davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
Justice Jackson Suggests Iron Curtain
Will Hurt Soviet More han The u. S.

Justice Robert H. Jackson, of the United States
Supreme Court, is on solid ground when he sug-
gests that the Soviet Iron Curtain will do Russia
more harm than the United States,
Naturally, the jurist doubts the wisdom of those
who think it is up to us to do something even If
something VIOLENT to break through the Iron Cur
tain order to penetrate it with more information,
news and our own ideology.'
It should be obvious to those of who have
faith in the American way of life that, if there is
anything to belief the action of Soviet Russia is
certain to harm the Russians than anybody
else.
Mr.. Jackson says that he did not come from the
Nuremberg trials, where he served as the American
prosecutor with the usual American passion for re-
educating the rest of the world" He nclines to be-
lieve, by contrast that I'VE need some re-educatlng
ourselves because srnugness erect an Iron Cur
tain as effective any established by Governmental
action.
The "passion" of the American people, to which
the Judge refers has been noticeable in good many
American activities 1t is clearly evident in the fev-
er" with which many Americans insist upon writing
Bill of Rights for the people of the world despite
the obvious fact that the vast majority of the nhab
tants of the globe entirely unfit by training edu
cation and experience for the rights guaranteed by
the American Constitution.
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
Despite Lessons Of Experience Thompson Says
U. S. May Take Another Step Toward Collectivism

But before Congress passes
any bill for universal sickness
'health" insurance-it owes it to
the American people to tell them
exactly what a person with, say,
an income Of from $4,000 to $3,-
900 a year is going to have to
pay over a working life of 40
years to take care of his Illness
es. and just what services the
Government positively guaran-
tees him in return for his money.
viii it, for instance, sign on the
dotted line that if his wife is in
labor, the Government guaran-
tees 4 bed and a physician at
the critical moment?
Don't make me laugh! I've
lived under these schemes.
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
BY Lynn Nisbet

BUS ROUTES - Two-thirds
OF the road mileage on the state
and county road map is travers-
ed by school buses, and one
third of the school bus routes
are paved. To complete the Kerr
Scott program of having every
school bus route hard surfaced
will require improvement of 27-
04l miles of road, but to provide
hard surface for every road ov-
er which two or more buses ira
vel will require only 1920 miles
Of paving. These and other facts
are found in the compilation of
data obtained in county by
county study recently completed
by Charles Ross at instance of
group of Sott's fcriends.
REASONABLE - Results of
this study would indicate that
complete attainment of the Scott
goal during he next four years
is possible, though hardly prob
able, but that it is entirely rea-
sonable to expect that all roads
carrying more than one school
bus day can be put in all-wea-
ther condition before expiration
of the. next governors term.
SOURCES - Figures going in
to the compilation were obtain
ed from official sources, have
been available all the time, but
have not before been tabulated
and codified so as to press an
intelligent picture of the whole
situation. Data on road mileage
and type of construction came
from files of the highway and
public works commission, and is
broken down by highway divi-
sions and counties for the re-
port. Information as to school
bus routes was obtained from
the state board of education, in
many instances double check
ed with individual county re-
cords.
JOB = The job of assembling
and analyzing this information
kept Ross and secretary, as
sisted by dozen or more part
time engineers, busy for more
than two months. Final tabula-
tio-- Is supported by detail maps
q sach ef ~ 100 counfieA upon
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
School Bus Route Paving Can Be Aided
A Great Deal With 7,72O Miles OF Road

which have been traced the bus
routes showing exactly how
many buses traverse what tyne
of road. The work sheets include
hundreds of pages of figures for
arriving at percentages of dif-
ferent type road surfaces to tot
al mileage.
BREAKDOWN - There, are
25,390.1 miles of road used by
only one school bus of which S.
268.53 miles are paved and TO-
l2l.57 unpaved. Two buses trav-
erse 10,953.28 miles of which T.
503.52 miles are paved; three
buses ruh over 3,261.83 miles
with 2,233.52 miles of it paved,
while for four or more buses a
day the mileage is 2,209.58 with
l,967.97 paved and only 241.6l
not paved. These figures work
out to show that while there are
27,481.25 miles Of unpaved school
bus routes, more than twenty
thousand miles of it is used by
only one bus, leaving 7,719.68
miles Of unpaved road used by
two or more school buses.
DEFINITIONS - Actual
ly, there are not twenty seven
thousand miles of unimproyed
school bus routes. Many hum
dreds of miles Of road classified
as unpaved according to the
concrete-asphalt definition used,
have been made virtually all
weather roads by application Of
stone, gravel and topsoil. The
tenth division, for example.
comprising thirteen mountain
counties, is credited with 1,184
miles of paved roads,, but it
has over two thousand addition
al miles with six inches or more
OF crushed stone. In some local.
tiles that type construction is re-
garded as paved road in con
trast with untreated dirt roads,
--ere has also been some con-
fusion between road mileage and
bus mileage in arriving at tot
ais. A five mile section Of road
carrying four buses means for
ty miles of bus mileage on one
and trip. Highway figures in
clude only road mileage, while
school figures take into account
bus mileage. Since one pave
ment suffices for all buses, road
mileage Is considered ass basis
for paving nssda
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
Religious Freedoms Guarantees Do Not
Upset State Laws On Snake Cultists

The Tennessee Supreme Court has ruled that con-
stitutonal guarantees of religious freedoms do not
invadate State law against handling poisonous
snakes in public.
Ten members of church, including three wom-
en- were convicted under the law, which was passed
after two persons died from snake bites received
during religious ceremonies. he defendants, of
course claimed that the law violated guarantees of
religious freedom.
While the basic law of the United States guar
antees religious freedoms to the individual should
understand that this relates to beliefs rather than to
actions While every American is entitled to believe
anything or nothing, American is entitled to
violate the laws of the land that regulate the act
vities of human beings.
Obviously, if any person could do anything, un-
der the guise of religious freedom it would be i'm
possible to enforce any law against person who pro-
fessed that the act in accordance with religious
conviction 1t is permitted for example, for one to
believe in plural marriages the communal doctrine
of free love- but if puts into practice such be-
lief the laws of the land will go into action and the
guilty parties will be prosecuted.
It may be said, however, that if one has such
positive religious convictions upon a subject which
makes one liable to criminal prosecution, the be-
lever if he commits illegal acts is subject to prose-
cution and punishment. If the religious belief is
sincere and the adherent courageous, there is
lief from the persecution of the unfalthful who hap
pen to be in positionto make the laws of the land
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20

assembly line and, stop all he
already has put up, week by
week, pay a private fee.
How do I know this? Because
I have experienced 1t.
Just why this most inventive
country seems compelled blind
ly to copy social measures ORR
ginating elsewhere is battling.
We need better health service.
Granted. We need many, many
more hospitals. The existing hos
pitals need public aid, since the
sources Of private support are
increasingly drained off In taxes.
And we need more genuinely
free medicine for people In real
jams.
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
By Hugo .. Sims

Those who favor compulsory
health insurance think they have
4 chance to win their long battle
in the next Congress.
Senator James E. Murray, Of
Montana, who has advocated q
health irfurlnce program for
many years, thinks that the me-
dical men of the nation should
sit down with the legislator and
work out the program instead Of
accusing its sponsors "as Socia-
list and even Communists"
Mr.. Murray points out that the
plan "would not change present
personal and individual relation
ships between doctors and pat
ients," but would "remove the
financial worry about paying
these bills from the people as
well as the profession"
We have not entered into any
exhaustive discussion Of the pro-
posed health plan, but it seems
essential for all Of US to UNDER
stand that there are two prob
lens confronting the people: ~
The medical problem, involving
proper treatment and hospitali-
zation; and (2) the econo-
mic problem, involving the ability
Of those who need medical treat
ment to pay for it.
While we are perfectly willing
to bow to the members Of the
medical profession in regard to
all matters included in the first
problem, we are not inclined to
regard them As super-experts In
regard to the economic problem.
That there are dangers connect
ed with any plan, particularly II
politics gets hold Of the program,
we will admit, but these, it seems
to US, could be avoided II all
concerned work comparatively on
the initiation and development Of
the program.
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20

The most hotly debated issue
that has arisen before the con.
ference Of the United Nations Ed
ucational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization developed when
Spanish-speaking countries insis-
ted that Spanish be adopted, =
long with Enslish and French,
a. : working language. @ n,
Adoption u Ss,anish % ! work.
ings language, II = pointed cut,
- - sgl1IAlxt - G
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
BY Ray Tucker

WASHINGTON, Dec. 20-The
current lag in retail sales OF soft
goods has been attributed to the
prices in almost every consumer
field. But this explanation i'm
presses federal and private econ
omists as only partially satisfact-
ory, in view of official reports
that purchasing power remains
at a peak among most classes
of workers.
Government statisticians seeking
more fundamental reasons for
the amazing decline think that
they have hit upon the answer.
Their year-end studies indicate
that the nations spending pat
tern has shifted radically since
the early postwar days. They
cannot tell yet whether the
change is permanent or not, but
they will pursue their inquiry for
the light it may throw upon ne
cessary readjustments in manu-
featuring, pricing and selling
practices.
The survey, which tried to dis
cover where the buying dollars
60 these days, covered selected
years in the period from just be-
fore the 1929 crash through the
first half of 1948, The same
trend has persisted to this mo-
ment, however.
FOOD: The American people,
for one thing, are spending far
more Of the family budget on
food than ever before. Even al
lowing for inflated costs, the pro-
portion of income going into the
market basket tops all previous
records, due to higher wages and
better educated appetites.
Expenditures for food in the
first half of 1949 amounted to III
per cent of personal income, as
against less than 16 per cent in
1946 and about 13 per cent in
1929.
People are also eating out more
than in prewar years, although
the rush to restaurants and night
clubs has dropped. About per
cent of fathers pay went for
dining abroad in 1916, whereas
the figure now is only 6.8 per
cent.
1t was only 90 per cent in 1929,
and although prohibition was a
deterrent factor then, the in
crease reflects the change in ha-
bits which World War II produc-
ed. A large part of the increase
is due to the number of women
who work, as well as to house.
wives who could get good meals
only at unrationed hotels in scar
city days, and continue the Gus
tom so as to escape the kitchen.
GOODS: Still another reason
for a drop in department store
and mail order buying is the re-
turn of durable consumer goods
to the market-automobiles, ra-
dlos, television sets, furniture
kitchen equipment etc. With Gus
toners incurring instalment debt
Tor these articles, they must cut
down on other purchases.
In the first half of l946, for
instance, only 3.3 per cent of dis
posable income went into auto
mobiles and accessories, an alb
normally low figure. The per-
centage has climbed to almost
per cent, a ratio exceeded on
ly in 1941, and it will 60 higher
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
vman Christmas Shopping For Secretary Of State Like Hughes
Spending Patterns Appear To Have
Shifted Radically From Pre-War Days

as more cars become available.
Outstanding automobile credit is
now almost 1000, 900, 900.
Other outlets for cash or ere.
dit have been homes, house re-
pairs, farm implements-goods or
services unobtainable until a
short time ago in any volume.
DURABLES: 1t is believed
that the demand for durables will
presist for at least several years,
meaning longtime shift of pur-
chasing power from competing
products.
Many families now feel the
need of two ,ars. New house.
hold devices-storage refrigera-
tors, deep freezes, modern stoves
and sinks, air conditioning, cabi-
nets, garbage disposal units
lighter housewives drudgery to
such an extent that they have
become essentials. Even the
smallest homes will have them.
DEMAND: The growing de.
mand for consumer durables
not factory or industrial stuff
is a postwar phenomenon whose
effect is yet undetermined
Heavy goods bought by indivi-
duals totalled only nine billion
dollars worth in 1929 and only
ten billions in 194l. From 1880
through 1916 the annual average
of purchases was about six-and
a-half billions.
The estimated 1948 purchases
will be twenty-two-and-hal bill
lions, with demand still unsatis-
fled. AS a result, such retail
lines as clothing, textiles, leath-
er goods, jewelry, drugs, liquor,
entertainment and other essential
articles have suffered seWArely
even during the holiday season.
CLOTHES: A curious trend
has been the increased amount
of money percentagewise, which
women spend on clothes.
It is attributed largely to the
fact that many former stay-at-
homes entered business and ser
vice trades during the war, and
have not returned to the homes,
schoolrooms and rural hamlets
whence they came. Naturally,
they must dress better.
On the other hand, men learn
ed to dress more carelessly and
comfortably during the same per-
iod, and the prejudice against
shiny trouser seat-or even
patched square-disappeared.
Whatever the reason the two
sexes spent about the same A.
mount of finery in 1929-1.6 per
cent for the men and 1.8 for wo-
men. Now, papa hands out only
l.3 per cent, while milday's new
look" requires "a per cent Of the
budget.
PATTERN: While these per-
centage changes may seem small
in themselves, it must be re
membered that they apply to
more than hundred billions Of
dollars of disposable income, and
represent marked changes in out
living habits.
Though each individual ia
mlly's expenditures may not fol-
low this pattern exactly, these
statistics represent, too, what A.
merican men and women are do
ing with and getting for their
money today.
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20

The problems of the nation
could be solved, perhaps, II the
people of the United States, on
the average, managed to be less
selfish.
The same observation applies,
no doubt, to the peoples that po-
pulate the globe but let's not
spread ourselved over too much
territory.
In the land of the brave and
the home Of the free we have
any number of prominent indi-
yiduals whose sole claim to pri-
ority Is that they have been more
greedy than other individuals.
There is basis for the obser-
walton that the American dollar,
whan amassed in considerable
volume. either through inheri-
tance, hard work or coll sal steal
Ing, opens the gate to social, re-
1ot1a1a an1 c1ltaTal ee66aitlo6,
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
DAILY BIBLE QUOTATION

And the earth without and void and darkness was
the face of the deep And the Spirit of God moved upon
the face of the Genesis !:
The Bible quotations for this month are sug-
gested by the Rev. Edmund Berkeley, rector OF the
All Saints Episcopal Church in Roanoke Rapids.
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
BY Dorothy Thompson

~ SSASAAAy AAVsAAkDOaA
It seems certain that we are
going to take another step on
the road to bureaucratic col
lectivism by the passage Of a
compulsory health insurance bill,
to which President Truman is
pledged.
The United States Public
Health Service is for it, as every
government agency is always for
a vast extension Of its powers.
The labor unions and farmers
organizations are for it be-
cause it sounds good. Industry
would like to saddle the Fed
eral Government with the ex-
pense of workmen's compensa-
ton cases. Professional social
workers foresee great opportuni-
ties for themselves. And mere
100000 physicians 80 per cent
of whom are against it, cannot
buck the trend. Besides, they
are supposed to be 'prejudiced,"
on the current theory that those
who know most about anything
are not reliable witnesses.
Also, the opposition has not
been intelligent. 1t has ranted
against Specialization" as though
the mere word had conjuring
powers. Let this opponent,
therefore, make herself clear.
am not against it because it Il
"socialistic," but because it u
the application Of national social
ism in the least appropriate field.
Also, l have lived ul.der such
medical systems in England, Aus
tria and Germany, and they
were awful.
They cost the people far too
much. They provide inferior SER
vices at a high price. They are
incapable of dealing with really
serious and complicated cases.
They result in two sorts Of
medicine-good medicine for the
well-to-do; and bad for the mass
es, at high cost to those who
can least afford it. And they
b,ild up a vested interest Of
physicians and bureaucrats
which the people will never get
rid Of.
The great joker In all these
schemes is that they are put for
ward as free" meaning some
thing for nothing. Let their pro-
ponents at least tell the truth.
What is advocated is compul-
sorry insurance.
Every worker in this country
will have the cost subtracted
from his pay envelope, and add
ed (by his employers) to the
price of everything he buys. He
will be paying for unusued as
pirins when he needs the money
for oranges. He will be support
ing innumerable filing clerks
horrendous paper staff for $50
million people. When and If he
gets i'll, he will find himself a.
one Of so patients (haH of them
hypochondriacs bent on getting
Sc vice for their money! whom
physician must examine in an
hour!
And if he really is ill-and
finds that under the slap-happy
methods Of overworked doctors,
whose fees are assured anyhow,
he gets not better but worse---
he finally will In desperation
consult one Of those private ply
aisia1a Nshe seflaes r. - ~
Roanoke Rapids daily herald., 1948-12-20
Compulsory Health Insurance Plan
Seems To Have Good Chance, Sims Says

one sixteenth of the total budget
of the conference, simply for ex-
ira translation and paper work.
The staff of interpreters would
have to be doubled and the pro-
liability is that, if Spanish is ac-
cepted, Arabic-speaking countries
will also demand that their tom
que be included in the selected
group.
The question of "official lam
suages' naturally comes up in
the work of any international
organization. The case for Eng
lish is wen-established and
French, as a former official Ian
guage, is somewhat established.
Naturally, those who speak other
tongues will, through racial pride
and ambition, want to see their
tongues included on a parity.
If the official laguages are to
be adopted on a basis of equali-
ty, just as the equality of indivi-
duals has been accepted regard
less Of fact, we see no reason
why Russian, Chinese and other
tongues are not given recogni-
ton.
What will the non-white races
think Of an organization which
discriminates against their Ian
guage? If English and French
are good enough to be recogniz-
ed as "official," they feel certain
that their languages, dialects and
tongues should receive equal re-
cognition.
The Detroit tribune., 1948-07-17
DemS Return Home
To Battle Against
Race Using Ballot

PHILADELPHIA William
p Baskin. Democratic chairman
in South Carolina. last Tuesday
called special meeting of state
and party officials 70 discuss
the recent decision Of Federal
Judge j. WaiteS
Judge WaitcS decision in
joined the state party from not
enrolling Negroes for the Aug.
1924 primaries Enrolment. how
ever. have been closed in all but
five counties.
All members Of the state
Democratic Executive Commit
tee and all county chairmen ex-
cept the Richmond (Columbia)
County chairman were named
defendants Baskin said that ap-
proximately 25 members OF the
states delegation 20 the Ma
tional Convention would have
10 leave Philadelphia 20 return
to South Carolina for the con-
ference.
The Detroit tribune., 1948-07-17
Cab Galloway
Ballroom Suit
Gets New Trial

A new trial was ordered by
the Missouri Supreme Cout for
Cab Galloway in his 100000
suit against the Pla Nor ballroom
IN Kansas City. Mo. for dam
ages he suffered when attacked
ny a bouncer.
Cab and a friend. Felix II
PAYNE. were assaulted BY the
bathrooms bouncer when they
went there 10 see Lionel Hamp-
ton who was PLAYING for \
dance attended bv whites The
incident happened back In De
cember. l945. Cab was then ar
rested and charged with disturb.
ING the peace and disOrdcrly
conduct, but the charges were
later dismissed
The new trial was ordered be
cause the court held the de-
fesnes argument were preju-
dicial The lower courts decision
favoring the Pla-Mor ballroom
was set aside and the new trial
set.