The Wilmington morning star. [volume], December 28, 1947, SECTION A, Page 6-A, Image 6

About The Wilmington morning star. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1909-1990

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1947_
I
Star-News Program
State ports with Wilmington favored
in proportion with its resources, to in
clude public terminals, tobacco stor
age warehouses, ship repair facilities^
nearby sites for heavy industry and
35-foot Cape Fear river channel.
City auditorium large enough to
meet needs for years tc come.
Development of Southeastern North
Carolina agricultural and industrial
resources through better markets and
food processing, pulp wood production
and factories. .
Emphasis on the regions recrea
tion advantages and improvement of
resort accommodations.
Improvement of Southeastern North
Carolina's farm-to-market and pri
mary roads, with a paved highway
from Topsail inlet to Bald Head is
land. .• .
Continued effort to attract more in
dustries.
Proper utilization of BluethenthaJ
airport for expanding air service.
Development of Southeastern North
Carolina’s health facilities, especially
in counties lacking hospitals, and in
cluding a Negro Health center.
Encouragement of the growth of
commercial fishing.
Consolidation of City and Counts
governments.
GOOD MORNING
But if thou wilt go, do it, be strong
for the battle: God shall make thee fall
before the enemy: for God hath power
to help, and to cast down.—II Chronicles
25:8.
* * *
God can change the lowest to the
highest, abase the proud, and raise the
humble.—Horace.
Why Speculation Hurts
Speculation is a topic of wide discussion
in Congress these days, and it has spilled
over into the news and editorial columns
of the newspapers. It is easy to forget, at
a time when the subject is so universally
in dispute, exactly what it is about grain
speculation that is harmful to our econom
ic system.
Technically, speculators in commodities
simply buy now and deliver later. This
type of transaction is called buying “fu
tures.” The speculator buys with the hope
that, by the time the commodity is ready
for delivery, the price will have riser. He
thereby realizes a neat profit.
It is the same type of operation as on
the stock market, except there is a definite
time limit — when the commodity is har
vested.
This has been an accepted practice for
many years. Many people use the com
modity markets as an investment, feeling
that grain or cotton or other commodities
are safe, since they will always be needed.
The only thing disreputable about it is
when the buyer is an out-and-out gambler.
Today, there are many out-and-out
gamblers, for an excellent reason. Com
modity prices have been rising steadily,
and buying futures is, these days, practi
cally a guarantee of turning a profit. This
factor is where the trouble comes in, and
what makes grain speculation such an in
flationary practice.
The more buyers, the greater the de
mand. The greater the demand, the higher
the price. There you have created a “false
demand,” but, no matter how false it is,
it is still a demand, and contributes great
ly to the rising commodity prices.
Farmers, noting the continual upward
spiral of their products, are sorely tempted
to hold off until prices go a bit higher.
This is particularly true of wheat farmers.
The fewer sellers, the less the supply The
less the supply, the higher the price. There
you have created a “false low supply,”
but, again, no matter how false it is, it
still is a low supply.
So the chain of troubles, caused by the
gambling speculator, reaches all the way
around. His buying creates a high price
and causes farmers to wait for higher
prices. The farmers’ action creates an even
higher price, and brings more speculators
into the operation. So the proposition is
endless.
/ina wno suiters?
The starving Europeans, of course, and
the inflation battling Americans, too. Up
go prices, down go supplies and the gamers
are the speculators and the farmer. The
losers are the ultimate consumers. That’s
why Harold Stassen aroused such a furor
when he hinted that government insiders
are speculat.ng in grain. And that’s why
President Truman and Secretary of Agri
culture Anderson have stated so often that
^peculators were doing a great disservice
JHkJiese times.
The Fuel Oil Shortage
When the war is over, everyone told him
self a few years ago, we will be through
with these troublesome shortages.
Practically all realized it was requiring
billions and billions of tons of all kinds
of goods to fight battles extending into
practically every place on earth, as well
as to support our weaker allies.
When this great emergency is over, we
thought then, America will again become
a land of unlimited material resources.
Yet, Wilmington and practically every
other’city in the United States are today
harassed by an acute fuel oil shortage.
Some cities have little, if any, while others
are pulling through because their distribu
tors are practicing a rigid allocation sys
tem with their limited supplies. Yet, this
aggravating situation is no surprise. In
fact, it was predicted months ago.
Why, then, does it exist?
The answer is comparatively simple.
While production of crude oil is in balance
with record consumption, the industry does
not have the transportation to carry it to
the refineries and, secondary, there is a
lack of refinery facilities. It simply comes
to the fact that the country is using more
oil than it can refine and haul to the ulti
mate consumer.
The United States is now using oil at a
rate that wasn’t supposed to be reached
for another 10 years. Consumption in 1947
will be 31 per cent higher than in the pre
war period and seven per cent higher than
at the war peak.
Why the great increase in use of this
type fuel?
That is explainable in such factors as
increased industrial activity, swing to
diesel locomotives, more farm tractors,
more oil heaters, mounting fuel use by au
tomobiles and more trucks. From the
standpoint of heating, by the end of 1947,
50 per cent more oil burners will be in
use in homes, stores and factories than
there were at the end of the war. Despite
efforts in some quarters to discourage
their installation, new burners are going
in at the rate of 50,000 a month and aver
age oil consumption per burner is 40 bar
rels monthly.
As further example of the part of in
creased popularity of oil in effecting the
current shortage, during the 25 year period
ending in 1946j two and one-half million
cil burners were installed throughout the
country. Yet, during the first nine months
if 1947, a total of 913,975 residential, com
mercial and industrial burners were
placed into use.
We have yet to talk to an experienced
oil man who'has a direct, formula for beat
ing the shortage.
Most agree that it will be ended as
rapidly as steel becomes available for
construction of new pipelines, cars and re
fining plants. The industry nas laid out a
four-billion dollar construction program
and hopes to complete it by 1950. Then,
and only then, will it be in a position to
deliver all the oil anyone may want.
Meanwhile, what solution that may be
effected now is up to the consumer, ac
tually the cause of the shortage.
First, there must be a true appreciation
of the situation. No individual or group
is at fault. There have been minor blun
ders, such as too early retirement of some
war tankers, but they have been corrected.
The fact that pierces any argument is that
the nation is simply using more oil than
it can refine or haul. Some selfish indi
viduals are complaining over allocation
but it is the only means of assuring a re
duced but equitable supply.
Second, there must be individual conser
vation. Many can practice it best by re
fraining from converting from coal to oil.
And those now using the latter should re
turn to heating economies effected during
the war. They are familiar with most of
them, ranging from reduction of waste in
the heating plant to lower room tempera
tures, especially during the evening. As
an example of available savings, a cut of
the thermostat from 72 to 68 degrees
during the day and to 60 degrees at night
will save 15 per cent in fuel oil.
Some have advocated rationing. But that
is, in effect, what the distributors are do
ing today. And a tighter, more formal ar
rangement would not be available in North
Carolina except through action by the leg
islature on Presidential order.
Therefore, conservation is the only par
tial answer to the problem.
The extent of its adoption will decide
whether many will actually suffer during
the remainder of the winter. And remem
ber, warm weather will not bring a per
manent end to the shortage. All informed
with the national, long-range situation pre
dict that 1948 and 1949 may have shortages
as serious as the present one. Therefore,
those contemplating conversion may find
be best to delay and, second, the warm
months afford an excellent time to pre
pare, through residential or commercial
improvements, for scarce supplies until the
industry solves the problem as it hopes
to bv 1950.
Top News And Top Issues
This is the time of year when editors
and others compile the lists of what they
consider the most important events of the
past 12 months.
Already several of these iists have ap
peared and the most impressive is the one
presented through the Gallup poll. Based
in an opinion survey among American
/oters, it shows that the high cost of living
ed all other news developments during
1947. Next came the United States' re
asons, now usually termed the “cold
var,” with Russia.
These stories, as practically all others
n the Gallup collection, were continuing
ines. None was confined to a single day
lut, rather, extended over weeks or
nonths. They illustrate quite well the sus
ained interest of the reader in national
md international events. In addition, there
s comparatively little interest, on a nation
il scale, in news stories whose principal
ippeal is violence.
If the Gallup listing is accepted as a
;ood example, it shows the public is be
aming more objective in its news.
“How will this affect me?” appears to
>e the question most ask when they read
his or that story or listen about it over
he radio. And this ranges from the top
lews of prices down to the issue of long
>kirts.
Aside from indicating the public’s taste
,n its news, the Gallup survey is additional
proof that the session of Congress begin
ning next month will merit all the head
line space it is destined to receive. Topping
its problems will be domestic inflation, the
basis of the high cost of living, and the
Marshall plan, our principal weapon in the
‘cold war” against Communism. Most of
the lawmakers have been sufficiently as
sured that their constituents’ interest in
these two great matters was greater than
anything else happening in 1947. The pub
lic, because of its intense concern, will not
be satisfied with anything less than intelli
gent, remedial treatment of both.
The special session of Congress failed to
do anything material about the high cost
af living. It did approve stop-gap aid for
Europe. But both issues still remain and
their handling will, much more than per
sonalities or other factors, determine the
outcome of next year’s presidential elec
tion. In selecting prices and relations with
Russia as the two big events of 1947. the
voters left no doubt about where their in
terests are centered. They will continue
that attitude and their ultimate judgment
on disposal of these problems will be ex
pressed best at the polls next November.
Should Issue Order
A community is quite like an individual
in preferring the train service best suited
to its needs.
For that reason, it is easy to understand
the interest and efforts of the Chamber
of Commerce, working in cooperation with
the Atlantic Coast Line railroad, the City
of Wilmington, Merchants association and
others, to have the Utilities commission
issue a supplementary order regarding
passenger service between Wilmington and
Rocky Mount.
Sometime ago, the Atlantic Coast Line
called on the commission for permission
to suspend trains 48 and 49. Its plea was
based on the contention that they were
being operated at a loss. The commission
refused but authorized the discontinuation
of trains 45 and 46, which came into being
l during the war and have since become
the most important operating between Wil
mington and Rocky Mount. Faster and with
better arranged schedules for connections
to New York and other northern points,
the general traveling public has given
them greater patronage than 48 and 49,
which each make more than a score
of stops compared with three each for 45
and 46. From every standpoint, -the trains
being discontinued on Jan. 5 better suit
the needs of Wilmington and numerous
other Eastern North Carolina communities
than those the commission says must be
continued.
The commission has admited that it is
necessary that one set of trains be sus
pended. But the wrong pair was selected.
Since it appears possible to permit Nos.
45 and 46 to remain in operation and per
form local stops between Wilmington and
Rocky Mount by advancing the schedules,
the commission should issue the supple
mentary order.
In doing so, it will help solve the prob
lem of revenue for the Atlantic Coast I.ine
in this instance and will, at the same time,
give a service not now available through Nos.
48 and 49. The interests of all will be serv
ed much better than if the commission con
tinues its original authorization.
A Port In Action
A few days ago we watched a large
tanker tie up at one of the terminals and,
before the morning was old, begin discharg
ing her cargo of petroleum into great stor
age tanks.
That afternoon, strings of railroad tank
cars and lines of automobile transports be
gan moving out of the terminal area, bound
for up-state communities suffering an
acute shortage of fuel oil.
Here was an excellent example of a port
in action.
Because of Wilmington's deep-water ac
commodations for petroleum traffic, prac
tically all North Carolina has benefitted in
faster transportation service and lower
freight costs. This has been made possible
only by modern oil terminal facilities and
scheduled tanker service. It is quite obvi
ous that what is now happening in the oil
business along our waterfront could be ap
plied to numerous other commodities, both
export and import, if comparable termi
nals and steamship service were available
for their handling and hauling.
As far as oil is concerned, Wilmington
has become a state port.
As to other commodities, there is much
to be done. But when it is accomplished,
not only Wilmington but the remainder of
the state can expect the same high Vol
ume of traffic in them as now prevails
in petroleum products.
Forest Primeval
Members of the United Nations secretariat
were confronted the other day with this
question, posted on a bulletin board at Lake
Success: “How long since you were last in
a forest?” The question was put by the
American Youth Hostels, as an invitation to
hikes and travels.
In view of the vetoes, boycotts and other
troubles that these UN workers must con
tend with, in addition to mountains of just
plain, ordinary work, it might have been
more appropriate to ask them: “How long
before you are going to get out of the
woods?” <
Unpopularity Contest
A budding political movement seems to
have been nipped by the wintery frosts.
The results may be seen in several resign
ations by the officers of the Progressive
Citizens of America and union threats of
withdrawal from the American Labor
party.
These actions leave only one question un
answered: Which is the more shocking to
some of our. leading progressives, the idea
of a third party or the idea of Henry Wal
lace at the head of it?
| " “Phooey! That’d Mean I’d Hafta Change Clothes!
I The white house
WAM1M6T0M
_/
ZJkjlodoliAfeu*j 1
aa aimx^i oufj |
N
The Gallup Poll
Public Selects High Prices, ‘Cold
War’ As Major News Events Of 1947
Marshall Plan And Taft
Hartley Labor Action
Are Next On List
By GEORGE GALLUP
Director, American Institute ol
Public Opinion
PRINCETON, N. J., Dec. 27.
—The high-cost-of-living, Ameri
can relations with Russia, and
the Taft-Hartley labor relations
law were the three most inter
esing news stories of 1947 in the
opinion of American voters. The
cost of living led the voting by
a big margin.
After the top three come the
Marshall Plan for aid to Europe,
Palesine partition, and the in
resitgation of communism in
Hollywood by the House Com
mittee on Un-Americanism
A noticeable feature of the list
is the prominence given to “con
tinuing” stories, rather than spot
news events. Admittedly, we
nave not heard the last of either
of the first five
A nation - wide survey was
made by the Institute of repre
sentative voters who were hand
ed a list of 24 important news
stories of the year and asked:
‘Which of the following news
events i n t e r e sted you the
most?”
Following are the fifteen most
frequently mentioned in order of
rotes received:
High Cost of Living
Russian-American conflict
Marshall Plan.
Taft-Hartley Labor Law pas
sage and litigation
Palestine Partition Plan
Investigation of Hollywood
communism
John L. Lewis’ difficulties with
Government
Princess Elizabeth’s wedding
School teachers’ strikes
Texas City, Texas, disaster
Hughes - Meyers investigation
Truman food- saving program
Telephone strike
Long skirts
Battle of Georgia governors
The leading events selected by
the public closely parallels those
chosen by the nation’s newspa
per editors polled by both the
Associated Press and the Unit
ed Press. In all three lists the
first three are the same.
Of the ten events named by
AP editors two do not appear
on the Institute list: India’s gree
dom and the Florida hurricane
UP editors in their list of ten
Around Capitol Square
N.C. Farm Co-Ops Grow
In Membership, Volume
Bv LYNN NISBET
RALEIGH, Dec. 27. — Farm
co-operatives in North Carolina
have grown in membership and
volume of business during the
past few years, but at somewhat
less rate than the national aver
age. State-by-state figures pub
lished in the November issue of
the Co-operative Digest have
some interesing material for
thought.
The number of recognized ag
ricultural co-operatives in the
United States was exactly the
same for the fiscal year 1945-46
as for the preceding year, but
membership and gross business
had jumped about ten percent.
Last year there were 10,150 co
operative units with 5,010,000
members and business v o lume
of $6,070,000. The 1944-45 figures
mentioned the series of airplane
disasters, India’s freedom and
the world series, none of which
made the grade with the public
In polling the public on the
most interesting sport event of
the year the Institute discovered
that approximately six out of
ten A m e r i c ans follow sports
news . These respondents were
handed another list, wih 20
headline athletic events of the
past year, and asked to name
the one which most interested
them.
In order of voter preference,
here are the first ten:
“Jersey Joe’’ Walcott’s stand
against Joe Louis.
World Series.
Illinois’ one-sided victory over
U.C.L.A. ip Rose Bowl.
Jackie Robinson, first major
league Negro baseball player.
New York Giants’ new home
run record for a season.
Leo Durocher’s suspension
from baseball.
The Rocky Graziano scandal
and his championship victory.
Columbia’s defeat of Army
eleven.
Babe Didrikson (Mrs. Zahari
as) becomes first American to
win British women’s golf title.
Jet Pilot wins Kentucky Derby
in upset.
were 10,150 units, with 4,505,000
members and gross business of
$5,645,000. (These totals are for
farmer co-operatives o n Iv, and
do not include non - agricultural
consumer organizations)
STATE — Norh Carolina is
credited in the report with nine
less organization, but 300 more
members and a million and a
half dollars more business.
Membership was listed at 72,710
and 76,300, respectively, while
business volume increased from
$32,120,000 to $34,720,000. This
was a gain of five percent in
membership, a g a i nst national
average of eleven percent, and
a business increase of eight per
cent, which was the same as the
national figure These figures
are somewhat at variance, gen
erally lower, than those quoted
before the legislative committee
last spring when the co - op tax
issue was being considered.
ANOMALY — Figures for the
District of Columbia are intrigu
ing. Since the list includes only
farmer co-ops, one might won
der about the one organization
listed for the District of Colum
bia, which dropped in member
ship from 1400 to 1360, but in
creased its business from $15,
000,000 to $23,000,000 during the
year. On percentage basis that
business increase was exceeded
only by Nevada, which gained
one unit and 20 members and
boosted business 62 percent —
from $420,000 to $680,000.
ax'u i i-EjJJ — xne co-operauve
picture is geogra phically
spotted. Ten states lost in mem
bership and nine in business
volume, but there is little geo
graphic significance. Massachu
setts had heaviest membership
loss, while Illinois suffered most
in business done by co-ops. Min
nesota led in membership and
California in dollar volume On
regional basis only the south
central states lost in total busi
ness done. In this group gains
made by Alabama, Arkansas
and Oklahoma were offset by
larger losses in Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Mississippi, Louisiana
and Texas.
Ml SgearmanV"
Literary
Lantern
By WALTER^SPEARMiv
CHAPEL HILL, Dec
Would you believe that "
strips are read by 83 Per ^
of male newspaper readers ?!
79 Per cent of women reari m
Then what is y0Ur CWn J
strip—the Gumps. Joe p , or!;t
Blondie, Terry and the K°0ka.
Bringing Up Father L? rat««.
Phan Annie, or Popey*?'01'
If you have ever read
strip, or if you read'half o?"1'6
every day, or if you wi.u *n
children wouldn’t waste ^
time reading the funnies ^lr
you will be interested in a h
new books by Cculton u- *nd
called “The Comies' ,Th?^
miUan company. New YorkrtS
PP- $5) This is the book
tells all about the fUrmi? ‘ha>
they started way back in 5?
with “The Yellow Kid" ?
“Buster Brown” and “The v
zenjammer Kids.” why th.•
“Krazy K,r ""““J
genuine art. how “Winnie W;
kle” and “Tillie the To"K“'
“Ella Cinders” came into bei?
how “Li’l Abner” swept the
tion, and when the adventu.
strips like “Dick Tracv” .
“Tarzan” took over from the ol
comics. q
Author Coulton Waugh ought
to know plenty about the cornin'
strips. Not only has he read
them, but he also has written
one of the popular strin.
“Dickie Dare,” for about ten
years. Then in 1944 he turned
the Dare strip over to his wife
and started collecting the mete,
rial for his book on the comic?
which has turned out to be one
of the most enlightening and en
tertaining books imaginable for
anyone who is interested in di?.
covering why American readers
are so devoted to their comic
strips that they can't even eat
breakfast without "The Gump?"
or perhaps the new “Steve Can
yon” or the old favorite, “Mutt
and Jeff.”
Although he gives an excellent
acceunt of all the currently pop
ular strips, Mr. Waugh himself
seems devoted to “Blondie” m
the best family strip, to “Terry
and the Pirates" for adventure
and ideas, and to "Barnaby"
and “Sad Sack” among the
more recent additions.
He does not shy away from
the underlying philosophy of i»t
various strips and tells you why
he thinks each of them hat it?
immense reading public. First
of all, he maintains, "people
read comics because they find
themselves reflected in them"
He also believes that the history
of our times is to be found In
the funnies—and he hopes that
in the future comic strips will
improve as an art form and that
“the people’s artists will have
the satisfaction of knowing that
they are identified with a vast
and forward movement, v.hich
is giving to everyday folks their
right to laugh and flourish under
the sun.”
* * *
THE RUINS OF EFRON!
Edmund Wilson, distinguished
literary critic of the New York
er Magazine and author of the
controversial “Memoirs of He
cate County,’ went to Europein
the spring of 1949. His com
ments on the situation he round
are published in a new' book.
“Europe Without Baedeker.
Sketches Among the Ruins of
Italy, Greece and Fn-land
(Doubleday and Co.. Inc., b’e"1
York. 427 pp. $4) Some o the
chapters have appeared in hr
New Yorker, others in Tow an
Country and in Horizon.
Travelling without the custo
mary “Baedeker Guide Book,
which would indeed have been
almost useless in a war-deva*.
ed continent, where new rum
have fallen upon the old one
Mr. Wilson used his own greet
srore of insight and intelligence
Particularly interesting are m
remarks on what the Eng
thought of American soldier*
what the Italians were doing w
rebuild their nation, and how rn
British intervenion m Grew
had pushed that countiy c
to the communists. He ®.tend ,
the theater in Englan- 1 ‘
it superior to eontenpejj
American drama He
to socialist leaders m Jr*
and decided that the f
had muffed their opportun J
He encountered communism
work in Europe and dm
it the solution to the wmld
Behind The News
Reds Making Another Tactical Move In Greece
By DEWITT MACKENZIE
AP Foreign Affairs Analyst
The significance of the procla
mation of a rebel Communist
state in Northern Greece is that
it represents another important
tactical move in Russia’s deter
mined drive to gain cdntrol of
the Dardanelles straight and so
slet herself up as a Medi
terranean power — an ambi
tion which also plagued the
Czars of generations past.
To understand developments
we must recall that the Dardan
elles now is under control of
Turkey, who, bolstered by
America and Britain, has sturdi
ly rejected Moscow’s demands
for joint administration of this
strategic waterway. The Turks
figure that “joint” administra
tion shortly would lead to Red
domination.
A glance at your maps will
show that Greece thrusts down
from the Balkan peninsula into
the Mediterranean to the west of
the Dardanelles, thereby provid
ing a powerful base either for
defense of the strait or for op
erations against it. At this writ
ing Greece, like Turkey, is in
the camp of the Western Demo
cracies and so is a bulwark safe
guarding- the status quo of the
Dardannelles. Russia, for very
obvious reasons wants to gain
domination of Greece as a step
ping stone to control if the
straight.
That brings us up to current
developments. The Greek mon
archy has been fighting for its
life against Communist rebellion
whidh a United Nations commis
sion of investigation found was
being fostered by Russia’s satel
lite nations bordering Greece —
Albania, Yugoslavia and Bul
garia. It long has been a fore
gone conclusion that the rebels
would establish a Communist
“state” at earliest possible date.
This, when recognized by the
Communists countries to the
north, would permit them to ren- i
der mor* aid to the rebels in the .
effort to overthrow the Athens
government.
It’s a grapevine operatior
which the Reds project. If th€
government can hang in, we
may expect to see a great in
tensification in the assaull
against the monarchy. Should
that be overthrown, it would im
mediately be replaced by a
Communist government affdat
ed with Moscow. Like all the
other Balkan states excepting
Turkey. Then would come fresh
pressure to force Turkey to con
cede Russia’s demands in the
Dardanelles.
The leader of the Red rebel
lion is one “General” Markos
Vifiades, who is said to be a
capable leader and a good or
ganizer. Thus far he seems to
be carrying the site of his capi
tal about in his hip - pocket.
Fierce fighting is proceeding in
Northern Greece near the Al
oanian and Yugoslavia frontiers
and the “General” has succeed
id in keeping the whereabouts
>t his headquarters — presum
ably seat of governing
a dark secret. ,
Vifiades’ proclamation .
new state brought
cussions in Athens • •• up
ment announced the r° tion
of some 500 people m '1 ■ , ]0t
with a Communist-ii'sPj• - j.
to assassinate prominei. f
politicians, including
Premier Gonatas. „vp]t
Should the Communr-t- ,{
ir Greece meet with ;"‘ituatj'0n,
would create a grav nv ariscS
and the question natu:^--. ^u?.
as to what the attltuAljfeS would
sia and the Western - ‘ ' ta(,le
be. That’s .an
query, especially in '• being
name the Balkans ’■ ,L , ,,reat
the whelping ground -
wars. have 3
However, I think,"the maior
right to assume tha. c0n*
powers of both sides o cir
troversy would tread ■ : „0r
cumspectly. Neither * anoth
the Western Allies all
er world war, and c „r/>
hands will go far to