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nurse sense r. .
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KRKSTV.JOIFR
v I
1
I
Heppner's city charier makes for interesting reading,
but living by it is impossible. So the city doesn't govern itself
according to its own charter, and small wonder. It was
adopted Dec. 20. 1918, and is outdated, outmoded and
outrageous. For example, the charter designates Bill
Weatherford's "wash house" as an "offensive" business and
occupation! It provides for the punishment of people who
smoke opium, but says nothing about grass or heroin. It
requires the common council to suppress places where
fornication is practiced, which could lead to closing private
bedrooms in our homes and play havoc with motel and hotel
rooms Fortunately, it provides for the safe driving of horses,
cattle, sheep, hogs and other livestock through the city
streets.
It isn't all bad. however. The charter protects people
from injury resulting from runaway horses. We need that. It
o forbids the city to incur any indebtedness in excess of
XkOOO. We truly need that. It specifies that the chief of police
is responsible for tearing down the burned-out buildings on
Main Street. So why isn't Dean Gilman out there tearing out
that ugly and dangerous brick and concrete with his bare
hands? It also gives him the power to suppress riots, if he can
find one. According to the charter the city's fiscal year
begins Jan. 1 and ends Dec. 31. However, the city's fiscal
year starts July 1 and ends June 30.
Under the charter, we couldn't authorize those $450,000
water improvement bonds. The charier says bonds must be
issued in $500 denominations; but bonding companies won't
handle denominations less than $1,000. Under the charter,
bonds issued must mature in 10 years: nobody buys bonds
unless they run at least 20 years. Under the charter, bonds
must be paid for in U.S. gold coin: which means that nobody,
not even the federal government, could buy them legally.
The charter limits interest on bonds to 6 per cent-try selling 6
per cent bonds in a market where 12 per cent is the prime
interest rate! The charter states that the city tax rate shall
not exceed 15 mills on each dollar of assessed property
valuation. That comes out to SlSper Sl.OOO valuation. But city
tax rate for 1973-74 was. according to the assessor's office,
$27 49 per Sl.OOO valuation.
The city is inviting lawsuits by attempting to govern
itself with a charter that became obsolete along with
buttoned shoes and the horseless carriage. This is a
possibility City Attorney Bob Abrams says he has lived with
ever since he became the city's legal advisor. Let's take a
hypothetical case. Let us say that Randy Lott is not satisfied
with the ruling of the city planning commission in reference
to his housing development, the Rasmussen-Lott Addition.
He believes he can prove the commission's actions in his case
has resufted in substantial monetary loss. Then he reads the
charter and finds that the mayor of the city is by law
chairman of every department, committee and commission
created by the common council. Legally, he would be
chairman of the planning commission, a place held by the
very capable Randall Peterson. Would this render decisions
of the planning commission void in that said commission is
not constituted according to the charier? Would the city be
responsible for losses incurred by Lott in attempting to
secure city services in his subdivision' Will I get killed for
even bringing up this possibility?
The city council is preparing a new charter calculated to
yank us into the 20th century. It will probably have to be
voted upon by the people of Heppner. I sure recommend its
adoption.
Af'er 24 years of debate, says the Rocky Mountain News
of Denver for April 21. the United Nations Committee on the
Definition of Aggression has finally agreed on a definition of
"aggression." This definition takes 17 paragraphs. Mr.
Webster's Collegiate Dictionary defines "aggression" in six
lines. Aggression is. simply, an unprovoked attack. The UN
couldn't stop there. It rambled on for pages, then ended with
the words that makes it impossible for an act of aggression to
ever exist as far as the UN is concerned. "Nothing in this
definition." the product of 24 years of research reads, "could
in any way prejudice the right to self-determination, freedom
and independence of peoples forcibly deprived of that right,
particularly peoples under colonial and racist regimes or
other forms of alien domination." Alas, the News points out.
"one lexicographer's aggression is another's war of
liberation." With the qualifying sentence quoted above, the
Symbosian Liberation Army could attack the United States
and not incur UN wrath because it could and would claim it
was fighting for "self-determination, freedom and
independence." The American Indian could attack the US. as
it did at Wounded Knee, without UN retaliation on grounds
they had been forcibly deprived of their right to
self-deiermination. Under this definition of aggression, the
Negro race could rise up and attack the US government with
the UN's blessing, and if the US government resisted it would
be named the aggressor. Mexico could attack us. So could
Spain, the British Empire. France, and even the Russians,
all without meeting the UN definition of aggressor. We did.
you recall, oust Mexico. Spain. Great Britian. France and
Russia from their bases in North America. But we needn't
worry. If it took the Definition Committee 24 years to define
aggression it should take another 24 years for the UN to adopt
the committee's draft. By that time, hopefully, the Tower of
Babel will have been crushed under the weight of its own
bureaucracv and fallen into the Hudson River.
The proposed federal budget for the coming year
amounts to $304 billion. $4,031 for each household in the
United States. Add another $300 billion to be taken in state,
county, city and special district taxes and the 1974 75 tax bite
on each household in the U.S. averages $8,000. Any family in
Morrow County not paying $8,000 in taxes next year, might
properly be classified as "underprivileged."
The grab bag: America's song writers aren't on the ball.
Why hasn't one written The Ballad of Patty Hearst . . .
Whenever I see one of those ads reading "Every body needs
milk." I am reminded thai man is the only animal that never
gets weaned ... I know a sex maniac who kicked the habit.
He moved next door to Women's Lib . . . Those of you who
attend the dance Saturday night at the Hardman Opry House
and survive Old Joiner's Famous Texas Chili t to be served at
midnight, appropriately) will be elated to know that the
recipe for this scalding, gut-searing concoction may be had
from me upon proper supplication. I warn you. this chili isn't
easy to make, considering that tarantula juice, distilled
rattlesnake venom and black widow spider milk aren't
readily available at your friendly gourmet shop.
JE. The problem as I see it, Mr. President, is that we've been bitten by
our own bug.
H. (Unintelligible)
P. (Expletive deleted)
The mail pouch
EDITOR:
If Dr. Press is correct that the nebulous group known as the
health commission has the authority to order fluoridation,
then that group has a right I have lost.
When did this commission get this right? It must have been
recently or. presumably, they would have used it before now.
Since when does a group of unelected bureaucrats get rights
granted to it without the knowledge of the people? If the
people didn't transfer their right to this group, who did?
The pro-fluoridation arguement that if you don't want to
drink fluoridated water, then you can get your water
elsewhere holds just as true for those who want to take
fluoride. They can get a prescription for fluoride from the
medical person of their choice. Dr. Press and his group are
not the medical persons of my choice, and yet they are using
force in their prescription. '
There is something very odd in the Dr. Press logic; that is,
when I go to a medical person of my choice and get an
educated opinion as to what medication I should take along
with a prescription, I hold the right of not taking that advise
or medicine and that medical person cannot in anyway force
me to do so. How, then, can Dr. Press and company force
their opinion on me?
Surely, all the pro-fluoride people are not sitting around
waiting for fluoridation in order to get the benefits of
fluoride. So the people Dr. Press is after are those who
haven't bought the small groups' educated opinion that
fluoride is fantastic. Or. for whatever their reason, don't
want fluoride.
The authority or right Dr. Press and group seem to possess
is the right to force their opinion on those who hold a different
opinion. Strangely, the anti-fluoridationists have the notion
thai they have a right to refuse treatment in non-contagious
or non-communicable diseases. I wonder where that notion
came from?
The issue at stake is freedom, not fewer cavities. If dental
health is the main objective, then meticulous oral hygiene
would net the desired results. But Dr. Press and his fellow
people-planners consider the public to be nitwits! Why?
Because the dental decay rate demonstrates we are
unwilling to avail ourselves of good dental health. And,
therefore, our oral misbehavior must be circumvented by
fluoridation.
The suggestion that chlorination sets the precedent for
fluoridation is false. However, the deliberate use of
fluoridation for a non-contagious or non-communicable
disease does set a precedent of using the water system for the
mass treatment of people. After this precedent is firmly set.
nothing that can be water carried "for the good of the
people" could be denied access to this vehicle.
Dr. Press is correct about one thing: fluoridation is an
emotion-packed issue. Fluoride, per se. does not stir
emotions. But. couple it with force and run roughshod of
freedom and you'll get people fighting mad. After all. we the
people are the only ones who can preserve our liberty.
PAMELA WISE.
Milwaukie.
EDITOR:
I wish to express my disappointment that you printed the
name of an individual referred to the Mental Health Services
bv the court. I realize it may serve some purpose to print this
as "news" and I also know that anyone who wants to know
what may be considered a matter of public record could get
the information anyway. However. I want you to know I
simply don't like the names of my patients being put in the
newspaper.
DAVID E. MITCHUM. MSW,
Program Director,
Mental Health Services.
Others say . . .
TV ancient Arabs believed thai eating the heart or liver of
a serpent (iive the power lo read omens from birds.
Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz contends America will
always be a good place to buy food products because: "We
haven't learned yet on our farms how to goldbrick on the job.
We haven't learned yet how to have two drivers in a tractor
cab. We haven't learned yet to punch the clock at 40 hours.
We haven't learned yet to go out to the cow and say, 'Look
Bossy, I've got to be gone over the weekend. Let's shut her off
for three days.' As Jong as we haven't learned these things,
we're going to be a good source of food and fiber for all the
peoples of the world. "-Arizona Farm Bureau Federation.
(
Crossroads
Report
DEAR EDITOR: ?
Judging from radio and TV
interviews with various ce
lebrities and semi-celebrities,
the most used words today are
"you know."
Usually shortened to
"y'know," this word combo
appears to be most useful to
interviewees- who can talk
faster than they can think,
possibly having had more
experience in the former than
in the latter.
But, although this thinking
gap filler helps to keep a'
talker on-stage longer, it
wastes the time of all listen
ers. If they already know, why
bother to tell them?
D.E.SCOTT.
Crossroads, U.S.A.
Notice
Those who would like to
contribute to the Rill Gates
Benefit Fund and cannot
attend the benefit dance for
him at Hardman Saturday
night, can ntai! their donations
to: Bill Gates Fund. GaieUe
Times. Box 33", Heppner.
Ore.
Presbyterian
losses-.
North and South
By LESTER KINSOLV1NG
A new denomination, potentially the nation's fifth largest,
may well be conceived next month in Louisville when two of
the nation's largest Presbyterian bodies hold their national
conventions concurrently.
Both the Presbyterian Church in the U.S. (Southern) and
ihe United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. (Northern) are
currentlv hurting.
The Southerners are still in shock over the massive exodus
of some 250 of the denomination's more conservative local
churches, with 60.000 members, who have now set
themselves up as Ihe National Presbyterian Church.
Before Ihe remainder of these 900,000 sundered
Southerners rebound themselves into the embrace
(absorption) of ihe big denomination of North (2.9 million)
they would do well to take a long, hard look at the lop
administration of the United Presbyterian Church -especially
Stated Clerk (ranking executive) William P.
Thompson. Ihe "Wizard of Wichita." Dr. Thompson is an
attorney and a parliamentary genius who is regarded as the
godfather of COCU tcr "Bill Thompson's Superchurch," as
proposed merger of several Protestant denominations)
The Yankee Presbyterians are veritably lusting to absorb
Ihe Southerners - whose numerical addition could mightily
obscure Northern membership losses -- which, even without
an organized schism, have been five times as great as the
Southerners.
The Northern denomination's conservative and unofficial
Presbyterian Lay Committee tells the story:
"We have during the past five years experienced a net loss
of 350.000 members. We have had a net loss of $6,700,000 in
giving to Ihe General Assembly (national headquarters
programs) causes and have seen a $:i0,000,000 Reserve Fund
- made up of gifts and bequests from dedicated
Presbyterians -- almost completely wiped out."
The Presbyterian Lay Committee - which in just 11 years
has grown lo 61 chapters, 20,000 contributors and a
newspaper with a 350,000 circulation -- also revealed:
"When one national board gives away $11,500,000 of church
assets and guarantees repayment of some $12,000,000 of
mortgage loans assumed by church-owned institutions whose
assets that board is about to give to others, such actions, in
our opinion, constitute fiscal irresponsibility-however noble
the motives may have been. . .The majority of our Church's
informed membership lack that degree of confidence in the
leadership which is so essential to an organization based
upon voluntary membership and voluntary contributions."
An example of such leadership is seen in the United
Presbyterian Church's ranking clergyman, the Rev. Clinton
Marsh, of Omaha.
When Marsh quietly gathered the warring conservative
and liberal forces of Ihe denomination for an intended love
feast on Long Island last winter, the meeting erupted when
Pittsburgh's outspoken lay leader told Marsh that with
regard to Ihe denomination's far-left headquarters high
command:
"We don't trust them."
Specified as a leading cause for this lack of trust was the
still festering scandal in which national headquarters
managed lo conceal for months the donation of $10,000 in
Presbyierian Church funds to the Angela Davis Defense
Fund.
Yel Moderator Marsh contends in writing that there was no
such concealment - this despite the report of the Presbytery
of San Francisco that there was precisely such concealment,
which was censured as "derelection of duty."
Moderator Marsh also contends (in writing) that since "the
$10,000 of the Angela Davis Grant was given back to the
Presbvlerian Church by 20 of ils black ministers." that it is
therefore "none of your concern, nor really a concern of the
Presbyterian Church what happened to it" (the money).
Moderator Marsh is apparently not impressed with the fact
thai these black clergy offered not a dime to Angela - until
after Ihe concealment was discovered (by an alert California
convention delegate, who demanded to know what the
"Marin County Legal Defense Fund" was for).
If Ihe Southern Presbyterians think it was tough trying to
live with their arch conservative brethren departed, they
should have an even hotter time with the opposite extreme,
if they allow themselves to be locked in the embrace of
Moderator Marsh and William ("The Wizard") Thompson.
Heppner, Ore., Gazette-Times, Thursday, May 16, 1974
Mayor of Hardman
DEAR MISTER EDITOR: v
Clem Websler reported to Ihe fellers at the country store
Saturday night where scientists are perdicting some more
good news and bad news.
This report Clem saw allowed that by the end of this
century doctors will know how to extend human life to 150
years or more, but we donl have no idee what to do with folks
that live that long.
The report went on Ihe say thai people are living longer all
the time, and more of the population ever year falls in the
very young and very old group. The young is pushing in one
end of Ihe age pipe and squirting the old out the other, Clem
allowed, and our society ain't geared up to take care of either
one.
Since all the fellers is on the squirting out end of the pipe,
they had special interest in Clem's report.
They was agreed with Bill Weatherford that said he wasn't
so much concerned about living to be 150 as he was being able
to live til he dies. The middle age feller may be caught in the
age squeeze, Bill said, but the old folks is the ones being eat
alive by inflation. And the hole situation is made worst by
raising the Social Security paymunts ever time Congress
meets, cause that jesl takes more out of the working man's
pockets
Somebody had to shut up Bill on account he gets carried
away if left on the floor too long.
General speaking, Ed Gonty (The Terror of Willow Crick)
broke in, this country is being run like a bank that borrows
money at 10 per cent interest and lends it out at 5 per cent.
You gol lo make yore profits on volume in a deal like that,
said Ed.
As long as enough folks lend the bank money it will have
money to lend. That's the way Ed said Ihe Social Security
system works. Everybody keeps pouring money into it, and
the only hope the system's got is that nobody ever will git as
much out as they pay in.
Practical speaking, declared Ed. it would pay the
government lo do like big indistry does, buy out the
competition.
The Guvernment ought to git control of whatever is going
to let folks live longer, seal it up in concrete and dump it at
see like they do that radioactive stuff. When somebody
invents a gasoline substitute. Ed said, you can rest assured
Ihe oil companies will make him rich so they can lock up his
formula for the next 100 years. What we gol to do. Ed went on,
is maintain a balance of price and supply, age and retirement
benefits, jesl like nature does.
Personal. Mister Editor, I'm of a mind we'll work out our
problem of folks living longer, and I keep in mind that this is
a problem most of the world would like lo have. We've got it
fixed now so that everthing we eal and do is hazardous to our
health, so our choice will be between starve and live forever.
Bill, who has regained his brenth and the floor
simultanous. said people ain't the only thing getting too old.
He said he saw a movie on Curl Spaulding s cuhle television
Ihe other nighi thai was so old the President was one of the
good guys.
Serious. I'm more concerned alxml why my old lady is
suposed lo outlive me by five years. I eat her cooking.
Yours truly,
MAYOR ROY.
Quoteunquote
The press is regularly flayed for not being more accurate '
and responsible. Much of this criticism is justified, especial'
when one considers that reporters and editors are human
beings (an area we won't explore al this point ). But the press
has improved greatly in every respect, and an item from a
Manchester, Iowa, newspaper dated March 16, 1885, serves
to prove it. The item was published in the May issue of
Oregon Wildlife; an account of Oregon salmon attacking and
eating a stagecoach full of travelers! Watergate included,
one can't top this for irresponsible reporting:
"The recent frightful accident which happened to a stage
in .southern Oregon cannot fail, says the New York Times, to
call attention of the state authorities to the necessity of
protecting settlers against the attacks of salmon. The stage
in question was crossing Applegale Creek when it was
suddenly attacked by a drove of salmon. The stage was
instantly overturned, and the hungry fish swarmed over it,
while the stage driver, with great presence of mind, cut the
traces of the horses, and throwing himself across the off
wheel horse, a powerful animal formely the property of
Doctor Goodrich, of Olympia, managed to escape. The
dispatch which conveys to us this painful story says nothing
of the fate of the stage passengers, hut, unfortunately there is
every reason to believe that they fell victims to the salmon.
"The Oregon salmon has long been regarded by
experienced western hunters as the most dangerous animal
infesting this continent. It is much larger than the salmon of
the Atlantic coast, and unlike the latter, which is timid and
inoffensive, this fish is fearless and aggressive."
THE
GAZETTE-TIMES I
MORROW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER
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epe :
"Why Is It That When N ixon Says
' ' It's 'Profane' And Vulgar' But
When Truman Said It It Was Just 'Earthy?"