PMM FOURTHE DAILY REFLECTOIL GREENVILLE, N. C,

Friday December IS, 1959

Friday, December 18, 1959

The Western Summit

Farm Income Loss Is Heavy Blow

From the economic standpoint, North Carolina has taken a heavy blow with the estimated $50 million reduction in farm income for 1959 compared with that of a year ago.

Although the reduced farm income was attributed to a nunfaber of crops, the big loss came in tobacco income which was cut considerably by poor growing conditions and low yields from the 1959 crop. Had not the quality of tobacco been in line with demands of purchasers to a greater degree than in other years, the financial loss to farmers might have been considerably greater.

With 22 per cent less yield, fewer man-hours were required to house the tobacco crop this year, which of course mean less total work for field hands that normally work in green tobacco. The shorter crop required less warehouse handling, and it also meant a shorter season in the tobacco redrying plants throughout Eastern North Carolina.

Added to these direct losses from the decline in farm income are other indirect losses which have occurred or will occur throughout the economy.

For a state which depends as heavily on apiculture as North Carolina doesand particularly in the Coastal Plain where agriculture is the mainstay of the economythe $50 million loss in farm income this year will be felt throughout the economy.

In considering the loss of agricultural income this year one must also consider the loss in other segments of the economy that depend on agriculture.

Throughout a broad area of the state where to- m/r

baceo forms the primary source of farm income, the jyjllylll XICIVC

direct loss of farm income from tobacco is only a. part of the picture. In Pitt County, for example, the per acre yield for tobacco was approximately 22 per cent less in 1959 than in 1958. In addition to the resulting decline in income to tobacco producers, this lower production tended also to lessen the overall income of those who work with tobacco on the farm, in the warehouses and in the factories.

KilUng Off The Law

Puzzle

In Hodaes Role

By LYNN NISBET HODGES.The moat faacia-tUng. Intriguing and puzzling factor in the upcoming election of a Governor, other State officials, United States Senator and members of the General As-aembly. Is the role that may be played by Governor Luther Hodges. Maybe the question hould be as to what role he wants to play, because as of BOW he is in position to make the choice. He is by all odds the most dominatnt figure on the North Carolina scene, political and otherwise.

*He has not Indicated his role, except to say that he will take Bo part In selection of his suc-cussor unless his administration policies are attacked. That, of course, was an empty promL'ie because at the time he first made It he knew that some of the prospective candidates for Governor already were attacking the highway set up and some other departmental reor-lanizattOBa which he had sponsored.

There have been rumors that Hodges was throwing his weight to support Addison Hewlett ivt Governor. Only basis for these rumors seems to be that as among the three most often mentioned candidates Terry Sanford. John Larkins and Addison Hewlett there wasnt anywhere else he could go. Other rumors, with even less foundation, have it that Hodges has told some of his friends not to be too quick committing support. because somebody else Is likely to ge In the race. On the surface there might be question whether the endorsement or active support of Governor Hodges would help or hurt a candidate. Certainly it would be a liability in some areas, a definite asset in some others. Majority opelnion is it woyld help or hurt a candidate. Certainly it would be a liability in s(ne areas, a definite asset In some others. Majority opinion Is it would help a lot more than it would hurt.

COUNTERPART Governor Hodges likes to compare his administration with that of Gov-tmor McLean. Both put prime emphasis on the business aspects of government. McLean gave very little attention to practical politics. He relied on Senator F. M. Simmons and A. D. Watts to handle that phase.

Many students of political history see the Hodges administration and philosophy much more like that of Governor Max Gardnerwho skillfully combined practices, practical politics and attention to social services. Gardner, like Hodges, had periods of high and low popularity, and was equally undisturbed by the fluctuations of public opinion.

Gardner came to office at a tima when the old Simmons machine Was breaking up and there was no organisation to take its place. Hodges came

on the State scene when con-tUtions were comparable. Embryonic organizations which had begun to form under rival leadership of Senator J. M. Broughton and Joe Blythe never reached maturity because of the sudden deaths, within a few weeks of each other, of the two leaders. Since then no really cohesive political oryanization has been built.

Gardner attained his greatest influence after leaving the Governors office, and became the recopnized leader of the dominant factor in the Democratic .party. Will Hodges continue the analogy? Most observers think he wllll, even to the extent of moving his base of operations from North Carolina to Washington.

For that reason it is unthinkable that he will not exert considerable influence In the 1960 primaries, from the legislature up.

NATIONALOpinion prevails, with substantive evidence to support it. that Hodges plans call for moving Into the national picture. He already has attained more nationwide recognition than any Governor of North Carolina during his Incumbency.

CONVENTIONS To enhance national prestige it la necessary that he control the State delegation to thenatlonal Democratic convention, which means he must control the State convention which selects the delegates. He also must guess right on whom to support for President.

For those reasons, and on both state and national levels, he Is like the sick man whom the preacher was urging to renounce the Devil. The sick man answered to the effect that I aint in position to make anybody mad.

The date for the 1960 State convention has not been fixed. For many years It has been held about two weeks before the primary, and it Is likely that policy will be followed next year. Traditionally the outgoing Governor has less Influence in the convention than the favored candidate to succeed him, and after the nomination the new Governor - to-be takes control and dictates party organization. The Hodges personality Is not susceptible to being shoved aside to such extent. Since the State convention will come nearly three months before the national. which is the forum on which Hodges is expected to have a major role, chances are he will seek to retain control before the after the state meeting.

To do that he must be in Influential position with the newly nominated Governor. That gets back to the original premise, that he cannot afford not to take a hand In selecting his successor. Whether his activities are in the open or behind the scenes will depend upon developments as the campaign progresses.

About a million Tar Heels received a deserved and a welcomed pre-Christmas gift from Insurance Commissioner Charles F. Gold Wednesday when he denied the proposal by the North Carolina Automobile Rate Administrative Office that would have increased the cost of auto liability insurance about $8,000,000 or 19.9 per cent.

In rejecting the proposal. Commissioner Gold acted in the best interest of the citizens of the state. The one-year experience rating on which the proposal was based was a change from the three-year experience formula that previously has been used in arriving at such rates. In addition, the Department of Motor Vehicles says that according to its records the accident frequency rate in the state has not increased appreciably during the past three years.

Aside from what the increase in auto liability insurance rates would have cost North Carolina motorists had the decision been affirmative,Uhe decision likewise would have immediately opened the door for killing off the compulsory liability insurance law which the state recently enacted.

That law was long overdue in North Carolina when it was passed by the 1957 General Assembly. Since it became effective it has proven its worth in providing greater protection for the people of this state. It would be a grave mistake indeed for North Carolina to junk the law without giving it a reasonable trial period in which it will prove merits beyond a shadow of a doubt.

Commissioner Gold is to be commended for the decision he rendered.

'kes Real Tes

7o Be In Paris

The Dsly Reflector

INCORPORATED Publiahed Every Afternoon Except Sunday Established 1882 DAVID JULIAN WHICHAHD, Publisher

entered at Poet Offlce, OreenvlUe. N. G.. a eeond elaaa mall matter.

By JAMES MARLOW WASHINGTON (AP) President Eisenhowers journey to three continents is Just a pleasant canoe trip compared with what he faces In Paris this weekend.

Everywhere he went this month he talked in generalities about high ideals. In Parisparticularly in dealing with French President Charles de Gaulle Elsenhower will have to get down to cases. It may be unpleasant.

He will meet with De Gaulle at a time when his government is angry at biting American criticism of the French for shirking their obligations to the;. l5-nation military alliance, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. *'*

Then, together with De Gaulle and the heads of the British and West German governments, Elsenhower will have a presummit meeting to decide the 1960 date for a summit conference with Premier Nikita Khrushchev. But thats not all.

The Allies must decide also what theyll discuss with Khrushchev, espec^lly what stand theyll take on Berlin, The Soviet has demanded the West get its troops out of the city.

The French and West Germans are jittery that tht country and Britain will be wUling to make concessions to Khrushchev. They are all for standing pat. Unless Eisenhower agrees with them, hes in for trouble..

As for the NATO quarrel; The United States and some other NATO members are fed up with the French and De Gaulle. Last week the military leaders of the NATX) countries, meeting in Paris, reached this kind of conclusion:

We are going to hell In a hurry unless something is done soon. The military men were particularly disturbed by the failure of most NATO governments to carry out 1957 agreements in principle to accept U.S. atomic weapons and stockpiles on their soil and to integrate their air

Not AI.

Words

Sooken

By DON SCHLIENZ

rhe Season For Patience

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forces Into one air defense structure for Europe.

De Gaulle has stalled both steps. He has declared publicly that integration of Frances forces Into the NATO structure Is unpalatable to him and a dead issue so far as he is concerned.

And he has refused to accept American stockpiles of atomic weapons on French soil unless he gets more control over them than the United States is willing to give. As a result, American Air Force units are being shifted to bases in Britain and West Germany.

Gen. Nathan Twining, chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff, put his finger squarely on France as the major offender. This accusation was made in a private meeting of the military leaders in Paris.

The fact that it was said at all was bad enoughfrom the French view. But then it was leaked to the press. Then the French really got mad. But Secretary of State Christiasn. A. Her ter this week in Paris called for Integration, too.

So did U.S. Secretary of Defense Thomas Gates Jr., who backed up Twining.

This all sets a troubled stage for Eisenhower, when he arrives. He is famous as a peacemaker. And naaybe he can pour oil on these troubled waters, too. But the mllitaiT leaders say the future of NATO is at stake.

And, in dealing with De Gaulle, Elsenhower Is. dealing with a temperamental, strong-willed individual who was hard to get along with in World War II and doesnt seem to have changed.

And the French have a gripe of their own; That this country hasnt backed them up enough in their troubles in Algeria-But it cant be denied that De Gaulle has deliberately knocked a hole in NATO.

Since he took office in 1958 he has removed the French air-warning system, and one-third of the French Mediterranean fleet from NATOs integrated command.

As reminded in this space yesterday, you cant escape the spirit of Christmas.

The bright colored lights, the store displays laden with Id-like-that-one-Daddy merchandise, the Christmas trees to be seen in passing the homes, the carols in the air, . .it happens every year at this time, but always welcome.

For almost a week, now. a Christmas tree has been waiting in our carport for the proper time to be put in its stand and adorned with glittering finery. Our small boy was present when It was purchased, and his impatience at the time made prospects of any holding out on the tree-decorating seem futile.

If we fix it now, his mother told him, it wont be so pretty

when Christmas really Is here.

But even that didnt completely satisfy him.

He was interested In the wrapping of the branches with twine, and the trimming off of a small piece of trunk, and leaving the tree in a bucket of water. Just having a tree around satisfied him for a couple of days.

Then, on seeing Christmas trees appear in other houses he became restless again.

Lets wait until Aunt Grace and Uncle Art come to Greenville, he was urged, you want them to help decorate the tree, dont you? Theyd really like to help.

And again the infrequent miracle of childish patience came to pass; he was willing to wait a little longer.

His young sister, whose memories of any Christmas in her past must be extremely weak, goes along with her brother. If he wants the tree set up now, shes right with him; if hes coaxed into waiting, she Is also willing to forget. So, this year we can count ourselves as fortunate in not having to wage a debate on two fronts simultaneously.

Other Editors Saying ..

Holiday Traffic Facts

(Rocky Mount Telegram)

The American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, looking ahead to the year-end holiday season and its heavy traffic tolls, has compiled a Fact Sheet on Holiday Safety. It gives facts, figures and suggestions which may help to save a few lives, prevent a few crippling injuries.

A statement from L.S. Harris, executive director of the administrative group, says: Those of us concerned with the lives and bodily safety of our fellow men can look forward to the year-end holiday season only with great anxietjr. This year, both Christmas and New Years, will be three-and four-day holidays for most people, and such periods historically account for our greatest traffic death toll. Following a relative low total of traffic deaths In 1958, the national trend has again been upward and 1959 may become one of the worst years in history.

With that in mind, lets look at a few facts on the Safety Fact Sheet. A total of 40.000 fatalities is considered to be a strong possibility for 1959 by safety officials. Peak year was 1956, when 39,628 were killed. Statistics show that more people

average of 12 deaths per hour as against five during the next 24-

Well, yesterday the long-waited visitors to Greenville arrived; and the first thing the boy brought up was the tree-decorating bit.

Youd have thought the world was coming to an end when he learned there would be nothing doing until today. Little sister was briefly perturbed, too; but again, some inner resources of patience came to the fore.

Sometimes these little people display a surprising quality that makes even parents think their offspring arent too bad.)

So todays the day our little tree will be brought indoors, affixed in the stand, garnished with strings of lights and shining

By HAL BOYLE NEW YORK *(AP)Uie^has many languages.

You learn some (a them as you go along.

How many languages are there in the world? Maybe 1,000, one might guess. Another would say 5.000. '

It partly depends on , what you call a language.

A language is a method by which one living thing by an effort, deliberate or, not, brings or exchanges a ^message to another living thing.

Actually there are millions of languages, or variations of languages.

Every two people who approach each other in the world speak two different languages, and they get along only as their languages meshor stiffen in silence and retreat into individualism unexpressed.

So it is with nations, as it is with persons.

Language is a marvelous arsenal made up of words, grunts, smells, gestures, sighs, move-menteand pauses. It can be eloquent in each or all of these ways, and other ways.

Sight, for example, How often Is a falling tear a human battlefield. What two people in love in all history lacked a separate kind of signal for being together?

People being as various as they are, no dictionary could possibly sum up all the varieties of human languages though learned scholars do make periodic appraisals. Their efforts remain a reach, not a conclusion.

Shakespeare seized and shook the English language and made of it an arrow to his own meaning. So do, in their own ability, all individuals in all languages.

Grammar is a roadblock only to the false - elucated, language itself is the real hurdle.

The only real rule of language Is to force it to say exactly what you want It to say, no more, no less. And if you do this you oan well afford to break every other rule in doing 80.

The true majesty of language, as Shakespeare knew, is not to be a prisoner of a previous grammar and a limp, inherited vocabulary but to assail truth vigorously with both old and new words that create a fresh meaningboth for yourself and the other fellow.

As you stretch your language, you stretch yourself. Anyone can be in his own way his own Shakespeare.

f + +

aSCVillOl SAW VtUAAA w* ^ W

hour period. Ih other words, about globes, the angel will be clamped

twice as many people are killed OA Christmas Eve as on Christmas Day. Although total deaths are usually less for New Years Eve and New Years Day, the pattern is similar.

Traffic studies show that, on a vear-round basis, about 30 per cent of all fatal accidents Involve drinking drivers. During the holidays, however, this percentage almost doublesto 55 per cent. During the year about 38 per cent of auto deaths involve speed too fast for conditions. At Christmas, this also almost doublesto 75 per cent. Obviously, in the hurry of the holidays, many people drive too fast for safety.

Throughout the year, noncollision accidents, such as running off the road, overturning, hitting fixed objects, etc., are responsible for more auto fatalities than any other classification, alertness are listed as main causes and these dangerous physical conditions are most prevalent during the fesUve and social season.

If you drink, dont drive: never start a trip when tired; stop for regular coffee breaks to

to the top, and the Guardian Of The Tree will be content.

For him, a long-awaited dream will have been accomplished.

For his parents, I suspect well have to convince him several times during the next week that Christmas Day simply cannot be moved up to suit his whims.

AU of which goes to show that Christmas wouldnt mean nearly so much to a great many people if there were no Children to mark

it as something special.

I know a lady to whom the use of an X in spelling Christa mas is absolutely unthinkable. She is appalled on seeing It, even when used in hastily written notes.

It really Is no great trouble to spell it out three or four times, she says. And of course

its true.

It wasnt 50 many years ago when seeing Christmas so spelled was commonplace; but people are now more conscious of that X than they ever were before.

Quite possibly it all began when when a sign painter or a head-line-writer was caught with limited space, and so began a period of X-ing out the most important part of Christmas.

As a headllne-writer, myself, Ive sometimes wished Christmas, as a word, required fewer letters. Theres just so much space, for so many letters, in headline-writing.

Of course The Reflectors policj has long been to "take the X out of Christmas, so we who work here hew to the rule as much as for the sake of policy as for personal convictions.

You really dont see many Xs in the word any more: but when you do, it stands out like a sore thumb.

Opinions In Brief

die in traffic on long Christmas keep alert: keep plenty of

and New Years weekends than during any other major holiday period, AU-time peaks were 706 killed on the 4-day Christmas weekend of 1956 and 609 on the 3-day Christmas holiday of 1955.

Christmas Eve from 6 p.m. to mid-night, is the most dangerous time of the holiday with an

fresh air circulating in the car; talk, sing, turn on the radio; keep an eye on the speedometer; anticipate the moves of other drivers; don't overestimate your abUity 'behind the wheel if it is in any way impaired; false pride or courage can drive you to oblivion.

Alterations may be made in The Birmingham News, the Taft-Hartley Law in the next session of Congressdebates will be about whether it will be done with union labor.

Memphis Press-Bclmltar.

Every girl, of course. Is a princess in somebodys eyes when she stands before tho parson. This is as it should be. Still the ridiculous, costly pretentiousness which attends so

It Is time to discard the many marriages is like arrang-portralt of the businessman as ing in advance to have the a high-collared tyrant and the wolf at the door by Inviting American working man as a him to the wedding.Raleigh downtrodden sweatshop slave. News and Observer.

Strength For Today YulstidG SqIgs P6ak

table

By EARL L. DOUGLASS ESCAPING DISASTER

The shipwereck experienced by the Apostle Paul on his way to Rome to be tried before Caesar constitutes one of the most succinct adventure stories of all literature. It is found in the 27th chipter of the Book of Acts. When the ship was run aground and the hinder part was broken with the violence of the waves. the commander of the ship ordered those who could swim to cast themselves Into the sea and try to reach land. And this they did. "some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land.

This Ls what often happens, is it not. when we find ourselves confronting the dire crises of life. )\e grasp at anything to escape disaster. And it usually comes to pass that. Just as Paul and his compansions got to land some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship. so we manage somehow to escape dis

aster by using any means at hand wljlch offers hope.

You may either now or later be confronting a situation so overwhelming that you feel there is no hope. But there is always hope. No situation we confront is ever hopeless unless we give up hope. Disaster is not so much a matter of circumstances as it is the attitude we tske toward circumstsnces.

There will always be some boards and. . .broken pieces of the ship which we can grasp and perhaps escape disaster. At least, let us not fail to make the attempt.

Hlp Fight TB

1959*^IHMAS t ^RT1N

Uif Christmai Stals

By ELMER ROESSNER

With a scant five more shopping days, the big question of the day is whether Christmas sales will top last years high mark.

Its a hard question to answer, because no one knows what the base is. Government figures cover all retail trade on a monthly basis. But all retail trade includes the necessities of life as well as the presents. And on a monthly basis, December does not include Christmas shopping in November or the Christmas refunds in January. Furthermore, It takes in the Christmas-to-New Years week whichin retailing termsoften rolls over nd dies.

The December sales are therefore a shaky base, but it is the only base business has.

Last year, December sales were $21.2 billion. This was about $4 billion more than the October-Novembcr average. That $4 billion is therefore a close approximation of the gift part of the December total.

MARK TO SHOOT AT

For practical purposes, most economists will compare the December, 1958, total with the total for the current month. A slippery yardstick, again, but the only one weve got.

More retailers say theyll top last years record. In many areas, the crowds of shoppers are so thick there isnt room enough to swing a Santa Claus. A Business Week survey found salea are running from 2 to 15 per cent ahead of last year.

This showed optimism in Pittsburgh and Chicago,' both badly hit by the steel, strike. Less enthusiasm was reported on the West Coast and In New York, but since the Buslnes.s Week survey, sales appear to have picked up on both sides of the continent. LOCALIZED DIPS

The Eastern seaboard la somewhat removed from the steel strike: it Is more largely influenced by weather.

Federal Reserve Board figures on department store salea do not completely bear out hopes for t

major gain. Department store salea are very tignlflcant in this altuitlon, beoauie they closely reflect the gift purchaaea much more so, for instance, than an ice and coal dealer salea.

But while the gain through October was 7 per cent nationally. the gain in the week ended November 28 was only 3 per cent above the corresponding week last year, and the gain in the following week, ended December 5, was only 2 per cent. Since auto production has barely regained full volume, total auto sales this month will pro* bably be leia than a year ago tending to drag the gain down.

The Feds figures showed considerable spottineas. In the last week for which figures are available. there was no gain in department store salea in the Philadelphia district, which Includes algnificint parts of the steel industry. The Cleveland district registered a 4 per cent gain, but Canton, Ohio, and Wheeling, W. Va., showed 5 and 0 per cent loaace.

The Richmond district, which includea Washington and Baltimore, ihowed a 4 per cent drop, with downtown Baltimore 12 per cent below the corresponding week a year ago.

The biggest gains were In the Miami metropolitan district, up 21 per cent; and the Augusta, Ga., district, up 15 per cent. It would look as If more spenders had gone south for the winter if it Were not for the fact that Cambridge, Mass., also showed a 15 per cent rise.

As the sales checks now stack up, It looks as if Christmas gift buying may push total December sales up to the record, but not very much above It. GARNISHEED WORKERS CAUSED MORE ACCIDENTS

Businesses have often been criticized for suspending employees whose wages were garnished or attached for taxes. But a survey in one Chicago factory showed that workers whose pay was Impounded caused 50 per cent more accident#* than othcra*