Editorials SALT FLAT NEWS, MARCH, 1972 3 THIRTY YEARS OVER TOKYO Thirty years ago Fred Kenley, chief fireman at Air Base stood watching the olive drab warships depart for bombing missions over Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. But in the almost three decades since the end of World War II, Chief Kenley has seen little of that kind of action. An occasional airdrop of Green Beret paratroops or a visit by military brass Wen-dove- . rs jet-propell- ed from Ogden's Hill Air Force Base, or perchance a tree-to- p gas pass by a misdirected Dugway Proving Grounds pilot have provided the only break in an otherwise monotonous schedule of waiting and watching for the airplanes to come home. . On March 3rd, something new finally happened, as a blue chip inspection team composed of Senator Frank Moss, Rep. Sherman P. Lloyd, Rep. Gunn McKay, Federal Aviation Administrator John H. Shaffer, Robert H. Jensen, deputy to the secretary of the Air Force for installation management, and Douglas A. Decker, Commissioner of the Utah Division of Aeronautics, plus 's other key officials in aviation, touched down on closer at look the long 14,000 foot runway for a forgotten facility. With them came an impressive entourage of pressmen and the prospect of change in the near future. Under consideration as an alternate landing field for Salt Lake City International Airport, the Wendover base may soon become a viable link in the commerce of general aviation. If all this comes to pass, rerouted air travelers will be in for an unusual and surprisingly pleasant detour to a forgotten comer of America. Of prime interest is the air base itself; tourists waiting to catch the next 747 to ' Hawaii can take a stroll through the giant quonset hangar built to accommodate the Enola Gay, the 9 that dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and ' Nagasaki. A short hike to the west and the wayfarer is in Nevada, there to gambol or gamble away the hours in air conditioned casino comfort; or in Utah to the east, the adventurer can explore the white wonderland of the Bonneville salt flats, background for many a magazine automobile ad and scene of every land speed record in car racing history. While the fogbound passerby dries out his sinuses under the bluest and clearest of skies, he may pause to reflect on matters of consequence, or maybe shoot a round of golf with Mr. Kenley on what may be the most unusual golf course in the world (no grass, just acres and acres of perfectly level salt, where putting is indeed the name of the game.) He may in fact find this the most refreshing stopover ever and wonder why the airlines haven't made Wendover a regular port of call, storm or no storm. Wen-dover- fog-pro- Mniiw Fire Chief Fred Kinley ne B-2- SHADES OF SHERWOOD There are rumors that some county officials have been collecting injust taxes. Suppose you bought a car with a book value of $1000 for the ridiculous sum of $25. For an additional 98 for an ignition wire, the car ran like a top; so you went to pay the sales tax and get a license. Even with a notarized bill of sale, the official told you you must pay sales tax on the assessment value. This practice is surely not carried on in Utah because it would not be a tax on the actual sales price and therefore becomes an illegal form of price fixing. However, I did see an extremely offensive clerk in the Salt Lake County office do something as bad. An older, white haired lady had received a car as a gift from her son since he couldn't take it with him overseas. When the clerk finished, it sounded like this: The boy owed his mother for room, board and schooling in a sum set in four figures. On the basis of those thousands of dollars, sales tax was computed. I could not believe, nor could the lady comprehend the pseudo-legolistmumbojumbo that was to deprive her of more money, almost, than the car was worth. I got angry and got involved.. After being told in a blustering manner to keep my nose out of it, I told the clerk to get the exemption form for the lady and to quite being a thieving demigogue. The clerk ought to be fired. I guess and revenue collectors will never share movie stars popularity. The main reason, --is for making the people they supposedly serve render into Caesar" more than is lawfully Caesar's. They are only authorized to collect up to the lawful minimum. Remember the stories of Robin Hood, his .merrymen (in white hats,) and their exploits: They only acted when no other form ic . NEWS photo by R. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Gentlemen: Enclosed please find (lovingly) our check for $2.00. Please enter our subscription for twelve issues. We would also like to receive all the issues for the past three years. Please advise us of the charge, or send them and we will mail a check immediately. Yours truly, Bob Grasmick P.O.Box 007 Lyman, Nebraska 69352 Gentlemen: Please sign me up for a year's subscription to the Salt Flat News. I happened to find a copy in the University of Utah student union a few copies left in such places might help your subscriptions. I have some short articles I'd like to submit sometime. Please send me one each of all your 1971 issues, also keep up the fascinating paper. Enclosed is $2.75 for the year's subscription, and another $2.75 for the 1971 issues. Thanks. since the end of World War II,, when the base was home for twenty thousand men. Photographs by Richard Menzies o Art Prints o Genealogy copies o Unusual portraits call 364-882- 9 CftGATIVG BRAHATICS FOR GAfllB TGGMS ages 10 to 14 Laurence P. James 1255 Jones Street No. 435 Reno, Nevada 89502 of redress was available against the corrupt sheriff of Nottingham (in the black hat.) It may be well for public officials to see that Robin Hood is more alive today than in the 13th Century, and that its only a step s from in the Administration Building of U. of U. to the halls of the I.RjS. Regional Center in Ogden; or maybe a slight shift from burning draft records to burning tax records. IVe often wondered what would sit-in- have happened had the youth of this nation, in protest against Viet Nam, disrupted the governments means to wage war' by presenting the collection of taxes for the military. . Salt Lake Center announces new" class Registration at 1 st class Period, April 5th, 4:00 P.M. at Butler Jr. High Seminary 7530 So. 2700 E. For information 5 contact Dr. Keith Taylor at B.Y.U. Salt Lake Center 328-032- 200 No. Main Salt Lake City, Utah 84103 or Instructor 299-450- 4 i