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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was rescinded after the attorney general ruled the health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
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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