CARTERET COUNTY NEWS-TIMES
CartarM Coaaty**
EDITORIALS TUESDAY, DEC 7, 1954
Where Justice Goes Astray
We have heard quite a few com
ments since the November session of
Superior Court relative to the state's
drunk driving law. Not one defendant,
who was charged with drunken driving
and who stood trial in that court was
convicted.
Why? The answer seems to be that
no jury will convict a man, because the
jurors don't want to see his license re
voked for a year, as the law now re
quires. Thus, rather than waste time
by sending such cases to the jury, the
state accepts a plea of guilty of reckless
driving. The defendant pays a fine of
$100 and costs, and he still retains his
license. More than 30 drunk driving
cases were disposed of in the latter
manner in the court term of Nov. 22.
When the one-year revocation for
drunk driving was put into effect, it
was thought that such a stiff penalty
would cut down on the number of
drunks behind the wheel. We have not.
seen any statistics which prove whether
the law has done what wag intended. *
It does appear in this county, how
ever, that no stone is left unturned to
get a person charged with drunken
driving off with a light penalty. And
when that is done, the purpose of the
year'B revocation law is defeated.
Several Superior Court officials have
suggested that the matter of license
revocation be left up to the judge. If ?
jury returns a verdict of guilty, it would
be within the judge's province in pass
ing sentence to take into consideration
whether the defendant must earn his
living by driving a car, whether the of
fense demands a year's revocation or
merely a suspension of a month ? or
no suspension at all.
Judges may complain that the bur
den, then, is merely shifted to them.
Being a judge carries with it, however,
the responsibility of weighing circum
stances and making decisions. We be
lieve the judges would be able to cope,
in a fair manner, with the situation,
Should a defendant be brought into
court on a second drunken driving of
fense, that perhaps. Could carry a man
datory sentence of a year's revocation
should he be convicted by the jury. And
if the jury, on the basis of sufficient
evidence, fails to convict, then the
jurors should be condemned for failing
to carry out their duty.
We believe this problem deserves
considerable thought. It is evident that
there is a miscarriage of justice in
juries' continually turning loose drivers
who obviously were drunk while they
were driving. If this situation contin
ues, all motorists, pedestrians and
property owners will continue to be
abused by the drunk driver.
Beach Town Takes Action
The town of Carolina Beach has
taken further steps to prevent destruc
tion of its oceanfront property. At a
town council meeting last week, ocean
front building requirements were re
vamped.
Damaged property being repaired
must have "adequate pilings not more
than 8 feet apart and sidewalls secure
ly tied and braced to the pilings. Roofs
must also be tied and hraced to side
walls, and masonry walls for the second
zone must be no less than 4 inches
thick."
Only a contractor or persons more
familiar with building than we may
li^iwqi nn what all that is about.
But ou/' point is this: some beaches ARE
DOING SOMETHING to prevent storm
destruction in the future.
Atlantic Beach, unfortunately, is not
zoned. Town fathers could draw up
suggestions for strong buildings and re
strictions on taking down sand dunes
or building close to the water, but with
out a law to enforce such regulations,
it is doubtful that they would be fol
lowed.
Unincorporated beaches have even a
greater problem. They don't have the
legal set-up to take the first step to
ward protecting the beach. We feel
like a voice crying in the wilderness,
but we feel, too, that we can't repeat
too often: take action now to protect
your property, don't wait for "George
to do something" lest you Wake up 10
years from now and again find only a
few shingles left of that $10,000 beach
cottage.
Saving Lives is YOUR Job
The growing number of fatal acci
dents on the streets and highways has
engaged the attention of the White
Htuse, and a serious effort is being
made to do something about it In 1953
a total of 38,300 persons young and
old lost their lives in traffic accidents,
and the economic loss was placed at 4
billion dollars in hospital and medical
costs, property damage and other ex
penses.
The President's Action Committee
for Traffic Safety has designated Dec.
16 as Safe-Driving Day. It will be ob
served on a' nation-wide basis, under
the committee's sponsorship with the
cooperation of various other city, state
and national organizations.
Most of the fatalities charged to traf
fic accidents and much of the property
damage and other economic losses
could have been prevented if drivers
and pedestrians alike would realize
their personal responsibility . for their
own safety as pedestrians, and the safe
ty of themselves and others if they are
drivers. Traffic actually is a personal
responsibility.
Strict observance of Safe-Driving Day
by all drivers and pedestrians will with
out doubt cut the traffic toll for that
day. If the toll can be reduced on one
day of the year by strict observance and
enforcement plus courtesies it can be
held to a minimum on all other days of
the year by the same methods.
Pedestrians cannot overlook their re
sponsibility in reducing the traffic toll,
i
Following the laws and applying the
courtesies of the road to themselves and
others will bring this about
Personal responsibility ? it's as sim
ple as that. Safe-Driviqg Day could well
be extended into a safe-driving year.
The Unloved Reformer
(From the Greensboro Daily News)
Why don't other people like Ameri
cans more than they do? Why do so
many to whom we have been both kind
and generous actively dislike us? Ia it
something our best friends won't tell
us?
No, our friends are telling us, , and
what they say makes sense: We are too
set on urging other people what to do
and be ; we want to reform people, and
people don't want to be reformed from
the outside. Or the inside either.
Indro Montanelli, Italian author, puts
it this way, after acknowledging Amer
icans' goodness and charity: "Unfor
tunately all these claims on our grati
tude are obscured by one defect of
which there isn't the slightest hope that
the Americans can be cured, because
it's in their blood, it's constitutional. It
is the craze for improving us, for mak
ing us try to be in every way kinder to
each other, juster, richer, happier."
Southerners ought to be able to be
able to understand that Those other
Americans are still trying to reform us.
Carteret County Nswt-Timss
WINNER OF NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION AND NORTH CAROLINA
PRESS ASSOCIATION AWARDS
A M trior of The Buaiart N?w? (bt IMS) ??d li* Twin Cttjr Ttaaa (*at IMS)
Published Tueadan a?d Friday* by Dm Carter* Publlahlns <
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The Readers Write
. Dec. ?, 1954
The Santa Claus parade was fine
Wednesday afternoon until the fire
truck stopped and the children,
who expected to give their letters
to Santa Clans, discovered what a
laugh their expectations were.
Instead of using the Boy Scouts
? to distribute the candy and take
the letters to Santa Claus, as has
been done in the past, several
adults, among them Ronald Earl
Mason, Chiel of Police Guy and
Police Officer Mack Wade, had the
time of their lives standing on the
fire truck and throwing the candy
stockings into the crowd.
That was fine for the adults and
big kids who were able to grab the
candy, but the children who got hit
on the heads by the hard candy
didn't think much of the way the
afternoon was turning' out, and
neither did the parents who were
holding children with letters for
Santa Claus.
Most of the parents ended up at
the dime store, buying consolation
presents for the youngatcra who
still held their letters .and asked
what should they do now, how
would Santa know what they had
written?
Not only were the candy stock
ings thrown out with many a gay
whoop and yell by those on the
truck. They also threw out the
boxes which had held the candy.
If any of those on the truck are
asked how the parade ended. I bet
they will say it was wonderful.
But hereafter, if the kids of the
town are to be bombarded, lets
have marshmallows thrown, and
lets plan it as a free-for-all, and
not at Christmas time when Santa
Claus is meant to be coming to see
the little ones.
If the town authorities are plan
ning another Christmas parade, I'll
have to be assured that it will' be
just a parade with no letters or
presents, before I'll permit my chil
dren to attend.
And why not leave it at just a
parade?
The parade part was fine, with
Santa arriving on the Coast Guard
cutter and climbing onto the fire
truck. The two school bands play
ed so well, the Boy Scouts, Cub
Scout! and Girl Scouts marched so
nicely, It's too bad to have had
to leave the shopping section with
the bad feeling that the majority
of parents and children had.
? A Beaufort Mother
December's Birthstones
Symbolize Good Fortune
The turquoise and the zircon,
blue gems tinted lightly with
green, symbolize prosperity as De
cember's birthstone. As though to
bear out the significance of De
cember's good luck stows, the
birthday list for this month
abounds with famous names: among
contemporaries are humorist James
Thurber, painter Henri Matisse,
and the popular leading lady, Mary
Martin. In the historical spotlight
are Sir Isaac Newton, English
philosopher and mathematician,
inventor Eli Whitney, Woodrow
Wilson, and Louis Pasteur, famed
French chemist.
Because an ancient Persian King
discovered a turquoise mine on the
eve of a victorious battle the stone
came to symbolize victory or a for
tunate event. The word "turquoise"
is derived from "Turks," meaning
Turkey atone, for this gem was one
of the first to reach Europe
through Turkish gem marts, ac
cording to the Jewelry Industry
Council.
Although the turquoise has been
significant in many cultures and
countries, it was the most treas
ured of all genu in Tibet.
Found in Persia, Egypt, Tur
kestan, Australia and the United
States, the turquoiae lends itself
to dramatic jewelry designs, using
large individual stones in rings,
bracelets and earrings. Smaller
pieces of fine turquoise are fre
quently combined with other color
ad stones in clips and other jewel
ry.
The zircon, alternate stone for
December, has been known since
before the days of Christ and was
once believed U contain magic
power against evil spirits and
poison. Ceylon and Siam are chief
sources of zircons.
Like diamonds, zircons need
skillful cutting with many facets
to show their fire and brilliance.
In the Good Old Days
THIRTY-TWO YEARS AGO
Fire in New Bent lait week de
stroyed 1,000 homes. Besufort resi
dents were being asked to send
money and clothing to help the
New Bern residents.
Beaufort cititens opposed pur
chase of a new fire engine, claim
ing the old one was adequate and
that Beaufort had only two fires
a year.
The Baptist Assembly waa con
sidering Morehead City for Ita
seaside resort
TWENTY FIVE YIAM AGO '
No*. 30 was the coldest day on
record with the mercury dropping
iron 48 to 24 during the night
. Mathia Cafe and Eudy'a Barber
?hep were moving into the newly
reaodoled Hugh Hill building In
Beaufort
M. A. Hill, sheriff of Carteret
County for the past 10 years, died
at hla home in Beaufort.
TEN YEAS* AGO
Mare than (30,000 damage was
done to Loftln Motor Co., Beau
fort, when the plant waa swept by
fire
Beaufort and Morehead CUy
were to work with the county
health department to eradicate
typhua by rat control in the town.
Miss Evelyn Salter of Stacy
would be the county's first girl
druggist when she graduated from
UNC School of Pharmacy next
week.
FIVE YIAR8 AGO
The Dixie B, fish boat owned
by E. C. Ballou of Morehead <City,
caught fir* off Cape Hatterae.
Four highway wrecks in the
county over the weekend caused
$2,135 damage.
The U. H. Coxart, menhaden
boat owned by the Phillipi Fish
factory, Morehead City, sank near
Ocracoke.
Consider This
Those people who claim that the
country Je ruined are trying
mighty hard to get control o< the
wreck.
"Men," (ays sad Sally, "seem to
(all into two group* ? they art
either old and beat, or young and
broke."? Tk* A"hg"~
Today's Birthday
Lawrencc Henry Gipson, born
Dec. 7, 1880 in Greeley, Colo., son
of a newspaper editor. The his
torian ana eau
cator is research
professor emeri
tus at Lehigh.
The compilation
and writing of
eight volumes
of a proposed
11 -volume work
entitled "T h e
British Empire
Rpf nro f hp
American Revolution" has occu
pied a great deal of his time since
1927. His researches have been
supported by grants from Lehigh
and the Rockefeller Foundation.
This is the Law
?r mim w. DAiran.
F?f tk* N. C B<
LAW AND TUt CaUBCH
The Law and the Church are
?eidom joined in the aame thought.
Yet, the two have much in common.
Each ii bent upon the same mis
sion: The welfare of mankind.
Each owe* much to the other.
Much of what we know today
as "common law" had its begin
ning in the English ecclesiastical
courts. And it was In these "church
courts" that English and American
systems of justice had their begin
ning. Preachers were among the
earliest "advocates," or lawyers.
Jesus Christ himself, was an advo
cate. In the Episcopalian "Book of
Common Prayers," as a part of a
prayer (or "the Clery and the Peo
ple," is this language:
. . grant this, 0 Lord, for the
honour of our Advocate and Medi
ator, Jesus Christ."
The church courts, of course,
have long since been abandoned,
but they figured prominently in
shaping the course followed by the
law. Reasons why certain conduct
is wrong and "against the law" are
drawn frequently from church
"norms."
The law, on the other hand, has
long been protector of the church
in free lands. Both federal and
state constitutions literally and
jealously guarantee freedom of re
ligion. The law of our land strin
gently separates church and state
so as to safeguard the right to wor
ship, free of compromise by the
political state.
The law of North Carolina (and
many other states)' protects the
economic rights of the church.
Here is an example: If a church
begins a drive for money with
which to expand or build, and vari
ous people pledge contributions,
such pledges are enforceable in
court by the church against the
individual pledgors. On this sub
ject the law says that the promise
of one contributor furnishes con
sideration to the others, and that,
therefore, they, too, can be re
quired to fulfill their pledges.
The tax law favors church econ
omy. The new (1994) celling on
deductions for gifts to churches is
30 per cent (for federal income tax
purposes). Previously, the allow
able deduction waa 20 per cent of
adjusted gross income. Certain tax
dispensations are made to minis
I
Ruth P? ling
This is Beaufort's First
Train; It Arrived in ?
This is a picture of the first
train to come into Beaufort The
problem confronting me right now
is when did it come? It was some
time between the fall of 1903 and
the fall of 1907, but the folks In
town who remember seeing it
aren't quite sure. Maybe some of
you have some old newspapers
tucked away somewhere which
would give the story.
I've found out a little bit about
it. Dr. Maxwell tells me that
Charles Abemethy, who practiced
law in Beaufort, met the train
and delivered the welcome addreas.
The train ran across the railroad
bridge at Gallanta Channel, Just
as it does now, and then stopped
a couple of blocks after It got In
town. Judge Duncan aays that
Claud Wheatly, when he told about
it would add, "And 23 people
jumped overboard. They'd never
seen a train before."
By the old Maaonic Hall a big
long table was aet up and every
body had a picnic after the speech
making. Mr. Lawrence HasaeU said
that as the train puffed along the
tracks, Dick Willis, the police of
ficer had a time getting one of the
town characters, Craiy Charlie, off
the tracks. Charlie didn't want to
move and until the fracas waa over,
Dick's uniform waa In shreds
?c. K. Howe, Beaufort, at the age
of 20. was the engineer which sur
veyed the line from Morehead City
to Beaufort. He aays that waa in
1909. And he atlll posaesaes the
railroad paas given him In that
year.
The railroad waa first known aa
the Beaufort and Weatern Rail
road. The first line, he aald waa
built almost entirely on pilings
The line waa built by Norfolk
and Southern but after varioua
transactions. It landed finally In
the hand* of local folka and the
name waa changed to the Beaufort
and Morehead Railroad, "The Men
haden Line."
. . And the foregoing la about
all I've been able to dig up. The
lata M. Leslie Davis gave me the
picture of the train entering
Beaufort (some traina had preced
ed K with material far laying the
tracks, bat this vaa the Orst paa
scnger train). Mr. Davis thought
It came in during the (ill ol 1905.
But Mrs. Lawrence Hauell baa
some pretty conclusive evidence
that it came In about July 4, 1907.
She said the first paasenger train
arrived about the same time her
son, Charles, was born.
So anyone who can verify that
one or supply the right date will
get my nomination for membership
to the County Historical Society!
The folks at Occan Ridge have
finally gotten enough of having
their cottages broken into. They've
hired a private detective.
Some may interpret this as a
slur on county law enforcement,
but such interpretation is not al
together fair. The year-round resi
dents in the county, 1 believe, are
entitled to full protection by the
law officera they employ. And
while the property owners at the
beach pay their taxes (aa they will
immediately Inform you) it haa
long been a recognized fact that
some of the cottages are veritable
mansions and are oa the tat books
for much leu than their assessed
value should be.
So, while the tax-paying dori en
title them to a certain amount of
protection, the county cant afford
to haVe deputy sheriffs constantly
patrolling the beach.
Moat of the cottage break-ins
are the type which Involve the
Intruders, having a party. And in
a place like that where one doesn't
know whether the cottage owner
is having a party ? or whether a
complete stranger is in there
whooping it up ? the only answer
is a private detective service.
Do you recall that Iwck In July
the automobile belonging to S. A.
Horton of Uorehead atjr wai
?tolen? It wu thought it the tine
It may have been taken by an
neaped convict from New Hanover
County.
Evidently that w ain't as. The car
waa found in October behind >
building at Cherry Point. It had
boon (tripped down but otborwiae
waa In good condition. Polka up at
Cherry Point anid the car had boon
parked there mr rinee J?ty.
ten. Church properties art rarely
taxed.
Tntttm ef Kell(tM
The United States Supreme
Court on occasion has been called
upon to distinguish between legiti
mate church activities and racketa
conducted under guise of "religi
ous freedom." Without exception
the court has leaned over back
ward to protect the questioned ac
tivity if there was any basis at
all for doing so on grounds of
freedom to worship.
Such freedom, however, is not
absolute, or boundless.
North Carolina, by statute which
has since been held to be consti
tutional, prohibits the public hand
ling of poisonous snakes even
though It be done, ostensibly, as
part of a religious ceremony.
The North Carolina Constitution,
Article I, section 26, aays:
"All persons have a natural and
inalienable right to worship Al
mighty God according to the dic
tates of their own consciences, and
no human authority should, in any
case whatever, control or interfere
with the rights of conscience."
The "rights of conscience" do
not include the handling of live
poisonous snakes in public.
The First Amendment to the
United States Constitution says:
"Congress shall make no law re
specting an establishment of re
ligion, or prohibiting the free ex
ercise thereof; ..."
This, of course, is the basis for
separation of church and state. It
is the reason why public funds ran
not be given to a church. It is a
reason why religion can not be
taught as such in the free public
schools. It is a reason why the
government can not subsidize the
transportation of children to de
nominational schools.
It is only in a democratic state
that the law and the church can
join hands in mutual helpfulness,
and yet. remain separate, distinct
and free.
This is the last in the current
series of columns. "This Is the
Law," offered by the North Caro
lina Bar Association and printed
by THE NEWS TIMES as a public
service. Another series of similar
columns will begin next spring.
Jan* Eads
Washington
Washington ? Most of the faces
were familiar, the routine much
the same, but socialites got a new
bang on the capital party-go-round
when they were piped aboard two
plushy sea going craft anchored off
Washington's Main Avenue In the
Potomac recently.
The most lavish affair was that
given by retiring Dominican am
bassador, popular Manuel de Moya,
aboard the snaz?y frigate, Presi
dente Trujillo The sparkling white
301-foot vessel is owned by former
Dominican President Rafael Tru
jillo, currently Dominican repre
sentative to the United Nations
who la a frequent visitor to the
city.
Panelled throughout with ma
hogany, its decks carpeted with
a soft grey biege, it was the scene
of an early hour buffet luncheon
Moya gave for Trujillo.
TTiere were cocktails first on
the aft deck, and a beautiful buf
fet on the upper deck consisted
of such delicacies as breast of
partridge, sliced turkey, tiny lamb
and pork chops, baby sausage*,
rice, salads, and a variety of lusci
ous sweets.
The other sip-board party was
in the nature of a reward given
for hard-working committee mem
bers of the upcoming Navy Re
lief Ball, by the ball committee's
general chairman. Mrs. Robert B.
Carney, wife of the chief of Naval
Operations.
It waa held aboard the U.S.S.
Sequoia, the yacht of Secretary
of the Navy Thomas. As the ladies
lunched, the yacht, usually an
chored at the Anacostia Naval Air
Station, cruised down the Potomac
to Mount Vernon. Funds from the
ball which last year netted $24,000
go to help Navy families in diffi
culties. Assisting Mrs. Carney were
Mrs. Ralph J. Ofstie, the former
Capt. Joy Bright Hancock of the
WAVES.
Mrs. Harold Talbott, wife of the
secretary of the Air Force, intro
duced her husband a* chief speaker
before 000 members of the Air
Force Officers' Wive* Club re
cently by telling what she des
cribed as a "family aecret." It waa
the custom, she said, for the sec
retary's mother to write a char
acter analysis of each of her child
ren on their birthday.
On the secretary's seventeenth
birthday his mother wrote, ac
cording to Mrs. Talbott, "The fu
ture of our eldest son seems hope
leas. At present all be seems to
think of Is girls."
SmiU a While
The colonel Inspecting a new
(roup of draftees was somewhat
astonished to find a gray-bearded
old gaffer, standing conspicuously
among the smooth-faced young
sters. Tell me 'Dad." he asked,
"how did you happen to be here?**
"Well, Sir." he nmHed. 1 hap
pen to have a twig starter who, like
all women, la artaltive about her }
age. Everyone in town knew we
were twine. Now I don't rightly j
know what age she was (Wing out
-tat k?w 1 ami"