North Carolina Newspapers

Page TWO THURSDAY, APRIL 11, 1957 U ILOT Southern Pines North Carolina “In fairing over The Pilot no changes are contemplated. We wiU 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, 1941. Turning Point For The President? An associate of President Eisenhower is ' ’ ” '' ” quoted by Columnist Marquis Childs, about the President: “In the first four years, it seems that he could do nothing wrong. If the current trend continues, it may turn out that he can do nothing right.” As an example of this trend, in the category of the small things that may be significant, Mr. Childs points out that reporters many times complained, all through Mr. Eisen hower’s first administration, about the speed with which the Presidential cavalcade trav elled from Washington to Gettysbimg, but only recently has the fact that the official car went up to 70 miles an hour caused an uproar. Another sign of change: some newspapers that went all-out for Mr. Eisenhower in the campaign are now lambasting the administra tion for reckless spending. The President must assert himself more forcefully on behalf of the fimdamental measures of his program, Mr. Childs thinks, or “see his hold on popular opinion rapidly eroded away.” The precedent of General Grant, after the Civil War, and Admiral Dewey, after the Spanish-American War, coming down in pop ular opinion almost as fast as they had gone up to become public heroes, is cited by Mr. Childs as possibly presaging a “turning point” for the President—and not only in personal popularity, but perhaps also in acceptance of his policies and programs. If this supposition or trend turns out to be acciuate—and we think it may well be—there will be even stronger evidence of the situa tion pointed out in this space last week: that the voters of both parties, according to a re cent poll, think, 4 to 3, that a Democrat will be back in the White House in 1960. A Good Job Well Done If ever an organization • did a good job it was last week in the Southern Pines Garden Club’s masterly handling of the Homes and Gardens Tour. This was the ninth tour and it was one of the largest and most successful in an affair that ha:i been successful almost without ex ception. The committee in charge, headed by Mrs. R. M. McMillan, deserves the congratu lations of their fellowtownsmen and their sincere gratitude. This Garden Club tour brings to this sec tion great numbers of people every year. They come looking for beauty in buildings, in scenery, for the many facets which nature or man has created to form the makeup of an attractive community. To judge by the en thusiasm expressed, these visitors were find ing such beauty and attractiveness here last week and, we may be sure, when they went home they told about it. Few promotional efforts could equal the effect of such personal publicity. Furthermore, through the showing of the homes with their welcoming hostesses and guides, as well as the gardens, these visitors meet many residents and experience a warm outpouring of hospitality. This is nothing new in the South, but only, perhaps, through such a tour could such a manifold welcome be ex tended. It must make a powerful impression. It was entirely fitting that Mayor Gilmore should extend, on behalf of the council and jtownspeople, thanks to the club and to all who cooperated with them in this generous and highly successful community service. Added tb his words might well go a vote of thanks to Town Manager Louis Scheipers and his force for the excellent job done in getting the town tidied up and looking its best for the visitors. Adding to the accolade, this home paper expresses admiration of Mrs. McMillan and her committee for a splendid job, splendidly carried out, and its congratulations to the Southern Pines Garden Club—congratulations which spill over to include the Civic Garden Club and all Garden Clubs for their outstand ing public service throughout the nation. The More We See, The Less We Like It If Postmaster General Summerfield’s oper ation of his Department in Washington is an example of the much-toqted government-by- businessmen, we’d just as soon have back in the office somebody like Jim Farley who never pretended to be anything but a politi cian. ' We can’t imagine a politician, at least, threatening Congress (and the nation) with reduced postal service if he didn’t get the par ticular amount of money he wanted at a par ticular time. Maybe, under a politician who thought more of serving the people than of making his books balance, the Post Office De partment would be running just as much in the red as it appears to be now, but no poli tician would be making a spectacle and a national controversy of that fact. It is somewhat strahge that, in an adminis tration which has ceaselessly talked about ef ficiency, economy and business-like methods —and in a Department headed by the former businessman, Mr. Summerfield—the post of fice should find itself in so big a financial mess. It seems to us that post office service has been steadily curtailed, in one way or an other, for the past several years in the name of economy. And the people have taken these changes, for the most part, in good grace. Why such a situation as that sprung on the nation by the blustering Postmaster General last week could not have been foreseen, why Congress could not have been notified before the last minute of the shortage in funds, why the Budget Bureau was so far wrong in appor tioning the Department’s annual appropria tion and why all these mistakes should be rec tified at the expense of postal patrons are all puzzling questions. In fact, the more we see of this govemment- by-businessmen, the less we like it. Poor Meeting Attendance Poses Problem Poor attendance was a notable feature of several meetings held here during March. Three of the meetings involved out-of-town speakers, each distinguished in his field. One was a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, on which we commented editorially two weeks algo; and another was a sparsely at tended gathering of the Sandhills Music As sociation. In at least one of the cases, poor planning or timing appeared to play an important part in the low attendance. Others, however, were well organized and, in the case of the Cham ber of Commerce meeting, all members of the organization had been personally notified by telephone that day. On two nights, the poor attendance might have been attributed to a conflict of meetings —also indicating lack of care in planning— except for the fact that BOTH of the meetings held on those nights were sparsely attended. So the conflict was really not the reason for a bad attendance showing at either one. At one meeting, sponsored by three local organizations, there was an attendance of eight persons to greet an out-of-town speak er. From what happened here in the past month, it appears that organizations should not attempt to sponsor meetings, especially^if a speaker from out of town is involved, unless they have the assimance that at least a goodly portion of their own members will attend. The other lesson is that careful planning, to avoid conflicts and notify people in ad vance, is essential if a meeting is to draw a crowd. We suggest use of the calendar of coming events that we attempt to maintain at The Pilot and a similar listing that is kept at the Chamber of Comm.erce Office. It is a credit to Southern Pines, of course, that these meetings—covering historical, sociological, cultural and business subjects— were attempted and held. There is, at least. -Then They Had The Audacity To Ask If I Planned To Relinquish The Reins!” \i N // 1 I); / iT- V ' N 'K^lW II ^ >•. ^ WILL PEARSALL PLAN STAND UP. TOO? Pupil Assignment Law Meets Test a nucleus of enthusiastic local residents who want to increase understanding and encour age action on these various matters. All this is not, by any means, to toll the knell of culture and civic interest in Southern Pines—but better planning, wider-spread en thusiasm and a stronger sense of community responsibility, in these fields, seem to be in dicated. Council’s Responsibility It is a commendable sentiment on the part of some of the incumbent members of the town council, who have filed again as candi dates in the forthcoming election, that they are running because they feel responsible for the things they have started and want to see them through. It should be pointed out, however, that in any administration, on any level of govern ment, plans are made or actions undertaken that do not get finished, because they cannot get 'finished, during the term of the origina tors. If the idea expressed by the candidates were followed to its logical conclusion, there would never be any change in the member ship of public bodies, except for unavoidable reasons or the choice of the candidate himself. In the case of Southern Pines, we would say that, whoever is elected, be they incum^ bents or new candidates, there is a very def inite responsibility to continue the big, gen eral policies lhat have characterized the first two terms of council-manager government here: planning for the future, economy where it means efficiency, but a willingness to spend where it means laying the indispen sable groundwork for solving problems the town is sure to face. In short, imagination and flexibility must be among the virtues es teemed in a candidate for municipal office today. When the people of North Car olina > lEist Fall voted on, and ap proved, the “Pearsall Plan” to deal with the problem of racial segregation in the public schools of North Carolina, The Pilot op posed the plan as being basically a means to evade, rather than cope with, the responsibilities thrust upon the state by the U. S. Supreme Court’s school segrega tion decisions. The Pearsall Plan provides State tuition grants for private schooling to children whose pa rents are imwiiling for them to attend a racially mixed school. Also, the Plan allows residents of a school district or a portion of ' school district to close schools by voting. Before these procedures are invoked, however, Negroes applying for admission to a white school must comply with the pro visions of the State’s Pupil As signment Act which was written into law by the 1955 legislature. Procedures Set The Pupil Assignment Act au thorizes assignment of all pupils to certain schools and sets up a chain of appeal procedures—to the school board and then to the State Superior Court—-for pupils whose parents are not satisfied with the school assignments giv en their children. Such assign ments, the law provides, are not to be made on the basis of race, but are to be those deemed best for the school and for the child. It was this Assignment Act that was tested recently before the U. S. Supreme Court, to the extent that a group of Negroes applying for admission to the Old Fort white school were told they must apply as individuals and use the procedures of the assign ment law. Commenting on the recent Su preme Court decision, the prob lems it raises and its relation to the Pearsall Plan, The Smithfield Herald, which also opposed the Pearsall Plan, summed up dear ly what the outlook is on this problem, also just what the Old Fort decision means in the larger picture of school segregation, and the attempts to end or modify it, in North Carolina. Ssdd The Her ald: Yet To Come “North Carolina’s Pupil As signment Law has weathered a legal storm, but the constitution al test of the Pearsall Plan adopted by the voters last Sep- tem'ber is yet to come. “The U. S. Supreme Court has turned down an appeal from Negroes seeking to enroll their children in a white school at Old Fort. The high court agreed with a lower court ruling that the Negroes had not ex hausted administrative remedies open to them under the North Carolina PupU Assignment Law. “In the opinion of Attorney General Patton. The recent Su preme Court decision settles the question of whether the Pupil Assignment Law is unconstitu tional on its face. “ ‘If they thought it was,’ said Patton, ‘they would have noted it.’ “If Attorney General Patton is correct in his view. North Caro lina’s school forces are strength ened in their search for sane sol utions to the problem created by the Supreme Court decision ban ning racial segregation in the public schools. Both proponents and opponents of the Pearsall Plan have contended that the Pupil Assignment Law, which gives county and city boards of education the authority to assign pupils to various schools, is a much needed facility in peaceful compliance with the segregation ban. Temptations “But North Carolinians should not read into Monday’s Old Fort decision things that aren’t there. If’ the Pupil Assignment Law is not imconstitutional on its face, it remains a law that holds temp tations for unconstitutional ad ministration. The Supreme Court has not reversed or modified its decision banning racial segrega tion in public schools. We may be sure that the Supreme Court wiU not uphold any attempt to use the North Carolina Pupil Assign ment Law to preserve full segre gation of the races. Race stiU cannot be the basis for pupil as signment. “Nor does the Old Fort decision safeguard the Pearsall Plan. 'The PearsaR Plan will stand only if the courts are convinced that it is not a plan to nullify the segre gation ban. “The point to keep clear is that compulsory racial segregation is stUl unconstitutional and plans or actions to bvade compliance with the law of the land will not be cduntenanced by the courts. Virginia, for example, has been unsuccessful in the courts with its policy of massive resistance to the anti-segregation decision. Two Hopes ‘•In preserving peace and order, we must bank our hopes on (1) reasonable attitudes on the part of both races and (2) reasonable court decisions sanctioning grad ual good-faith moves toward compliance with the anti-segre gation decision. And it should be remembered that the courts are not likely to be reasonable when unreasonable leaders resort to open defiance of law or to subter fuge ,in nullifying the effect of law.”' Our Unprotected Highways “Evils lurk in every foot of frontage, every acre of land” along the 41,000 miles of super-! highways about to be built in the United States, says Robert Moses. The evil lies in the fact that these new wonder roads are “en tirely unprotected against signs and billboards.” Mr. Moses knows what he is talking about. In his 43 years of public service he has become fa miliar with the hideous highways of the congested urban areas of America. As head of the New York State park system he has worked to preserve the beauties of parks and parkways. He recommends that signs be forbidden within 500 feet of the right of way on the new Ameri can highways. Also that the states be authorized to require even wider clearance on roads within their borders. The act which authorizes a $50 billion outlay on this vast project must be amended. There is no protection at all in the law as it stands. Unless the law is amended, says Mr. Moses, “we face the prospect of speedways built in gasoline gullies, obliterating scenery and confined between continuous rows of offensive advertising.” Congress must act to preserve a view of America the beautiful along this sweeping new highway network. —Birmingham (Ala.) Post-Hehald Crains of Sand How You Say If If you want to know how to say it, and everybody does: it’s “KARAGOOSllAN.” Col. and Mrs. C. A. Smith knew the Karagheusians when the Smiths were stationed in China. Perhaps it wasn’t our identical Karagheusians but their older relatives: father, or grand father or uncles, who started the rug-ma)cing business that grew, first, in the Orient and became the famous rug-making house, later to turn into the American manufacturing company. ^ The Smiths knew and admired the fine products, many copied from ancient Chinese designs, often in the “sculptured” fashion that has become so popular in conteniporary decoration. So now we know how a name that seems destined to become familiar hereabouts ought to be pronounced. Long Distance From The Earthquake Front Caste: Jamie (age 7, in S. F.) —Granny (age nevermind, in S. P.) Jamie: ‘‘Grannyl You know what?” Granny: “What?” Jamie: “We were in school! And there was a big shake! And ^ were "we scared! Granny! You ™ know what?” Granny: “What, Jamie?” Jamie: “You know what? Were we scared!” Granny: “All right. Go on from there.” Jamie: “You know what. Gran ny? We aU thought it was BOMBS! But it wasn’t bombs. You know what. Granny?” _ Granny: “What?” • Jamie: ‘"IT WAS A EARTH QUAKE!" What Was That? As we heard it from Harry Smyth’s description, given at the Industry-Tourist - Council meeting last week, of the Festival. Week program put on by the city of Asheville: one of the days is called: “Governmental Clean-Up • Day”. A fancy title, that. Why not just: “Throw-The-Rascals - Out Day!” Luck And Mr. Ebert David Bar-Illan’s piano-playing is brilliant. And Powerful; He whanged down so hard on that Pinehurst piano, at that last Forum concert, that one of the hammers broke. There he was and there was the audience: upper-middle A conked out. By a miracle of luck, Mr. Ebert, Charlotte piano-timer for the musically elite, had stayed on, after fixing up the instru ment, to hear the program. He came running, carrying his black bag, like a good doctor. And he ^ contin'ued in that role. Got the ^ key back to working in a mini mum of time. Said the artist, as he returned to the stage: “I don’t know if you and I could take it, but ob viously the piano couldn’t.” Most Greeted Visitor There was a great deal of friendly greeting going on be- tween all the gardeners who vis- ^ ited the Sandhills last week. Greetings of old friends; new friends made to feel at home. Most greeted of aU, was an especially new visitor: to wit, the two-weeks-old baby who made the tour in her father’s arms. At every house she had to have her swaddling-garments carefully parted so folks could take a peek at the pink rose-leaf tinyness in- § side. No early blooming flower could have received a more lov ing blessing than young Miss Al ice Marie Shaw, daughter of Ma]. and Mrs. Allan W. Shaw, Jr., en joying her first Sandhills shindig. The PILOT A Guarantee of Democraey The strength of our democracy rests on (a) our Constitution: (b) our tradition of freedom; and (c) on the fragmentization of our culture. I warm to the reports and the conventions of every fraternal order, society, trade union, manufacturers’ and em ployes’ association, club, and dis cussion group; and I hail, with piety and respect, the emergence of every new religious sect. It is this “plimality” of culture at every level of our national life which has prevented the devel opment of a dangerous vacuum at any time in our history. I am convinced, for instance, that one of the reasons that a mass movement has not been able to make any headway in our country, has been due to the forty-eight units of government. 'These mass movements operate on sort of an emotional momen tum, and the forty-eight separate units of government make it al most impossible for a sudden mental aberration to overwhelm everything before it. At the very height of Senator Joe McCarthy’s political power, he couldn’t be elected coroner in any precinct of North Carolina. 'That is why every noisy session of a state legislature, and every speech by a Governor, whether you agree with him or not, should be music to the ears of all freedom-loving Americans.—^Har ry Golden in The Carolina Isra elite Published Every Thursday by THE PILOT. Incorporated Southern Pines. North Carolina 1941—JAMES BOYD—1944 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 Cameron Smith Society Composing Room Lochamy McLean, Dixie B. Ray, Michael Valen, Jasper Swearingen Thomas Mattocks Subscription Rates: One Year $4. 6 mos. $2; 3 mos. $1 Entered at the Postoffice at South ern Pines, N. C., as second class mail matter Member National Editorial Assn, and N. C. Press Assn.