OCR Text |
Show DESERET NEWS OPINION ROUNDUP SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH We Stand For The Constitution Of The United States As Having Been Divinely Inspired 12 A EDITORIAL PAGE SATURDAY, On De Gaulle's DECEMBER 7, 1968 Money Crisis Let's Get Farm Plan Off Dead Center What kind of farm program will Richard Nixon put into effect after he enters the White House? That is the question as the American Farm Bureau Federation opens its 50th annual convention in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, with delegates representing some 1.7 million farm families. The question needs to be raised because Mr. Nixons campaign speeches dont seem to cast much light on the subject. During the campaign he did little more in farm areas than promise to replace Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman with a dirt farmer. even Indeed, it has been reported that the President-elecas a candidate, passed the word to fellow Republicans to go extension of the present farm program along with a 1970. calendar through If so, a gradual approach to revamping the farm program Is understandable. Sudden, drastic changes could hurt the very people the new Nixon agriculture policy is intended to the farmers responsible for Americas amazing agrihelp cultural abundance. With the November elections having returned a number of powerful Democrats to the House and Senate agriculture committees, theres also a limit to what revisions in Nixon can accomplish in the way of farm policy. continuation of the present farm Even so, a long-terwont and do, as tne Farm Bureau Fedpolicy just program eration itself has observed over the years. To begin with, its high time the national administration started paying more attention to what fanners themselves want in the way of farm policy. As is clearly shown by one opinion poll and marketing referendum after another, American farmers overwhelmingly want the federal government to get out of agriculture. Thun, too, criticism of huge, costly crop surpluses seems to be abating partly because the surpluses themselves have been diminishing. There also should be a growing realization that America cculd make good use of such surpluses in fighting hunger at home or abroad. Moreover, since the many years of high price supports and stringent federal controls have seen the farmers problems advance instead of retreat, it would be folly to prescribe more of what already ails American agriculture. As Charles B. Shuman, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, puts it: Government programs got us into this mess, and it is the responsibility of the federal government to help us make the change to a market-orienteprogram. President Charles de Gaulle at 78 ate humble pie at his birthday party. But the leader of France proved that he has not lost his talent for stealing scenes on the world stage. He did the unexpected by boldly declaring that the franc will not be devalued. Nine countries agreed to lend France $2 billion in the confident expectation that the franc would be devalued. The General said a devaluation would be most absurd. Meanwhile, the Western nations struggle with a monetary crisis that has shaken the financial world. It looked like t, one-ye- ar far-reachi- m d No Excess Profits Guaranteed annual profits are nice for industry, but it winds up costing Uncle Sam twice as much as originally estimated its time to raise a cry. In question is Lockheed Aircraft Corporations guaranteed 10 per cent profit tor a contract to build 115 new cargo jets. But instead of the $3 billion the U.S. expected to pay for the jets, its now going to cost at least $6 billion. Air Force spokesmen say the increased cost comes from note this initial estimates, higher factory costs and Lockheed mistakes by management. The big loser, of course, will be the U.S. government not Lockheed. With a 10 per cent profit, what does Lockheed have to gamble, no matter how high prices go? Circumventing the usual bid procedure is a costly way for governments to do business with private industry. Granted, s contracting is necessary in some types of original planning and manufacture where production costs cannot be determined accurately beforehand. But in a.iy established industry cost factors certainly can be determined. The government obviously needs to clamp s contracts. down with better controls on its When too-lo- w cost-plu- cost-plu- Man Can Triumph In a very real sense, we are all handicapped. With some of us, the disabilities show more than they do with others. Thats why we all can learn from David L. Bollschweiler, who this week was chosen by the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare to represent the more than 200,000 disabled men and women who were rehabilitated in this country last year. Mr. Bollschweiler, who lives in Murray, was severely injured in a construction accident five years ago which left him unable to walk. Yet today he is completely rehabilitated and running hi? own insurance agency. While his disability was more difficult to overcome than most, society is beginning to recognize that handicaps come in a great variety of afflictions, including personality and character defects, mental illness, and even poverty. Those who work with rehabilitating people also recognize that their greatest help comes from people who have already overcome handicaps. They inspire those who fight to overcome their shortcomings. Thats why Mr. Bollschweiler deserves not only the congratulations, but also the gratitude of all of us. Price of Success? Ever wonder why some nations prosper while others never seem to catch up? Or why the fellow at the next desk gets ahead faster than you do? The explanation is simple: The successful, it seems, are neurotic. At least thats how' an educational psychologist, identified by Atlas Magazine only as Dr. R. Lynn, sees it. Based on studies he has made of university students, Dr. Lynn declares that scholars who do well rank high in neurosis. Moreover, he insists that statistics prove that the more nations are more successful economically. Vietnam ought to be about the most that standard, By in world. And the ghetto dweller ridden the nation prosperous by fears over his inability to meet his rent and grocery bills should be the epitome of the American success story. Well, Dr. Lynn, back to the old drawing board. anxiety-ridde- n 1 Here are some interesting editorial comments on the shaky franc and its chilly lesson for the United States and the rest of the free world: could step out and walk across the valley on top of the dirty gray air." Utah Has Been Fighting Air Pollution A Century! Editor's Note: With the winter season usually the time of highest air pollution along Utah's Wasatch Front this timely survey discucses the problem from pioneer times to the present. By KENNETH N. STITHEM A Mormon pioneer corning down out of Big Cottonwood Canyon in the 1850s saw a dirty gray layer of air clogging the valley below. Ho leported, It looked like I could step out and walk across the valley or top of it. From this account it would appear that air pollution in Salt Lake valley might be as old as the valley itself. Even the Indians referred to the Wasatch Range as the Smokey Mountains, since great clouds of dirty air hung around the mountain bases. The only e contribution to this early pollution was from Indian campfires. Most of the dirty air came from dust blown in from the deserts to the west and from water vapor off Great Salt Lake. The major prerequisite for the befouled air then, as now, was the temperature inversion condition that Salt Lake Valley shares with Los Angeles, New York, London and other d man-mad- smog-plague- areas. ing from the smelters, many residents, particularly farmers, complained. Ic 1906 federal courts enjoined the smelters to reduce sulfur dioxide and arsenic emissions. Some of the smaller operations were forced to close down, and others moved away from the valley. In compliance with court orders and in an effort to reduce smelter pollution, American Smelting and Refining (AS&R) increased the height of the Murray Plants smoke stack from 200 feet to 3C0 feet and finally to 455 feet in 1918. Because of claims for damages from nearby farmers, AS&R began to research sulfur dioxide and arsenic effects on crops. Crop losses were calculated from leaf damage, and a formula was derived from the studies. Farmers were offered a payment for the losses, and for the 30 years duration of the program no lawsuits resulted. The first comprehensive survey of air Smoke Abatement Investigapollution, tion of Salt Lake City, was conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in 1919. They reported that 250 tons of soot per square mile fell on the city yearly. Their report stated that: Successful smoke abatement is a problem requiring high technical ability, administration of a human problem, change in attitude of community, willingness to wait for result, readiness to pay for continuous long term effort free of political control. This statement would hold true today. In the early 20s Salt Lake County could boast to be the smelter capital of the world. But by this time pollution from smelters was not as significant as the burning of coal in the valley. This was the beginning of a period when Salt Lake City suffered most from William Chapman, meteorologist at the Environmental Science Service at the Salt Lake City Airport, explained a temperature inversion as a lid. Aerial garbage is held close to the ground when a high layer of hot air holds down the pollutant-bearing cold air. Air pollution has been of concern to man as far back as 1307 when a man was tortured for filling the air with pestilential odor by burning coal. A scientific study of pollution was made by John Evelyn in 1661. It was entitled Fumifug-ium- : or the Inconvienience of the Aer and Smoke of London Disipated, Together with Some Remidies Humbly Proair pollution. posed. Evelyn clearly recognized the of In 1937 Salt Lake City started a smoke the sources, effects and broad aspects control problem. abatement program directed by William In Utah, air pollution became a major L. Butler, head of the Power and Heating concern when smelling in the Valley Division of the city. began in the 1870s. Smelting is the procMorning and evening soot clouds were ess of refining relatively crude ore by gradually eliminated by promoting, propburning off into the air most of the er use of heating units and educating impurities. KAf of the ore by weight is power plant operators and home owners dissipated into the air by this means. in building cleaner fires with coaL A genBy 1906 the valley had accommodated eral transition from coal to natural gas 32 different smelters, with capacities of also developed at this time. Open burn15 to 50 tons of ore per day. Lead and siling ordinances were strictly enforced. ver from the mines of Tintic, Park City, The amount of soot decreased from 83 tons per square mile in 1942 to 22 tons in Alta and Big Cottonwood were the basis of the smeltering industry in the Valley. 1357. The biggest lead smelter in the world About this time the potential health was in Murray. It processed 2,000 tons of damage from pollution began to concern ore per day, employed 7,000 men and had people more than economic or esthetic a $70,000 weekly payroll. Smelters almost aspects. Dr. Leonard Greenburg pubas large were built in Midvale and lished reports that urban Tooele. had a cancer rate nine times higher than Despite the booming economy result rural Ken Nelson, industrial hygienist for AS&R, countered with a paper stating that scare tactics were being used to promote rash pollution control laws. There is little but controversial evidence that urban pollution causes any health effects, he significant long-tersaid. Industry in the valley spent considerable amounts of money, time and research in controlling pollution resulting from their operations. In 1960 the Columbia-Geneva Division spent $10 million on equipment that removed 98 per cent of dust and fumes from its furnaces. Kennecott Copper Corp. installed six acid recovery plants at about the same time for the sole purpose of stopping pollution of the air by sulphuric acid fumes. Statistics show that from 1941 to 1945 were the worst pollution years. There were then an average of 900 hours per year in which visibility in the Valley was 9 less than three miles. Figures for 3 reached a low of 270 hours, and in they were back up to 430 hours per year. In 1962 the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare said Salt Lake City had the 14th dirtiest skies in the nation. In 1966 the city wasnt in the worst 20. Salt Lake City air wasnt getting any cleaner; the rest of the nations air was just dirtier. In 1868 Dr. Michael Treshow at the University of Utah said Salt Lake City air pollution was comparable with that of Portland and Denver, each of which had more population and industry. He said our air problem had increased 50 per cent since 1965. The hope for progress in control of air pollution was greatly enhanced with the Air Conservation Act passed by the State Legislature in 1967. The Act provides for a nine-ma- n committee to establish' air quality standards for the state. The committee leaves enforcement of the standards to local city and county governments. Enforcement is usually on the basis of educating and helping offenders, with due process of law used as a last resort. Presently Salt Lake City and County have nuisance ordinances governing pollution. Utah County does not. There is a concern about pollution that drifts into the valley from areas with no regulations. This problem will be solved if the State Legislature adopts the Air Conservation Committee code of regulations for open burning. The state has come a long way in pollution control from the days of the pioneer, the Indian and the early smelting plants. But it has only been able to keep pace with the population increase. There will be considerable work cut out for it with future generations. 55-5- 59-6- Our Billions Buy Degradation Americas poor relief program needs to be put on high jacks and sis run under it. a new chas- It is a failure, not in detail, but in general. It is producing less uplift than degradation. It generates not climbers, but sitters. It compounds the problems it is designed to eradicate. The mentions were wonderful, but the hangup arev in the article of faith that a man could nui be considered a lover of mankind if lie did not accept the dogma that no man wants charity if opportunity is available. This, alas, is not true. There is liberal nothing about self-delusio- As relief produced sloth and the dependency, only cure the dog-a t i s t s could think of was more relief. The result has been a mess. In a recent speech M. A. (Mike) Wright, chairman of the board of the Humble Oil and Refining Co., urged the American business community to get involved in solving our relief ills, not simply because of the cost, which is bad enough, the interest cf restoring the seif-respe- but in of millions. Look at the statistics: In 1940. when we were just crawling out of the Great Depression, the federal government's exjienditure for social welfare programs, including social insur- - JENKIN LLOYD JONES ance, was just under $9 billion, or 9 per cent of the Gross National Product. Tast year the government put out $100 billion, 13 per cent of the GNP and about 42 per cent of expenditures for all purposes. In New York City alone, 870,000 people are now on welfare. In the late 30s there was a shortage of jobs of all kinds. Today the big apartment projects rising across the Potomac from Washington display signs pleading for common labor. Last year in the wooded hill country of southeast Oklahoma I watched women running fork-lif- t trucks in a lumber mill. Although 30 per cent of the population of that county is on assistance, men cannot be hired. You can't blame all the reliefers. Under present regulations in many states, relief payments are reduced for the amount of Income earned. How many of us nonrelief-er- s would work under a 100 per cent income tax? But worse, we penalize responsibility and reward irresponsibility. Take a man living with and supporting his family who is ineligible for any relief because he earns $3,400 a year. Eut if he moves dollar-for-doll- out he kops his $3,400 and his wife gets aid to the dependent children. Thus the taxpayers put up a $2,000 move-ou- t bonus. Lyndon Johnsons much heralded war on poverty (when was the lost time you heard it mentioned?) was, perhaps, the must wasteful fiasco in American histo $2,000 for ry. It sought to drown what the Southerner calls poor ways in a crash outpouring of money. It trained chambermaids at a higher per capita cost than Harvard trains medicai students. It brought notorious hoodlums in as administrators, apparently on the theory that the way to tame em was to pay em. Even the most doctrinaire sociologist must have learned a lot from the poverty program. We will probably eventually discover that there is no uplift in any system that rewards as well as work. Conto the idealists, many people will trary not struggle to get off relief as a matter of pride. They need more solid incentives. We are certainly going to have to quit reducing relief payments by the exact amount of earnings. And we will probably have to set up a vast system of puba new WPA, if you will lic works in d which people with no other jobs will be required to put in 40 hours a week raking leaves, beautifying highways, digging garbage pits or anything else for the public weal. The man is rare who will willingly work for a year to make $100 more than his lazy neighbor who has no appointment until the bars open. We've got to get the neighbor out working, too, and hard enougli so that the sign hung out by private enterprise Otherwise, we begins to look will all be poorer. As any bee can tell you, there is no honey in a hiveful of drones. PLAIN DEALER, Cleveland, Ohio The mon- etary crisis just now is proving how hollow and inadequate De Gaulles policies have been. Speculators are dumping francs and buying the stiongest European currency, West German marks. The instant hope POST, Washington, D.C. must be that the stopgap measures put together worlds financial chiefs in by the Bonn will stop the run on the franc and buy France some time to work on getting its economy into better working order. For as long as France continues to lose money in world trade, at a time when its worker and welfare costs have risen sharply, the international community will lack confidence in the franc and the danger of another panic will lurk around the corner. Americans TRIBUNE, Minneapolis, Minn. may be tempted to g'oat over the fact that the present rash of international currency speculation is not an attack on the dollar, as happened last March, but an attack on the franc. The temptation should be resisted. There may be a psychological benefit in seeing another country expeesrience headaches similar to ones own pecially when that other country is France, so often officially smug. But a monetary breakdown in France could causes chaos from which the United States would not be immune. NEW YORK TIMES, New York City - What President De Gaulle did by saying no was to refuse to lower the official exchange value of the franc which is now fixed at 20 cents. But the official parity need not be changed in order to accomplish an effective or de facto devaluation cf currency. Raising the prices of imported commodities, either through taxes or the imposition of government controls, is a measure of partial devaluation. Thinly disguised currency devaluation can also take the form of taxes on the purchase of foreign securities or limitations on direct foreign investment. If President De Gaulle wants the franc to continue as a convertible currency, he will permit foreign exchange transactions to resume and use the $2 billion of foreign credits and his other reserves to defend the franc against the speculative onslaught. But in making his defense, he will almost surely have to resort to stiff taxes and severe controls, measures that will be necessary to achieve the equivalent of a 10 per cent devaluation. And therein lies the danger. THE AMERICAN, Chicago Experts read the French currency problem as another grave warning of an impending international monetary crisis. Said Robert Triffin, professor of economics at Yale University, The basic problems that caused trouble before are still with us. The problems, of course, are inflationary pressures which tend to decrease the value of the dollar, to which all international currency exchange rates are geared. Economists believe that if the present high rate of inflation continues, the United States will be unable to maintain the price of gold wnich guarantees the monetary stability of the free world. DISPATCH, Columbus, Ohio Today Charles de Gaulles France is in dire straits, his ship of state groping its way on a sea of many troubles. And De Gaulle would be the last to confess that if the sailing becomes more placid it will be because neighbor nations maneuvered to buoy him. So, as Le Grand Charles celebrates his 78th birthday, we can only wish him and his fellow Frenchmen well, especially his fellow Frenchmen. For whether General De Gaulle is willing to admit it, a people will come closer to gaining immortality than a man. GUEST CARTOON no-wo- able-bodie- help-wante- d inte'-estin- "This looks like it's going to be n long stay." SI. Louis Pas! Dispatch |