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About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 1975)
Page t THE GAZETTE TIMES, Horse sense By KUNWTV.JOINKR There is much agonizing and breastbeating over the collapse of South Vietnam. It should be no surprise, since the American in the street knew the war was lost five years ago-intelligence that never seemed to have reached Congress or the Pentagon. What is sadder even than the impending massacre of perhaps millions of South Vietnamese civilian men, women and children is the fact that we could have won this war. But to win it would have irritated our Russian "friends" and screwed up the Kissinger detente. Most of us remember the order that went out to American troops fighting in Vietnam: 'Don't fire unless you're fired upon." A strange order, and one an American soldier couldn't appreciate. For, giving the Communist guy the first shot he had a good chance of not being alive to return the fire. I am not an advocate of shouldering a national guilt for past errors. But if our fearless leaders are at all human they must have some heavy guilt feelings about not winning the war while it was still winnable, and now stand helpless as the slaughter of innocents begins. A well directed hydrogen bomb would have settled the matter in the beginning. Horrible, you say? Fifty thousand American dead in Vietnam would probably disagree. And I disagree. To me, the most humane act of World War II was the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima. But back then, wars were to be won. One of the newest forms of humor is the "two faced headlines," the kind that have a double meaning. One of these headlines appeared in the Evansville, Ind.. newspaper several years ago. It seems the city recreation department sponsored a city wide golf tournament. The first round was to be plaved on the municipal course, the second on the Masonic course, the third on the Country Club. The afternoon of the tournament the Evansville Press carried thia headline: "Intercourse match starts tomorrow." I am delighted to see so many black actors and actresses doing TV commercials. For years I thought that only whites had bad breath, odoriferous armpits, occasional irregularity and used the wrong detergent to brighten the family wash. Perhaps our legislators are beginning to read the handwriting on the wall. They must be starting to realize that many are losing faith in both parties. As usual they blame each other for introducing and supporting a bill which would allow independents to vote in primary elections. I thought our constitution provided that everyone should have the right to vote, apparently not. The legislators killed the bill, thus a growing number of voters again have lost their privilege to cast their ballots. Even one registered as Republican or Democrat receives only the ballot with that particular party's candidates. In order to vote for someone of his choice, he must remember the name (this must be exact to count) and write it in his ballot if he is a member of the other party. It seems so much simpler the way it's done in Washington. You only register and receive one ballot at voting time which contains all the candidates and you can pick your choice. Seems one ballot is much cheaper than two and everyone gets to vote. I think for the most part, the days of voting a straight ticket are past. So. what's the need of registering by party? People are aware of bad politics more than ever before and I think they would like the opportunity of voting for the lesser of two evils. The increased cases of vandalism at the fairgrounds is further evidence of a permissive society. One that ignores discipline in the home, schools and community. Facilities provided by public funds for public use and emjoyment has become the target for destruction. Many of the events held in the fair pavilion are for the youth. As usual, one bad apple spoils the whole barrel. The fair board will have to decide if continued use of the buildings warrant the cost of repair. Perhaps the best way is for the youth to police their activities if they expect them to continue. They know the culprits and no one can deal stricter punishment than their own kind. Raising fees for usage and charging for the fair may pay the expenses, however, it doesn't punish the guilty. If anyone thinks that the girls don't take their Softball games seriously, they better think again. The girls take softball as a fun game, so do their coaches and managers. They will take little league as seriously. What is important is that the girls are learning a new sport and having fun. As long as they have a good time, who is interested in whether a game is won or lost? Isn't this what sports is all about? Learning to lose before you can win? Little League coaches will need to be more careful about their language. You can't tell them to get their butts out in the field. If the gals really have the desire to play the game, I'm certain they will make as good a showing as most of the boys. Good Luck gals! EC l-V , . lao'Nuuv"'- ', .Jl- The Trouble With Our Foreign Policy Is WeVe Been Fooling With Too Many Foreigner." Heppner. OR., Thursday. Apr. V "''"WJVJ. . A 17. 1975 . . -- .Vis The ma7 pouch EDITOR: This letter is in reference to your statements you made concerning reading and the Army's teaching of reading. First of all. you used a very poor analogy. You were comparing a group of Army rejects who all had a reason to learn to read. They also were willing to try to bring up their reading level on their own. . i You compared these men with students who m high school had no better than an 8th grade reading level and went on to college. You never did give the Army rejects reading level prior to the Army's efforts. This is a poor comparison in that high school students feel a stigma attached when they need extra help in any given area( Also, the reality of needing reading skills does not "set-in until a high schooler is out of high school. Problems in reading can be caused by a multiple of reasons You never did quote your sources. Exactly where are you getting your information. Before you start giving statistics in reading, you'd better be careful of the validity of the test scores. Reading scores vary with the tests given. Some reading tests end up being a "multiple guess test and do not measure a childs reading level; let alone pin point deficient reading skills. Problems in reading can be caused by one or all of the following: physical problems (visual, auditory, or organic), intellectual problems, emotional problems, and, or educational problems (e g. placed in the wrong type of reading program). Also when you start complaining about reading problems children and adults have, and about the educational system as a whole, please consider (if you can) your sources, types of tests given, areas of the U.S. where tests and statistics were compiled, that ghettos and slums do exist, all high schools have drop-outs, many schools are over crowded, and last, the emphasis each school places upon reading may vary within each district. KAREN BECK. lone. EDITOR: I think I received a free psychoanalysis in your last edition. Thanks! My query was just a plain, straight-forward query-a simple question as to how any educated group could produce figures like the one you printed. I wonder who the API group thinks is reading all the books that are being printed in this diy flnd I don't question the validity of your statement that the schools are doing a poor job of teaching reading. Studies seem to indicate the illiteracy is increasing, and few can deny that there are plenty of problems in the schools. But you must admit that we're doing an excellent job of teaching all phases of athletics-both boys' and girls'. Look at the records fall ' There will be no doubt when I want to criticize or defend the schools. I'll do it in words that won't require interpretation! In accordance with that thought. I recall that just a few months ago you printed story in which our own superintendent of schools. Matt Doherty. is quoted indirectly as telling the Associated University Women that we can now look forward to the end of the "non-reader" because of the large amount of money poured into school reading programs. You can put your mind to rest! You worry about problem that will soon be solved! CLIFFORD A. WILLIAMS Lexington. EDITOR: The federal tax rebate of $100 to 1200 for the American taxpayer was granted for the sole purpose of stimulating tin economy. The Congress passed the bill In the hopes these funds would help get America moving again. To assure that all those funds are available to the taxpayer, I have Introduced SB 619 to exempt Oregonlana from paying state income Ux on the rebate. Under present law, the rebate is counted as taxable Income. It is estimated that unless SB (19 is passed, M0.000 Oregon taxpayers will pay the State of Oregon W,000,000 la additional . I believe the slate will benefit mora by letting Oregonians have the full amount of the rebate to generate new business which In turn will generate additional legitimate taxes. If you agree, I ask for letters of support lobe written to Sen. Vern Cook. Chairman of the Senate Revenue Committee, to your own legislator and to me, urging passage of SB 619. BLAINE WHIPPLE, Senator. Am-- A Senator Ken Jernsfedl reports on legislation While this session of the Oregon Ix-gislaiure is moving along considerably faster than its I'm counterpart, there are sever.il obstacles which could rtVlav ad)ournmenl past the hie May estimates of some legislative leaders Senale President Jason Boe predict that Oregon's law makers will go home by the firsi of June However, the general feeling among the legislature leans toward ad jourmnenl at a later date, and I would tie surprised if the M-ssmti concludes by the end of the first week in June Si ill wailing -and posing imii'iiti.il holdups in Ihe ses sion is the unsettled slate employee salary issue, a Irciiieiidous number of hills hackloggid in committees, as more bills have been inlro dmed this session lhan ever before, and many slate bud net measures, which require careful review by Ihe Ways and causi Means Committee lie of Ihe current slate of 1 1 economy. There is one significant change in this session of the legislature from those of past years, as we are not considcr- ing The i major lax reform dim lack of such a measure has caused many legislators lo fight againsl new taxes, or increases in existing taxes. The public is so opposed lo higher taxes that any other action by Ihe legislature would Ik- going against the wishes of Ihe people. Four measures that would have increased Ihe role of the controversial land conserva tion and development com mission in Ihe permit process have been tabled by the joint committee on trade and eco nomic development. Conclud ing lhat Ihe measures in creased, not decreased bur eaucracy, the committee last Thursday tabled measures adding Ihe IX'DC as a "permit slop"; providing that the agency reviews applications for major development; and encouraging the creation of new communilics in Oregon. The major thought here was Ihe original goal of LCDC-land use plan ning -not economic develop ment The trade and economic development committee, a statutory committee which will continue indefinitely, pro THE GAZETTE-TIMES MORROW C'flL'NTY'S NEWSPAPER Box 337. Heppner, Ore. 978M Subscription rate : $6 per year In Oregon, 17 rlsewhere Ernest V. Joiner, Publisher Published every Thursday and entered as a econd class matter at the post office at Heppner, Oregon, under the act of March 3, 1879. c, a.,.iu. nosiatfe naid at Heppner, Oregon. problems! Problems plague news papers also. Portions of our last two issues have had light spots that were difficult if not impossible to read. After many consultations with experts, we have made and remade adjustments, ex perimented and hopefully we mav have the problem cor rected this week. If not, we will go through the process again until we have a suitable solution. We hope you will bear with us until this annoyance is remedied New Gl loans now available Now Gl loan .policies that npply In all veterans with miliiarv service since the siarl of World War II make more lhan 20 million veterans eligible for the Veterans Administration guaranteed loan Among them are more than four million veterans whose Gl loons have been paid in full. VA Administrator Rich aid I. Rotidehush said Those who have never used I heir eligibility are still eligible evrn though they might have Keen mil of the sen ice more than Ui years Also potentially eligible fiw new loans are those veterans with current lan outstanding. The only condition for restored chgibi hiv is thai the first loan be paid off and the home be disposed f pcrlv addresses Oregon's eco nomy One issue in Salem that is mm ing from Ihe background lo the forefront is legislative versus executive power The legislature seems lo tie stak ing out its ground ". by considering and passing mea sures requiring 'he review of at'cnrv rule and regulations and broadening Ihe economic development powers of Ihe joint trade and economic development committee. measure expanding Ihe role of thai committee wnitn las.fdh substantial margins ill In mih Ihe senale and Ihe house was Die fust bill vetoed bv the governor in his admini stration He felt lhal Ihe measure infringed on Ihe right of the executive bul mam legislators disagree. A mov e is on in Ihe legislature lo overrule Ihe Slraub veto, as I he tit ling here is lhal Ihe bill In. ..ulcus the power of the li L'isl.ilive branch lo a degree vv lni.li we feel does nol infringe on Ihe realm of Ihe executive A measure lhal would require legislative counsel lo review and comment on Ihe administrative rules and reg ulations created by slate agencies is working its way through the house, after passing convincingly in Ihe senate last month This is another area where there could lie conflict with the executive. The house is cer- lain to oass Senale Bill then Ihe legislature will wail on Ihe governor to see his reaction when Ihe measure hit hi desk Personally. I doubt lhal Governor Slraub will veto this bill The shoplifting bill lhat I have introduced will be the subji-cl of a second hearing in Ihe Senate Judiciary Commit tee soon, as Ihe first hearing recently did nol provide enough lime for all those who wished lo testify to stale their views The bill -which would cut down on shoplifting in Ihe slate, by giving the merchant a cleariy defined role in the apprehension of suspected shoplifters-is supported by statewide business groups and faces lough questioning in committee, but has a good chance of reaching Hie floor of the senale. -Sen. Ken Jernsledl Mayor of Hardman DEAR MISTER EDITOR: A feller has got to git up early to stay rZVIH life and to g.t ahead in the game of politics it s best not to go to bed at all. I see by the papers where the head of prisons tta North Carolina set up lale studying his plan, and he almost caught members of the stale legislajure napping, but the state has a Republican governor who appointed his own director of prisons. If you have any doubt about tf Preappointed people, think who Is ry toJlht country these days from the White House and the State Sister Editor. North Carolina ha. been doing a lot of studying about its prisons, so Director David up Willi the idee of giving ever member of the leg Mature a pass to visit the stale's Central Prison. This looked help in the legislature's research til a Democrat perked up enuff to relize'the pass would git em in Central Prison but U didn't say nothing about gitting em out. They all rode Jones prilly high over his plah fer a full Republican takeover of state guvernment. .... , Serious, the road to a heap of places people don want o go is paved with politicians good intentions The fellers at the .country store Saturday night was discussing what has happened to the No, I all time sweetheart of every po i t.cian Social Security. Fer 38 years, whenever a candidate let practical any office started making promises he Social Security It gits Ihe old folks attention quick and it has been a safe subject fer ever other voter cause politicians and everbody else think of Social Security as somepun you git. not somcpun you pay. ..il.j i For instant, politicians got Social SH-ur.ly benefits hiked n 1970 1971. 1972 and again last year. What folks didn t stop to look at was that payments went up 56 per cent in hopes of covering these benefits. Now it looks like we can t jump Social Security income enuff to keep up with outgo, and I leave folks anything at all to take home of their wages Zeke Grubb said he had saw a report where Social Security now has promised to pay out two trillion dollars more than it can dram out of people now paying into it. And as more folks are laid off from work. Ihe income goes down. According to this piece Zeke reported on, Americans will draw out It i billion more Social Security this year than they will put in. This means the fund will lie cut lo M billion, enuff fer jest over six months of benefits. What makes the hole business so bad is another politicians promise. Zeke said. While payments go down on account of people being out of work, benefits keep going up wi n inflation because of automatic cost-of-living increases put in recent fer the 30 million people who are drawing Social Security. Yours truly, MAYOR ROY. LmnnWli miifaw. JLi CHICAGO -"Our people are being killed by guns from America." said Ihe attractive, middle aged Irish housewife. Massive sums are pouring into Northern Ireland for more weapons rather than relief projects." added Anne Sloane. a member of Ihe Church of Ireland (Anglican, or Protestant I. , . . Sealed next to Mrs Sloane at a press conference arranged bv National Council of Churches, was Sean Cooney Itoman Catholic, a neighbor of Mrs Sloane'i in the battered Ard vne section of North Belfast. Added Ccy -This blood money is being collected by groups such as Irish Northern Aid' in major US. cities who have an Irish-American population. This money goes to the Provisional Wing' of Ihe IRA. This is the group lhat says that Ihe IRA isn't entitled to be called an army because it isn I at Cooney is a plumber who has six nephews detained (imprisoned) by Ihe British Army in Longkesh. Mrs. Sloane has seen her husband's store bombed six times. Moreover he has been either robbed or assaulted on five different occasions. Either Conney or Sloane might be bitter under these circumstances. Instead, they are in the lead of those who are trying to make the best of a tragic situation. Cooney is the co-organizer of a construction company which specializes in rebuilding bombed or burned wit houses. As head of the North Belfast Community Council, he is trying to bring frightened families back Into the city's nondiscriminatory housing areas. Mrs. Sloane heads the Community Shop, where 12 community groups meet and where programs have been established for more than 6,000 children, who might otherwise have to be kept inside due to the continuing terrorism. In recounting one of these meetings, where a nearby bomb explosion necessitated everyone shaking glass and plaster off their heads and laps, she manifested only candid good cheer-none of the melodramatic hostility seen in some press conferences. "We condemn violence from wherever it comes, emphasized Cooney. "Neither the Provos nor the Ulster Defense Association have any real mandate from more than two per cent of the people. And may I particularly emphasize that this is not a holy war." Cooney s Protestant companion Immediately agreed, '""Not a religious war, but a social, economic and industrial conflict which will come to an end only with reconciliation." The two also agreed that American aid to the IRA, along with the personal ambition and self serving of certain Irish politicians, are the leading obstacles to such reconciliation. For when asked about Northern Ireland'a two best known politicians-Bernadette Devlin and the Rev. Ian Talslcy-they both scoffed. "They are two of the most ridiculous rveople In Northern Ireland." contended Mrs. Sioa. .hough Paisley is admittedly making a good living msclf with all that Income from both church and politic, sources." "Bernadette and Paisley are both demagogues." affirmed Cooney, "a pair of con artists. He Is less a man of God than ha is a man of wrath." The two left assembled newsmen profoundly Impressed with their candor and abiding senses of humor, In the midst of a continuing toll of terrorism. Both Mrs. Sloane and Cooney pleaded for volunteers to help, particularly during the coming Summer. In their programs to alleviate suffering In one of the world's most dangerous areas. Heading the U.S. liaison with Cooney and Sloane la the Rev. David Bowman, S J the first Catholic priest ever appointed to the staff of the National Council of Churches-whlch organization has been edified by Father Bowman'i afforU for a Just peace In Ireland. Ireland receives weapons IU lf STHtklSll l;