Page TWO
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 1957
North Carolina
Southern Pines
“In taking over The Pilot lio changes are contemplated. We will try to keep this a good
paper. We will try to make a little money for. all concerned. Wherever there seems to be
an occasion to use our influence for the public good we will try to do it. And we will
treat everybody alike.”—James Boyd, May 23, 194L
The South Has Not Quit Trying
A native-born Southerner returning from a
trip North tells us that while up there he
found himself, somewhat to his own amaze
ment, arguing on behalf of racial tolerance
and understanding with a Yankee who, also
to the Southerner’s amazement, was vituper-
atively and blindly bitter when discussing ra
cial relations.
Racial prejudice, he discovered, was indeed
not confined to areas south of the Mason-
Dixon line.
Beyond that, he discovered this element
about his own thinking and what distinguish
ed his thinking from the Yankee’s: the
Northerner said that he ignored the Negro,
contemptuously and completely. To him, the
problem was thereby solved. What the South
erner then realized, he said, was that the
South simply cannot ignore the Negro. We
are all living here, white and Negro together,
with our economic and political lives—if not
our social lives—inextricably entwined.
Because we all MUST live together, there
fore, we MUST find a solution—whatever the
solution may be, that will enable us to live
in mutual tolerance, even if not yet attaining
the goal that morality and Christianity for
bid us eventually to evade: mutual respect
What the Southerner discovered was that he
had not quit trying or hoping. However faulty
or misguided may be some of our efforts in
the South, he realized, we have not closed the
book.
This is true. And we all, white and Ne
gro, know it in our hearts. Somehow, some
way, agreement must be reached on the terms
of our life here in the South together.
Of course, there are people in the South
who have, closed their minds, who have quit
tryiiig, just like the Southerner’s Yankee ac
quaintance. But most of the people in the
South have not, because they know as plain
ly as the sun will rise that they cannot.
Therein, no matter how painfully and slow
ly it may develop, lies the South’s salvation.
Intangible Tax: Let’s Abolish It
It is well known around the capitol at
Raleigh that legislation sending back a por
tion of tax receipts or other money to the
counties and towns of the state is usually
well received by the assembled legislators
who know that it will likewise be well receiv
ed by the home folks, including those impor
tant municipal and county officials who are
not uninfluential in the electioh or defeat
of candidates for the House or Senate.
So it looks like a hard pull to repeal the
state’s intangible property tax—that “nui
sance levy” which was so eloquently lambast
ed by the knowledgeable George Ross, former
veteran state official, before the county coiri^
missioners recently.
We agree with Mr. Ross that the .tax is
keeping a lot of people out of North Carolina
who would make valuable citizens— literally
and otherwise. Because these people do not
want to pay this tax on their investments
and bank accounts, the state loses their income
and inheritance taxes and also, in many in
stances the ad valorem taxes on houses and
personal property they might otherwise own
in this state.
Mr. Ross’s proposal that counties Mke
Moore, which admittedly could get along
without the intangible taxes that are returned
to it by the state, work out some way, in a
state bill, not to levy the intangible tax here
or to credit it on county and town ad valorem
taxes, is appealing, but we fear would turn
out to be too complicated for reasonable ad
ministration.
Killing the whole tax would be best—^but,
for poorer counties, we’re told, that would be
throwing out a valued nest egg.
Sometimes we wonder if such counties
couldn’t get along all right, even though stir
ring up a hornet’s nest among the taxpayers,
by having an impartial, professional revalua
tion of real estate within each county. In most
cases, it’s our guess, they’d then be able to
collect enough more to let the intangible tax
refunds go and not miss them.
That would be a far healthier tax situation.
Legislation To Limit Auto Power?
We agree with Thomas B. Watkins, presi
dent of the N. C. State Automobile Associa
tion, that auto sales campaigns based on
speed and horsepower may be. effective in
’ selling cars but are hardly in the public in
terest.
Mr. Watkins cited newspaper ads that
boasted of cars with speeds up to 147 miles
per hour and “the blazing action of 227
horses.”
The basic factor, as Mr. Watson points Out,
is not the advertising but the fact that auto
mobile manufacturers are engaged in a
“horsepower race” to produce cars capable of
faster and faster speeds.
The car makers say that more power is
what the public wants and demands. But the
public, especially the families of the victims,
did not want or demand the 40,200 U. S. traf
fic deaths last year nor the million-plus in
juries nor the multi-billion dollar loss from'
autom.obile accidents.
It is acknowledged that speed was a major
factor in a large proportion of those fatali
ties, injuries and costly wrecks.
Federal regulatory legislation limiting the
horsepower of automobiles is what the NCAA
president suggests. There is a precedent in
the regulatory powers now exercised in the
field of aviation.
A public faced with a choice of increasing
death and destruction or decreasing power
will choose the latter. Wise car manufacturers
should take note and change the trend in au
tomobile design, while they can still do it vol
untarily.
Such a change, like nothing that could be
said or done by public or private sources
would focus needed attention on highway
safety.
^ing For Old Folks: A National Shame
This winter’s series of nursing home fires
Lodgi
over the nation highlights another aspect of
one of the growing problems of 20th century
life in the United States: the increase in num
bers and consequently in problems of the
aging and aged.
Not only are there vastly more older
people living now than formerly—in proper
tion to the total. population—^but, because of
smaller houses and increased cost of living,
families are less able, perhaps also less will
ing, to care for old folks in their own homes.
The principal answer to this problem has
been the nursing or convalescent home.
Everywhere, these institutions have sprung
up, established for the most part in old struc
tures that have been pressed into use for the
purpose because, to be coldly honest about it,
they are worthless for any other purpose—
acceptable neither as private residence nor
place of business.
The expanded problem of the aging is so
new that most of us have not been aware of
its extent nor of what has been happening.
While we have b^n providing the best of
modem structures for private homes, places
of business and public buildings such as
schools, we, as a nation,'have done little to
provide suitable dwelling places for the aged
and infirm.
Having read these hair-raising news stories
of nursing home fires, there is only one con
clusion: whether through private or public
effort or a combination of financing, these
helpless and voiceless people must be provi
ded safe, decent and comfortable places to
live.
The probem is nation-wide. Millions of
families are seeking unsuccessfully for a place
where their old people can live with confi
dence and dignity at a reasonable cost. There
are such places—a few of them—^but their
space is at a premium.
Nearly everybody else is living better than
they have ever lived before. But a lot of
old people this winter have died horribly—
and thousands of others are existing un
happily and uncomfortably in inadequate
nursing homes—because we as a nation have
not included them in our' enjoyment of peace
and prosperity.
A Worthy Investment
Last v/eek’s report of a Youth Study Com
mission to the General Assembly, proposing
family courts handling domestic and juvenile
cases, offers North Carolina a chance to pion
eer in an important field of public welfare
and administration of justice.
The Pilot has long been interested in the
establishment of domestic and juvenile
courts that could give more time and deeper
insight into the legal and social problems of
such eases. But we have realized the financial
problem that such courts pose for counties
that would not long be able to employ the
skilled personnel to man them.
The Youth Commission’s suggestion of 18
districts that would combine groups of coun
ties as the service area for a single court
offers the best plan yet proposed to make the
courts practical.
State financing at a cost of over two and a
half million dollars would assure that the
courts really are set up state-wide.
While this appears to be a poor time to
take on large new state expenses, we are
faced here with the same basic problem as in
better pay for teachers: the program would
nurture and preserve the human resources of
the state—^its most important resources in the
long run.
We commend to the attention of readers
the article on this page that tells more about
the court proposaL
“This May Be Confusing Now But You’ll
Get It In The End”
Crains of Sand
\
tm
And Just A Snip of Lemon
See where somebody was in
the news last week being ac
claimed as “Ginner of The Year.”
Wonder what his slogan was,
“Make mine dry> and cold”?
,4f
Something New?
It seems the state Republicans
have decided to put their best
feet forward from now on.
Moore Coimty folks thought
they always had.
Local inhabitants are ready to
rise as a man in defense of their
favorite ex-Republican candi
date.
Squirrel Magician
Squirrels are absolutely in
credible.
After trying everything recom
mended to prevent them from
getting into the birds’ territory
and eating up all the sunflower
seeds in the feeder, we tried
something different.
We put seeds on a big wide
tray and then balanced this on
top of a tall thin pot. The idea
was that it would hold the birds
but was too teetery for the squir
rels. The first one to hop up on
it, or down from above, would
tip it over. We hoped that might
scare him enough so he’d go
away and leave us and the birds
alone. -
Ha!
The next tinie we looked out,
at the newly patented tray, the
biggest fattest squirrel of the
whole lot was sitting in the mid
dle of it.
And eating all the sunflower
seeds.
AND spitting the husks over
the edge.
'This isn’t acrobatics. It’s magic.
AND impudence.
FOR DOMESTIC, JUVENILE CASES
^Family Court’ System Proposed
(See editorial, "A Worthy In
vestment," on this page4
A system of family and juve
nile courts has b^en proposed to
the General Assembly with rec
ommended legislation that would
place them in operation to serve
the entire state.
The need for the new courts
has been determined and recom
mended by the Governor’s Youth
Service Commission, created by
the 1955 Legislature and appoint
ed by Governor Luther Hodges
in August of that year.
Other information relating to
the establishment of the court
system was compiled by the Na
tional Probation and Paroles . As
sociation of Austin, Tex.
Enactment of legislation ex
tending the juvenile court age in
North Carolina through the sev
enteenth year also has been rec
ommended by the Commission.
A 'Lost' Group
North Carolina is one of a
group of states not extending
protection to this age, it was
pointed out, and a Commission
member added that “the children
in the 16 to 18 group are to some
degree a ‘lost’ group of children
from the standpoint of State and
community resources.” .
As for the family court system,
if the Tar Heel State adopts it,
it will be the first State in the
union to have such a system, it
was said. County domestic courts
in the few counties where they
exist, would be abolished, as
such, and absorbed by the State
wide system.
The plan would create a new
system' that would be a separate,
autonomous division at the level
cf, and a part of, the Superior
Court system.
The conclusion of the study
emphasized in the report was
that half the youngsters com
mitted to institutions in 1955 and
“perhaps as high as 70 per cent”
should not, and would not, have
been cominitted had there been
an adequate system of courts,
probation workers and detention
facilities.
One of Five
North Carolina, according to
the survey, is one of five states
where the juvenile court age
stops at the 16th birthday. The
commission recommends raising
the juvenile court age to include
16 and 17 year olds.
The court would have juris
diction of all types of cases in
volving the troubles of families
and children and would, to a
large degree, substitute diagnosis
and therapy for the philosophy
of guilt and punishment.
Each member of the Commis
sion feels the operation of such
a court system would decrease
the number of commitments of
children to State correctional in
stitutions and of youthful offend
ers to the prison system of the
State.
According to reports which the
Commission had received from
the director of the State prison
system, the prison population of
North Carolina is now growing
percentage wise faster than the
total population and the number
of commitments of young per
sons under the age of 18 is
“alarmingly” large.
In its preliminary report to the
Governor, the present State
juvenile court system was found
to be “weak and outmoded.”
Other findings:
In 92 of the 100 counties the
clerk of the Superior (Ik)urt is the
judge of the juvenile court. The
responsibility is extraneous to his
regular duties. He’s often over
worked, and his office is insuf
ficiently staffed.
Many Can't Afford
Many counties cannot afford
specially selected and trained
judges and trained personnel be
cause there is not sufficient vol
ume of work in rural areas and
less densely populated areas to
justify the expense.
The present system does not
assure equal protection and serv
ices to children in all counties.
Many persons are being sent to
State correctional schools who
could remain in the county of
their residence if adequate re
sources were available.
GOAL OF A NEW GENERATION
Wanting To Be ^Well-Rounded^
The Public
Speaking
School Board Set-Up
Couldn’t Be Improved
To The Editor:
The fine and able members of
the school board, past and pres
ent, and the members of the
town council, in their always
outstanding choices, should be
commended on the valuable
services they have given to the
school and, in turn, to the town.
During my fourteen years as
a member Of the Southern Pines
school faculty, I have always
thought that the members of the
school board were above re
proach and that the school and
the town were most fortunate in
having men and women of such
caliber.
I cannot imagine changing a
plan that has, in itself, proved to
be so satisfactory. I do not see
how it could be improved upon.
BILLIE WILLIAMS
Southern Pines
One of the alarming tenden
cies in American civilization to
day is that everybody wants to
be “well-rounded” and nobody is
willing to stick his neck out and
be “different,” points out The
Smithfield Herald. The Herald’s
editorial, with which The Pilot
agrees, continues:
Like Willy Loman, the sad
hero of the play, “Death of A
Salesman,” we all want not only
to be liked, but even to be “well-
liked.” The old American idea of
the rugged individualist who
worked hsird, said what he
thought and did what he wanted
has given way to the quiet, well-
mannered man who tries to do
only what other people expect
and want him to do.
Security First
Pebbles in a stream
well-rounded.”
are also
In a provocative essay entitled
“What Has Succeeded Success?”
Russell Lynes, managing editor
of Harper’s Magazine, expresses
his concern over what is happen
ing to the young people of Amer
ica, who are more interested in
security than in success. From
a series of questionnaires sent by
Mademoiselle Magazine to college
girl graduates, he discovered that
what they wanted most of aU
was “to be well-rounded.”
Says Mr. Lynes: “A great
many well-rounded yoimg wom
en siunmons up for me a large
bunch of hothouse grapes—lovely
to look at, plump, smooth, care
fully protected from the cranki-
nes of weaUier, and tasteless.
As for the, young men. Time
Magazine interviewed Princeton
seniors; and they, too, were more
interested in a well-rounded life,
living securely on a plateau rath
er than reaching for the peaks.
What About Genius?
If everybody becomes “well-
rounded,” what happens to the
American genius for discovery,
for invention, for individual
achievement? If Christopher Col
umbus had been primarily inter
ested in security, would he have
discovered America? If Thomas
Jefferson had wanted to please
everybody, would he have writ
ten the Declaration of Indepen
dence? If Einstein had been sat-
1
Dr. Dawson's Daring Dogs
Southern Pines’ Distinguished
Dr. D. (or Amiable AC, if you
like that better-—we do) wants
to start a dog act. But no circus
involved. Not yet. (No telling, of
course, when they’ll all take to
the ring, if we give ’em a chance.)
What to do about dogs who
join in the free-for-all that takes 0
place at recess every day on the
school playgrounds? And join in
a trifle too seriously?
This is what prompted the Dis
tinguished Doctor’s dog act ap
peal to the Town Council last
week.
Seriousness, on the parts of
their masters, takes the form of
whacks and maybe kicks at other
participants in the fray, but the ^
dogs, unable to whack or kick: ^
bite.
They leap to the sides of their
masters or mistresses, with bared
teeth—and that isn’t so good. It
is hard—so far, impossible-^to
explain to the dogs that it is all
right to whack or kick people
but not all right to bite them.
Then the bites have occurred
in some cases, when the masters
or mistresses have sprung to the C-
aid of their pets being beat up, or
et up, by someone else’s pet.
All in all, several children
have been bitten, though none
seriously. Luckily.
What to do?
“The dogs often follow the
children to school,” the harrassed
school superintendent told the
Town Council last week.
“Talk to the parents,” said a
council-member. “Tell ’em to
shut up the dogs.”
“Have,” said Dr. D., “Dozens of
times.”
“We could make it a misdemean
or for dogs to go on the school
grounds,” suggested another
member, looking towards Legal
Counsel.
Legal Counsel, studiously:
“Trouble is: few dogs can read.”
Anonymous Joker: “You c0ul4
always explain the hard words.
Lament.”
But then they got down to
business and no more jokes for
something that is certainly not a
joking matter.
The PILOT
Published Every Thursday by
THE PILOT. Incorporated
Southern Pines, North Carolina
1941—JAMES BOYD—1944
; (
isfied to be ' “well-rounded,”
would he have continued his re
search that made possible the
splitting Of the atom?
Without the spark of genius
that comes from a dedicated in
dividual, can America retain its
leadership of the free world,
maintain peace in a troubled uni
verse, and harness the atom for
constructive purposes rather
than destiaictive war? The “well-
roimded” political leader is
afraid to stick his neck out with
an imaginative plan for peace,
but is willing to blunder his w^y
from one Suez crisis to another,
always fearful of offending
someone by injecting a new idea
into a tired old world.
Katharine Boyd Editor
C. Benedict Associate Editor
Vance Derby News Editor
Dan S. Ray Gen. Mgr.
C. G. Council Advertising
Mary Scott Newton Business
Bessie tameron Smith Society 1
Composing' Room
Lochamy McLean, Dixie B. Ray,
Michael Valen, Jasper Swearingen
Thomas Mattocks.
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