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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (March 6, 1975)
X X X X X X X X X X X X X I Page 2, THE GAZETTE-TIMES, Heppner, Ore., Thursday, Mar. 6, 1975 Horse sense KKNKSTV.JOIMCK Oregon legislators are getting concerned over the abusive use of administrative powers by state agencies. It's , high time, too. The history of governmental agencies is that they are delegated power to make their own rules, which is like putting a gun and a badge on a ribbon clerk and not expect him to terrorize the community. The, Environmental Protection Agency is a classic example of an agency gone beserk in legislating in areas never intended by Congress. Here in Oregon last year the State Health Commission bordered fluoridation of all public water supplies. The order was rescinded after the attorney general ruled the health commission had no legal authority to require fluoridation. Fred W. Heard, senate majority leader, Klamath Falls, has pointed out one of the most absurd examples of the abuse of administrative rules that took place in the Department of Environmental Quality on March 12, 1974. The DEQ ordered a builder to "provide one month's supply of free Tri-Met tickets to each tenant who rents a new apartment unit." There is no federal or state law requiring an owner to give free bus tickets to tenants, nor do any DEQ administrative guidelines suggest such a thing. It was an arrogant assumption of power and nothing else. In another instance, according to Heard, the DEQ required a medical center to provide parking facilities for bicycles! I suppose the next - "law" would be to force the medical center to install hitching posts for horses and a dog-walking service for medical patrons! Senate Bill 381 has been introduced which, if passed, will correct the abuse of state agencfes' rule making ' authority by requiring legislative review of all administra tive rules promulgated by the agencies. I hope the current i legislature will pass SB 381 and help get these administrative mad dogs away from the throats of all Oregonians. One of the biggest bombshells to drop in Morrow County is news that residential property values in Heppner and Morrow County will be increased on an average of 41 per cent above last year's valuation for tax purposes. So much for homeowners. Farm land values will increase from 70 to 100 per cent, which isn't going to make farming any more profitable from now on, considering falling wheat prices and already disastrously low prices for beef. Just at a time when all of us need some relief from the ravages of inflation, the government comes along and increases property values as much as 100 per cent. Property, I am informed, is by law reappraised every six years. It is inconceivable to me that if property in Heppner and Morrow County was appraised even six years ago. there could be a statewide raise in value of 41 per cent in those six years. But that's what Bill Kletzer, appraiser, told members of the chamber of commerce Monday. Only last week in this column I pointed out that government is the biggest contributors to inflation, and profits more from inflation than any other institution. Taxes 3 J last year went up 26 per cent; per cent. That is outrageous enough. But a tax boost for 1974? Perhaps there is someone now who agrees with me that it is time for people to demand an end to excessive government spending. And when you climb down from the ceiling after 2 learning about the 41 per cent value increase on your house, ' you might want to take a look at the proposed school budget and get back on the ceiling again before you get a chance to read the city budget. Dr. Rodney A. Briggs, president of Eastern Oregon State College, spoke to the local AAL'W unit Saturday on population growth and world hunger. I wish he hadn't. According to my official spy report. Briggs followed the party line by i attempting to make every person present feel guilty for her alleged part in bringing about world hunger. Every do-gooder must first engender a deep feeling of guilt in a person as a prelude to picking his pockets for some project of great moral and ethical proportion. How any American can ; feel guilty about the hungry in India, Africa and nearly every other country on earth. I cannot comprehend. Americans are the most generous people on earth. They give away far more than they should. The generosity is not returned. Those to whom we have given the most despise us the most. If our billions flung abroad with such abandon had done any good, it might be different. But the money and goods sent to other peoples has accomplished little, if anything. Take India. We began pouring billions into that country 50 years ago to keep its people from starving. But starvation is a bigger problem today than it was last year, or 50 years ago. Obviously throwing American money and food into India has worsened a condition it was to alleviate. If we should feel guilty about anything, it should be because we were fools enough to think that pouring our treasure into the pockets of others would provide them a chance to help themselves and foster r friendship. Our good intentions have done just the reverse. It has made w elfare bums out of these so-called under-developed countries and earned us their undying emnity. My guilt feeling stems from the frustration of knowing that some of my tax money is still being thrown down the African and : Asian ratholes and there's nothing I can do to stop it. Dr. Briggs told his group that as long as food remains tied to money there will not be enough food. He has been quoted as saying. "We now operate on a basis that it takes money to buy food, and food is sold for money." Brilliant. What else is food to be tied to? Producing food for money has j made the United States the biggest producer of food in the world. We can. in fact, feed the entire earth's population if we r had to and it could be done profitably. I would like to see the idealistic Dr. Briggs trying to convince a farmer with a quarter-million-dollar debt that the wheat off his acres has nothing to do with money that he should forget about money and think more about the morality of working his butt off to give away his sweat and substance to people 10,000 miles away under the mistaken theory that he is responsible for those people's daily bread. Frankly, I shudder at the thought of a man with Dr. Briggs' philosophy being in charge of a college curriculum. Young people have difficulty enough ." learning and appreciating the American economic and political system, the freest in the world, without so many high-placed individuals and organizations doing everything they can to change it by making Americans feel guilty for eating three meals a day. Which they earn. Which they deserve. Which they buy with money. And for which they need not apologize. UKXXXXXiCKXXXXXXXXXXSCXXXXXXXXXXSXXXXXXXX$ THE GAZETTE-TIMES MORROW COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER Box 337, Heppner, Ore. 97836 Subscription rate : $6 per year in Oregon, $7 elsewhere Ernest V. Joiner, Publisher Published every Thursday and entered as a second-class matter at the post office at Heppner, Oregon, under the act of March 3, 1879. Second-class postage paid f XXXttttXXXMMXXXXXXXKXXttXKKXKXKXMXttMXXXXtt KXxf 1 food prices went up only 13.5 x X X X x x X X X X X X X X X X X X i at Heppner, Oregon. "Is That Trkounfy health The county courts of Gil liam. Morrow and Wheeler Counties recently signed a joint resolution which establi shes the Tri-County Health Services Commission. Formation of the commis sion is the outgrowth of joint efforts by the counties to recruit doctors and nurses to the area and provide better health care within the three county area. The newly established com mission set as its first project the preparing of -an applica tion for a federal grant of $:W.on). In June of 1975. 40 grants of up to the Sioo.OoO amount will be awarded nationally to established Rural Health Care Systems to encourage rural areas to find workable solutions to their lack of medical personnel and health care systems. The commission was en couraged by the regional office of Health, Education and Welfare in Seattle to apply for the grant because the office feels the tri-county set up is a unique approach and could serve as a model for Down-With-Dogs Canines One of the highlights of Monday night's Heppner Common Council meeting came toward the end of the meeting when Police Chief Dean Oilman asked. "Does the city council have any solution to the present dog situation?" "I have contacted Dr. No rene and have asked that he give me cost figures for taking care of dogs for the required five-day period, and also asked the cost of putting the animals to sleep if they are not claimed by their owners. When I saw Dr. Norene today (Monday) he informed me that he wants nothing to do with the dogs because they are carriers of distemper. "What will I tell people when they phone and com plain about the number of dogs running loose on our streets? If an ordinance exists there is no way of enforcing it because there is no place to take the dogs," Gilman com plained. The Heppner Elementary School area is a canine problem area. Dogs follow the children to school and at the first opportunity they go into the school area. "Although the children try to end this situation, I usually receive a call from the school asking me to take care of the problem, as school authorities do not want a youngster to be bitten by a dog," he told the council. "We are helpless to pick up stray animals. This is a major problem every spring, and spring is just around the It Now Fair To Assume I Have Your Attention?" other rural areas. The grant, if awarded, would be stretched out over a three-year period with no matching funds required by thecounties involved. Much of (lie money would be spent for such one time expenditures as equipment, training of staff personnel, addition of person nel to coordinate the project at its beginning and to pay fees to private doctors to act as preceptors for nurse practi tioners in the first three years of the project so that nurse practitioners could hecomv established in their practice. If the project is successful, it is felt that cost for added services could be picked up by the clinics or agencies involv ed from their added revenues, which would be the result of increased usage. The principal objective of the commission is to provide more primary care within the tri-county area by encourag ing lloppner-Iocated doctors to act as preceptors for nurse practitioners based in Condon and Fossil; and as needed, the Dept. have police chief corner." Perhaps the council had better think of some answer to the calls they will receive from irate citizens in the future." One council member said it is a shame that dogs can't be shot when they run loose. "If a few of them were killed, perhaps their owners would keep them either at home or take the necessary steps to control the animals," he saict. Gilman warned, "If the city wants to get into serious trouble, just hurt someone's dog. Most people don't care deleft 1 'Think Of As Sort Of An 'Arab w i aim.' rp- ' services practitioners would refer pa tients to the Heppner doctors and the hospital in Heppner. In the first year of the project a doctor would visit Condon one day a week and Fossil one day a week. Additional plans in the project are to provide one out -reach worker in each county who will extend health and social services, especially to the elderly. There are plans to equip the hospital, Condon. Fossil and new Heppner clinic wilh base radio communica tions lo provide a tie between sites and the ambulances. It has been promised (hat one room at the hospital be cquipx'd as a temporary holding room for drug and alcohol detoxification In addition, the University of Oregon Medical School has expressed interest in having a rural area lo send nurses interested in serving as prac titioners and residents in family practice to serve their preceptorships. It is hoped that the tri-county area can serve as such an area for the school. In addition, new diag what happens to their child ren, but don't harm their pels." In other business the coun cil: Granted variances to Ray Grace for 90 days to put up a duplex and remove an existing temporary building and to Richard D. Olson, who plans lo place a house on a permanent foundation, even though the new structure is not clearly defined as to whether it is a modular or a mobile home. Denied a request to Bill Our Offer Marshall Plan.' Clinic (Continue from Page 1) Both Boise Cascade and the Mel Winter representatives resubmitted their proposals to the court. In a split decision the court voted to "reaecept" the Boise Cascade proposal. Commissioners McCoy and Hughes voted in favor of 1he Boise Cascade structure say ing that while the .structure cost n little more (approxi mately $7(Mi to $1,500 more) they fell it was a belter product am! that the county would be gelling more value for the money spent. They further stated that they felt the Boise Cascade structure would be a more saleable structure to the doctors, Jones went on record as npxissiiig the decision. He said he was not convinced that they were able to tell on paer if one structure was of belter quality than the other and was in favor of the structure which cost less. In his opinion, he said, he didn't think the doctors would not come to Heppner because of further dolav. quoteunquote "It takes 15 years of kissing somclmdy's backsides fur a professor to get a chair somewhere and then he's a big shot in a little world, (Kissing his point of view on to a ln of impressionable kids "-John Wayne, on col lege professors proposed nostic laboratory equipment for the hospital has been requested in the grant appli cation The nine member commis sion is made up of the county judges from the three counties and two lay members from each of the three counties In addition to the three judges the oilier member are Father diaries Dreisbach and Mar vin Alliee from Gilliam Coun ty Kenna Shran and Clarence Asher are serving as tem porary members from Whe eler County until formal appointment is made by the Wheeler County Court. I.iz Curtis has been appointed as the Morrow County member with one more member to be apMiinled by the Morrow County Court in two weeks. In addition lo filing the application for federal funds on March I. the Commission hopes lo act as a liaison between health service pro fessionals in the tri-county area and related agencies to prowilo more and better heahh services. at bay Scott for a mobile home; his neighbors have objected in writing lo the city. - Requested that Marletle Homes file anolher applica tion with the cily for a mobile home. The previous permit was applied for three years ago. Approved the permit for a modular home for Edgar Olson with the stipulation that the structure meet the code. Advised City Attorney Robert Abrams to draw up a contract for council approval for removal of waste from the city dump. Richard Peck has asked the city for the permit to remove all of the necessary cans and metal from the city dump. But council members felt a contract should be drawn up to insure removal uf all the debris. Accepted the finance committee's report for the purchase of a new pickup for the city crew. Authorized City Attorney Robert Abrams to send bill for $(100 in damages to the city water main to Henkle and McCoy, contractors for Paci fic Northwest Bell Telephone. Abrams advised the coun cil that foreclosure proceed ings on the Hager property on Main Street had been filed. Mayor Sweeney reported on the proposed city budget and explained that in the past the budget has been $6-9 thousand outside the 6 per cent limitation. This year the budget is $18,000 outside the 6 per cent. The committee has not met to study the budget (Continued on Page 7) Mayor of DEAR MISTER EDITOR: Kill Wentherford told I he fellers at the country stw Saturdav night that his Pu used lo say a man don't learn much from the second kick of a mule. Bill said he alius was agreed with that, special since he wasn't to worked up about the first one. but Bill was of a mind thai this country has been kicked in the head so many times we've started to enjoy it. , Hill said he had saw by the pilars where we didn't learn a thing In Vilnam. He reported to the fellers where we've shipping troops right back in that place as advisors jest like we did in IW0, The first thing you know, Bill allowed, wu'll have so much lied up In advisors we'll have to send In regular ., soldiers to look after our Interests and we'll have the hole stinking egg busted all over our faces agin. . , We keep throw ing good money after bad like a drunk trying , In drink hissclf sober, was Bill's words. Most of the fellers was agreed with Bill that we are like a youngun plaving with fire. We know we are going to git burnt, hut we jest got to see them sparks fly. Bug llookum said this has been America's pattern, and it has been official policy since we sold all our scrap iron to Japan so they could shoot it hack nt us in World War II. Hug said he looks to him like ever cure we come up with fer our international ailments is worst than the diseases, ,, , It ain't enough that we got 9.000 advisors hack in Vitiwin, allowed Hug. we give a $80millin contract to a private outfit that hires former soldiers lo do the same thing in the Arab countries the military is doing in the Far East ( Kd Gonl v said it looks like we're playing Ixilh ends agin the middle, Since last July, Ed allowed, the United States has sold nearly $4 billion worth of equipment lo fight with to them ... countries that has locks on all the oil The idee, said Ed, must be lo git them countries in shape to defend their oil In case we run out ami try to lake some of theirs. We alius like'lo fight fair, declared Ed. mid give Ihe other ,, feller the first In k. like we did at IVarl Harbor, : Actual, broke In Zeke Crubb, the Guvernmenl may be , trying to keep what the Ford Administration calls "a certain balance" in Ihe world by selling everylxxly Ihe same kind of guns and airplanes, but from our side it may be a balance of payments we're talking a Unit. Maybe we ought to work out . ; some kind of guns fer oil plan as a bonus fer the extra jobs we're providing in the plants that are making all Ihe guus, was Zckr's idee. Personal, Mister Editor, I can't understand why we keep , sending Secretary Kissinger all over the world to try and , make pence with Ihe folks we're selling all those guns tg. bioks like we're negotiating ourselfs out of the weapons market, hut I ain't never been kicked by a mule onct. , , , Yours truly. MAYOR ROY, PRETORIA. SOUTH AFRICA - Donald J A Morton, former pastor of Hatfield Methodist Church here. Is now employed by the Center fur .Social Action of the 1 million-member United Church of Christ, New York. n In this capacity and as a consultant for the National ' Council of Churches, Morton has ln-gun to write a book on . sanctions - having taken a lead m the closing down of the Air Rhodesia offices in New York He also goes about the country lecturing and organizing "task forces" of students and ' stockholders, in order to bring pressure on all U. S. migrations who do business in .South Africa. Morton recently sent a form letter to l.WO U, S. travel , agents, in which he threatened them with ten yenr' imprisonment and a $10,000 (me Invause they had arranged travel plans including Rhodesia (an incorrect interpretation of law ) . Morton's superior at United Church of Christ headquarters in New York, the Rev. I.arod Schulz. told this column!. , "Morton was exiled from South Africa lxi-au.se of his opposition lo Apartheid." , n But South African Government records here reveal that, , Morion, a South African citizen, was never exiled, despite his, ; having told the press in London of an alleged James Bond-style escape from South African security police,. r,-, , ". What United Church of Christ headquarters has,nvl, , revealed is that social activist Morton has been unfrocked -susH'nded from the. Methodist ministry-by tlws Rev. Stanley Pitts. President of the Methodist Conference in , Johannesburg. In a letter dated May 8, 1973, the Rev, Mr. Pitts notified' Methodist layman E. M. C. Stack of Morton's suspension..',,' Stack's concern in this regard was explained In a tetter which he and his wife wrote lo the national headquarters of the Methodist Church in New York-which is in the Urii4 building as Morion's office. Slack's letter to the II:' S.V', Methodists notes: His (Stack's) daughter Louise, a Sunday School teacher,' was at "the impressionable age of sixteen when Morton arrived to become pastor, accompanied with his wife and two '' children, and began making advances at our daughter." ' ; "I have carefully checked authenticity and have" established beyond doubt since his departure from this1 " country that he (Morton) had in fact indulged in unseemly ! behavior with young girls at Rhodes Theological College .and., again at First Church, Witbank." The then Rev. Mr. Morton deserted his Pretoria parish iti' the middle of the night of Nov. 18, 1971 only one month after he was ordained. Leaving his wife and children in Pretoria, , he subsequently persuaded Miss Stack to join him in London. " Here the couple planned to be married by Anglican Bishop Colin Winter-who was reportedly deported from South Africa, But despite Bishop Winter's praises of Morton as'K ' "good person" and his denunciation of Iwise StackV parents, he was prohibited from officiating at this marriage-by order of the Archbishop of Canterbury,, - The abrupt departure of the then Rev. Mr. Morton was not very much more surprising to his hapless Pretoria parishioners than was his first sermon upon arrivuMn which he announced that he had a police record, "including an arrest on a charge of housebreaking and theft." 1 Pretoria's Anglican Bishop Edward Knapp-Fisher, to whom the Stacks appealed for help when they receiveda' denunciatory letter from Bishop Winter, told this column "The influence which Morton wields in your National Council of Churches is scandalous. When I was visiting in New York, I asked the General Secretary of the Council about Mortop, and Dr. Espey admitted that Morton had been retained without any check whatsoever upon his character o background. Hardman'r The shepherd,,,,; is a wolf lit I IStMtKIVSOl VING
