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EARLY COUNTY NEWS. THURSDAY, MAY 27. 1971
EARLY COUNTY NEWS
Official Organ of Blakely and Early County
BLAKELY, GEORGIA 31723
S W. H. FLEMING PUBUSHER-EDITOR
W. W. (BILLY) FLEMING BUSINESS MANAGER
Published Every Thursday By the Early Comity News.
Entered at the Post Office la Blakely, Ga., 4s Second Class
matter under Act of March 3,1879.
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Politics olii Parade
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Last week, when we wrote
about U. S. Senator David
Gambrell hiring Benny T.
Smith, an Atlanta Negro with
a police record, we said that
the Atlanta Journal and Consti
tution wouldn't print Smith’s
record. We were correct; the
Constitution didn’t even men
tion it, and the Journal ran a
story on page 2, Monday, May
17, whitewashing Smith.
We quote from this Journal
story: “A check by the Journal
confirmed that Smith had been
arrested, but apparently never
indicted or convicted”.
In this same article, Smith is
quoted: "I have been arrested,
but never convicted or indicted
in any court in the United
States.”
As evidence that the Journal
did very little checking, IF
ANY, and that Smith wasn't
telling the truth, we cite the
following:
On Sept. 23, 1968, Judge
Luther Alverson of Fulton
County Superior Court, issued
an order (No. B-37923) direct
ing Benny T. Smith to pay $125
a month for the support of eight
minor children, then residing
with his former wife in Los
Angeles, Calif. The order states
that Smith admitted he was
guilty of the charge. Mrs. Mary
T. Smith had taken out the
warrant in California and Smith
was charged under the uniform
reciprocal act.
(Note to the Journal: To
help you find this court record.
It’s in Book 447, page 87, office
of Cleric of Superior Court, Ful
ton County.)
ITEM 2— On March 26,
1969, Benny T. Smith was
sentenced to 6 months in jail,
a SSO fine, and ordered to make
restitution to the State of Geor
gia in the amount of $624.98,
for violation of the State Sales
Tax law. He was placed on
probation for the jail term.
Woodrow Tucker, Judge of the
Criminal Court of Fulton Coun
ty, signed the order. Smith
plead nolo contendere on these
charges, which is considered the
same as a guilty plea.
(Note to Journal: To help
you find this record, it’s Docket
No. 79856).
ITEM 3— On the 26th day
of June, 1964, Bennie T. Smith
was indicted by the Fulton
County Grand Jury — Charles
M. Brown, Foreman — on a
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charge of unlawful assembly.
The charge had been reduced
from “inciting to riot”. The
Grand Jury presentment con
tained these words: “(Smith) did
with other persons, whose
names are to the Grand Jurors
unknown, unlawfully gather and
assemble upon Haygood Ave.,
S. E., a public street, in front
nt it'd In the immedintf* vicin
ity of a dwelling house occupied
by Willie Thomas and Ethel
Thomas . . . said gathering and
assembly being for the purpose
of disturbing the public peace
by threatening the occupants of
said house that “we will come in
and get you out” ... and for
the purpose of wilfully and
maliciously setting fire to said
house, and for the purpose of
committing an act of malicious
mischief in the breaking of a
window glass in said house
. . .” Smith was arrested by Sgt.
C. J. Perry, of the Atlanta Po
lice Dept
Smith was found not guilty of
the charges, but, remember, be
said he had never been indicted.
(Note to the Journal: Sony
we can’t tell you the page on
which this indictment is listed,
but it won’t be hard to find in
the records.)
ITEM 4— A case in the
Criminal Court of Fulton Coun
ty lists a very serious charge
against a “Bennie Smith”, but
we haven’t, yet, been able to con
firm that this is the same Bennie
T. Smith. The defendant was
given a 12 month sentence, but
it was suspended on the pay
ment of $5.00 a week to a cer
tain Gertrude Williams. We
don’t, yet, accuse Sen. Gam
brell’s aide of being the de
fendant in this case.
(Note to the Journal: If you
want to check this, too, it’s
case No. 253277.)
•* * *
As we wrote last week, we
have nothing against Bennie
Smith in disclosing his record.
We do so purely for the sake of
pointing out the utter disrespect
which Senator Gambrell has for
the people of Georgia in hiring
such a person to hold a position
of government trust. And,
Gambrell compounded this
disrespect by not immediately
investigating Smith after our
charges were aired last week.
It wouldn't have been much
trouble to do; it took us only a
couple of hours and we are sure
that one of the Senator’s lawyer
MARVIN
GRIFFIN
THINGS HAVE BEEN
ENTIRELY TOO QUIET
Back in the old days of politics
before folks got too cultured and
reserved in Georgia, and liked a
good old-fashioned political row
to clean the
orifices in their
heads, the late f |
Gene Tai- '
madge used to I y 1
come into the I
old Ansley Ho- A
tel, and as he ■
entered the W B
lobby he would “
stop and buy a newspaper from
the paper boy at the door.
He would then sit down in the
lobby for a few minutes and
peruse the news in the paper. He
would fold up the paper and say
to those who were accompanying
him at the time: “Everything is
as dull as dishwater, things are
entirely too quiet, I need to start a
row.”
The next day he would make a
positive statement on something
highly controversial, and the
papers would go after him
“hammer and claw”.
The next time he came to the
lobby of the Ansley Hotel, his
friendly paper boy at the door
would be yelling “Read all about
it, Old Gene has done it again.”
Gene would give the paper boy a
quarter or fifty cents for a paper,
and the fellow would use his
leather lungs to sell all his
papers.
Gene would start a row, and he
would be in the middle of it. He
would call on his loyal friends and
supporters to join him, and
before the summer was out, he
would be back up on top, and the
press would not even know it
“had been had.”
Things have been entirely too
quiet in Decatur County since the
possibility of funding a junior
college for Decatur County came
up a few months ago.
LET’S TAKE A
DISCLAIMER
Now, I am not looking for a
row, but when I get through
writing this piece, I will perhaps
have stirred up one for myself. I
want to say in the premises I am
not mad at anybody, and that I
am not taking pot shots at
anybody either.
The Board of Commissioners of
Thomas County decided not to let
the folks in that county, who
wanted to vote on a bond issue to
finance the building of a junior
college in Thomas County, hold
an election for that purpose.
I can understand why some
folks would be against bonding
the property in a county, and
increasing taxes on that property
for the purpose of building a
junior college, but, after all,
these people were County
Commissioners, and most folks
get fighting mad if someone
denies them the right to vote.
If I had been a County Com
missioner of Thomas County, I
think I would have voted in the
affirmative on the question, and
would have then said to one and
all: “I am not really for the in
crease in taxes on property to
build a junior college, but I will
not deny you, the people, the right
to vote on the issue. If you are
crazy enough to vote to increase
taxes, then I am merely your
servant to carry out your wishes.
When your tax bill goes up, don’t
fuss at me about it.”
Not liking something is one
thing, and when an election
comes up, every fellow who is
against building a junior college
and increasing taxes to do so, can
get out on the street corner and
fight the issue as hard as he can,
but to deny the folks the right to
say whether they want the heavy
yoke of increased taxes around
their necks is dictatorial, and
friends could have done it in
half the time.
We point out, also, that the
Senator's judgment is certain
ly open to question now. If this
is a sample of how he will con
duct his office and his duties to
Georgians, he had better re
sign and come on home.
Os course, Gambrell appoint
ed a Negro to the job just to
try to get the Negro vote next
year. But, if he had been smart
enough to check around among
the respected black people of
Atlanta, he would have found
them horrified that he would
even think about appointing
Smith. He hasn’t gained a thing
with the Negroes, and has lost
many of the few white votes he
hid in the hemnninp.
FILES
25 Years Ago
(from the issue of May 30, 1946)
IT WAS ANNOUNCEDthis week
that James V. Carmichael, candi
date for governor, will speak at
the courthouse in Blakely next
Wednesday afternoon, June 5, at
4 o'clock in the afternoon.
HONOR ROLL OF Blakely-
Union School Last Six Week:
First Grade- Cynthia Cox,
Johnny Holman, John Pritchett,
John Puckett, Louis Sheffield,
Tommy Peters, Helen Deal,
Priscilla Jones, Auline
McKnlght, Geraldine Peters,
Joan Puckett, Betty Williams,
Sue Williams.
Second Grade -Arrle Lou Mid
dleton, Gordon Jenkins, Patricia
Pittman, Patricia Hudspeth, Wil
liam Hudspeth, Cliff SingleUry,
Eunice White, Pace Whitehead,
Al Felder, Bernard Garwood,
John Moore, Fleda Mercer,
Royce Richardson, Robbie Jean
Thompson, Charlotte Waller, Ina
Frances Waller.
Third Grade-Darlene Darden,
Alice Batchlor, Julia Oldham,
Nick Collins, Annette Alexander,
Dean Cook, Saranne Mathews,
Peggy White, Delores Heath, Ted
Smith.
Fourth Grade - Jacquelyn
Hayes, Mickey McDonald, Mary
Frances Owens, Bill Barksdale,
Martha Jane Rogers, Faye Robin
son, Crawford Swann, Harvey
Woolf, Peggy Houston, Annette
McAlvlen, Maries Ford.
Fifth Grade-Angle Hudspeth,
Marilyn Middleton, George Earl
Beasley, Ben Hunt, Carlton Mc-
Alvln, Curtis Roberts, J. D. Ar
nett.
Sixth Grade- Peggy Stewart,
Rebecca Crawford, Sylvia Hart
ley, Ann Collins, Ann Wall, David
Mclntyre.
Seventh Grade-Emlly Bush,
Tom Debnam.
Eighth Grade-Joan Bryant, Joy
Chiles.
Nineth Grade-Carolyn Dun
ning, Peggy Grubbs, Lottie B.
Phelps, Betty Jean Temples.
Tenth Grade-Jerry Williams.
Eleventh Grade-Winifred
Alexander, Carol Beckham, Ma
rion Dunning, Fred Darden, Tom
Jones.
DR. AND MRS. Dudley C. Hay
es announce the birth of a daugh
ter, Marla, Tuesday, May 28, at
a Cuthbert hospital. Mrs._Hayes
is the former Miss Peggy Duke.
MR. AND MRS. Lester Eugene
George announce the engagement
of their daughter, Martha Gene,
to William Garland Middleton,
the marriage to take place at an
early date.
JAMES ROBERT COLE, year
old-son of Mr. and Mrs. James
Otis Cole, died Sunday afternoon
at 4 o'clock at the family home.
will not stand up in the market
place of public opinion. I don’t
believe our County Commis
sioners will deny the folks this
right when it comes to them.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH
USING THIS MONEY?
The folks in Decatur County
voted recently to set up licensed
package liquor stores in the
county, and the license for these
retail stores is $2,500 per annum.
At last count there were nine such
stores, which comes to a tidy sum
of more than $20,000 per annum.
At the same time the General
Assembly passed two bills which
enable the county to keep $83,200
in welfare funds being paid out of
county funds at this time, and
$16,700 in education funds. In both
cases the state will pick up the
tab, and this will leave the county
with $99,900 it has been spending
in the past.
This $99,900 plus the $20,000 for
liquor licenses increases the
county’s till about $120,000 per
annum, which is money in hand,
so to speak.
On this basis we would need
only about SBO,OOO more to
finance a bond issue big enough
to retire a $3 million obligation
over a period of 20 years or so.
I know we are getting liquor
money we have not had in 25
years, and the state sent out the
notices what the counties would
“keep in hand” from the passage
of House Bills 1194 and 140. If
these figures are not correct, let
me know. I got them from the
state. And if my thinking is not
realistic, then let me know also. I
am of the opinion the county is
$120,000 better off than it was this
time last year.
lolfe
Dear Editor:
I am a citizen of Blakely and 1
would like to know if there can
be something done about two ser
ious problems that concern
everyone in this town.
The first problem and one that
I am very concerned about is our
local air pollution. It may not be
an everyday occurrence, but the
peanut mills’ incinerators put
out thick ash and smoke when they
burn their waste. This is causing
my family, as well as many others
I know, harm where health and
possessions are concerned. 1
understand one mill tried to im
prove it's incinerator, but if they
lived anywhere near my house
they could see it did no improv
ing t o the air. Can anything be
done to stop tills very unhealthy
pollution? I hope someone in
Blakely knows away, if not, may
be someone in Atlanta can help.
My second problem is what 1
describe as "drag racing" on a
residential street. We have cars
to start at the red light (only a few
feet from the police station) and
reach a very high speed in a few
seconds. It is a dangerous situa
tion especially on a street that
children live and try to play. I
DAVE LLEWELLYN
God Is a Real
Person
Is God human?
Os course not. Nobody be
lieves that any more—if, indeed,
anyone ever did. Some anthrop
ologists are now claiming that
even the ancient Greeks, whose
deities like Zeus and Apollo were
presented by Homer as human
(all too human) beings with
colossal powers—even the
Greeks did not really believe
their gods were anything but
spiritual.
Christians have the clear
teaching of John 4:24, “God is
spirit," to confirm that God is
not human.
But is it really that simple?
What kind of being does Je
hovah God appear to be in these
words of His? "When Israel
was a child, I loved him as a
son and brought him out of
Egypt. ... I trained him from
infancy; I taught him to walk,
50 Years Ago
(from the issue of May 26, 1921)
LAST TUESDAY MR. W. J.
Kenney, Sr., and Mr. T. W. Bates
were exhibiting a beaver that
they had killed on the north inlet
of Buchannon's mill pond.
MR. J. T. Haley was down from
Cuthbert Monday.
MISS ANNIE LOU Fudge, of
Colquitt, and Mr. J. W. Bush, of
Albany, were united in marriage
on Thursday, May 19, at the home
of the bride’s mother, Mrs. F. E.
Fudge, in Colquitt.
MRS. T. B. McDowell left last
week for a visit to relatives in
Alexander City, Ala.
MR. HAL BECKHAM left last
week for Macon, where he goes
to accept a position with Wil
lingham Sash and Door Com
pany.
MR. H. W. SMITH, principal
of the Bluffton school the past
year, left Tuesday for his home
in Barberville, Ky., to spend the
summer months. He will again
head the Bluffton school next
fall and spring.
MR. AND MRS, Clark Frazier
were hosts at an enjoyable spag
hetl party on Friday evening last
in honor of their charming house
guest, Mrs. Walter Smith, of
Atlanta.
75 Years Ago
(from tiie issue of May 28, 1896)
MISS PEARL WADE is visiting
friends in Macon.
MR. LEE PERRYMAN and Col.
W. A. Jordan have returned home
from a trip to Florida.
COLOMOKEE HAS BEEN de
signated as a new voting pre
cinct.
BLAKELY WAS LARGELY re
presented at the closing exer
cises of Miss Carrie Hyde’s
school at Long Branch last Fri
day night.
Dear Editor:
Pleased to advise th Farm
ers Home Administration has ap
proved a $368,000 loan and
$235,000 grant to City of Ar
lington to Finance Extensions
and Improvements to the Central
Water and Sewer System. Loan
and grant will enable city to
improve service to present
users, extend service to those
not now served and provide for
future needs of community.
Dawson Mathis
am beginning to wonder if the new
radar equipment is being used as
it should. We already had this
problem before the radar and it
looks like it will not be stopped
no matter what new speed ctetect
ing devices are bought. 1 notice
in the paper each week there are
usually no more than three or four
speeding tickets listed. 1 only
know that our street has more
speeders every day and night.
I guess I should have written
this letter sooner, but I kept
believing something would be
done. These problems need at
tention and they need it now.
A very concerned citizen
I held him in My arms. But he
doesn't know or even care that
it was I who raised him. . . .
My heart cries out within Me;
how I long to help you! No, I
will not punish you as much as
My fierce anger tells me to. . . .
For 1 am God and not man;
I am the Holy One living among
you, and I did not come tc
destroy." (Hosea 11)
Human Traits
The concluding verse unmis
takably states, “I am God and
not man,” but the remaindei
of God’s proclamation seems
to indicate differently. Jehovah
says He has lived as a father
to His people, raising them with
personal care, even to the extent
of holding them in His arms.
Also, Jehovah has felt emo
tion for His people as a
personally concerned guardian,
demonstrating compassion.
In these ways, is Jehovah not
like a man? Yes and no. Apply
ing these human traits to God
is called anthropomorphism, and
anthropomorphism is any ex
pression which pictures God with
a body like a man’s. The Bible
uses these poetic metaphors, all
theologians agree, to make God
GRADUATES
WE SALUTE YOU
AND WISH FOR YOU
MUCH HAPPINESS
Continue Your Education
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MEMBER ^DERAL DEPOSIT insurance corporation
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You Are Always First At First State”
OVER THE YEARS, the draft has been the subject of great
controversy. There are presently many moves afoot to reform,
extend, or abolish the draft.
Some Senators are so opposed to the draft they have seen fit
to use the filibuster against it. I, for one, do not filibuster when
the national security is at stake.
The draft does need to be reformed. There are many inequities
in the present system and it should be our aim to remove as many
of them as possible. However, abolishing the draft is not the
answer.
Most Americans would like to see the draft ended. In its place,
there would have to be an effective all-volunteer army, with salary
schedules and retirement benefits that would make careers in the
military service more attractive than they are at present.
» » ♦
I HOPE THE DAY will come when all the nations of the world
can lay down their arms. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
As long as the Soviet Union continues the expansion of its
nuclear submarines, surface warships, and sophisticated weaponry,
there is a pressing need for a strong standing army. Moreover, we
are now confronted with the spectre of Red China as a world
nuclear power.
I have serious reservations as to whether proposals to abolish
the draft and set up a volunteer army, as attractive as they may
seem, are either feasible or workable given present world con
ditions.
After World War 11, the United States ended the draft and
attempted to rely upon voluntary enlistments. Our military strength
soon fell to a perilously low level and the draft was reinstated. The
draft then has proven necessary to meet the military manpower
needs of the nation.
Consequently, I believe we must move with care in considering
the future of the draft. A one year extension of the draft, at first
glance, seems an attractive alternative. The final decision, how
ever, must depend on how we can best meet the nation s present
defense needs, and also plan and prepare for future needs. I believe
a two year extension of the draft is in the nation s best interest.
and His power seem closer to
our limited human reality. This
is so; yet actually there is far
more reason than that to picture
God with human qualities.
Jehovah is a person. Jehovah
does not have a human body,
no, but He has the qualities of
mind, emotion, and value that
make Him a person. In this
sense, a man is like God and
God is like a man.
Showing Love
When Jehovah says He loved
Israel as a father, metaphor
is being used, certainly—the
nation of Israel was never
literally an infant—but Jehovah
is not saying merely that He
controls history or causes plants
and animals to grow. Jehovah
is explaining He influenced the
life of Israel personally.
In specific historical events
such as the crossing of the Red
Sea or the giving of the law
on Mount Sinai God attended to
Israel personally. God further
showed His superiority as a
divine Person, and not merely
a man, by responding to Israel’s
rejection with not wrath but
compassion.
Herman Talmadge
REPORTS FROM THE UNITED STATES SENATE
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_ - _l _ - i — - . - . -i
In the person of Jesus Christ,
and in the specific historical
events of His birth, death,
resurrection, and presence in
heaven, God is telling us today
that he has a personal interest
not only in Israel but in each
human being on earth.
It is no mere metaphor; God
personally loves you.
Copyright Dave Llewellyn 1971
Readers who have questions
about the Bible or spiritual
problems may address their let
ters to: Dave Llewellyn, Bryan
College, Dayton, Tenn. 37321.