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NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
imaum fiirti ?
irri NNA SUSTAINING
MEMtn ? 1976
Qx/iofaui I
RRES S
ASSOCIATION
Published Ewj Thundni at Ratford, N.C. 2S376
1 19 W. Ehrood Aitnuf
Subscription Rate* In Advance
Per Year ? S8.00 6 Month* ? $4.25 3 Months ? $2.25
PAUL DICKSON Publisher? Editor
SAM C. MORRIS General Manager
MRS. PAUL DICKSON Society Editor
MARTY VEGA Reporter
Second Class Postage at Racford. N.C.
THURSDAY. JANUARY 13, 1977
Ethics at the top
President-Elect Carter's new guidelines limiting conflict of interest
in his administration are to be heartily welcomed. By issuing them
now, Mr. Carter indicates that he regards the shoring up of
America's ethics as central to his role as leader of the country.
Nothing could be more important. The President must set the tone
and Mr. Carter has made a good beginning toward helping restore
public confidence in the integrity of government.
Carter aides call this only a "first step." Indeed the new rules do
not go as far as earlier reports suggested they might. They do not. for
instance, end the common "revolving door" practice by which
officials leaving government accept jobs in industries they once
regulated or dealt with. Mr. Carter has expressed his dissatisfaction
with this system.
While the guidelines do not prohibit the practice, they do tighten
existing laws. For two years a retired official cannot represent a
private party on a "particular matter" he dealt with during his last
year in government service (the present law is for one year). And for
one year he cannot represent for pay anyone before his former
department on any matter. In addition, the code for the first time
will require all of the political appointees in government to make full
public disclosures of their net worth, and to divest themselves of
holdings that could pose a conflict of interest.
In line with his own guidelines, Mr. Carter will put his own peanut
business into a trust, sell some of his stock, and lease his farmland.
Certainly one shares the view of Common Cause that the new code
represents a "major breakthrough" in the effort to reduce conflict of
interest. The law ought to be strengthened. At the same time it is
obvious that implementation of the law will depend in large measure
on the individual integrity and conscience of government leaders and
bureaucrats. Even the present code has been egregiously violated.
Studies conducted by the Congress's General Accounting Office, for
example, have found that hundreds of employees in the executive
agencies have financial interests that conflict with their official
duties and that hundreds more fail to file required financial
statements.
At best, one cannot close all the loopholes. Under Mr. Carter's
guidelines, say, a lawyer who leaves a regulatory agency would not be
able to lobby for a private firm before that agency. But
presumably he could still give advice to a colleague handling the
matter. Would the result be much different?
Realizing the difficulty of eliminating all conflict of interest, the
important thing is that the President and his executive staff be seen
trying to bolster the standard and to act in the highest ethical
manner possible. There has been an enormous erosion of public
trust in government because of flagrantly unethical conduct in the
past. To the degree that those in office display a personal and public
integrity that goes beyond the mere letter of the law will they help
reverse that downward trend. Christian Science Monitor
Browsing in the files
of The News-Journal
25 years ago
Thursday, January 10, 1952
Lulong Ogburn of Smithfield.
"Miss North Carolina" of last year
and one of the finalists in the "Miss
America" contest at Atlantic City,
will head a list of noted entertainers
to be presented by the Hoke County
March of Dimes committee in a
variety show at the high school at
8:00 o'clock Saturday night.
* * *
Robert Lee Bethune, for many
years a prominent citizen of
Raeford, died at his home here
Sunday night after having been an
invalid for many years.
? * *
The Raeford Post Office set a
record for gross receipts during
1951 as the figures showed a twenty
percent increase over the preceding
year.
* * *
Sgt. John Culbreth, Jr.. who has
been in Korea and Japan for the
past two years with the army, has
landed in California, and expects to
arrive home soon to spend a
furlough with his mother.
* ? *
From Poole. s Medley:
Too much of the tax money
collected is misspent; I mean, too
many are given positions on boards
or commissions, because fewer of
these boards are necessary.
15 years ago
Thursday, January 11, 1962
The season's first snow storm
closed Hoke schools for Wednesday
and Thursday, bringing unbound
ed joy to the hearts of thousands of
youngsters.
? * #
Popular young druggist Walter
Coley has purchased a half -
interest in Hoke Drug Co. from
owner Walter Baker, it was learned
this week.
* * *
J.B. White was installed Tuesday
night as Master of Raeford Lodge
No. 306 AF&M.
? ? *
Applications are being accepted
for position of manager of the
Raeford - Hoke Chamber of
Commerce, president Bill Moses
announced this week.
* * *
The undefeated Sanford Yellow
Jackets come to town Friday night
to tangle with the red hot Bucks,
winners of five out of their last six
games.
? * *
Construction has begun on the
$25,000 sanctuary of the Second
Baptist Church.
'Check: Junior gave up paper route. Uncle Ed took over
shoe store, we sold our two shares of Utility'
nisi?* ?
^
The Christian Scmnc* Monitor
by Marty Vega
Which Group Are You
There are two distinct classes of
people who read newspapers. There
is the group who always reads the
front pages first and then reads the
comics. Then there is the group
who reads the comics first. There
isn't much in-between. The only
variation on this is the group that
doesn't read newspapers at all. or
starts with the last page and reads
backwards. (Startling, isn't it?)
But the questions this week
concerns the second group-- the
oddballs who race for the paper
and then tear it open hungrily for
the comic page. The questions is.
why? Isn't the news already full
enough of sick characters with
deformed minds? Why would
anyone want a steady diet of it?
It you think the comic strips are
entertaining, you are as looney as
the people in them. Dick Tracy?
Here's a man who worked for the
police department for over 40 years
without a promotion and he doesn't
care! His onlv interest is in
Puppy Creek
Philosopher
Dear editor:
For years, before women an
nounced they have brains too. men
have been poking fun at the
vunerability of women to fashion.
If some guy in Paris with a
hard-to-pronounce name -- and the
harder the more authoritative he is
-- says women's skirts are to be
short, women flock to the stores to
buy short ones, excusing those who
know how to use a pair of scissors.
It the guy the next year says skirts
are to be long, women rush to buy
long ones, including those who find
scissors won't work this time.
To a lot of men, this being a slave
to fashion was hilarious. "Let some
fop in Paris or New York tell
women what to wear and they fall
in line like sheep going over a cliff
or swallows returning to Capis
trano." they said.
The joke has now played out. On
account of men's vests.
A year ago a man was fully
dressed, from the President to the
Hmperor of Japan, up and down, if
he had on a two-piece suit. Then
some fashion designer - you reckon
it was a woman with a wicked sense
of humor? -- declared men will now
wear vests. Like women and swal
lows returning to C'apistrano. men
complied. Even in the summer
time.
I first noticed this when Presi
dent Ford last year showed up at a
press conference wearing a vest. At
the moment I supposed it was a
bullet-proof thing, ordered by the
Secret Service, but no. I was
informed, a bullet-proof vest is
worn under the shirt and has little
chance of catching on generally,
slaves to fashion or not. It can't be
seen and besides it itches. What he
was wearing was a genuine, fash
ionable vest, the kind you see the
room wearing in wedding pictures
-0 years ago.
Well sir. it wasn't long before
more and more vests started show -
ing up. even on the hard-nosed
reporters covering the President.
Men everywhere rushed to get on
the fashion bandwagon, you might
say with woman-like obedience.
My only reaction to this is regret:
regret that years ago. due to a lack
of far-sightedness. I threw away a
perfectly good vest. I've still got the
pants and coat.
Yours faithfully,
J. A.
pursuing people who are ugly. He
even manages to find pretty girls
who are revolting! What would the
psychologists say about him?
Or take Little Orphan Annie.
Here we see a pluckly little girl of
fourteen or so who, though bright
as a whip, lives in poverty. By
choice. The only time she knows
w here her next meal is coming from
is uhen her Daddy Warbucks is in
town. She isn't interested in boys, is
she is interested in any male at all.
it seems to be the dog Sandy. Is any
of this fit?
Consider Ripley's Belive It or
Not. Here is a vertiable hotbed of
disceased minds. E. Fribish of Owl
Drink. Minn, built the Empire
State Building out of ten million,
four hundred thousand, eight
hundred and six matches! This
isn't a looney? He lost his job. his
wife died, his children left, while he
worked nine years on his kitchen
table.
Elmer Zotty was born at mid
night July 4. His father, Phelperton
Amy. was born at midnight July 4.
His grandfater. Phineas Zotty, was
born at midnight July 4. Now. none
of this is Elmer's fault and it
wouldn't earn him a place on the
nut list, except. He sent it in to the
paper!
Can anyone out there stomach
Mary Worth, the sickest of all? She
has no life of her own so she leads
everyone else's. She gives more
advice than Ann Landers. The only
way to tell them apart is that
Landers is the one who sends out
the pamphlets.
There is but one normal person
in the comics world. Snuffy Smith.
Here is a real American. No
problems. He spends as much time
as he can sleeping. The rest of the
time he is having a ball -? drinking,
playing checkers and generally
raising hell.
So the next time you race
through the funny pages, don't
laugh.
"They marvelled; and they took
knowledge of them, that they had
been with Jesus." (Acts 4:13)
Everyone who loves Jesus and
attempts to live the Christian life
has the privilege of helping others
get to know Jesus, too.
H.L. Gee. an interesting writer,
has told about staying on a farm
during World War II, where the
farmer and his wife lived happy
Christian lives. A young girl came
to the farm to work. She had no use
for the church or what it stood for
in traditional Christianity. But by
the way this couple lived she was
compelled to see that there must be
something in religion which pro
duced such loving people. When
H.L. Gee was leaving the farm, she
told him that she had come to see
what Christianity was all about.
It is wonderful to think that
perhaps there is someone in our
office or road who may find the joy
of Christian living because of what
we are.
PRAYER: Lord God. help us to be
aware of the opportunities each day
presents. Help us in our living to
commend Christ as Lord and
Savior. In His name we pray.
Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
Is my life so happy in Jesus that
others will be attracted to Him?
- copyright - THE UPPER ROOM
CUFF BLUE ...
People & Issues
I
JIM HUNT. ..Saturday. January
8 was a big day for Jim Hunt and
the thousands who worked in his
successful campaign for governor.
His inaugural address was short --
just five minutes, and to the point,
the shortest on record in recent
years. It was an inspirational
address with his formal recommen
dations to come later. With the
support and backing which he has.
he has the opportunity to make and
outstanding governor.
JIM GREEN. ..Having served
several terms in the General As
sembly -? both in the House and
Senate, and as Speaker of the
House. Jim Green has the back
ground knowledge of State gov
ernment to make an outstanding
lieutenant governor. Few have as
sumed office with better prepara
tion than the Bladen County man.
COUNCIL OF STATE.. With
40 years behind him as Secretary of
State. Thad Eure was administered
the oath for his eleventh term
Saturday.
State Auditor Henry L. Bridges
with 30 years of service began
another four year term Saturday.
Jim Graham with 12 years as
Commissioner of Agriculture en
tered into another four year term.
State Supt. of Public Instruction A.
Craig Phillips entered into his third
four-year term. Attorney General
Rufus Edminsten after two years in
office begins a new 4-year term.
John Ingram. State Insurance
Commissioner, after what looked
like a hard contest for renomina
tion, which he won big, with
limited funds, begins his second
four-year term. In the November 2
election he received the largest vote
of any member of the Council of
State ? 1,048,527 votes.
Two new members of the Council
of State were administered the
oaths of office Saturday -- Harlan
Boyles who succeeds Edwin Gill as
State Treasurer and John C.
Brooks who succeeded Avery Nye
as Commissioner of Labor.
Gill, having been appointed
State Treasurer in 1953 by the late
Governor William B. Umstead
declined to seek reelection. Nye, a
Republican, appointed by Govern
or Holshouser to fill the vacancy
ft*
Just atter Christmas I went on a
brief fact-finding trip to Panama
and Mexico. Given the demands
that the United States dilute its
power over the Panama Canal,
some reflections seem in order.
I returned convinced we have to
keep control of the canal; it is just
too important to us militarily. But I
am also convinced some of the
Panamanians' complaints are justi
fied, and that we have room to
work with them on bettering the
situation.
An impression has been created
that sinister third-world forces are
trying to take the Panama Canal
away from us, and that the
Panamanians are anti-American
and radical. That impression
comes from the dictatorial Pana
manian government's rhetoric in
the United Nations, and from the
nature of news accounts.
This is exaggerated. The Pan
amanians are very Americanized,
and. if my Impression is correct,
the people admire America at the
same time they are irritated by the
Canal Zone.
It is not hard to understand why.
The Canal Zone cuts their country
in half, and because of the nation's
geography and development pat
tern. Panamanians have to cross
and recross the Zone frequently.
All the while the Panamanian is
driving through the Canal Zone, he
is under Zonian law, passed by the
U.S. Congress. Should he go to
court, he would be tried in what is
to him a foreign language, by a jury
of American citizens, in a court set
up by the military.
Anyone who can remember what
it was like to drive across Fort
Bragg on Highway 87 under mili
tary jurisdiction, with the possibil
ity of being stopped by MP's and
tried in federal court, knows what it
caused by the death of the late
W.C. Creel who died in August.
1975, lost to Brooks in the Novem
ber 2. 1976 election.
HELMS SENATE SEAT...
Would be Democrat candidates for
the Senate seat now held by Jessie
Helms, a former Democrat, are
coming to the surface early and
fast.
First to let his availability as a
Democrat candidate for the U.S.
Senate be known was Hugh Can
non. long-time friend and former
law-partner of former Governor
Terry Sanford.
Next to let it be known that he
was willing and ready to make the
race was J. McNeill Smith of
Greensboro.
Superior Court Judge Sam J.
Ervin 111, son of former Senator
Ervin who gained nation-wide re
cognition and fame as Chairman of
the Watergate Investigation Com
mittee is also toying with the idea of
seeking a seat in the Senate where
his dad served long and well. .
Luther H. Hodges. Jr.. son of
former Governor Hodges is giving
early and careful consideration to
making the race.
Nick Galifianakis who lost the
Senate race to Helms in 1972 with
Helms receiving 795,248 votes or 54
percent ot Galifianakis' 677.293
votes or 46 percent, is said to be
toying with the idea of seeking the
nomination again. In 1974 he ran
for the Senate Seat again when
Senator Ervin was retiring, along
with Henry Hall Wilson and Robert
Morgan with Morgan winning in
the first primary.
Attorney Genral Rufus Edmisten
who served as Senator Ervin's aide
in the Watergate Investigation
Committee is reported to be inter
ested in serving in the most
prestigeous body elected by the
people in the United States.
State Senator E. Lawrence Davis
III of Winston-Salem has let it be
known that he would like mighty
well to represent North Carolina in
the U.S. Senate in Washington.
Whoever wins the Democratic
nomination for the U.S. Senate will *
have their hands full when they
come up against Jesse Helms in the
fall of 1978.
Report
To The
People
b\ Senator Robert Morgan
must oe like. 1 used to drive that
road, and it made me nervous even
though I was a lawyer.
This creates ill feeling, and so
does the isolation of the Zonians -
American citizens who live and
work in the Canal Zone, some of
them fourth generation residents.
The Zonians are too isolated from
Panama. They enjoy the benefits of
a complete socialism, in which their
needs are met in a most handsome
manner by the U.S. Government.
There is simply no need for them to
have anything to do with the
Panamanians.
We cannot give up control of the
canal in the near future. What with
all the enthusiasm for cutting th<*
military budget, we will not be able
to afford two separate navies. The
movement of military ships through
the canal during the Vietnam war
is evidence of our need for passage
for our "two-ocean" fleet.
But we can stop creating needless
ill will. Zonians could trade in
Panamanian shopping centers, as
our embassy personnel do across
the world, instead of having every
service provided by the U.S. Gov
ernment. There are lands within
the Zone which are nothing but a
burden to us, and which could be
ceded back. We could allow Pan
amanians passing through the Zone
to remain under Panamanian law.
And we ought to require, by law,
that American government em
ployees overseas should learn the
language of their host nation. This
is common courtesy, and would
remove a needless irritant.
In short, we need to stop
operating the Canal Zone like an
absolute colony, and start behaving
like guests in someone else's coun
try. Then there might be less
pressure for us to leave.
SUPPORT V YOUR
HOKE COUNTY RESCUE SQUAD
Volunteers Trained and Equipped To Serve You.
I