Newspaper Page Text
E good
VENIN VF
By Quimby Melton
Good Evening honestly belie
ves that all in all this city of
ours and this county of ours Is
the best In all Georgia. It’s the
city and It’s the county In whi
ch we prefer to live.
One of the chief reasons we like
Griffin and Spalding is the type
leadership we have in every ph
ase of community life; and far
from the least of these are our
public officials.
Wednesday's Griffin D a ily
News carried a story that backs
Good Evening up In saying we
are fortunate in having the kind
of public officials we have. This
story told of the grand jury pass
ing resolutions praising law en
forcement officials In both city
and county.
Sheriff Dwayne Gilbert and his
deputies; Police Chief Leo Bl
ackwell and his force; Solicitor-
General Andrew Whalen, and
Judge John H. McGehee were
thanked for their devotion to
their duties and the capable
way they handle the trust im
posed on them by the public.
Good Evening cannot help but
compare the presentments of the
Spalding Grand Jury with that
of a grand jury in another Geor
gia County, where a former sher
iff, who recently resigned, was
Indicted on several counts. In
cluding one that he had attemp
ted bribery to make it possible
for an alleged bootlegging to
expand.
One time, some years ago,
someone becoming angered with
something Good Evening had
written, called him at his home,
and said “all you ever do in that
silly column is ‘bootlick’ peo
ple whom you like or whom you
think can be useful to you.” (But
he didn’t use quite as moder
ate a term as “bootlick"). This
phone caller, as is sometimes
the case of angered critics, re
fused to give his name.
If giving praise, where praise
is due, to any citizen, is “bo o t
licking” — we plead guilty. In
the case of public officials, far
too many of us take good opera
tions of their offices as “their
duty”, and sometimes say “they
asked for the office, we elected
them, and they are paid for
what they are doing.”
“Pay” is a relative matter. Os
course everyone is entitled to,
and should receive, fair compen
sation for doing his job. But
there is an intangible sort of
“pay” that means more than
just dollars; this is appreciation
on the part of those whom they
serve.
Good Evening is glad the gr
and jury saw fit to praise the
city and county law enforcement
officials. We believe they deser
ve it.
— * —
But we citizens must not for
get that we cannot maintain law
and order in our community,
Just as it cannot be maintain
ed in any community, unless the
rank and file of the people back
up the officials; and the best
way to back them up is to create
an air of respect for them at all
times. Theirs is no easy job, and
due to hair-splitting rulings by
some courts, a law enforcement
officer sometimes has not one,
but both, hands tied behind him
when he seeks to do his duty.
Talk about a “code of ethics”:
It seems to this layman that un
der some of these newfangled
rulings an officer must take off
his hat, bow and say if it is con
venient for you will you please
come down to headquarters and
talk with us awhile,” and must
follow this practice, even if
the person they have been sent
to arrest defies them and, with
a trigger-happy finger on the
gun he points at the officer,
threatens to shoot him down.
It would seem that at times
many of our laws, and some co
urt rulings, have given the cri
minal the upper hand. The sligh
test violation on this new “code
of ethics” is called “police bru
tality.”
We believe our local law en
forcement officials deserve the
praise they were given and ex
press such belief "in writing”:
even though, Mr. or Mrs. “An
onymous” may say we are guil
ty of "bootlicking.”
Status Symbol
WINDSOR, England (UPD—A
former royal groom at Windsor,
Lady Beaumont, has gone into
business on her own breeding
donkeys which she sells at 400
pounds ($1000).
"They’re becoming status
symbols,” she said. "Especially
with middle-aged women who
have grown tired of keeping big
dogs.”
Analysis: Vietnam Initative
depends on Thleu government
By EUGENE V. RISHER
SAIGON (UPD—The past
week's unforgettable demonstra
tion of Viet Cong power robbed
the allies of their initiative in
the Vietnam war.
They can, and they probably
will, regain the upper hand with
News Analysis
the fighting reaction now in
progress. Whether they can hold
it may well depend on whether
the Saigon government of
President Nguyen Van Thleu
learns the bloody lesson of
urban warfare.
For nine days life in the
capital city has been at a
standstill. An estimated 300,000
INSIDE TODAY
Youth Mews. Pages 2, 3.
Editorials. Page 4.
Billy Graham. Page 4.
Television. Page 4.
Bruce Biossat. Page 5.
Illinois Politics. Page 5.
Rail Strikes. Page 5.
Mumps. Page 6.
Arsenic Suspect. Page S.
Revamp Vote. Page 6.
Georgia News. Page 8.
■ /* ’ • Wr a fa
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IK > 1 M
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dSII IS fIK WHltt
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(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)
Ready To Dymanite
Unidentified agent gets ready to put dynamite in liquor still six miles southeast
of Griffin off the Dickerson road. (Other pictures on page 11).
Southeast
Economy
Flourishing
ATLANTA (UPD—The South
east sported a flourishing econ
omy at the end of 1967 but in
dividuals continued to spend
there were upswings in con-
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlan
ta reported Wednesday.
Unemployment was down and
there were upswings in con
struction contracts and “most
economic series,” the bank
said.
The bank said the district—
which included Alabama, Flori
da, Georgia and parts of Ten
nessee, Louisiana and Missis
sippi—is returning “to a growth
rate closer to its potential.
“Relatively few workers were
jobless in December, the third
consecutive month of decline in
the unemployment rate,” the
bank said, while in January
“bank lending continued some
of its early momentum.”
“Householders, however, con
tinued to spend cautiously
through December,” the report
said. “Estimated retail sales
rose only fractionally in Decem
ber."
Construction contracts were
"sharply higher,” the bank
said, and the agricultural scene
was dominated by “harvesting
of Florida citrus, sugar cane
and winter vegetables."
GRIFFIN
DAILY NEWS
Daily Since 1872
Cong Robbed Allies Os Initiative In Vietnam
persons are homeless. Uncount
ed hundreds are dead—nobody
will venture a guess.
For nine days the Commu
nists occupied major portions of
Hue, jewel of both Vietnams
and the city where Ho Chi Minh
spent some of his school days.
The North Vietnamese flag flew
for a time over the provincial
capitol.
The pacification program to
win the loyalty of Vietnam’s
peasants for the government
side was set back immeasura
bly.
But there was strong evidence
the Communists hoped for much
more. Liberation Radio, the
clandestine voice of the Viet
Cong, broadcast a call to arms.
The Communists apparently
envisioned thousands 9f people
Pickford. Page 9.
Hospital. Page 10.
About Town. Page 10.
Funerals. Page 10.
Still Reid. Page 11.
Sports. Pages 12, 13.
Want Ads. Page 14.
Comics. Page 15.
Woman’s News. Page 16.
Bristling Maddox
Threatens Probe
By DON PHILLIPS
ATLANTA (UPD —Gov. Les
ter Maddox, bristling over criti
cism of his latest Pardon and
Parole Board appointment,
says he may order a probe of
all state appointments and pur
chases during the terms of
three predecessors.
"I may go back 10 years and
look at all the appointees and
whom they were associated
with and see if they sold the
state anything,” said Maddox,
irked by criticism of his ap
pointment of Dr. William Dyer
to the troubled board.
Dyer resigned Tuesday pend
ing an investigation of his busi
ness transactions with the
state. Maddox appointed the
Moultrie chiropractor to the
j
Country Parson
J|i
“It’s easier to remember
to say your prayers when
you want something than
when you already have it.”
Griffin, Ga., 30223, Thursday, February 8, 1968
pouring into the streets to
support their cause.
American Intelligence officers
said part of the plan was to set
up revolutionary committees
not identified with the Viet Cong
In the population centers. They
were to move against the
Saigon . government and the
Americans In the name of
Vietnamese nationalism.
This did not happen. There
was no widespread uprising.
Surveys by United Press
International In Saigon’s hard
hit suburbs showed the people
were bewildered, frightened and
angry In that order.
About 50,000 Communists
participated in the urban
attacks, less than half the
estimated Communist force In
Vietnam. Primary targets were
Guerrilla Invasion
Took Record US Toll
seat left vacant by J. W. Clax-
■ ton, who resigned to avoid pos-
• sible impeachment on charges
I of misconduct.
Maddox is expected to ask
: Atty. Gen. Arthur Bolton today
■ to investigate Dyer’s business
; dealings and if the “clouds and
innuendos” surrounding the ap
l pointment are cleared, he said,
! Dyer would assume the job.
I The governor, visibly angered
by the criticism, threatened
Wednesday to “look at all the
• records from the major banks
’ and see whom they supported
for major offices and if deposits
. went up or down when certain
elections were made.
“I may go back in the pur
chasing department and pick up
i purchases made in the last 8 to
10 years and just look at who
sold to the state and was it on
competitive bidding like
the Minneapolis-Honeywell con
tract and these little S6OO worth
of boat parts,” Maddox said.
“I think it may be time to
look into a lot of things,” Mad
dox added.
The governor was referring
to charges from some senators
that Dyer, 43, a consultant for
Minneapolis-Honeywell, might
have been influential in getting
the company its first major
state contract. Dyer also sold
boat paddles and other marine
equipment to the state.
The investigation would cover
i the administrations of former
> Govs. Marvin Griffin, Ernest
Vandiver and Carl Banders.
American airfields and the hope
was to inhibit American air
power.
They caused millions of
dollars in damage but there was
no evidence the giant American
war machine was seriously
hampered.
Heavy Communist Losses
There could be no doubt the
Communists suffered heavy
losses. According to U.S.
figures, 24,662 Communists were
killed during an eight-day
period ending Tuesday night.
This Is more than all the
American battle deaths in
Vietnam and equivalent to
about 25 per cent of all
Communists killed last year.
It also is almost half of the
50,000 man force they commit
ted to the fight, and about 13
Green Berets Fight
Way Out Os Bunker
By EUGENE V. RISHER
SAIGON (UPD—The guerrilla
invasion of the cities killed a
record 416 American, 784
government and 15,515 Commu
nist troops in combat last week,
Allied officials said today. They
also reported the number of
U.S. servicemen in Vietnam has
now topped 500,000.
Announcement of the casual
ties came as Allied forces
battled for the 11th day against
the guerrillas in Saigon, Hue
and other cities. It came as the
Allied forces geared for a
greater Communist drive, a
massive North Vietnamese inva
sion across the northern border.
North Vietnamese troops to
day occupied a key U.S. Army
Special Forces camp near the
border after a Wednesday tank,
armored car and flamethrower
attack left eight Green Berets
and 308 South Vietnamese
troops killed, captured or
missing, American spokesmen
said. The spokesmen said 12
Green Berets and 64 Vietna
mese defenders escaped.
They included eight Ameri
cans who fought their way out
of an underground bunker to
live to tell a new tale of the
Green Berets.
Tells Tale
Sgt. Nick Fragos of Ecorse,
Mich., one of the eight, told
newsmen the Communists who
overran the Lang Vel Special
Forces camp began dumping
tear gas grenades and dynamite
charges down a small air shaft
into the Americans’ bunker.
“Have you got ammunition?”
jeered an English - speaking
Communist down the shaft,
Fragos said.
“I’ve got plenty for you,” the
American replied.
The siege of the underground
bunker went on for 12 hours.
The Berets, who had knocked
out five tanks and four armored
cars in the first North
Vietnamese Panzer attack of
the war, radioed for American
artillery. They called it down on
their own position.
The Communists fell back.
The Americans scrambled out
and made it safely to Khe Sanh,
the great Marine bastion five
miles north of Lang Vel and
just below the North Vietna
mese border.
U.S. spokesmen in Saigon
reported the Communists hurled
a record 550 artillery shells a
Khe Sanh Wednesday (Marine
spokesmen earlier today had
reported the barrage came
today).
Ringed By Reds
Khe Sanh, the bastion U.S.
generals have vowed to hold,
was ringed by up to 20,000
North Vietnamese poised for the
big push. American spokesmen
said Khe Sanh now is fully
prepared to smash tank attacks.
In the cities, hundreds more
dead were being added to last
week’s record figures, spokes
men said. Last week’s toll of
slain soldiers came in most
cases from street fighting. A
far smaller percentage of the
killing came from the jungles
and hills of the countryside
where until the invasion of the
cities most of the warfare took
place.
■ The arrival of 5,000 more
Vol. 96 No. 33
American troops in Vietnam
last week did not stem from the
battle of the cities. Last year
Washington approved raising
American fighting manpower in
Vietnam to about 525,000.
Military observers said there
was talk that the unexpected
intensity of the urban warfare
could mean even the 525,000-
man figure would be raised.
And much depended on the
battle expected on the border
when the North Vietnamese
attack Khe Sanh in force.
Kbe Sanh and other Allied
bastions strung under the North
Vietnam border geared for the
expected largest Communist
Invasion. A U.S. spokesmen said
the Lang Vel assault could
“well be a stage-setting series
of events” for Hanoi’s big push.
But he said it still was “too
early” to be sure.
City Battles Continue
In South Vietnam’s guerrilla
infested cities, Allied troops
fought for the 11th day to clear
out the Viet Cong. At Hue, 400
miles northeast of Saigon and
just below the northern frontier,
government spokesmen said the
guerrillas may be moving in
reinforcements.
According to U.S. spokesmen,
the first nine days and six hours
of the battle of the cities has
killed 24,662 Communists and
2,043 allied troops including 703
Americans.
In Hue, U.S. spokesmen said
2,036 Communists have been
killed in the battle to clear the
ancient imperial capital on the
Perfume River. Allied losses
were put at "light.”
Weather:
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Fair and colder to
night and continued cold Fri
day.
LOCAL WEATHER — Maxi
mum today 45, minimum today
28, maximum Wednesday 52,
minimum Wednesday 32. A trace
of snow. Sunrise Friday 7:29
a.m., sunset Friday 6:18 p.m.
Wallace To Run
For President
By ED ROGERS
WASHINGTON, (UPD—
George C. Wallace, Alabama’s
segregationist former governor,
today announced his candidacy
for the White House with an ap
peal to “typical Americans”
who are tired of riots and
crime in the streets.
Wallace said he hopes to get
his name on the ballot In every
state and told newsmen he was
“in the race Irrevocably.”
“The typical American of all
races is tired of riots, of crime
running rampant in every city
of our nation,” Wallace said.
“We must have a national lead
ership which does not condone
or explain away lawlessness.”
Wallace, who gained national
notice in 1963 by defying the
federal government with his
segregationist “stand at the
schoolhouse door,” said the
times the allied losses.
The war escalated 50 fold
during the past week. American
commanders predict only bigger
and bloodier battles. The
Communists have expended
vast amounts of their resources,
but nobody Is saying the end Is
In sight.
Most people think the North
Vietnamese and Viet Cong can
and will keep up the pace for
several months. The Commu
nists have the offensive.
But American troops ere
moving all over the country and
they will, In time, seize the
initiative.
High ranking American offi
cials are hoping this very
serious threat will jog the
Saigon government Into action
and arouse In Its peopde a sense
/
jk \ / f *
-■' j* ■
Face Os War
MUD-SPATTERED tank driver scans road while
providing security for a convoy near Da Nang, South
Vietnam.
Scouts ‘Take Over’
Offices Here Friday
Friday Boys Scouts of Griffin
and Spalding County will “take
over” governmental offices to
learn about the operation of the
city and county governments
during Scout Civic Day.
Boys Scouts and city and coun
ty officials will meet at the
city hall courtroom at 9 o’clock
for the Scout assignments.
They will be assigned to an
official who will be responsible
for them during the day.
states must be allowed to run
their own affairs without inter
ference from Washington.
But he declared that the Unit
ed States must not “tolerate de
fiance of its national security
by those within who offer aid
and comfort to our enemies.”
Wallace called for a tough
line in Vietnam and said the
President “ought to lean on the
Joint Chiefs of Staff” to see if
they could not obtain a military
conclusion to the war.
“The first thing I would do as
president would be to let Pe
king, Hanoi and Moscow know
the determination of the people
to stand behind ou. service
men,” he said.
Wallace said that If the Unit
ed States did enter into nego
tiations, it should “learn from
the Communists to be as tough
as they are.”
of national unity and purpose.
If this be the case—and there
Is no evidence so far that it is—
then maybe It will erase the
disgrace of having Vietnamese
pilots bomb their own capital
city.
The government, with the
United States cheering it on,
has moved to crush corruption,
made the bureaucracy more
efficient, bettered the lot of
enlisted men in the armed
forces and Improved military
and civil leadership. But even
optimists say the job has only
begun.
The campaign to make South
Vietnam’s villagers feel loyalty
to Saigon Is principally an effort
to fill stomachs and make
families feel secure. The past 11
days have not helped a bit.
The Scouts and officials will
have a luncheon at noon at Rus
sell’s Restaurant.
The Scout assignments are:
Mayor, Chuck Joiner, Troop
79; city manager, Ricky Dix,
Troop 9; building inspector, Ja
mes Crawford, Troop 40; chief
of police, Dickie Spangler, Troop
79; captain of police, George
Sims, Troop 7; director of pub
lic works, Rusty Smith, Troop 8.
Director of recreation, Randy
Young, Troop 13; supt. of sani
tary department Howey Gos
sett, Troop 8; supt. of ceme
tery, Eddie Munday, Troop 78;
supt. of light and water depart
ment, Donny Hardy, Troop 77;
supt. of filter plant, Ferrell Man
ley, Troop 40.
Chief of fire department, Ray
mond English, Troop 9; clerk of
court, Edwin Goddard, Troop 2;
ordinary, Jim Kelley, Troop 10;
sheriff, John Johnson, Troop 9;
tax commissioner, Terry Smith,
Troop 10; county agent, Bruce
Ledbetter, Troop 7; juvenile pro
bation officer, Jamie Crawford,
Troop 78.
Superior court probation offi
cer, Mack Campbell, Troop 7;
health officer, Glenn Farrell,
Troop 77; school supt. Eddie
Duke, Troop 78; tax assessor,
John Noulis, Troop 40; chair
man county commission, Floyd
Newton, 111, Troop 2.
Friday also will be uniform
day. Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts •
and Explorer Scouts will wear
their uniforms to school.
Scout Civic Day is an annual
event during National Boy Sc
out Week, Feb. 8-13.