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Show .' ' r Editorial wqpsaMipsqpi Page of the Deseret News, Salt Lake City, Utah THURSDAY, MAY A5 17, 1973 IN OUR OPINION How political campaigns should not be reformed Since burglary and wiretapping already are outlawed, few if any changes in the law wculd prevent the advent of another Watergate scandal. ces of any reform plans. Here are two old and tired ideas being advanced a time when a vibrant and vital response is needed. But because the integrity of the hite House is at stake as a result of its' credibility being impaired, President Nixon must demonstrate a deep personal commitment to campaign reforms if the damage done by Watergate is to be repaired as much as it can be. Since the adoption of the Constitution nearly 160 amendments have been proposed to change the term of the President from four to six years Along with as Richard Nixon, such luminaries Andrew Jackson. James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, and Rutherford B. were Hayes among the Presidents term. suggesting a single The proposal is based on the argument that political expediency rather than statesmanship dictates too many presidential decisions. Both Congress and the public are said to reject many worthy programs as political ploys. But if the President could serve only six years and not succeed himself, it is argued, Americans would be less likely to treat his programs as partisan maneuvers. The trouble is that a President ineligible to run again would in effect be a lameduck from the outset of his term, unable to exercise the full powers of hiij office. A term could put a serious strain on public patience with an unpopular president. The repeated rejection of the proposal is certainly no testimonial for it. As for doubling the two-yea- r term of House members, this idea is no better. The present term, it is argued, is so short that incumbents are always running for instead of paying close attention to legislation But Representatives were purposely given short terms so they would be highly responsive to the public will, while Senators were given terms so their judgement would not be unduly swayed by the passions of the moment. This vital part ot the system of checks and balances would be eroded by the Presidents proposal. Instead, theres more fruitful work for reformers to do in coming to grips with such abuses as laundering funds to hide the donors identity by sending campaign contributions out of the country . . . dis guising big contributions among a number of dummy campaign committees . . and ignoring the requirement of timely disclosure of all contributions. That's precisely what he moved to do this week in proposing a bipartisan commission to recommend sweeping changes in the nations election laws. Since any partisan taint to meaningful reform, the wise in insisting that any not from any one party branch of would be fatal President was changes come or any single government. Its also hard to quarrel with his effort to avoid piecemeal and possibly haphazard changes by asking for a complete of campaign practices, not those having a direct bearing on Wajust tergate. in . 1788, six-ye- six-ye- ar Even so, theres room for doubting the wisdom of Mr. Nixons request that a term for the president and four-yea- r terms for members of the House of Representatives be studied as the centerpie- six-ye- ar A new ode for a new Chicago Its too bad Carl Sandburg is no longer around to write a new ode to the city he loved, Chicago. This thought is prompted by the fact that Chicago now hag the tallest building in the world. The new Sears Tower topped out the other day at 1,454 feet. Its nearly 100 feet taller than New Yorks World Trade Center and 200 feet higher than that champion, the State Building. Empire If poet Sandburg were not inspired to mint new lyrics, perhaps bringing the old ones up to date would do. Hog butcher to the world, no more; city of the big shoulders, maybe; city of the tall towers, defilong-reignin- g nitely. Carl could have made it sing. six-ye- Campaign reformers dont have to beat any dead horses in order to heed the Presidents admonition to be bipartisan and thorough. Utah's signs of stupidity homes have come a long way from the days when they were little more walls on wheels. than four The new homes are spacious, attracsheet-met- al tive. many are beautifully furnished, and at least after most are foundation. set on a theyre But should owners be allowed to locate mobile homes anywhere on a private lot, as Weber County commissioners ruled this week? The only stipulation is that the homes be required to meet building codes. non-mobi- . That question is not pointed directly at Weber County. Both Salt Lake City and But until County have similar regulations. to now, few mobile homes have been able meet the uniform building codes. are presently being constructed, however, which do meet the codes. And there is a considerable question about the impact of a mobile home on property values in an established resiNew models dential area.- - to escape death; Photo and text by Da id Blv those who love life and live with purpose need not fear death. Deseret News staff Ruckelshaus reveals new use of wiretaps September, as a consultant until April of 1970, and had security clearances until the fall of 1971. University officials say their scholarships are reserved for the disadvantaged, not the mentally gifted. Wed like to a help more bright students, school official explained, but at a time of limited funds, you have to establish priorities. Translation: Greg has been put at a disadvantage because he isnt disadvantaged. Its staff Kissingers 1969, but continued isnt The case isolated. Applicants to schools of medicine and law across the country are passed over each year for students with lower marks because the institutions have to meet their disadvantaged tradesmen are passed over for men of less because the firm is federally required to hire a given number of minority members. The list of Americans put at disadvantage because they arent disadvantaged grows longer all the time. When funds are limited, one must indeed establish priquotas. Skilled . orities. But I cant conceive of anything that should take precedence over meting out rewards on the basis of merit first circumstances second. Isnt that way? the democratic Though Kissinger personally recruited Halperih, who had been assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs during the Johnson administration, he was deeply troubled over a series of reports that Halperin was violating security replations. Kisd to resinger felt port these violations and also to prevent other leaks from duty-boun- I dont know how many wives go through this frustration, but sometimes its more than I can bear. The other-ni-ght after my stroganoff died, my husband rolled in at 9 and said, I dont know how you do it. You take care of the kids, you make my dinner whenever I come and you manage to look incredible. How do you do it? I threw a McDonalds hamburger under his nose and snarled, I drink! his operation. When these facts were dis- closed, Judge Matt Byrne asked for a full FBI investigation which led, of course, to Ruckelshaus physically locating the records of these taps in the W'hite House instead of at the FBI where they belonged and now are. The Nixon administration felt justified in the taps, not only because of its apprehension over the reliability of Halperin and other government employees in sensitive positions, but also because of several news stories In the press which contained exclusive information on the SALT talks. The administration felt that its bargaining position with the Soviets was weakened because its tentative proposals cn SALT were thus known to the Russians. And the administration knew tnat this leaked information could only come from certain people, those whom it eventually tapped. with whom I Halperin, talked on Monday, says he left government because he was tired of it, that he had no senous differences with Kissinger and that he was the generalist In Kissingers shop who decided what matters should be taken up. But I couldnt possibly be considered a security risk by knowledgeable people. I made it a policy not to discuss National Security Council affairs with newsmen, even in social situations. ' six-inc- negotiations with the Soviet Union and China, and were also considering the options for extricating the United States from Vietnam. Hal-pen- Dinner and Other Failures. STUCK ON THE FREEWAY SPECIAL: A simple casserole of macaroni, onions and hamburger that is cooked in oven for five hours, or until the casserole a h bakes Into a crust. CAUTION: Do not eat with dentures. Do not put into disposal. EIGHT OCLOCK STEW: Add 19 quarts of water to a mixture of beef chunks, cubed potatoes, carrots, celery and a bay leaf. When ready to serve . . . dont. LITTLE LEAGUE BURGERS: Peanut butter and jelly while spread on two slices of tread and snatched in mid-ai- r running for the car pool. I HAVE TO WORK LATE SALAD: Combine greens, fresh vegetables and salad dressing in a bowl. When they have become warm, wilted, and stagnant, put them in a plastic bag and place gently in the garbage can. I WAS GOOFING AROUND AFTER SCHOOL HOT DOGS: When hot dogs are split gently and steaming, remove from fire and set at the back of the stove until water chills Into a thin, hard film and the hot dogs deteriorate. THE MEETING STARTS AT FIVE RUMP ROAST: Heat five minutes in oven and slice raw. Serve with garnishes of uncooked potatoes and mothers tears. It must be remembered that early in the Nixon administration, the President and Dr. Kissinger were quietly laying the groundwork for sensitive According to Ruckelshaus, four of the 17 taps were on newsmen and the rest were on government employees. Some lasted for as little as one month, and one went 21 months. The taps were perfectly legal at that time, and Ruckelshaus does not consider them unusual, even in retrospect. Halperins is the only name revealed, only because it surfaced during the trial of Daniel Ellsberg, who had con- 7ersed with Halperin and been a pest in his home when phone was tapped. called, In it I hope to offer recipes featuring expensive cuts of meat, fresh vegetables and gourmet desserts that with just a little effort and a lot of time can be turned into instant garbage. These are a few of my favorites: in n the boys father earns $13,500 a year as a cop, he missed five months of work last year after a heart attack.) st I am in the process of writing a new cookbook that is geared toward the woman who cooks for a family that eats somewhere between 4 and 8 oclock at night. WASHINGTON Dr. Henry A. Kissinger helped initiate the plan to wiretap Dr. Morton Halpenn, one of Kissingers closest associates on the Council National Security staff. Thus 'Kissinger, while only responsible for acting on what he felt was the need to protect national security, gets involved in what is now genRuckelshaus own investigaetically called the Watergate and tion of this episode, which sensation in case rumor-riddeWashington predated the Pentagon Papers case and the Watergate affair Ruckto William According as well and which is separate elshaus, acting FBI director and distinct from them, shows met Hoover with J. Edgar that 17 wiretaps were placed Kissinger in the spring of 1369 to determine responsibility for for the above purpose. On my own information. I leaks of highly sensitive and classified information which am prepared to state that those 'President Nixon, Dr. Kissinin the opinion o charged with conducting our ger, Hoover, then Atty. Gen. John N. Mitchell and Gen. foreign policy werp comproAlexander Haig, then Kissimising this nations effectiveness in negotiations and other ngers deputy, were aware of and approved the wiretaps. dealings with foreign powers. The University of Michigan has turned down a scholarship request from its youngest freshman, Greg Wellman, a genius whose parents had to borrow $500 to keep him In school. (Although For One thing, mobile homes account for a large segment of lower-cos- t housing of all 40 some built percent today being homes priced under $15,000. Since they are lower-incom- e housing, they bring all houstne attendant problems of low-coing when they are moved into a neighborhood. Not only that, mobile homes are taxed than improved residential differently In most counties they are taxed property. like vehicles, with a depreciation write-of- f each year. After a few years, their owners are not carrying the tax load their neighbors do for the same services. Weber County commissioners have said they do not feel qualified to pass on the question of esthetics or building design. But that attitude is tantamount to smrking their responsibility. Certainly Utah counties need to study the impact of the new mobile home designs on the community before rushing in with plans that could be harmful to property valuer BOfTlBECK Halperin, now a senior fellow at Brookings Institute, left General Features Corp. anyone reporting a sign vandal, who can himself be fined as much as $299. Anyone who sees such a vandal at work has ample reason for blowing the whistle on him. ERfTlfl By Nick Thimmesch L.A. Times Syndicate By Jim Fiebig Mobile homes and zoning Mobile than a frantic attempt as requirement? That money ultimately comes out of the pockets of every taxpayer, including the vandals themselves or their parents. Moreover, when a highway sign isnt where it should be or cant be seen clearly enough, some of us may pay for that vandalism with life and limb. If vandalism that is potentially harmful sign of thoughtlessness, it has to be a sign of outright malice and ought to be treated accordingly. A reward of up to $200 is available for IN THE MINDS EYE How about merit There are, were sorry to say, signs of stupidity all over Utah. Theyre the highway signs, like the one in the adjacent picture, that have been blasted with bullets by vandals who havent enough sense to pick safer targets. Because of this vandalism, the Utah Highway Department has to shell out $230,000 or more a year to replace signs. isnt a Life should be more SYDflEY HARRIS . . ' r 1,1 a d Before the pick up their brick-- ; bats, let me hasten to say that, boy and man, I've hardlY ever been without a dog, and wouldnt want to be. h s But most . need to be reminded of Bruno Bettelheims injunction to parents about their chik dren: Love is not enough." Loving a child, or a dog, in the wrong way, for the wrong reasons, Is the surest way to rum it. self-style- . dog-love- Big city and village alike are overrun today by utterly untrained dogs. In the cities, they make It nearly Impossible to walk on pavements or parkways without soiling your shoes; in the villages, they run unrestrained into street and orchards and gardens, despoiling the grounds and creating a menace for motorists. Obviously, this is not the fault of the dog; It is the fault everyone must take a test to dnve a car, everyone should likewise haVy to take a test to own a dog, which is also a social privilege conferred by the community, and not an inalienable right. Nobody has a right to something he is not able to control. And the fact of the matter is that the majority of are not able (or not willing) to control the public behavior of their pets. A noted dog breeder and trainer said recently that she could train any dog to stay, sit and heel in a it Is the owners who are so hard to train: The indulgent ones, who imagine they are kind; the ignorant ones, who dont even realize that a dog is happier when he is obedient; and the neurotic ones, who permit their dogs, to vent their own hostilities and resentments against the public at large. Everyone who gets a license for a dog should be required to demonstrate that he deserves to own one and knows how to control it. A simple test is all that would be needed to prove whether an owner knows, and can enforce, the rudiments of dog behavior. This would not only benefit the community enormously; it would also make the dogs happier, safer, healthier, and more reliable companions. In a village near my summer home, not long ago, a languid and benevolent St. Bernard was stretched out in the middle of the street when it was hit by a car and killed; the driver, of course, was excoriated, but the owner was really the one at fault. Dogs that are allowed to do pretty much as they please quickly turn from the category of pets into public nuisances. Sentimentality is the enemy of love, not its ally. Sentimentality is Indulging an affection beyond its natural and normal limits and its ultimate end is not the welfare of T the bbject, but its corruption. of the owner. In my view, if dog-owne- half-hou- r; e A' V V Jp c V V)N' V |