Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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PAGE TWO THE NEWBERRY SUN THURSDAY, DEC. 17, 1953 1218 Colleg-e Street NEWBERRY. S. C. PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY 0. F. Armfield, Jr., Owner 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: $2.00 per year in ad vance; six months, $1.25. COMMENTS ON MEN AND THINGS By SPECTATOR Hon Solomon Blatt, Speaker of the House, in an address to the State Chamber of Commerce, said, in part: “Men in government need intelligent advice and coopera tion from business men. You are the ones who have in vested your time, abilities and money in the spectacular economic advance we have enjoyed in South Carolina. Your factories and businesses provide the good wages and jobs for the workers; ready markets for the products of the farms and forests, and the pits and mines; the commerce for this rapidly expanding port (Charleston) ; the traffic which moves over the railroads, truck lines and air lines; the reve nues which finance government, and in every way you have contributed to the phenomenal up-swing we have experienced in recent years, after nearly a hundred years of economic frustration. You know that in Iss than fifteen years the wages of most individual workers have been trebled, and the num ber of industrial jobs doubled. We all know what this pro gress has meant in enchancing government services at all levels. Everybody has benefitted. Only a few years ago, it was appropriate for a speaker at an occasion like this to predict a new era of prosperity. That, indeed, was about all one could do—predict. While there were some things to which we could point with pride, most ly our declarations that we lived in the ‘greatest state of the union’ had a rather hollow sound. We can truthfully say that South Carolina has arrived, that South Carolina is in the nation’s spotlight as a state of vast opportunity, and that South Carolina has fine people and good government. South Carolinians were a hungry people for a hundred years, bowed down under the weight of political impotence, much of which was, of course, directly traceable to the War Between the States and its aftermath. Then eventually, here and there, a textile plant was erected. Families which could no longer make a living on the farms came into the mill communities, working at first for what were necessarily meager wages. New England was the dominant textile area. The wealth was up there. So was the political power. The oppressive railroad freight rates imposed upon the South were alone sufficient to shackle in dustrial development for many years. There was, however, character, ambition and determina tion in the blood of our people. They would not be denied. Competition has alwas been the moving force of America, competition at all levels, from individual effort, through the ganiut to the most formidable of all competitions—the great two-party system of government. Competition is our life-blood—the incentive to outdo as individuals, or teams, or corporations. You business men rightly base your strong est arguments for private enterprise upon the soundnes of this philosophy. We have emerged as a state of enormous potentiality, envied even by our southern neighbors. There are reasons for everything. It is good from time to time to remind our selves of the reasons for our gains. They are: One—The essential resources of a fine climate, diversi fied raw materials, and a strategic geographical location. Two—Good people who still know that men are supposed to work for a living. t Three—Good government by people who jealously and zealously hav^ insisted upon managing their own affairs. There are many other attributes, of course, but these three are the controlling factors, and they should always be kept in mind—never to be neglected or forgotten. With our economic advances have come the larger re sponsibilities which always accompany progress. Responsi bilities are relative things; they increase as the state be comes more important in the life of the nation. Let’s consider the responsibilities which are related to each of the three major elements of our developmnt. * Point one is the nature of our people. They are still good people because they believe in God; I pity the cynics who scoff at the ‘Bible Belt.’ They are still good people because they instinctively expect to earn a dollar before they receive one; they asked for and received less of the so cialistic handouts from government than anybody else. They are still good people because they are independent in their thinking; there are fewer effective minority voting blocs in South Carolina than in perhaps any other state. They are still good people because they want to continue to improve themselves and the opportunities for the generations to come; this is evidenced by the wholeheartedness with which they have supported the extensive and very expen sive new public educational program. They are still good people because they have known despair and have over come almost insurmountable odds by the sheer strength of their character. Point two involves our God-given natural resources. We must carefully guard them through programs of advanced agricultural methods and implements, soil conservation, re forestation, protection of our streams and lakes, the proper use in the future of water underground, the preservation of wild life, and the study and utilization of untapped re sources. In recent years, the responsible men in government have been tremendously encouraged by the more active interest men of your calibre have demonstrated in public affairs. This interest has been reflected in stronger and sounder policies of government. We have been very fortunate in recent years in having such large majorities of sincere, hard-working and courage ous men and women in the general assembly. If you fail to give them your support and encouragement in doing the right things, then the consequences could be very sad in deed. Don’t ever forget those days when the legislative hoppers were overflowing with dangerous proposals, when the aver age voter had become so confused by the prevailing trends of socialism in the national government, and when so many voters were listening to legislators who kept themselves alive politically by offering everything for nothing. We must provide our boys and girls, and our young men and women with the best of training if we are to continue to carry on the great economic progress which has really just begun. We are in a highly-geared technological and professional age, requiring great skills and sciences. The textile industry recognized this in the Textile School ^t Clemson College. It created a foundation to provide extra income for improving the faculty and facilities there. The new industries which have selected South Carolina as a location, after having investigated the tax structures and government services of other states, are the best evi dence we have that our financial status is more favorable than those of other states. I am told that most prospective new industries of any real worth are as anxious to know whether we have such things as good schools, colleges and highways as they are to know that taxes are reasonable. Our state taxes are reasonable now. I say this not neces-> sarily as any assurance that they will continue to be so, but as solid proof that as of today we are sound. And on this score, we find again a genuine responsibility for good citizens—to be vigilant, and informed, and helpful in cooperation with your legislators and other public of ficials in discovering what are the real needs. We must take time and money to see that worthwhile public services are adequately financed. Public funds should be spent wise ly and economically, but not skimpily. I contend that a proper amount of money invested in the training of our young people is even more soundly spent than money in-, vested in new machinery. Enough should be invested in both. We are inmensely proud of our textile industry. We have the largest and most modern plants in the world. Nearly a third of the Nation’s spinning, weaving and finishing of textiles is done by our 135,000 workers. It was heartening to know that during the leveling out of the textile industry in the past two or three years, when plants in New Eng land were folding up and in some of the southern states were cutting back to three and four-day weeks, the South Carolina industry, with very few exceptions, maintained full work-weeks around the clock. Thus the workers had continued employment and the economy of the state as a whole was not disrupted. Such a record emphasizes the sense of responsibility which prevails in the industry. In this same connection, it has long been my hope that there might be a wider dispersal of industry in the state. We are fortunate in having the populous and prosperous textile areas, but there are many counties without large payrolls—counties in which we have the same excellent type of people who keep the machines going in the present in dustrial areas. My plea, for the sake of having a well bal anced state, is to give these counties some of the industries. Upstate legislators sometimes complain that their counties pay more in taxes than some of the other counties. My answer is to give some of the barren counties some of the payrolls. Today textile men come in groups from all over the world to see with their own eyes what has been achieved in South Carolina, to try to find out why we have the finest plants and working conditions and production to be found any-, where in the world. In the thirty-five years just past, with New England workers following the regimented course and those of the South standing on their own two feet, how have the work ers themselves benefitted? Today four-fifths of all the textile jobs are located in the South, and less than one-fifth are located in New England! Moreover, the newspapers in recent weeks have headlined to the nation stories from a northern business management firm, written on behalf of New England, declaring that it is a false notion that industry gets by with cheaper labor and other sub-standard conditions in the South. The whole and simple truth is that we have better work ers, better management, better plants, better natural re sources, and better government. It had to be a combination of all of those factors to bring about the remarkable pro gress we have experienced.” I have known and appreciated Mr. Blatt for many years and have enjoyed a warm comradeship with him. He is a very able Speaker and has repeatedly proved himself a man of courage and convictions. Flowers and Gifts for All Occasions Day Phone 719 — Night 6212 Sheet Metal Contractor—Heating—Air Conditioning CAROUNA METAL WORKS College Street Extension A. G. McCaughrin, Pres. & Treas. Phone 115 HOLIDAY NOTICE COUNTY OFFICES Q—I’ve been reading about the Townsend Plan for old-age pensions again. Just what would the plan do? A—The Plan proposes a federal pay - as - you - go system of monthly payments to all citizens of the United States 60 years of age or older, or between 18 and 00 who are totally blind or otherwise totally disabled. Payments, which would vary according to the level of prices and business activity, would come from a fund financed by a tax of two per cent on all personal income over $250 a month. Q—How is Congressional ,seniority determined? A—Congressional seniority is based upon length of continuous service. Although it is unofficial and there are no rules concerning it, here’s the way it works: Terms of service for Congressmen and Senators elected in a general election begin when they are sworn in; in the case of Senators (who can be elected or appointed) or Representa tives (who can only be elected) to fill yacancies, the term of service begins with the date of election or appointment; in the case of two legislators elected, or sworn in on the same day, the one with prior service as Senator, Governor, or Representative, in that order, becomes senior. **—How old is the House Un-American Activities Committee? A—The present Committee, a “standing” one that is continued auto matically from Congress to Congress, was created in 1945, during the first session of the 79th Congress. It has had four Chairmen during that time. Reps. Edward J. Hart (D N. J.), John S. Wood (D Ga.), J. Parnell Thomas (R N. J.) and Harold H. Velde (R HD A Special Committee on Un-American Activities, which was not continuous and was re-established by each new Congress, was Chairmaned from 1938 to 1944 by Rep. Martin Dies (D Tex.). A special committee to investigate Communist propaganda, under former Rep. Hamilton Fish <R N. Y.) operated in 1930 and 1931, and another to probe Fascist, Communist and other subversives operated under the leaderships of Rep. John W. McCormack (D Mass.) from 1934 to 1935. (Copjrlfkt IMS, CM*r«Ml«nal Quarterly) 1. In comparison to population (u) Turkey; (b) The United States; (e) F.ngland sent most troops to Korea? 2. The Geographic center of the North American Continent is In (a) Illinois; (b) North Dakota; (c) Minnesota. 3. Joan Ponce de Leon, discoverer ef Florida, was (a) Italian; (b) Spanish; (c) Portuguese. ANSWERS MpfOTdS * *«**sn»a «ih«n ** ‘Xa*»X *i Offices in the Court House will be closed Wednesday, December 23rd at noon in Observance of the CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS ' Open on Monday December 28th “Son, you’re on your own now ... so suppose you stop off at Purcells and arrange for a new car so you’ll stop using mine.” Just call Purcells and they’ll do the rest. You’ll find them very helpful in getting your money's' worth on any new or used pruwuifyrpreuruuui Dk in l? it Over! D \ ID YOU know that more American families own homes today than pay rent? According to the Institute of Life Insurance, 55% of American families own their own hemes. In our opinion, this is a very good sign. But thi9 ts only one indication of the terrific change that is taking place. The Institute also reports that we are raising larger families, our children are getting more education, ^we are living longer, and earning more money. Our personal investment in all of these should cause us to realise that we have more to protect. This is where Life In surance comes in. Some of the best brains in our country are constantly being employed to devise more and better ways to give to a changing Amenca the various kinds of protection it needs. . _ . Capital Life provides four distinct types of protection to meet the majority of the needs of the average American fam- *sk the Capital Man to rou with your protection. CAPITAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY •Pounded on Poith—Dtdicrttd to Service* r — Dress up your CAR THIS CHRISTMAS witti Tailored Seat Covers from Frank Wilson ISIS Martin tit. Phone 1110-J “ALL PAID FOR! Thanks To A CHRISTMAS CLUB CHECK I From NEWBERRY COUNTY BANK” It’s much more fun to give when a Christmas Club Check takes care of the bills. Our 1954 Christmas Club opens on December 1st —ready for your first deposit. | In case you never had a Christmas Club—you just come in and sign up to deposit any amount from 50c to $20 each week for 50 weeks. Then—just ’fore Christmas 1954 we give your Christmas Club Check. It really turns Christmas into a Happy New Year. NEWBERRY COUNTY BANK MEMBER FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION Newberry, S. C. Joanna, S. C.