The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1944-12-29
TO-DAY IS THE DAY that Pas.


cagoulans viii decide whether or
not the city will issue $3.50 in
bonds as its share of the propos-
ed 900 recreation building
fund. Our prediction is that the
bond issue will be affirmed by
the voters by a comfortable mar
gin. A vote for the issue is a
vote for Pascagoula's future. Our
city can easily within a few brief
years, be the most thriving and
stable city on the Gulf Coast.
However, whether or not 1t will
depends entirely on US, the citi-
zens, and whether or not we
want 1t to be.
The recreation program will be
a step towards achieving that
future. II will also be a step to-
wards instilling q sense of civic
pride In a large element of our
population, which certainly does
not possess any now. This civic
pride is a necessary element,
which can be materially aided by
the new city government in TAX
ing measures TO clean up u
streets and unsightly vacant lots,
if Pascagouia is TO be the attrac-
tive and beautiful city that il can
be.
Other measures r also neces-
sary il this destiny is to be
achieved. One is port develop
ment. Here we sit nearer deep
water and the inter-coastal canal
than any city on the Gulf Coast
and with unlimited harbor poten-
tialities. Another is the diversifi-
cation of industries and the e
curing of new ones, both large
and small. Another Is the econ
omic development OF our rural
areas, long preached by w. b.
Herring, and the development of
our native products, and products
adaptable to our soil and climate
All this will take hard work,
long range planning and an IN
assailable will to succeed. One
brief step in that direction can
be taken by the voters today
when they vote yes" on the rec
reation bond issue.
HENRY LEE WILEY. 22-year-
old negro, died Friday night for
the rape and murder of a l3-year-
old white girl. There is no ques-
ton of his guilt and no question
but that his punishment was just.
However. we could not help
thinking that society, in execut-
ing its vicious criminals, is some
what akin to an Individual looping
off the top of a rank growth of
weeds that threaten his garden
rather than pulling them out by
The roots. Heredity, environment
and circumstances make murder
ers and criminals. Until, as civil
lied human beings, attack and
remove these causes we shall al
ways have murderers and rapists
in our prisons awaiting execution.
MONDAY MARKS THE begin
ming of a New Year for us and
il should also mark a rededica-
ton of our strengths and wills to
the war effort. Our government
has, we believe, been playing pol
ities with us in the lifting of na-
tioning regulations, the taking of
vague steps towards reconversion
and the manufacture of consumer
goods. Ii led to the belief that
the war in Europe was in the
final stage. Events have proved
that ii was not, and now ration
ing and Tightening of civilian
controls is stricter than ever. 1t
was 4 foolish move to ever relax
these controls until final victory
was in sight and we cannot be
licve that. with the channels of
information funnelled to our top
ranking officials and officers,
they believed such to be true. If
they did. our military and gov
ernrnentai set-up needs a dras-
tic revamping. In any event and
whatever the causes, statistics
show that production of military
needs has Jagged badly, with
workers BY the thousands desert