The Gastonia Gazette from Gastonia, North Carolina • Page 3

Opinion page to the Todays youth a cause for pride All that loot does not disappear in thin air Cargo crooks are getting away with a staggering 51 billion worth of thefts a year because of inadequate security at docks, airline terminals and trucking terminals, charges the Journal of Insurance. In an article entitled "The Great Cargo Caper," the magazine quotes the staff of Sen. Alan Bible, chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee, as calculating that hijackers annually make off with $100 million worth of goods carried by airlines, million from shippers, and $700 million from the nation's trucking firms. York's Kennedy International Airport alone loses an estimated $7 million a year in cargo hijackings. Insurance losses at the airport have increased 600 per cent in the last two years.

Additionally, according to the Post Office Department, mail thefts at Kennedy totaled $65 million for the three years from 1957 through 1969. Although organized crime divides other cities by territory, every branch of mob" operates at Kennedy. Mob hijackers have been known to get their own truckers into the airport for pickups ahead of legitimate truckers. Yet strangely, most airlines continue to permit virtually, free access to cargo areas. Only about a quarter of them, at the urging of police and insurers, have installed surveillance television cameras.

More than half of all cargoes stolen today are taken from trucks, says the journal at truck terminals, on crowded city streets, on lonely highways or while parked at diner truck stops. It cites the theft of a truck loaded with worth of golf balls (later recovered by the FBI) as "just another example of the underworld's ability to dispose of huge quantities of anything, from toys to surgical instruments to business machines." It is also an example of the overworld's complicity with the underworld. As one investigator says, "You. don't peddle adding machines door to door." Gilbert Meyer, chief theft investigator of the American Insurance Institute, "It is alarming that much of the loot moves through chan- nels of legitimate business," he says. No doubt many of these "legitimate" businessmen, as well as countless others taking pay-offs and rake- offs from the mobsters all the way up the line, are among those bewailing the rise of crime and disrespect for the law in the United as if'the back-alley mugger can compare with what the big-time crooks are gelling away with.

It's in the blood! Evidence is accumulating that people with high levels of serum uric acid in their blood tend to be high in ambition and achievement. Serum uric acid is a in gout, the ancient ailment of prominent men. Or it may be the other way around that people high in ambition and achievement tend to have high levels of serum uric acid. The researchers don't know. They do know, however, that: Uric shows a positive association with grades and achievement and participation in activities among high school and college students.

Among college professors, the characteristics which lead to outstanding performance drive, lead- ership and pushing of self are positively associated with serum urate levels. Men in higher status occupations have higher acid levels. It has also been found that environmental stress has an effect on levels of uric acid in the blood. Men had higher levels when they were about to lose their jobs than later, when they had become established in new jobs. On the other hand, men with high uric acid levels appear to thrive under pressure and have a strong sense self-direction and involvement.

Tims the chicken-or-egg question: Which comes first acid or ambition? Maybe when we find out we can package the stuff. Thirty good years Funeral services were held Saturday for Thomas Harold Willislon, who had died unexpectedly on Tuesday. He was a doctor and surgeon, having practiced here since 1940. The death of a man of medicine seems to have a special sharpness and to leave an empty place of great depth. Dr.

Williston possessed all of the professional credentials, which he earned not in order to be important, but in order to be of service. And he was associated with many other persons and organizations, and active in their work, as part of his need to serve over and above his vocation. So, he was not merely respected; he was looked upon with affection and up to with admiration. And he was held in love. But it may be that Dr.

Williston's place in the whole community grew more out of what he was than what he did. At a time when people are searching for bridges, he was a bridge. While people are looking for lights to follow, he was a light, not purposefully leading but inviting followers by example. The best tribute to his memory and the most fitting gesture to his family would be to accept that invitation. Dr.

Williston was buried in Fayetteville, where he was born. Much of the in-between time belongs to us, and it has been good to have. THE GASTONIA GAZETTE Gastonia N.C., Tuesday, Nov. 17, 1970 Let Peace Begin With Mel This newspaper is dedicated to lurnisfiing information to our readers so that they can better promote and. preserve their own freedom, ad encourage others to see its blessings.

For only when man understands freedom and is free to control himself and all he produces can he develop to Jw utmost capabilities. We believe that all men are equally endowed by their Creator, and not by a government, with. the right to take moral action to preserve their life and. and secure more freedom and keep it for themselves and others. Freedom is self-control no more, no less.

To discharge this responsibility, free men, to the best of their ability, must understand and apply to daily living the great moral guide expressed in the Coveting Commandment. Dear Sir: Sine? this is Youth Week, which I understand is being observed by the Optimist Clubs, I feel the need to write my first letter to your paper. Even as an adult, it has been my privilege to be associated with youth in several capacities at work, in school (Gaston College) and especially iu church. Some persons today have a. tendency to put youth down.

I realize that there are youth (and adults) who are a blight on society. I see some young people in school who are attending for no real purpose; they are killing time, or dodging the draft, or attending for some other purpose besides getting an education. There is crime among youth; there is rebellion; there is even anarchy. There are those who have no respect for themselves or others. There are those who would even destroy a nation that has given them so much.

These are in the minority, but these make the headlines and the news reports on TV. But what about the majority? What about the cream of the crop who are shedding their blood in Vietnam? The majority are interested in an education. The majority do love their country; they have a respect for themselves and others. I believe that the majority of youth today are the finest this nation has ever had. As-a member of Unity Baptist Church, it has been my privilege to work with youth in several areas.

Naturally my remarks may be a little biased, for I love our youth very much. They are, to me, the greatest. These past six months have been the most rewarding of my life. I hav.e seen concerned youth in action. They have been busy conducting worship services at Medicen- ler, the County Home, rest homes, and hospitals, and, in addition, have devoted every Thursday night to conducting prayer services in the homes of shut-ins.

I have seen them ex- A computer can really mix one up No one asked the question, but an Ohio firm has come up with the an-. swer to bartenders: A computerized machine that needs just seven seconds to give a customer a perfectly mixed cocktail and the printed bill. Human bartenders needn't fear for their jobs, however. Since wonders never cease to be tampered with, the next step will be an attempt By Jim Fiebig to program the computer to converse with customers. When that occurs, the advantage of man over machine will be obvious: "Good evening, Machine.

The usual, please." "Your name, sir?" "Joe, Joe Barnes. Donlcha know me yet? I come in here every. "I have two Joseph Barneses in my memory bank. Are you Joseph P. or Joseph R.

It stands for Ralph. Funny how I got that name, too. When I was born. "One Old-Fashioned coming up, Joe. Say, how's the wife and kids?" "I told ya last time I was here, I ain't married.

Dontcha listen?" "Here's your drink, Joe. How's the job going?" "How many times I golla tell ya? I haven't held a job for. "Beautiful weather, eh, Joe? Who's your favorite in Sunday's game?" "Which game?" "You're nuts, Joe. Those bums haven't got a chance. Fix you another?" "I haven't even touched this one." "Coming right un, Joe.

Say, how's the wife and kids?" hausted physically, but their joy is radiant. With the demands of school and other activities pressing upon (hem, I find it a noble thing that they should set aside the time to minister to the needs of the community in such a fine way. When I hear some adults knocking youth, I can only assume that they doii't know the young people that I know. Words could never express the gratitude I have inside for what these young people mean to me. Hob Bradley 1414 Rhyne Dr.

'Actually he might just make quite a Even in Sweden gals are griping Stockholm Deep in his heart, every chauvinistic male believes the principal movers in the -Women's Liberation Movement do not look like Helen of Troy, He believes, in fact, the whole thing is merely an extension of the old "Hell-hath-no-fury. precept. "If the women's agitators ever launched any ships with-their faces," he says, "the ships would sail in the other direction." The chauvinist obviously is steeped in generations of masculine prejudice and ego and, therefore, like all traditionalists these days, bears investigation. Sweden is a good place to investigate it because, since the dawn of time, no one has ever seen a homely Swedish woman. To walk down the Kungsgata in Stockholm at rush hour is to appreciate to some extent what a drug "trip" must ce like.

One beautiful woman after another, each so lovely as to make you forget the one who passed before her whom you were sure you'd never forget. It goes on like this until the mind flips out of its socket and goes careening down the hallways of the inner ear. Suddenly you realize why the Swedes say "Ja!" instead of yes. THERE IS one women's liberation movement here. It's called the Fredrika Bremer Assn.

and it was founded in 1938. Compared to the United States movement, it is very inactive. "My personal opinion I don't know if there is an official one said a middle-aged Swedish editor, "is that American women are mak- i themselves ridiculous. We wouldn't dream of that kind of fight. "Sweden is still old-fashioned European in many ways.

The laboring woman does the donkey work in this community for a donkey's wages. Yet, compared with most women in Europe, we're very free. But I'm not consoled by the fact that Italian women have a tougher proposition. "Personally, I feel very strongly about women's rights. The greatest disappointment of my life was the day I found out that all that talk about equality of the sexes was just so much wash.

"But the difference between your situation In the U.S.A. and the situation here is that reform will bo dono with men. Swedish women arc not in confrontation with male organizations. We would rather go together with men to find equality on the labor market." She predicted that in five years. ANOTHER THING that strikes the male chauvinist as funny is the militant feminists' bitter resentment of undressed women in men's magazines.

Many feminists complain that it makes them feel like pieces of meat to look at the pictures of undressed women, Swedish women also chuckle at this attitude. Sweden's obscenity and pornography laws are nearly as liberal as those, in neighboring Denmark, but most girls here don't mind being exploited; "In the first place," said the editor, "it's useless to come on with this moral what-not where a profitable business is concerned. I mean, that's the way you react when you're terribly young. "In the second place, there are no laws in Sweden prohibiting women from looking at pictures of undressed men, either. Unless there's something vaguely wrong with a woman's make-up, I see no reason why she should object to men admiring women dressed or undressed." Sweden, obviously, is the chauvinistic male's kind of place.

There is even an old Swedish saying that goes, "The woman shall stand over the fire and bear children." And there are rumors of a kind of men's liberation 'movement. It is no longer taken for granted in Sweden that discussions of equality are the sole concern of women. Men, it has been suggested, also are victims of "Why, in a free society, should men be expected to shoulder tho entire burden of providing for Die family?" askec! a leading news magazine recently. Country boy Dear Sir: Your recent article on the sltua- lion of Mr. Ronnie Underwood's was very interesting.

I am in perfect agreement with him, and having had tho unpleasant experience of being confined to the local hotel it was amazing how bonding company machinery operates. After a few hours in the cooler, I was taken out and questioned rather harshly, and guess who it wuz; it was a bondsman who came from I know not where, nor did I request a bondsman. Actually I hadn't been advised ol my rights. I thought intoxication ranked up with car theft, kidnaping and the like, bein kinda dumb like and from the country, and having just drunk blackberry wine, persimmon beer, previously. Golly, man, that tax- paid stuff kicks iike a hoss.

Now to show you how smart a bondsman can be, and his desire to play detective, I was released after being told I owed $15. I abscounded from the office, went home, later was informed that I had signed the bond in the wrong place. I informed the man I would go by his office and sign the bond correctly, 1 did as promised, however upon entering his office I was delayed some time, and when Dick Tracy arrived he yanked out a paper in connection with a man jumping bond over in Charlotte for $1,500. He said I fitted the description, sounded like the man, and he hated bond jumpers. He had lied to get me back in the first place.

I was placed in jail after requesting that I be allowed to remain in the office until the bonds from Charlotte came to identify me. This was denied; into the cooler I went for one hour and 47 minutes. The bondsman from Charlotte arrived. I was not the man, I had never been in jail in Charlotte, and never bonded in Charlotte. The gentleman from Charlotte apologized.

You should have seen Dick -Tracy. He had really made a mistake, but would you believe he had driven to Dallas early in the morning and asked my landlord several questions about me, even about my wife. He really had something big, but rather backward in thinking. Had I been the man hi Charlotte who had jumped a bond, would I have gone back to sign a bond for $15? Anyway, this was a lie to get me back to their office, I recall on the way to jail, he said if I was not the man from Charlotte, and he was wrong, he would buy me the largest drink of whiskey I ever had. Bet you he wanted to get me drunk, arrested, and get another bond fee from me.

This old country boy ain't that stupid! On the contrary, the gentleman from Charlotte went to his car, got a bottle, came into the bonding office and asked if we would go into the backroom and partake of the spirits. He was told to sit in the office, and be their- guest, no one would bother him there. Brother, one to another, I think you call it. Now of course he might have been arrested then and there, and old detective hoy could have gotten another bonding fee. In summary, let's support Mr.

Underwood. It makes sense. As my close friend, eloquent speaker, brilliant attorney, and one lime Republican candidate lor governor of Norlh Carolina, Chub Seawell often says: Call Your Next Robert Kure Gastonia.