NATIONAL NEWSPAPER
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PAUL DICKSON
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SAM C. MOMUS
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MRS. PAUL DICKSON
Sactaty Editor
CHARLES BLACKBURN
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CASS IE WASKO
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Second Claw Postage at Rariord, N.C.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1978
Lifting Hoover's shadow
from the FBI
The Justice Department's accounts of misconduct by former FBI
director J. Edgar Hoover and other top-ranking bureau officials
came as no big surprise. Most of the incidents of petty corruption
had come to light in previous news reports and in congressional
testimony. Nevertheless, the first official documentation of the
hypocrisy that prevailed among a few top officials of the bureau
during the Hoover era cannot help but "cast a shadow over a great
institution," as Attorney General Bell put it.
Disillusioning to many Americans, no doubt, was the startling
contrast between the high standards of integrity Mr. Hoover
required of his agents -- his determination to keep the bureau's
public image unspotted and "untouchable" -- and the private laxity
he permitted himself and a few of his favorite subordinates.
Although Mr. Bell assured Americans such "improper favorit
ism," the use of agents to perform personal chores for the director,
and the illegal acceptance of government funds have since ceased,
the mere fact that these practices persisted after Mr. Hoover's
passing and that current FBI director Clarence Kelley also misused
bureau funds and personnel (but later reimbursed the bureau for the
goods and services) is reason enough for Congress and the Carter
administration to continue to maintain a tight rein on the
20,000-member law enforcement agency.
Mr. Bell, in a speech to the National Press Club, said that he
preceived a change of attitude among Americans. "1 believe we've
reached the end of the Watergate syndrome ...the confidence of the
American people has been restored in their government, and they
are now willing to give those in government an opportunity to
perform as public servants in the traditional sense." By this, he
meant that public officials are "presumed to be honest ...and the
burden of proof is on those contending otherwise."
While Americans can certainly applaud and be gratified by the
progress made thus far toward restoring integrity and public
confidence to government, clearly the FBI abuses outlined in the
Justice Department report underscore the need for constant public
vigilance. The so-called "Koreagate" investigation of congressional
influence peddling and the recent Bert Lance affair also should serve
as reminders that a concerned and watchful citizenry is still a
necessary prerequisite for good government. -- Christian Science
Monitor
'Rock' vs sensationalism
A recent article in .R^to||^cJS2^h^^,Rock *
' punk rock" group the Sex d the "sick" violence and
sick and living in Londo"' f hock effect -- or more likely to
obscenity the group employs for sh melody, or otherwise
detract from its inability ng audiences -- has come to the
communicate meaningfi a y biectionable as the group s raunchy
United States. And ** * wide public exposure the news
remarks and performa , , rock" musicians.
media have lavished on group's U.S. debut in
Some 40 reporters were on hand to gon and loca, rad.o
Atlanta over the weekend Ne?wo? ^ were wtlhng
stations
clamored for SoJp'that has no album among
to grant for S10 apiece. ^Jor a gro^ ^ ^ has even
the top 100 in record sales side of the Atlantic.
released a single on the Am appear to be the punk
Sheer sensationalism a American media did not
groups sole claim to fame^ \U ? SUCCumbed. as did their
exercise greater ethical ?P?"^ty There are enough good/ock
British counterparts, to the : b imitations roll
groups around without helping ..christian Science
American youngsters for the saKe o
Monitor
Browsing in the files
of The News-Journal
25 years ago
January 15, 1953
At a meeting of the Raeford
Chamber of Commerce Board of
Directors Monday night Harvey
Gobeille, president, announced
that the names of those who would
participate in the canvass of
Raeford to raise the S2500 which
the town is expected to put into the
fund to defray expenses of the
effort being made to save 50,000
acres of Hoke County land from
being taken into the Fort Bragg
reservation.
? ? *
A fence post treating and fence
construction demonstration will be
held Friday, January 16, at 1:00
p.m. on Carl Riley's farm.
Miss Belle Graham announced
this week that she had sold the
Graham Gift shop here to Mrs.
Herbert McKeithan.
I
1 5 years ago
Thunday, January 17, 1963
Upchurch Milling's electronic
feed mill will be formally opened
Friday by N.C. Commissioner of
Agriculture L.Y. (Stag) Ballentine.
? ? ?
Raeford's favorite folk - singing
group - Peter. Paul and Sam -
journeyed to Chapel Hill today
(Thursday) for a brief television
appearance tonight on Channel 4 at
7:30 with Governor Teny Sanford.
who will present the annual awards
of the N.C. Press Association.
? * *
A flu epedemic is not yet here,
but local doctors say "it's coming."
School officials report "no
appreciable rise" in absent rate as
yet.
? ? ?
Sheriff* s deputies smashed a 300
- gallon still Friday in Antioch
Township near Hodgin's Pond.
J
HOKUM
By Charles Blackburn
More fanfare preceded the Super
Bowl this year than is likelj' to
attend the Second Coming, and, as
in the past, the pre-game hoopla
was more entertaining than the
sacred event itself.
Televison crews used more
electronic equipment than was
required to land a man on the
moon so that millions of Americans
could see the contest three times,
via instant replay, in one sitting.
And what they saw looked
remarkably like a variation of "The
Emperpr's New Clothes."
In that classic story, a con man
posing as a tailor tells the king that
his new threads will appear
invisible to fools. After his fitting,
the king checks himself out in the
mirror and, sure enough, it looks
just like a birthday suit. But he
isn't aboui to admit that he can't
see the outfit. On the contrary, he
tells the tailor how pleased he is
with his new clothes and pays him
handsomely. And as he parades
along the boulevard, naked as a
jaybird, his subjects, likewise,
admire his costume.
In the case of the Super Bowl.
Madison Avenue is the tailor. For
years, what is just another football
game has been clothed in sequins
and spangles by promoters and sold
at an outrageous price to a doting
public.
The game has never been the
spectacle its advertisers promise.
We can see the trappings, alright,
but where's the king?
H.L. Mencken claimed that
nobody ever went broke underesti
mating the intelligence of the
American public, and as if to prove
that dictum, a Texan is reported to
have offered 51,500 for two Super
Bowl tickets and a place to Sjegg.
(No doubt he had spent severaf
exhaustive days on Bourbon Street
before submitting his bid.)
The promoters knew that, in
New Orleans, the fans would drink
themselves into a state of euphoria
and would be amazed by anything
they saw on the playing field.
Meanwhile, the electronic wizards
hypnotized us with a variety of
special effects, including computer
art and a new kind of instant replay
that gave us all multiple vision (a
technique developed in the French
Quarter). But none of it helped
Denver hold onto the ball.
Letter To The Editor |
Dear Sir:
As director of the Hoke County
Children's Center, a developmental
program for handicapped children.
I often come in contact with people
who remind me of what love is all
about. Love is many things, but
mainly love to me is giving.
I would like to extend my sincere
thanks to the many people in this
county who have shown love to
"our" children, particularly during
the Christmas season. We had a
wonderful Christmas party, made
possible by so many people.
Thank you Mr. Sam Morris for
giving us so many articles in your
paper; if it wasn't for you, many
people wouldn't know the Center
existed.
Thank you Charles Blackburn;
being a reporter and photographer
for The Mews-Journal. You've
taken time from your busy schedule
on numerous occasions to come to
the Center at my request. You take
excellent pictures and write ex
cellent articles.
Mr. PeteCanady. you practically
made our Christmas party possible
with your generous donation, which
was used to buy toys for our
children. I only wish you could have
been there to see the looks of joy on
their faces as they opened their
presents. A sincere thanks for your
unselfishness and generosity.
Thank you Mr. J.R. Kennedy,
also, for your generous contri
bution to us for our party. Our
children love coming by your store
to get treats, but as if that's not
enough, you also showed them love
by your donation. Not only that,
but your attendance at the party
was great because you are always
such joy; We love you!
Mr. and Mrs. James A. Hunt,
your bags of fruit and candy were
greatly appreciated as they have
been in the past, and Mr. Hunt, we
were so glad you took the time to
come to the party. We have quite a
few photographs of you that will
always remind us of how much you
care.
Dan Powers. I am very grateful
for the gift boxes from Moores. We
used them for the children's toys
and they had a ball opening them.
We really needed these boxes; half
the fun of getting toys is getting a
pretty package, knowing there is a
surprise inside.
Many, many thanks go to you.
John Blanchard. Most of our toys
came from the Family Dollar Store.
As manager, you were very helpful
to me in the selection of toys.
Thank you so much for the loan of
the Santa suit. We couldn't have
had the party without your help.
Thank you. House of Raeford.
for the large stockings filled with
toys. This was certainly an added
surprise for the children.
Thank you. the Raeford Church
of God for your bags of fruit and
candy.
Mr. Wayne Tedder, you often
bring smiles to our children's faces.
As custodian of the First Baptist
Church, our children have become
very familiar with you and your
whistling down the hall. Thanks so
much for being at the party! We
love you. too!
Warren Pate, you're the best
Santa Claus ever!
Thanks so much to all of you for
giving our children, my staff, and
myself the best Christmas ever.
Sincerely
Judy Covington Hendrix
Director. Hoke County
Children's Center
It is one of the facts of life that
some people have better access to
health care than others.
People living in rural areas
generally must travel farther to see
a doctor because more and more
physicians graduating from medi
cal schools tend to become
specialists and start practice in
metropolitan areas where popula
tions are denser and which offer
more leisure and cultural activities.
When I was campaigning for the
Senate in 1974, 1 brought this
subject up and said that I favored
spreading health care around so
that it would be more accessible to
a greater number of people.
During the session of Congress
which ended in December, one
accomplishment was to take a step
in that direction. For the first time,
the Federal Government acted to
take a comprehensive approach to
health care in rural areas where
there are no doctors.
To meet some of the health needs
of rural areas, there have been
established rural health clinics in
various parts of North Carolina,
and other states, where there are no
doctors to treat routine medical
needs. Instead, these clinics are
staffed by physician assistants and
nurse practitioners who had had
special medical training. Doctors
from nearby cities and towns give
the clinics supervision but are not
generally present on a day - to - day
basis.
Under terms of a Senate bill,
which I strongly supported, these
clinics will now be eligible for
Medicare reimbursement so that
elderly persons who are under the
nmnniiiiiimniimnin
Report
To The
People
by Senator Robert Morgan
Medicare program can now receive
treatment closer to their homes.
Before this legislation was
passed. Medicare would pay for
treatment that was administered
only when a doctor was present.
This had the effect of making
Medicare patients who live in rural
communities travel all the way to
the nearest doctor, sometimes
requiring a trip of several miles. As
a matter of fact, rural residents
were being discriminated against
under a government program to
which they contribute on the same
basis as those who live in town
where they can walk from their
homes to their doctor's office.
The action by the Congress.
addition to providing health can. )
on a more equitable basis, will also
help many of these rural clinics
survive economically. Many have
had a hard time paying their bills
because they were denied the right
to Medicare reimbursement that
hospitals and clinics that have
doctors available have been eligible
to receive.
I believe the action will have
another good effect.
Every table of statistics that I
have seen shows that medical costs
are going up faster than the costs in
any other category. These rural
clinics, which offer very good
medical care, provide it much
cheaper than do the hospitals
where the daily rate on rooms has
risen almost beyond belief.
So. if rural patients can be taken
care of near their homes, rather
than having to travel to a hospital
or large clinic, it will have the effect
of holding down the overall cost of
health care in this country.
IIIIIMIIIIta
CUFF BLUE ? ? ?
People & Issues!
imi
n
BOB SCOTT ? We have been
reading in the state press that Bob
Scott may not be too happy with his
S50.000 a year job as co-director of
the Appalachian Regional Com
mission and has a hankering to
return to North Carolina for
another try at public office --
probably that of lieutenant gov
ernor where he cut his eye - teeth in
politics before moving on up to be
governor four years later in 1968.
Trouble with Scott may be that
he started too high, too soon and
now finds himself still in the prime
of life without an inviting op
portunity to regain a strong foot -
hold in the state political arena.
Talk is that he may start out
again by retracing his beginning by
running again for lieutenant
governor which he first attained in
1964 when he was a few months
short of 40 years of age.
Bob's dad, the late Governor W.
Kerr Scott gave thought to running
for lieutenant governor as his term
for governor neared the end.
However, he did not, but two years
after leaving the governor's office,
ran for the United States Senate,
defeating Senator Alton Lennon
who had been appointed to the
office upon the death of U.S.
Senator J. Melville Broughton in
1953.
William Shakespeare, the great
16th century English writer had
this to say about opportunity:
"There is a tide in the affair of
men
Which taken at the flood, leads
on to fortune:
Puppy Creek Philosopher
Dear editor:
All the hassel about trying to
pick the Number One college
football team in the nation reminds
me of the old story about the folks
who held a Fourth of July contest to
ick the prettiest girl in town and
ad to call it off because they
couldn't find one. Since every team
in the country got beat at least
once, some of the leaders by each
other, the thing to do should have
been to call the voting off. fire all
the coaches, and wait till next year.
That's enough of football. I'm
more worried about the country.
According to an article I read in a
newspaper somebody had used as
stuffing to protect a gift - wrapped
plate that arrived broken -? you'd
think The FayetteviUe Observer
could put out a paper that'd
cushion better than that -- an outfit
in California is now in business
advising clients how to spend their
leisure time. For a fee of S45 they'll
analyze your loafing time and tell
you how to keep from getting bored
with it.
If this thing spreads, I see little
hope for this nation. Anybody who
has to pay somebody to tell him
how to loaf doesn't possess the stuff
a great country is built on.
I suppose this started with
organized baseball for little kids
who now are unable to play a game
unless there's a coach on hand.
Some kids may not be able even to
play a game of marbles without a
coacn there to show them the
proper stance. It used to be that all
you had to do to get kids to play
was to open the school house door
and stand back.
1 don't know which is sadder,
kids with gloves, bats and a ball
standing around wishing they had a
coach so they could start playing,
or grown - ups paying somebody to
tell them how to loaf.
When in the course of human
events it becomes necessary for one
man to pay another to teach him
how to enjoy fishing, the Army
Engineers can stop building lakes.
Yours faithfully
J. A.
Fr
Omitted, all the voyage of their
life
Is bound in shallows and io
miseries."
Of course it is quite natural for
any ambitious person to want to
start as high as possible, and lots of
times if you don't take the op
portunity when it is there, it may
not pass your way again.
BOB & JESSIE RAE -- In the
Presbyterian News -- official
publication of the Presbyterian
Synod of North Carolina, we note
that a column has been started by
Bob & Jessie Rae Scott. It's 4
Question and Answer column
captioned "Glad You Asked, ?'
Questions are asked and Bob aod
Jessie Rae give the answers.
JUDGE WOOD -- Superior
Court Judge William Z. Wood is a
very fine gentleman. It was my
privilege to serve in the General
Assembly with him several years
ago. Judge Wood, a Presbyterian
layman, opens his court with
prayer, but before doing so each
day announces that anyone who
wishes may step outside the cour*
room briefly while he leads tH|
court in prayer.
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE -- We
note with approval the action taken
by the Wake County School
superintendent who is clamping
down on pupil lawlessness within
the schools and that suspensions
from a few days to permanent
suspension for the school year are
set to be put into effect.
When the young ruffians molest
their fellow pupils and the teachers,
they are not in school to learn and
should not be allowed to disobey
and disrupt the orderly conduct of
classes. We say more power to the
Wake and other school authorities
who let one and all know that
school is for learning and not for
lawlessness.
CANAL DEBATE -- I thorough
ly enjoyed the Reagan - Buckley
debate on the Panama Canal
Treaty Friday evening which was
presented over Channel 4 and
National Public Radio. Our own
former U.S. Senator Sam J. Ervbi
Jr., moderated the debate as
Ronald Reagan, former governor of
California, and William F. Buck-,
ley, Jr. renowned syndicated writer,
argued the pros and cons of th*
proposed controversial treaty. _
Surrounded by able assistant^
the debate was both entertaining
and enlightening. While Reagan
came through with many strong
points. Buckley m closing chaT
lenged Reagan's argument that we
should not give in under pressure,
saying that our freedom was won
under pressure from Great Britain
in our war for independence.