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Show Wednesday, January 16. 1980. THE HERALD. Provo, Utah Page 39 Opinions: Herald in Washington What the Herald thinks, what the columnists say and what our readers think The Herald Comments Freedom Gains Through Decade By LEK KUDERICK sions. Herald Washington Bureau Although this period included WASHINGTON — While the “‘important experiments in world's attention has been riveted freedom,” said Freedom House, by on the upheavels in Iran and November the experiments were Afghanistan,this note of encourage- shelved, freedom of expression had ment was offered the other day by been curbed again, and the leaders an organization called Freedom of the democratic movement ar: More people live in free rested. countries thanat any timein at least “In 1979," the survey continued, the past eight years. “tyranny needed as alwaysto assert Freedom House, a respected non-* its justifications in a world perenisan organization based in New nially hostile to its pretensions.” ‘ork, surveyed 161 countries in 1979 The most common ‘‘justifications’’ and decided that political and/or were based: civil freedomsrose in 21 nations and “On the Leninist concept of the declined in nine. Some 1.6 billion vanguard party, on the plea that in People lived in the 51 countries it the struggle against the absolute classified as being free last year. evil of communism any oppression The bad news is that, despite wasjustified, or on the fundamengains, those 1.6 billion represent talist Islamic claim that the inonly 37 percent of the world’s peo- terpreters of God's law have unple. About921million (21.3 percent) questionable authority.”’ live in “‘partly free’ countries and One earmark of a countrythatis another 1.8 billion (41.7 percent) live notfree is the restrictionsit places in “not free” countries. on journalists to move freely within Although political and civil rights it and report whatthey see. During virtually were nonexistent already 1979, the ability of foreign jourin Afghanistan, the instability nalists to do so increased somewhat, brought aboutby the Soviet invasion according to Freedom House. of that country likely will result in a Domestic journalists, however, decrease in freedom for other peo- wereatbest only partly free in twoples of the region. This would follow thirds of the world’s countries. In a pattern observed by Freedom most of Asia, Africa and Latin House in other areas of unrestlast America,as well as in all of Zastern year. Europen journalists continued to “The growth of freedom in Iran answer “primarily to their respecuntil August 1978 was followed by in- tive governments.” termittent and ineffective represApparently the brightest spot on sions through the remainderof the the globe for freedom gains in 1979 year (under the shah),’’ said was in Africa, where ‘‘political eedom House in its annual sur- freedom returned in significant vey. “Popular freedom to express quantity and gual according to opinions openly or to influence the ‘reedom House’s African analyst. political process reached its peak Nigeria, home to a quarterofall for most Iranians in January - Africans, registered the most February 1979.”” dramatic gains.It ‘witnessed a sucThe survey added that from this cessful transfer of power from its “crest’’ the level of freedom long-term military rulers to a coalideclined once moreuntil Iran came tion of popularly selected to have perhaps less freedom in politicians.'’ Progress was also November1979 than in the last days noted in Ghana and Zimbabwe of the shah, wholeft Iran Jan. 16, Rhodesia. Ecuadoralso gained significantly 1979. This unquestionably coincides in freedom and, along with Nigeria, with the popular view of recent nowis classified as free ratherethan events in Iran. Nonetheless, I was partly free by Freedom House. there in November and can report Chile, regarded as not free earlier, that open peaceful dissent against nowis called partly free. the government of Ayatollah The worst decline in freedom was Khomeini was in fact tolerated by reported in Pakistan, which went the authorities — something that from partly free to not free. could not be said under the shah. Grenada went from free to partly Whether this will persistif and when free. Also declining in freedom Khomeini consolidates his power is somewhat were the Cominican another question. Republic, Guyana, Taiwan, Similar shifts in the winds of Transkei, Czechoslovakia, East freedom were also noted on Germany and Iraq. But freedom mainland China. The growth of a rose at the sametimein 21 other democratic movement there from countries. Although nations with true December 1978 into January 1979 led to “the open presentation of ideas freedom remain islands in the fundamentally questioning the stream of humanity, the modest gains of 1979 were a heartening country’s structure,” the survey noted. Such ideas were portrayed in development in a world hungry for wall posters and private discus- some good news. M.Stanton Evans Currency Tells Nation's Health WASHINGTON — Most of the comment being offered about the soaring priceof gold has focused on what the precious metalis worth in terms of dollars. That's one wayoflooking at it, but not the best one. A more accurate wayof soning at the question is to turn it around, and consider what the dollar is worth in termsof gold. Granted that other nations’ currencies are involved as well,it is gold whichis the measuring rod,the dollar the thing that is being measured. Viewed this way, the sxyrocnelne price of gold — above $60 an ounce, compared with $42 in 1971 — tells us a lot about the condition of our money, and about our nation otherwise. Along with otherindices of inflation, the gold rush says the value of our currencyis falling like a stone — and that the world expects it to keep doing so in the future. Thefirst component in the equation is, more or less, mechanical: Thatis, we have for a spanof years been increasing our nation’s money supply, above and beyond increases in production. Using the most restricted definition — cash plus dedeposits — our money supply has roughly doubled in the past decade, to approcimnat $380 billion. By wayof contrast, the growth of real Gross National Product has averaged at best a few percentage points a year. More and moredollarsbidding for goods and services means every singledollar is worth less and less in terms of whatit will buy, including gold. That's the mechanicalpart of the equation. More than mechanics are involved. however, in the inflationary spiral. When such a Specifically, after watching a nation dilute its currency for an extended period, people figure the practice is going to continue, and, indeed, get worse. They start to worry about whatthe dollar will be worth a year from now, two years, ten years. They move to unload these dollars in favor of something that will hold its value and protect their purchasing power. Historically, gold, above all other commodities, has been that something. This obvious calculation leads to oti.ers, a bit more subtle. Onceitis seen thatinflation will bring a move to gold from dollars, speculative fervorentersin, driving the process even faster. People buy gold because they believe other people willbuyit, thereby boosting the dollarpricestill higher.it is this phase of the proceedings that is currently being recorded by those five major gold dealers each afternoon in London. Finally, there is another consideration, beyond the realm of economists. A nation's currency is chological element takes hold, as well, circumstances, to be holding geld, process goes on long enough, a psy- Atk seen as an aspectofits sovereignty, ultimately as good as the political arrangements that back it up. A solid currency usually has symbolized political sobriety, internal restraint, a sense of purpose and order. The absence of these qualities usually has beenreflected in a declining currency. Watching the rudderless behavior of the United States in recent years, other nations can hardly have much confidence in our political and economic future. Who knows what wewill do in an internationalcrisis, or whatwill be doneto us, and how these things will affect our economic well-beingBetter, in the not U.S. dollars. / Printing Work Outof Line The admission by the manager of Utah’s legislative printing office that the state presses are being used routinely to turn out religious materials for members of the Mormon Church who work on Capital Hill should be dis- turbing to the general citizenry for several reasons. Scott Lawrence admitted last week that he approved the printing of a pamphlet called ‘‘Performing Priesthood Blessings and Ordinances” which states on its first page it was “prepared for the 22nd Elders Quorum, East Layton Stake.’’ The pamphlet reportedly was compiled by John Memmot, director of the Utah Legislature Research Office. Lawrencealso conceded his office has printed other religious materials, including a newsletter for a Mormon Ward and literature for Mormon Relief Society and Primary groups. Lawrence said the charge levied for the work of one cent per page, plus 50 cents for each printing plate is abouthalf the rate charged by commercial printers. He also said that the private printing has notin- terfered with legislative work, although some legislative staff members have complained about having to ‘‘wait in line’’ to have documentsprinted. _ The practice crosses the line of propriety in three important respects. First, public facilities should not be devoted to private work underanycircumstances — and certainly not without some formal public approval by elected officials accountable to the voters. Secondly, the work also violates the separation of church and state. Using public facilities for any private work is uestionable but using them for the function of anyreligious denomination makesit doubly so. Finally, with all the sanctimonious oratory we hear from our elected officials about the virtues of free enterprise and the American economic system, it’s most unfor- tunate to see the State Legislature’s printing shop used to deprive private printing firms of work. This breach of public trust should be investigated thoroughly, and the public deserves to know what steps will be taken to assure no repetition ofit. Letters to The Daily Herald Editor Rural People Pay Their Share of Service Editor, Herald: In the report by Dick Harmon of the Daily Herald concerning the public meeting held on Jan. 9 with the residents of Vineyard and Lakeview, there are somedetails that need clarification and rection. No. 1. The statements attributed to Grant Holdaway werein fact not made by him, but rather by Mr. LaDell Gillman. No. 2. One of the purposesof the meeting wasfor the residents of this area to receiveinstruction from the county commissioners as to whom weareto turn to receivefire protection in our community since we pay the taxes, or buy this protection, from them. Previously, the only instructions have been from Orem City Officials, merely a contracting organization with whom the County has been negotiating to provide the required protection. We felt the county hasanobligation to notify us of any changes. No. 3. The County Commissioners reported that they have paidallbills to thecity for the services that have previously been rendered, costs that should have been adequately eee for since the city sent the ills. No. 4. I personally feel resentful when someoneis reportedly sayit that they are subsidizing me when feel I am paying my way. I opened my personal finances for the residentsof the meetingto illustrate my point in regards to the mill levy in Utah Countyasit relates to tax dollars spent and compared to thecity. The farmersof the area understood the illustration since theylive in the samesituation, but it escaped the reporter's view, evidenced by his leaving outthedollar figures.I will re-illustrate it here using different figures butin the sameproportions. farmerbuysa pieceof property in Utah County that costs him $500,000. Included in this property are land, buildings including his residence, and livestock. The operation hasthe ability to produce him a net income of between $13,000 and $18,000 per year depending on the farm prices of the year cited. (An average homeownerin Orem in this income bracket probably would live in a residence that would cost him between $500 and $550 in total property taxes.) Part of the expenses on this property are the property taxes paid to Utah County. Onthe 55.95-mill levy and the assesSed valuation of $22,268 on the property from the county, this resident pays in excess of $900 for schooling for his family,in excess of for administration, and in excess of $70 for law enforcement and fire protection. As a residentofa city, we invite you to compare this with your load. This is a representative sample. I feel that the residents of Utah Countyandthe cities have a right to know whata rural family pays for services and would like my friends in the city to know thatI believe we are paying our way, and am veryoffended when someoneup town says, “We will no longer subsidize you!’ Wearecalling upon all residents of the county to work together that the quality of life can be improved andthatwe will have no need for accusations on one another. It is our hope that the city officials and county officials will be genuine, honest, and cooperative with one another. Sincerely, J. Rulon Gammon RFD Rt. 1 Box 423 rovo Is It Possible to Kill Just a Little? Editor, Herald: When we read of government approval in Virginia of ‘‘the nation’s first test-tube baby clinic’ in Jan, 8 The Herald, we can understand the joy of the Smiths in the prospect of having children of their own. According to The Herald, ‘‘the researchers plan to use the same technique used in the birth in Oldham, England, of Louise Brown, the world’sfirst test-tube baby born July 25, 1978.” According to ‘‘Action Line” — a Christian Action Council newsletter — a “large number of spontaneous abortions (attended) the work of Drs. Steptoe and Edwards in England. Before the birth of Louise Brown, the Edwards-Steptoe team experienced 156 failures. At the time of Louise’s birth another failure was occuring as a 10-week fetus with severe malformations was spontaneously aborting. In the five-month interval between the birth of Louise Brown and that of the nextalleged ‘test-tube’ Led by Drs. Edwards and Steptoe, there were nine consecutive failures including the miscarries of a grossly defective 20-week infant.” The protocolfor the Virginia projects calls for mandatory amniocentesis at 16 weeks gestation, obviously to signal for elective abortion if ‘nature hasn’t taken its course” with a deformed baby. In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer research is an abortiondependent technology. According to Christian Action Council, ‘‘it has been clearly and frequently stated that this in vitro lab will be carefully monitored and constrained in its activity, that just a little selection, just a little manipulation, just a little destruction of humanlife will be employed in order to address the ‘hard cases’ —andpresent more Louise Browns to the world. “In 1967 North Carolina was urged to permit just a little abortion to cover the hard cases. Today the state's obligation to protect human beings extends no further than to those with ‘meaningfullife,’ in the wordsof Justice Harry Blackmun; and abortion throughout the entire nine monthsof pregnancy andinfanticide in the first days after birth have become routine in many places. “Toponthelist of applications for federal fundsforin vitro projects is the proposal by Dr. Pierre Soupart of Vanderbilt University for $395,000 to grow upat least 400 embryos in vitro for experiments. All of the embryos will subsequently be destroyed.” National surveys now show that most Americansare in favor of socalled test-tube babies. What we aren’t being told is the numberof tiny babies that are being created — then destroyed by researchers in order to find one‘‘perfect specimen worthy of implantation.” Perhaps Americans should rethink their position regarding the use of their tax moneyfor test-tube babyprojects. Mrs. G. K. Culbertson 145 E. First So. Spanish Fork Former Student Remembers Anna Hart It was with sadness thatI read of the death of Anna B. Hart. At the passing of someone you admire, 1 suppose it's natural to reminisce pastrelationships and associations. I remembersitting in my Eighth Grade English class at Brigham Young High School and having my thoughts turned from the B.Y.U. Cougar’s football to Shakespeare and English by the efforts of a kind English teacher who wouldn't give up. Will any of the students forget the day Mrs. Hart had usall put on our winter coats and comebackinto the hot, steam heated classroom to hear stories from the Call of the Wild by Jack London? Mrs. Hart wanted us to feel as it we were a part of the frozen North. No one that I have ever been associated with could explain the parts of speech as well as Mrs. Hart. She couldalsotell a story so that each character would come to life in the imagination of young boy’s mind. She wasgreatin the class room as a teacher, but it was her personal relationship with her students that made Mrs. Hart so special. She always made you feel important; and you felt what you said to her was of value and would be held in confidence. No matter how busy she was, Mrs. Hart always had time to listen and you knewthat at that momentthere was nothing more important than that conversation. She always taught by example, never lowering her standard of excellence, alwayslifting the student to greater endeavors. AsI raise my children, I am sorry that their paths will never cross Mrs. Hart's. They will never experience knowing one of the truly fine teachers in our community. I valuetheprivilege of learning from Mrs. Hart. Jon Clarke Rexburg, Idaho Constitution, Not Men,Protects Rights Editor, Herald: I want to support Miss Lynne state religion which had the force of governmentbehindit. Woolf (24 Dec 79) and their letters to the editor. I also feel that research (for example, the Original 1829 Webster's Dictionary, will show that the Founding Fathers had a strong belief in God and that we should be a Christain nation and that God does govern in the affairs of nations.) What they opposed wasanofficial The second point I feel Adrienne Morris and Tina Howard do not understand is that in my opinion the LDS Church does support the original constitution of the United States as a divine documentas well as a moral document. However, any student of the original constitution as established by the Founding Fathers realizes that we are not Mathews (17 Dee 79) and Barbara operating under the original constitution nor have we been since about 1913. We have beenliving under the rule of man more than the Tule of law. MayI suggest that Adrienne Morris and Tina Howardtake the course offered by the Freeman Institute and find out what the Founding Fathers set up. And when one takes the course and understandsthe purpose of the Founding Fathers, in my opinion there is no difference in what the LDS Church claims to believe and how the church acts. God gave us ourrights: the right to life, liberty and property and the right to defend these rights mentioned, and established the constitution to protect these rights, not government. Sincerely, Doug Ackroyd 137 Starcrest Dr. Orem Off-Road Advertisements Go Too Far Editor, Herald: It disturbs me that automobile advertisements are used to glorify the destruction of mountains and deserts in the selling of off-road vehicles. Many of these commercials are made: here in our state and actually encourage the defacement of private, state and federal property. It seems inccngruous that our state government would use tax moneyto payfora state film commissioner to recruit advertisement producers and film companies to comehereto portray off-road vehicle destruction while also paying for law enforcement against the same practice. I fully support controlled, legal, off-road recreationfor those who enjoy the sport. However, the advertisements that I see, appear to be made in undesignated areas or, at the least, don’t indicate that there are laws and regulations which govern off-road land use. For the sake of our health, adver- tisers warn us against cigarettes. How about some concern for the health of the land upon which we live? The scars left by the off-road vehicle operators who are careless will be around long after the scars weinflict on our bodies are buried Mark D. Collier 1351 S. 500 W. Provo |