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Show DonOakley <a fierald ois ais Oil Leg is lation Fuel for Dedicated to the Progress And Growth of Centrol Utch The energy crisis. brought to a Monday, September 2, 1974, THE HERALD, Provo, Utah—-Page 15 Heavy thinking abut the eecnomy is probably the last things most Americans will want to induige ii as they enjoythis holiday. Price inereases, ihe skyrocketing cest of food, taxes, lagging stock market — all these are worries we would like to forget, if only for one day. But the name of the dayis, after all, Labor Day, and though it was originally set aside to honor the. blue-collar workingman, it is upon the labor ot aii oi us that the strength and health of the economy are based, whether we work in shoporoffice or on the land. The problems and needs of jabor” are thus the problems and needs of the whole nation While we are not, fortunately, invelved at the moment in widespread labermanagement discord. it is not for lack of grievances. Labor has madeit plain that it feels the workingman suffers most from accelerating inflation and was helped least by the previous administration’s halfhearted measure to control same. It has given fair notice of intention to press for early adjustment. Management can respond by either granting unusually large wage increases to preserve industrial peace or by resisting and thereby courting work stoppages. Rither way, we stand to lose. The first response would further fuel inflation, the second would further hobbie already limping production. Does this mean, then, that at such a time of economic imbalance free bargaining between employee and employer no longer suffices? Shouid the governmenttake a more active role? Do we need something like 2 Court of Labor-Management Relations whose decision in each dispute would be binding onall parties? unpleasant hytfading Congress, too, ‘appears an equally short memory oneis io judge by its contributions to “Project Independence” -- the great government-inspired effort famed at making the United States self-sufficient in cnergy boy 1980. So far, the nation’s tegictators have mandated national year-round Daylight Saving ‘Time, a iveasure of dubious merit in conserving energy which they are considering modifying A bill authorizing ihe Alaskan pipeline was passed (after a five-year delay) and should be bringing some significant. theugh hardly adequate, amounts of oil to the U.S. market by late 1977, at the eariiesi ‘The 55-mile-per-hourlimit has helped the country cut gasoline consumption but there is evidence that it is being increasingly ignored by motorists and enforced decreasingly by authorities, ‘There is no lack of energy, however, when it comes to legislation aimed at reforming the oil industry. Bills abound in Congress, ranging from doing It is ene thing when government speeds up a lagging economy through deficit spending, as it has demonstrated it can do quite handily But when that speed becomes too great, when prices soar and buying power shrinks, can governmentstana aside and let economic nature take its course? It is a question that must be answered. It is not only encouraging that President Ford has given the economy priority in the attention of his administration. It is essential. So They Say “One valid thing you always investigate in hiring a woman is, how serious is she about her career? Will she stick it out for 20 years?” —Business executive during interview on hiring practices and women’s opportunities, ‘The Russians are asking for economic help. The Chinese are not. The Chinese come in with a checkbook, the Russians with a chisel.” —Sen. Henry Jackson (D.-Wash.) explaining why he advocates closer relations with China while opposing favorable trade terms fer the Soviet Union. Ray Cromley Henry J. Taylor WASHINGTON — (NEA) — The problem is not the President is too strong. It is rather that Congress is too weak not weak in power, bul in ability. Any reporter who consistently visits the Hill reads endless press releases from mediocre men grasping for publicity. They jump al consumer protection, antipollution, aid for the poor, help for veterans and the un- employed, not because these are worthy causes, bul because they bring headlines, Recently, a nationally prominent senator refused, through his public relations man, to see one of the abler reportersin this town, ‘What can you do for my man?’ was the question asked and the reason given for refusal. 1 you doubt this attitude, skim the thousands of laws these men propose each year, determine how many have substance, When the energy crisis hit this nation full tilt, within days hundreds of bills were thrown into the hopper Few had input from energy experts Few made practical sense. Some, if adopted, would have brought disaster. ‘The sponsors could have eared tess; they had “shown"’ constituents they were on the ball. Few men on the hill have any idea as to the merits or demerits of muchof the legislation on which they vote. In most cases, interviewing a senator or representative for insight into a national problem, whether pais. foreign affairs,defense peding or government roform, is a ho-hum experience. Most don't know what theyare talking about Reporters wouldn't bother excepl that a congressman is always good for a quote. in this mass of mediocrity there are a number of very able men a nucleus, with dedicated staffs, determined to become expeils in one area or another The drones depend on them, if we a the wen of considerable brilliant) and aad the average men ah i ely “averageness’” by No iesislative body with this low percentage of effective men can act intelligently on legislation, take national leadership or compete with an active, gifted president ‘The problem lies in ourseives. Represent. S especially know reelection depends on what they do for integral part of the powderkeg the United States faces. Syria's armed forces have now been re-equipped by the Soviet Union since the October 1973 war with Israel and the country again possesses advance, intricate Soviet weaponry. But there is also an unmistakable thaw toward the United States. Today In among the populous. Beth Arab ieaders might be expected to be as jittery as a spinster inthe Casbah. Instead, the U.S. Embassies find Assad and Franjieh strengthened withtheir people It’s a potpourri population en a scale hardfor us to imagine. The peak yearsof the Ottoman Empire were between 1538 and the deathof astounding Suleiman in the winter of 1546. Then,after Turkey's defeat in World WarI, Syria and Tsbanon were formed from five former Turkish Empire Sanjaks (districts) Theybecameindependentstates (Sept. 1, 1820) administered under French Mandate. The lovely, broad, treeclustered boulevards that you see today in Beirut — as in Saigon —came at thattime. In 1944 France yielded its power to the Syrian and Lebanese governments. French troops were withdrawn in 1946. Problem of Mediocrity Rampant on CapitalHill And there you have today’s Republic of Syria, called there Souriya, and today's Republic of Lebanon, called there the Al-Jumhouriya Al-Lubnaniya. ‘The American Embassy in Damascus does not underestimate Assad’s reliance on, and closeness to, the Soviet Union. This is a glaring, positive and dangerous fact of political life in the middle East and an History By United Press internationa! Today is Monday. Sept. 2, the Msth day of 1974 with 120 to follow The moon is between its full phase and last quarter. ‘The morningstars are Venus, Jupiter and Saturn ‘The evening stars are Mer cury and Mars. Those born on this date are under the sign of Virgo. American poet Eugene Field was born Sept. 2, 1850. On this dayin history In 1935, one of the worst hurricanes to hit the US. mainland ripped through the Florida Keys, killing more than 385 persons. In 1945, Japan signed an inconditional eurrender aboard the U.S. battleship Missouri. in Tokyo Bay, ending World WarII. In 1964, World War I hero Sergeant Alvin York died at the age of 76. In 1968, the death toll of earthquake rolling across Iran was fixed at 12,000 A thought for. the day: Asnerican Gen. Douglas MacArthur said, “It is fatal to enter any war withoutthe will to win it.”” their constituents, noi what theydo for their country. And what is done for constitutents must be in hard, cold terms, Polls confirmfew voters Reon or OF care how et re] eevor except on xetbook ma they want to gee is intei cae gressman will intervene for them personally for a job, @ scholarship, a rezoning or.,.or for their friends, relatives, members of their lodge, associailon, union or race. Ur what he will get for their district Of if they want a friendly, likeable man. Regardless of his abilities which are considerable, surveys indicate that the people of ex-congressman Gerald Ford's home district, which he represented for well over two decades, did not in the main knowhow hevoted. But they liked hira. He paid close attention to personal relationships and Was a kind, decent man. A Raiph Nader report notes ‘A Polaroid camera perched on a tripod leansnextto a grandmotherclock in Representative Gerald R. Ford's office. If you and your family are down fromhis fifth district in Michigan, the house Republican Minority Leader will pose with you for a picture. if he'sout, an obliging staff member takes your picture seated betindlis desk in his red leather highbacked swivel chair looking out onto his view of Pennsylvania Avenue andali those monumenis. “You always fee! important; it's awelaspiring,’ confessed Jean McKee, Ford's (onetime) Democratic opponent.”” ‘This is good. This is human, This gives alt of us a warmfeeling. But iis nui the test by which to a Ford. is Don Oakley K. Was Nervous On CampDavid talk about tapes andstartling revelations thereon.Therecently published second and last volume of ‘‘Khrushchey Remembers,” based on the taped memoirs of the late Soviet premier, contains this hard-te-believe peek inside the Kremlin Khrushehev recalls his delight when in 1958, President Dwight D. Kisenhower invited him tu visit the United States. Only the BARBS By PHIL PASTORET Lightning is never to strike twicein the same place which might give somc anions pause for thought The Midwest drougni isn't apt to affect this fall’s paliticai corn crop. urately determine which man amon; y WIT make the best member of the Congress of the luck when we get a Gerald away #U.S. on Mideast Powderkeg The American Embassies in Damascus and Beirut sitting at the center of the Middle East powderkeg where the United States has so much at stake, both privaiely report to the State Department that Israel's military confrontation with Syria and her retaliatory air strikes against Lebanon are not weakening Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and Lebanon President Suleiman Franjieh Nowis the Lime for all good men to drive out in the counfail harvest hed out from year before he had attained the pinnacleof the Soviet hierarchy. But Khrushchev was also nervous about the invitation fn spite of all efforis of Soviet Qur Embassypointsto Syria’s decision to build a Sheraton Hotel in Damascus as another symbol. Also, U.S. firms are now competing in Syria for contracts for the great 2 Euphrates Dam's dependent irrigation works. This vast dam, built with Russian aid, was completed in 1973 and when the present expansions are finished it will double Syria’s agrieuitural ouiput and guadrupie ine with the depletion allowance to. eliminating the foreign tax credit for U.S. companies to setting up a federal oil and gas corporation in direct competition with oi! companies iiere. ‘The latter idea, favored by Adlai Stevenson il], (D-Ill), would put the governmentin the oi] and gas business ostensiblyto increase competition by acting as a yandstick for the industry on suich things as prices. Something like a TVAfor petroleum. ‘The petroleum industry views this possibility with a great deal of alarm and as industries usually do in such cases, is attempting to show that whatis bad forit is bad fer America. and gas insurance, for exmaples, If nothing else. just the threat of government competition seems to have served the useful purpose of keeping the oii industry on its toes. The important thing to note, however, is iiai the Slevenson proposal, like much of the other legisiation aimed at the oii industry, whatever its merits, literally does nothing to add a drop of oif to the nation's reserves. No matter how one feels about the petroleum industry, the oil companies constitute about the anly sector working posi solve the nation’ problems, particular!) massive commitmentsof capital for aa exploration and itis aa that this year the U.S. petroleum industry wil! reinvest a record $18,7 billion.an inerease of 51 per cent overlast year's $12.4 billion. Of that $18.7 billion.$10 billion ‘will be-put back ints the ground in the effort to find and develop not oaly oil and gas but other sources of energy, such as shaie oil and coal, Jn a recent talk, Charles J. DiBena, executive vice president of the American Petroleum Institute, recommended a simple test for proposed legislation affecting oil industry operations Omsiructive proposais, he said, should result in a “yes” answer to either or bath of the following ions: First, will the proposal @courage greater efficiency in the use of energy? Second, will the proposal result in increased energy supply? It’s a simple but useful yardstick that government as at as the oil industry must use if “Project Independence”is to de realizoc. country’s electricity. Oil production, which began only three years ago at a half million tons annually from one small field near the Turkish and Traqui frontiers, was five million tons last year. The US. Embassy reports that the war damaged refinery at Homs has been rebuilt and two new refineries will be built. Since we re-established diplomatic relations with Syria, Americans are now invited to bid on these. Lebanon, in turn, a haven for Arab terrorists in at least 15 Arab evictee camps along Israel's border, was,ai one time, Phoenicia. Then came the Egyptians, Saracens’ Crusaders, Knights of St. Johnand Turks, Normally ihe president of Lebanon is a Christian and the permier is Moslem. About half the population is Moslem. But President Franjieh once told me, “Qur country is splintered into 29 indentifiable religions.”” The Christians range from Maronite sects to a Syrian Jacobite minority and the Moslemsplinters include Druse, Malikis, Metwali Shiite and Sunnite All this, to say nothing of Israel's retaliatory air strikes, requires President Franjich to do a high-wire act in both Lebanese and international Syria-Lebanon contribution to the fiery Middle East powderkeg stays explosive but Assad and Franjieh do not seem to our State Department widert David Poling, D.D. All Armnastv: Amn Ssiye le’e $$ Pas in the Family... ‘Those delegates attending the convention of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Chicagomust have thought they were in the wrong assembly when President Ford outlined his ideas on mnesty, indoed, the gathered trocops must have considered this address by the new President to have been prepared for a university convocation at Berkeley or the Five Year Meeting of the Quakers — not the drill instructors for veterans’ Tights and concerns. Butthis is not only a new administration, but also a new day and era where progress in humanaffairs is the chiefgoalof every diplomat and every seeker of high office. Noe ane expected the Ford statement on aninesty. Acutally, it was a nonstatement: The President noted his opposition to 2 general amensty to the 50,0v0 draft dodgers and deserters who said no to Vietnam, and by necessity, no to America. (Many political scientists indicate tnat the total number may be closer to 100,000,since you mustinclude those who went underground in the United States.) What President Ford did suggest, and order the Justice Department to study, was a formula for individual amnesty that would consider each case BerrysWorld intelligence, he couldn't fi: what, or where, Camp David was. He suspected it might be some kind of place of exile and that the proposal to take him there was a clever insuit “We never told anyone at the time about not knowing what Camp David was,” says K. “i can laugt. at it now, but ['m a little bit ashamed. It shows how ignorant we were in some Tespects.”’ Camp David was, and is, of course, the presidential retreat just outside Washington, as any halfway competent spy could have learned just be reading a newspaper. In view of such Soviet ignorance about America, which could no doubi be matched by instances of American ignorance about Russa, one believe that Providence has ke frompushing ie auclear button during any one of a number of crises in the pasi couple o! decades, oii jeeberg of government interference with privaie indstry. olf sunsetware Usnes aidusities may be nest — auty, steel, drag, banking and memory inthe pablic There are those whe argue sirengly that government should avoid direct involvement in labor-management relationships. Yet it must be accepted that today, labormanagement settlements can not be made in isolation from the rest of the economy. It is only government whose responsibilities and powers encompass the entire economy. And it is government whose policies have the greatest impact on that economy. federal corporation is onlythe tip of the just a few months age. seems io ted to the status Labor and the Economy A head by the Arab oii embargo and offer a means of service to those returning to full participation in American society. While denounced prompily by veterans’ groups = ee miitary voices, and put down uy the most self-righteous of the defectors, the Ford overture is strongly supported by the majorreligious groups in this Republic, said Dr. Robert Lamar. moderatoref the ‘Umted Presbyterian Church, “Amnesty is the only position that Christians can support. Itis the heart of the Gospel.” While the concept of amnesty may anger those who are tender over the failure of Vietnam adventures, it is not new to national policy and was considered vital nregramin the projections of Abraham Lincoin toward the South. Amnestyis a technical term,the action taken by civil authorities toward tegal offenders. The larger word is reconciliation and it touches deeply upon forgiveness. Both are great words and greatly needed in this society. What are the alternatives? Punishment through imprisonment? It is difficult to imagine some 50,000ae men reluraliigio the United ould have on i and the federal prisons is hard to measure. The housekeeping cosis afone would run $10 to 20 billion. Besides, a nation that can forgive such sworn enemies as the Germans and Japanese might have a few ounces of forgiveness left for members of their own family for those young people are fromeverycity and state in the Union. A century ago Herman Melville brooded in the aftermath of the Civil War. He saw no reason why “patriotism and narrowness’ should go together. He argued that truth need not be stronged by politics or party spirit, especially when dealing with the repair of broken relations. He noted, lhe work of reconstruction if admitted to be feasible at ali, demands little but commun sense and Christian charity. Little but these? These aremuch. =a ‘ ©1974 by NEAte WwPiiry: ‘Mr, President! Mr, President! | have some very important papers for you 10 jock aver!” ‘This country is in good supply of built vietues, particularily gerarousty frarn louse te every suffering home. |