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Show Residents Complain , About Being Called Subversives i By TOM BUSSELBERG FARMINGTON - About a dozen county residents let the county commissioners know they didn't appreciate being called subversives, last week. THE GROUP appeared after comments were made by County Comm. Morris F. Swapp labeling members of the Friends of the Library and others as "subversives" and unfriendly toward him and the library. He made those remarks during a library board meeting meet-ing where about 50 women appeared supporting action taken by the board (including Comm. Swapp) to fire ex-librarian ex-librarian Jeanne Layton. ELEANOR ' Willhard of Bountiful expressed strong feelings when she said, "I was shocked and angered when I read what Comm. Swapp had said. "We've worked hard and openly through the system. I think subversive has the connotation connota-tion of undermining. I resent that. They (those called subversives sub-versives by the commissioner) commis-sioner) may differ with you (Mr. Swapp) but I feel they've been honest." The League of Women Voters worked hard and long to write a policy statement within their guidelines that responded to the issue, Mrs. Willhard said, and she said the Friends of the Library organizational meeting in Bountiful had been an open meeting where anyone could bring a tape recorder. COMM. SWAPP had said someone had to sneak a recorder into the Friends meeting in the North Branch Library in Clearfield. While Friends of the Library was organized during the proceedings leading to Miss Layton's firing that was only a "catalyst," she added. "THERE WAS a very definite feeling that we wanted want-ed to support libraries throughout the years. There were various proposals presented (at the organizational organiza-tional meeting) and it was Davis County residents reacting react-ing to what they considered to be a problem. They were local people, not ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union)." Comm. Swapp said several lawyers representing the ACLU had attended the organizational or-ganizational meeting in Clearfield although some who attended that meeting have denied truth to that statement. SHE ADDED the Davis Education Association had gone on record opposing capricious, arbitrary action in the library. "I don't think these groups are subversive. It's unfair to say that. - Comm. Swapp said anyone any-one fighting for intellectual intellec-tual freedom was subversive. I don't think freedom needs license. With freedom comes responsibility. I feel the group has acted within its constitutional right." SAYING THAT she had come to support and not dispute dis-pute the library Karen Edson of Bountiful said, "I would rather protect the important value of each person's right to free choice. Pres. David Gardner at the University of Utah said he felt it was his overriding duty to support intellectual in-tellectual freedom. "Public is part of the name of our public library and should let us be open to knowledge and a view of all. It is not Karen Edson's or Morris Swapp's private library. I want to assure my children and your's to be able to learn a variety of things about life," she said. FORMER Library Board member Lynette Wilson also expressed anger. "After having hav-ing served eight years on the library board. . .we did not call each other names. Who, Comm. Swapp, do you call enemies' I deplore obscene phone calls but there are taxpayers tax-payers who disagree with you. Is the merit board part of the enemy? I think it's very serious for an elected official to call taxpayers enemies." Mr. Swapp had referred to receiving obscene phone calls Irom those opposed to his action. ac-tion. The county merit council made a decision indicating Miss Layton should have been covered by merit protection at the time of her firing, while the county has taken the opposite op-posite view. JIM KIRKHAM of Sunset; president of the North Davis Friends of the Library, said he had a tape of the meeting in Clearfield which Comm. Swapp had said indicated subversive activity. Refuting the subversive charge further was Leo Kinsman Kins-man of Kaysville who said, "The issue at stake is the dismissal of a trusted county employee who dedicated 20 years of her life (Jeanne Layton) to the betterment of the county. If she did wrong it was because the denng if they ; , t for efficiency." 1,1 " j employee s,alin" ., books had been e i' basement for ive t '"8 Miss Layto I lfe ' sics and best-sellers n ' Party stated thevd id what had happened volumes bu, ind.ca, " books were pued, 0 shelves and burne , : ' practice was fa, ';' after book sales e e7: ed'e letter cot,:;s: i The letter also asked - '"' fic,alsto"look,mo' Ss "" curred to have a "u :,e fer"g'veanaddr6;:: the : North Branch defe. 3I and check im0 "ep: J screens" installed a, : same library. I MR- SWAPP said he r-- received other similar la-,- ' and emphasized obscene .ill ture of phone calls he C- ;-A received. "' , x Backing Comm. S, action was County Coii sion Chairman Glen Flir " "There are two sides r ' We'd have to stand bet- Comm. Swapp in whathec- not what he said, knowing. :". situation. There's a lor: pressure sometimes." |
