Newspapers / The Franklin Press and … / Dec. 29, 1960, edition 1 / Page 2
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Sbt fftmWItt v ?ll\& Higljlanba IRanmian WEIMAR JONES Editorial Page Editor THURSDAY, DEC. 29. 1960 NEED ANSWERING Before Rates Go Up It may be that Nantahala Power and Light Company is operating, as it says, at a loss. It may be it must have an increase in rates in order to earn a profit. It even may be it is en titled to a general rate increase. We don't know. Because such things as rate structures and corporate profit-loss statements are highly com plicated, no layman can know. What any layman does know is that Nanta hala's application for higher rates raises some pertinent questions that ought to be answered before there is any increase, big or little. Here are a few of those questions: ? Who is to benefit from this proposed in crease? Is it to be Nantahala? Or is it to be Duke Power Company, to which Nantahala says it still plans to sell its distribution facil ities and franchise? ? If it is to be Nantahala ? that is, if Nanta hala intends to continue to operate the system ? then why has that company waited so long1 to ask for a general increase in rates? In order to earn a profit, its application says, it must have rate increases that will bring, in .an additional million dollars a year. If it will take an extra million to give it a profit, then surely it has been operating at a loss for years. Why, then, the long delay in asking for the general in crease necessary to get out of the red?* ? If the rate increase is for Duke's benefit, why not let Duke speak for itself? After all, hasn't Duke said it could deliver power here cheaper than Nantahala can? Hasn't it said, in fact, it could operate profitably at present Nan tahala rates? ? Is there a connection between this pro posed rate increase and the long-pending pro posed Nantahala sale to Duke? If not, why have the two companies delayed for 16 months filing an application for approval of the sale? Why, after 16 months, do they still make no move to file an application? ? Why has Nantahala asked for increases that are unreasonable on their fade? They are unreasonable in two ways. First, in the sale of all other commodities, the greater the amount bought, the lower the rate per unit. But this ap plication seeks a residential rate increase that will get higher and higher the more power the customer uses. Second, it seeks not reasonable increases of 10 or 15 or 20 per cent, but in creases ranging up to 80 per cent! Nantahala must know that no utility commission would ever grant such an increase to any public serv ice corporation. Why, then, ask for it? ? Has this wholly unreasonable request a hidden purpose? Is its real purpose to so fright en customers that they will withdraw opposi tion to the Nantahala-Duke deal? Miss Daniels For years, it had been her dream, someday, to retire from business in New York and come back to her native Franklin, to live in the shad ow of her beloved mountains. She looked forward to it, planned for it, worked for it. Each vacation here, she lavished mohey and thought and affectionate effort on the big old house that had been her grandpar ents', so it would be comfortable and attractive for her family when at last it became possible for them to come back home. Last June, she made the dream reality. Rut her return coincided, almost to the day, with a breakdown in health. Now, six months later, she is gone, without ever having had the oppor tunity to enjoy "the real living" she had so hap pily anticipated. Seems ironic, doesn't it? Yet, to Miss Evelyn Hope Daniels, we may be sure, it didn't. For life can be tragic or cruel or ironic only to those who are self-tentered ; it can never really hurt those whose thoughts and interests and hopes are centered in others. And so we may be sure she took this as she had learned to take all the problems and difficulties and disappointments ? with a smile. It <toes se$m ii^rtric?rot, ak least, unfortunate ? that the frarattirt iftd M^tbn County she loved S&f&nld t>e dcJpHvpd oif ih$ ereat contributions slie conM* and woold "hive made to Afem. Yet what greater contribution tan anyone make to a community than the example of a good life? And here was one of those rare lives that can be described, accurately, as selfless. Why Criticism Hurts (Oreenrille, ill., Advocate) Criticism wouldn't be so hard to take If It weren't ao often right. Especially Then (International Shoe Company Bulletin) Thrift Is a wonderful virtue ? especially in an ancestor. LETTERS Plans Highlands Guide Editor, The Press: I have In progress A History and Guide to Highlands, which Is planned tor publication May 1, 1961. The book will be pa per bound (except for a small edition in cloth for libraries and collectors), modestly priced, and will In clude drawings, maps, and photographs. Mrs. Polly Knlpp Hill has been commissioned to do a special series of vig nettes. Because so little of Highlands' formal history since the founding by Kelsey in 1875 has been set down in printed form, except In the newspapers that have sporadically florished In Macon County, I am very much dependent on the memory of the oldest citizens of the town and on the documents (letters, scrapbooks, journals, photographs, newspapers, books etc.) In the possession of the descen dants of the first settlers. Thus, I would sincerely wel come the help of anyone with an interest in Highlands' tradition as a village of most unique and uncommon qual ities. We know, tor instance, that De Soto passed near the present Highlands in 1540, that William Bart ram, the great naturalist, came near in 1778, and that Vachel Lind say, the poet, visited with Dr. Harbison in 1906 during a walk from Florida to Asheville. These are almost legends. I also want exact facts ? of famous visitors, occupations, organizations, celebrations, disasters, ghosts, etc. It is my belief that a knowledge of Highlands' past years and current beauties will help prevent a curious tendency towards "progress" which seems devoted to the cutting of trees and making the town look like one of the shoddier suburbs of Atlanta. Some diseases are also "pro gressive". My contention is that Highlands will have to offer tourists and summer visitors something beyond re lief from the heat. Those that do more than drive through town (hurriedly, let us say, as one might drive through Rosmani will want information about the uncom mon things that so distinguish this plateau: the trails, the waterfalls, the flowers and trees, the minerals, the native industries, local customs, foods local to the area, etc. For this reason I have long felt the desirability of such a his tory and guide. The editor simply is the one who compiles the given material. The real success of the book is up to those who will help. All assistance will be gratefully acknowl edged in an introduction to the text. And all those who supply useful information and lend their documents will receive complimentary copies. 1 t* i*IWIIHM May I ask anyone concerned to write me at the address below. JONATHAN WILLIAMS, Publisher Postal Drawer 344, Highlands. What Greenland's Like Editor, The Press: For the benefit of Maconlans who have never heard of Sondrestrom Air Base, Greenland, and who think Macon County has rugged winters, her? are a few facts about this base. Some Maconlans, who are World War n or Korean vet erans, may remember this base which was formerly called "Blue West-8". In 1941 during World War n, the United 8tates, by agreement with the Danish government, which holds sov ereignty over Greenland, built an air strip on the present site of Sonderstrom. Many airplanes stopped here on ihelr way to Europe during the war and it was a vital link in ferrying aircraft to that theatre. The geographic position of Greenland provided information about weather, per mitting weather men to forecast conditions long before it was possible farther south. The famous Arctic aviation expert, Bemt Balchen. now a retired Air Force colonel, was one of the original party that founded the base, then called by its code name, "Blue West 8" or Just plain "BW After the war, BW-8 was closed down, and returned to naniah control. When the Koreas Wax broke out, it be ~ apparent to our military planners that the strategic _ of Oreenland Mid b>|N for defenae adfil ?wmSrnMr**?! Ill tOreh. mi, a) or tlM bM to the v&.s named SondertfiKT _ ^ ___ cow It Ilea a. the head of Sandrestromfjord, the second longest fjord In the world. The Northeast Air QWhmand Vatt deactivated and the Strategic Air CXMimaud assumed control of Sondreetrom Air Base on 1 April 1957. On 1 July I960, the Air Defense Command's 4684th Air Base Group took control of Sondie strom. One of the reasons for Sondrestrom's exls ence Is the excellent flying weather experienced during 97 per cent of the' year. This may come as a surprise to those who began to shiver when they first heard of the word "Green land'. This base Is. located within 12 miles of the Ice-cap. It Is found on the map, by following the west otast of Greenland north. The Arctic Circle Is the approximate point where the fjord runs Into Davis Strait from a northeastward direction. The point where the fjord be gins is where Sondrestrom is located. Eelng so close to the Ice -cap, the base is affected by the world's largest natural alrcondlUonlng system. During the winter, (January apd February are generally the cold est months) the temperature may go down as low as 40 degrees below zero. Sustained temperatures of -20 to -40 are not uncommon during this period. However, the cold Is a dry cold with hardly any humidity. Sondrestrom is never totally dark for 24 hours around the clock. In December, when the days are shortest, there are still several hours of daylight. It Is during these winter nights that the beautiful Aurora Borealls, or North ern Lights, can be seen. Of course, in the summer, If it Is a nice day. it's a nice day all night. Summer Is a de llgh ful time of the year with temperatures ranging from 50 to 60 and occasionally even up to 70 degrees. Hope this will give some people a general idea of what It Is like in the ' Far, Far North." I would much rather be back In good old Macon county. tenders trom Air Base, Greenland. S/SGT. CHARLES CURTIS, JR DO YOU REMEMBER? Looktnf Backward Throngta the Files al Dm Praa 65 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK (1895) The Sunda^ School at the Methodist Church last Sun day contributed three dollars for the Oxford Orphanage Asylum. During the absence of Mr. F. T. Smith, Visiting the At lanta Exposition, Mr. H. H. Jarrett is acting as postmaster, protem. Mr. Jule Robinson of Collector Rogers' cabinet, came over from Ashevllle Saturday to take a. regular Franklin Christmas with home folks. The American Corundum Corporation has put up a cor undum mill on Ellljay, and the corundum will be convey ed from the mine on the mountain to the mill through a trough two miles long. 35 TEARS AGO (1925) Work Is now under way on the Onteora Estates, located five miles west of Franklin on Highway No. 28, recognized as the most scenic highway of the Appalachian Mountains. IS YEARS AGO - <1943) The N&ntahala Power and Light Company Is spending more than one-third of a million dollars on an expantfon program that will make electricity available to approxi mately 2,000 additional rural families In Southwestern North Carolina, It was announced this week at the com pany's headquarters here. Cpl. Charles Smart, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. ML Smart, of Franklin, has been awarded the Silver Star medal for heroic action In Germany more than a year ago. 5 TEARS AGO (IMS) Otto community's nativity scene took first plaoe In the annual Christmas lighting contest sponsored by the Nan tahala Power and Light Company. x V ? STRICTLY PERSONAL By WEIMAR JONES In moot reepecte, next Sun day will be just like any other day. Th? <tun vl'l ri** as usual, and aot as usual. Well all get Up ><-' U iiit , ?'.%?? ill. amal, go our appointed ways as usual (except that, It being Sunday, those ways mill be different from the ones we go week days), and go to bed as usual. Ye* we'll pick that day out of all the others for special observance. Well celebrate it. Well offer good wishes to our neighbors and friends. Well indulge in good resolutions. And well take thought not for the morrow, but for the next 365 days. For next Sunday Is the be ginning of a new year. It is so by a purely arbdgrary arrange ment. It wont be the first day of spring. It wont be the first day of winter, even. It wont mark any seasonal break set up by nature. But man has decreed that it shall be the first day of a new calendar year. Calendars ! Stnafige things, stop to think about it. A way of breaking (town and defining and delimiting time. As though time would flow any faster or any slower because man has set bounds and limits to It. As though there'd be any less of it, or any more. But ltll be a new year. And I, for one, will welcome it. This last one, it seems to me, has been far from satisfactory . It's been confusing and dis oouraglng, from the viewpoint of one watching the world tie must live in. And, unleas rm a lot different from other peo ple, It haant been aatfsfeotory, either, from the viewpoint of personal achievement. Maybe you and X could have doAe worse, but if we're honest with ourselves, we know we could have done a great deal better. So much better that what we did accomplish seems puny In deed. So, arbitrary or not. It's a good thing for us to have new days and new weeks and new years. It would be my guess, in tact, that while the fellow who first invented a eaWvdar nay have thought he was trying to measure time, what he really was shooting ait wasnt that at all. The main reason we all need calendars Is to provide us, poor, fallible being that we are, with the "second chances" we all so desperate need, so often. So, Nineteen Sixty-One, hur ry along t Maybe you wont do any better than Nineteen Sixty has done. Maybe I won't, eith er. But, at least, we both will have a clean sheet to start with.] Me, IH probably have smudges on it, and be trying to erase 'em, by Monday or Tues day, or the next week at the latest. But it's something to have it clean, even for a little while. Besides, it'll be a long time before it gets as discour agingly smudged as the Nine teen Sixty sheet is. MISS MARION L. HOAG Extreme In First-Naming In SUFFOLK CQLNTY NEWS, It Is a reflection of our times and certainly no critic ism of anyone, but I wonder what our grandparents would have thought of the First Lady of the United States being called: "Jackie," or even Mamie or Eleanor. This is a development with in the last 25 years because I do not remember hearing Mrs. Ooolldlge called anything; but that, nor any of the previous First Ladles. Undoubtedly, they are just as dignified as any of their predecessors, but I can only wonder what they think about it in other countries where, for the most part, so much emphasis is put on for mality and pomp. Of course, I suppose, in the South they are so accustomed to names like "Lady Bird" that It does not make them squirm, but I feel like looking over my shoulder, wondering what the rest of the world thinks about It. "When you come right down to it, "Ike" is a pretty undig nified appellation for a man in the most influential post in the world, but that was done by headline writers too rushed or lazy to get around "Eisen hower." P. D. R. was not ( so bad and I hope something can be worked out for Kennedy, but I am afraid that "Jackie" will stick. (NOTE: No. ma'am, we in the South don't like It, either: we're still much too British to abandon all formality. Of course, if we come to know and feel affection for Mrs. Kennedy, we may call her by her given name, but in that case. It'll be "MISS- Jackie".? Editor, The Press.) THEN AND NOW 1 Independence Vs. Security CAROLINA ISRAELITE I - There was once a feeling of financial responsibility long toe fore you reached voting age. Today each child needs a quar ter of a century to be prepared to earn a living with the equiv alent of ait least a Master's De gree. Every ghetto child had to be up and about the business of providing his own share of the family budget. Perhaps It was that attitude that was the making of so many outstand ing men. Independence must start early or not at all, and WORKED THTXGS OUT WELL Kennedy Has Put Together Effective Foreign Policy Team Ad Lai Stevenson has the knowledge, the executive abi lity, the personality, and the international stature to serve an Secretary of State, and mil lions of Stevenson admirers hoped he would be Mr. Ken nedy's choice for this key posi tion in the new administration. But reason forbids finding fault with the Presidentelect for his failure to place Mr. Stevenson In charge of the State Department. As Secretary of State. Mr. Stevenson probably would have overshadowed Mr. Ken nedy in the conduct of, U. S. foreign affairs. He is better known than Mr. Kennedy in world capitals. And he is held in high esteem around the world. Mr. Stevenson's internation al prestige would be an asset, but It would also be a liability If It tended to shove the Presi dent at the United States Into the background. The President should not be in the background In the con duct of U. 8. foreign affairs. We have recently experienced an administration in which the Secretary of State overshadow ed the President in planning and execution of foreign policy. The late Secretary John Pos ter Dulles not only was head of the State Department. He took over responsibility that should have been shouldered by President Elsenhower. Mr. Eisenhower, unlike President Franklin Roosevelt did not choose to be "his own Secre tary of State." Mr. Eisenhower seemed glad to leave major decisions to Mr. Dulles. ( The best interest of the United States is not served when the President delegates responsibility for major deci sions to 'the Secretary of State. The Secretary shares respon sibility. The Secretary partici pates in policy planning. The Secretary executes policy. But the President should be the key figure In deriMag foreign policy, as the drafters of the constitution intended. Mr. Kennedy recognizes the proper role of the President in conduct of foreign policy. He apparently intends to follow the Franklin Roosevelt con cept. That is. he intends, in a sense, to be his own Secretary of State. Mr. Stevenson, by reason of the strength of his personality and his great prestige abroad, did not fit Into Mr. Kennedy's plans to establish himself as the real leader of the United States in international affairs. Nothing said here is meant to imply that Mr. Kennedy's appointee for Secrtary of Stote. Dean Rusk, is a weak person ality without stature. Mr. Rusk has the qualifications for making a strong Secretary of State. He has been a thorough student of foreign affairs and has had practical experience in conduct of foreign policy as assistant Secretary of State tor For Eastern affairs in the Truman administration. He will have much to contribute to policy planning. But he will not overshadow Mr. Kennedy. Nor will there be any Eisen hower-Dulles relationship. Mr. Kennedy has worked things out very well, not only by appointing Mr. Rusk as Secretary of State but by plac ing both Adlai Stevenson and Cheater Bowles in positions Where their Judgment can be of great help as the new ad ministration charts the ways it will trawl in international affairs. Mr. Stevenson will become ambassador to the United Na tions. We imay be sure he will be no ordinary TIN ambassa dor. His ability to speak elo quently and clearly is well known. It will stand him In good stead as he seeks to inter pret U. S. policy in the UN forum. He undoubtedly will have opportunity to influence decision-making in Washing Smith field Herald Ion. And above all. the service of Mr. Stevenson as UN am bassador could become the means of giving the United Nations added Importance as a channel through which D. S. ideals and objectives may be attained. The appointment of Mr. Bowles as Under-Secretary of State adds great strength to the forelgnpo'.icy team. Like Mr. Stevenson. he has the qualifications to serve as Sec retary of State, and he will be no ordinary Undersecretary as he was no ordinary ambassa dor to India in the Truman administration . Mr. Kennedy shows by his foreign - policy appointments that he understands the urg-< ency of achieving sane solu tions In international affairs. He will have to make the key decisions, but he will have around him some of the na tion's wisest counselors. the latest crop of ytxirw peo pie receive security from pa rent? until they are adults, then they go looking for both Immediate and permanent se curity In employment. In those days you were ex pecAed to learn a tvade. The great question about the Low er Boat Side forty fmra age was, "Are you learning a trade?" We were an appren ttced to printers, 'cloak anc suiters, cabinet maters, anc ?we learned Che trade from the ground up. And if we were' apt and learned weU, we went lnu business for ourselves. And this did not excluch us from the professions. Tht schools and libraries were opet and oven while working, th< immigrant parents underotoot America very well. They alwayi said. "In America you can be come an anything." Today you see a swwssfu retailer and he looks insufler ably weary. You ask htm if hij son No! man has come hom< from Dartmouth yet. and do? his daughter Beverly SOU gt to the same ballet master?1 Th< poor business man nods an ap propriate answer and go? back to his store which h< keeps open until 9 p. m. anc stands there wondering wha the whole thing Is all about. 2 THINGS WE MUST DO A doctor who was superlnten dent of the Sunday 6choo class asked one of the boya "Willie, what must we db be fore we get to heaven?" "We must die," answers Willie. "True." agreed the dt%tor "but what must we do befon we die?" Willie: "We must get sicl and send for you." ? Rocking ham Post-Dtepatch.
The Franklin Press and the Highlands Maconian (Franklin, N.C.)
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Dec. 29, 1960, edition 1
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