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Show 2 BOX ELDER NEWS, Brigham City, Sunday, November 6, 1977 Utah Editorially Speaking Judge Ritter continues in controversial role There probably is no more controversial figure on the Utah scene today than Chief US District Court Judge Willis W. Ritter. His sometimes unorthodox courtroom procedure, testy language and running feud with certain segments of the press and US attorney for Utah have cast him into the spotlight on repeated occasions. As an outspoken jurist who stands unmoved in the face of criticism from various quarters, Ritter has carved his own niche. He seems to feed on negative reaction. Efforts to prohibit him from hearing both state and federal cases havent seemed to dampen his spirits. At least his competative nature is alive and doing well. HIS HIGH REVERSAL rate with the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals didnt bring his retreat. The judge simply declared the appeals court had it in for him. His periodic verbal skirmishes with the press have prompted him to boast openly that he has gained considerable skill in replying, no comment. It seems he will not be intimidated in any sense by adversity. Judge Ritter is one of a kind. 10 Years Ago A Nov. 2, 1967 Willard youth was d reaches brought out of the rugged of the Uinta mountains near Kamas Wednesday, snow-covere- search that began when he ending a five-da- y became lost deer hunting. Richard Green was reported suffering from shock and exposure. The youth was object of a vast search in which dozens of Box Elder county volunteers took part. He was found by Brent Frost and George Richards, Brigham City, and Deputy Bob Limb. a wart on the nose to a many people, source of irritation which defies removal. The latest effort to restrict his activities on the bench is consideration by the House Judiciary committee to authorize a third federal judge for Utah. If approved, it would relieve Ritter of his present authority as chief judge. And that would take away the power to decide which judge hears federal cases in the district. And in this move may exist the seeds of his demise as a prominent figure in the court system. He is also like Editorials valid Editor: JUDGE RITTER in characteristic style has written a letter to the committee. Among other things, it points a finger at the Mormon church as having tried for a long time to take over the federal court for the District of Utah. Its our opinion that the intemperate language of his letter, the accusations and allegations contained in it, say more eloquently than any of his detractors that Judge Ritter may no longer be competent to serve in his judicial role. In rising to his own defense, he may have unwittingly become the best witness for the prosecution. SORTA Your recent editorial entitled How valid is IWY move to and NEA errs with stand in ERA name delegates? controversy were well done and to the point. Certainly, even those who are for ERA can see that the democratic process is being sidestepped by the IWY. It is like a country that says, We are very democratic. We let the people vote for the man of our choice. You made a good point when you wondered if the IWY would name delegates at large had the vote been pro ERA. As a former educator, it is discouraging to see the stand the NEA has taken, without thought of the free agency of its members. It is also disturbing to see the IWY trying to legislate another seven years in which to ratify ERA. Surely the voice of the people is being heard but the IWY, with the backing of the president and Congress, refuses to listen. Letters to the president and Congress are still a good way to let our voice be heard again. Surely, everyone, whether for or against ERA, can see that when the democratic process is ignored we all become losers. A GROUNDHOG LIKE Sincerely, Mrs. John R. Small, Brigham City Thanks for cooperation Job classification good move for board Theres no sure method for ing keep- all employees1 happy all; of the fHV v'01 ui' ,u But the Box Elder Board of Education took a step in this direction recently when it agreed to establish a job classification system for the school districts classified personnel (custodians, bus drivers, secretar- ies, lunch workers, maintenance employees). TTie $5,000 cost reportedly will be shared by the district and employees association (althouth the district is expected to pay a major portion of the bill). Such a system is needed. And not necessarily to give one side or the other an advantage when annual negotiations roll around. The system should yield benefits for all concerned. It promises to introduce a higher degree of order into what now is a loose assembly of jobs. It will establish a relationship of jobs and work requirements within the system, better define whats expected of each worker and give personnel The First Amendment to , , Tuesday is election day in 17 Box of emotion. Or even little ones. But a lot of people in many places have died defending or attempting to establish the right to vote. It only costs you a little time. And thats small enough payment. These sentiments might be classed as editorial cliches. Every editor strives to motivate the public at voting time. Trouble is, we fear, those who make voting a normal practice will be at the polls as usual. Their politically inactive neighbors wont. And no amount of words will alter at least not to a marked that degree. But have compassion for the editor if. he continues these written endeavors. He feels an obligation to do so, being a member of the Fourth Estate with its myriad implications. He harbors a hope that some time, someone will be influenced to vote instead of watching the Tuesday Night Movie. (At the same time admitting that the quality of the movie and number of times it has appeared on television will be a factor). In the past these columns have carried pieces intended to motivate by shaming, praising, criticising, commending, admonishing, advising, counseling and urging. Perhaps its time we took the direct approach So here goes: Get off your duff and vote Tues- day! BOX ELDER NEWS A WMkly ntwspupur IBM. published avcry Box l, Eldar tbllihd Sundty K In by tb South First Wilt, Brigham City, Utah, MM2 Socond Cion pottogo pold ot tho poit offico, M South Pint Wit, Bright City, Utah, MM2. rata $10.00 par yaar pay-ab- lt In advanca In connactlon with tha Box Eldar Journal (published in Box Eldar County. Thursday) Subscription rata $14.00 par yaar pay-abin advanca in connactlon with tha lo Eldar Journal (publiihad Thursdays) outsida Box Eular County. Subicrlptlon "Com abridging the freedom Editor: -- j We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the cooperation we received from you in distributing the fire prevention messages to the public during this past summer. In the preliminary examination of the number of fires reported this year, it looks like there was a reduction in d fires this year over the number reported last year. It is felt that a great number of fires were prevented because the public was better informed as to the proper methods to .use -- in,. budding campfires. , The public was informed, through yo'Ur efforts,' when fire danger was extreme and extra caution should be used when using fire. Overall, without the cooperation received from your organization, wildland fire prevention would have taken a back seat this past summer. Thanks again for your assistance. We are looking forward to continued cooperation next year in presenting wildland fire prevention to the public. man-cause- the added security of knowing where they stand in their present positions, !how far they' can progress' in that1 classification and what other opportunities exist to progress. David Morrell, board clerk and district director of business affairs, gave the move his unqualified endorsement. He views it as a valuable aid in expediting yearly negotiations. He should know. Morrell was chairman of the boards negotiations team this year when it was well into the school year before an agreement was finally reached. Will it cost county taxpayers more money? It shouldnt, aside from the $5,000 asked by the University of Utahs Institute of Industrial Relations to set up the system. It could, however, mean some pay adjustments within the classification structure as wages are pegged at a point commensurate with work responsibilities. The ultimate intent is to make pay more equitable as one job related to another. Whats more fair than that? . . . The direct approach in urging good vote Elder county cities and towns. That may no inspire great waves the Constitution says: gress shall make no law . of speech or of the press' Letters to School and Home t tJ. by Dr. Daryl J. McCarty Executive Secretary Utah Education Association You wouldnt knowingly let a robber into your home. Or would you? Dont we do this, in a way, when we turn on the TV set and watch one of these all rot and no plot crime shows? Actually, your children may see more of these programs than you do. Statistics show a youngster may have watched 15,000 hours of television by the time he or she graduates from high school. During that time, the young person would have spent only 11,000 hours in school classes. And what does TV offer them for all those hours invested? Well, for one thing, kids adopt heroes and heroines from the personalities they see on TV. Maybe you wouldnt mind your son growing up to be like Dallas quarterback Roger Staubach, but would you want him to be another Barretta? Then there are all the adult messages encountered on TV shows we once considered comedies. Back in the good old days, a parent could yawn through the sight of Soupy Sales getting hit with another pie and consider it harmless. Today, you dare not go to sleep for fear your young kids will be subjected to a rape scene. And what happens to the mind, the character, the personality of the child TV watcher ? Authorities are advising us to watch TV with our children to help them to understand whats real and whats Shouldnt we adults also try to help children understand whats right and whats wrong about the actions of people they watch on TV shows? Shouldnt children consider whats beautiful andvwhats ugly? Whats worth watching and whats not? All is not dirtiness and daggers, trivia and tripe on TV. Much of whats on the tube is educational. But its up to parents to guide the family away from thoughtless, trance-like- , make-believ- hour-after-ho- viewing of any- thing that pops up on the tubq. No, you wouldnt invite a robber into your home and run the risk of taking everything you own. But arent we just about doing this if some influence steals the minds of our children? The editor invites and welcomes letters for publication in these columns. However, contributions must be signed and also bear the writers adress and telephone number. It is suggested that letters not exceed 250 words in length. Sincerely, Paul L. Sjoblom, State Forester Will vote for best person Conflict of interest? Editor: Editor: RE: letter in last weeks paper. I will not vote for either woman candidate with the idea that we need a woman on the city council. Instead I have tried to examine the backgrounds of all of the mayor and council candidates and will vote for the best persons. I have read the newspaper, read the campaign flyers, and attended the meeting on Tuesday night. I have ranked the council aspirants in order, top to bottom in qualifications. Mrs. Gurrister was tops. She was most well informed and prepared. She has lived in the city for 19 years and raised her family here. She has an impressive service record on city commissions and committees. At the bottom is the other woman candidate, whose primary qualification seems to be that she against ERA (whatever that has to do with running a city) and that she has lived in lots of cities before coming here recently. Her government experience has been assisting in campaigns for a Republican president candidate and a Democratic senator in another state. My values as a resident of this city are to choose the people who have demonstrated that they are interested in local issues. That is common sense based on facts, not fiction. Two of the most often discussed issues in the upcoming Brigham City election have been the growth of Brigham City and what will become of the downtown business district. The next few years will show many important decisions being made in the areas of planning, zoning, development and redevelopment. It concerns me that one of the candidates for mayor is a real estate broker and developer and owns his own construction company. With so many important decisions to be made in the next four years, I cannot overlook the' potential for conflict of interet in these areas. The position of mayor is one of the most influential in the city. I think the possibility of conflict of interest should be weighed before casting your ballot on Nov. 8. Arthur C. Johnson Brigham City Brigham City has been forced into recognizing that the community was not in a sound financial condition and that several of our most important facilities required upgrading. All of these conditions were inherited by the current city council. In my opinion, the mayor and the city council have performed admirably and should be commended. I base this opinion on my experience over the past 22 years. Ive probably been exposed to more city councils than any other individual in this community and I have been personally acquainted with most of their areas of major concern. This mayor and council are exceptional. They have recognized the conditions and performed their responsibilities regardless of how tasteful politically. Brigham City should give these dedicated men the mayor and the council a sincere vote of thanks for a job well done. The city, with the guidance of the city council, has entered into a series of programs that will have a long-terfinancial benefit to the community. We have a man who has been very diligent in carrying through his share of the responsibilities, many of which are directly related to these programs, and who is seeking the position of mayor of our community. My experience with this man has indicated that he is knowledgeable, personable, approachable, willing to accept responsibility and that he will spend the time necessary to perform this task. This man is current and has been groomed for the task of mayor. He is Dr. Peter C. Knudson. Brigham City needs Dr. Knudson to provide the necessary continuity in the progression of our community. Lets dont start over. ERA misconstrued Editor: I would like to address some questions to my fellow citizens e and and against: Equality of are who pro-lif- pro-fami- ly rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex. How do you reconcile your position against equality of rights under the law for the sexes with your position for the preservation of unborn life? Surely you believe that mnip and female equally have the right to life. How can anyone who is concerned about the family believe that one of the sexes which is necessary to produce and which make up a family is not worthy of having a full measure of American constitutional and legal rights? Which sex is it that is not worthy of a constitutional guarantee of equality of rights under the law? Which sex is it that should be given the advantage or the disadvantage under the law? Would and do laws containing such advantage or disadvantage contribute to family solidarity? Isnt it time that you realize that Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by and State on account of sex, has been misconstrued into a symbol of the things you are against, and that it, the Equal Rights amendment, is a principle that strengthens the things you are for! Sincerely yours, Marjorie Childs Thomas E. Peterson 641 Wade Place Let's don't start over Editor: Sincerely, Keith A. Hansen, 580 North Sixth East Brigham City |