FRIDAY, JANUARY 22, 1960
Is Fiscal Policy Dangerous?
(This it the third in a series of editorials on
municipal fiscal policy aa it pertains to re
paying funds represented by bonds in the
hands of lenders. By agreement with the
bondholders, towns are to set aside so much
each year, from the tax levy, to meet interest
on the bonds and to accumulate funds to pay
back the total amount. Some towns, such aa
Beaufort and Morehead City, have been un
able to set aside, consistently, the money re
quired, due to press of other expenses. This
series of editorials explores the questions, is
this dangerous ; if so, is anyone to blame, and
can the situation be corrected?)
After hearing from the Local Gov
ernment Commission, a letter was writ
ten the League of Municipalities, the
organization comprised of towns and
cities which voluntarily join the league.
The letter was addressed to Mrs. Da
vetta L. Steed, executive director. It
briefly explained the debt situation and
asked Mrs. Steed for her comments,
specifically as to the wisdom of taking
money from the debt service fund to
meet general town expenses.
As did Mr. Easterling, Mrs. Steed
chose to take no stand one way or the
other, which was to be expected. In
sticky situations few people care to be
pinned down. Both pleaded lack of fa
miliarity with the "local situations."
And Mrs. Steed probably didn't care to
pass judgment on two league members,
Beaufort and Morehead City.
She cited the fact that the Municipal
Fiscal Control Act sets a limit on the
amount of tax to be levied. According
to law, the tax for "general purposes"
cannot exceed $1.60 per one hundred
dollars of valuation. Morehead City's
levy for general operating expenses is
$1, with 60 cents per hundred dollars'
valuation going to the fund for paying
off the debt. (Ten cents is also levied
for recreation and 6 cents for the hos
pital) .
Thus, Morehead City could raise its
levy for general operating expenses by
60 cents, before exceeding the 91.60
limit. How high the tax would have to
be raised, within that limit, to keep the
town from dipping into the fund for
paying off the debt would have to be
determined by the town commissioners.
The Municipal Government Study
Commission, authorized by the 1967
general assembly made some recom
mendations regarding taxes, one of
them being that pending certain
changes, towns be authorized to levy
taxes for "major capital improvements"
without regard to the $1.60 limit. The
limit, however, is still in effect.
Will towns that have been consistent
ly borrowing from funds earmarked
for debt payment be able to pay off
their bonds when they come due? If
so, how? Is there need for a change in
the present fiscal policy?
(To be Continued)
$30,000 Won't Guarantee Success
The county planning commission has
held several meetings. At two of those
meetings, planning experts from the
Department of Conservation and De
velopment were present. They outlined
the ideal and professionally accepted
methods of planning for growth and
zoning, should zoning be decided upon.
The cost of mapping the county and
zoning was estimated at $30,000; of
which the- federal government may pay
20 per cent ? but doubt was expressed
that as much as 20 per cent would be
available.
It's always nice to do things the Meat
way, have the newest washer and dryer
in your home, drive a car with the latest
improvements, but lots of us can't af
ford to live that way, and we get by
fairly well with less.
We believe that the county planning
commission should do likewise. Thirty
thousand dollars is not available to op
erate the ideal way. The. experts say
theirs is the only "right" way. Well,
we' have seen some ideal and expertly
right zoning plans that didn't get any
farther than a plan that might have
been dreamed up over a game of tiddly
winks.
The experts will contend that such
failure is the fault of those delegated
to enforce the zoning regulations. May
be so, but the end result is the same ?
money down the drain and nothing ac
complished.
We agree with George Huntley,
chairman of the planning commission,
who is of the opinion that certain rules
and regulations regarding building and
growth can be put into effect without
a large expenditure of money.
For example, along major highways
in the county certain set-back lines
could be required. This would elim
inate the placing of buildings almost
on the highway right-of-way. A. D.
Fulford, county sanitarian, has recom
mendations that would make for better
health and sanitation conditions. In
areas that forebode congestion, as at
crossroads or other business areas,
buildings of fireproof construction
could be required.
It is well to listen to the experts.
Their opinions should be respected. But
as we have noted before, one must cut
the pattern to fit the cloth.
The county planning commission can
feel its way. It doesn't have to come up
with a grandiose plan that would apply
to Miami Beach, Fla., and its environs.
Planning for the future can be project
ed only so far, and revisions must be
made along the line.
We believe the county would be
missing a golden opportunity to sit and
fold its hands on planning simply be
cause somebody isn't going to dump
130,000 ia the planning commission's
lap. We know the commission ? if it
does anything ? is going to make mis
takes, but we're making the biggest
mistake of all by not doing what we
can now to prevent some of the chaos
that will come if this county grows like
Topsy.
Lesson from Rembrandt
In 1956 the art world observed the
350th anniversary of the birth of Rem
brandt, the Dutch painter and etcher
who became a master of light and
shadow ? not only in his art but also
in his life. Before he was thirty he was
Holland's most famous and most weal
thy artist. At fifty, he was bankrupt
and deserted by his fashionable friends.
Misfortune, which shrivels moBt people,
served only to increase his remarkable
ability to probe human nature and
translate what he found on canvas.
Ugly and untidy himself, he never
lost his compassionate understanding
of his fellow man. Rembrandt develop
ed a technical skill still unmatched. He
left to the beginners who came after
him a tested formula for acquiring skill
which is as sound in other professions
as in art:
"Try to put well into practice what
you already know, and in so doing you
will ? in good time ? ? discover the
hidden things you now inquire about.
Practice what you know, and it will
help to make clear what you now do
not know."
? Robins Reader
Carteret County Mews-Times
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Here and There
The fallowing information it
taken from the files of the More
head City Coaster:
FRIDAY, JAN. 20, 1?22
Dr. John W. Sanders died at his
home near Ocean last Saturday.
Dr. Sanders was a practicing phy
sician for a half century. He serv
ed in the State Senate in 1888. As
a soldier during the Civil War, lie
took part in the battle of Fort Ma
con.
Lee-Jackson Day was observed
by the Daughters of the Confeder
acy at the home of Mrs. Alex Webb
Jr. A feature of the program were
reminiscences of war days by J.
E. Kornegay and W. H. Sloan.
Capt. Willain P. Widhaar, com
mander of the Coast Guard Avia
tion Station at Camp Glenn, has
been transferred to Charleston, S.
C. The transfer of Captain Wid
haar and his crew means the aban
donment of the Camp Glenn ita
"tion.
The death of Mrs. Melissa Wil
lis, wife of Plymouth Willis, occur
red on Sunday following an illness
of several months.
S. A. DuPlanty has established
a floating meat market. He ties
up at the city dock every Friday
with fresh meats and other farm
produce from the Hoffman farm
along the Sound.
The sad death of Mary Canfield
Arendell occurred Friday evening,
following an illness of but a few
days. She was 17 months old.
John Memakis left Monday for
Rocky Mount to spend a few days
with relatives.
Sylvester Gibbs, who is employed
in New Bern, spent the weekend
here with his family.
John Klein of Atlantic spent the
weekend here visiting relatives and
friends.
Mrs. Mason Fulcher returned to
her home in Portsmouth Monday,
after a visit to her daughter, Mrs.
Stephen Styron.
City clerk M. F. Nelson last week
resigned his position with the town
and left Sunday for Chapel Hill
where he has accepted a position ?
as bookkeeper at the University of
North Carolina. He is succeeded
by H. E. Vanhorn.
Captain KUnry
Sou'easter
Seems to me as though there's
one way to settle this business
about bombs being carried aboard
planes. People will just have to
have their luggage searched.
They say there are dog catchers
in Morehead City. Maybe so, but
every time I go to ride over there
I see more dogs than people.
It's about time for a new craze
to hit the country. We've lived
through Chinese checkers, jigsaw
puzzles, and hula hoops. I'm not
even going to mention rock 'n roll,
because that didn't hit everybody,
just the young'uns Isn't it nice
to hear music again like Sweet
Sue, Singin' In the Rain, the Shad
ow Waltz and These Foolish
Things?
Did you list your taxes? I final
ly -got around to listing mine. Took
a look at the calendar the other
day and saw that January has just
about give out. Still have to get
my tag for the jalopy and a num
ber for the boat. I bet this summer
you're going to bear the greatest
squawk in' and fuss about boat
numbers that's ever been.
They tell me that the sheriff is
supposed to help the State Wildlife
Commission enforce the boat num
ber law. Pretty soon the sheriff
will be asking the county commis
sioners to buy him a boat so he
can catch the backsliders.
The courthouse grounds look fine,
I think. They painted the old jail
the other day. They've set out
bulbs and shrubs and have paved
a lot of new parking spaces.
I have a bird story and a coon
story to tell and can't decide which
it will be. Well, I'll tell you the
bird story this week and save the
coon story 'til next.
To find out where birds go, the
federal wildlife boys used to put
metal strips on the birds' legs.
They used to read "Washington
Biological Survey," abbreviated to
"Wash. Biol. Surv."
This was changed after a farmer
shot a crow and disgustedly wrote
Washington as follows: "Dear
Sirs: I shot one of your crows the
other day and followed instructions
attached to it. I washed it and
boiled it and served it. It was ter
rible! You should stop trying to
fool the people with things like
that."
Washington Report
By SEN. B. EVERETT JOKDAN
Washington ? One of the main is
sues to be resolved by this session
of Congress is the question of in
creasing the federal minimum
wage.
1 have had a great deal of cor
respondence concerning a bill in
troduced by Senator Kennedy which
would increase the minimum wage
from $1 to $1.25 an hour. There
is a great deal at controversy over
the proposal, especially provisions
that would extend the present cov
erage.
Last year when legislation was
introduced to increase the mini
mum wage from $1 to *1.25 an
hour, I made a number of public
statements endorsing an increase
for workers covered under the
present law, and my position has
not changed.
The Kennedy bill as now written
would take in about 7 million addi
tional workers who are not engaged
in intentate commerce as defined
in the present law. For instance,
it would affect some types of farm
laborera, part-time and seasonal
workers, and many strictly local
establishment!. The effect very
conceivably could cause a lot of
people to lose their jobs instead of
helping them.
For these reasons I think ex
treme care should be taken in
writing a new minimum wage bill
which could have opposite effects
of its intention.
In drafting such legislation, it is
always difficult to determine where
to draw the line. Everyone desires
to bring about conditions whereby
all citizens can earn a better liv
ing, but in putting wage and hour
laws on the books utmost care must
be taken to avoid making it im
possible for small business opera
tions to stay in business.
In many cases, a minimum wage
of $1.25 per hour would force busi
nesses to close or lay off consider
able numbers of employees. When
this happens many people are out
of work.
I am opposed to the extended
coverage provisions as they are
now written In Senator Kennedy's
bill. At the same time, I feel tbe
time haa come to increase the min
imum wage for those business op
erations engaged in interstate com
Just Yearnin'
By JOHN M. McLEAN
San Bernardino, Calif.
(Dedicated to my brother Phil
lip W. McLean, 308 South 17th
St., Morehead City, N. C.)
Fish can be bought in the market
place
So it isn't the fish I'm after;
I want to get free from the care
drawn face
And back to an honest laughter.
1 want to get back where the skies
are clean,
And rest on a mossy brink.
I want to get out where the Seas
are Green
And 1 want a few hours to think.
Oh, it isn't the fish 1 am greedy
for,
It's the chatter of Ocean Birds,
And the sound of breakers I've
known before,
I am weary of selfish words.
I want to stretch out, just my soul
and I
In a place from the strif afar.
And let a few care-filled hours pass
by
As I think of the things that are.
Oh, it isn't the fish that I go to get
Though there's joy in a swishing
line
And a splendid thrill when my grip
I set
And a Bogue Sound Hog Fish is
mine.
But my soul seems cramped in the
stifling air
That is heavy with talk of gain,
And I want to get out where the
world is fair
And there isn't so much pain.
Fish can be bought in the market
place,
But I long for the smell of the
Gulf Stream
And I want to stretch out, just my
soul and I
On a sun kissed river shore,
And be, as a few mad hours rush
by,
The man that 1 am, once more.
4MILl tntiiMl
^SSSJSSSL
Words of Inspiration
THE EMERGING THOUGHTFULNESS OF YOUTH
I used to wooder about my grandfather'! warning concerning apring
flower-planting in our big back yard. "Don't over-sow the petunia aeeda;
they'll grow roughshod over the other flowers!
But my grandmother was petunia-minded and so, as a result when
mid-summer came the whole family was charged with the task of pull
ing out the wild growth of petunias to save the more fragile begonias,
flocks, and geraniums. '
There is a real danger in over-sowing anything! Especially when it
pertains to people I The result may transcend the initial motive!
Of late, stirring statements concerning adult emphasis on recreational
activities for young people have been voiced. The young people, them
selves, are the critic*!
"Are we to be accused of boredom and defiancy because we are not
at play?" one serious-minded young man questioned.
"Is there no privacy for youth in which we can think and talk about
our own problems . . . our military stint, marriage, our career, God's
place in our lives? Do we have to be a part of this supervised play
time in our schools, homes, and churches?"
"Who is there to challenge our Intellect . , . our reasoning?"
Let us not over-sow this growing leisure-activity program for youth
to the neglect of the much more important moral and spiritual issues
of life.
? Mrs. Tom Carter
QUOTES
"I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear.
This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my
voice ? Jeremiih 22:21
A little ncglcct may breed mischief; for want of a nail the shoe was
lost; for want of a shoe the horse was lost; and for the want of a horse
the rider was lost. ? Franklin
No one has been able to stand up indefinitely under the weight of
carrying a grudge. ? Copied
There arc two things the Christian should not worry about: the thing
he can help and the thing he can't help. ? Selected
Life would be more simple if more people wore willing to be them
selves.
If arguments were postponed until all participants got the facts, life
would be simpler and intelligence would replace emotion.
Farmers who work by the sun arc not bothered by clock watching
fever.
Work is a word misunderstood by many of the younger generation.
Tolerance is sometimes confused with the idea that the majority
should not exert its rights.
O earth, earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord. ? Jeremiah 22:29
Security tor You...
By RAY HENRY
From F. L. Mitchell, 8. D.:
"I became seriously ill three
months ago and was forced to
give up my )oh. My boss held
the lob open for nearly sit weeks
and then hired someone else. I'm
M and can't seem to Had another
Job. Naturally. I Mad money
very badly. Is there any ehance
that I mitkt be MtgWto tor So
cial Security mmV'
Unless you're so severely dis
abled that you can't do much work
and the disability appears to be
long-term, you're not eligible for
Social Security until you reach 65.
But, it's very possible that you're
eligible for unemployment com
pensation. Get in touch with the
nearest employment security offica
and find out your rights.
From D. T. M. of Newark, N.
J.: "I started to draw Social Se
curity retirement payments la
January when I retired from my
fulMme Job. I've already been
offered a part-Ume Job and plan
to take It. At what point should
I tell my Social Security office
if my earnings from my part
time Jab start going over the al
lowable earnings limlta?"
If your earningi are more than
School and Your Child
By JOHN COKEY
Appalachian Slate Teachers
College
More than 700,000 elementary
school children in better than 2,000
US schools now study a foreign
language, some beginning in the
5th grade, others in the 3rd, a (ew
in kindergarten.
This is a trend that should be
come more widespread, according
to Mrs. N. L. Gilbert, French pro
fessor at Appalachian State Teach
ers College.
The professor admits that learn
ing a foreign tongue is a complex
skill but credits young children
with remarkable abilities to learn
and retain sound patterns. In fact,
she believes picking up foreign
words comes naturally to children.
Learning to write them, how
ever, is another thing and comes
at a child's later stage in life, pos
sibly the 8th or 7th grade.
Why learn another language?
English itself appears formidable
enough to many youngsters. Only
by learning other countries' lan
guages can we penetrate deeply
into their cultures, opines Mrs. Gil
bert. If Americans stand genuine
ly for peace, they must encourage
their children to understand and
appreciate foreign cultures.
In today's shrinking world,
Americans cannot afford to remain
an Insular people, Mrs. Gilbert ad
vises. Contact must be maintain
ed with other nations.
The best way to learn another
language is to keep at it. Once a
child has begun the study of, say
merce, and I am hopeful that the
present bill will be amended to re
duce the proposed extended cover
age in such a way that small busi
ness as we know it li not choked
to death.
French, he ihould stay with it each
year for several years. Continuity
is important.
Language learning periods may
be about 25 minutes per day in the
Sth or 6th grades but experts sug
gest only lS-minute sessions for
lower grade kiddies.
Young folks like U speak in oth
er tongues, says Mrs. Gilbert.
They delight in greeting friends in
a foreign language, following in
structions or giving commands
(get up, sit down), telling what
they're doing (I get up) or playing
gamea and singing songs.
Visual impressions aid the chil
dren's comprehension. Here mo
tion pictures and film strips help
the instructors. The youngsters
enjoy re-enacting scenes they've
watched.
Children alsa catch on quickly
by associating sounds with objects.
Teachers take advantage of this
by bringing "props" to classes like
trains, cars, telephones and ani
mals.
By role playing, taking turns en
acting the parts of mother, father,
teacher, doctors and others, lan
guage pupila familiarize them
selves with ways other children
live.
Native speakers come into class
rooms via records or tape record
ings. Foreign teachers are engag
ed in some schools but many state
laws prohibit their employment.
The younger the child, states
Professor Gilbert, the more readily
be learns sounds Imitation. Adoles
cents (12-16 year olds) loae much
of this ability. That's the reason
Mrs. Gilbert advocates studying
foreign languages in the elemen
tary grades.
Aa for Ike laagaage moat reward
ing to a child, Mrs. Gilbert recom
mends French, Spanish, German or
Russian, depending on the chil
dren's interest, their background
and the teacher's skill.
$100 a month and you expcct your
total earnings for 1960 to be more
than $1,200, you should report to
your loeal Soeial Security office
as soon as your earnings go above
$1,200.
From F. P. of Hemet, Calif.:
"I'm a World War I veteran and
I'm wondering how big the pen
sions art which veterans can col
lect for disabilities having no
connection with military serv
ice."
For veterans now eligible or who
become eligible before next July
1, the pension payments are: For
war veterans under 65, $66.15 a
month. For war veterans who've
been getting a pension for at least
10 years or who've reached age
65, $78.75 a month. For veterans
who need the constant aid and at
tendance or who are blind, $135.45
a month.
After July 1, the pension rates
change and the amounts are based
on the other income a veteran is
receiving.
From B. M. M. of Phoenix,
Aril.: "I will retire from federal
government work in about two
months. How will my monthly
annnlty be paid?"
The Civil Service Commission
authorizes the payment of all an
nuitiea. The checks are issued by
ithe Treasury Department. The
checks are dated the first business
day of the month after the month
the benefits were earned and usu
ally are delivered to recipients on
that date.
From Mri. L. S. of Allentown,
Pa.: "Daring three months ev
ery >ummer, I board a number
of children on my farm. I get
$25 a month for each child.
Would this arrangement be cov
ered by Social Security?"
Yes. This ia considered self-em
ployment and you can receive cred
it toward Social Security benefits
for it, if your net earnings are $400
a year or more. You should get
in touch with the nearest Social
Security or Internal Revenue Of
fice and make arrangements for
Social Security coverage.
(Editor's Note: Yon map con
tact the social security repre
sentative at the courthouse an
nex, Beaufort, from ?:? a.m. to
nooo Mondays. Ho will help you
with jroar own particular prob
lem).
Stamp News
By SYD KRONISH
To honor the heroes of the Aus
tralian Antarctic Territory, the
Postal Department of Australia
has issued four new stamps with
appropriate illustrations.
The 5-pence brown depicts Edge
worth David, Douglas Mawson and
A. F. McKay, who claim to be the
firat men to reach the South Mag
netic Pole. The g-pence blue shows
a weasel and an exploration team
plus a map of the Antarctic Con
tinent. The 1-shilling blue green
illuatratea a sled and dog team
with an iceberg in the background.
The 2 shilling 3 pence green pic
tures emperor penguins and a map
of the Antarctic CoBtin? t.