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Show DESERET NEWS, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH VVe THURSDAY, MAY 6, 1 A5 976 stand for the Constitution of the United States with its three departments of government, each fully independent in its own field. What the primaries tel! about how to campaign A funny thing happened to President Ford on his way to the Republican presidential nominating convention in Kansas City. With four defeats in four consecutive primary elections, the man who earlier had the initiative is now being put on the defensive. And with a series of victories that involved capturing not only the conservative GOP vote but also the votes of independents and Democrats, Ronald Reagan is starting to look like a challenger with an appeal to more than just a narrow segment of the electorate. So much for the overwhelming advantage that an incumbent President is supposed to enjoy simply by being able to dispense favors and make news almost at will. So much for the theory that when a candidate achieves as many victories as Mr. Ford did initially, a bandwagon-effec- t sets in and the resulting mometum feeds itself. So much, too, for the notion that a recovering economy inevitably works to the advantage of whoever happens to occupy the White House at the time. On the Democratic side, little need be said. With primary election victories this week in Indiana and Georgia, Jimmy Carter has left all rivals far behind, and now faces only the still untested candidacies of Idaho Sen. Frank Church and California Gov. Edmund Brown Jr. The importance of those victories to former governor Reagan is hard to overstate. For one thing, the Reagan campaign once in danger of running apparatus should out of steam for lack of funds now find it considerably easier to attract contributions. For another, the inroads being made by the success of Reagan attacks on detente and the inadequacy of Americas defense posture could help push the Ford administration further to the right. The President can expect now to come under increasing pressure to drop Secietary of State Kissinger, who has become the symbol of whats wrong with detente. Kissinger's job security is enhanced, however, by his having attracted much of the flak that otherwise would be directed right at the President. What's the reason for this marked shift in the respective political fortunes of President Ford and Mr. Reagan, who has forged ahead for the first time in the race for convention delegates? Certainly President Fords reputation for candor and frankness suffered a setback with the disclosure that, despite his promises he would never give up the Panama Ambassador Canal, Ellsworth Bunker is working under presidential orders to hand over the canal in 25 to 50 years. But the canal issue is only part of a larger aspect, the fact that America has been suffering not just from an economic recession but from a moral recession following Watergate and Vietnam. Though sophisticates may scoff, Carter's religious convictions as well as his gentle platitudes about idealism and helping each other seem to fill a void. So do Reagans appeals to national pride via national strength. Americans are tired of the kind of campaigns that seem to be built on the premise that this country suffers from a national guilt complex. Instead, lets hear more about whats right with America and how to improve on whats basically a healthy and happy situation. A $75 million tax saving American dollars cant buy friendship or even a harmonious form of government. That lesson, however, seems to have been lost on the U.S. Seeking to resume aid to India, the State Department got authorization from Congress to provide $75 million a year. But the taxpayers were spared that expense when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi got the idea that the U.S. wras trying to undermine her government, and the aid talks were broken off. As Americans get down to the painful business of preparing their federal tax returns, few would be offended if other recipients of U.S. largess got the same idea as India did and acted accordingly. There could be a valuable lesson for Americans in the recent breakdown of talks aimed at restoring U.S. aid to India. Few countries have received as much L' S. aid as India and in few other places has the U.S. reaped such a bitter harvest. Before aid was suspended in 1971 at the time of the war between India and Pakistan, New Delhi received more than $10 billion in U.S. 20 year period. assistance over a return, India consistently has opposed U.S. positions in world affairs and has abandoned democracy in favor of dictatorship, proving once again that In Carter on the Fed: subtle power play George F. tip-toei- But conservatives, too, And they seek know com-lietitor- monetary policies whenever an election is approaching. That means every two years, or all the time: even in non- presidential election years up to 468 of the 535 senators and representatives are running. Consider, for example, the words of a man who already may be planning his 1980 campaign: While the Federal Reserve Board should maintain its independence from the Executive Branch, it is important that throughout a President's term he have a Chairman of the Federal Reserve whose economic views are compatible with his own To insure greater compatibility between the President and the F ederal Reserve Chairman, I propose tloi, subject to Senate confirma tion, the President be given the power to appoint his own Chairman of the Federal Reserve who would serve a term coterminous with the Presi- WASHINGTON Various politicians, leashes in hand, toward the Fedare eral Reserve Board. They know that the independence of the Fed is the major remaining obstacle between them and political domination of the economy. The power of the Fed that politicians covet most is power to- control the money supply and thereby influence the supply of credit, the level of interest rates, and the general pace of economic activity. The independence of the Fed is, understandably, more of an irritation to liberals than to conservatives because it is an impediment to control of the economy by elected persons, which is a goal more important to liberals than to conservatives. the President's extended staff The logic of Carters proposal is that the Chairman ... should serve "at the pleasure like any of the President, other political appointee, to be fired when incompatible, or sacrificed as a scapegoat when that is convenient. .And by this logic, there is no reason why the President should not have an entire Federal Reserve Board of his own, just as he has his own Council of Economic Advisors. The natural extension of Carter's reform would be to have all Board mem- dents. Having praised the Feds independence, Jimmy Carter, with his next breath, proposes a change obviously that, increasingly, the performance of the economy is the standard against which all office holders are judged. bers serve terms DOUG SflEYD terminous V racy pressure from lobbies on shoes and specialty steels. The President succumbed on steels, but refused to exclude foreign footwear. Excluding foreign goods means Americans must subsidize less efficient workers at home. Foreign competition helps hold down prices and thus combat inflation. Government analysts still predict a trade surplus for 1976. In the long run, free trade is better for American consumers and for the American s. Already in recent months, President Ford has received strong protectionist the job was done by someone who's rightist handed." "Looks like economy. Ending U.S. 'dualism' in African policy By Joseph C. Harsch The past week was one m hicli American diplomacy ecognied that Africa has ccotne the worlds most ctive place of great power and proceeded to ivalry o something about it. It did what it has been long eluctant to do and put off oing as long as possible. It aine down on the side of lajority rule for Rhodesia nd Namibia (South-Wes- t and for an end to part held in South Africa. It thus cast in its lot with lack Africa aM against lose who, if ...ey could, ould sustain for yet a while ic rule by white minorities ver black majorities. It seemed to be the end of ualispi in American policy Af-ic- I toward the southern part of Africa. Until now American policy has paid lip service to the concept of majority rule, but in practice dealt with southern Africa through its white rulers on the theory that the white man probably would continue to dominate southern Africa for the foreseeable future. That old policy collapsed in Angola some 10 short weeks ago. By that time most whites had fled, the Portuguese flag had long since been hauled down, white mercenaries,, hastily recruited to try to stem the victory march of blacks backed by Moscow and Cuba, were routed The dual American policy collapsed with the rout. At that moment of the failure of the old policy in Angola, Washington came face to face with the new rule facts. was in retreat. The black majority was already triumphant in Angola. The surge of black power would turn next against the white minority m White-minoiit- y Rhodesia (22 blacks to each whitei and then toward Namibia. Washington would have to back the winning blacks or let Moscow enjoy the enormous advantage of being the friends, supporters, and purveyors of arms to the insurgent blacks. At the moment there is no other active held of great power rivalry involving the United States. American withdrawal from mainland southeast Asia has left that part of the world to a contest between Chinese and Soviet interests. Power frontiers in the rest of Asia are relatively stable. Latin America remains substantially within the American sphere of influence. The frontiers in Europe are not under immediate challenge. Only in Africa is the contest in a fluid condition. The black tide is flowing southward. It has become a simple question whether would American policy be rolled under that co- the Presidents term, instead of terms as at present. The Fed, like the Supreme Court, is among other tlungs, a device by which our democwith ar Free trade helps economy As bad times rececd and Americans have more money to spend, they are buying more foreign goods. To the surprise of forecasters, exports outstripped imports for the first three months of 1 this year by $863 million. Short-tertrade deficits arent too worrisome. What is worrisome is that the figures might be used by special interests to deny U.S. consumers the right to shop abroad for goods that are better or cheaper than their domestic stimulative Will The Mother model designed to make the Fed more subservient to the President. This proposal to give a President his own Fed Chairman is a proposal to integrate the Chairman into Thus there is a potentially bipartisan incumbents interest: they want to have power to push the Fed toward By ERfTlfl BOfTlBECK tide, or ride with it. In Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. U.S. Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger delivered a major speech setting forth in strong terms the obvious conclusion of the a debate in the inner councils of Washington. Washington now favors black majority rule in Rhodesia to be achieved within two years. It will advise all American citizens to leave or keep away from Rhodesia. It promises to support United Nations sanctions against Rhodesia (which it has been violating under the old policy'. It will give economic aid to the black countries bordering Rhodesia It will boycott Rhodesia politically as well as economically. It favors prompt independence for Namibia. It calls on South Africa to dismantle the fabric of apartheid. All of which means that Washington is not going to let southern .Africa fall to Moscow without a contest. Had the decision gone the other way American influence in southern .Africa would have had to fall back toward Capetown and done a stand with the whites of South Africa. But Washington has turned last-ditc- post-Angol- h against that policy and , elected uistead to compete with Moscow for the goodwill of the black majorities of southern Africa So the contest is accepted. The prospects favor the U S The normal and established channels of trade art between Africa and Western Europe and the Americas It seems unlikely that in the long run black African countries would prefer to trade with the Soviet Union over the West. But if Dr. Kissinger had failed to unveil the new American policy tow ard .Africa during his present trip to Mrica, Moscow could have enjoyed the prospect of several more short term successes such as Angola. prudently insulates some important matters from the gusty winds of popular opinion, and from the short-tercalculations of elected persons, who sometimes resent such insulation For example, nearly four decades ago an impatient politician. President Franklin Rooseu-lt- , failed in his attempt to pack" the Supreme Court in order to make it more compatible" with his preferences. Obviously this assault on the independence of the Court had a constitutional dimension that is lacking in the proposals for making the Fed a servant of politicians But to some extent the attempt to reduce the Fed from independence to compatibility is dike the erosion of the minority right to filibuster in the Senate) an aspect of the modern impatience with do siihtletiee th-not conform to the simplistic notion of democracy as a of unfettered sy stem The Fed deals m complex ways with complex matters. And it is undemocratic in the simple sense that it is not responsible to an electorate. And it does not enjoy the public understanding and reverence that the Court enjoys For these reasons the Fed is a tempting target for elected persons, and especially for those whose lively sense of personal advantage combines with a predator's m. tmet for falling upon the defenseless. But dcorous talk about compatibility should not tie allowed to obscure the fact that Carters proposal, if enacted, would constitute a bold aggrandizement of presidential power. The Georgian may be an candidate, but he speaks the politicians' universal Es- peranto ot euphemisms, and he knows the tricks of the Washington trade. When the Good Loid was ci eating Mothers he was into his sixth day of overtime" when the angel apjieared and said. "You're doing a lot of fiddling around on this one " And the laird said, Have you read the spec on Ibis order"" She has to be completely washable, but not plastic Have iso moveable parts ... all replaceable Have a lap that disappears when she stands uj' A kiss that can cure anv thing from a broken 1 g to a disappointed love affair. And six pairs of hands. The angel shook her head slowly and said, Six pairs of hands ... no way." It's not the hands that are causing me problems," said the Lord. It's the three pairs of eyes that Mothers have to have. "That's on the standard model? asked the angel. The Lord nodded. "One pair that sees th.'ough closed doors when she asks, What are you kids doing in there? when she already knows. Another here m the back of her head that sees what she shouldnt but what she has to know, and of course the ones here in front that can look at a child when he goofs up and say, I understand and I love you without so much as uttering a word. Lord," said the angel touching His sleeve gently. Come to bed. Tomorrow . . ." I can't, said the Lord, I'm so close to creating something so close to myself. .Already 1 have one who heals herself when she is sick . . . can feed a family of six on one pound of hamburger . . and can get a to stand under a shower. The angel circled the model of a Mother very slowly. "It's too soft, she sighed. "But tough! said the Lord excitedly. "You cannot imagine what this Mother can do or endure. Finally, the angel bent over and ran her finger across the cheek. Theres a leak, she pronounced. I told you you were trying to put too much into this model. It's not a leak." said the Lord, it's a teai What's it for? It's for joy, sadness, disappointment, pain, loneliness and pride. You are a genius, said the angel. The Lord looked somber. I didn't put it there. . nine-year-ol- d ' Copies of Erma Bombeck's traditional Mothers Day column, When God Created Mothers," are available on parchment-typ- e paper for 50 cents. Also available at the same price is the column, When God Created Fathers. To obtain copies, send requests to Reader Service Bureau, Deseret News, Post Office Box 1257. Salt Lake City, Utah 84110. SYDftEY HARRIS It's totalitarianism Ludok Pachman was one of the leading young European chessmasters when his native country of Czechoslovakia was taken over by the Russians after World War II by intimidation, if not by actual physical presence. At that time, like so many Central Europeans who had opposed the Nazis, he became a fervent supporter of what he imagined was "socialism for his country. He soon learned a lesson that changed the course of his whole life: the noble slogans of "socialism" and brotherhood" and "people s democracy " were a mask for sheer totalitarian power, trampling all real freedom underfoot Pachman's new book. Checkmate m Prague," subtitled The Memoirs of a Grandmaster," has really nothing to do with chess as such, except m showing that the totalitarian juggernaut is truly total in its dominance over the life of the people, not only m politics and economics but even in such marginal actn lties as sports and games Just as Hitler used the deceptive rubrics of "National Socialism and "labor" m the name of his Nazi party, to conceal its basic despotism, so the Soviets constantly promulgate the same fictions to mask their ruthless betrayal of the workers hopes for equality, democracy and a humane socialism "that wears a human face." The word Communism" has been used as a bogeyman in the West, manipulated by the cunning to frighten the credulous; but it is not communism per se that poses a threat to freedom the early Christians, it seems probable, piacticeil a primitive form of communism, based on genuine sharing out of love and brotherhood. It is, rather, the totalitarian monster masquerading as the liberator of mankind that deludes and then destioys the hopes of the disinherited everywhere, whether the monster paints itself brown as in Germany or red as in Russia. There is no accommodating it. except on its own arbitrary terms. Even a chessmaster must toe the party line if he expects to be allowed to play m tournaments. |