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VENIN vjr
By Quimby Melton
President Lyndon B. Johnson
will be 59 years old Sunday. Just
what sort of a birthday can the
President look forward to?
Merriman Smith, veteran UPI
White House correspondent, who
probably knows as much about
the President as anyone outside
his own family, has written a
special two-part answer to this
question for the Griffin Daily
News and other UPI clients. It
begins today on page fifteen.
Normally almost everyone
looks forward to a “Happy birth
day”.
But what about the man who
lives in the White House?
Merriman Smith says that if
LBJ did not have extraordinary
stamina he might be tempted
to say “Happy about what?”
when greeted Sunday with “Hap
py Birthday.”
As the President approaches
his 59th birthday he is faced
with increasing problems in the
undeclared war in Vietnam; con
tinued and mounting unrest in
the Middle East; serious unrest
in this country with riots and
demonstrations that might be
likened to guerrilla warfare; a
Congress that shows signs of
being hostile, with many mem
bers seemingly more intetested
in what they can do to bring ab
out their reelection in 1968 than
what is best for the nation, and
this hostility is not limited to the
opposition party, many of his
severest critics being in his own
party; with people openly advo
cating and urging anarchy and
rebellion against the government,
and Uncle Sam either unable,
or unwilling, to do anything to
halt this treason because of the
Supreme Court “guaranteeing
freedom of speech”; his unpopu
lar request for a surtax on per
sonal and business income tax
es; and other things that make
up his program which he thinks
is needed to meet problems here
at home and abroad.
Both at home and abroad LBJ
is blamed for anything and ev
erything that one does not like.
If ever a man had cause to be
pessimistic on his birthday it is
LBJ.
We do not know whether
he will spend his 59th birthday
in the White House or on his
Texas ranch. But Good Even
ing hopes that wherever he
spends it he can forget the pro
blems that face him and enjoy
the day with his family. Even a
harassed President is entitled
to at least one happy day a
year. (Incidentally, no doubt,
the fact that he has a baby gr
andson, to be with him on his
birthday will help him enjoy the
occasion.)
— * —
Someone has called the Presi
dent of the United States “t h e
lonesomest man in all the wor
ld.” And this statement was
made many years ago, long be
fore Lyndon B. Johnson became
President.
Certainly whoever is Presi
dent is the “lonesomest man in
the world”, for when it comes
down to the last analysis it is he,
and he alone, who must make
final decisions on many of the
most baffling problems that ar
ise during his administration.
He can seek and obtain the ad
vice of others; he can call in
Congressional leaders of both
parties, discuss problems with
them, but the final decisions are
up to him.
President Woodrow Wilson had
to go before Congress and ask
a declaration of war against
Germany;
President Franklin D. Roose
velt had to make the final de
cision declaring a bank holiday
when America faced a financial
crisis, and had to ask Congress
to declare war on Japan and
Germany after the attack at Pe
arl Harbor;
President Harry S. Truman
had to order the bombing attack
on Japan;
President Kennedy had to take
full responsibility for the Bay
of Pigs fiasco, though it ha d
been planned by a previous ad
ministration, and then he ha d
to demand that Russia withdraw
her missiles from nearby Cuba.
Today there are daily decis
ions that LBJ and he alone
must make.
Others in authority can make
excuses for unpopular decisions
they make, including blaming
the President for “arm twist
ing”.
But the President, whoever he
may be, cannot pass the buck to
anyone else.
In spite of all, Mr. President,
Good Evening wishes you a
Happy Birthday
Judge McGehee Says
'Didn't Intend To
Indicate Anything 9
Judge John H. McGehee of
the Griffin Judicial Circuit told
the Griffin Daily News today
that he did not intend to indi
cate anything with reference to
his retirement in remarks to the
Upson County grand jury this
week.
He said he did not wish to
make any comment on retire
ment.
The judge noted that he h a d
begun this year the first year of
a new four year term to which
he was reelected in 1966.
Judge McGehee was elected
without opposition for a new
term running from 1967 through
1970. However, he will reach
retirement age a year or two be
fore his term expires.
Judge McGehee said he did
not wish to comment on this.
The Thomaston Free Press, a
weekly newspaper published in
Thomaston, in a news story this
week, posed the question: “Did
Judge John H. McGehee say in
court Monday that he would
complete his term in office in
stead of retiring when he reach
es retirement age which is be
fore his term expires?”
The Free Press story went
on:
‘‘Some observers believe that
is what the Griffin Judicial Cir
cuit Judge did say between the
lines in his charge to the Aug
ust Term Grand Jury.
"He was talking about the
need for vigilance against crime
and said, ‘I am fast approach
ing the time when I’ll step down
and I won’t have a thing to do
with who succeeds me.’
“And the statement that led
those watching for such words
for attaching meaning read a
full term in his statement that
he would do nothing toward se
lecting a successor ‘unless any
person offers as a candidate for
this job’ who could be approach
ed by organized crime,” the
newspaper story said.
It noted that should the jud
ge step down at retirement age
and before his term ended, the
vacancy would be filled by an
appointment by the governor.
The newspaper said, "Those
close to the judge insist he has
made no firm decision on the
matter and that it will all be go
verned by his health when the
time comes for a decision.”
, In his charge to the Upson
jury, Judge McGehee warned
that citizens could not tolerate
organized crime.
“You cannot tolerate organ
ized crime one minute. If you do,
you are in trouble and don’t you
forget it,” the judge told the
grand jurors.
He said honest officials is one
of the best safeguards against
organized crime. He said that
should anything less than an ho
nest candidate offer for the jud
geship when he steps down that
he would work against his elec
tion.
Should a candidate offer for
the post who "would compro
mise or be approachable by or
ganized crime, I’ll say so and
say so in every county in the
INSIDE |
Hospital. p age 2
Stork Club. p age 2 .
Funerals, Page 2.
Society. Page 3 *
Editorials. p age 4
Television. Page 4.
Billy Graham. Page 4.
Arms Pact. Page 5.
Sports. Pages 6-9.
Viet Vote. p a g e io.
Cancer Spread. Page 10.
Military. p age U .
Ray Cromley. Page 12.
Bruce Biossat. Page 13.
Dr. Brandstadt. Page 14.
Commentary. Page 14.
LBJ Birthday. Page 15-
Georgia News. Page 16.
Liquor Suit. Page 16.
Comics. Page 17.
Want Ads. Pages 18, 19.
Goldwater Blast. Page 20.
Country Parson
“Eyes work better than
ears—we do what we see
folks do, not what they say
we should do."
DAILY W" NEWS
Daily Since 1872
circuit,” Judge McGehee told
the grand jurors.
The Griffin Judicial Circuit in
cludes the counties of Upson,
Pike, Spalding and Fayette. Its
solicitor general is Andrew Wha
len, Jr., of Griffin.
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(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)
Youth Crusade
The Griffin Optimist Club presented a check to the Griffin Youth Crusade which
will begin Sunday at the First Baptist Church. The check was presented by Opti
mist president Frank Hazel to crusade publicity chairman Ann Sullins. They look at
the agenda for the crusade Most churches in the Griff area will participate in the
community wide services.
Bootleg Search
Comes Up Dry
JEFFERSON, Ga. (UPI) —
The Georgia Bureau of In
vestigation launched Its crack
down on organized crime in
north Georgia by searching the
home of a confessed bootlegger
Wednesday, but agents found
only small amounts of legal
wine and whisky.
Armed with two search war
rants, five GBI agents raided
the home of A.C. (Cliff) Park,
76, in nearby Pendergrass and
found no trace of illegal liquor
after searching Park’s home
and five outbuildings. GBI
Capt. J.E, Carnes said the
agents were acting on "very
How Celebrities Skip Draft
By TOM TIEDE
NEW YORK — (NEA) — Un
like previous wars of this na
tion, there has been a noticeable
labk of prominent young men
fighting in Vietnam. Influential
people can now escape combat
and still fulfill military obliga
tions.
The escape hatch is the s i x
months’ reserve program. Each
service has it in one form or an
other, but essentially they all
add up to the same thing: an ac
tive duty tour of 26 weeks which
virtually guarantees no Vietnam
assignment.
This reserve tour has become
the legitimate “way out’’ for
hundreds of draftage athletes,
entertainers and others with ei
ther financial or social leverage.
A case in point is basket-bailer
Bill Bradley. In 1965 he led Prin
ceton University to the Eastern
Regional title. After that he sp
ent two years studying in Eng
land on a Rhodes scholarship.
He came back home this spring
to sign a reported $500,000 con
tract with the National Basket
ball Association’s New York
City franchise.
At 24, Bradley is getting on for
GRIFFIN
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Thursday, August, 24,1967
North Georgia Mired
In Mud From Rainfall
reliable information that there
was still liquor out there.”
The crackdown on bootleg
gers and auto thieves was
prompted by the Aug. 7 as
sassination of Piedmont solici
tor Floyd G. (Fuzzy) Hoard,
who was killed by dynamite
wired to the ignition of his
car. Officers said there was a
possibility that Hoard’s slaying
was the work of professional
killers.
Following Hoard's death,
Gov. Lester Maddox declared
war on organized crime in
north Georgia and ordered the
GBI to make a thorough in-
an NBA rookie. Were he to be
drafted for two years’ military
duty at this time any chance of
a professional career might be
ended.
So he will spend six months
of active duty in the Air Force
Reserve. Such a tour in today’s
air service is next to impossible
to obtain, but Bradley made it.
He’ll be out in time to play half
the coming NBA season.
All of this is no reflection on
Bill Bradley. The six months’
program (followed by 5y 2 years
in active reserve) is there to be
used.
But the implications of the
Bradley case have led to criti
cism of the program. Opponents
feel that any plan offering non
combative assignment in time
of war is liable to privileged fin
agling.
In theory the six months’ pro
gram is open to all young men,
prominent or not. But it is re
gulated by a supposedly inflexi
ble quota system that is desig
ned to prevent overcrowding and
the draining of manpower from
other enlistment needs.
And this is where some of the
finagling occurs.
vestigation on illegal activities
in* Jackson County.
Two establishments operated
by Park were raided last May
5 and agents confiscated 2,352
cases of beer and wine and 30
cases of tax-paid whisky. He
and two others pleaded guilty
to the liquor violations July 11
and were fined a total of $7,300.
The state agents arrived at
Park’s home about 2 p.m.
Wednesday, but had to wait
two hours and 45 minutes for
Park’s wife to arrive. She had
been visiting her husband, who
is being treated for an ulcer
at a nearby hospital.
Today the reserve quotas are
filled almost everywhere. In
New York, the waiting list for
the Army’s six-month tour is
crammed with 3,000 to 4,000 na
mes.
When openings occur in t h e
reserve ranks, the top names on
the waiting lists are supposed to
be drawn first. Only it doesn't
always work this way. The “ri
ght’’ names at the bottom of the
lists are sometimes chosen in
stead.
An example is given by a
Manhattan recruiter who him
self frowns on the practice:
“Let’s say you’re a pro foot
ball player, and let’s say I’m a
pro football fan. You come to
me to get in the six months’ pro
gram and I say all I can do is
put your name at the end of the
list.
“So then your coach calls me
and maybe your general man
ager. Your team needs my help.
Professional football needs my
help. I’m overwhelmed. So you
promise me a season ticket and
I see to it that you get special
consideration.
“Everybody’s happy. And
maybe we win the champion-
Vol. 95 No. 199
50 Families
Evacuated;
Roads Closed
GAINESVILLE, Ga. (UPI)—
The worst flooding in several
years closed schools and roads,
caused landslides and forced
more than 50 evacuations
Wednesday in several mountain
communities near here.
Fourteen inches of rainfall
pushed northeast Georgia’s
rivers and streams out of their
banks and the State Patrol said
a number of roads were closed
by flooding and washouts.
The weather bureau meas
ured 14 inches of rainfall at
Lake Burton Wednesday and
more than 13 at Helen in White
County, where more than 50
families evacuated their homes
to escape the water.
Flooding also was reported
in Union, Lumpkin and Haber
sham counties. In Habersham
school officials called off to
day’s scheduled opening of
schools because of flooding,
heavy rains and bad roads.
Among roads blocked by the
water were U.S. 129 above
Turner’s Corner, Georgia 60
across Woody’s Gap, Georgia
75 north of Helen, Georgia 255
between Helen and Clarkesville
and the new Richard B. Rus
sell Scenic Highway near
Helen.
Normally peaceful creeks
and streams surged out of
their banks, trapping cattle in
high pasture areas.
State troopers helped some
families escape and towed a
number of motorists out of ris
ing water on the highways.
The State Game and Fish
Commission said water rose so
rapidly on Lake Burton and
Seed Lake that boats were
forced through the roofs of
boathouses.
Habersham County Sheriff
Grady Crocker said seven
inches of rain were measured
in Clarkesville four hours after
the rain began Tuesday night.
"And it rained heavily all
day (Wednesday). It’s been
several years since we’ve had
this much rain,” he said.
High water covered a num
ber of secondary roads,
Crocker said. Other roads were
useless because of landslides
and bridge washouts.
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Showers and a few
thundershowers locally heavy
today and tonight and scattered
showers or thundershowers Fri
day. Continued warm and hu
mid.
LOCAL WEATHER — Maxi
mum today 80, minimum today
68, maximum Wednesday 80,
minimum Wednesday 70. Total
rainfall .90 of an inch. Sunrise
Friday 7:09 a.m., sunset Fri
day 8:15 p m.
Rain Continues
In Griffarea
Total rainfall for August near
ed six inches today and more
showers are called for in the
weather forecast.
Horace Westbrooks, Griffin’s
official weather observer, has
measured rainfall here for the
last seven days.
The .90 of an inch in the last
24 hours boosted the month’s to-
Casualties Mount;
Air War Steps Up
By EUGENE V. RISHER
SAIGON (UPl)—The United
States for the second time in
three days lost six jets bombing
North Vietnam, military spoke
semen said today. But for the
first time in the war, an
American pilot shot down two
Communist MIGs in the same
dogfight.
t
U.S. spokesmen also reported
that last -week American war
casualties passed the 90,000
mark. They said 108 U.S.
servicemen were killed and 883
wounded last week, boosting the
war total to 12,605 slain, 77,513
wounded and 708 missing in
action —a total of 90,826 casual
ties.
Air Force Ist Lt David B.
Waldrop, a 25-year-old FlO5
Thunderchief pilot from Nash
ville, Tenn., shot down the two
2 New Lanes
Near Atlanta
Ready For Use
Two additional lanes were sc
heduled to be opened this after
noon on the South Expressway
near Atlanta, the State High
way Department indicated.
When the new lanes are open,
traffic will be separated to three
lanes in each direction, the High
way Department said.
The only thing that might de
lay opening the new lanes i
rainfall, a highway spokesman
said.
Construction of new lanes in
the area has cramped traffic
close together near Atlanta for
several months. The new lanes
would greatly reduce the traf
fic hazard in the area, when they
are open.
Many Griffinites travel the
route to and from Atlanta daily.
ship.’’
This example is not exaggera
ted. Flagrant reserve duty abus
es have been publically exposed
in such sport towns as Balti
more, Md., and Green Bay, Wis.
In some places recruiting offi
cers have acted almost as adop
ted mascots of various teams.
New York may be the worst of
all. Here the manipulations are
not confined to sport. Young en
tertainers on six-month duty
have been known to arrange the
short stint and then take their
training in or around the city so
that their regular careers can
continue uninterrupted.
Celebrity fathers have used
their influence where their sons
were concerned. Some reserve
commanders have been pressur
ed by their civilian bosses to
“see what you can do for the
boy.”
In general, such instances are
believed to be isolated. But even
the military, though minimizing
the extent of preferential treat
ment admits some star-struck re
cruiters are handing out favors
now and then.
It’s not authorized, officials
emphasize, but it happens.
tal to 5.71 inches, nearly two in
ches above normal for August.
A large section of the city was
blacked out Wednesday night
when a power outage occurred
during a heavy rain storm.
Power was off about 45 minu
tes in parts of the city before
the Light and Water Department
repair crews restored it.
MIGs Wednesday despite what
U.S. spokesemen called “some
of the heaviest North Vietna
mese defenses yet encoun
tered.”
American airmen, who lost
six planes Monday, lost another
half dozen Wednesday in
battling their way through
swarms of MIGs and Surface to
Air Missile (SAMS) and sheets
of flak to hit North Vietnam’s
key military arsenal in the
Hanoi-Haipong area, spokes
men said.
Add To Defense
They said the North Vietna
mese took advantage of raid
blocking cloudy weather last
week to install vast new
batteries of antiaircraft that
took their toll this week as
American pilots flew four
straight days down ‘‘MIG
Alley.”
The Monday-Wednesday los
ses raised to 659 the number of
American planes lost in the
North Vietnam air war. Spokes
men said only one of the 11
airmen aboard the six planes
lost Wednesday was rescued.
Beside’s Waldrop’s unprece
dented double kill, another MIG
was listed as probably downed
Wednesday.
Maj. Billy R. Ivens, 35, of
Dunmore, Ky., got credit for
the “probable.”
But MIG2IS, the sleek delta
winged jets which are the best
plane in the North Vietnamese
air force, downed two U.S. Air
Force F4C Phantoms, the
swiftest American planes in the
war.
Groundfire Hits Three
A Navy Phantom was shot
down by “unknown causes” and
Communist ground fire downed
two other Air Force Phantom?
and a Thunderchief, spokesmen
said.
The Phantoms carry two men
each. The Thunderchief has
only one man. Ten American
pilots were listed as missing
and feared dead or captured.
Despite the American reports,
the Communists claimed shoot
ing down 10 American planes
Wednesday including eight
around Hanoi.
The losses reflected the
almost desperate North Vietna
mese attempt to fend off the
American air assault against
their vital power plants, rail
ways, bridges, trucking, ship
ping and warehouses.
It underscored diplomatic
reports from London this week
that North Vietnam has shut off
all talk of peace feelers until
the bombing is halted.
The air war dominated the
Vietnam conflict. U.S. spokes
men said however that in South
Vietnam, allied intelligence
uncovered Viet Cong plans to
attempt to ruin national pres
idential elections Sept. 3 by
increased terrorism.
Reported terror targets to be:
the new U.S. Embassy, South
Vietnam’s presidential palace
and the headquarters of Gen.
William C. Westmoreland, U.S.
military commander in Viet
nam.