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About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (April 30, 1964)
'The lights are going out, all oyer the country' fl .'Hitxno par Doc Townsend would have applauded liberals who are pushing his plan TIil- hard-shell liberals who are backing it will not like the identifi cation, but the Townsend Plan is back before us in a new dress. A group of economists, union leaders, authors, and others are proposing that the government pay all Ameri cans "adequate" income whether they work or not. This is only a slight variant of the old Townsend Plan. Dr. Francis E. Townsend, founder of the move ment, originally proposed pensions of $200 a month for all citizens 60 years of ago or over, the payments to bo financed by a two per cent transactions tax. Hatched in the early 1930s dur ing the dismal days of the Depres sion, the Townsend Plan would have required pensioners to spend the entire amount they received within 30 days, thus helping to maintain steady demand for consumer goods. Congress never bought the plan, but the movement had an obvious influ ence on Social Security and other measures affecting the aged. Doc Townsend, who died in September 1960, would be proud in deed of the prestigious company which has been attracted to his nos trum people like Linus Pauling, Nobel Prize winner; Gerald Piel, publisher of Scientific American; W. II. Ferry, vice president of the Fund for the Republic; and Gunnar Myrdal, Swedish economist. On the other hand, they probably would reject the association. The plan is put forward in a 29-page memorandum sent to Presi dent Johnson on March 22 oy a 32 member group which calls itself the Ad Hoc Committee on the Triple Revolution. The components of this are "the cybernation revolution," "the weaponry revolution," and "the human rights revolution." The statement does not suggest how a system of adoquate income for all whether working or not should operate. It does spell out how payments should bo made or to nfhnm Rut It rinpc nrnnncr an "un qualified commitment." And the group asserts: "We regard it as the only policy by which the quarter of the nation now dispossessed and soon-to-be dispossessed by lack of em ployment can be brought within the abundant society." The difference between the new proposal of the liberals and the Townsend Plan is that no whiff of politics exudes from the former. The Townsend Plan, on the other hand, has had more than a quarter cen tury of heavy-duty, long-mileage political sex appeal. Doc Townsend himself hailed the 1958 congression al elections, for example, as "a tre mendous Townsend victory" with 82 per cent of Townsendites candi dates recommended by Townsend state and congressional district councils elected. In one form or another, and often without acknowledgement to the author, the Townsend Plan has been before Congress repeatedly. Moreover, the idea of "pensions for all" Is approaching reality. A check with the Social Securi ty Administration discloses that the average retirement benefit is $77.04 a month. Those becoming eligible last January received an average of $86.39. About 112.7 million persons are covered by Social Security, and more than 19.1 million are now receiving benefits. Another 2.2 mil lion are receiving old age benefits averaging $77.16 under fed erally assisted welfare programs. The proponents of the new pen sion scheme argue that automation is making job-holding as a mecha nism for distributing goods and services "the main brake on the al most unlimited capacity of a cyber nated productive system." The words might have had a peculiar ring, but Doc Townsend would have applauded them. Washington Merry-go-round MacArthur's masfer plan would nof have worked By Draw Pearson WASHINGTON Still-secret military documents show that the Joint Chiefs of Staff seri ously considered the late Gen eral Douglas MacArthur's plan to spread radioactive cobalt across the top of Korea to seal off the country from the Chi nese invaders. The idea was rejected for the following reasons: First, the United States didn't have enough cobalt to create a radioactive belt all the way across Korea. Second, there was no practi cal way to spread the deadly co balt. There weren't enough planes to spray the cobalt by air, and it would have taken months to spread it by trucks. Third, no matter how the co balt dust was sown, it would have been almost sure suicide for those who handled it. Fourth, radioactive cobalt do not kill immediately, but some times takes weeks. The Chinese rulers who showed no concern for the lives of their own men in Korea could have marched their armies across the cobalt field and driven for a quick vic tory before the slow death took effect. Fifth, at even less sacrifice of men, the Chinese could have dug or washed safe paths across the cobalt. Finally, the Chinese could have flown their men over the cobalt belt and parachuted them into Korea. These are the reasons Mac Arthur's great master plan, not so simple as it sounded, was turned down. "Them Toe-Dancers" Many members of Congress like to extend their own cultur al horizons, through foreign jun kets at the taxpayers' expense, but it's a different story when Congress is asked for an appro priation to broaden the taxpay ers' own cultural outlook here at home. Rep. Frank Thompson, D-N. J., was bemoaning this to Agnes De Mille, niece of producer Ce cil B. De Mille and granddaugh ter of Henry George, the single taxer. Describing his problems in seeking approval of funds for a National Council on the Arts, Thompson said. "We owe this to the Ameri can people, but It Is difficult to advocate on tne noor ot me the arts. "When I appeared before a subcommittee seeking an appro priation for the International Cultural Exchange program, I was asked why I wanted to send 'them toe dancers' any place meaning the ballet. We did get the money, but the experience almost made me sick." Nuclear Cutback Behind the closed doors of the House Appropriations Commit tee, George Quinn of the Atom ic Energy Commission testified that there was no danger to na tional seurlty in our joint deci sion with Russia to cut back the production of enriched uranium and plutonium for nuclear wea pons. "We have plenty of reserves on hand to handle military or emergency needs during the four - year period of the cut back," he explained. "So, we are in good shape. Meantime, the President can save some of the money we are now spending for the mining, transportation and storage of these nuclear materials. "Besides this really isn't a cutback in a strict sense. It's more of a slowdown in produc tion. We have to keep it going because, in ten years time, we'll be using a great deal more of uranium for electric power in our civilian economy." Quinn added that we now have about 30 atomic reactors in various stages of develop ment, some of which have been perfected and are in use by pri vate utilities, but the cost is yet too high to meet the competi tive price of conventional elec tricity. Chairman Clarence Cannon, D-Mo., remarked that Quinn's testimony somewhat minimized the President's announcement of the nuclear cutback. Quinn replied nervously that he wasn't aware of saying anything that might minimize or counteract the White House announcement. He also fidgited when Cannon inquired Irritably why his com mittee wasn't fully apprised of the cutback by the AEC, prior to the White House announce ment. "We did write you a letter, prior to the announcement, which covered the ground, we thought. Mr. Chairman." replied Quinn. He added that he was sorry if the committee felt that It wasn't properly advised be fore hand. House. A member is likely to ask if poker - playing is one of Problem of Kashmir still thorn to peace, security Out of school too soon What would happen if two mil lion teenagers now in the labor force were sent back to school? 1. The teen-agers affected would be better-prepared for jobs and hence less likely to become unem ployed in the future. This assumes they would get more vocational training. 2. The teen-agers would be "taken out of competition with breadwinners." 3. Education would become "the biggest Industry in the country." So savs Labor Secretary W. Willard Wlrtz. Wlrtz projected his ideas at a recent labor symposium. He also suggested that the age limit for compulsory school attendance 16 years in most states be raised by two years. He did not say how this should be done. Wlrtz estimates about 3.5 mil lion youngsters in the age bracket fVom 14 to 19 years are now in the Ubor force, adding to the problem of unemployment. Getting two mil lion of them back to school Is "the most fruitful opportunity for im mediate advance" toward a solution of the unemployment problem, Wlrtz says. White House aides said the sec retary's idea is receiving some con sideration. The administration still is looking for a way to get the rate of unemployment, now about 5.6 per cent of the labor force, down to the goal of 4 per cent. It seems that we have a prob lem. If we don't take them out of the labor force, unemployment stays' too high. If wo do, our schools, al ready overcrowded, are under new pressure. We'd suggest that Secretary Wirtz solve his problem by keeping the two million youngsters In school longer. His suggestion to raise the compulsory attendance age is a start. By Phil Newtom UPI Staff Writer Before a cheering throng of 50,000 in Srinagar, capital of disputed Kashmir, a Kashmiri politician voiced words to which the United States could utter a fervent "amen." "We will not have peace or security in the subcontinent," he said, "until the problem of Kashmir is settled and India and Pakistan live in friend ship." It is a goal urgently sought by statesmen of the United States, Britain and the United Nations over 17 years but one which constantly eludes them, keeping India and Pakistan at the brink of war and poisoning U.S. relationships with both. The speaker was Mirza Mo hammed Afzal Beg, in Kashmir politics second only to the man 'beside him on the platform, Sheik Mohammed Abdullah, the "Lion of Kashmir." Released From Prison Both men just had been re leased from prison where they spent more than 10 years for advocating self - determination for Kashmir against the will of India. For Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Abdullah's release had been a calculated risk but one that apparently had gone wrong. The cheering throngs which Jammed streets and pelted Ab dullah with flowers, proved that he had lost none of his appeal and his words proved that nei ther had he changed his mind. It was nonsense, he declared, for India to claim Kashmir as an undetachable part of India. And below him the crowds chanted: "Long live Abdullah . . . our demand plebiscite . . . self determination our right." His words also had their echo in New Delhi to which Abdul lah had been Invited by the ail ing Nehru. Opponents Shout Reply In the scorching heat outside India's Parliament, Irate dem onstrators shouted their reply: Capital Report J Long-term, low-interest loans seen as possible answer to Alaska's property losses from quake By A. Robert Smith Bulletin Correspondent WASHINGTON - Alaska's ex tensive earthquake losses to private property are likely to be recovered through long-term, low-interest government loans rather than a novel plan for ret roactive earthquake insurance or unprecedented direct govern ment grants to individual prop erty owners. Sen. Clinton P. Anderson, D N. Mex, the influential chair man of the special commission created by President Johnson to cope with the Good Friday dis aster, is opposed to the insur ance idea advanced by Sen. Henry M. Jackson, D-Wash and other Pacific coast senators. And he thinks direct grants would arouse senators who nev er secured such treatment for those who. suffered disasters in their states. In the month since the huge quake, while slate and federal officials and members of Con gress wrestled with various pro posals for financing reconstruc tion, the federal government put up about $100 million in emer gency grants for public im provements. Part of this was for repair and rebuilding of such facilities as streets, bridges, wa ter and sewer systems, utilities, schools and other public build ings, and the balance for guar anteeing the stability of the Alaska state government against tax losses and unexpected dis aster costs. Congress later is expected to pass an omnibus bill for assist ing recovery In other respects, including funds for the estimat ed $63 million damage to fed eral property such as the Alas ka Railroad and the Anchorage International Airport. But one of the toughest prob lems has been the case of the individual homeowner whose mortgaged home, uninsured against earthquakes, was com pletely destroyed, in some areas around Anchorage, not only the house but the lot on which it stood will be condemned for fu ture building, a total loss. Sen. Anderson tends to favor the idea of offering these prop erty owners 30-year mortgage loans at 3 per cent to cover the remaining debt on the old prop erty plus the cost of building a new home. Last week the Small Business Administration opened the door to such loans in disaster cases. It advised the commission that it would extend its repayment period from 20 to 30 years and allow for a 5-year moratorium on principal payments and a 1 year moratorium on interest payments. Anderson notes that since some mortgage loans in Alaska carry an interest rate as high as 8 per cent, the reduction to 3 per cent would in many cases allow the property owner to re cover without much if any in crease in monthly payments. Another difference is that while the old mortgages are held by banks and investment companies In Alaska and Port land and Seattle, the new mort gages would be held by the gov ernment's Federal National Mortgage Association, after the loans are made by the Small Business Administration. These direct federal mortgage loans would be available to large and small businesses and churches, as well as home own ers. At Anderson's direction, the Housing and Home Finance Agency has started a block by block survey of damaged homes and commercial property to as sess the extent of the damage, existing indebtedness and previ ous value before settling on the solution to this problem. Another cheap loan program Is being worked out for fisher men who lost their boats in the tidal waves which followed the quake. Congress is working on a bill to provide 3 per cent feder al loans for chartering boats in the Pacific Northwest, taking them to Alaska for the coming fishing season as replacements for the 200 boats lost or wreck ed. Rep. Thor Tollefson says 100 surplus boats are available in the Northwest. A unique feature of this bill is that the fishermen would re pay the loans only if they had a profitable fishing season. If not, the Interior Department could cancel the repayment re quirement. Loans for restoring canneries are being issued already to ex pedite preparations for the summer season of Alaska's chief industry, salmon fishing. iswrnrnmrnmamiiMm Pipedream? No, they say fssmmMMmmmaKsm Stadium backers see hopes of wooing Olympics "Kashmir Is India's . . . Abdul lah wake up." Officially, India's stand on the Kashmir problem long since has been taken and Nehru's influen tial minister with port - folio, Lai Bahadur Shastri repeated it when he said that Kashmir's ac cession to India in 1947 "is ir revocable and the present rela tionship between India and Pak istan will have to continue." Two thirds of predominantly Moslem Kashmir is held by In dia and the other, poorer, third by Pakistan under a cease-fire line established by the United Nations in 1948. No one today can be quite sure what Nehru hoped to gain with Abdullah's release. Nor can it be sure whether Abdul lah's ambition is independence or alliance with Pakistan or In dia. But his mere presence places Nehru on the horns of a new dilemma, and the people of Kashmir anticipate a change. Siefer admits child stealing PORTLAND (UPI) - Oregon State Prison inmate George Clyde Siefer, 29, pleaded guilty to a child stealing charge Wed nesday in connection with the abduction of a 9 - year - old girl from a Portland street last La bor Day. The girl was later freed In a deserted northwest Portland neighborhood. She told authori ties that a low-flying plane had frightened her abductor. Siefer was being sought as an escapee from the prison annex at Salem when the abduction occurred. Ho was later recap tured in Houston, Tex., and is serving i term for burglary. Circuit Judge Alfred T. Sul monetti dismissed a sodomy charge against Siefer and order ed a pre-sentence investigation. By Howard Applejate UPI Staff Wrltir PORTLAND (UPI)- The 1972 Olympics and even one of the two major political conventions conceivably could be held at a local site which not too long ago was struck by one of Ore gon's greatest floods. .' A pipedream? "NO," loudly say backers of a proposed cov ered stadium on Portland's northern outskirts. On May 15 voters of Multno mah County will decide if they want to back a $25 million bond issue. My Nickel's Worth The Bulletin Thursday, April 30,1964 An Independent Newspaper Robert W. Chandler, Editor Cltnn Cuthmsn, Gen. Menaoer Jack McDtrmotf, Adv. Manager Phil F. Broom, Associate Editor Dl Usselmen, Circ Manager Loron E. Dyr. Meeh. Supt. William A. Yatts, Managing Ed. Emered as Seoorat Class Matter, lenuarr 1J17. al the Pom Office al Bend, ore am. under Act cl Mart I. UTS, Futklataat ealUr except Suralajr am certaja boUlaie or Tbe Bend BuUeU, loo. The Boltfrtta welcomes mirrriBnttana to this column from Ha readers. Lat ter mutt contain the correct Dam and addrets of the sender, which mar be withheld at the nens paper's dis cretion. Letters mar be edited, te con form to the directives at taste aad atria. Clean up streets, writer suggests To the Editor: There's been talk about the road to the City Dump looking awful because rubbish has been lost on the way out. Well, if you want to see some thing similar, just take a look at the area near Greenwood and East Third. Sunday, the wind was blowing. There were big cardboard boxes and papers and what have you blowing all over the street. Now the police cars are out all the time and it seems as if there is never any thing done about this situation. It has hap pened before. Isn't it about time we cleaned up the streets Inside Bend also? Gladys Huffman Bend, Oregon, April 27, 1964 Meeting sought in Laos crisis VIENTIANE, Laos (UPI) Foreign diplomats sought today to work out the time and place for a meeting between pro Communist Prince Souphanou vong and neutralist Premier Prince Souvanna Phouma to discuss the current crisis in Laos. Souphanouvong told five dip lomats who visited him at his headquarters at Khang Khay on the Plain of Jars Wednesday that he is willing to meet Sou vanna, who Is his half-brother. He did not say when or where the meeting could take place, however. In the past. Souphanouvong has insisted such meetings take place in Khang Khay and Souvanna has generally favored Vientiane. NEAR MISS LONDON (UPI) A Lufthan sa Boeing 707 Jetliner with 51 passengers nearly landed at the wrong airport Tuesday night, but it swooped away moments before touchdown. The plane landed at London Airport after dropping down for a landing approach to NorthoH military airbase. The big jet startled residents around North olt since only much smaller military craft generally use the field. That would build the stadium described by enthusiastic backers as the largest covered arena in the world and lead to development of 1230-acre Delta Park as a big sports-civic com plex. On Memorial Day of 1948, fioodwaters from the Columbia River burst) through dikes and wrecked the wartime-built city of Vanport, just south of the proposal new development. More dams have been built upstream on the Columbia since then. ..flood control is better and there are solid assurances it can't happen again. 1954 Generosity Just 10 years ago, local voters in an amazing display of gen erosityapproved a new bridge, a new zoo and a new multi-million dollar Coliseum. It's the success of the latter than has spurred backers of the proposed new "Delta Dome" stadium. The Coliseum, which seats about 10,000, is booked solid the year round, is a good money maker and has brought minor league ice hockey back to life here with almost unbelievable Verve. If Portland can be "major Barbs Maybe it's just as well that people can't read a new baby's mind when they're fondling and kissing it. On of the signs of spring will land some people In jail: forgery. When a person decides to quit smoking he needs both his won't and his will power. Ifi a wonder torn fathers who have to walk tho floor with now babies don't hit the calling. league" in drawing for Ice hock ey, boosters feel it is capable of supporting real major league football and baseball two sports which have been seeking new sites in recent years. Minor league baseball has been a bust here in recent years. But it has suffered every where. "It's big league or bust," is a current prevalent feeling. last year Portland made a serious pitch for the 1968 Olym- pics. . . . based on plans for the j Delta Park development. Many local people laughed. But the U.S. Olympic Committee didn't. It gave Detroit the nod as tha U.S. choice but told serious minded Portlanders to coma back in 1972. They intend to since Detroit lost to Mexico City as the final 1968 choice and there is hope for a U.S. city to be named in '72. Stadium a Dilly The proposed stadium would have a lamella dome 1,000 feet in diameter rising 300 feet above the playing field. Initially it would seat 46,730 with an in crease to 60,000 feasible, and provisions for more than 80,000 including temporary seating. Houston, Tex., is building a sim ilar stadium for baseball and football ... but the Portland sta dium also would accommodats track and field. Nonathletic events also are possible thus the talk of a fu ture political convention. Enthusiasm among its backers Is high. But the last say will come from voters May 15. Portland voters also face a $30 million higher education (statewide) bond issue and a local $8 mil lion school issue. And there is a feeling among manv that nearby Clackamas and Washington counties should share in the cost of building the complex. Chances for passage are rated at best 50-50, but should that 1954 generosity prevail, Portland could take its biggest Jump ever toward athletic big-time status. 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