the
reception. I must confess this
was against my better judg
ment and my inclination. That's
true for. two .reasons: I've al
ways found, at a reception, I
had at least three hands that
I didn't know what to do tfith;
and I've always been convinced
that the person who first
thought up the idea of a re
ception was looking for a way
to punish a lot of enemies, all
at the same time.
Mr. Spearman, however, is a
book reviewer as well as journ
alism teacher; he had read and
reviewed many of the books
entered a in the competitions;
and I found he knew personal
ly most of the celebrites pres
ent. Thus I got a personal in
troduction to some of them, in
cluding the three winners ? Mrs.
Inglis Fletcher, author of a se
ries of historical novels laid In
North Carolina; Mrs. Frances
Gray Patton, short story writer;
and Legette Blythe (whom I
had known years ago when we
were both on The Charlotte Ob
server). It was his book, "Mir
acle of the Hills", on Dr. Mary
Martin Sloop, of Crosnore, that
won the award for him.
And do you know what? They
are the simplest, plainest folks
you can imagine! As we used
to say, in the old days in Macon
County, about people who
weren't "stuck up", they were
"plumb common".
CMtlBMd On rapTht
News Making
As It Looks
To A M&conite
In the Republican party the
hour of decision has arrived.
Members of that party n am
have to decide whether they
will follow the leadership of the
President or the man who
would to president In IBM ? ?
Senator McCarthy. No rnittm
how vigorously Jolting Joe may I
deny that be is at odds with
the president his attacks on our >
foreign policy are a direct af
frontal to the President. Mem
ten of the party now In power
can decide whether they want
to support the qaan, Dwlght Eis
enhower, who restored the Re
publican party to power, or the
demagogue McCarthy. If they
are concerned about the threat
of communists in our govern
ment somehow I cant help but
feel that they would rather in
trust the Job of their removal
to Baenbower than to a man
whose methods leave little to be
desired over the methods prac
ticed by the communists them
selves.
In North Carolina, as in moat
other states, we have a body
called the Public Utilities Com
mission. This Is a very neces
sary body. Because of the very
nature of their organization It
Is necessary that utilities be
given the franchise for their
particular type of business In a
given territory. Equally so It Is
necessary that there be a gov
erning regulatory body. This
body is the Public Utilities
Commission. In short its func
tion Is to see that the public is
well served and charged fairly
for this service. Here In Macon
County we are served by three
different types of utilities? The
Nantahala Power and Light
Company, The Western Carolina
Telephone Company, and The
Smoky Mountain Trail ways.
With the first two organisations
we have no quarrel as to serv
ice, and would like to take this
opportunity to say that we do
not believe any electric com
pany in North Carolina gives
better service to its area than
the Nantahala Power and tight
Company. The service offered
by thu telephone is
certainly satisfactory, though
the rate seems a little high.
But we wonder if the Utilities
Commission even realises it
should govern the practices of
bus companies. We say this par
ticularly In regard to the serv
ice they furnish. If you happen
to want to catch a bus out of
Franklin Sunday evening you
sure are in bad luck if its rain
ing. (Ni yes, the bus will run
after while but there Is no bus
station open for you to wait
Continued On Pago Five?
Do You
Remember?
(Lacking backward thraugb
the fltae ef The Press!
50 TEARS AGO THIS WEEK
Miss Nina Porter and her lit
tle nephew, Robert Crawford,
came over from Ashevllle Fri
day to spend a few days with
relatives.
Messrs. Curtis Cunningham
and Jesa Jacobs last Friday -
bought out the livery business
of T. B. Shepherd. Tom is now
like a fish out of water, but he
will soon flounder back.
It is dry hereabouts. Many of
the springs and branches are
dry; rains have been Infrequent
and of short duration since
summer. This is unusual. (High
lands).
25 YEARS AGO
According to an announce
ment made here, T. W. Angel,
of Franklin, has sold his bus
line to the Independent Bus
Line of Asheville.
Though the roads were in bad
condition due to two days
steady rain, about 100 rural
families were represented at the
courthouse last Saturday for
the one-day farm school, the
first of its kind In the history
of the county.
The 30-foot lookout tower on
Wayah Bald has been complet
ed by Ranger Z. B. Byrd. This
tower Is well anchored by
strong cables and is perfectly
safe. The public is invited to
make use of the tower in ex
tended views of the country.
10 YEARS AGO
There have been no forest
fires in Macon County for the
past few months, according to
E. A. Schilling, supervisor of the
Nantahaia National Forest.
Sheriff Charles T. McCrack
en, of Soda Springs, Idaho, Is
visiting his father-in-law, R. L.
Scott, and hla brother, Wayne
McCracken, of Route 4.