Newspaper Page Text
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VENIN vF
By Quimby Melton
Christmas, of course, centers
round the young folk. For Christ
mas is the celebration of the
birthday of the Savior. Good
Evening has long thought the
poem “A Friend of Little Child
ren,” written by his father, the
late Dr. W. F. Melton, is one of
the finest Christmas poems ever
penned. It appeared first in the
Griffin Daily News many years
ago. Since then it has been pub
lished in many papers and
many magazines.
A Friend Os Little Children
If I cannot be a wise man, guid
ed by a star,
Let me be an humble shepherd,
as all my people are;
For, though I cannot bring rich
gifts to Mary and her Son,
And though a lonely hillside is
my only Parthenon,
I can feel the Heaven’s glory
can hear the angels sing,
And I know they are proclaim
ing the advent of a King.
When Mary saw’ the costly gifts,
gold, frankincense and myrth,
I sometimes wonder—wonder if
they meant as much to her
As the fleecy little blankets that
wrapped her blessed Child;
And, somehow, when I think of
this, I’m always reconciled
To stay out in the lonely fields,
and follow up the sheep,
So there may be warm blankets
where little children sleep.
— * -
Red and green are the accep
ted colors of Christmas.
There are legends about these
traditional Christmas colors.
The red, so the story goes, co
mes from a legend about The
Christmas Rose.
According to this ancient story,
a little shepherdess, watching
from afar as the Three Wise
Men presented their gifts to the
Christ Child, wept because she
had no gift to offer.
Flowers sprang up where her
tears fell, says the legend. She
gathered them and hastened to
present them to the Infant Jesus.
While she was kneeling at the
crib, His hand touched the pet
als and they turned a beautiful
red.
A similar legend from Mexico
tells how the flaming red poin
settia came to be connected with
Christmas.
A poor Mexican boy went to
church on Christmas Eve in gr
eat sadness because he did not
have a gift to lay before the crib
of the Holy Child. He knelt hum
bly on the cold ground outside
the church and prayed. When he
rose, a green plant with dazzling
red blooms sprang up at his
feet.
The poinsettia was named for
America’s first ambassador to
Mexico — Joel R. Poinsett who
brought the flame-hued plant
from Mexico in 1829.
Over the centuries, evergreens
have played an important part
In the Christmas celebration and
the color green is symbolic of
them and everlasting life.
The early French and English
settlers hung pieces of ever
greens over their doors to indi
cate that Christ was present.
Holly is believed to have spr
ung up where the Infant Jesus
took his first baby steps.
Numerous tales are told of how
the Christmas tree came to be
associated with Christmas. His
torians believe, however, that it
was Martin Luther in Germany
who trimmed the first tree with
candles to show his family the
splendor of the night on which
Christ was bom. Later apples,
candy, and colored papers were
added to the decorations.
Today the colors red and green
dominate Christmas decorations.
Country Parson
w
tig
2- 5 '
“A riot is an alarm wound
tight by neglect which goes
off long after we should
have been awake.”
Israel, US Target
Os Iraq Protest
By WILBORN R. HAMPTON
United Press International
Demanding death for Israelis
and Americans, thousands of
sobbing and shouting Iraqis
today in Baghdad buried troops
killed in Jordan by Israel’s jets.
One of the Baghdad Radio
announcers, describing what the
station called one of the largest
protest demonstrations in Iraqi
history, broke down and wept in
sobs heard around the Arab
world.
According to the broadcast,
the crowds mourning the dead
of Wednesday’s air strike bore
placards with such slogans as
“Death for the Americans,
enemy of the people” and “We
will wring the necks of the
Americans.”
The crowds’ chief target was
Israel. Signs and shouts said
“Jerusalem or death,” “Pales
tine cannot be recovered except
by blood” and “Palestine’s
return by blood and not by
speeches and conferences.”
In Cairo President Gamal
Abdel Nasser of Egypt vowed to
punish Israel even if it cost a
million casualties.
In the Jordanian capital of
Amman, nervous citizens
watched the western skies for
any further Israeli strike
planes. The Israel jets buzzed
Amman while pounding Iraqi
forces in Jordan Wednesday.
Washington talked of peace
making and Moscow of Israel’s
"aggression.” In Baghdad, the
Russian feeling prevailed.
Crowds of peasants, teachers,
students and women waved
their placards and chanted their
slogans as the bodies—no
number was specified—were
carried on automobiles through
Baghdad streets.
Washington is usually automa
tically condemned in Arab
Georgia Demos
Bank $200,000
By MARCIE RASMUSSEN
ATLANTA (UPI) —A wealth
of candidates for local and
state offices spurred a jump in
the State Democratic Party’s
financial status — from $226,000
in the red to $200,000 in the
black — in only two years’
time.
An audit revealed Wednesday
showed that the party, which in
1966 was deeply in debt follow
ing a runoff primary election
race between Gov. Lester Mad
dox and former Gov. Ellis Ar
nall, has $197,591.46 in the bank,
as of Sept. 30, 1968.
“In accordance with our de
sire to maintain continued pub
lic confidence in the State Dem
ocratic Party organization, we
are glad to release a complete
audit of the financial status of
the party,” a release by top
party leaders said.
“In addition to fees paid to
the State Committee for state
wide and legislative offices, rec
ords indicate that County Com
mittees received over $750,000
in fees in local races,” the
statement said.
County executive committees
may retain $300,000 of that for
future races.
In addition, $357,700 was tak
en in from qualifiers for state
offices. But S6OO of that was
"lost” during qualifications last
spring, according to Joe Sports,
the party’s executive director.
Sports said the unprecedent
ed audit, covering a two-year
period, turned up the discrep
ancy. He said the candidate
had been given a receipt for
the cash fee, and that he was
allowed to run any way.
The party leaders said the or
ganization was out of debt prior
Griffinites Return
From Havana, Cuba
Two Griffinites, who were hi
jacked to Cuba on a National
Airlines flight from Tampa to
Miami Tuesday afternoon, re
turned to Miami Wednesday bet
ween 5 and 5:30 p.m.
Phillip Williams of 736 Clay
street and Bruce Smith of 210
Hillandale drive were in Flor
ida on a sales trip for Southern
States, Inc., of Hampton when
the plane was hijacked by a Cu
ban refugee.
DAILY W" NEWS
Daily Since 1872.
capital demonstrations. But
today’s Baghdad outpouring
appeared to western ears to be
especially virulent. One crowd
slogan was “Down with the new
agents of America,” a possible
reference to Kurdish rebels, in
northern Iraq.
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Accredited
to the 1968 primary on Sept. 11,
and that since October 1, 1966,
the party had taken in
$715,954.76.
The leaders attributed the fi
nancial success to cooperation
of the various county commit
tees, financial procedures initi
ated by the state party office
and fund raising dinners.
Gov. Lester Maddox said af
ter announcement of the audit,
which was done by the firm of
Williford, Windham & Stone in
Atlanta, that "We’re in the
best position the Democratic
party has ever been in Geor
gia.
“I hope we’ll be strong
enough to take over the nation
al party,” he said.
Dissatisfaction with the na
tional party was apparent in
the state party’s National Con
vention fund. Expenses for the
convention, where state party
officials walked out to protest
splitting of the state delega
tion, outweighed contributions
to the tune of a $1,134.44 deficit.
The Commercial National Bank
of Cedartown was repaid the
overdrawn funds, officials said.
RIDE TO WORK
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (UPI)— Two
men who rode to a liquor store
in a cab and tried to hold it up
were arrested Wednesday as
they were getting into the cab
for the getaway, police said.
The driver told police that
Nicholas Platos, 23, of Orange,
N.J., and Joseph Savario, 24, of
Baltimore, asked him to wait
outside for them. He said he did
not know about the $125 holdup.
Mrs. Alice Williams said this
morning that her husband call
ed her Wednesday night about
6 o’clock and said that he w a s
safe and assured her that every
thing was “fine.”
Williams and Smith today con
tinued with the business they
had started in Miami. They will
fly home this afternoon, Mrs.
Williams said.
Mrs. Williams said the men
GRIFFIN
Griffin, Go., 30223, Thursday, December 5, 1968
Viet Cong Announces
Three Day Cease-Fire
(Griffin Daily News Staff Photo)
Griffin-Spalding School Supt. D. B. Christie (1) told elementary school princi
pals and other school officials this morning that their schools had been fully
accredited by the Southern Association. This is the first time that all the elemen
tary schools have been fully accredited. The principals and officials are (1-r)
Charles Mobley, Miss Nell Tanner, J. C. Booth, Ronald Ellison, Mrs. J. S. Harden,
Frank Gregory, Layman Hattaway, D. T. Smith, John Andrews, C. W. Bush,
Al Pharr, Frank Touchstone and Tommy Jones.
Ammons
Arrests Rob
Suspect
Johnny Ammons of Griffin,
who is a federal marshal, arres
ted a man on the steps of the
old Atlanta post office building
just seconds after a teller inside
had shouted he had been robbed.
Taken into custody was a man
identified as Otis David Wright,
46, of LaGrange.
Ammons had just entered the
building when a postal clerk
shouted he had been robbed. He
said the suspect was wearing a
light colored fabric raincoat.
Ammons quickly stepped out
side the building and arrested
a man fitting that description.
Ammons said that more than
S4OO believed to have been tak
en in the robbery was recover
ed.
He said Wright offered no re
sistance.
Ammong took the suspect in
to federal custody.
“The whole thing was over in
less than five minutes,” the Grif
fin lawman said.
Ammons said Wright was not
armed. The postal employe, who
was robbed, said the suspect
came to his window and appar
ently used his finger under his
coat to pretend he had a pistol.
He directed the man at the post
office window to hand over the
money.
The suspect scooped up the
bills and hurried out of the build
ing. He was under arrest with
in almost seconds.
were presented emblems mak
ing them members of the “Hi
jackers Club” when they board
ed the plane in Cuba for the
return trip to Miami. The hijack
ed plane with their luggage re
turned to the United States Tues
day night.
She said that her husband said
the accomodations in Cuba were
not too much, but that the food
was good and they were treat
ed okay.
Huge Pay Hikes For
Congress, Cabinet
In LBJ’s Budget
WASHINGTON (UPD—
President Johnson is expected
to propose record federal
spending in his final budget
message, including substantial
pay raises for the president,
cabinet, members of Congress
and the Supreme Court.
Johnson was reported to have
said privately he felt that a
proposal, as reported by a
special commission on executive
pay, might be too low, but is
likely to lower It even further in
an effort to avoid congressional
opposition to the plan.
The nine-member commis
sion, which was established by
Congress in 1967 and is head
ed by Frederick Kap
pel, former board chairman of
American Telephone & Tele
graph, reportedly has recom
mended the following increases:
President — up $50,000 to
$150,000.
Vice president and speaker of
the House—up $32,000 to $75,000.
Chief justices — up $35,000
$75,000
Associate justices—up $25,000
to $65,000.
Cabinet members—up $25,000
Maddox Asks Local
Officials To Hold
Off On Tax Hikes
ATLANTA (UPD—Gov. Les
ter Maddox today urged local
officials to delay any planned
property tax increases until af
ter the legislature acts on his
proposal to hike the state sales
tax, a move aimed at increas
ing aid to cities and counties.
Maddox sent telegrams to of
ficials of the Georgia Municipal
Association and the Association
County Commissioners of Geor
gia.
“It is my judgment that the
1969 General Assembly is in
sympathy with this need (to aid
local government) and will give
full consideration to my re
quest,” Maddox said.
“Had this been accomplished
years ago, many of the major
problems facing cities would
have been eased or eliminated
and much of the ad valorem
Vol. 95 No. 289
to $60,000.
Congressmen and senators—
up $20,000 to $50,000.
It was understood that
Johnson had sought and re
ceived the approval of Pres
ident-elect Richard M. Nixon for
the salary increases, although
Nixon reportedly was concerned
that the raises might be too
high.
Weather:
<
FORECAST FOR GRIFFIN
AREA — Fair and becoming
colder and windy this afternoon
and tonight. Friday fair and con
tinued cold.
LOCAL WEATHER — Esti
mated high today 62 low today
31, high Wednesday 46, low Wed
nesday 38. Sunrise Friday 7:28
a.m., sunset Friday 5:34 p.m.
tax burden now carried only by
the property owners would be
shared by other productice citi
zens.”
Maddox said he was asking
for a halt on any property tax
increases “in order to avoid
what might otherwise be a
needless further burdening of
the property owners in Geor
gia.”
Maddox described his plan to
increase aid to cities by giving
them half of an extra penny of
sales tax and to counties by one
quarter of a cent as a “major
breakthrough of state govern
ment coming to the aid of local
government.”
Legislators have voiced oppo
sition to a tax increase this
year, but leaders have predict
ed that cities and counties will
get more financial support next
year.
No Immediate
Reply From US
SAIGON (UPD—The Viet
Cong military command today
said its forces will observe
three-day ceasefires during the
Christmas and New Year
holidays.
South Vietnam already has
announced a 24-hour cease-fire
beginning Christmas Eve. It has
said nothing yet about a
separate cease-fire so New
Year’s.
The Viet Cong announcement,
broadcast by “Radio Libera
tion,” said the Communist
cease-fires would last from 1
a.m. Dec. 24 to 1 a.m. Dec. 27,
and from 1 a.m. Dec. 30 to 1
a.m. Jan. 2.
The broadcast said all Ameri
can attacks during the Viet
Cong-declared cease-fires would
be considered as violations of
the holiday cease-fires.
There was no immediate
reply from the allied military
command to the Viet Cong
broadcast coming three days
after President Nguyen Van
Thieu of South Vietnam an
nounced a single 24-hour holiday
truce beginning at 6 p.m. Dec.
24. The U.S. military headquar
ters had said already American
troops would observe that
cease-fire.
Some observers saw the Viet
Cong announcement as an
attempt to upstage the allied
command which was the first to
order the holiday truce this
year. In the past, the Commu
nists have scored propaganda
victories by being the first to
call for holiday cease-fires.
INSIDE
Local News. Pages 2, 3.
Editorials. Page 4.
Forest Fires. Page 5.
Society. Page 6.
Weather Summary. Page 7.
R & R Leave. Page 8.
Youth Page. Page 10.
C-5 Plane. Page 11.
Commentary. Page 12.
Sports. Pages 14, 15, 16.
Mideast Policy. Page 17.
Accreditation. Page 17.
Science. Page 18.
Bruce Biossat. Page 18.
Marshland. Page 20.
AMA Page 20.
Want Ads. Pages 22, 23.
Social Security. Page 24.
Ray Cromley. Page 24.
Principal Quits
After Threat
NEW YORK (UPD—Julius
Nislow looked slowly around the
small cafeteria at the 50
teachers he had summoned just
after classes ended Wednesday
at Public School 93 in Brooklyn.
He began reading them a
letter he had received threaten
ing him and his family.
Nislow, 60, a White man, has
been principal of the Bedford-
Stuyvesant elementary school
lor 10 years. In that time the
few Whites who lived in the
area have moved. The school
enrollment now is almost 100
per cent black.
Nislow had refused during the
recent teacher strikes to open
the elementary school. He had
joined striking teachers on
picket lines, incurring the wrath
of many parents in the
community. The school borders
on the Ocean Hill-Brownsville
experimental school district
that has been the focal point of
the city’s education problems
this fall.
Tlie principal stood before the
silent teachers and read from
the letter:
“We know where you live. We
know that you have police
protection. But if we want to
get you, you know that we can.
“We know your son is a
dentist, your daughter is
married, and you have grand
children, and you have a
daughter in college.
"Ds know wtat it feel*
Major
Obstacles
Block Talks
By GEORGE SIBERA
PARIS (UPD—North Vietnam
said today major procedural
obstacles block the beginning of
expanded negotiations to end
the Vietnam War.
“So far only minor matters
have been agreed upon” con
cerning how to seat the
negotiators and whether the
talks will be two-sided or four
sided, a Hanoi spokesman said.
U.S. negotiators today studied
the latest Hanoi proposals from
Wednesday’s secret meeting
between deputy negotiator Cy
rus Vance and his Hanoi
counterpart, Col. Ha Van Lau.
The two met Monday and
Wednesday, the Hanoi spokes
man said, and more meetings
are necessary to smooth the
way for opening the expanded
talks Involving South Vietnam,
Hanoi, the Viet Cong and the
United States.
Repeating the Communists’
position, one the United States
and South Vietnam have refused
to accept, the spokesman said:
“The arrangements for the
first session of the conference
must make it evident that it
will be a four-party conference
and that the (Viet Cong’s)
National Liberation Front will
be a fully equal partner.”
Washington and Saigon have
made it clear they want a two
sided conference, with the Viet
Cong sitting in the Hanoi
delegation and Saigon in the
U.S. delegation.
The North Vietnamese spokes
man told newsmen that neither
Hanoi nor the Viet Cong will
recognize Saigon at the confer
ence table. He would not
comment on reports the South
Vietnamese delegation is on the
way.
Despite Hanoi’s note of
pessimism, French authorities
were reportedly completing
arrangements to accommodate
the talks in the Majestic Hotel,
where preliminary negotiations
took place.
like to have your daughter
raped!”
Nislow stopped, his voice
choked with emotion. He
paused, but could not go on.
He handed the letter to a
member of the staff, who
continued to read:
“What happens to your family
will depend on what you do. The
decision is up to you.”
Nislow stood before his staff
and blurted, “This is good-by. I
am leaving.”
Nislow left the lunchroom, his
career as an educator apparent
ly over.
Behind him, many of his
teachers wept.
— DECEMBER 6th-
I it SHOPPING I
j 11 © DAYS LEFT
\ CHRISTMAS SEALS fight TB and \
\ other RESPIRATORY DISEASES |
i 1968 CHRISTMAS g GREETINGS 1968 f