The Petal paper. [volume] (Petal, Miss.) 1953-19??, 1959-02-05

9AAG AAAtd q otCduy gaze anu SdlQs
I'm of half a mind to- wiring
your neck" I've given thought
to her statement since then and
have come to the conclusion that
the lady was partly right in what
she said. Yes, I think she did
have half mind but not
much more.
Still in pursuit of success, I
took a stand in a telephone
strike. My position was that la
Dor had every right to bargain,
to negotiate, and to strike, should
they so decide, but labor did
not have the right to destroy
property, public or private, nor
did individual members have the
right to beat up employees who
did not belong to their union. I
fear my simple position was mis-
understood by all concerned.> On
Saturday night, following the
statement Of my position. | was
taking my weekly bath when the
telephone began to ring. Eight
times il tolled and each time for
me and each time it represented
a cancelled subscription, coupled
with a verbal blow. Finally, /
left the telephone off the hook
and finished my bath. I've often
wondered what the total count
would have been had I not need
ed that Saturday night bath. 1t
was during the strike tina I re-
ceived my first threat of beat
ing. The unidentified gentleman
was nice about it; he was just
going 10 knock my brains out
. :. nothing really serious. Any
way. il would have been quite a
feat, considering that other call
ers had said that l didn't have a
brain in my head.
Still on the road to success and
distinction, / became involved in
a matter having to do with the
rights OF property owners. AS it
happened. a refining company
decided to locate near HattieS-
burg and they had not asked, but
had demanded, that a family let
them have a certain tract of land
for their site. The attitude of the
company being what it was, along
with other factors, the family
declined 20 meet their demands.
Then the company told the own
efs that they were going to take
the land and set out to try. The
matter became somewhat involv-
cd ard iocaf tefnpers flared. My
contention. so very simple, was
that I'D like TO see the industry
locate in the area, but more i'm
portant than a few dozen addi-
tional jobs Yves the fact that the
right to private ownership must
not be denied. I fear my position
was once again misunderstood.
II was thought I was opposed TO
industry moving In; this ! was
sa'd ia nc against additional pay
rolls for the area. A few adver-
ti5crs saw fiji to cancel because
of my position; among those who
Cancelled their ads was the par
ent company, Gulf Refining, and
two other companies in the pc
troleum business, all of which
were good advertising accounts.
When il was all over. the right
of property owners was retained
and the refinery located in the
area anyway. Twas not invited to
the formal opening OF the install
lation. AS a matter of fact, did
MT make dime out of the whole
affair.
Probably my greatest single
step toward my present dlstlnc-
ton was taken in March of 1886.
Around the first of the month /
learned that a citizens council
group was going to be organized
| IN Forrest County. The date fof
organization was set for March
21st. felt inclined 10 oppose the
council, contending we had suf-
ficient bigots without organizing