^tc - journal
NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
*???
? 1976
0MO&0UI
P R
ASSOCIATION
Published E?erj Tlmndaj al Racford. N.C. 28376
1 19 W. Etwo*d A?mmk
Subec. Iptloa Rata* In Advaac*
Per Year ? $8.00 6 Moalha - $4.25 3 Month. ? $2.25
PAUL DICKSON Pubttaher- Editor
SAIVI C. MORRIS General Mana(tr
MRS. PAUL DICKSON Society Editor
MARTY VEGA Reporter
SUZANNE APLIN
Second Class Postage at Racford, N.C.
? Reporter
THURSDAY, MARCH 10, 1977
Energy: Congress's ball
Now that Congress has shown that it can move on ethics, it ought
to pull itself together on energy and deal swiftly with President
Carter's proposal for a department of energy. There is a word to the
wise in a current Broadway comedy about parliamentary
peccadilloes. A character wryly suggests that she would rather have
an investigation of what legislators do during their working day than
during their own time. Congress now has an opportunity to show
that it can work efficiently to serve the public need rather than
preserve personal power centers.
The Senate made a start in this direction, though not nearly what
had been hoped for, in the reorganization of its committees. But a
reorganization and consolidation of energy matters will demand
forbearance by many in both houses who have enjoyed a piece of the
action under the present fragmentation of energy in various agencies
with opportunities for leverage by congressional barons.
This does not mean that Congress need accept wholesale and
unrefined the legislation Mr. Carter proposes, nor would it be
expected to. There seems obvious good sense in having the new
department absorb whatever nonduplicating functions should be
preserved from the Federal Energy Agency, Energy Research and
Development Administration, Federal Power Commission, and
other agencies slated for extinction. But special care will have to be
exercised in carving out just what functions should be removed from
the Interior Department, say, and shifted to the new department.
In the negotiating there may be a mixed blessing in Mr. Carter's
making James Schlesinger a part of the package as Secretary of
Energy. Mr. Schlesinger's demonstrated toughness and ability in
other posts recommend him for the job but cause apprehension in
some quarters over the possibility of his turning the post into too
much of a czardom. TTie fact that Mr. Carter is proposing a
Republican from the Nixon-Ford days for such a powerful position is
not the best news in the world to Congress's Democratic majority.
But Mr. Schlesinger got off on the right foot, as it looks from here,
when he emphasized that administrative reorganization is no answer
to the nation's energy problem. It is the policy to be administered
which is the key. In the realm of policy he can be expected to make
informed judgments on forms of energy, to be firm on the
conservation he rightly stresses, and not to override environmental
concerns.
However, the administration energy policy as a whole is not
scheduled before April 20 ? fast enough for a new administration.
We hope it takes full account of the watershed choices between
forms of energy ? oil. nuclear, coal, solar, etc. ? which mean that
going thoughtlessly in one direction could hamper the later choice of
another. Here the wisdom of Congress as well as the White House
will be tested. Christian Science Monitor
Business without bribery
The perennial excuse for American business bribery abroad has
been that it is necessary to meet the competition. But former
Treasury Secretary Simon said that most United States firms were
able to get along without bribing; present Treasury Secretary
Blumenthal insisted on firm ethical standards in the highly
successful company he formerly headed; and now the Wall Street
Journal has found that businesses can give up bribing without
suffering losses.
It seems to be the old story that has to be repeatedly relearned:
morality is good for you. The Journal surveyed 25 large corporations
that had made big questionable payments abroad and then said they
had forbidden their employees to make any more of them. Some
refused to comment but none reported significant damage to foreign
sales.
Lockheed, which got so many headlines for paying some $25
million overseas, lost one contract for refusing to buy a Mercedes for
a foreign agent, said its chairman. But its 1976 foreign orders
reached a new high.
According to opinions cited in the Journal, some overseas
payments by American companies were not to meet foreign
competition but to undercut other U.S. firms. Some reflected a
misguided lack of faith in ability to compete even when in a
superior position to do so. (In a later story the Journal reported on
government investigative data implying that not all the payments to
foreign officials were commerical bribes: "Government investigators
are assembling 'strong indications' that the Central Intelligence
Agency knew about and probably encouraged the flow of
under-the-table cash from leading American corporations to certain
political figures abroad.")
"I think you'll find the economic impact is minuscule ? some but
small." said an executive referring to the government's crackdown
on the kind of payments his firm had been making. "I'm afraid there
will be some effect, but the country will be better off without that
business." Exactly. Christian Science Monitor
The humblest citizen of all the land, when clad in the armor of a
righteous cause, is stronger than all the hosts of error.
William Jennings Bryan
r? by Marty Vega
Windmill Search On
It is time to remind everyone
once more of the windmill search
for Richard Crockett.
Mr. Crockett, you will recall, is
the gentleman from Salem. Va.
who wrote some weeks ago about
his passion for a windmill. He is
interested in finding a rundown
looking farm with a windmill on it
so he can buy the windmill and take
it back to Salem with him.
In these energy crisis days it is
commendable to know of someone
who is interested in conserving fuel
and intends to make use of wind
power. So. if you know of a suitable
Puppy Creek
Philosopher
Dear editor:
How to interpret statistics is an
art a lot of people haven't
mastered, and the best way for a
scientist for example to get his
name in the paper is to announce
that his experiments show that
something we've all been consum
ing for years is harmful to rats in
his laboratory, although it doesn't
seem to bother rats on the outside:
they keep right on multiplying and
thriving on our leftovers.
What bought this to mind were
some statistics I read on the use ot
hand guns in crime. According to
the figures, only 1 6 per cent of guns
confiscated by the police when thev
apprehended criminals were the
cheap "Saturday Night Specials."
the rest were expensive models, like
Colt and Smith & Wesson.
This, an analysis by experts
concluded, proves that banning the
manufacture and sale of Saturday
Night Specials would have rather
small effect in curbing crime.
The expert who figured that out
may not be able to see the facts for
the statistics. He may not under
stand the American way of crime.
He may not know you have to crawl
before you walk.
I mean, starting out in crime
may be like starting out in
business. Most of the time, unless
your father owns the plant or. in
the case of crime, runs the gang,
you have to start on a shoestring.
Sure, it's nice, in the case of
business, to start out as a vice
president of the company, and. in
crime, with a brand new Smith &
Wesson revolver, but the ordinary
American youngster has no such
headstart.
Therefore, if you've chosen crime
as your profession, about the best
you can manage at the start is a
cheap Saturday Night Special, and
then gradually work your way up to
the better pistols. Oh. you can start
with a butcher knife, but you've got
to be mighty ambitious to try it.
Now as everybody knows, about
two-thirds of the criminals practic
ing their profession these days have
already been convicted a time or
two and are out on bond, or parole,
or were declared rehabilitated and
released from prison. Gary Gilmore
was out on parole.
So to go further into those
statistics showing only 16 per cent
of the crimes were committed with
cheap guns, those experts ought to
find out how many first crimes were
pulled off with them. As a man
advances in his professons and
accumulates capital, naturally he
acquires better and better equip
ment.
Yours faithfully.
J. A.
windmill on the market, contact
this column and the information
will be passed on to Mr. Crockett.
? ? *
Many people who read the story
about the plans to turn soybeans
into imitation milk think the idea is
sound and should make a killing.
Of course, some people are sorry
that they couldn't get in on the deal
and invest a little money. Specula
tive investments have been known
to become overnight bonanzas, as
buyers and sellers in the stock
market and commodities markets
know . But you must know the little
tricks. If someone gives you a tip on
platinum, how will you know if he
means Clairol hair color stock? Or
platinum mines? What do you
* really know about platinum mines?
Do you honestly feel you know
enough?
The thing to do is sign up now for
our confidential, no-risk Financial
Analyst Service at the low in
troductory rate. For one small
monthly fee. we'll advise you
expertly on all your investments
and also provide an insider's view
of all the new . high vield offerings.
For example, you can get in on
the ground floor of the plan of a
group of wizards who are about to
market imitation whiskey made
from cow's milk. A formula has
been devised to produce whiskey
from ordinary milk and it will look,
taste and smell like the real thing.
Acquisition rights to the Schlitz
malt liquor bull have been obtained
and if sufficient capital is raised,
the bull will be introduced to a test
herd of dairy cows.
Research has indicated there will
be a heavy market here. People will
enjoy the convenience of buying
liquor in a supermarket and avoid
the stares and embarrassment of
going to the ABC store in a small
town.
Plans call for producing 90. 100
and 120 proof brands in plastic,
unbreakable jugs. Price will at
tractively low. since the high costs
of distilling and aging will be
unnecessary.
A top Madison Avenue agency is
already at work on an extensive
advertising campaign for the media
to introduce the new product. Since
the blend will be genuinely smooth,
the slogan will be 'Look Out for the
Bull Feathers' and a dramatization
of Bossie tearing up the dairy case
will be shown.
Another commerical will feature
rugged he-man types who climb
mountains, race fast cars, or lay
Virginia pipeline and then demand
a drink of Bull Feathers to relax.
Letters To The Editor
I am writing in regard to last
week's front page story "Ruling
Clears City in School Suit."
If I had been reading The
News-Journal and was unfamiliar
with the motorcycle accident at
Hoke High School on October 13.
1975 (Please note how long it took
to reach the courtroom) 1 would
have assumed a boy was riding
down Bethel Rd. around 10:30
p.m. and wrecked on his motorcy
cle. bumped his head, scratched
himself slightly and then walked
home.
As the mother of Steve Wilburn
here is what actually happened.
Stevt left Gentry Tire Center at
10:30 p.m. He walked into our
home at 11:05 p.m. very bloody
and completely incoherent. During
this lapse of time Steve had been
lying unconscious in Bethel Road
bleeding profusely from severe
cuts. He regained consciousness
when a passerby stopped around 1 1
p.m. Steve walked home unaided
but the paper failed to say he lived
one block away. I took Steve -to the
hospital where it took twenty-two
stitches to close the scratches on his
face and arms that were referred to
in the N.J. Steve also had a
concussion and was unable to tell
what had happened until six hours
later. He was hospitalized for this
dazed, scratched condition for two
days.
Citizens of Raeford and Hoke
County, do you think we are getting
unbiased coverage from our local
press?
Sincerely.
Norma H. Connell
SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER
SPEAKS OUT
In reference to the trip by some
of the Hoke County Board of
Education members of the National
Association of School Adminis
trators in Las Vegas, I wish to use
this media to express why I was not
among those making the trip.
I want it known by all the
concerned parents in Hoke County
that 1 was under the impression I
was not to be a representative of
our Board at the Las Vegas
meeting. The Las Vegas trip was to
be made by the Superintendent, the
Assistant Superintendent and two
Board members invited by them. I
do not know how a third Board
member was allowed to make the
trip under the condition of having
only two invitations to extend.
Two of us were chosen to make
the trip to Houston and some were
to go to Las Vegas. With this in
mind. I gave no further thought to
the Las Vegas trip. This trip now
concerns me very much after the
way it has been handled and under
these conditions. I feel I should not
go to Houston.
The letter that has come from the
Superintendent as an apology is
to me not an apology at all but an
attempt to explain how this third
Board member made the Las Vegas
trip. I would have paid my own way
to Las Vegas. The Superintendent's
lettter falls short of even making an
explanation.
As far as this incident causing a
split among the Board members. 1
do not wish this to happen and 1
will work in harmony with the
Board in every way possible except
make the trip to Houston.
As to all the questions that have
come up about why this or why that
about the Las Vegas trip. 1 do not
have the answer. I hope this trip
does not cause any confusion
among concerned parents in Hoke
County, and 1 also hope that
incidents of this nature will not
happen again.
Mrs. Ruth S. McNair
Dear Hoke County Citizens:
A few months ago. I was elected
to the Board of Education in Hoke
County. I wanted to learn as much
as I could as soon as I could to be
the best board member I could be.
One week before the December
meeting, we received the monthly
agenda. It announced the A. A.
S.A. meeting in Las Vegas to be
attended by part of the School
Board, and the N.S.B.A. meeting
in Houston to be attended by
another part of the School Board. I
called Mr. Autry, and asked if it
was possible for me to attend both
meetings, at my own expense,, of
course. He said he would find out.
In a few days, he called and said I
could attend. About a month later,
Mr. Autry and Mr. Gibson told me
they felt my expenses should be *
paid, because even though I could
afford to pay my way, a person on
the Board now. or in the future may
not be able to do so, and a qualified
Erson may not run for the School i
>ard in the future, if it was too
costly to attend the educational
functions. I agreed. I feel truly
grateful for the opportunity to
attend the A.A.S.A. meeting with
the superintendent, assistant
superintendent, and experienced ,
School Board members. I learned
from them in a way I could not, if 1
had not been there, and I also
learned from the meetings and
speakers. I am glad I did not have
to attend my first national meeting
alone as a new School Board
member. I went there to learn. It
was a serious business for me, and I
am grateful to all who helped to
make this trip possible.
Dr. Townsend and I are going to
Las Vegan in November. We have
had our November trip planned for
almost two years. This time, he will
be the one in meetings all day.
I've read of the trips the Board of
Education has taken and I've
always wondered what they
learned, (if anything). I thought
some of you might be interested in
a comment or two about some of
the speakers I heard and the classes "
1 attended.
Frank Zarb, President Carter's
appointee for Atomic Energy: He
said "if we do everything everybody
suggests to conserve fuel and
reduce the rate of growth and -
consumption, it will take ten years
to fall back, one percentage point
in usage of fuel. We can expect
serious brown - outs in certain parts
of the country.
Ernest Bouyer, President Car
ter's designated appointee as Com
missioner of Education. He is
committed to speak out aggres
sively for schools in the area of (1)
emergency support (2) equal op
portunity and (3) further intel
lectual growth. If approved, his two
top assistants will come from
superintendents with experience in
elementary and high schools.
Reverend Jesse Jackson, founder
and President of P.U.S.H. People
United to Save Humanity. He said
ignorance costs more than in
telligence. We the people did not
create the mess the world is in. It
was created for us. We are the
victims. The victim is not re
sponsible for the mess, but he muat
be responsible for getting out of the
mess.
Jack Anderson writes The Wash
ington Merry Go Round. He said,
Government is supporting: Poor
people through Social Services
(welfare); Farmers with subsidies
and don't be fooled, our govern
ment supports big bosineu through
tax incentives. Mr. Anderson is a
Morman, and father of eight.
William Glasser - author of
"Schools Without Failure". This
internationally known educator
and author spent about thirty
minutes of his two hour lecture on
the ways T.V. is affecting our
society. Reverend Jackson also
devoted part of his speech to the
way mess media is bringing moral
decay. (I sincerely hope our
community hears more about this
later).
PL 94-142. Implications of this
law for public schools in the
education of the handicapped. The
extent of the schools responsibility
was a shock to me. A valuable 1 V?
hour session.
All of these topics fit in with local
problems I've heard discussed just
since I've been a Board member.
There were other classes and
speakers, but these are names and "
titles most everyone would recog
nize. I have ax least a full page of
notes for each speaker. I would be
glad to share what I learned with
anyone over the phone or with your
civic group.
Once again, may I express my
gratitude for this learning ex
perience. I feel that is some way
every child in Hoke County can
benefit.
Sincerely,
MINA TOWNSEND
P.S. On Wednesday, March 9,
McNair and I plan to attend a
meeting with the N.C. State
Legislators. We expect to hear
about the Community Schools Act,
The Graduation Competency Test
Act, and the Competency Test
Commission.
Browsing in the
of The News-Journal
25 years ago
Thuraday, March 6, 1952
Hoke County's National Guard
unit, Battery A of the 130th Anti ?
aircraft artillery automatic wea
pons battalion is planning to have a
dinner of its members on its fifth
birthday next birthday next March.
? # *
Mr. and Mrs. Irvin Currie have
bought the house recently vacated
by Mr. and Mrs. E.M. Stallings in
Sunset Hills, and moved into last
week.
? ? *
The Raeford Boy Scout troop will
conduct a rat - extermination
campaign in the Town of Raeford
next week.
? * ?
From Poole's Medley:
Either vocal or instrument music
is produced by a harmony of :
sounds. There is no guess work. It
is not an accidental performance.
Music is harmonious sounds. ^
* * *
Hal Gore and his orchestra will?
play for a dance at Flora Mac
donald College on Friday night of
this week and at Duke university
on Saturday night.