Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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DR. JACOBS COMES HOME Dr. Allen Cleveland Jacobs is doming homa He will become the fourth presi dent of Thorawell Orphanage, assum ing his duties by June 1, 1971. It is particularly heart-warming that Dr. Jacobs is a graduate of Thornwell and it speaks well of Thorn- well and the calibre of young people it prepares for the world. We would imagine that knowledge of such an occurence would be immensely pleas ing to those who struggled to found and build Thornwell. Dr. Jacobs is eminently quali fied for this important position. The situation was summed up well by Mr. Richard deMontmollin, chairman of Thomwell’s Board of Trus tees and also a Thornwell graduate. In making the announcement of Dr. Jacobs’ appointment, he said: . . Several years ago, when a committees from the Board of Trustees was instructed to look for the man who would serve as Thom well’s fourth president, it seemed that the hand of God led us directly to the man who was most qualified for this high call ing. Dr. Jacobs’ life here at Thorn well as a student, where he was an outstanding athlete ... his training as a minister at Presbyterian College and Columbia Seminary . . . and his long experience as the head of one of our church’s homes for children, give him a background possessed by no other. It would seem that God has been preparing Allen Jacobs for this calling for many years. We are grate ful for it. . . and for the fact that God put into the heart of Allen Jacobs a willingness to accept this great chal lenge . . .” CHANGING Part of the “inflation” that we complain about is due to changing standards of living rather than to the declining purchasing power ot the dollar. That is the conclusion of one housewife who compared her food budget in 1960 with one of a more re cent date. She took a typical cur rent shopping list that rang up a total of $24 on the supermarket’s cash reg ister. On going over this list, she dis covered that much of what she is now buying at the grocery store is not groceries. There were paper towels and jm- per napkins itemized at $1.66. In the old days, people took time to home launder and resuse towels and na[>» kins. Then there was 69 cents for dog food. In the old days, Rover used to eat table scraps. There was an item of $1.79 for bug spray on the current shopping list “. . . to execute what we used to swat — and 89 cents for fab- STANDARDS ric softener where we formerly de pended on a windy day. ” There was also $1.59 for shampoo and band-aids —“in 1960 some of us were shampoo ing with soap and bandaging with strips of wora-out shirts.” Another item, $3.76 for light bulbs and a ther mos bottle would formerly have shown up on the “hardware” bill. This house wife discovered that of her $24 groc ery bill, groceries cost less than $16. Summing up, she found that the food bill for 1960 was $971.57. Household items that year came to $347.98. This food, for household items she paid past year, she paid onlv $3 more for $726.82! In spite of the kicking about in flation, consumers so far have shown little inclination to turn their backs on the conveniences and luxuries that have been brought to them by the world’s most efficient, retail, mass- distribution system. IMPROVES PERFORMANCE No government—federal, state or local—will ever likely attain the level of efficiency that U.S. taxpayers would like or that politicians con stantly promise. But, Governor Tom # McCall of Oregon has put into effect an idea that he felt might reduce the cost of state government to Oregon taxpayers and, at the same time, im prove its performance. “Last year,” as described in Na tion’s business, “he invited 20 Ore gon companies each to donate the ser vices of one executive for one year. All readily responued. The 20 execu tives were assembled under a new Management ’70s Task Force’ and im mediately set out to see if proven pri vate industry techniques would work its effectively in government. Now . . . the results of that challenge are being assessed. Premliminary indica tions are that these 20 men have suc ceeded in slashing state expenses from $25 million to $30 million over the next two years.” The Governor is pleased with the contribution of the businessmen to the cause of greater government ef ficiency. Oregon taxpayers have a right to be pleased too. It would have cost, according to the Governor, at least $6000,000 to hire the talent dis tributed by the businessmen. The state got it free and saved millions of dollars to boot ECONOMIC LIBERTY Political and economic liberty live or die together Stated another way, free enterprise and ownership of property by private citizens is insep arable from representative self-gov ernment. A free press depends upon the advertising support of private en terprise. Under the U.S. constitution al form of government, the law is the guardian of both persons and proper ty. An example of what happens to political liberty when property rights are trampled upon by the state is be ing starkly demonstrated in Chile, a country that is now rapidly falling un der totalitarian Marxisa rule. Indus try is being nationalized—taken over •by government. And foreign invest ors are becoming wary of putting their money anywhere in Latin Ameri ca. If private enterprise dies in Chile, so does liberty. The press will soon be nothing more than a sounding board of dictatorship. As U.S. News & World Report states, nationalization of industry is automatically remov ing political opposition as advertising is cut off and newspapers go into bankruptcy. The experience of Chile should show why, as a matter of principle, U.S. citizens should support the insti tution of private enterprise whether it be the local corner grocery store or a basic industry. Where private enter prise—and a free press—are destroy ed, elections become meaningless rit uals, and oppression becomes a way of life. The New Baby 2-B—THE CHRONICLE, Clinton, S. C., Dec. 31, 1970 SENSING THE NEWS By Anthony Harrigan IXfCUTIVI VICI PMSIOINT Southern States Industrial Council The Politics Of Hunger While many of former Ken nedy New Frontiersmen have discarded hunger as a political cause, finding increased mi leage In attacks on the “mili tary- Industrial complex,’’ a' rearguard of officeholders as sociated with the Kennedys con tinues to press the hunger issue. The public is reminded of this by publication of THE CASE A- gainst hunger by U. S. Sen. Ernest F. Holllngs, a close as sociate of the Kennedy clan. This book is an important po litical document, for it de scribes the Kennedys and their allies as concerned about hun gry people and presents the Nixon administration as uncon cerned. Political reporters will note Parson lones Says How About Tax Break On Church Attendance ? Dear Mr. Publisher: A wise philosopher once said, “If Christmas be near, the new Year can’t be far behind*. It’s the season when the wisemen went to see Jesus, and we go to see our members about money for the new year. The first group went bearing gifts, we go to get gifts. Our collections were down this year. Thedeacons held a special factfinding committee meeting to find out why the drop-off. Some thought it was because the economy is in a bind right now. Others through, bad preaching might have some thing to do with it. I told ’em these things might have helped push us in th« hole, but the main problem was poor at tendance. My brother runs a hamburger place, and he says when people don’t show up to buy hamburgers he loses money. And I’ve noticed when we’ve got a small crowd at church, we get a small amount in the collection plate. The dea cons finally admitted that we got a bad attendance problem. That’s the horse that’s pull ing the poverty cart. So, Mr. Publisher, we de cided on a plan. In the past years we always sent out a year showing how much money people had give. This year we’re gonna send out an attendance report four times a year. In stead of showing dollars and cents we’re gonna show Sundays present and Sundays absent. That way when a fella gets a card that’s so holey it looks like a fish net, it may shake him up. If there was just some way to get the government to give a tax break on church atten dance we might get the lO^c money everybody is reporting on their returns. Course I reckon a fellow who’d lie about his giving would lie about his attendance too. Well, I gotta be signing off for now, and go see the doctor. I been having these awfulpains In the neck. Dr. Chargewrighttold me to come on over cause my workman’s compensation, it would cover it-seelng as how it happened on the job. See you Sunday in Church - your absence will leave a hole! Parson Jones The Government Is planning to set employment goals for women in some Federal con tract work to help eliminate discrimination because of sex, Secretary of Labor J. D. Hodg son has announced. ANOTHER STICKY YEAR FOR THE LEGISLATURE It seems as if legislative problems get stickier every year. Well, don’t worry, Mr. Businessman, 1971 will be no exception. When the General Assembly meets in January, money once again will be the over-riding issue. Even though normal economic growth produces more available reve nue each year, there never seems to be enough money to go around. The 1969 General Assembly approved tax in creases amounting to some $63 million in new money; but, when the most re cent fiscal year ended, it appeared that the State might be as much as $8.5 million behind schedule. Collections have improved in recent months. Yet, there is no argument about the simple fact that dollars will be scarce in 1971. A very healthy economic growth rate might give the State an additional $30 to $40 million for the next fiscal year. Keep in mind, however, that there are certain built-in increases in State Government—such as retirement contributions—that gnaw away at new money. In 1970, a year of “austerity”, the Legislature managed to appropriate some $33 million more than the pre vious year. The school teachers got no pay raise from the 1970 General Assembly. They'll be seeking an average $1500 increase in 1971 and, reportedly, are adamant about more compensation for their services. If the teachers get theirs, can the State employees be far behind? State employees also figure in an other issue—collective bargaining by public employees. The State’s position of non-recognition erf unions came under fire in the Charleston crisis of 1969, and the right of a public em ployee to strike both are likely topics of legislative action. Lack of money probably will spark an old issue that puts the “wets” and the “drys” at odds. It’s almost a fore gone conclusion that liquor-by-the- drink will be offered as an answer to the revenue problem. Tax reform, including the questions of statewide property tax reassessment and classification according to use, is an expected issue. Pollution control is likely to remain in the headlines for several years to come. State officials will push for a water use tax to be placed on non- residential users. Also, the administra tion of the Pollution Control Authority may be a matter of debate. Annexation definitely will be an is sue. The Municipal Association of South Carolina will push hard for a liberalization of the law, and the towns’ mayors will lend their political in fluence. The Uniform Consumer Credit Code already is making news as legis lative hearings are being held prior to the session. Several influential groups are pushing for the Code’s enactment and, as might be expected, there is some opposition. Automobile insurance is still far from being a dead issue. Complaints from drivers continue while insurance companies, large and small, offer sad tales of profit experience. The State Highway Department still wants an increase in the gasoline tax. It’s mandatory in order to link up in terstate highways in the urban areas, the Department maintains. Political sentiment is split. Reportedly, the practice erf regulat ing milk prices will come under attack again. Etc., etc., etc. State House outlook: stormy and unseasonably warm right up to water melon cuttin’ time again. the intensity of Sen. Holllngs’ praises of the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. He says: “Ken nedy channelled all of his rest less energy Into helping the dis advantaged. He knew where hun ger struck most tragically--In chlldren--and Bob Kennedy loved children.” Other Ameri cans might reach a different conclusion, namely, that Robert Ken.iedy channelled all of his restless energy Into helping himself and the Kennedy family political causes, uslngemotion- al issues with great shrewd ness. Writers who are following the struggle Inside the Democratic Party for the vice presidential spot in 1972 certainly won’t o- verlook these comments by Sen. Holllngs onleadershipof the an ti-hunger fight: “MartinLuther King tried, but they said he was only trylflg to keep his move ment alive. When Ralph Aber nathy tried, they charred him with the need for an Issue.” Genreous observations of this kind surely won’t be ignored by the party leadership, especially if Sen. Edward Kennedy domi nates the ’72 nominating con vention. The political aspects of THE CASE AGAINST HUNGER are too significant to overlook, but the substance of Sen. Holllngs’ position deserves equally close attention. His case is summed up in the flanl section of the book on “suggestions for a national policy ” Sen. Holllngs says: ‘Enough money must be made available to the poor so that they can eat and achieve at least a decent standard of living.” Note that wording: “made available.” It may sound humanitarian to some readers. But the only way to make money “available” to welfare cases is to take it In the form of taxes from productive working oeople. And who wtB make money''/tollable''totax payers who have to foot the bill for a free food stamp existence on the part of non-workers? Sen. Holllngs also calls for a “total, nationwide effort to re cruit every family eleglble to participate In food programs.” Do the American People want to go all out in encouraging a de pendent existence? Do they want pendent existnec? Do they want to spread food stamps around the country like manna from heaven--at taxpayer expense? Sen. Holllngs also Insists that “stamps and commodities must be available at all times, not just once or twice a month, and at as many locations as possible,” He says that “people should be allowed to buy what they feel they can afford.” In other words, the senator argues for virtual abandonment of controls on the food stamp program. In addition, the junior senator from South Carolina says that “national health Insurance must be expanded,” a position with which the bulk of the nation’s docotrs disagree. THE CASE AGAINST HUNGER Is a remarkable book for a Southern senator In that it is so completely in line with the Eastern Liberal Establlment's giveaway philosophy. He even criticizes the Nixon’s Family Assistance proposal for con centration on work for welfare recipients! Sen. Holllngs calls for “War on Hunger,” but his “suggest ions for a national policy” may strike many cicitzens as a war on working, taxpaying people who pay for giveaways. Sen. Holllngs has spent a lot of time being photographed by TV cameramen In so-called “hunger” areas. He might find it Instructive to spend time lis tening to legitimate complaints to self-reliant working people who are squeezed by taxes for welfare programs and who pinch pennies while a horde of hand out typespayfor their groceries with food stamps provided by officeholders who politically advertise themselves as hu manitarians. Identification codes a maintained by the Manpoi administration for more tt 50 physical and mental ham caps which make a wort eligible for special servlc through the public employ mi offices.