The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, June 17, 1949, Image 4
PAGE POUR
THE NEWBERRY SUN
FRIDAY, JUNE 17, 1949
xm
1218 College Street
NEWBERRY, S. C.
0. F. Armfifld
Editor and Publisher
PUBLISHED EVER# 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., $2.00 per year in advances
COMMENTS ON MEN AND THINGS
BY SPECTATOR
Our General Assembly has
disregarded the recommenda
tion to establish a Central Pur
chasing Agency for the State.
My association with bureau
crats forbids that I put my
whole trust in any plan of it
self; no plan is self-operating
but must depend on the men
and women who operate it, or
operate within it. Even a plan
may have possibilities, though
no plan will bring within reach
a new heaven or a new earth.
I do not know exacts where
the waste is, in the matter of
purchasing; I can’t put my fin
ger on it at the moment. And
1 feel like pinching pennies in
seeking economy or savings in
the purchase of supplies when
the big waste goes merrily on.
We might properly reduce the
welfare by a million dollars;
and we might scrutinize other
'far-flung services, such es ev
erything connected with the
schools, the public health, and
other departments.
It may be taken as a work
able guide, that any depart
ment, whether public or pri
vate, will be better for a close'
survey, of its methods. We
must not assume that beeause
a service is good it is most
competently administered; or
that It is prc$»erly organized.
Every public department of a
dozen employees tends to at
tract drones, favorites, puffed
up people and blunderers; all
departments tend to fill their
ranks with “yes-men” and
some others whose chief ac
complishment is handing the
boss a line of praise that Will
swell his ego into the world-
conquering dimension.
Just looking on the surface
we see that the State buys
coal for many institutions. And
it buys many other articles
which are common to many in
stitutions—groceries, etc.
Years ago I learned that each
institution strongly believed in
home rule—a sort ef diminu
tive application of S t a t e s’
Rights within the pantry. In
the Farmers and Taxpayers
League we labored long and
hard over this. The inertia of
the public is like an immov
able block in the way. I tried
to recoincile these ideas; that
buying in large quantities
should result in savings. Should
result in savings—yes; but that
means that the buying must
be done with knowledge and
skill.
Buying well is not the re
sult of politics; it requires real
knowledge of goods and mar
kets—and prospects. Merely to
add all the needs of several in
stitutions into one order does
not guarantee the most eco
nomical buying. So we per
spired over that. Finally we
hit on a scheme that would
safeguard the State and yet
mollify all the ruffled spirits
within the service. Here is
what we thought and recom
mended: that all the Institu
tions of the State be required
to submit to a Board of Execu
tive officers a list of all re
quirements lor a quarter, six
months or any given period.
The Counties might be permit
ted to do likewise. The Board
would invite bids on varying
quantities. The Board woul^
determine the maximum price
on each article and would cer
tify that price to each institu
tion. Each institution might
then buy at the price indicated.
But if any institution found it
self able to buy the same qual
ity for less it should inform
the Board so that all others
might shar e the benefit of the
better price.
I A ink that plan would save
everybody’s face and dignity
and power. It would also ob
viate the expense of another
department of government.
What always stands in the
way is a mingling of jealousy
and fear. The departments
want to hold all their powers;
bureaucrats, big and little,
crave power, and the perqui
sites of power. They also fear
that a buyer for the State
would be like a United States
Army or Navy buyer. The man
who wants a number one lead
pencil does not want a num
ber three; and he groans in
spirit over the possibility that
all the pencils will be number
three-and-a-half and in great
numbers.
Something could be done;
whenever a remedy is needed
the need itself suggests the
remedy.
I have spoken at many fun
erals; and I have written ap
preciations of many friends
who have entered upon the un
changing Life. Down in Peru
custom was that the highest
official attending the funeral
of any one in his Deppartment
or branch of the service mrftt
speak over the body of the de
ceased, just before the casket
was placed into the niche. Very
few people are placed in
graves; most axe in sealed
niches. Here some great spirits
honored their State so richly
that I expressed the general re
gard in my letters and broad
casts.
Now I have a pleasure, in
deed, for I join those thousands
who acclaim one of the finest
gentlemen I’ve ever known.
Just think of this: A steady,
steadfast sdldier of righteous
ness; a worker in every good
cause; a citizen always ready
to serve; a friend who never
changes; a public servant who
loves the public —i Homer M.
Pace, who lives in Charleston
but tries to help every part of
the State.
Mr. Pace has just received
recognition *i a notable man
ner; a medal has been award
ed him by the University of
Tampa for outstanding achieve
ment in promoting the applica
tion of science to Southern in
dustry.
Three of us who are close
friends sit together frequently
when I have the pleasure of
spending a day in Charleston—
Mir. C. Norwood Hastie, Mr.
Pace and I. I take the liberty
of quoting Mr. Hastie’s frequent
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summing up: “If I ever saw a
real Christian it is Homer Pace.
Homsr doesn’t even know how
to do anything wrong; all his
impulses are generous and gra
cious.”
Throughout the years Mr.
Pace has never changed; how
wonderful to have a friend who
does not change; whose loyalty
and sympathy and understand
ing abide forever.
In this world of change, of
people of moods and whims
and fancies; people who are
your sworn buddies today and
your swearing ex-buddies to
morrow: here is the excepption-
al man, the Christian Knight,
in humility, not pride.
If I seem to rhapsodize it is
because of the thrill of being
able to think of some one who
neithe" falters nor stumbles nor
fails, but stands four-square
against the beatings and the
buffeting of chance or circum
stance.
So we are learning to talk
to the Russians? Hear what
Dean Acheson said: “All four
of the powers are in Berlin by
the force of their armies.”
That is the stuff; that’s the
way to talk.
It was a happy thought, to
remember in a public recogni
tion the attitude and character
of Senator Walter George of
Georgia and Senator Harry
Byrd of Virginia. Those two
senators enjoy the respect of
the Nation; they are not seek
ing Mr. Truman’s favor nor
playing politics. It ig refresh
ing to find public acknowledge
ment of substantial worth in
public service.
It is said that one of our es
teemed brethren of the Medi
cal profession was alarmed at
the possibility of Government
or Socialized Medicine. Natural
ly he thought it was the chief
evil in a very evil time. He
Was amazed that a friend in
the housing business was not
equally indignant at this mis
chievous proposal. The hous
ing man got even however, by
asking “Say, where were you
Doctors when all the Govern-
m*it housing schemes were be
ing, considered?” Well, where
were they? The Doctors didn’t
become aroused until Socialism
touched them. The Doctors
are ready to fight now, but
fight what? All their ammu
nition is to protect the practice
of medicine. I agree with them
heartily, but I, too, wonder at
the Doctors who clamored for
the New Deal and now want
all of us to fight the New
Deal’s proposal, but only as it
affects Medicine.
What do the Doctors say
about these Government power
projects? Are the Doctors
awake to the possibility that
Socialism is spreading? Do they
know that the Santee-Cooper is
as much a Socialistic enterprise
as any scheme of Government
Medicine?
When Socialism takes over
the power business it is ready
to take over housing, then ev
erything else. Socialism is So
cialism. Unless we fight to
gether as an army of citizens,
we shall be picked off one by
one.
Now that the physicians are
embattled and sniffing the
powder let them join in throt
tling Socialism on every front.
Don’t think the masses of the
people are eager for power;
that is just a bit of fanciful
imagining; the masses are not
yearning for Government pow
er; more of the people really
want free medicine, cheap
housing and the other things of
every day: it isn’t power they
crave.
What sort of businessman is
the Government? Well, let
me quote;
“The armed forces’ non-profit
grocery stores cost taxpayers
more than $4,800,000 last year,
the House Armed Services
Committee reported.
The committee study was
made public at the opening of
(hearings on the military’s mul
ti-billion dollar retail business.
It showed that more than $4,-
800.00 was spent from govern
ment funds for salaries alone
at the groceries during 1948.
This figure, said Chairman
Vinson (D-Ga.), did not include
the light, heat, trucking and
other services furnished' free to
the grocery stoses by the Gov-
ernmnt.”
Now just multiply that by a
million and you will have a
clear picture of the Govern
ment as it would operate the
business of the Nation—Social
ism, in operation.
I feel the call of the sea.
Those of us who have spent
much time at sea feel the urge
to sail the briny deep. I’ve
been nursing a plan to go to
the Eastern coast of South Am
erica, then across to South Af
rica and up the coast of East
Africa, coming through the
Mediterranean to Spain and
spending some time there.
There is nothing now to pre
vent my going, so my wander
ing foot is itching again, after
many years.
My friend and comrade,
George Brutsch, insists that we
go to Alaska first. S» I’m at
sea while still on the land.
The offer to operate the San
tee-Cooper on a non-profit basis
for the benefit of the State,
with a probable revenue to the
State and the affected Counties
ef about two million dollars a
year, seems to have been shelv
ed.
Should it be filed away to
rest in oblivion? It amounts
to this; two millions instead of
less than three hundred thou
sand. You and I are inclined
to think well of the two mil
lions, especially since it would
be supported by a contract
with a responsible dbncem.
True it is that two millions
is like small change ih this
period of easy money, but how
would it strike you if the pro
fit were distributed among the
Counties directly instead of
through the Stale? If this mon
ey were distributed among for
ty-six counties that would be
a tidy sum for each county.
As you know, the counties are
usually poor.
As I recall the proposal, the
South Carolina Electric & Gas
Co. offers to furnish power to
all cooperatives either at a
price fixed by the Santee-Coop
er or at a price somewhat be
low that quoted by Santee-
Cooper. That being so, why
should the Co-ops borrow eight
million dollars? Why should
all this money be spent on par
allel lines which will become
the property of the Santee-
Cooper?
Can you see through this?
Sometimes I wonder if I’m
dreaming: but if the Columbia
Company will operate Santee-
Cooper as a non-profit affair,
yielding to the State and coun
ties two millions a year (on
basis of 1948); and if the Col
umbia Company will bind it
self by contract to furnish
steady, reliable, constant, un
limited power to all Co-ops
(not just a few); and if all this
is offered at attractive rates,
why should th e Co-ops go into
debt and mortgage their busi
ness to Santee-Cooper?
And since the Courts have
forbidden Santee-Cooper to buy
other lines, how can the San
tee-Cooper make a contract
that would ultimately give it
control of all the Co-op lines
criss-crossing the State?
But I want some one to think
this out; Why not let this two
millions go to the Counties?
What say you?
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1014 Main Street
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elephone 311W
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NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC
i I WE HAVE SECURED
MR. DAN BLACKWELL
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to do our body and fender work. He has had 20 years
experience in painting- and metal working. If you
want your car painted see us for a good job.
Smith Motor Co.
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.. June 19th ..
And there’s still time to select HIS
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*
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THE MAN’S SHOP
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CONVERSATION STARTER . . .
A friend asked a lady why she bought a certain
antique. Her reply was, “It is a wonderful conver
sation starter.”
Next time you run out of something to say, tell
your friends about the wonderful service we render
and how pleasant it is to do business with us.
PURCELLS
“YOUR PRIVATE BANKER"
Phone 197
Jm|j|foafTHE BE f ST r PLACE
Buick & Chevrolet Service
is
Davis Motor Company
1515-1517 Main Street
Electrolux Corporation has an opening for one
married man, 25-50, with clean character and refer
ences, in its sales service dept. Car needed. Write
essential details to: State Office, 1921 Blossom St.,
Columbia 5, S. C. Position open now. Interview
next week. | f
t~J ■ I - IW 4 mt •