Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / July 8, 1960, edition 1 / Page 2
Part of The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.) / About this page
This page has errors
The date, title, or page description is wrong
This page has harmful content
This page contains sensitive or offensive material
m ffenMiii vm and ?Itp Higljlanfifi JRawman WEIMAR JOJVES Editorial Page Editor 1WUR8DAY, JULY S, I960 HE VOTED NO One With Courage Congress last week voted to override a Presi dential veto and give substantial pay raises to \/i million federal employees, including postal workers, Now it limy he that these federal employees were underpaid. It may even be that they were entitled -4o the individual increases ranging from $350 to $1,000 a year Congress gave them. But it's a good guess that it wasn't need, but votes, that Congress had in mind. It's a good guess the legislators were so impress ed by the importance of the millions of votes these employees and their families cast that the men who are supposed to represent you and me forgot the millions of dollars of the people's money they were spending. In an election year, under pressure from so well organized a pressure group, it takes a bit of in testinal fortitude to say no. Most members of Congress just didn't have that kind of courage. North Carolina can take pride that it had one man in Congress who had .such fortitude. Senator Sam J. Ervin, Jr., was the lone Tar Heel to vote against the pay raises. 'Ignore The Creed' The Connecticut Supreme Court has approved use of tax-supported school buses to transport children to Roman Catholic parochial schools. Such a use of public .property, says the court, does not violate the doctrine of separation of church and state. In justifying its ruling, the court $ays the State of Connecticut should "ignore the child's creed but not its need". On its face, that seems reasonable; after all, the needs of children should be met. Surely, too, the court would follow common sense and say that the more important needs should be the ones first met. Well, what do children need more than religious training? Isn't that, in fact, a basic need of every child? Yet it is a need that often is unmet. It is, for the reason that the churches lack the money to meet it. * If we are to "ignore the child's creed but not its need", is there any valid reason why we should not provide tax money to help the -churches ? the one agency that can meet this basic need ? to meet it? If the Connecticut Supreme Court is as logical and consistent as we assume it to be, it should be the first to say- it is legally right and proper to use tax money for church support. Under Our Noses Nearly all of us ? ? teachers, doctors, lawyers, newspapermen, and all the rest ? usually can .see everything hut what is right under our noses. What is obvious we're likely to go through life never seeing. That is interestingly illustrated in the teach ing of foreign languages in the schools. When does a child naturally and easily( learn his own language? When he is quite small, of course. Isn't it reasonable to believe, then, that he'd most easily learn a foreign language when he is young? Yet in America we've always postponed the teaching of foreign languages to high school or college. We've clone it, despite^ the fact the Euro peans know that foreign languages should be learn ed early in life ? and are guided by that knowl edge in the way they conduct their schools. Because it was the obvious thing to do, the folk who prepare our school, curriculums, like all. the rest of us, never seem to have thought of putting for eign languages in the lower grades; or, it they thought of it, never got around to doing anything about it. Now they're teaching Spanish to fourth graders at Western Carolina College. It's working out fine, of course ; the nine-year-olds learn it quickly and easily. Let's hope the public schools will take the hint. In these days when foreign languages are so im portant, we should do the obvious without further delay. TRAFFIC HAZARD ? The caution traffic light, recently installed in front of the courthouse in place of the former stop-go light, is designed to speed traffic, and it may be it accomplishes that purpose. The new system, though, plus the parking of police cars at the curb in front of the court house, creates a serious traffic hazard. Under the new system, the motorist must decide for himself when he must stop, and when it is safe to go. Trouble is, motorists coming into Main Street out of Iotla (on the west side of the courthouse) have their line <A vision u'own Main Street blocked by the parked cars. They can't tell whether there's a stream of cars coming up Main until they're out in the street ? right in front of the oncoming traffic. Can't Buy Happiness (Postage Stamp) Money can't buy happiness. A man with six million dollars is no happier than one with five million. Took Their Chances (Mountain States T&R Monitor i The good old days were when the police didn't hide at the side of a busy road, but took their chances in traffic .like everybody else. Compensation (Windsor, Colo., Beacon) As wage-earners continue to crowd into the metropolitan areas, life In small towns grows Increasingly tetter by com parison. Our streets and schools aren't crowded, there are never any muggings of dcoent people on the streets, and no outbreaks of teenage thugs running wild. So, though nearly all the big money is in the metropolitan areas, the better life is becoming more and more restricted to the rural areas. Boxing And Rackets (Joseph C. J ah n in Suffolk County, N. Y. News) Jake La Motta, the former world middleweight boxing champion, confessed to a Senate Investigating committee last week that he had thrown a fight In 1947 In a deal which guaranteed him a crack at the title. Hie committee also re ceived information that the ex-pug had recently been threat ened by gangsters If he admitted the fix. Included In the same news story describing his testimony was the report lhat Billy Pox, the fighter who "won" the fixed fight, is now a patient at Kings Park State Hospital be cause of a mental condition brought on by repeated blows to the head. These are Just two recent developments which cry out for an end to a vicious racket, which passes as a sport. Boxing should be outlawed In this state, for even the honest fighter who somehow escapes gangster rule ? possibly because he Isn't a big enough gate attraction ? Is risking death or seri ous Injury every time he steps Into the ring. It should be outlawed on an amateur level, too, for what this activity does Is train young boys for the professional ring. A clean-cut youngster who Is handy with his fists is not likely to remain clean-cut after associating with the low grade morons who run the professional fights for top mobsters. Amateur boxing is to the pro game what marijuana is to heroin for the drug addict, and Just about as healthy. Schools that include boxing In their sports program should take a second look at what they are doing. Are they teach ing boys the manly art of self defense or an energy outlet for hoodlums? Do they advise the boys of the evils of fight ing for a living? That one blow to the head can bring in sanity or death, and a smash to the stomach a ruptured spleen or liver? The mobsters who rule professional boxing claim they have the power to handle politicians who dare to suggest that their racket be outlawed. Perhaps they have. DO YOU REMEMBER? Looking Backward Through the Files of The Prca 65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1895) County Commissioners' court was in session Monday. Banjo pickers are quite common on our streets these days. Mr. Lyman Deal now manipulates the yard stick In R. L Porter's store. W. F. Burns, the stone-cutter, has placed one of his nice fireplaces in Mr. J. Johnston's dwelling. John Vanhook, colored, brought to our office last Friday stalks of wheat that measured five feet, ten inches, and rye stalks seven feet, nine Inches long. They were raised by his father, Baz. Vanhook, on his own place, near Col. John Ing ram's. No fertilizer was used. 35 YEARS AGO (IMS) The General Mica and Clay Company, operating a kaolin and mica mine at Iotla Bridge, is enlarging its plant so as to triple Its present capacity. 15 YEARS AGO (1945) At a meeting of the local American Legion post Saturday night, Lon Dalton was reelected post commander. Other of ficers were elected as follows: W. R. Waldroop, 1st vice com mander; Adolph Zoellner, 2nd vice commander; Miss Lassie Kelly, adjutant and finance officer; A. R. Higdon, service officer; John Johnson, assistant service officer; J. D. Thomas, sergeant-at-arms; the Rev. R. V. McCubbins, chairman; and Frank I. Murray, historian. 5 YpARS AGO (1KU) i Sfc. S. J. Waters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Sam J. Waters, of 1 Nantahala, recently was decorated with the Bronze Star Medal 1 for meritorious service Against an armed enemy in Korea. I PERSONNEL CHANGES SURE What's Ahead For Sanford? Troubles May Come From Friends Now ? . ? . i ' ? (EDITORS NOTE: Mr. Nis bet, Raleigh correspondent for many North Carolina afternoon newspapers, is a veteran observer of Tar Heel politics and state government. ) After the first exultant reaction to victory, many supporters of Terry Sanford In the recent pri maries are waking up to sobering realization of the responsibilities involved. The first fact that con fronts them is the difference be tween campaign promises and necessity for official performance. Careful analysis of the pre-pri mary promises shows that San ford's position was exaggerated by both his supporters and op ponents. He did not go as far as he was charged ? or credited ? with going. For that reason the new Gov ernor may have more trouble with his friends than with his primary foes in effectuating his program during the next four years. Another significant fact is that while Terry Sanford got more primary votes for Governor than any other man ever did, except Luther Hodges in 1956 when there was no semblance of contest, more votes were cast against him than against any winning canddlate in history. Beverly Lake's 275.000 votes exceeded by more than 5,000 all the votes cast against William Umstead In 1952. and by more than 210,000 all the votes cast against Luther Hodges in 1956. The impressive margin of 78,000 loses prestige in face of the fact that 44 out of every 100 voters said they wanted the other man for Governor. "The essence of democracy is majority rule," said a prominent business man and original San ford supporter. "But there Is little real democracy in ignoring the wishes of 44 per cent of the citizenry." He added that an elec tion in which a switch of six per cent of the votes would have changed the result can hardly be regarded a mandate for ruthless ness. There are certain to be many Changes in high bracket appointed i personnel. Selection of his aides < will be one of the new chief 1 executive's toughest problems. It Is essential for efficient operation that the policy-making officers be of like mind with the Governor on basic principles ? but not mere "yes" men. It is just as im portant that specialists and tech nician be obtained to administer policy, not to make it. Primary obligation of both groups is to the State of North Carolina, not to the man who appointed them. North Carolina has the same system of checks and balances in government that is basic in the United States Constitution ? dis tinct separation of legislative, ex ecutive and Judicial departments. We have here additional check 011 executive autocracy, in that mem bers of the Council of State, and the Attorney General as legal ad visor. are elected by all the people So are judges of the supreme and superior courts. Past attempts to change this process and make many of these positions ap pointive have failed. On matter of government or ganization the legislators gener ally have complied with requests )f the executive. Offices have been egislated out of existence and new ? offices created at almost every session of the General Assembly In 40 years. The fact that incum bent officials and board members may have been named to six or eight year terms affords no as surance they will retain their jobs. The job itself might not be there After the 1961 Legislature ad journs. The only appointive positions that cannot be subjected to execu tive or legislative interference are ten places on the State Board of Education. Their status is fixed by the constitution. Whether or not Oovernor-nomi nate Sanford has made specific promises of job appointments, h'e certainly has incurred obligations which cannot be honorably ig nored. The trouble is he has more obligations than opportunities for fulfillment. He Is acutely conscious of the fact that his first obliga tion is to all the people of North Carolina, not to those who voted for him. . The relatively few "big Jobs," such as directors of administra- j tlon. conservation and develop- i ment. highways, prisons, revenue. | and others, are not apt to bother 1 By L YNN NISBET a great deal. Chances are the new Governor already knows who he wants on these posts, and that they will accept the appointments. Of course, he will be subjected to pressure to change his mind. The late Governor Cherry used to say he could always find a "patriot" willing to accept a State salary. He and other governors have experienced difficulty in Retting the men whom they wanted for certain posts to take the appointments. That is par ticularly true of the administra tive positions which do not carry popular prestige, and of board and commission assignment. Common attitude toward these places Is much like that of the army private who declined pro motion. 'In any rank between buck private and major general." he said, "the work and responsi bility Is out of proportion to the honor and the pay." Many people think' of the Governor's appointing power as a happy privilege. Actually, the selection of competent officials ind getting their consent to serve Is one of the toughest phases of ,he chief executive's duties. * I STRICTLY [ PERSONAL By WEIMAR JONES Generally speaking, the value of the recent series of evangelistic services at Friendship Tabernacle Is a wholly unknown quantity. For often, when a person's mind [ and spirit are stirred, it Is known to him alone. And who can measure the effect of such a stirring! Furthermore, the effect is not necessarily Immediately ap parent; a single remark, some times, lights a fire in the heart of a potential Lincoln or Edison or Dwihgt Moody ? but the result of igniting the spark may not be recognized till 20, 30, or even 40 years later. Two things about the series can be gauged somewhat. The first is the interest, reflected in the heavy attendance. The second is the cali bre of the speakers; rarely has a small community attracted so many outstanding speakers in so short a time. Had anybody suggested a year ago, that such a group of speakers could be brought to Franklin in a single ten-day period, he would have been laughed at. Which goes to show you never know what can be done till you try. Credit for the success of those party of the program that are measurable goes to many people, of course. This community is in the debt of General Chairman Bob Sloan and all those who work ed with him. It may be, as many people think, that our climate is chang ing. It may be. as some say, that our winters are not as cold as they once were ? though this group has been rather silent since last winter's goings-on. It may be, as others say, that our summers are not as hot as they once were. It may be we have less rain than we once did ? and the folks who argue that can cite the relative rarity, nowadays, of the once fre quent "freshets" that covered every foot of ground in the Little Tennessee valley, except for the Indian Mound. (Reforestation, rather than less rain, however, is the more likely explanation of I that) But one thins has not changed. We have the same electrical storms, following hot afternoons in summer, that we had during the childhood of the oldest resi dents. Certainly, we've had a num ber of them already this season. To me. these electrical storms >' are one of the best things about our summers here in the moun tains. For one thing, they have a practical value. In many places, a storm and rain in summer leave the air as hot as ever, but make it seem even hotter, be cause now it is steamy, too. That rarely' is true here. After the lightning and thunder and the rain, the air is washed clean; it has a clean smell in the nostrils. And usually it is refresh ingly cool. It is a coolness that makes a blanket feel good, as you slip off to sleep, come bedtime, and that lasts until morning. f But a summer afternoon storm has another, less practical appeal. It is a magnificent spectacle. The sky grows dark, but here and there a mountain peak sticks out, its normal blue changed to a dark gray. Suddenly, it is illuminated as though by a flood light. as the lightning flashes. Then, delayed, comes the sharp crack of the thunder, while, from time to time, it rumbles .slowly, off in the far distance. Alter a pyrotechnic display that may last a few seconds or an hour or two, comes the rain; sometimes eently, piore often in a downpour. And the temperature drops quick ly; It's as though the seasons had suddenly changed. Sometimes the lightning and thunder continue with the rain; sometimes they halt with almost the first drop. And sometimes the rain falls for only a few minutes, other times it lasts all night. Occasionally, when the storm comes early enough in the after noon. both lightning and rain are quickly over, the clouds disappear, the sun comes out, and, suddenly, there's a new weather phenome non ? a rainbow in the sky. Old Hammock Recalled FARMER'S ALMANAC It was a sagging "string ham mock." shapeless as an old fish net and strung across the front walk between the two aneient crab apple trees. $o far as I have been able to sort It out. my first recollection of anything was the matter of the hammock, the red brick wall, and the two trees I am told, that I had wound myself up in the hammock, being in a tantrum, and refused to un> wind. This I do not recall. I do recall that the hammock, no doubt because of my thrashing about, suddenly unwound itself and flopped me head first on the bricks. It hurt terribly, but since I was not killed outright, the skirts and trousers that gathered about considered it highly amus ing. An Idle recollection as I sit halt dozing on the front door steps ? my door steps now. There Is the walk and there are the trees, looking about the same size as they did that afternoon I busted my crown beneath them. Quite natural, r suppose ? the trees and I were, relatively speaking, the same then as. now, for we have grown up together and are the same size still. That's an odd way of thinking, though, for it makes nothing any different at all. But come, man, open your eyes , ? stop your dreaming. There your grandson rocking in that new hammock with the horrible green back ? safe as in church. Of course, of course. ? but I wonder what became of that old string affair. THOSE SMALL CARS! Some Disadvantages Of Progress WINDSOR (Golo.) BEACON Among my childhood memories ire trips to the country with Dad Jr one of my grandparents. We'd stop next to a field, and the farmer would come out, put a foot on the running board of the car, lean his elbows on the door where the window had been rolled down, and a lengthy discussion 4 about crops and politics would follow. I'm afraid these days are gone forever. The other day a good friend pulled up to the curb In his new car, to talk over one of the editorials in last week's Beacon. I walked over to the curb As the car window was down about even with my knees. I considered leaning on top of the car. But then all I could see was the top of the car and my friend's elbow. Do you know. I had to squat on the curb before I was down to if level where we could converse comfortably! When I used to deliver coal or feed in a pickup, huge country dogs would gallop out Into the yard growling, and I was always glad their heads wouldn't quite reach in the truck window. But what if I were selling, say, in surance. and driving a new car? rhait dog's head would be Just about the same level as mine! Or worse still, suppose the dog were friendly. I oould get drenched! IT SEEMS $0 It seems that my craving For saving ' ? Is less than my urge To splurge. ? Houston (Mo.) Clmticle
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
July 8, 1960, edition 1
2
Click "Submit" to request a review of this page. NCDHC staff will check .
0 / 75