Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / Aug. 11, 1955, edition 1 / Page 2
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5The $\tnnklitt Che MigManits JEatattnm Entered at Post Office, Franklin. N. C.. as second class matter Published every Thursday by The Franklin Press Franklin. N. C. Telephone 24 JONE8 . Editor BOB 8. SLOAN . Business Manager 1. P. BRADY News Editor MRS ALLEN SILER Society Editor and Office Manager CARL P. CABS Mechanical Superintendent FRANK A. 8TARRETTE Shop Superintendent DAVID H. SUTTON Stereotyper SUBSCRIPTION RATES OUT23S Macon County Iran Macon County OwTht. ... J ... . $3 00 One Year ? . *2.S0 ,th? I TS Six Month* . I TS 1.00 Month. .1.00 Three Months . AUGUST 11. 1955 Come, Now, Doctor! For saying nothing, and saying it at great length, we nominate for first prize a 1, 000-word letter from Dr. Richard E. McArdle, chief of the U. S. Forest Service, to Congressman George A. Shuford, about the Nantahala road. What appear to be the more pertinent passages of that letter are quoted elsewhere in this issue. In those passages Dr. McArdle makes the not verv startling discovery that Mr. Harry E. Buch anan is a member of the N\ C. Highway Commis sion ; expresses the hardly profound or original ex pectation that the Forest Service administrative organization be "adequately informed concerning the established procedures relating to the program ming and expenditure of forest highway funds" ; and implies, without much subtlety, that Mr. Buch anan doesn't know his way around ? the effort to pass the buck to Mr. Buchanan is about the only transparently clear thing in the entire letter. Come now. Dr. McArdle! Everybody else at all familiar with the situation knows what are the real questions at issue here. Surely you don't expect them to believe you alone are ignorant of them. The real questions are: 1. Did the Forest Service and the other agencies involved deliberately plan to build a road with a six-mile unbuilt link in its middle? 2. If not, wasn't there at least a verbal under standing it would be built with funds left over from the present construction ? (You say, yourself, more money is allocated for such projects than is expected to be needed.) 3. Were there not funds left over? 4. Have those funds been transferred elsewhere? 5. If so, why? We Wonder, Too At the April term of Superior Court here a de fendant was charged with drunk driving. Before the case came to trial, the warrant disappeared. The case was not tried. The same defendant appeared at the August term. Again he was charged with drunk driving, plus an added charge of reckless driving. Without putting on any evidence, the state allowed this de fendant to plead quilty to reckless driving. For this, he was fined $50 and the court costs. He kept his driver's license. The same defendant has been charged with the same serious offense, twice within a few months, and in neither case has he been tried on that charge. " People are wondering whv. i mM ??II ' ? What About Other 95? Because Hi> mother once was a Communist, the winner of the second highest honors in his class at the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy has been de nied a commission in the naval reserve. The loyalty of the boy, 21 -year old Eugene Lan dy, is not questioned; and his mother quit the Com munist party back in 1947. Nonetheless, the navy's taking no chances. But what about Landy's 95 classmates who were commissioned? Has the navy been sufficiently care ful about them ? Has the background and family of cach of them been investigated? Is the navy really sure that none of them has a distant cousin who once attended a left wing meeting? Has it determ ined beyond a shadow of a doubt that none of them has any German blood? the navy ought to know, because Germany produced Hitler and Nazism! Why, some of them may even be descended from Britishers! ? and wasn't Britain once our mortal enemy? 'There Go I' In his letter on this page, the Rev. J. David Bark ley suggests an opportunity for the practice of real Christianity. The situation recalls the old but al ways apt story of the bishop who, looking out of his study window one day, saw a man being drag ged off to the gallows. With the utter honesty and deep humility characteristic of the Christian, the bishop exclaimed : "There, but for the grace of God, go I ! Take-Off On A Take-Off Today's is a lunatic world. It is so crazy that even the faintest sign of sanity is as welcome as the sight of a sail to the shipwrecked. We hail as such a sign last week's third annual "Hillbilly Day" celebration in Highlands. For one of the surest symptoms of sanity is a sense of hu mor ; and humor, be it .remembered, varies even more in quality than in degree. Can you laugh at a situation? Good! Can you go a step farther and laugh at yourself? Excellent! Now, can you still go another step and. just for fun, exaggerate an uncomplimentary exaggeration about yourself that others have created for their own amusement? Perfect! That's something like what we have every year in Highlands. The fiction writers, and then Holly wood, and then the comics, have found relief from their own boredom by creating a ludicrous carica ture of the mountaineer. Ip Highlands, they carica ture the caricature ; create a take-off on a take-off ? on ourselves. It's a welcome sign! It might even be that the mountains will prove the starting point for an ever widening wave of returning sanity to the United States. Be that as it may, a lot of people got a lot of laughs ? just looking at themselves! ? in High lands last week . . . and that thar was just what them hillbillies was a-aimin' at. "Let's have another Centennial ... so they'll clean the town up again'', suggested the Man on the Street. What! wait a hundred years again? ? Letters All They Need Is A Chance Editor, The Press: A while back, you were kind enough to print a notice ask ing for the donation of a piano and hymnals for prison use. No one has yet responded, but I am still hopeful that some one will wish to give the means of entertainment and relaxa tion to the prisoners of our work camp. The camp is now undergoing a change. Youthful first of fenders are replacing felony prisoners. Look at these boys, watch their movements, and you will be struck by their re semblance to your own sons. Hard? Bitter? Cruel? Not any more so than the people walking the streets of Franklin. These are boys who have made a mistake and have been caught. In many cases you will find that phrase "have been caught" is all that separates them from other boys their age. I have watched several young men at the camp whose appearance and mannerisms would suggest they were college boys, given other than drab prison garments. Please do not condemn these people ? either the boys or the second and third offenders. NGiven proper guidance, al most all of them could be worthy members of society. In deed, some of the men have a much healthier outlook on life behind the bars of the ceilblock than do many who breathe free air. I, personally, would be proud to have many of these men as members of my church. I write these things in an effort to overcome the dis torted vision with which we view these people. We need to replace our condemnation with compassion, our loathing with love. When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ spoke of these men, it was not in hot words of contemptible pride. He blessed those who visited and ministered to prisoners with the^e words: "Insomuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye have done it unto me." I shall be most happy to hear from any person or group of persons who might want to give of their time, efforts, or possessions (anything from good magazines to Bibles to the piano and hymnals) to the well-being of our unfortunate brethren. REV. J. DAVID BARKLEY. Box 512 Franklin, North Carolina. In the love of God and man which transcend all races, colors, creeds, boundaries and curtains, and with a sense of brotherhood with all people whether across the narrow streets, across the hard tracks or across the wide seas, we would, in spite of ail illusions, frustrations and fears, pray with faith and work with patience in the long and difficult pilgrimage of the people for peace and freedom in the eternal adventure toward the Kingdom of God, "who made of one blood all the nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth." ? Dr. Frank P. Graham.. Others' Opinions Miss Beatrice Is Idiomatic (Southern Pines Pilot) Folklore Is one of the favorite subjects of Miss Beatrice Cobb, editor and publisher of The Morganton News-Herald, one of the best non-daily newspapers in the State. From "North Carolina Folklore," a volume compiled by the late Dr. Frank C. Brown of Duke University, she quotes the following sayings and proverbs which are attributed to Negro origin and circulation, some of which Miss Cobb thinks are "among the most striking and picturesque" in the folklore book: The bait is worth more than the fish. Barking saves biting. He hung his basket higher than he could reach. Scraping on the meal bin is mighty poor music. A new broom sweeps clean but an old brush knows the corners. Like a bug arguing with a chicken. Get the candles lighted before you blow out the match. Like a crab ? all stomach and no head. She cares no more for him than a crow cares for Sunday. The dinner bell's always in tune for a hungry man. Any dog knows better than to chew a razor. "Don't Care" keeps a big house. Two ears don't mean you hear twice. Faith dares; Love bears. Fine feathers are lifted when the wind blows. You can hide the fire, but what about the smoke? Better make friends when you don't need them. A bull frog knows more about the rain than the Almanac. Good-bye is not gone. You never know the length of a snake until he is dead. Before marriage keep both eyes open, after, shut one. Set a cracked plate down softly. An empty pot never boils. (The more familiar is "A watched pot never boils."* The rain doesn't know broadcloth from jeans. A good rooster crows in any hen house. Never bet on 'taters 'tore grabbling time. Looking for work and praying not to find it. STRICTLY PERSONAL By WEIMAR JONES Topics discussed, at a confer ence of weekly newspaper editors I attended recently at Carbondale, 111., ranged from the rural church to the next depression, from agri culture to U. S. military strategy and weapons. The most interesting session, though, dealt with atomic radia tipn. It was more than just inter esting; it left you with goose bumps. , The speaker was Dr. Carl C. Lindegren, geneticist, who is head of the biological research labora tory of Southern Illinois Univer sity, where our meeting was held. Dr. Lindegren is said to be a world authority on yeast, a medi um he uses in research projects for the American Cancer Society, the Atomic Energy Commission, and U. S. health agencies. Incidentally, when I went to my dictionary, I learned a geneticist is just what the word suggests, one who deals with beginnings, especially with genes, the elements which determine the character istics of individuals. Dr. Lindegren made the flat statement that most geneticists agree that some 40,000 persons in the United States will die as a result of atomic blasts already set off; an average of 2,000 a year for 20 years. Asked why the Atomic Energy Commission hasn't tola the people of this country about the dangers from these blasts, he said he pre sumed the A EC was taking a "cal culated risk"; that it felt atomic knowledge is so necessary for U. S. defense, it was withholding the truth so the people would per mit continued experiments. He added that presumably the AEC considered the 40,000 as expen dables" in the cold war. The speaker went on to say that 2,000 deaths a year, in a population as large as that of the United States, statistically, is hardly noticeable. Dr. Lindegren cited as an evi dence that the AEC Is being less than honest with the American people its assertion that the danger from atomic fall-out is no greater than the radiation from other sources. He said that state ment is misleading, since there is danger in any radiation. As an illustration, he quoted figures on the high rate of cancer, especial ly leukemia (cancer of the blood), among X-ray workers; in recent years, he said, they have learned to protect themselves. I found myself not only aghast at all this, but rather skeptical. Then I remembered having read an article, by the Alsop brothers, as X recall, quoting leading genetic ists as saying substantially the same thing. The discussion brought out that vast numbers of people in the West are dependent for water on open cisterns; perfect collection places for fall-out, it was suggest ed. Dr. Lindegren, also discussed the genetical dangers of radiation. He pointed out that sufficient radia tion will cause genetical "dis eases" that are incurable and are transmissible to posterity. A gen etical '"disease", he explained, is some mutation from the norma! that fits man for his environment. He added that such mutations usually take 40 generations to disappear. Asked about possible danger from creation of atomic energy for peacetime uses, the speaker pointed out that there is always a residue of material that is ter ribly dangerous, and that the problem has been how to dispose of it. It was brought out that the present method is to immerse it in chemicals, then put it in the center of a great concrete block, and drop the block at a very deep point in the ocean. Throughout all the discussions, of the various topics brought up at the conference, I could not help being struck with the scientists' indifference to the fate of the in dividual. Always results were "statistically" important or unim portant. And that attitude came up again in the discussion of radi ation. Dr. Lendegren said he under stood there still is a problem of getting the residue from an atomic pile to and into the ocean; that he had heard some people had been killed by radiation in the moving process. A young M. D. who was present, and who was said to have special ized in radiation sickness, replied that "only a few" had died; the number, he reassured his hearers, was "statistically unimportant". News Making As It Looks To A Maconite ? By BOB SLOAJf There are three things which Macon County needs more than others, I think. First, we need a produce mark et. I mean a big market that at* tracts big buyers and that is equip pea to handle and process J large quantities of produce. Each year our farmers have to ] take large losses on their pro duce because we don't have the buyers. By the time they haul a pickup truck load of Sloan cabbage to Atlanta, a large part of their profit is gone. Big buyers don't come here be cause the produce is not gathered together at one point and it is not graded or processed properly. I believe that a well operated market in time could mean as much, or more, to the county as i another industrial pay roll. Do you think the people of the coun ty would be willing to raise twen ty-five or thirty thousand dollars to set one up. advertise it, and get it going? Second, we need recreation for our tourists. If we had a good modern swimming pool and other first rate recreational facilities, the tourist who Just stops for the night might be induced to spend several days here. Do you think the town could be persuaded to spend the necessary money to give us a good swimming pool? The third thing is a willing ness to work together for the coun ty as a whole. I think this spirit has grown more in the past year than in the preceeding ten. We have got to forget about Frank lin, Highlands, or Cowee as sepa rate places and work for the county as a whole. When we here in Franklin have a chance to help on a project out at Otto, go ahead. It behooves us to remember that without Otto and all the other communities in the county, Frank lin would really have a hard time. Do You Remember? (Looking backward through the files of The Press) 50 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK Capt. W. P Moore and daugh ter, Addie, of Clay County, were visiting relatives here the latter part of last week Paul B. Robinson, who is study ing pharmacy in Philadelphia, was here to attend the Siler fam ily meeting last week and will re main a month. Messrs. A. B. Hamlin and H. Q. Tallent, of South Carolina, were here Monday and Tuesday on a horse trading tour. 25 YEARS AGO Mr. Joe Ashear is now grading for a new business building, to be erected on Main Street just west of Perry's Drug Store. The new structure will be one story in height, but so constructed that other stories may be built when necessity demands. Mrs. Jim Moore, of Florida, came in the past week to see her father. Mr. John T. Berry. The Ycuri!} People's Christian Union, which was formed recent ly. met at the Presbyterian Church Sunday evening. A very interest ing program had been prepared by Miss Elizabeth McCarty, and those talcing part in it delivered very interesting talks. ? High lands item. 10 YEARS AGO Miss Lucille Grant, who is era ployed at Kannapolis, is spending her vacation with her parents, the Rev. and Mrs. D. P. Grant, at their home near Panorama Court. Nimrod Stiles, of Haines City, Fla., is spending his vacation in Franklin with his sister, Mrs. Mar ietta Cooper, and Mr. Cooper, at their home on West Main Street, and other relatives in Franklin. Mrs. Harry R. Wright and young son, Anthony, of Waldron, Ark., have arrived for an extend ed visit with Mrs. Wright's moth er, Mrs. Helen Wilson, and other Highlands relatives. ? Highland; item.
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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