PAGE rOURTHE DAILY REFLECTOR, GREENVILLE, N. C

Monday, Auj^ust 17, 1959 -

Monday, August 17, 1959

Logical Assumption

House Reflects A Dissatisfaction

House passage of the more stringent of various labor bills considered by it last week is indicative of the demand of American citizens for more realistic controls to prevent abuses by unscrupulous leaders of organized labor.

Because of its larger membership and the manner in which it is organized, it is generally recognized that the House of Representatives i? much more sensitive to the attitude of the citizens of the United States than is the Senate, a smaller body in which the membership IS elected for longer terms of office. The very fact that the House gave its approval to the more strict of several alternative proposals to curb labor abuses indicates that the people ot this nation were not satisfied wdth the earlier labpj bill adopted by the Senate.

Some observers have termed the House action a great victory for President Eisenhower because he backed the bill which received approval. Indeed, the President must be given some credit for passage of the legislation. That in itself, however, is not the sole cause of the House action. Overwhelmingly Democratic, the House would have found it most convenient to declirie to follow the Presidents recommendations had public opinion supported such action. Obviously public opinion in this case, was with the Presidents recommendations.

Whether the Senate now will be inclined to go along with the stricter provisions of the House to prevent abuses in organized labor remains to be seen. Certainly action by the House last week reflects dissatisfaction among the citizenry with the watered down measure finally adopted by the Senate several

Handed Role Of nw Students

By LYNN NIWBET

LAW STUDENTS The head men in local school administration attending the annual Superintendents Conference at Mars Hill last week found themselves cast in the role of law students most of the time.

The conference program for Wednesday and Thursday was devoted almost entirely to discussion of laws and resolutions enacted by the 1959 General Assembly, and the National Defense Education Act of 1958 which became operative since last years inference.

The law sUidents discovered that while some very important amendments and additions were made to the General Statutes directly related to public schools (Chapter 116), there were also significant changes in the laws about building codes, health, retirement and social security, traffic safety and other areas which require attention of superintendents, as well as county boards of education and county commis-fiioners in connection with school operation.

Discussion of these matters developed the opinion that in most instances of dual or divided Tesponsibility between county commissioners and school authorities it was the intent of the Legislature to give controlling voice to the board of education.

This Involves the location of tchooi houses, the distribution of capital improvement and operating moneys which have been derived from taxes levied by the commissioners. There is no question about the fact that only the county commissioners have the power to levy taxes, eithjwr on they? own Initiative or under mandate of the people who have voted for bonds or special taxes.

JOINT There are several areas in which the school oificials have secondary responsibility for enforcing the laws. In some of these the division is vague.

Question has arisen about whether the local health officer or the school principal has final say-so about enrolling pupils without polio vaccination. The statute is not very clear, but the Attorney Generals office has ruled that in the light of other enrollment statutes including compulsory attendance the school folks have final authority. In this connection it was noted that w'hlle the laws require immunization against smallpox and diphtheria of all pupils, the polio vaccination is required only cf those entering for the first time.

The 19.59 Legislature tightened laws dealing with fire hazards. Principals and superintendents

were given Increased duties as to inspection an^ reporting, but major responsibility for enforcement rests on other agencies.

In the matter of bus transportation of pupils the schools are required to comply with general traffic laws, and have a few extra duties. Principals must determine bus routes, including places where stops to load and unload passengers can be made. There remains confusion about school bus use of four-lane limi-ted-access highways. The law requires other caurs to stop for a school bus going in either direction, unless there is a physical median barrier separating the roadbeds. A grassy strip or a raised mound allows traffic in the opposite direction to keep moving; if the division is only a few yellow lines on level payment all traffic must stop for the school bus.

Dr. Everett Miller, assistant superintendent, warned that ail of us can go to jail unless we observe the traffic laws.

VACATIONISTS - The vacation plans of people have undergone revolutionary changes in the past few years. Instead of families going together for a week or a month at one resort, the modem vacation is taken on wheelsone to three nights at a place, then on to another. The idea is to get to as many golf courses or fishing places as possible in the time allotted.

Even more significant is the trend toward making the vacation trip an educational process as well as pleasure. Interest in historical places, art museums and similar attractions rivals the famed scenic and recreation centers.

More people have visited Bilt-more House at Asheville so far this year than in any previous 12-month period. Attendants say the visitors ask-Intelligent questions, show interest in authenticity of the marvelous collection of art pieces, rather than simple curiosity. The same thing is true of visitors to the newly restored Tryon Palace at New Bern. It is quite likely that national publicity about Tryon Palace stimulated Interest in Biltmore House. The Palace is a public enterprise, Biltmore entirely privately owned and operated. They have in common the fact that they represent the finest in period architecture and furnishing to be found anywhere in the United States. Recent promotional activities of Biltmore as a cultural and historic attraction have brought many visitors to North Carolina and made a lot of Tarheels aware of the fact that)it is one of the best known in North America.

months ago. This may give rise to more support in the Senate for the stricter provisions contained in the House measure.

There is no question about which measure will deal more realistically with the national problem of labor abuses. The House bill meets the issues head-on whereas the Senate measure appears little more than a mealy-mouthed piece of legislation designed to please" both sides in the argument and really accomplish nothing constructive in the field of labor abuses.

Talk of a deadlock between the Senate and House that will prevent any legislation against labor abuses this session should be dismissed immediately. The need for positive legislation is amply evident. Without it the abuses by unscrupulous labor leaders will become much more widespread and much more harmful to members of labor unions, to companies victimized by abuses and to the general public.

The Senate should follow the example set by the House and give approval to realistic legislation capable of dealing effectively to curb racketeering and abuses' in labor-management abuses.

Carnival Atmosphere Is With Us Again

Tuesday is a day for which all of Eastern North Carolina is anxiously waiting. It is the day that marks the beginning of the selling season in the huge Eastern Carolina tobacco belt.

Throughout the area there is the natural optimism which always accompanies the opening of another marketing season. Since early in the year tobacco farmers have been looking forward to the day when their crop would be sold . . . their investment in time, labor and dollars converted again into cash for that which they have produced.

Farmers who have been busy this season cultivating and producing their crop under unfavorable weather conditions are now turning their attention to getting a portion of it ready for market. They are keenly aw^are that the quality of th^jcrOp of this area generally is not up to that of lastfyear. They are also aw'are that the less favoi-able growing season this year has taken its toll in pounds as well as in the quality of the crop.

Even so, tobacco has sold well on markets in areas farther south, price supports are up slightly from last year, and indications point to a strong demand for the crop produced in Eastern Carolina.

Whether prices on the first offerings next Tuesday will be above, below or about the same as they were last year will remain a matter of conjecture until the markets open. Come Tuesday, however, Greenville and many other similar tobacco markets in this area will assume their traditional opening day carnival atmosphere.

In spite of the handicaps tobacco farmers have faced this year, signs at the moment point to a better-than-average result when the crop is marketed.

Growing Credit

AM\eR)KAN$Ki5 MU^T AIL BE FAT ANb

SMELL terrible!

\ /

leN augiit Syndicate, In*

By HAL BOYLE

Youd Learn It In Mails

NEW YORK (AP)-Things a columnist might never know if he didnt open his mail:

You think youre wife is expensive? Mme, Pompadour, famous 18th century French mistress. is reported to have spent $100,000 a year on perfume alone, just to smell nice for King Louis XV, Feeling tired and rundown? Why not try a wonder drug popular with the ancient Greeks? They thought youd have good health and long life if you drank a potion of wine, cloves, and hippoptamus fat. Either red or w^hite wine will do, but be sure the hippopotamus fat Is properly chilled.

How- times change! Comic George de Witt says he saw a late movie on television that was so old the Germans were bad buys!

The Schick electric razor people just got a shock. A poll they made disclosed 200,000 U.S. men now wear beards, and the number is growing.

Incidentally, can you name the fiist American president with a beard? It was Abraham Lincoln, who at 50 started letting his w'hiskers sprout after an 11-year-old girl had written and suggested a beard would make him look more dignified.

Latest fad-cif-the-week i n Greenwich Village? Dyeing eyebrows a color different from the hair.

When you enter a store for the first time, in which direction do you turn? About 79 per cent of Americans instinctively turn to the right.

Facts that will get you no -where: You spend as much en-

RoS6S a Thraat other Editors Saying

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By RALPH ROBEY

The rapid increase in installment buying, an established important aspect of our economic system, has been reaching new all time highs. This poses a question: Is our credit system getting out of hand and becoming a threat to the business trend?

First, get the total In per-specive. On June 30, latest data available, the aggregate of all consumer credit was $46.7 billion. Of this, a little over three quarters was installment credit, some 43 percent or S15.4 billion of which was automobile paper.

Such aggregates by themselves mean comparative little. To appraise them it is necessary they be related other figuies. The particular figure most useful in this regard is called disposable income and refers to personal income less taxes. This data Is published quarterly, the latest being for the second quarter of 1959, In 1958 the June volume of consumer credit was 12 per cent of spendable Income; this year it is just short of 14 per cent, a fairly signfleant increase.

Another approach is to figure the total of credit repaid in relation to the amount extended. For 1958 the amount repaid w^as a little more than the amount extended, the first time that had happened for many years, and ls accounted for because 1958 was a poor automobile sales year, we had been in a reces.sioh in much of 1957, and the public was still uncertain of the upturn. In January and February of this year repayments exceeded new credit extension, which is fairly normal. But since then the trend has been rever.sed. and for the fir.st six months extensions have exceeded repayments by $1.9 billion.

One final preliminary oom-parLson; in 1955 consumer credit jumped by $6.8 billion, of which

$3.7 billion was on automobile paper. That year terms of installment credit were eased materially with, in the case of automobile purchases maturities increased to thirty six months, and installment credit repayments were $5.4 billion less than extension. Total consumer credit that year was 14.1 percent of personal spendable income, or just a fraction higher than now.

Some conclusions: Figures show that we are no worse off than we were in 1955when we experienced no difficulty, and there is no evidence that the high credit level was a contributing factor to the recession which started in 1957.

Installment loans, like other loans, are good or bad depending on the care of the credit analysis upon which they are based. This is another way of saying that the right of repossession is not too important. Of course it limits the possibility of loss, and is an incentive for the borrower to keep up his payments, but credit should not be extended on the expectation of repossession. Today the credit anabasis underlying consumer loans is of high quality, and the rate of loss is small.

From one point of view it Is true that installment credit represents stealing from future buying, but basically this is true of all credit. There is no reason for criticism of installment credit on this score. Criticism Is jiLstified only w'hen too much credit is extended, or when loans are given without adequate analysis. Neither of these conditions prevails today.

Finally, although the total of consumer credit Ls at an all time high, and is rapidly rising, there appears to be no basis for concern. If collections start to get difficult the situation would be different, but there is no indication that we are moving intu such a period.

Gasoline Price Fixing

(Rocky Mount Telegram)

Attorney General Malcolm Seawell plans to take a look at recent gasoline price-fixing in North Carolina. However, because of the states Fair Trade Act, this may prove to be a tough assignment,

Seawell is acting on complainls from independent filling station operators who fear such price-fixing may cause motorists to pass up their business establishments for other stations. Said Seaweii. My concern is whether these big companies have combined to fix prices on gasoline in restraint of trade. He Is acting to determine if there is collusion between the gas companies in the establishment of retail prices.

Several independent operators have indicated they intend to test the constitutionality of the 1937 iair Trade Act on which the gas companies based their price-fixing. The act of fixing prices is not in itself illegal, not monopolistic, since it could be based on the courts 1939 decision in a case testing the Fair Trade Act.

The court ruled that the state law provided for vertical price-fixing. but does not create a monopoly by horizontal agreements between persons in the same business in competition with each other. The legal question at stake, and what Seawell wants to find out, is whether the

recent price-fixing was horizontal that is. agreed upon by the companies. It was pointed out that across the state, gas prices were amazingly uniform, thus suggesting collusion. Such horizontal collusion could be considered in restraint of trade, which is illegal by general statute.

Presumably this recent trend in fixing prices was an effort to end price wars in certain parts of North Carolina. Such price wars worked undue hardships on small dealers, trying to compete with the station down on the corner. The fixing of prices at minimum rates served to end the price wars, much to the chagrin of the consuming public. Too, the small independent dealers were unhappy. They plan to test the Fair Trade Act in court.

Proving collusion would be extremely difficult. Such agreements could be oral, with no written records involved. Seawell noted that he has the authority to examine the books and records of companies which are or may be acting in restraint of trade. He did not indicate he plans to do so. Perhaps he realizes it would be a waste of time. While were on the subject, it is entirely possible that gasoline distributors aren't the only ones guilty of fixing prices in restraint of trade. There is amazing uniformity in the prices of many articles, and we suspect that this uniformity doesnt always result from costs and competition.

J: ishing A Peace

ergy in opening and closing your eyes in a year as it would take to hoist an 8-year-old child to your shoulder one*.

You cant get a ride In a two-tone gondola in Venice. These water-borne taxis, in use there for nearly a thousand years, are ti'aditionally painted black.

In most of Europe convicts arent given an added sentence for trying to make a prison break. Their desire to escape is taken as normal.

Ola gags never die: Singer Lisa Kirk tells of the Indignant woman who complained to the zookeeper that the monkeys were gambling at cards. Its all right,soothed the keeper. Theyre only playing for peanuts.

A democracy has been described as a country in which you can call the president anything you want to, but you have to be polite to the traffic cops.

Speaking of traffic cops, never tell them, Im sorry. For some reason probably because they feel it is usually insincere this is the phrase that infuriates them most.

If your wife wonders why she Is getting fat. tell her this: She is probably still eating as much as her mother did- But. where her mother needed 3,000 calories to get through the day, she herself needs only 2,000 calories because modem home appliances make her life so much easier.

On the other hand, if you like to keep your home life happy, dont tell your wife any such thing.

Were still the talkingest people on earth. The world now has about 120 million telephones, of which 63 million are in the United States.

It was John Ruskin W'ho observed: There is no wealth but life.

Opinions In Brief

In some state.s, including Oklahoma, motorists who drive too slowly in fast-moving traffic are being warned by police. In seme, the slowpoke is arrested on a charge of Impeding traffic. This is only fair, and there are good arguments for more of a crackdown on the .slow driver. If he wants to go at a leisurely pace, he can do It on side roads. Coatesville (Pa.) Record.

r actor

By ROGER BABSON

BABSON PARK, Mass.. My dream is that the fishes of the sea might be a connecting peace link between Russia and the United States. The ocean is the only area between nations which is recognized as free and equal to all nations. This is not only according to international law but also according to custom extending over a hundred years. Therefore, I have felt that the international fishing industry might be the opening wedge la terminating the cold war.

In view of the above, I have been making a study of the fishing industry of the United States and Russia. There is not much conflict between us and Russia on the West Coast, as our principal catches are salmon and tuna. The conflict on the West Coast is between the United States and Japan. Our main fishing port on the Atlantic Ocean is Gloucester. Mass., which is now taking in over 300,000,(X)0 pounds a year at a valuation of over $15,000,00 per year.

At present, Iceland is exporting considerable fish to the United States. There are demands from New England to erect a tariff wall against Icelandic fish. Various requests have been sent to Washington which President Eisenhower has wisely ^ refused. He explains that we are very dependent on Iceland, Portugal, and other fishing nations for bases and airports. These we must maintain; we ^ould be greatly handicapped if these nations made us move off in retaliation for increasing tariffs against them.^

One of the worlds most important examples of friendly mutual protection is the boundary line between the U.S. and Canada. Although it would be very easy for either country to invade the other, there has never been a suggestion that such might even be considered. Yet there is no military defense or offense between the two countries. There has been some conflict at times between our fishing fleets; but since fishing boats do not carry guns or military equipment. we have had continual peace. My dream is that the fisheries can bring about a similar friendly relationship with Russia.

All the above means first that neither Russian nor American fishing boats should carry guns or other military protection, but should depend upon the good will of the other. Another requirement. sought by Russia, which seems very reasonable is that the mate of each Russian vessel be able to speak English. This is very important if the radio codes are to function properly. Real world peace must have some sort of international language such as Esperanto which would be sponsored by the United Nations.

We all know the big fishing ports of the United Stales, but are not so well acquainted with the ports of Russia. At the cast end of the Gulf of Finland the leading port is Leningrad (Petrograd*. The only Russian port that is open all year Is Odessa on the Black Sea. I have been trying to get flgure.s from Odessa, but have been told that I can get them only by going there in person and giving the Russian Fishing Commission, in exchange, certain figures which apply to this country, and especially to Gloucester.

The population of Odessa is over 60,000, and Is growing rapidly. Nearby is the city of Yalta where President Roosevelt had his last very important conference with Stalin. A photograph of them at this conference shows that President Roosevelt must have been quite ill. This may explain why he permitted us to get into the Berlin mess and give the Russians all that portion of Germany which surrounds Berlin. This is now known as East Berlin .

The above explains why I am planning to leave here next month for Sweden and Denmark. At Copenhagen I will be the guest of Mayor Urban Hansen and will get data on northern Russian fishing ports. Then I shall go to Berlin and to Odessa and secure data on the fishing of the Black Sea and tributary rivers. I, however, will travel only as the Gloucester lobers-terman and fisherman and not in any political capacity. I will report my conclusions to readers through this column when I return in November.

More Look-Aheads In Business

Strength For Today

By EARL L. DOUGLA.SS REAL TRIUMPH

I have fought a good fight,

I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.

It is from the fourth chapter of

II Timothy. I incorporated it in a letter which I wrote a (v'idow recently, commenting upon the Christian service which her husband had performed for almost fifty years. When he departed. ^tili vLgbpously oiirsaim hU waek'^

as a Christian minister even though advanced in years, he left behind him a cliustcr of happy memories, a recollection of much good fellowship, a legacy of Christian service to be passed on to others who would take his place.

The poet Biowning spoke of the last of life for w'hich the first was made. We hear a great

deal the.se days about young people and their problems. Let it never be forgotten, however, that while youth Ls the period of molding. old age is the season of harvest. Sometimes it is a season of sorrowful and dreadful harvest. Usually it is a satisfactory harvest. Sometimes it is a triumphant harvest. And when it is. it is triumphant Indeed.

For what can be better than to came 4o . tte, .ead . Ue knowing that one has lived to the glory of God, to the benefit of his fellow men, to the happiness of his loved ones?

No pasition sets a man apart with greater glory than does such service. No inheritance Is so great for the young people to receive as Ls a life lived en-thasiastlcally and with contentment.

By ELMER ROESSNER Here aie more look-aheads in business, based on analyses of developing trends and sparked with some flints of advance information:

More steel imports. The steel strike is now oegliining to cause some spotty, thotsgh not general shortages, and American importers are sending word to speed shipments from Europe. Some shipments have been at dockside pending signals to load.

More mechanical furniture. Advance trade reports indicate a rising interest in action furniture: sofas that become beds, chairs that become lounges, ^eeaJcra&^ ih&t decome -tsLbles. and settees that massage sitters. Small rooms and rising costs of furniture pieces are actlvants.

More oral xegistration. What started as a convention gimmick has become for real. Instead of filling out forms, more and more meeting and show delegates will simply speak their name, address and identification into microphones attached to

tape recorders-BOON TO CONCRETE

More pre-stressed concrete. The steel strike is giving markets to the pre-stressed concrete manufacturers never to be regained. Concrete slabs, while using some steel, are competitive with steel beams and girders, and many contractors and architects are shifting to them.

Cheaper foods. Heavy crops of fruits and vegetables for canning indicate no rise in prices, and perhaps some drops, in the coming 12 months. Eggs, turkey, fish, shortening, oranges, lettuce and sweet corn are expected to be cheaper this iaJJ., Meat prices aren't expected toh&Tke tnuch.

Rise in rural British, $Yench provincial furniture has befep'do-^ mlnant for several seasons^but now. say experts, a shift toward rural English is developing. This includes taperstrles, upholstery and floor coverings as well as furniture.

MORE TV SALE.S

A surge of television sales is

in the making. And Its not because of color. The fact is that most black-and-white sets in use today are nearing their end of efficient operations, and several million replacements will be needed in the near future.

New coffee coming. Instant coffee in aerasol cans Is being developed and will be on some markets within 60 days.

More ship trouble. Unions strike against foreign-flag operation last year wasnt successful, but there are rumblings of a new offensive, perhaps with a longer boycott of ships flying Honduran, Panamanian and Liberian flags, although employing Ettropeta a-

men.

European tourist slump. The Anverican Automobile Association predicts a record year for European travel in 1960, and ad; vanee bookings tend to bear it out. Nevertheless, this years travelers are bringing back stor-ie.s of Inadequate accommodations, high prices and oak-the-

Americans tactics. Their word-of-mouth propaganda may slow down foreign travel.

No rise in minimum wages. This year, that is. A rise to $1.25 has been voted by the Senate, but the House will diop this hot subject In its hurry to adjourn. OLD PROMOTER SPOTS SOME ARMY INEFFICIENCY

Sissies! the Old Promoter exclaimed as he dropped in today for his weeiCly rat-killing visit.

"Who? we bit.

"The Army. It sent a demolition platoon to blow up 7,000 case of beer it abandoned on St. Lawrence Island off Alaska, Tanks, flamethrowers and all that.

"So whats wrongb" we asked.

"The Army should simply have called back my World War I infantry squad. We could have gotten rid of 7.000 cases of beer in no time, and we would nt have needed a single grenade. We would have just GOT RID of

2i prohaW ciiM.