Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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THE NEWBERRY SUN Friday, January 21, 'Zh&SMnn 1218 College Street NEWBERRY, S. C. O. F. Armfirld Editor and Publisher PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY Entered as second-class matter December 6, 1937, at the Postoffice at Newberry, South Carolina, under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In S. C., $1.50 per year in advance outside S. C., $2.00 per year in advance. COMMENTS ON MEN AND THINGS BY SPECTATOR President Truman has pro posed to Congress certain meas ures which command popular sympathy and blind us to the principles involved. In the field of medicines, for example, or he 1th, it is true that the c’a,3 '-' are almost unbearable. The physicians do a vast ser vice in '■’•ce work, but th e man who strives to pay the bills has a struggle. Hospital charges have become so burdensome that a period of illness is al most equal to the price of your farm or store, as prices were a few years ago. I do not chal lenge the charges, but I do know that one must be either a pauper or a rich man to es cape a near calamity in the family budget. Mr. Truman’s proposal appeals to those who struggle to pay their bills; and they are not disposed to argue the principle of government in volved. The truth is that we hold principles lightly, when they stand between us and a dollar. That sounds bad, but it is true and I need not elab orate that theme. We seem to have our price, much or ^little. Some men see through all this; they see that if the Gov ernment may do a good thing today, it establishes a prece dent by which it may do some thing else tomorrow. In the case of medicine, or health, voluntary associations might serve us, cheaper policies making it possible for all to -re ceive attention without the shock of one big sum. As I see it, Government health measures for the indi vidual would be as bad as try ing to get attention from a Government agency now—per haps even worse. Recently I have tried to serve several vet erans and I almost marvel at the amazing degree of difficul ty I’ve encountered. Just im agine calling a Federal Health Center and being switched to six or eight offices and finally being given a complete run-, around Perhaps your baby^ is sick and you are anxious— and the Government doctor you finally decide on has just left his office having completed his eight hours or being afraid that if he goes to your home in town or in the country he will work over the sacred'eight hours. Many of my friends ar e eager for Federal aid to education. There is much to be said for ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH LAST YEAR’S WAGES' and could you use more money in 1949? Can you sell or be taught to sell? Forty-two men in S. C., many without previous sales experience, are making more than in any previous job or trade. Character references, car, clean reputation, age 25-45, and an overwhelming desire for advancement needed. Ad dress, EQectrolux State Mlanager, 1921 Blossom St., Columbia 5, S. C., giving particulars for interview next week. Jdb is now open and permanent. just out! Sears 1949 Spring and Summer catalog For the Family.. for the home .. for every need Come in To Sears Catalog Order Office today. You’ll find our new big Spring and Summer catalog packed with top-quality items for every need. Timely items, too, in styles for Spring—at typical Sears low prices. Naturally you’ll save money by shopping this easy, trouble-free way. Come in or phono. SEARS, ROEBUCK AND CO. ORDER OFFICE it of course; but Federal aid should be a grant to the State, without strings, except to re quire that the money shall be devoted exclusively for paying teachers. But the Government is more liely to give us a couple of million dollars with so many strings tied to it that it will cost us five millions more to operate as the Feder al Government will require. I wonder that our Senators and Representatives in Con gress—meaning all of them, not just those from South Car olina — I wonder that they can’t head off the bureaucrats from writing or prescribing regulations to govern the State use of money. The State sur renders most of their self-gov ernment for Federal aid. The State becomes merely a geo graphical region: the Federal Government determines how the money will be used in in dividual cases. Wake up, peo pie: it is so now in every or ganization receiving Federal aid, very notably our Welfare Department. One can readily say that if the Federal Government can throw away billions in Europe and Asia, it might spend a few millions to help its people. I see that I, too, have fallen into the common error when I re fer to the Federal Govern ment: the Federal Government is supposed to be our creature, our servant, in doing certain things, but the Federal Govern ment has become a select group to do whatever may please a majority of the voters, the principal purpose being to maintain the select group in office and in power. Shall we accept all this as the new order of th e day and bow in submission? I don’t think we should bow. Of course it would be far easier to go along quietly, but someone has to howl in the wilderness against old King Ahab and his wicked purpose to seize Na both’s vineyard. Those who read the Scriptures should re call that Elijah had the approv al, even guidance of Jehovah, in denouncing King Ahab, but Elijah became so disheartened that he exclaimed “I, only, am left”. Jehovah, however, set him right by telling him that there were seven thousand. in Israel who had never bowed to Baal. So, we who utter loud and persistent lamentation have august precedent, though even a mightier than Elijah refused to -acquiesce in practices sanc tioned by the highest authori ties of the land. Perhaps I am sounding a discordant note and accomplish ing nothing. Who knows? In the counties, the Clerk of Court might perform the serv ice for County elections, with such change in the number of petitioners as might be fair. A time would be set for fil ing the petition. Even so, I suggest that any citizen have the right to write in a naipe, if h e wishes. That is all we lack—the pre paration and distribution of the ballots, including all the groups row recognized, and holding the door open for volunteer groups, as indicated. The qual ifications for electors are not a part of a State or County ballot. Our County government ar rangement is too political even for politicians. We need to carry out the mandate of the Constitution and operate the three departments of the Gov ernment separately. Legislators are State officials; they have no lawful function with Coun ty administration nor can the Constitution be amended by passing laws authorizing the “County Delegation” to exercise discretion in County affairs. Legislators have no lawful claim for County pay, because they are State officials, paid by the State, for a State ser vice. That service is in Col umbia and during sessions of the Legislature. Legislators have no ethical right to practice as lawyers be fore State Boards and Depart ments. Like members of Con gress they should have no fee paying practice before State bodies. If they need the mon ey they should confine them selves to private practice and stay out of public life. There is a right way and a wrong way to live: we need not try to throw right and wrong to gether and hope for the best. County affairs should be ad ministered by County officials, not by legislators. Another matter: the Acts of the General Assembly Ijear the imprint of the State and are signed by the presiding offi cers and the Governor. No Act should be passed unless there be a quorum present. The prac tice of passing local matters with three of four present is a travesty. There is no such thing as a local bill; it is an Act of the General Assembly of South Carolina and becomes a law when signed by the Gov ernor. , Why not start the new ses sion by doing things accord ing to law? Our Legislature will compare favorably with other legislative groups. And we have men of ability in the positions of lead ership. I have a warm regard for those I know; and I wish them a happy and -useful ses sion. The Government does not have to increase the taxes by one dollar; on the contrary, more than four billions could be saved by competent admin istration. And not all that is in salaries. Nor is the Gov ernment by itself in this ex travagance and inefficiency. We used to hear about what is call ed the Law of Diminishing Re turns. This is an Economic Law and not subject to repeal by Congress, not bad interpre tation by any Court, It works like this, you will remember: if your cotton field will yield a hundred pounds of lint cot ton, without any fertilizer, but will yield 200 lbs. if you use 100 lbs. of 4-10-4 mixture, and 300 lbs, if you use 200 lbs of the mixture, will it continue so that with 5000 lbs. of that 4-10-4 you will harvest 4000 lbs. of lint? Then would it yield 8000 lbs. with 7000 lbs. of 4-10-4? No; somewhere you reach the maximum profit; after that the ratio of gain de clines until you may suffer a heavy loss by using more fer tilizer than the cotton is worth. This isn’t a lesson in cotton production, but an illustration of the economic law. Organi zations suffer from the same law. If we had five men in the Senate and five men in the House, the work of each man would be vastly mor e than the work of the average today, As things are, a few work, do heavy work, but the majority wait to hear from the leaders. Now, if w e had two thousand members; The movie theaters would have to be enlarged!! The Government of the Unit ed States has long since passed the period of efficiency: it is today a mammoth payroll of far-spreading and sprawling ►groups of no cohesiveness, and of colossal wastefulness. 1210 Caldwell St Phones 430 & 911 A State ballot seems a likely accomplishment of this session of the Legislature. It would require very little legislation. As the law stands today, the State orders the election, ap points the managers, provides the machinery, counts the bal lots and declares the results. The State fails only to print and distribute the ballots. That is done by the Democratic Par ty, the Republican Party and anyone who wishes to print and distribute tickets. A State ballot could be had by the simple expedient of di recting the Secretary of State to prepare and distribute bal lots, including thereon every recognized political organiza tion, having received a thou sand votes in the preceding General election, as well as any ticket submitted by an agreed time by any group submitting a petition signed by a thousand registered electors. I use the figures merely for illustration. • e ' e New chrome accents' enhance the attractive design of radiator grilles on the newly announced 1949 Studebaker passenger car models. Massive wrap-around bumpers, complemented by new high- type bumperettes, contribute heavily to frontal beauty. LIPSCOMB MOTOR CO. 1418 COLLEGE ST. PHONE 707 1948 TAX NOTICE At the do?e of business on January 31, 1949 « A TWO % PER CENT PENALTY will be added to all unpaid 1948 State and County Taxes J. Ray Dawkins Treasurer "IF WISHES WERE HORSES, BEGGARS WOULD RIDE' . : C: jAnd IF good intentions were actual life insurance, most of us would have the comfort of knowing that our families are adequately protected. Forturiately, you are not like the beggar. You can make your wishes come true. You can buy life insurance protection now, today, out of current income. Guarantee your family the protection you want them to have. Do it today. Consult a friendly Life of Georgia agent. THE O la D RELIABLE » SING E 1 HOME OFFICE. ATLANTA 891 ^ 1.1 District Office IIOI1/2 Caldwell St Here’s how YOU ' w can win the Gold Bars of an Army Officer j TWO NEW WAYS TO JOIN THE RANKS OF AMERICA’S YOUNG LEADERS DIRECT COMMISSION A commission as second lieutenant in the Officers’ Reserve Corps with a 2-year initial tour of active duty is ready for you if you meet these requirements: one year of honorable service in any of the Armed Forces between 7 December 1941 and 30 June 1947; have completed two years at an accredited college or univer sity; U. S. citizenship; AGCT score of 110 or better; not more than 32 years old; physically fit. Once commissioned; you’ll be assigned to a 3-nAonth officers’ training school, and, on successful com pletion, you’ll be frefe to compete for a Regular Army Commission if you meet the competitive tom: age requirements. Go to your nearest U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force Recruiting Station for complete details at once. ■ DCS FOR HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES If you’ve graduated from high school or can pass an equivalent examination, are between 19 and 28 years old, are a U. S. citizen, and have necessary physical qualifications, apply now for enlistment for Army OCS. After your application is approved, you’ll be enlisted as a Sergeant and given basic training if you have not had it already, then sent direct to Officer Candidate School, subject to quotas, of course. Upon graduation, you’ll be commissioned a Second Lieu tenant in the Reserve, and placed on two years of active duty. Top OCS graduates are commissioned in the Regu lar Army—all others may compete for a Regular Army Commission. Get all the facts about applying for OCS entrance at your nearest U. S. Army and U. S. Air Force Recruiting Station without delay! NEW ACTIVE-DUTY OPPORTUNITIES FOR OFFICERS See Reserve or National Guard Instructor, or local recruiting station. 1221 Nance Street Next To Fire House Newberry, S. C.