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Show WASHINGTON J Hill? Ai SMALL Jpscg BUSINESS nPi A Glimmer of Hope I Apparently, burgeoning bur-cauci bur-cauci "y can be stopped. 4 This Is evidenced by the fact that the Congress has passed legislation not only prohibiting prohibit-ing the Department of Transportation Trans-portation from requiring that auto Ignitions and seat belts be interlocked, but also to permit dealers to disconnect the things. Thus, after many millions of consumer dollars have been lost, the Congress overturns ;in edict imposed on the people by non-elected bureaucrats. The Department of Transportation Transpor-tation was originally set up to improve the nation's transportation transpor-tation service. The bankruptcy of two railroads, plus the fact that Amrak will go out of business bus-iness unless given more tax dollars. Is Indicative of the success of this bureau. But these failures did not prevent the DOT to load heavy new costs on car buyers. For some reason, however, the Congress did not make a clean sweep of the matter, as the DOT order requiring cars to be equipped with air bags by 1977 still stands, although It Is slated for review, and possible possi-ble elimination by the Congress. Judging by the progress made so far by the DOT in solving the nation's transportation problem, it can be expected that by 1977 all rail freight service will be ended. National Federation of Indepc Incidentally, it now comes out that If the air bag Is triggered, trig-gered, either by an accident, or by a mechanical malfunction. It will cost the owner of the car $250 to have the air bag properly re-Installed. There is no question that motorists should use seat belts. But it is questionable that a government bureau should have the power to insist that they be used. Governor Ronald Reagan of California seems to hit the prevailing pre-vailing public notion on all this. He has said If a bill came to him forcing motorcycle riders rid-ers to wear helmets, he would veto It. While he did not Relieve Re-lieve any bike rider should be without a helmet, he does not believe that it Is the" duty of government to prevent anyone from being foolish. On the other hand, he has said, if he received a bill requiring re-quiring bike riders to wear goggles so that in the event an insect flew into their eyes, causing them to lose control and endanger others, he would sign such legislation. Unfortunately, It cannot be claimed that In stopping the Interlocking of Ignition and seat belts that the Congress acted on this same broad principle prin-ciple of preventing bureaucratic bureau-cratic Interference In the lives of the citizenry. According to reports, the chief reason was that the system Installed In their new cars Irritated too many Congressmen. ?ndent Business |