Newspaper Page Text
H
■jEESjI
E good
VENIN VF
By Quimby Melton
Good Evening says goodbye
to 1967 with a certain degree 01
regret; for the year that will
close out Sunday night has,
thanks to continued support of
the good people of our commu
nity, been a good year for this
paper. We have grown in circu
lation, in advertising support,
and have, Good Evening believ
es, made many new friends for
the Griffin Daily News.
And, personally, it has been a
good year for Good Evening.
Thanks to friends, and loved
ones in his family, the void he
faced when 1967 was ushered in,
a void created when the girl, to
whom he had been happily mar
ried for 47 years, slipped through
the door that separates earth
and heaven, has been lessened;
and all in all it has been a
happy year.
The year 1967 has also brought
sadness to many, but we feel
certain that they will agree with
Good Evening that the sympa
thy and the love shown them by
friends and loved ones has made
their loss easier to bear.
To one and all Good Evening
says “Happy New Year”. May
it be a year in which one’s fond
est dreams will come true, and
good health will prevail. May
the Good Lord Bless and Keep
one and all.
The year that will come rush
ing in Sunday midnight will be
like a new page in one’s diary
of life. And what is written on
that page will be largely up to
the individual. “All the world’s
a stage” and everyone has a part
to play. The success of any play
depends not only on those who
take the “leading parts” but of
the supporting actors as well.
And there is Just r; much satis
faction that will come to even
the humblest of us, if we play
our part well, thus contributing
to the success of the entire pro
duction.
We all can face the new year,
expectantly, hopefully, and con
fidently, if we will make up our
minds that come what may we
will, as individuals, be true to
that which is best; will serve our
Master, and will love our neigh
bors as we love ourselves.
A blue print for the year, for
every year, is plainly given us
by the Great Architect who re
duces all the instructions with
“Love thy God — and thy neigh
bor.”
So may we all, including Good
Evening, put aside selfishness;
wipe out all hatred, all intol
erance; and seek to understand
the problems of others and make
allowances for the way they
may meet them; and seek to be
a good neighbor to all with whom
we come in contact.
Let’s all start the year deter
mined to follow the Golden Rule
throughout the year; and if we
do then 1968 will be a good year
for all.
We have a wonderful commu
nity here; we have wonderful
people here; we have a great fu
ture ahead of us.
We like that quote from Tiny
Tim “God Bless Us Everyone”
and we add to it, the hope that
all of us will so live that we will
be worthy of God’s Blessings.
Happy New Yearl
Country Parson
#8 4- //
I /
* K W».»
“I’m glad that «o many
critics of the church are
members —- outside criticism
causes us to lose judgment in
our defense.’*
1903
Textiles Expect
To Spring Back
From ’67 Declines
Georgia’s textile industry is
expecting to spring back from
1967 declines arid looks forward
to a better business year in 1968.
Compared to the record break
ing sales and profits year of 1966,
business was off, especially dur
ing the first part of 1967. The
last quarter of the year was look
ing better, however, and with
some hedging the state’s textile
leaders were predicting better
times in 1968.
Lewis Price, president of the
Georgia Textile Manufacturers
Association and a vice president
of Callaway Mills, Inc., LaGran
ge, predicted a rise in the cost
of textiles in 1968.
SQUEEZE
He said the sqqueeze brought
on by a drastically short cotton
crop (the 1967 crop of 7.6 mill
ion bales is the smallest crop
this nation has produced since
1895) is already reflected in high"
er cotton costs and rising costs
in synthetic fibers. A general
wage increase in September, av
eraging about 6.5 percent, will
also have its affect, he said.
Prospects of a better year cou
ld be dimmed by the imports
picture, Mr. Price said. He point
ed out that possible legislative
relief is out of the picture until
sometime in 1968. Any increase
In the level of textile imports,
which is extremely high now,
Mr. Price said, would darken
the textile outlook.
A survey by the Georgia Tex
tile Manufacturers Assocation
indicated that 42 of its 93 mem
ber companies spent $58,030,000
for new buildings and equipment
this year and anticipated spend
ing $51,430,500 in 1968.
MORE JOBS
The survey showed these com
panies had added 1,000 jobs
with the construction projects
this yean Georgia Department
of Labor figures show that there
were 110,300 textile employees
in November, 1967 compared to
109,400 for November, 1966.
Companies reporting in the
survey spent $l7O million for
1,569,120 bales of cotton during
1967 and $270 million for 387.789,-
307 pounds of synthetic fiber.
Their expenditures for supplies
Including manufacturing pur
chases, utilities and services
were $166 million.
Most of those reporting indica
ted that they felt that sales dur
ing 1968 will be equal to or grea
ter than sales for 1967. Report
ing companies showed that sal
es during the year wer $869,444-
960, a drop of eight percent over
their sales during the year 1966.
WEST POINT
One Georgia company, West
Point Pepperell, Inc., reporting
sales for its first fiscal quarter,
ended Nov. 25, 1967, were $83,-
304,000, down seven percent from
sales of $89,656,000 for the same
quarter last year.
Profits for the same period
were 85 cents a share, which
compared to profits of $1.13 a
share for the same quarter of
last year, representing a de
cline of 25 percent.
Joseph L. Lanier, chairman
and chief executive officer of
West Point Pepperell, said while
he feels his company’s sales
in 1968 will top those of 1967,
“the profit outlook is not as cl
ear because of the cost price sq
ueeze that we are experienc
ing."
The textile industry is "feel
ing the effects", Mr. Lanir said,
of the sharp increase in the price
of cotton, a rise in synthetic pri
ces and the wage increase.
“Prices have firmed," Mr. La
nier said, “and there is a gen
eral movement upward which
No Paper
On Monday
The Griffin Daily
News will observe Mon
day, Jan. 1, as a New
Year’s holiday and will
not publish on that day.
Regular publication
will be resumed Tuesday.
5-STAR WEEKEND EDITION
GRIFFIN
DAILY NEWS
Daily Since 1872
we think will quicken as we
move into early 1968.
J. M. Cheatham, president of
Dundee Mills, Inc., said: “We’ve
had a very satisfactory year and
while the future is clouded with
a lot of uncertainties, the indus
try is in good shape and should
be able to weather the downturn
of the present time.”
The Georgia textile industry
is the state’s largest industry
representing more than 25 per
cent of industrial employment
and is the third largest textile
producing state in the nation.
The separate but related appar
el industrj’ employs an addition
al 63,000 workers (October, 1967
figures).
Roberts Draws
12 Months For
Misdemeanor
W. H. Roberts, formerly em
ployed by Griffin Grocery Co.,
was sentenced to 12 months in
prison Friday by Judge John H.
McGehee of the Griffin Judicial
Circuit.
Roberts earlier pled guilty to
a charge of larceny after trust
The charge was brought by Grif
fin Grocery.
Judge McGehee reduced the
charge to a misdemeanor and
sentenced Roberts to prison.
Judge McGehee told Roberts
that passing the sentence was
“one of the hardest things I’ve
had to do since serving on this
bench.”
The judge said he had known
Roberts for many years.
“You were the first man in
Spalding County to offer me
support after I announced my
candidacy,” he told the defen
dant.
Judge McGehee told Roberts
that no matter how much he
would like for the sentence to be
probation, “I can’t let my per
sonal feelings enter into this
case.”
Roberts said he knew Judge
McGehee would always perform
his duty. “That’s why I voted for
you,” the defendant said.
Judge McGehee pronounced the
sentenced and Roberts replied
that he would serve it to the best
of his ability.
"I know you will,” Judge Mc-
Gehee said.
Roberts was taken from court
and transferred to Buford Pri
son.
A Year In Office
Maddox Does Things Skilled
Politicians Wouldn’t Dare
By DONALD PHILLIPS
ATLANTA (UPI) — Lester
Maddox has spent a year as
governor of Georgia doing
things a professional politician
wouldn’t dare and generally
succeeding.
Since his election by the leg
islature Jan. 10, 1967, Maddox
has affected many progressive
governmental reforms by
tromplng headlong down paths
a skilled politician would avoid
in favor of back room dealing.
Maddox’s political naivety
and his flair for capturing
people’s imagination make him
a study in contrasts.
He took office with a moder
ate inauguration address but
the staunch conservative-segre
gationist of old keeps creeping
back Into his talk.
One moment Maddox pledg
es to support the Democratic
Party and the next he can fire
away charging that anyone who
does so is “either stupid, a
fool, a coward or a traitor.”
That barb was aimed at Lt.
Gov. George T. Smith who con-
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Sat. and Sun., Dec. 30-31, 1967
Many Churches Plan
Watch Night Services
Judge McGehee
Continues
Hearing
Judge John H. McGehee Fri
day continued the hearing on a
temporary injunction restraining
28 Griffin firms from operating
on Sunday until it can be de
termined whether or not Griffin
Recorder’s Court accepts the
proceedings.
Court officials will try to solve
the problem of which court
should handle the proceedings
between now and Jan. 19 when
the hearing is scheduled to re
sume.
If the proceedings are hand
led in recorder’s court, it will
only apply to those cases where
the businesses are inside the city
limits.
Judge McGehee said he would
be happy if Judge Tom Lewis
accepted the proceedings and
“lift this burden off my should
ers."
He then continued the proceed
ings until it is determined whe
ther or not Griffin Recorder’s
Court accepts them.
However, before making the
decision to continue the hearing
until Jan. 19, Judge McGehee
pointed out that the recorder’s
court can not issue an injunc
tion.
Hie Judge said the recorder’s
court could abate a nusiance
by “locking.”
One attorney asked the judge
if the “locking” meant just on
Sundays or every day.
Judge McGehee told the attor
ney that he wouldn’t say what
the decision might be.
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA—Occasional rain and not
so cold tonight and Sunday. Rain
ending Sunday afternoon or
evening.
LOCAL WEATHER—Maximum
today 47, minimum today 26,
maximum Friday 44, minimum
Friday 32, Sunrise Sunday 7:42
a.m., sunset Sunday 5:44 p.m.
trols the state senate and can
make or break Maddox’s legis
lative program. A more tactful
politician perhaps would not
have made the statement.
The people In "Maddox Coun
try” who voted for "Ole Les
ter” find him a warm and gen
erous friend. One of the hall
marks of his administration has
been his closeness with "little
people."
Four Negroes escaped from a
prison camp and surrendered
to segregationist Maddox at a
reception at the governor’s
mansion. He listened to their
grievances and widespread pe
nal reforms resulted.
Another Negro Inmate
drowned while being used as a
human retriever by a guard
who was hunting ducks. Mad
dox said show him a person
who believed the inmate volun
teered for the job and he would
show you "the stupidest person
in Georgia.” More reforms fol
lowed.
Maddox is simply not a gov
ernor like other governors.
if
(NEA Telephoto)
Surprise! Mike Ennis, attendant at a Porterville,
Calif., service station, opened the hood of a car
brought in for servicing and found a ’possum cozily
nested atop the warm engine.
Viet New Year’s
Truce Extended
By THOMAS CHEATHAM
SAIGON (UPD—The 24-hour
New Year’s ceasefire in Viet
nam will be extended 12 hours
in response to Pope Paul Vi’s
appeal to make Jan. 1 “A Day
of Peace,” officials announced
today.
South Vietnamese government
spokesmen said the truce will
begin at 6 p.m. Sunday and end
at 6 a.m. Tuesday (Saigon
time). The U.S. Command and
other allied forces were expect
ed to follow the South Vietna
mese lead.
The spokesman said the
decision to extend the “stand
down” was a direct result of the
Pope’s appeal earlier this
month to make New Year’s Day
a worldwide “Day of Peace.”
While most allied troops
moved into defensive positions
for the truce, U.S. Marines in
South Vietnam’s northern quar-
When he did not like what
was going on at the Southern
Governors’ Conference he went
fishing.
When he discovered clip
joints and prostitution along the
Georgia coast he flew down
with an army of state troopers
and told the operators of the
dives they better obey the law.
When he lear ne d that a
youthful offender had been re
leased from a training school
but did not have the money to
go home to California to be
with his ailing mother, Maddox
whipped money from his pocket,
dumped it into a hat and then
passed.lt around to other state
officials for contributions. The
youth was flown home.
Maddox received a new bicy
cle for Christmas. He promptly
Invited the public to an After
noon of cycling at the mansion
and amazed everyone by doing
stunts such as riding back
wards on the handlebars.
In government, Maddox has
succeeded by not doing things
as well as doing them.
He has not used the State
Highway Department and other.
Vol. 95 No. 307
ter counted at least 70 dead in
two fierce battles Wednesday
and Thursday.
U.S. Casualties Higher
Delayed official reports
showed the Leathernecks had
another 128 men wounded in the
battles. The U.S. casualties
were higher than the Commu
nist’s, a rarity in the Vietnam
war.
U.S. spokesmen said 48
Americans died and 87 were
wounded in a battle that began
Wednesday about 20 miles south
of the Demilitarized Zone
(DMZ). Another 22 died and 47
were injured when Marines
tangled with Viet Cong guerril
las about 20 miles south of Da
Nang.
In both clashes the Commu
nists were driven from their
fortified positions and officials
said a total of 60 enemy died.
agencies as a political football.
He has not filled appointive of
fices with his cronies, often ap
pointing political enemies. And
he has not used the powers of
his office for personal gain.
Maddox confuses the state’s
professional politicians. They
have never met a governor
who was less influenced by pol
itics and they wonder where he
will strike next and for what
reason.
When the Department of In
dustry and Trade did not per
form to suit him, Maddox de
clared war and fired the direc
tor and chairman of the board.
The pros were amazed that he
did not arrange for quiet resig
nations.
Maddox has a penchant for
washing the state’s dirty linen
in public. He says this will
force other administrations to
be open with the people and
not cover up wrongdoing "in a
hotel room.”
But his lack of political savvy
has also made him one of the
least powerful governors in the
state’s history. For the first
time ifi memory the legislature
Holiday Traffic
Crowds Highways
Several Griffin churches are
planning “watch night” servic
es for Sunday to usher in the
new year.
A “watch night” service will
begin at 7:30 at the Hammond
Drive Baptist Church and con
tinue through midnight. Fellow
ship is being planned for 9 o’clo
ck.
The Rev. W. N. Coe, new pas
tor of the West College Baptist
Church, will be welcomed to
Griffin at the service. The Rev.
Brady Blalock is pastor.
A “Night Watch” service will
begin at 11:30 Sunday night at
the First Methodist Church. The
service will be followed with
communion.
“Watch night” services at the
West Griffin Congregational Hol
iness Church will begin after
the evening worship services
and continue through midnight.
The Rev. Bobby Ford is pastor.
Other churches have been in
vited to join in the services.
“Student Night at Christmas”
will be observed Sunday at the
evening worship service at 7:15
at the Union Baptist Church at
Jackson and Tomichichi roads
east of Griffin.
Ernie Stewart, a senior at Nor
th Georgia College, will be in
charge of the program. He will
be assisted by Lex Brown, Mike
Bryans, Cyndie Pursley, Susan
Howell, Ken Pullin, Brady Ken
drick and Allyn Ellenwood.
Traffic on highways through
Griffin was heavy most of the
week as people traveled to Flor
ida for two of the nation’s top
football bowl games, the Gator
Bowl at Jacksonville and the
Orange Bowl in Miami.
The Georgia State Patrol has
indicated that it hopes the traf
fic does not reach the propor
tions of a week ago during the
Christmas holiday weekend
when 23 people died on Georgia
highways.
The Department of Public Saf
ety has predicted that 21 people
will be killed on the highways of
the state this weekend. The
weekend period began Friday
night at 6 o’clock and ends Mon-
is calling its own shots without
consulting Maddox.
Maddox ranks progress the
state has made in education
since he took office as his
proudest achievement. Prison
reforms rank second.
“A critical teacher shortage
has been eliminated although it
was predicted that by now
some children would have no
teachers,” he said. “We’re rec
ognized by educators, industri
alists and politicians in other
states as the pacemaker in ed
ucation.”
His penal improvements in
one year have been greater
than those made in the 25 pre
vious years.
Whatever Maddox’s faults, he
is convinced he is on the right
track.
“I would hope the few critics
we have left will join with this
administration an<j help rather
than hurt,” he said.
“I hope and pray they will
recognize the futility of their
efforts, that they’re not hurting
Lester Maddox but Georgia,
and will join with us to move
Georgia forward.” be said.
fins
|m|
Ila
day at midnight.
All troopers of the Griffin State
Patrol, in addition to GBI agents
revenue agents and personnel of
the headquarters office in At
lanta will be on the highways of
Spalding, Butts, Lamar, Hen
ry and Monroe Counties to hold
accidents to a minimum.
Thirteen accidents, three in
juries and no fatalities were re
ported in the five county area
over the Christmas holiday per
iod.
Griffin policemen were station
ed at busy intersections at times
during the week to speed the
flow of traffic in the downtown
area.
Much of the traffic was Christ
mas holiday travelers returning
to their homes.
The State Patrol has warned
that it will be issuing more tick
ets and giving fewer warnings.
It also has warned that drunk
drivers will be arrested.
More than 9,000 students in the
Griffin-Spalding School System
will return to classes Wednes
day morning. School buses will
be running regular schedules.
Classes were dismissed Dec.
20 for the annual two week
Christmas holidays.
Gov. Maddox WiM
Look Into Taxes
In Henry County
A group of Henry County tax
payers “seeking equality of
assessments” said this week it
has received a verbal commit
ment from Gov. Lester Maddox
to look into the situation.
C.. H. Bowen, former Hen
ry County Ordinary, said he and
four other citizens called on the
governor, the Henry County
Advertiser, weekly newspaper
reported.
“Governor Maddox told us that
he had received so many simi
lar requests that every person
qualified in that type investiga
tion is now out making surveys
in other counties. He did promise
us that he would send a man out
shortly after the first of the year
certainly within 30 days,” Bo
wen said.
Bowen said members of the
group who went with him to see
the governor were Jim Ingram
Edred Fortson, Parks Moseley
and W. T. South.
“We are not trying to create
any problems for Henry County.
I want to make it very clear
that we have no idea whatsoever
of filing an injunction, which
would tie up the county’s money
and hinder the schools or ope
ration of county government,”
Bowen said.
“Os course we definitely ques
tion whether the independent
firm employed by the county was
qualified to do the job. We have
a number of specific cases in po
int where similar property has
several different valuations, and
we are going to show this to the
man Gov. Maddox sends down.
Then next spring we hope to get
with the County Tax Assessors
and straighten the situation out.
All we want to do is equalize
taxes,” he said.
Bowen indicated that an or
ganization of Henry County tax
payers has been formed to pro
mote equalized assessments. He
also indicated that chairmen
from each of the county’s mili
tia districts had been elected.
A preliminary meeting was
held several weeks ago at the
Henry County Courthouse. It was
attended by a large number of
Henry County taxpayers. Bo
wen served as chairman of the
meeting,