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PAGE 2, KINGS MOUNTAIN MIRROR, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1972
jCetters Zo
Zhe Editor
Another Movie!
Dear Rodney;
Sincerely yours,
Reb Wiesener
President of Four Fellows, Inc.
Perspective
by Jay Ashley
Charles Richards, special
agent from the Charlotte of
fice of the FBI was an impres
sive figure in bis Thursday
speech to the Rotary Club.
Just the idea of seeing an
agent with this branch of the
Justice Department is enough
to make a strong man feel
weak. We all know the stereo
typed "G-Man." He is the
firm jawed bulk of solid mus
cle, who never smiles and
can shout "halt "in such a tone
as to freeze the loosest
of fugitives. Most of us equate
the agent with Efrem Zi-
mbalist Jr. or Jimmy
Stewart, according to whi
ch medium we happen to be
viewing at the time. Jack
Webb would make a good
FBI man too. Those steely
eyes peering into your very
soul could really shake you
up. James Cagney tried to
be an agent once in a film,
but he is strictly the oppos
ite of goodguy.
ity he may have been closer
to 6’ 7" but one can never
be sure.
Nevertheless, Richards dis
pelled as many stereotypes a-
bout FBI agents as he did
about crime. Like the true
after dinner speaker he star
ted his speech off withahum-
orous anecdote. Then unlike
most after dinner speakers he
delivered an Interesting and
wide awake presentation. Of
course if you kept in mind his
profession you would realize
you might better stay awake.
So with those preconceived
notions in mind the Rotarians,
vistors and newsmen were on
hand to hear and see and FBI
agent. By the time the meet
ing was over, the atmosphere
could be likened to a bunch of
Walter Mitty types who have
just been granted a permanent
parole.
Seriously, he kept the audi
ence at ease and totally invol
ved in bis account of the many
facets of the FBI. He was
loose, yet poised; fun loving,
yet firmly in control. Not once
did he talk while staring at the
floor but kept his eyes on the
audience as if making an im
promptu surveillance. Rich
ards was also a man proud of
his work and the bureau’s re
cord and rightly so.
As he recounted require
ments for the bureau you
could see him take great pri
de and the audience show
greater respect, knowing Ri
chards had actually been thro
ugh it all, and survived that
final cut of able men.
Charles Richards (or as a
few brave souls dared call
"Chuck”) was neither Efrem
Zimbalist, Jimmy Stewart or
Jack Webb, Instead he was
quite a personable fellow, one
who enjoyed telling a joke as
much as hearing one. A short
person like myself often finds
it difficult to judge people who
are very tall but to me he
seemed about 7’ 5”. In real-
The main thing that impre
ssed me was the dedication he
showed in his work and even
in his manner. He has been
around and he knows what to
do and from the way he talks
and acts, he is going to do it.
I don't know about the other
men in attendance but with
guys like Chuck Richards a-
round, I feel I can breath a
little easier at night.
Crime Up; Increase Rate Down
There is only slight justiScation for encouragement in
FBI crime figures for 1971, released at the end of August
The rate of increase was seven per cent last year, com
pared to an eleven per cent rise in 1970 and a twelve per
cent increase in 1969. TTiis was the lowest increase since
1965; the Nixon Administration has thus reduced the rate of
increase, which is welcome news.
However, one must hope the crime rate can eventually be
reduced; last year there was a total of 5,995,200 serious
crimes in the United States, including 810,000 crimes of
violence!
As long as such a shameful rate of crime and violence
continues, Americans have a man-sized job facing them, to
seek to reduce the U.S. crime rate to something like that in
other less-violent, free societies.
“THtnnonr
P. O. Box 345 — Phone (704) 739-3851
RODNEY DODSON
Editor ii Co-Publisher
LEM R. LYNCH
Co-Publisher & Business Mgr.
JAY ASHLEY
News Editor
ELAINE TRU
General Composition
BECKY KISER
General Office
Published Each Wednesday
In Kings Mbuntain
By
Mirror Publishing Co.
Subscription Rales;
$4 Per Year $5 Outside «.C.
LURIE’S OPINION
The F ellows Company of Kings Mountain are at it again. Af
ter just finishing one movie, four fellows are at work on their
next film. Backers are awaiting a glimpse at their next script.
They have one in mind now about the first hippie of the U.S,
frontier years, dating back to 1834-1837 in the Illinois area. Reb
Wiesener will be portraying the lead role again, the script was
written by Mr. Pete Floyd, and Mr. Johnnie E. Floyd, all of
Kings Mountain. This fUm is to be directed by Mr. Pete Floyd
Script ananlysls by Johnnie Floyd, and Co-director Reb Wles-
ner. At present they are Involved with records being handled
by Sam Tuttle and Kay Jenkins of four fellows. Jim Arp’s re
cords are going so well he has had to converse with a bigger la
bel. Carl V. Wiesener is considering pressing some records of
his own after he, Jim, and the rest of the members of the com
pany met with NashvUle’s CecUMull,"WUdWoodAngel” at Mr.
Jonas Bridges home last Saturday. Also Johnnie Floyd’s got a
book which will be released with the movie, all handling is be
ing taken care of jointly by the above listed members.
A tour maybe set soon for the two girls in the lead roles of the
past fUm along with Reb Wiesener, starting at Eglin Air Force
Base in Florida. That’s it at present, it seems what was a dre-
arr, is becoming the biggest reality, and much bigger than thou
ght. Hollywood here we come.
Many thanks to The Kings Mountain MIRROR for their co-op-
eratlon from beginning to end.
i > <
•p-Fof'.io'
Highway Commission Politics Could
Become Big Campaign Issue
by JOHN KILGO
The highly political nature
of the State Highway Comm
ission and the allocating of
money for road building will
soon boll over and become the
number one issue of the gub
ernatorial campaign.
That’s the opinion of veter
an Tar Heel politicians—and
evidence continues to stack up
to indicate they’re right.
Charles R. Dawkins of Fay
etteville, a member of the 23-
man Highway Commission
told me in an interview;
"I have a story to tell but
I’m not ready to tell it. Yes,
there is too much politics in
volved in the Commission.
I’ve opposed them several
times in private. I’ve come
close to blows with the chair
man.”
Another commissioner, who
Insisted that he not be named,
told me; "It’s a good thing
the public doesn’t know bow
much politics is Involved in
determining where money go
es for roads. It’s a mess.”
Commissioner Cliff Benson
of Raleigh recently ordered an
underpass for golf carts be
constructed at a Zebulon cou
ntry club. The $7,300 cost of
the project was approved by
the Commission last week,
but not before Dawkins kick
ed up a fuss in public and
private.
“That item should have nev
er been on our agenda, "Daw
kins told me. "That’s why I
didn’t vote for it.”
Benson was one of only two
men on the Highway Commis
sion who supported Skipper
Bowles for Governor in the
Democratic primary. Most
of the commissioners activ
ely supported Pat Taylor.
Reports leaked out from
some sources that Bowles was
planning to name Benson cha
irman of the next Highway
Commission. But then word
of the golf cart underpass got
out and Bowles’ office issued
a statement saying Bowles had
never considered naming
Benson chairman of the com
mission.
Republican Jim Holsbouser
has criss-crossed the state,
retelling the golf cart story
and charging that Bowles and
Benson are long-time close
friends.
Says Commissioner Dawk
ins; "Some changes must be
made in the next Highway Co
mmission and the way it’s set
up. I’ve talked to Bowles
about this. As a whole, this
Highway Commission is a
good one. But the system
doesn’t work. One man de
cides where the roads go.”
Dawkins obviously has ser
ious differences with Comm
ission Chairman Lauch Fair-
cloth but he absolutely refus
ed to discuss them in public.
However, when he says “one
man decides where the roads
go, ” be has to be talking a-
bout Falrcloth. And he did
say, as we quoted earlier,
that he bad almost come to
blows with the chairman in
private meetings of the High
way Commission.
Bowles said lasi week that
the Highway Commission
Chairman in his administra
tion would be responsible to
the secretary of transporta
tion.
Says Commissioner Dawkins
about that proposal; "That’s
the way it ought to be, if you
put a man in who isn’t getting
a political payoff. Otherwise,
the road money will still be
decided by politics.”
Dawkins says he would not
consider being a Highway Co
mmissioner again under the
present set-up.
"My God,” he said, "when
it gets so bad you can’t sleep
at night, it’s too much.”
Coming on top of this con
troversy was a Raleigh News
& Observer story saylngGov.
Bob Scott had paved more than
100 miles of roads in his home
county of Alamance. The
newspaper said Scott had us
ed the Highway Commission’s
unappropriat^ surplus to
give Alamance County $4.3
million for that purpose,
while Forsythe County didn’t
get any of the money.
A high-up in Republican
Holshouser’s campaign told
me; "We’ll see if Bowles can
defend the actions of the
Highway Commission. It’U
be one of the big issues from
now on.”
It’s not likely that Bowles
will go to sleep about this is
sue. He’s been as critical of
the Highway Commission as
Holsbouser.
Nick Galifianakls, Helms’
opponent in the Senate race,
plans to quote extensively
from Helms’ past editoriail
aired over Raleigh’s WRAL-
TV. Galifianakls has alre
ady begun to mall out Helms
editorials that might tend to
embarrass the Raleigh bro
adcaster in a political cam
paign such as this. One
Galifianakls supporter tells
me; "Jesse has had some
very unkind things to say a-
bout President Nixon in the
post. We want to let the pu
blic know what Jesse really
feels about Nixon, since he’s
trying to run on the Presi
dent’s coattaUs.”
LURIE’S OPINION
iL /I
11-
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:-S£l
■
.V
ITI
n
‘•J,
Reflections
by Rodney Dodson
Well we’re getting right in
the middle now of the fall el
ection campaign. I saw my
first TV ad of the presiden
tial campaign Monday night.
It was a McGovern commer
cial. It showed the candidate
presumable in a veterans hos
pital talking with disabled ve
terans of the Vietnam War. It
was a cut above some of the
campaign ads I’ve seen in re
cent presidential elections
which insulted the intelligence
of anyone old enough to vote.
I hope all the campaign adver-
tisi^ can remain on a high
level, but you can expect some
pretty wild charges as the pa
nic of election eve rolls arou
nd.
'I'LL OPEN IT ANY MOMENT
I had the pleasure of meeting
Republican candidate for Gov
ernor Jim Holsbouser Mond-
day. Holsbouser was in She
lby briefly to talk with news
men and do a little on the
street campaigning. I’ve now
met both of the nominees for
Governor, having talked with
Skipper Bowles here last
Spring. Both men are perso
nable, energetic campaign
ers, and I believe either
woidd do a fine job for our
state during the next four
years. Yes, I do have a pre
ference, but it wouldn’t serve
any purpose to state it. I
think the candidates can pre
sent their individual cases far
better than I can.
Everyone’s usually waiting
on the photographer at those
picture taking functions, but
Monday night was an except
ion. Bill Bates, Marvin Teer
and myself decided at Fri
day’s United Fund meeting to
set up a picture for Monday
night of the UF making a pre
sentation to Jim Yarbro for
the Boy Scouts. WeU I just
happened to be talking with
Bill Monday afternoon. He
asked when the picture was,
and I just happened to rem
ember, LucWy they were
coming to the MIRROR to
make it because I forgot ag
ain till I saw Bill walk in the
front door at 7 p.m. Well Ma
rvin wasn’t there, and a phone
cal 1 confirmed that be was in
Charlotte but might return.
After awhllFJlm came in with
his Smokey the Bear Scout
masters hat on dressed for
Washington Report
lt\ (lonui'OMiiuii JuiiMvT. Itro^hill
The Metric System
Today, Americans measure
length in Inches and feet, wei
ght in ounces and pounds, and
volume in quarts, gallons and
bushels. These units of mea
surement stem from the Eng
lish system which was devel
oped during the Middle Ages.
Within a few years, under
pending recommendations by
the U.S. government, our
measurement system may be
changed to one of meters, lit
ers, and grams—the metric
system. This system of mea
surement is based on the
decimal system and is in use
throughout most of the world.
Current interest in U.S. co
nversion to the metric system
was stimulated by a three-
year study conducted by the
Department of Commerce.
The findings. Issued In July,
1971, recommended adoption
of the metric system over a
ten-year period. Last month,
the Senate passed a bill pro
viding that the international
metric system should be
“the predominant but not ex
clusive system of measure
ment in the United States”
and specified a ten-year co
nversion period. The bill
would create an eleven-
member National Metric
Conversion Board to accom
plish this purpose.
Because Senate passage has
occurred so near the end of
the Congressional session, it
is .doubtful that final action
will take place this year. How
ever, I anticipate that the
House of Representatives will
consider this legislation in
the next session of the Con
gress.
There are many arguments
advanced for U.S. conversion
to the metric system. One
of the major points is the ex
pansion of trade with metric
nations. With Great Britain
and Canada in the process of
metric conversion, the United
States is the only major na
tion of the world not using the
metric system. With conver
sion, American-produced
machine tools and parts
would have much greater ad
vantage in international mar
kets. The Commerce Depar
tment has estimated that, un
der the metric system, U.S.
exports would Increase by
$600 mUlion a year. This
would greatly improve our ba
lance of trade, which has lag
ged in recent years. Metric
conversion would also en
hance the U.S. position in in
ternational standards-making
deliberations, an important
trad_e_ factor.
Approximately elven per
cent of U.S. manufacturers
are already using the metric
system. The pharmaceutical
industry, photography, med
icine and scientific work have
converted, as well as some
military weapons programs
and parts of the domestic au
tomobile industry. Represen
tatives of these industries
have Indicated that metric
conversion was easier than
initially expected.
The Commerce Department
metric study found tliat the
inherent advantages of the
metric system and the flow
of world trade will eventua
lly bring about its adoption
by gradual evolution in the
U.S. The findings were that
a planned conversion would
be far less costly, more ef
ficient and would minimize
economic dislocation.
There are, of course, some
objections to metric conver
sion, most of which stem
from two basic arguments;
cost factors and the incon
venience resulting from cha
nging to an unfamiliar sys
tem, During the conversion
period, double inventories of
products, parts, etc. would be
required, and many machines
and other equipment would be
come obsolete in a short time.
This cost and inconvenience
would be temporary, howev
er, and advocates of the me
tric sy.iem feel that they
would be minimal compared
to the advantages of the more
widely used metric system.
It is interesting to look at
the history of U.S, consider
ation of the international me
tric system. The Congress,
which under the Constitution
is assigned the power "to fix
the standard of weights and
measures,” first considered
the metric system in 1970. At
that time, however, the sys-
Please turn to page 5
♦))
photos. They decided to wait
30 minutes.
I asked Jim about the new
scouting handbook, and some
how we got off onadiscussion
about snake bites, rat bites,
and bee stings, and even Poi
son Ivy. I learned that snake
bites are not so bad after all
if you stay calm and get bit
in a hospital, so it wasn’t a
wasted 30 minutes alter all.
About 10 minutes after they
left, Marvin came rushing
through the door..,.rm rea
dy anytime you fellows are.
My experiences with visit
ing Charlotte are usually any
thing but pleasant. I’m afraid
I wouldn’t be a credit to their
chamber of commerce. Ever-
ytlme I go there’s a new road
or a new detour through town,
and by the time I get where
I’m going the entire trip’s us-
uaUy a disaster. Well last
Thursday was almost pleas
ant. I had to carry my new
electric shaver I got for
Christmas last year, the one
that broke a month later to
get repaired. I thought ser
vice was a thing of the past,
but when I carried It in to
Carolina Shaver Service, the
man said pick it up in 45 min
utes. I decided to spend the
time browsing around and wa
tching the people. I drove
down Tryon where I had to
pay 50 cents to park my car,
and walked in the noonday sun
past the decorated windows.
People walk taster, dress
more daringly. Some of the
women 'on the street sported
new fall attire. I got engros
sed in some books and rec
ords, got turned off by so
much cheap, useless, mass
produced articles of cloth
ing in the stores. A constr
uction crew was erecting
concrete forms and steel on
a vacant lot in the heart of
town and I wondered what it
would look like in a year, and
I thought of the Investment
such a structure must repre
sent. I tried to drink in eno
ugh of the bigness of Charlotte
to last me for awhile, and
went back to the shaver shop.
"No charge” the man said,
"it’s guaranteed,” strange
words for sure, coming from
a stranger.
Charlotte’s sort of ambig
uous, it doesn’t belong in
North Carolina, but there it
is, 30 minutes away from
Kings Mountain.