Observations From Editorial Columns

A Conservative View

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The Dually i Reflector, Greenville, N. C.Suiidey, March 26, 1967SFeeble Appeal For The Constitutional Convention

EFFICIENCY VS. PATRONAGE

WM is the matter with that Galifianakis fellow? He , is in the United States House of Representatives less than two months, and vdiat does he complain about? The patronage he is expected to dispense in the postal sa*vice, thats what

He thinks it is silly for a member of Congress to be appointing pxxstmasters and rural mail carriers. Our Post Office Department is big business, and we owe it to our-^ selves to demand iat it be run with the same efficiency we expect in modem industry and commerce,^ he says. And one way to mcrease efficiency would be to have postal jote fiUed strictly by civil service examinations.

That is almost like a member of Congress insisting that the Corps of Engineers stop building dams in his own district or insisting that the Defense Department close an ammunition depot in his hometown. Or so the orthodoxy of Washington would have it.

But it is probable, as Rep. Galifianakis argues, that the patronage value congressmen derive from such appointments is negligible. And it is all but certain that the postmasters on the scene could do a better job of hiring than a con^ess-man can do from Washington The cry for postal efficiency is almost unanimous up and down the line. Rep. GalifiMakis has reminded us again of a good place to startsi. Winston-Salem (N.C.) Twin City Sentinel

HOW TO BE .ABSOLUTELY FAIREST

Many comp)anies screen job applicants through an array of tests - intelligence, spelling, mechancial aptitude, etc. The idea, we gather, is to help the p>ersomiel manager select the candidate most likely to succeed at a given job and reject the man who isnt

Without a doubt, however, this is discriminatory. Whatever the standard of measure, whether it be brute strength against others. In looking for a bookkeep>er, the company or intelligence, its application favors some and discriminates seeks someone who knows a little arithmetic, and just as surely discriminates against the man who still counts on his fingers.

Is this fair? Dont answer hastily. In a case pending against the Swanson Frozen Foods Company, the complaint is that in hiring the more intelligent and rejecting the less intelligent the company is discriminating unfairly against the, uneducated.

It probably is. If it does not discriminate against the less educated, it must discriminate against the more educated. And from there on the going gets stickier and stickier. How to be absolutely fair without being unfair stiU eludes the most painstaking search. Charleston (W. Va.) Daily Mall

By JAMES KILPATRICK

Back in early December of 1964, the 17th biennial General Assembly of the States* convened in Chicago. This As-semWy is a consultative body, attached to the Council of State Governments. It has no official standing, but it aoes serve to bring together delegates firom most of the States for discussions of their mutual problems.

Just before it adjourned, the Assembly adopted a series of resolutions having to do with amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Among them was a resolution asking that the States apply to Congress for the calling of a convention to propose one sp)ecific amendment, known as the reapportionment amaidment

All of a sudden, this largely forgotten movement has popped back into the news. It is possible (but only faintly possible) that the States may be on the verge of triggering the first constitutional convention since 1787. The prospect is not sufficiently serious to justify editorial writers in running off like Henny-Penny, certain that the skies are falling in, but the topic holds inr twest for old-fashioned States Righters and constitutional buffs, the. f^w that remain.

Every amendment that ever has been officially proposed to the Constitution has been submitted by the Congress Itself, on approval of an amendatory resolution by two-thirds of both

houses. Relatively few persons are aware that the Constitution provides a second, alternate avenue toward amendment Under Article V, The Congress..., on the application of the legislatures of two-thirds of the several States, shall call a convention for proposing amendments. No such convention, of course, has ever been called, because at no time in history have two-thirds of the States applied for one.

The resolution recommended by the General Assembly of States, 28 months ago, is explicit. R asks that Congress call a convention for the purpose of proposing the following article as an amendment to the (Constitution:

Section 1. Nothing in this (Constitution shall prohibit any State which shall have a bicameral Legislature from apportioning the membership of one house of such Legislature on factors other than population, provided that the plan of such apportionment shall have been submitted to and approved by a vote of the electorate of that State.

^Section 2. Nothing in this (Constitution shall restrict or limit a State in its determination of how membership of governing bodies of its subordinate units shall be apportioned.

Wginia, on Dec. 4,1964, became the first State to ask (Congress to call a constitutional convention for the purpose of submitting this amendment. During the next four or

five months, an astonishing number of States did likewise. Then the movement subsided altogether. Nott^ more was heard of it until March 7 of this year, when Indiana revived the identical convention call in the identical language. Illinois adopted a more general resolution a week later. For the past several days, we have been treated to a spate of stories asserting that if only a few more States take action, the necessary two-thirds will have been reached, and a convention will have to be called.

These alarums, I venture to suggest, are premature. Most lists of the purportedly applicant States include Nevada, North Dakota, and Rhode Island; but a close inspection of their legislative resolutions discloses that the three States did not ask for a constitutional convention. They merely exhorted the Congress to submit such an amendment on its own. My understanding is that (Colorado did the same thing.

Nebraska ordinarily is included. Gn April 3, 1965, Ne-teaskas legislature called for a convention, all right, but Nebraskas resolution omitted S^tion 2 of the proposed amendment The recent resolution in Illinois asks for a constitutional convention which will secure to the people the right of some choice in tile metiiod of appointment of one house of a State legislature on a basis other than population alone. Thus, the

resolution of Illinois ^s not identical.

It is a tedious business to get at the facts. With my own eyes, I have checked identical convention calls in 14 states: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. The Council of State Governments believes identical action also has been taken in these 14 States:

Arkansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Wyoming, Alaska, California, Mississippi, and South Carolina. If so (and it is a big if), the magic number stands at either four or six, depending upon how one views the action of Nebraska and Illinois.

Suppose the number of resolutions reaches 34? The strong

probability is that nothing it all would happen; for though the constitutional commaiK-ment is that Ck>ngress shall call a convention, the commandment is uniforceable. And if a convention ever were called, who can say how its delegates might be chosen or what they would do once they sat down? Before this revival gets out of hand, the States had better think the m a t ter through.

COULD HAPPEN!

Politician Faith In

Keeps

Press

Mecklenburg Neck Is Jurisdictional Issue

By ALVIN TAYLOR

Reflector Managing Editor

How does a practicing politi-. cian view, the press ,t- particularly a politician who has tangled with various newspapers on more than one oc-} casion?

If the politician Is Sen. Robert Morgan D-Hamett, he considers the newspapers an essential part of democratic government.

The senator made this plain in a talk to the Eastern North Carolina Press Association in Kinston recently.

Sen. Morgan has received his knocks from some of the states big dailies, and a few Of the smaller papers too.

He is also chairman of the East Carolina College board of trustees and a leader of the fight for university status in the Legislature.'Thus Morgan, along with the college president Dr. Leo Jenkins, has borne the brunt of the attack by newspapers which oppose ECCs bid for separate university status.

All this hasnt shaken Morgans faith in freedom of the press, however.

Politics and the Hess go-hand-in4iand, he told the Eastern newsmen, and It just didnt happen that way.

Politicians have needed and used newspapers since the beginning of our country. Oh we talk about you, but we need you, just as newspapers

need us.

All attempts to suppress newspapers ultimately h a ve

failed and I think we are all grateful for that.

He offered the opinion that tyranny would the government were it not for the press.

The press, he said, provides a chedt on tyranny before it can get started.

Sen. Morgan discussed the quasi-public function of the newspapers. They arc privately owned but tiiey have a public duty to keep the people informed.

The people who wrote the bill of rights really werent looking to do the press any favor. Freedom of the press belongs to all the people.

He indicated to the newspaper people that they should use the right well.

If the public should become so discouraged they no longer cared about freedom of the press they would no longer support it.

He noted that radio and television can give the news but only newspapers can give the background.

I believe that the best government is that which is closest to the people, Morgan stated. By the same token I think community newspapers can b^t serve the people. This was not to discredit the large papers, he continued, but 80 percent of the cities have no newspaper opposition. They are most concOTied with forming mass opinion. He cautioned the newsmen that they have a responsibility of informing people who

By WILLIAM A. SHIRES Reflector Ralei^ Bureau RALEIGH It happened in North Carolina:

Few people, apparently, have heard about Mecklenburg Neck nor its jurisdictional problems.

But this is a fairly sizable, 637-acre tract of land lying on a peninsula jutting into Lake Norman on the Mecklenburg-Iredell County line. And it may be that it will become involved in the first changing of county boundary lines in North Carolina in many a year.

The Mecklenburg Neck was cut off from tiie rest of Mecklenburg County by water when the big lake was formed by a Duke Power Co. dam on the Catawba river several years ago. Its property values have increased. Most of the land is owned by the power firm, but there are now about 100 summer homes located on the Neck and a dozen or so year-around residente.

The question being considered is whether Iredell County might go ahead and annex the area from Mecklenburg. Annexations by counties in North Carolina are rare.

two years.

Finally, it appears he may succeed.

Hie Rowan County commissioners have indicated they will be willing to accept Nicholas offer and convert the tract into a public recreational area.

Until a few days ago, Nicholas had not had much encouragement about his plan to give tiie land to the city of Salisbury or Rowan County with the understanding it would be developed as a recreational facility.

Then last week, Nicholas bought the board of county commissioners a steak supper and made his fourtti offer of the land.

The commissioners indicated they will vote at their next meeting, April 3, to accept.

It has been a little frustrating at times, says Nicholas, a Salisbury real estate man.

The city of Rocky Mount is looking toward a celebration of its centennial anniversary too and many men are growing beards for the occasion.

A group of Post Office employes decided to form a beard-growing club and c a 11 themselves the fuzzy Feds.

WzP/iJZ/.

Public Strength For Today

Forum

Speaking of land, Dan Nicholas of Salisbury has been trying to give away 300 acres of prime outdoor paiic land in Rowan County for the past

take your paper.

I think sometimes the dignity of the truth is often lost in too much protesting.

And 90 politicians and newspapers may often butt heads, but Sen. Morgan at least still considers the newspapers to be necessary to the political scene.

They used to be the Life Savers, and they wore whatever uniforms they could find.

Now the men of the IJt S. Coast Guard, many of whom are stationed along North Carolinas coast, are about to don distinctive new uniforms, hate, emblems, shoulder patches and colors.

Hie hats are of a style which will make Coast Guardsmen easily distinguishable from the Navy. They sport a ribbon with the words, United States Ckiast Guard in gold lettering.

There is a new red, white and blue shield-shaped should-er patch, and the Coast Guard emblem in brilliant white and blue will be emblazoned on a broad red stripe on all search and rescue craft and other Ckiast Guard vessels.

Evans-Novak ...

(Continued From Page 4)

the military. There is reason to believe that he accepted the job of ambassador only with a hard understnading from the President that he will run the entire mission, not just the civilian end of it. Moreover, Bunker is the first U.S. ambassador in Saigon with a broad background in Asian politics.

Finally, the fact that Bunker and Komer worked closely together in two major crises the India-Pakistan war and the bitter dispute between Indonesia and the Netherlands over West Irianis still another reason to commend the President.

CJriticism of the Guam conference as a parley to plan military escalation should not be allowed to shroud the positive gains arising out of the new teams being sent to Saigon. The criticism should be with method, not substance. As so often in the past, President Johnson scheduled the conference in a splashy effort to make a good move look better by elaborate stage-managing. As so often in the past, the stage-managing distorted the deeper purpose of the President, and he return-edt 0 Washington not to plaudits but to rising criticism.

To The Editor:

Ominous signs are appearing that give evidence of the whiskey business being attended by the increased sophistication its advocates seek.

While new laws, new buildings, and new locations may be the strategy of increased acceptance of liquor, God -fearing parents, teachers, preachers, and others of a high moral influence will gird themselves anew to battle the biggest fraud in history and a major curse of every generation.

Even from among the victimized, including the pitiful alcoholics, there will be those to wish us well. And, if the dead could speak, the very nature of their deaths would give promise of their support for our cause.

Moreover, because the grace of God appearing to all men teaches us that, denying ungodliness and worldy lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world, multitudes pledge themselves to this end, and by their influence, to save others from the morbid path of slavery to beverage alcohol in any form. '

C. E. Mannon Greenville, N. C.

By EARL L. DOUGLASS REJOICE

Today is a glorious day. It may be raining, or snowing, or hail as big as walnuts may be falling. It may be freezing or in some ports of the country and the world, sizzling. Yet it is a glorious day.

For the simple reason that it is the present, and the present is of such vast importance that we can assume the future will take care of itself if the present is properly handled. Furthermore, to be living in the middle of the twentieth century under free democratic government is a privilege so great that words cannot express it. We have our troubles. Riots are widespread. The old social sins continue to get in their devastating work on society. There is injustice. Hie threat of war continually hangs over the modem world. We might indeed blow our planet to pieces if someone presses the wrong button.

The significance of human life is hard to figure out under any circumstances. All we know is that in spite of all the disadvantages of the modem world we are more fortimate today in our surroundings than the world was one hundred, five hundred, or a thousand years ago. To be living in the midst of the twentietii century under a free government is a circumstance so fraught with significance that we should be throwing up our hate and

dancing about like mad in our joy of the present day.

Yes, we maintain that thli is a glorious day. Live it fully, expectantly and purpose-fuUy.

40 Years Ago Today

By FOY H. DUNCAN March 27, 1927

Dr. Morril of Farmville attended the showing of Bea -Hur here last ni^t

Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Tum-age and W. G. Sheppard of Farmville were in the dty yesterday evenipg.

Paul Davenport of Pactolus attended the show last night

J. C. Galloway of Grimes-land was in Greenville last night.

Will Moore of Farmville attended the show here last night.

A. K. Pittman, Mayor ol Ayden, was in Green^e today on business. .

BIr. John R. CsnoU of Win-terville was here Friday,

Razing

The

Area

Was

Necessary, But Soldiers Are

. ir Sickened

By JOHN T. WHEELER

GIONGH DINH, Vietnam (AP) The Vietnamese woman ignored the crying baby in her arms. She stared in hatred as the American infantrymen with shotguns blasted awaya t chickens and ducks. Others shot a water buffalo and the family dog.

While her husband, father and young son were led away, the torch was put to the hut that still contained the family belongings. The flames consumed everything - including the shrine to the family ancesto*-s.

Man, shed cut you to pieces for a dime, one GI said.

No, shed pay 100 piasters an inch just to sUt your throat, another said.

The American troips were acting udner orders: destroy everythtag of any use to the

Viet Ctong along the main Communist infiltration route from fhe delta and Cambodia into

War Zones C and D. Leave the Viet Ck)ng nothing to eat, no shelter. Remove all civilians who could give the enemy a helping hand.

The area had been so thoroughly dominated by Communists for so long that pacification, winning the hearts and minds o* the people, was considered out of the question by higher headquarters.

The GIs didnt have much stomach for the job, but orders were orders. The job was done in an area involving more than 100 square miles.

(]k)d, my wife would faint if she coild see what Im doing now, an infantryman said, Killing ole CSiarlie (Viet Ctong) is one thing, but killing puppie and baby ducks and stuff tike thatit sometWng else, man.

The GIs left the farm site and waded back into the swamp waters of the Plain of Reeds, swatting mosquitos, watching

the tree lines for enemy and praying for enough luck to get some alive.

Four miles from the smouldering farm house were more sullen, hate-filled eyes. They belonged to the bearded, sunburned members of another 25th Diviston unit clustered around the riddled body of a Viet Cong.

The pajama-clad guerrilla had emerged from a hidden tunnel, his hands raised in surrender. As the American infantey-men closed in, the Vietnamese suddenly whipped a grenade from his waistband and pitched it into the center of bis would-be captors. An explosion, a burst of rifle fire, then silence.

And hate.

Dirty, stinking war; dirty stinking Ckimmunist an officer muttered.

A rifleman threw the riddled body into a canal.

Above the scene helicopter rotor blades clawed at the sky.

racing death with four badly wounded American riflemen. For the fifth victim of the blast, the race was over. A muddy poncho was his shroud.

The two scenes near the Cambodian border only 30 miles west of Saigon were part of a new and more brutal t(Mie in the war.

Intelligence sources and propagandists alike report that such issues as land reform, ending official corruption and favoritism, and a better breavzOnin eral for the peasants, are no longer vital in the minds of the countryside Vietnamese,

Now its simply a question of how to stay alive and hold onto what you can for the poor guy out there in the rice paddies, a well-qualified American source said.

CXir propaganda now doesnt do much more than question the VCs* ability to protect and hold their areas and to say that our

side can, a senior propagandist said. We dont promise much else, except to imply that things are getting better on the government side.

Viet (^ng propaganda, on the other hand, has virtually dropped the decades-long claim of being the ti*ue friend and protector of the masses. Now the Viet Cong have been reduced to the basic level of extortion, terror and conscription to fill their needs, the propaganda man said.

As frightening as these prospects are for the peasant wondering how to stay alive, allied firepower is even more awesome.

Tens of thousands of refugees stream out of contested areas, seeking somehow to survive while tiie contending forces they tittle understand battle for their countrys future.

Unless tactics are drastically modified when U.S. troops really get to work in the delta.

the civilian casualty and refugee problem will take on fantastic proportions, predicts a sen-ior U.S. official. _

American commanders have begun calling in air strikes and artillery barrages against lone snipers hidden in tree lines in an attempt to cut U.S. casualties.

Half Vietnams 15 millions are clustered in the Mekong River delta region south of Saigon.

.. The tactics used by the 2nd Bri-gade of the 25th Division in stripping the countryside south of the Vaico Oriental River probably must be modified in the delta.

The 25ths tactics correspond closely to those use by the Brit^ ish to rout Communist Insur-. gents in Malaya. /

The British reasoned that the guerrilla had to be separated from the peasants on whom he counted for food, information and recruits. Where control wa? not possible, everything of use

By Chore

to the terrorists was destroyed.

Brutal as the war has ha* come, American GIs have lost none of their basic warmth to-ward civilians once they are separated from the battle zone.

At the brigades forward headquarters a score of women and children, a few accidentally wounded by American fire, waited for helicopters to lift them to government-controlled areas.

Almost immediately infantrymen began gathering up combat rations to feed them. Then one GI showed up with candy. Many of the youngsters eyed the candy suspiciously and a few demanded that the GIs eat a hand* ful of the sweets first.

This out of the way, the kids fell to with gusto and flashed smiles at the GIs. A grandmotb-er turned on a near toothless grin as she alternately nursed her shrapnel wound on one arm and munched as best she could on the hard candy.