PAGE FOURTHE DAILY REFLECTOR, GREENVILLE. N. C

Monday, Deceml>er 8. 1960

Monday. December 5, 1960

Stealing His Stirff

Kennedy Made An Excellent Choice

The appointment of Gov. Hodges as Secretary of Commerce in the Kennedy Cabinet reflects again the excellent choice of the president-elect in securing the best available talent for specialized top jobs in his administration.

Gov. Hodges brilliant record in the fields of industry and government bespeak his outstanding qualifications for the post to which Kennedy has appointed him.

While the appointment of Hodges as Secretary of Commerce did not come as a surprise, there would have been bitter disappointment in North Carolina and elsew^here too wed guessif the president-elect had passed over Hodges in filling this important Cabinet post.

During the seven years he has served as governor of North Carolina, Luther H. Hodges has demonstrated unusual ability in administering he affairs of the state. Particularly has he demonstrated his capacity for leading the state to new and higher economic plateaus through developing the states capacity for industry. To the affairs of government he has applied the objective business viewpoint that has resulted in greater efficiency in our state governments operation. To one

Complaints Get

Some Attention

By LYNN NISBET

IfATT. BOX the most interesting experience of a newspaper man is his daily visit to the mail box or to the pile of mall which someone has deposited on his desk. Despite long schooling against being surprised at anything the mail man might bring, there Is almost always an exhilirating surprise and one of the chief surprises is when the mail contains nothing of unusual interest.

There are a dozen or more newspapers. All of them of monotonous similar format, and many Identical headlinesand yet each with an individuality challenging comparison with all the other sheets. There are the handouts from public relations men in government and private industry, extolling the virtues of particular brands of merchandise or political idele^: and certainly one or more requests for charitable donations. Hasty pawing through the pUe sometimes discovers that highly appreciated personal letterwished for but not quite expected that particular day.

When the handouts are checked and generally consigned to the wastebasket; the donation requests handled in Uke manner; the personal letters read and enjoyed; the newspapers pushed aside for review later-along with the "please remit suggestionsthi attention is given to the gripe letters, mostly anonymous.

Some* of these are original complaints from people who have been overcharged on water or tax bills, or unjustly (??> arrested for traffic violations, or otlmwdse discriminated against by law enforcement officers. Some of them merely enclose clippings of letters to the editor w newspaper comment about the incidents. And most of them convey the suggestion that there ought to be a law against enforcing laws already on the books.

In his capacity as newspaper man and as president of the Travel Council of North Carolina your reporter gets a great many letters complaining about the treatment of folks traveling in the state.

CONSIDERATION Many of these gripes are so obviously absurd they are consigned to the wastclMtket forthwith. Some indicate need for investigation. iJka the complaints of out of state motorists that th^ had been suckered into gambling fames. Result of these complaints was that two or three joints were padlocked for the protection of other visitors.

Then there was the gripe by an out of state woman motorist that she had been singled out of a line of fast moving traffic.

arrested for speeding by a highway patrolman, and discourteously treated in a local court.

That same day came word that -a North Carolina citizen was thoroughly ,^gusted with the unsanitary conditions In a roadside restaurant and demanded that tile A grade card be removed.

Originals of these complaints went to responsible State agencies, and they investigated. It was mere coincidence that reports of these investigations also came to your reporters

desk on the same day about a week later.

The speeding lady was not stopped by a State highway patrolman but by a local city traffic cop. Evidence is she was clearly violating the law, and that she shared responsibility for discourtesy with the officers.

The complaint-about roadside restaurant was re - checked by the State Health Department sanitarian, not just as routine checking but actually looking for trouble. He found less than perfect conditions but came up with a score of 91and a new A grade card for display.

HELPFUL The moral, if any, in these littie stories is that complaints and gripes about mistreatment of travelers along North Carolinas hlgh*vays are helpful, and aid in bringing about remedial action for bad conditions, if they are found to exist.

In most Instances the re-sponsibile agencies are appreciative of the tips which disclose unsavory practices. The alleged victims of discrimination and malpractice are no more anxious than State officials to eliminate cause for complaint.

Quite naturally the law enforcement officers, the careful and courteous business people who serve travelers, and the folks in both State and private positions who are seeking to promote travel bi^iness, do not hke the complaints. Unfortunately, they are forced to admit that some of the gripes are justified. The big job is to remove any cause for honest complaint, by running downsometimes at great effort and expenseevery one of the gripes, to determine if it has factual basis.

North Carolina has an enviable record for courtesy and efficiency in law enforcement. The record is not perfect. And that reminds of the first time your reporter was ever in an airplane. He flew from Charlotte to Raleigh with Roy Rowe of Burgaw some 20 years or more ago, in a two-seat plane. On the instrument board had been attached a little brass plaque with these words- Almost right aint good enough.

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of the major problems of the state^that of low per capita income and the lack of opportunities for employment in manufacturinghe formulated and carried out a positive, farsighted program that has brought phenomenal results during his administration and which will continue to enhance North Carolinas economy in the years to come.

Gov. Hodges, from his backfrround, understands the problems of business and industry, and at the same time he understands the problems of areas which find themselves without sufficient economic momentum to adequately provide for its people. He has demonstrated vividly his ability to approach and analyze these problems and to formulate a realistic and positive program to overcome such problems. This ability which Gov. Hodges will carry to his post as Secretary of Commerce will prove a distinct asset to the Kennedy aciministra-tion and to the nation in the years ahead.

From North Carolinas standpoint, the fact that Gov. Hodges holds an important post in the national administration will be a distinct advantage. It places Gov. Hodges in a position which he will be able to continue to be of important service to his own state while he serves the nation in one of ita top appointive offices.

Instead of retiring from public life when his term as governor expires next January, Gov. Hodges unusual talents will continue to work in a still higher position for the betterment of the nation as well as for the betterment of his own state. ^

The appointment of Gov. Hodges as Secretary of Commerce is another recognition of his abilities and achievement which reflects credit not only upon the man himself, but upon North Carolina as well.

Fitting Tribute To A

Busy Greenville Lady

iraae

Views

BABSON DISCUSSES CUBA By ROGER BABSON ' BABSON PARK, Mass.The Cuban situation has reached a point whCTe it is affecting certain investments. Therefore, I feel that my readers are due an Impartial summary of the situation. I have always watched Cuba critically as it Is so close to Florida, where I have spent over thirty winters.

INFLUENCE OF THE CATHOLK CHURCH

I feel that the Cuban situation will come out satisfactorily due to the influence o!f tiie Catholic Church. The Cuban people, with their Spanish blood, are emotional and enjoy political and physical fights. They, however, are deeply R<mian Catholic in faith. Hence, there is a church safeguard which does not exist in Russia (M* in many of her satellites.

The Communit Government in Russia has been brutal to the Christian church, due largely to its inheritance of the former Czarist domination which controlled and worked through the orthodox Church. The situation in Cuba, therefore, is entirely different fnrni the situation in Russia and its satellites.

IMPORTANCE OF .

MARKETABIUTY

Mrs. J. H. B. Moores selection as this years recipient of the Greenville Exchange Clubs Book of Golden Deeds is indeed a fitting tribute to this fine lady who over a period of years has offered outstanding civic leadership and yeoman service in many fields for the betterment of Greenville.

To enumerate Mrs. Moores civic activities in behalf of a better Greenville would be impossible in this space. Certainly important among them is the fact that through some 30 years she has been the moving force behind the building of a public art gallery here that has been culminated in the existance now of the Greenville Art Center. Her service to the Womens Club of Greenvillewhich included 16 years as its presidentwas acknowledged by members of that organization when they named her Honorary Life President.

In many fields of endeavor, Mrs. Moore has continually been in the forefront of activity. On many occasions the leadership she has afforded in community life has led to many successful undertakings. As much as anything else, however, her service to this community has been marked by the fact she has not stood back to wait for others to accept the menial tasks, the details of hard work that spelled the difference between success and failure in an undertaking. She has not only been a leader, but at the same time a tireless worker at any task which she felt would be of benefit to this community and its people.

We congratulate Mrs. Moore upon this honor which she so richly deserves, and we likewise congratulate the Greenville Exchange Club for its excellent selection in awarding its Book of Golden Deeds this

By GEORGE SOKOLSKY

3obby Kennedy Qualifies

Copyright. 1^, King Features Syndicate, Inc.

When it was suggested that Robert F. Kmnedy might be appointed Attorney General, there was hardly any objection on the grounds of nepotism. After all, the younger Kennedy had made his own career first as the counsel for the Democrats on the McCarthy Committee and more recently as chief counsel of the Senate Select Committee on , Improper Activities in the Labor or Management Field. Better known as the McClellan Com

mittee, it exposed labor union corruption in several areas and showed the combination of unions and management in some rackets.

The Kennedys, John, who was a member of the McClellan Committee, and Robert, its chief counsel, were accused of safeguarding Walter Reuther but when Reuther finally appeared for a hearing, the Republican members of the committee either lacked the material or the courage to proceed against him.

If a man writes a book, it

Other Editors Saying .. Of Men And Institutions

(Greensboro Dally News) Robert Lee Humber, like Albert Coates, is an authentic genius. Without his single-mindedness, his hard-driving purpose, there would have been no State Art Museum in North Carolina.

year.

..win Factors In

'business Trenc.

By RALPH ROBEY

Two items are crucial in the determination o the business trend. These are Inventories and business investment in plant and equipment. They may move together, or in opposite directions. This means that they may augment each other, or tend to offset each other. But there is only one phase of their importance.

On inventories the only figures we have are historical. That is they refer to what already has happened. Of course predictions may be made, but they are fraught with danger. And errors in such predictions may be enormous, because changes in inventories may amount to twenty billion dollars a year. In the first quarter of this year, for example, inventories were being accumulated at an annual rate of over $11 billion. Since then there has been a continuous decline, and no one can know how much longer this drop will last.

Such a movement of Inventories has a direct affect upon gross national product. It also has* a curtailing influence upon production, employment, consumption, and almost every other segment of our economic system. This has been perhaps the most important single factor in our business trend this year.

On business investment in plant and equipment we have historical figures, but we also have predictions that have proved to be amazingly accurate. There are two sets of such figures. One is official, the other Ls private. The official series is compiled by the Department of Commerce and the Securities and Exchange Commission from data submitted by various individual companies. The private series is that of McGraw-Hill and is based upon replies to a questionnaire. The two differ in both coverage and details, but the totals always are relatively close.

The latest government survey was based upon reports made In late July and August. The projections were carried only to the end of this year. They show the same total$36,9 billionfor both the third and fourth quarters.

The McGraw-Hill survey has just been published. It covers the rest of this year and also 1961. The figures are both surprising and encouraging They show an anticipated decline for next year of only 3 per cent, to

$35 billion. This 8 per cent applies both to manufacturing alone, and for all business together.

The largest drop in proposed manufacturing investment is textiles21 per cent. The largest increase is electrical machinery 10 per cent. In the non-manufacturing field railroads lead the list in declines24 per cent, and electric and gas utilities plan the greatest increase4 per cent.

The projection is surprising f(W several reasons: the widespread talk of a recession over most of 1961: the unused capacity at present in all of our major industries, which in some instances amounts to between 40 and 50 per cent; the marked squeeze on profits in almost every field; and the difficulty, or impossibility, of raising prices.

All of these considerations, one would assume, should curtail business Investment in plant and equipment -r curtail it by much more than a mere 3 per cent. Obviously other factors are even more important in the minds of business management. Among these probably the most significant are the desire to increase efficiency by more modem machinery, the Introduction of new products, the knowledge that a business can not simply stand still, and a genuinely optimistic long-term confidence in the future of our economic system

If the McGraw-Hill proJection.s prove true, business investment in plant and equipment will be at least a sustaining fource throughout 1961.

Dr. Humber believes in the Impossible. If his mission required the bartering of votes in the General General Assembly, if he occasionally ran roughshod over somebodys sensibilities, if he failed as an in-stltutionalizer (and as a paper-shuffler), so then he was, like other men, less tiian perfect.

But any lesser zeal for his cause would have been fatal. Any lesser zeal would never have sold tiie Kress Foundation on a magnificent donation of art to North Carolina. Any lesser zeal would never have sold Gov. Gregg Cherry and the General Assembly of a decade ago on that astounding appropriation of $1,000,000 for an art museum.

And for these things the State of North Carolina must remain deeply in the debt of Robert Lee Humber.

But the institution he largely created (and others, of course, including Mrs. Kate Pendleton Arrington must be given credit too)this institution is another matter. It needs the soothing hand of a good institutionalizer. Perhaps Dr. Justus Bier, the new director. Is that man. If so. North Carolina will rejoice.

The institution also needs reorganization. It needs to be placed under the orderly processes of goverpment In North Carolina, and while intelligent Tar Heels will differ on how that may be done, we favor a board composed o a majority of members appointed (on a staggered basis) by the Governor and a minority appointed

by the State Art Society.

Such organization, as Dr. Clarence Poe notes, works successfully for the State Board of Health. A majority of its members are appointed by the Governor, a minority by the N. C. Medical Society.

At present the State Art Society Board (with four cx-officio members four appointed by the Governor and eight elected by the society) runs the State Art Museum.

Art is not so distinctive that it cannot be entrusted to the good judgment of the Governor, with limitations on his power to dominate the board through staggered terms. Certainly those who know art roust continue as the backbone of museum management. A Tar Heel Governor would be foolish to pay off political obligations by placing individuals with no interest in art, and no understanding, on such a board. If North Carolina ever succumbs to the demagogue, more than an art museum will be in jeopardy. We must rely on good Tar Heel common sense to allow such a tragedy.

In the meantime the enormous creative talent of Robert Lee Humber should not be lost to the state. He must continue his splendid campaign to lift the vision of North Carolina- That can be done within the new framework.

North Carolina has few giants of creative talent in our time. In this half century you' may count them on your hand Thomas Wolfe, Paul Green, Frank Graham. Albert Coates, Robert Lee Humber.

Few, if any, of these men were good Institutionalizers. But their fame lies elsewhere. They produced what otiier lesser men could not produce. We need their considerable talent as much as we need the institutionalizers.

is often possible to discern his qualifications. I therefore sat me down of a week-end to read Robert Kennedys, The Enemy Within, to discover what Robert Kennedy would do were he appointed Attorney General. I knew that when James P McGranery, President 'Trumans Attorney General, finished his terra, he left behind him a large number of incompleted cases of rac-'keteers in many fields, including labor and small business, for his successor to process. It is possible that had all these cases been adequately processed, Apalachlo would not have taken place.

In fact, Robert Kennedy makes the point in his book that in a number* of instances, The lack of action by the Department of Justice is disappointing. It has lost some of the cases through incompetencer SeiiStor McClellan, who was a witness in the perjury trial of James Cross, president of the Bakers Union, made no secret of the fact that he was highly critical of the way the Government attorneys presented that case

Cuba is rich In soil, rainfall, siuishine, and warm temperatures. It could be the garden-spot of the Americas; but It has been cursed by wretched and unjust government. Caitro thinks It necessary only to nationalize the farms, businesses, banks, and the few manufacturing establishments; he j^ems to give no thought to marketing. Cubas wonderful productive conditions are of no use if her products cannot be marketed. Cuba-s natural market is the United States (which Castro is abusing and

doing his bestto aUettMe). This )le i

In the case against James Hoffa for wiretapping, Kennedy had arranged for one of its assistants, Carmine Bellino, to give the prosecuting attorney a detailed chronology of Hoffas whereabouts for every day over a period of about three months in 1953. So the chief witness for the prosecution said that he had met Hoffa in Detroit on July 10. 1953. BelUnos memo showed that on that date Hoffa was in Seattle, Washington. I quote now from Robert Kennedy:

. . And much to the embarrassment of the prosecutor, Hoffa was able to bring in documentary evidence as well as witnesses to prove It.

Afterward. I asked the U. S, Attorney why, with the help of Bellinos memo, he had not been able to get his dates ahd places straight. He made the astounding admission that he had not read Bellinos memo.

Kennedy cite other similar acs-es of Incompetence, ineptitude or perhaps worse. He says: Furthermore, many of the cases that we sent to the Justice Department for possible prosecution lay dormant for ten months, a year, and sometimes even longer.

A man who has had this kind of experience with the Attorney Generals office is likely. If appointed to the job. to clean up that agency of government

which traditionally is a favor-giv-for

ing outlet ter an Administration.

The Department of Justice has several functions, not the least important of which is the speedy "

prosecution of malefactors on an impart

utterly nnpartial basis. The ad-(.Continued on page 5)

same trading principi is true for the countries of Central America, and even &)uth America: they have the land but lack the marketing facilities for their fruits, coffee, and even minerals. including oil.

This is another refson why I feel investors should have tiie larger proportion of their common stocks in marketingrtsth-er in farming, mining, or manufacturingpropositiwis. Whatever the future may bring as to the ownership land or the production of crops or the extraction of minerals and oil, there should always be a field for companies engaged in the marketing -i. o$ tb^ ^ ^products. This wpuea. to tne J^lg concerns such as Sears Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, etc.; but especially to the large- variety chains, witii U^eir stores in all fifty states* of the Un^. Even in case of World War m, these great marketing organizations might come through the best of all concerned.

LENGTH OF THE CASTRO REGIME

When Castro, at thirty-two years of age, conquered Batista and his gang. I thought he was a wonderful fellow. As long as he stuck to military warfare, he fared well; but since he has tackled economic problems, he is ruining the country. How long he can hold out, even with Rus- *

sias blessing, no one knows. It seems he Is destined to be assassinated by 8ome<me whose family he has ruined.*

On the* otherhand, investors should realize that the whole wQ|ld Is passing through % leveling process wherein those who have not are gradually taking away from those who have. In Russia and her satellite countries. this has been done by ruthless stealing of iwoperty. In China, goodwill is expropriated, but Mao has sometimes made payment, on his own terms, for actual property taken. Great Britain has experimented with nationalization, and pajmaent has been made for the coal mines, steel companies, railroads, and public utilities tiukt were taken over.

In these United States, the labor lead*s have the same goals, but they wtH-k through strikes and uh|Mr demands. In all countries, ^vestors are being attacked either by heavy taxation or by guerrila warfare such as is taking place in Africa. Hence, we investors In the U.S. should be eiH>ecially on the watch. With only 6 per cent of the people of this world, we have (Continued on page five)

r

Fourists Face Curb On Spading

Opinions In Briei

Progress always Involves risksyou cant steal secottd base with one foot on first. Pickens <S.C.) Sentinel.

"In the days of our forefathers, rec'OlutiOn was an honorable word. Today it has fallen into disrepute. Lima (Ohio News.

Someone recently Informed us about his visit to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlincton Cemetery i Virginia. Said he met the widow of the unknown soldier.

By ELMER ROESSNER

One of the first actions by tiie new Congress to dam the drain of gold will be legislation to reduce the duty-free merchandise American travelers may bring home.

The present law permits travelers who have been abroad 12 days to bring in $500 worth of duty-free goods once each six months. Those abroad more than 48 hours dan bring in $200 worth.

This provision was enacted when the United State.s was trying to restore the war-wrecked economies of foreign nations. Now some of their economies are healthier than ours.

Travelers bring back* almost $1 billion worlii of duty-free gcods each year. In addition, they are allowed to send gifts costing no more than $10 duty-free. By sending series of gifts of themselves, such as monthly parcels of handmade Japanese silk shirts, they swell the total. OPPOSITION BREWING

This IjiFon spent abroad by travelers eventually finds its

way to central banka and can

become a liability on the U.S, gold supply.

Cutting duty-free imports will not only save gold but will also please many American voting blocs. Retailers, wholesalers and importers are complaining that travelers Imports are hurting their business. For instance. Its difficult to sell a $350 duty-paid German camera to a prospect if his Uncle Louie can bring it back from Berlin duty-free for $230. Dealers In watches, jewelry, spirits, textiles, garments, handicraft and other valuables are losing money in this foreign competition.

Furthermore, almost no foreign country allows American merchants to sell so much dutyfree merchandise to their nationals.

The arguments are almost unanswerable, the new Congress will act fast.

TEXTILE OFF-BEAT

Here are other predictions in biislnes.s;

Textile dip: Sales rose during the first nine months of this

year, partly because of f<Hnvard buying. Now many companies are living on inventory, orders are down and backlogs thin. Prices will continue weak.

Clotiiing bargains: Too much Indian summer has slowed buying of winter clothing In many sections of the country. Retailers, forced to move stocks, will soon be offering good clothes at deeper cut prices earlier than before. Shrewd shoppers will find great bargains.

Deeper gas cuts: Seasonal gasoline cuts take place at this time of year, but the coming cuts will be deeper than in recent years. Gasoline stocks are high.

Even deeper fuel oil cots:. Fuel 0il holdings are even higher than normal because of the mild fall. Most dealers are holding prices up. In hope that sudden cold snaps will relieve their Inventories. But where winters continue mild, fuel oil ixlc-es will be sharply shaved.

TWO MONTHS LEFT TO SHARPEN UP The nations lead pencil maa-

ufacturers will sponsor Pencil Week starting Feb. 27. Anybody using a ball point that week la an old meanie.

GET OT SEATS,

OLD PROMOTER URGES When the Old Promoter came in today, he was wearing a small button with the letterg O. S. Wo asked why.

Im founding tho Gl-der of Off-Seaters, he replied. I have been in business a long time. I have found that the best executives and the finest employees are off-seaters. That is, they get off their seats to get business, A salesman may make an order phoning a prospect from his chair, but hell never get as many and as big orders as the salesman who gets off his seat and see the prospect personally. Another O S Is the secretary who gets off her seat and goes to the mall room to find an important incoming document. instead of using an Intercom to locate it.

Perhaps the Oil One is right But he surely looked comfortable there in my visitors* chair*