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PAUL DICKSON Pub Wier-Editor
SAM C.MORRIS Generrf Manager
KAY PIOTRZKOWSK1 Ajaociale Fxlitoc
MRS. PAUL DICKSON Society Editor
JAMACHESSER Reporttx
Second Out Postage it Kaeford, N. C.
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 13. 1973
As We See It... ? By Kay Piotrzkowski
Editor's Note: Since this editorial was written Hoke County Clerk of
Superior Court E.E. Smith received a memorandum from the
Administrative Office of the Courts that Governor Holshouser's edict
closing state offices for an eleven day period during the holiday season
applies only to state employees working in "state government buildings,
therefore, you and your employees are not affected." Smith says his
office will be open December 27, 28 and 31. The office will close the
normally scheduled holiday dates from December 22 through 26 and
New Year's Day.
In several ways Governor Jim Holshouser's edict last week giving
state employees an additional three days off during the holiday season
to conserve energy is typical of so many "hurry up and do it yesterday"
moves in government circles. At first glance it seems a very patriotic
and fuel conserving action. But a closer examination brings to light flies
in the honey.
The new plan calls for releasing state employees from work during
the period December 22 through January 1, thus closing state offices,
dispensing with need to heat state buildings and therefore conserving
heating fuel and electricity. So far, so good! But a number of state
employees work in buildings other than those owned and maintained
by the state. We are thinking of offices of clerks of court and
courtrooms which are located in municipal or county buildings. If local
governments keep these buildings open during the holidays, it is
unlikely there will be much energy conserved by closing state offices in
the buildings for three additional days.
In Hoke County these facilities are in the county courthouse which,
it appears, will remain open during the holiday season. The structure
will be heated and according to County Manager T.B. Lester turning off
heat ia pqrtions of the building may result in water damage because of
the type of heating system. Closing the court clerk's office for an 11
day period will also create problems and work hardships on those least
likely to afford it. If the clerk's office closes, people who make weekly
payments will be prevented from doing so. Recipients of these
payments will be unable to collect their court ordered allowances.
Children who depend on child support payments will be forced to go
without for a period of time. Granted, according to reports from the
clerk's office "only seven or eight families will be affected", it is too
many if only one family is deprived of support by closing the offices.
Many of the payments are "small"; only eight or ten dollars. But this is
all relative-eight or ten dollars may be mad money to the a more
affluent but it is a veritable gold mine to the poverty stricken.
Another can of worms which may grow to serpentine proportions if
these offices close for such a lengthy period relates to the new
involuntary commitment law. Individuals involuntarily committed must
have a district court hearing within at least ten days of incarceration or
be released from the hospital. The ten day limit may be difficult or
impossible to meet during the 11 day closing period.
Rehearings must be scheduled within 90 days of the first hearing and
at least every 1 20 days thereafter. If these can not be held on schedule,
the law requires the hospitalized individual be released. Seriously ill and
dangerous individuals could be released because offices were closed and
hearings could not be held on time. All this in the name of conserving
energy and heating fuel by releasing employees from work in offices
that will be heated whether the employees are at work or not.
One bit of good may come from releasing state employees for the 11
day period - perhaps Chief District Judge Derb Carter will use the time
to compile procedural tables for those working with the new
commitment law. He promised .1 September to do so, but to date, he
apparently has not produced such written instructions.
Speaking of closing offices, one point keeps nagging at us. Why do
some county offices with more than one employee close during lunch
hour? It would seem that in offices with two or more employees, lunch
hours could be staggered to allow the office to remain open to serve the
citizenry. We have frequently noticed people trying to enter offices
during lunch hour only to find doors locked. The two departments that
jump most readily to mind are tax collection and register of deeds,
although there may well be others.
With county offices closed on Saturdays and lunch hours it probably
is most difficult for many citizens to comply with laws requiring they
conduct business with certain offices. It has always been our belief that
government offices should exist to serve citizens and not for the
convenience of government employees.
Browsing in the files
of Tho N?w?-Journol
.'i
25 years ago
Thanday, December ?,194S
<?. Memorial Services for Doctor Piul P.
McCain-, were held at the Central North
Caibhnu Tuberculosis Sanatorium at
i? on Tuesday.
Cl?k,
deputy ahertff of thl* county, died at hit
home in Mm Spring! township it 12:30
o'clock last Friday morning.
? * *
Word waa received at the papei went
to Pwaj that lira. Df. Andrewi of
KoauiiH pMM amy it a rtymtivuk
hospital ynttrdiy afternoon.
The Midnight Oil
by lama Chesjer
madnew "called0 & Ch,is,TO'
4p^Tnyo??u? orset^y?i?m"
S.S?SS?S~5
sss
?IS!.V if y? ziTs; "ti""
StiBL- "ftttRM
My method is really the easi?r
SSA-jKassSS
correct number of men's air.. !
women's gift,. Make JUie youf?- ,
are .general in appeal, like shirt jackeuin
aS,Zt medlum' golf putters, or chrome
PuPPy Creek
Philosopher
Dear editor:
ssarSSrSSsssiwy
s-nTirs-awsjs
present. * "? 1"?? was
belief th,?"^t ,his J? and I don't
,m^rrr^?* S.,u,i0IUI
-X-d-t'o^vo^ legi!!1,,on
those 330 tim?. v?'ed on during
jmj times a quorum w?
?'? possible that if all m,mh? *"'?
hand we would now have 33n" We?' on
?"d "everyb^rk^w^v"!:1^'
Uws now than we ?0?v??'?,re
?K"^wara
environmentalists had hJr?-J*bid
millions of years??lh^??r,*?i"d
fuel w?
^ IS Td the dinottu?
m e*tinctioii we
wouldn t have had any oil to start Jh
couW draw *0?
?*wy month from then oa fcfJH
rr??i?fflVg
?wtantMd lgain ' d?"?
Voun falthfuBy,
wheels for men; and ill fitting
bathrobes, music boxes, cook books or
small appliances for the ladies.
The next step is to wrap all the
packages. Then you simply draw a name
from a hat and attach one to each gift.
This method sounds perfectly logical to
me, however, I have never been
courageous enough to try it. If anyone
does try it and it works, please let me
know. I intend to patent it as the
"Minus Migrain Method".
Choir Credits
The Raefordi United Methodist
Church's hanSbell choir recently
performed at the second annual
Cumberland Singing Christmas Tree.
Although they appeared late in the
program, they proved to be one of the
highlights of the show.
The Cumberland Chorale lit the
tiered Christmas tree first with candles
and then with their voices as they
appeared as decorations robed in red
and white on the greenery. During the
second song the tree came alive with
thousands of tiny bulbs. Giant stuffed
animals and gift - wrapped boxes piled
at the bottom of the tree provided the
setting for two hours of Christmas songs
and stories.
Choirs from Fayetteville State
University and Methodist College took
turns with the Cumberland Chorale
providing songs of the season
throughout the first half of the
program.
Several changes and surprises in
lighting effects kept the audience's
attention during the second half since
the performance lacked physical action.
Even the LaFayette Singers, a group
of rosy cheeked children in choir robes,
stood uncommonly still as they sang out
joyously.
The only action relief was given by
Racford's handbell choir, directed by
Mrs. Lewis Upchurch Jr., as they finely
rang out their special selections.
For the finale, all choirs joined in
traditional carols to sing and ring in the
holiday season.
Senator Sam Ervin Savs
WASHINGTON - In a major move to
coordinate Federal energy policy and
allocation programs, President Nixon
has established a new Federal Energy
Office under the direction of Deputy
Treasury William E. Simon.
Simon replaced Governor John Love
as the President's energy advisor, and
hopefully will be able to do what seven
other energy policy makers have been
unable to do in the Nixon
Administration. The President, on
December 4, requested legislation
implementing his Executive Order
creating the framework for the new
agency to provide for the coordination
of all Federal energy activities. On the
date of the White House announcement,
I stated, as Chairman of the Senate
Committee on Government Operations,
that public hearings on the President's
propose! would begin two days later. At
the opening of the hearings on
December 6, I announced my
cospcolorahip of S. 2776, the Jackson ?
Ribicoff bill which embodies the
President's Federal Energy
Admin^tration request.
In wllf, the Federal Energy
Admiiifctration , coordinates under one
agency > the development of domestic
and fotoign policies relating to energy
resource management; the
implementation of programs dealing
on shortage*, such
admin titration of voluntary
poeribiy rationing;
of voluntary and
mandatory energy conservation
programs; the promulgation of energy
price regulations; the establishment of
policies on petroleum and energy
imports and exports; the
implementation of a program to develop
our energy self ? sufficiency; the
coordination of energy policies with
industry, state and local governments,
and the public; and the collection and
dissimination of energy information.
Many have advocated that this be done
for some months.
One of the greatest problems involved
in this situation is that the American
people do not have a clear
understanding of the energy shortage
and what they must do to live with it.
Conflicting report* on this subject
appear constantly in the press. Almost
everyone has a different opinion as to
what should be done. Time and again I
hear the despairing cry that "nobody in
Washington really cans about what is
happening."
I would point out that Senator
JacUon warned about the dangers of
dependence on foreign and particularly
Mid - East oH in Jwm of 1972. Again fai
December of last year he said to all who
would hear: "I am convinced that
development of a national energy policy
is the most critical problem domestic
or international - facing the nation
today." In my newdetter of December
7.1972, more than a year ago.! pointed
See SEN SAM. Page II
CUFF BLUE ...
People & Issues
PARI-MUTUAL BETTING ... Jim
Douglu, Greensboro native, now living
in Moore County is attempting to lay
the groundwork to get the 1974 General
Assembly to name a study commission
on pari-mutual betting to report back to
the 197S General Assembly which be
hopes will legalize pari-rautual betting
on horse racing. With a half dozen
names on a petition, Douglas presented
his cause to the Moore County
Commissioners Dec. 3, but none of the
commissioners grabbed for a pen to
sign, saying they would have to "think
about it and discuss it among
themselves.
WALLACE . . . It's hard for some to
learn that North Carolina is not a
liberal-oriented state. They are
concerned about Skipper Bowles and
Jimmy Sugg going down to Alabama
and inviting Governor Wallace to come
to North Carolina for a Democratic
fund raising dinner on February 16.
However, Bowles and Sugg have not
forgotten the big vote Wallace received
in North Carolina in the May 1972
presidential primary when he carried the
state with 488,785 votes to 304,397 for
Terry Sanford with Muskie receiving
30,293, Rep. Chisholm 61,359 and
Senator Jackson 9,323. Also, that
Governor Wallace was leading all the
candidates with popular votes received
throughout the nation when the
assassination attempt was made on his
life. Bowles and Sugg no doubt realize
that no Democrat is likely to carry
North Carolina in the 1976 election
without the support of the majority of
people who voted for George Wallace in
1972.
CAMPAIGN FUND . . . Instead of
asking Congress to appropriate money,
which it does not have, to provide funds
for presidential campaigns, the
legislators' time might be better spent if
they would get behind legislation to
shed light on what goes on in political
fund raising, before the election is held.
If Congress wants to clean up politics, it
can take a major step by authorizing a
strong "watchdog" spending
commission made up of Democrats,
Republicans and Independents with a
strong and able independent as
chairman. It should give the commission
ample authority to move and to move
fait with subpoena power ?uch u the
Ervin INVESTIGATING Committee
hat, and provide that the candidates
make full and complete reports each
month until a month before the
election, then a complete report each
week. , -
For the Federal Government to
finance presidential elections would be
another major step in the direction of
socialism, doing for the people what the
people ought to do for themselves. It
was the late President Kennedy who
said, "Ask not what your co unity can
do for you; ask what you cm do for
your country." North Carolina's two
Senators, Ervin and Helms voted against
the bill.
COURT RACES . . . Rep. Gerald
Arnold, Harnett County Democrat, has
announced his candidacy for the seat on
the State Court of Appeals now held by
James M. Bailey, Jr., Asheville
Republican, appointed by Governor
Holshouser. Arnold's opposition to
"no-fault"auto insurance in the General
Assembly could become an issue in the
campaign unless he gets a reasonable bill
enacted in the 1974 session.
Judge Bailey is repotted to be eying a
seat on the State Supreme Court in the
event he does not seek to retain his seat
on the State Court of Appeals.
With Superior Court Judge James C.
Exum of Greensboro having decided to
oppose Earl Vaughn rather than Judge
J. William Copeland for a seat on the
State Supreme Court, Copeland can
relax until new opposition develops.
Copeland was appointed to his superior
court judgeship by Governor Sanford.
CHICAGO JUSTICE! . . . Last week
Judge Edward Gignoux in Chicago let
1st lawyer William Kunstler and three of
the "Chicago Seven" defendants off
without a sentence after convicting the
four for their behavior during the
1969-70 riot-conspiracy trial following
the 1968 Democrat convention.
What puzzles us is this: Why spend
months and months in court
proceedings with great cost to the
taxpayers and when you And the
defendants guilty, let them off without
sentencing? Have our courts become a
publicity circus rather than a house of
justice?
Just One Thing After Another
by Carl Goerch
In looking back through our flics the
other day we found an account of a tree
that was grown in Florida callcd a "fruit
salad" tree. The item appeared in 1948
and since we have heard no more about
it except that it fits into the class of
Devil Baby fiction. However, at the time
it was plausible.
One E. J. Ard, who lived in Florida is
said to have owned the tree on which 17
different varieties of fruit were growing.
He had carried on a budding process
over a period of time, the result of
which process was that the tree at the
time the newspaper article appeared was
bearing four different types of
grapefruit, five different types of
oranges, three types of limes, limequats,
lemons, kumquats, tangerines, and the
ponderosa lemon!
Sent in by a thoughtful friend:
INCOMES: the amount of money
that no matter how large it is, you
spend more than.
Last May I decided that I needed to
have my eyes checked so I wrote Dr.
Sam McPherson asking for an
appointment. He gave me one the day
after Thanksgiving at 10 a.m.
At the same time, unbeknownst to
me, my son-in-law Judge Harry Horton
was writing Dr. McPherson from his
home in Pittsboro for a similar
appointment. He received a card back
notifying him to come the day after
Thanksgiving at 9:45 ajn. Some
coincidence!
A friend of ours recently showed us
one of the cards which he carries on his
person and which he distributes when
someone accosts him for a loan. Here's a
copy of it:
YOUR STORY HAS
TOUCHED MY HEART
Never before have 1 met anyone with
more troubles than you.
Please accept this token of my
iincerest sympathy.
Referring to an item we ran some
time ago (about Mr. Redd living in
Durham, Mr. White living in Raleigh,
and Mr. Blue living in Aberdeen), we
received a letter recently from a Mrs.
Sprinkle, in which she calls attention to
the names of some of the folks with
whom she is acquainted.
For instance, in Charlotte she knows
Mr. Finger, Mr. Hand, Mr. Knee, Mr.
Hare and Mr. Foote Also Mr. Hipp, Mr.
Hyde and Mr. Head.
In Raleigh she knows Mr. Rainey, Mr.
Snow, Mr. Hale, Mr. Storm and Mr.
Cloud.
She puts our mention of "Redd,
White and Blue" to ahame, be cause the
knows folks by the name of Redd,
White, Blue, Green, Gray, Black, Brown,
Rote and Lavender.
When it comes to birds and animala,
she knows people who art named
Sparrow, hrtridge, Buck, Moott, 8o0,
Fox, Hart and Robin.
That's fine Mrs. Sprinkle. And now,
on top of all that we want to tall you
that we know folka by (he name of
Sprinkle^ Waters, Rivers, Pool, Lake,
? im
r mt
Pond and Branch.
BUI Mason of Oriental was in our
office the other day and durii? the
course of our conversation he Mid: "Do |
you know how Oriental got its name?"
"Oriental", he said, 'Is the only town
in the United States by that name. It
wee named for a ship loaded ?lth
raisings that was wrecked on UwVMch
right at the site of the town."