T>irsdray, January T9, 1967

Premature Reports Add~Confusion

Premature reports on what the special study committee of educators will v^^ay about East Carolina Colleges readiness for university status at best have created more confusion in this already /controversial matter.

The Charlotte Observer published a news story saying the committee will report ECC is not ready

Vicar, who heads the study committee of 10 educators declared:,

The information contained in the news story would suggest that it did not come from anyone having seen the document itself.

Such a statement from the chairman of the committee casts grave doubts about the accuracy of the

offer

imtveTsit\--levcl work and that is is severaT years away from the quality desired in a university worth the name.

It is significant, we think, that Dr. Robert Mc-

for university status. The newsp^aby atory also said "refiorC-^Vhfch^dfaT been spread across^e sTat^ the first draft of the report says ECC does not have It is also significant, we think, that Watts,Hill,

the oyera 11 .aualjtyieither in faculty_ to^chffimn: oi the Board of Higher Education an

nounced Wednesday aTlefhbbn that he does know where the information came from. It would be a service to the committee and its chairman, we imagine, if Mr. Hill would say where the information originated and how.

The point is that at the moment the report of the Charlotte newspaper can neither be confirmed noi^ refuted, except as one interprets the .statement of Dr. M^icar that the information contained nriTre news story would suggest that it did not come from anyone having seen the document itself.

Dtrviously. those who wish to block the buT of

-unds For The

l,ocal Services

By WILMAM A, SHIRES RALEIGH Finding additional sources of revenue for money - short local governments looms again as one of the major issues and most difficult problems to be faced In the forthcoming legislature.

Briefly the problem is how to help local governments find additional dollars needed for more police and fire protection, local school support, improvements, expanded water and sewer systems and other local services.

This isnt easy, apparently, without giving localities additional taxing power or bigger shares of state revenues. The legislature holds this power, but there are those who argue that many localities dont do endugh for themselves and are simply holding out a hand to the state.

Problem Growing Worse Local government financing Is a problem which has become progressively worse in North Carolina in recent years, and its likely this legislature will give it careful attention.

WILLIAM

In

SHIRES

Pressing needs of city and county governments will be cited at length in the legislative halls and corridors and particularly in hearing rooms of the tax - writing Finance committees. There are unmet needs by counties totaling more than $400 million including $235 million for school construction.

Other |eeds include , hospitals, "office buildings, court facilities, libraries, water and ewer facilities.

Is Wealth Available?

Any tax bill or tax revision proposal may be expected to bring on a lengthy fight in the legislature, but considerable legislation of this type already Is being prepared for introduction soon after the 1967 session convenes.

For example, legislative programs have been drawn up both by the N. C. Association of County Commissioners and League of Municipalities con

taining new local revenue proposals.

Meanwhile, arguments on both sides are being marshaled and certain of these are both revealing and interesting.

In one sense, it can and probably will be argued that rich and fertile additional local tax sources are opening up constantly. The fact of continued industrial growth in North Carolina and an expanding local tax base will be cited as evidence that taxable wealth is available to localities if they will tap it.

Figures Cited Here are some of the figures. The assessed valuation of property locally taxable in the state has reached a rather startling $12.6 billion ib).

Ten years ago, in 1956-57, the comparative figure both calculated at about 45 per cent average assessed valuation was only about half this amount, or $6.477 billion.

The growth has been about the same for both rurally located property and municipally located property.

This'Tneans, in effect, that the states growth has nearly doubled the base for property taxes levied by localities during 10 years. It is still climbing.

Continued growth is reflected in recent announcement of more than $613.5 million in additional total industrial investment in North Carolina in 19-66. This was more than 27 per cent greater than 1965.

Property Taxes Resisted Aside from 37,500 new jobs created and $141,812,000 (m) a year in new industrial payrolls, the property tax base was also expanding. New wealth was being added.

The State Tax Study Commission of 1966 found that taxation of property is not burdensome in North Carolina as compared with most other states. However, it did find that resistance to property' tax increases "was hardening and that in some localities at least the effective limit of property taxation had been reached, especially if such taxes are not to interfere with economic growth.

The study commission noted the inexactness of the valu- - ^

ation process, pointing out that Z ( i Y TQ

property tax burdens in the ~ **

larger and growing local units are rapidly approaching the levels found in other parts of the country. At the same time, it said there are local units not heavilv burdened.

East Carolina College for university status are anxious for the report to say what the Charlotte Observer has attributed to members of the study committee.

In fairness to the Committee, to East Carolina and to the state, however, judgements based on the report must not be made until the report is completed, w'hich Dr. McVicar says will be several weeks vet.

ased ThumD

Blockbuster

By JAMES MARLOW

WASHINGTON (AP)-Presi-dent Johnson, who might almost be called a new man because of hjs revised tactics in public relations, has shown how to take some of the thump out of a blockbuster.

In this case the blockbuster is the $73 billion he will ask Congress to approve for defense spending the 1968 fiscal year, beginning July 1.

Johnson in his State of the Union message Jan. 10 told Congress and the country his budget for all government spending in the next fiscal year would be $135 billion, a record figure.

The country had been prepared for something like that. There had been a lot of guessing about it for weeks. Some guesses had run as high as $145 billion.

Since the country gets bigger every year, there are more people making more money, and the governments responsibilities increase, the budget is a cinch to keep going up.

Rut, if it weren't for the expense of fighting the war in Vietnam,, Johnsons budget would be a lot less than $35 billion. There also had been a lot of guessing about how much Johnson would ask of Congress for defense spending. '

He cleared that up Tuesday night by calling in newsmen to say the figure would be $73

This Date-'

billion, although he estimated this would be only $5 billion more than the level for the present fiscal year.

But, by calling in the newsmen, Johnson was able to explain how hard he is trying to keep down expenses, despite the war. That $73 billion was the second highest estimate on defense spending in history.

iAMEft

NARLOVf

i IClG^

ilease iiderstand !UY PofiitmIt Takes Keal (iiils to Do Tliis*

By JAMES KILPATRICK

' S

Gun Control Leaislotion

In 1944, when he figured his total budget at $100 billion, President Franklin D. Roosevelt estimated spending on World War II activities for fiscal 1945 would be $88 billion. Those war activities covered practically everything connected with the war.

As an example of how defense spending has climbed because of Vietnam, in hi: last budget message President Dwight D. Eisenhower for fiscal 1962 in 1961 gave Congress a budget of $80.8 billion, with defense spending at $46 billion.

At the peak of the Korean War President Harry S. Tru>-man in his 1953 message for fiscal 1954 laid out a budget of $79 billion, with $59.9 billion for military spending. In 1950, Truman had asked only $13 billion for defense.

(Continued On Page 5)

During the course of his State of the Union address, on the evening of January 10, President Johnson announced his determination to recommend strict controls on the sale of firearms. The following miMTiing, Connecticuts Senator 'Hiomas J. Dodd introduced his gun bill all over again. This time around, the bill will be known as S.l, and as veterans of the Senate are keenly aware, it will provide a number-one headache for some months to come.

It is a fair guess that during the 89th Congress, half of all congressional mail resulU ed from proposed legislation in only thre fields. The first was open occupancy housing; the second was the humane treatment of animals; the third was the regulation of firearms. The typical constituent may be indifferent to taxes, tariffs, and transportation: he may be bored by the budget; he seldom writes about the space race. But when it comes to his home, his dog, and his gun, he

goes off like a can of warm beer. A congressman would rather face ten disappointed postmasters than one local sportsman wrought up about the gun bill.

Other Editors Saying A Wake Forest Decision

Strength Ago Today For Today

The Doily Reflector

fNCORPORATED

Established 1882t

Published Monday Through Friday Afternoons and Sunday Morning

DAVID JULIAN WHICHARD, Chairman of the Board

JOHN S. WHICHARD-DAVID J. WHICHARD

Publishers

Entered at Post Office, Oreenvllle, N. O. as second class mall matter

SUBSCRIPTION RATES Heme Delivery by Carrier or Motor Route Week 40c Bv Mail, Payable in Advance

On# Year .......................................... $18.00

Six Montba .......................................... $.50

Dirte Montha ....................................... .00

One Montto .......................................... $.00

.Prices include tales tax where appUcaDle)

MEMBER ASSOCIATED PRESS tbe Aasoclited Press la exclusively entitled to use for pubU-ceUon #11 news dispatches credited to it or not otberwla# credited to this paper and also the local news published heralB. All rights of publications of special dlspatcbea here are alao reserved.

UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL

Adv^SetOf rates and deadlines available upon requeet ^eiBber Audit Bureau of Circulatuh.

By FOY H. DUNCAN Jan. 19, 1927 Pitt County Post of American Legion Holds Meeting An interesting, well attended, regular monthly meeting of the Pitt County Post of the Aiperican Legion was held in the Rotary building. After being served a chicken supper, the post went into a business session with Post Cammander A. M. Schultz presiding....Resolutions were adopted commending Congressman Warren for his vote on the increased navy bill.

Annual Meeting of Farmers Bank Held on Monday The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Farmers Bank was held on Monday in the directors room of the in-stitution....Reports submitted to the stockholders show the institution is progressing....

Purchase Home Here R. S. Neal, buyer for the Imperial Tobacco Company who came to this city this season from Richmond, has decided to make his permanent home in Greenville and has purchased the residence of J. K. Young on Jarvis Street in College View.

Mr. and Mrs. Swanson Graves have moved to their attractive new Home on East 10th Street. '

Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bryan have moved Into the house in College View just vacated by Mr. and Mrs. Graves.

Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Lautarcs have moved into their attractive new home' on East 9th Street.

By EARL L. DOUGLASS LIFE-SAVING DEVICE

The mirror over the windshield. What a terrible time we would have getting along without it. It enables us to look back. Some people like the mirror on the side of their car. But no matter where it is, we need something that will enable us to see what is going on behind us on the highway.

History is largely a matter of looking back, but this does not make it a backward science. The assertion that history repeats itself is not true in the sense that everything which has occurred will occur again, but it is true that certain patterns reappear in the process of history

Personal experience Is a matter of such importance that without it we would be utterly confused and entangled in the affairs of everyday living. In fact, it can be said that the person of true wisdom is one who learns from experience, who looks back on his triumphs and failures, who ob-what he has read of historical occurences and takes his eye from the conclusions he reaches. There is probably no group in the world which causes more trouble than the people who are always willing to accept anything new just because it is new. Certainly we should try the new, but we should weigh it against the experience of the old. Balance is an essential factor of growth and progress.

The mirror over the windshield is a helpfulin fact, a lifesaving device. (It might be good to look back over the past year).

(Greensboro Daily News) Major changes recommended by the Wake Forest College Board of Trustees are first of all Baptist business. They face-the General Board, which in turn is being asked to call a special meeting of the State Baptist Convention, where final approval would have to be given. But they are, in a broader sense, public business. The influence and worth of Wake Forest, in the higher education structure in North Carolina, cannot be overemphasized.

The trustees package program would have out-of-state residents and non-Baptists, to limited extent on the institutions board and stimulate and enlarge the Wake Forest financial campaign already under way. The changes are designed to assure Wake Forests growth, enable it to have a larger, more enriching educational role and move it into university status as rapidly as possible.

Frankly we see no reason, on the basis of Wake Forests history, record, tradition, influence and structure, which already embraces excellent

schools of law and medicine, why it does not rates such status.

The trustees statement, however," does foeus attention upon high standards they have in mind and the amount of money which they believe essential for the future of the institution. A goal of $72 million is a challenging total, even by tests of Baptist fundraising ability.

The other recommendations offered by the trustees, especially. as affecting their own board and the institutions structure, seem essential to attainment oft heir total objectives. We have been hearing for some time that considerable funds would be available for Wake Forest, provided certain changes were made.

Here again the immediate responsibility rests with the Baptist General Boqrd and State Convention to be considered in full recognition of its obligations and potentialities, for youth, for North Carolina and the Upper Piedmont in particular and a future which depends so largely upon educational opportunity and what is made of it.

JAMES J.

KILPATRICK

Those who follow the firearms controversy will want to know that Dodd's S. 1 of this year is identical to his S. 1592 of last year. This is the tough bill. In its final revised and amended form, it was too tough for a majority of the Senate Judiciary Committee. On October 19, the committee reported Senator Roman Hrus-kas compromise measure, but at that late date in the session, a weary Senate was not disposed to fight over gun regulation. All the pending bills died with adjournement.

It is curious that the issue should have provoked such stormy debate, for almost everyone is agreed on the desirability of stronger Fedefal controls upon the indiscriminate sale of certain firearms. As Senator Eklward Kennedy remarked last year^ it is amazing to me that we continue to tolerate a system of laws which makes it ridiculously easy for any criminal, madman, drug addict, or child to obtain lethal firearms which can be used to rain violence and death on innocent people. And in truth, this is amazing. Alone among the nations of the world, the United States tolerates a virtually unregulated traffic in firearms of (Continued On Page 5)

By^ROWLAND EVANK and^

, ROBERT NOVAK

WASHINGTON - A sprpiJs: ingly fierce attack on expanded East - West trade by congressional Republican leaders threatens to suffocate a cautious but courageous bipartiian report backing a landmark U. S.-Soviet commercial deal.

That bipartisan effort comes from four members of t h e House Banking Committee two Republicans and two Democrats who recently made an investigating trip behind the Irmi Curtain. Their targePwas the^proposeSTlSir million U. S. Export-Import Bank loan for machine tools to be used in a giant new auto plant in the Soviet Union.

These four congressmen unanimously agree oa the essential elements of the report now being written that not only does nothing to undermine the machine tool deal but generally supports it. They hoped the report might soften deep - seated congressional resistance to greater East-West trade.

Tliat was before Republican leaders opened their barrage against President Johnsons call for trade with the Communists. The preview came when the indoctrination session for freshmen Republican congressmen at nearby Warren-ton, Va., included a polemic against East-West trade. Two Republican leaders. Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen of Illinois and Rep. Melvin Laird of Wisconsin, stepped up their attack over television last weekend with inflexible hardline positions. More of the same will be contained in the Republican State of the Union message tomorrow night (Thursday, Jan. 191.

The clearest exposition of the leadership position came in a hard-line speech Monday (Jan. 16) by the articulate Rep. Glen Lipscomb of California, who works in close collaboration with Laird. In generally attacking East - West trade, Lipscomb bludgeoned the proposed machine - tools deal as a dangerously deceptive travesty on the American public.

So far, this has not dissuaded the two independent-minded Republican congressmen who made the banking committee trip Michigans James Harvey and Kansas Chester Mize from joining their Democratic colleagues in the coming report.

But the unrestrained, attack of the Republican leaders bad^ > ly undercuts the hoped-for influence of the bipartisan report. Under conditions prevailing on Capitol Hill today. Congress would undoubtedly vote for a rider blocking the Export - Import loan for th# machine tools.

Actually, the machine tools deal is far from the full-scale opening of trade behind tlie Iron Curtain desired by President Johnson. Many of its supporters, including Harvey and Mize, are in gneral agreement with Republican leaders that today, when Eastern Europe is aiding Communist aggression in Vietnam, is a peculiarly inappropriate moment for dramatic opening of trade channels.

Rather, their support of the deal stems from pragmatic, economic considerations, n o t from cold war strategy. If the machine tools do not come from the U. S., they will come from Western Europe or Japan. Backing for the deal by (Continued On Page 5)

American Dollar Remains 'Best

By ELMER ROESvSNER The purchasing power of the dollar has shrunk the government itself values it at 50 centi in terms of 1944 prices and there i$ danger that President Johnsooi new fiscal program will lead to further shriveling.

The value of the dollar rests largely on faith, since it is no longer convertible into gold or silver.

But if the world has lost some faith in democracys soundest currency, it has lost even more faith in communist countries money.

Picks World Currency Report shows that in the free markets of the world, or black markets if you prefer, the shrunken American dollar commands a great premium over communist paper.

The Shriveled Ruble Pick sampled black market rates in Geneva, Munich, Beirut and Hong Kong. There are others, oF cpj^r^e. Even inside

Russia, as two Americans recently found to their grief, rubles can be bought at a discount.

ELMER

ROESSNER

The ruble, incidentally, is one of the weakest on free markets. The official rate is 0.90 ruble to $1. The black market rate is 4.35 to $1. In other words, the Russians claim their ruble is worth $1.11, but you can buy them on Place du Cannon in Beirut for 23 cents.

That means that the black market premium is 383 per cent.

Here is the lieport's figures on black market prices of

other red currencies as of November, I960, giving the official rate, the black market rate and the blackmarket premium:

Yoguslave Dinar - 12.50, 18.-00, 44 percent, Chinese Yuan-2.46, 3.70, 46 percent, Bulgarian Lev -1.17, 3.40, 71 percent, Hungarian Forint - 11.74,

51.95, 121 percent, Czech. Koruna - 7.20, 39.25, 173 percent,' R^^panian Leu - 6.00, 36.50, 2(M percent, E.German Mark-2.22, 13.50, 221 percent, Polish Zloty - 4.00, 115.00, 379 percent, Albanian Lek - 5.00, 80.00, 460 percent.

Some May Be Planted

Not all of the premium may be due to the essential weak-eness of the red currency. Often freshly printed red currencies are offered. The Red governments may be intentionally shipping them to black markets to trade for whatever dollars they can get to use to buy American goods, hoping

that the rubles, marks, etc., will not get back into their own countries. However, this in itself weakens confidences in the Red currencies.

Dr. Franz Pick, editor of the report, observed: The more liberal the country, the smaller is the black market premium of dollar, sterling of franc. Yugoslavia has the lowest, the Soviet Union one of the highest premiums for Western money.

Bolivia To Gpei) Vast Area T New Immigrants

Bolivia will open 10 million acres of virgin land to immigrants from foreign countries next month. A new law encourages immigration of persons skilled in certain agricultural pursuits. Furniture; and machinery may be imported duty frqe.

Minimum acreage is 60 acres per family, with cattle ranches requiring 10 acres per head.