The Clinton chronicle. (Clinton, S.C.) 1901-current, August 06, 1970, Image 10
)
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I
ZMirtlah,
WANTED : A MANDATE
How many people will determine
the course of Clinton’s progress during
the next two years? Eight hundred?
One thousand?
If the City General Election voter
turnout next Tuesday, Aug. 11, goes
as it has in recent years, about one
thousand people might cast ballots to
determine the municipal government
for a town which has about 8,000 peo
ple residing within the city limits.
That’s not a very good showing but
that’s the way it has been in recent
years.
The dye is pretty well cast as far as
the majority on City Council is con
cerned. Only one of the six council-
men has opposition in Tuesday’s elec
tion.
However, there is a race between
two good men for the post of mayor
and that’s the primary reason we’d
like to see a good voter turnout Tues
day. We w^uld like to see the winner
bolstered by the fact that he is truly
the choice of a representative voter
turnout.
The mayor actually has little vot
ing power on City Council. He votes
only in the event of a tie vote among
councilmen However, the mayor sets
the tone of Clinton’s municipal gov
ernment. He is expected to guide
council in setting priorities and see
ing that projects are completed. If
we have a progressive, energetic may
or, the town moves. If we have a
mayor who is content to wait for
things to happen, the town stands still.
LEGION BASEBALL
Clinton’s American Legion base
ball team has captured the interest of
the community this season and base
ball was never livelier.
We offer congratulations to Coach
Sam Owens, Coach Fred Satterfield
and the members of the Clinton team
on winning the League Nine cham
pionship and advincing to the Upper-
state finals.
The League Nine race itself was
a cliff-hanger during the final two
weeks but the locals came through in
clutch situations.
Adding to the team’s accomplish
ments was its defeat of old nemesis
Greenwood, the defending state cham
pions, in the upperstate quarterfinals.
For years, Clinton was in the same
league with Greenwood. More often
than not, the local team had to play in
the shadow of the perennial cham
pion, Greenwood. Coach Sam Owens
says that to his knowledge Clinton has
beaten Greenwood for the title only
twice before in the last 15 years. This
‘‘ffiar, Clinton and Greenwood were
placed in different leagues and each
won its league championship to ad
vance to the quarterfinals.
In the quarterfinals, Clinton lost
the first game in the best-of-five se
ries but came back to win three straight
to advance to the Upperstate cham
pionship round, eliminating Green
wood.
The team has played heads-up, ex
citing baseball. The attendance at the
games indicates the community’s
pride, support for and interest in the
team.
We also salute the local American
Legion post which sponsors the Clin
ton team.
American Legion baseball can be a
fairly expensive project for a Legion
post. In years in which the local team
does not advance beyond its league,
the sponsoring Legion post usually
loses money. It’s usually only when
the team gets into playoffs that the
post can break even. If the local team
advances as far as the Upperstate
playoffs, the post stands a good
chance of making some money. If any
profit is made, it stays in the Legion
Baseball Fund to help finance the pro
gram in other years when the team
may not be as successful.
The members of t h e sponsoring
Copeland - Davidson American Legion
Post No. 56 are the unsung heroes be
hind the Clinton Legion team and we
owe them a debt of gratitude for the
revived interest in baseball this sum
mer.
TALK TO THE DOMINOES
In reply to skeptics of the so-called
“domino theory,” President Nixon re-
cenlty retorted: “They haven’t talked
to the dominoes.” What the “domi
noes” (the Southeast Asian Coun
tries) are saying is illustrated in the
recent call of President Cheng-Kang
of the World Anti-Communist League
(WACL) to the 47 affiliated units in
the international organization, which
includes representatives from all the
South-east Asian countries.
Dr. Ku Cheng-Kang said:
"We pay our highest respect to the
Americans who have fought for jus
tice in Southeast Asia. We are deep
ly concerned with the fate of those ser
vicemen who are missing or have been
imprisoned by the Communists. Our
genuine sympathy goes to the thou
sands of American prisoner relatives.
The atrocious Communist imstreat-
ments of U.S. prisoners of war ih Viet
nam are enough to make a man’s hair
stand on end Prisoners of war are
entitled to a special status under inter
national law because there is no justi
fication for the injury or mistreat
ment of members of the armed forces
who have fallen into the hands of the
enemy and no longer present any mili
tary threat. This is a matter of basic
humanity and protections are provid
ed by the Geneva Convention.
But North Vietnam, the Viet Cong
and the Pathet Lao have refused to
abide by the humanitarian principles
of the convention. There have been
cases of American POWs who have
been deprived of sleep, beaten, put in
solitary confinement for weeks, brain
washed,, paraded before jeering crowds
and had thsir fingernails removed,
niece have been instances of murder.
All these show dearly that the
Of frnhrmnn
at their
of
STRICTLY FRESH
One of the best ways to
take a great deal of advice
you’re offered is with a grain
of salt.
a a a
People with nothing to do
are often the most devoted
workers.
member and observer
If you can recall when kids
collected cigar bands, you
have a mil
for such an
• * •
1 Good neighbors always
come in pairs.
• • •
Plans, Plans, Plans!
I
I'C gOO BILLION -
L ^ DOLLAR
2-B—THE CHRONICLE; Clinton, S. C., August «, 1970
BUR
M 11
ook
eview
End Of
American Era
Textile Breakthrough
units of the World Anti-Communist
League, to rise as one and denounce
the Asian Communists’ atrocious vio
lation of the Geneva Convention. Our
anger must be turned into a strong
force against Communism. We must
bring forth our righteous moral cou
rage and take swift steps to wipe out
all the Communists regimes in Asia.
This is the only way to assure man’s
safety and secure a lasting freedom
for the world.”
The declaration by the distinguish
ed leader of the World Anti-Commun
ist League that the only way to secure
lasting freedom for the world is to
“wipe out” communism in the Asian
countries may come as a shock to some
Senators in Washington whose appar
ent aim is to do everything in their
poweV to see that no harm shall come
to the Communist aggressors now oc
cupying sections of Vietnam, Korea,
Laos, Cambodia, etc. Maybe President
Nixon was right; those who want to
guarantee the Communists safe, per
manent sanctuaries should talk to the
dominoes.
BY THURMAN SENSING
Executive Vice President
Southern States Industrial
Council
The Nixon administration’s
decision to support a textile
quota is a major breakthrough
for a vital American industry
and the many thousands of per
sons it employs. Indeed all
Americans, dependent upon
healthy commerce and industry,
have a stake in this legislation.
The administration had bent
over backwards to get the Japan
ese to enter into meaningful ne
gotiations on voluntary textile
quotas. F inally it became ap
parent that the Japanese had no
intention of negotiating on this
issue. The Japanese team even
had the audacity to ask that the
United States not seek voluntary
quotas in the future.
The Japanese are extremely
aggressive on the trade front.
They have achieved remarkable
economic success since th end of
World War II, and it is clear that
they aim at becoming the richest
country in the world. Americans
can commend their enterprise,
but that’s no reason to let the
J apanese walk all over us or take
unfair advantage, as they have
been doing with respect to tex
tiles.
For a decade, U. S. official
dom tried sweet reason with
the Japanese, urgin them not to
attempt to monopolize the
American market for textiles.
The Japanese prooved greedy,
however.
While they enjoyed unusual
trade opportunities in the United
States, and while their industry
had been rebuilt in the late 1940’s
and 1950’s with American assis
tance, they forgot all that and
sought to push the U. S. textile
industry to the wall.
American industry doesn’t
usually seek strong import
quotas, but the textile situation
posed a very special threat. The
seriousness of that threat has
been outlined time and again by
industry spokesmen. Early in
June, for example, K. V.Chace,
president of Berkshire Hath
away Inc., a Massachusettstex-
tile company, wrote to his con
gressman describing the effect
of the textile flood from the Far
East
•
Mr. Chace pointed out that his
company had operated textile
mills in New Bedford, Mass.,
for 80 years. Last year, he
said because of the high level
of imports of gingham, we were
forced to discontinue this part
of our operation. This involved
the permanent displacement of
about 800 workers. He went on
to report concerning other div-
IsionsMf his company which pro
duce fabrics: Out of the last 13
weeks, we have been forced to
close for a total of four weeks.
Later this month, we will shut
down for an extended vacation
period of three weeks.
hi giving the background of
these development, Mr. Chance
noted that isjiorts of man made
fiber textiles and apparel made
from such textiles more than
(tabled from 1967 to 1969and so
far this year is 104 per cent
above the corresponding period
last year.
What this Massachusetts
manufacturer described is a
crisis situation for the textile
companies and their employers.
The Far East imports, if not
curbed, will destroy a large
section of an industry that
creates profits for the nation and
gives employment to a consider
able section of the working popu
lation.
The U. S. government simply
cannot afford to allow Asian
textile producers and their gov
ernments to destroy an Ameri
can industry and many thousands
of jobs. Proection of this in
dustry and these jobs is a re
quirement that cuts across
party lines and other normal
political divisions.
It is really strange that so
hard a fight has had to be waged
in recent years to get the fed
eral government to support a
quota system. Protection of a
country’s manufactures is a
basic purpose of government,
and every nation in the world—
with the exception of the U. S.
government in the 1960’s
battles for its industries. Cer
tainly, Japanese officials have
used all their resources to help
expand and maintain their
country’s textile business.
It seems likely that opposition
to quotas derives in large meas-
sure from twisted liberal
notions have gained currency in
our Country. To defend one’s
country or its legitimate inter
ests is virtually a crime in the
eyes of liberal elements. The
giveaway is hailed asgood;pro-
tection of an essential industry
is condemned or at least de
plored. To realistic citizens,
such a notion is sick thinking.
The United States, after all,
was not organized to confer
benefits on foreign lands but to
safeguard the lives , property
and well-being of the people who
live in this land.
Fortunately, the Nixon ad
ministration measured up when
the Japenese—at long last--
came out flatly against voluntary
quotas. If Congress imposes
textile quotas, other nations may
get the message that Uncle Sam
won’t play the sucker in the
trade role any longer.
Ny Neighbors
By Lennart Pearson
Head Librarian
Presbyterian College
THE END OF THE AMERICAN ERA. By
Andrew Hacker. 239 pages. Atheneum. 1970.
The idea that the United States has been em
barked on its decline since the closing days of the
Second World War is bound to be a controversial
one. Andrew Hacker, who teaches Government
at Cornell, thinks this is what is happening, and
he sets forth his Spenglerian thesis in an astute
piece of social commentary.
As Hacker sees it, the mind and spirit of the
American people is now of a freer and more demo
cratic temper than it has ever been, and this is a
large part of our problem. Thanks largely to tech
nological advances, new occupations, higher in
comes, and expanded opportunities have lured
ordinary people away from their old neighbor
hoods with promises of greater freedom, variety,
and comfort. With vanishing social controls,
two hundred million egos now possess a self-es
teem and a self-importance previously reserved
for a privileged few At the same time, “with the
artifacts of prosperity so readily at hand, private
activities become all the more enjoyable, weaken
ing any tendency to undergo sacrifices for social
ends.” And this is what will get us in the end.
It is not necessary to subscribe to Hacker’s
views about the rise and fall of nations to profit
from his analysis of contemporary America.
Nor will he be easily fitted into the g;oing ideolo
gies, conservative or liberal; both will be made
uncomfortable by what he has to say.
Here are some samplings:
Corporations exert tremendous power, is
such power legitimate when it lacks a representa
tive quality? .
Government is held responsible even for the
ills of society which arise out of private activities;
why is there so little public uproar over irrespon
sibility in the private sector, particularly since
private profits are, in effect, hidden taxes paid by
the public?
Universities and colleges suffer from the
same kind of bloatedness found elsewhere. Con
temporary scholarship may be best viewed as en
vironmental adaptations devised to provide honor
able occupations for Americans of middling intel
ligence.
The ideological liberal is one who identifies
with classes about to enter their ascendancy.
This involvement, however, has very predictable
limits, and thereby reveals its true nature as an
exercise in middle-class self-indulgence, a mode
of expression for comfortably situated citizens
who wish to appear progressive without having to
pay too high a price for their principles.
While Hacker’s reflections on the prospects
for America are not cheery, his view of our pres
ent situation is sociologically incisive and lucidly
presented. He has written a thoughtful book and
it deserves a thoughtful reading.
Parson lones Says
SOME PEOPLE
D0NT SPEAK
‘You question my hang-ups?’
Dear Mr. Publisher:
We had an awful good Dea
con’s meeting week before last.
We discussed all the people we
Do you
care enough
to use
seat belts?
August is
Family Seat Belt
Month
A Message from South Carolina State Highway Department 1970.
got in our church who won’t talk
to one another. Six husbands and
wives won’t even grunt to one
another: eight brother and sist
ers won’t get close to one
another; sixteen younguns won’t
talk to their parents and visa-
versa and thirteen members
ain’t on speaking terms with
their preacher. It was pretty ob
vious to all of us that this was a
communication gap in our little
flock.
Brother George suggested we
send a mimeographed letter to
all of ’em asking ’em to let by
gones be by-gones. Some of the
deacons thought that was a little
too expensive and one said it was
too impersonal. Hezekiah sug
gested that calling 'em on the
telephone might be more effec
tive. George allowed as how you
could get cussed out too quick
over the phone.
Finally, they come up witn me
bright idea that I preach on the
subject I could poundf home,
from the pulpit how God says
we should forgive one another if
we hppe to go to heaven. Well
sir, that idea prevailed and I
preached two Sundays ago on the
subject of forgiveness. I told
how the Lord said we couldn’t
fealty worship God and still hold
a grudge against one another. I
pointed out that Jesus ’ isaid tc
bold up on your’gifts to him until
ypu got i;ight with whoever you
was fighting with.
Mr. Publisher, that was one of
the most effective sermons I
ever preached. Since that ser
mon, 22 folk have stopped
coming to church and 53 have
stopped giving any money. So it
looks like they took me serious.
The deacons have took me
serious too. They called an
emergency sesson and asked me
tp preach, another sermon, ex
plaining that the folks were’t
supposed to take my sermon
literally. Like somebody once
said, "You can’t win for losing."
And like my mama always said,
"Let the chips fail where they
wilL" But when the chips are
great big and they fall on your
own head - that’s different.
Parson Jones