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Show I Uht Salt fake ' ftilnmr Sunday Morning, September 12, 1976 Section A T i non-partis- an by Hanoi with terms of the Paris agreements, the President nonetheless pointedly observed about the 12 names: None of us can be satisfied with this limited (report). The North Vietnamese have been releasing prisoners and names, such as the 12 turned over this week, in a prolonged and piecemeal fashion since the war ended and the first groups of U.S. servicemen were freed harsh. The war in Indochina may have reached a dismaying conclusion, U.S. involvement may have ended with from Communist prisons. It has not, abrupt withdrawal almost six years as Mr. Ford stressed, satisfied ago, but to relatives and friends of the Americans still waiting for final word still unaccounted-fo- r missing in on the missing. It has, rather, neither instant nor aggravated their impatience. theres action, eventual forgetting. Since terms of Mr. Ford says the North Vietnamthe understanding which permitted ese have information on the hundreds U..S. departure from Vietnam held of M.I.A.s. If so, it should remaining the North Vietnamese responsible for be handed over immediately and in reporting information on the missing, its entirety. It cant be kept and survivors and their representatives in traded for any further U.S. concesWashington expect a full report on the sions. In fact, until this particular M.I.A.s. friction is removed, complete norVietPresident Ford reflected this malization of mood of uncompromising expectation nam relations is impossible. And none of the U.S. financial assistance when ho told the North Vietnamese the list they recently delivered was to repair war damage, Hanoi claims insufficient. It contained the names of it was promised from American 12 U.S. airmen killed during action in negotiators at Paris, will be forthVietnam. Acknowledging compliance coming. U.S.-Commun- ist Exploding a Gun Myth Lack of facts is one reason the gun mayors have attempted to get at the control controversy drags on without facts. The conferences latest study solution. deals with that easy to believe but Emotion-lace- d claims constitute to document contention that difficult the major thrust of both those in favor of gun control legislation and those keeping a gun in the house provides protection against burglars, rapists opposing it. and all others who would wrong the There has been a minimum of householder or his family. impartial research to establish the No doubt having a gun in the truth or falsehood of bureau drawer is a comfort to some and fiercely defended beBut, as the detailed study people. liefs on both sides. The United States shows, it is comfort based on ignorConference of Mayors is attempting ance. The gun in the drawer is many to fill the void. times more likely to inflict harm on As an admitted advocate of the family than on would-b- e burglars stronger gun control in the United or attackers. States, the conference cannot be Furthermore, since most burglars in But disinterested. as when nobody is home, the gun strike regarded of taken an excellent chance of being stands by positions place most gun control opponents, the stolen by the very thieves it was intended to ward off. The conference admits that using The Grant Cartoon a weapon may be the surest means of warding off a robber. But only if the weapon is at hand. A study of eight American cities showed that only in 3.5 percent of the victimizations did the gun owner have an opportunity to use his weapon. These and other statistics debunking the idea that keeping a gun in the house assures safety, are contained in the studys booklet How Well Does the Handgun Protect You and Your Family? Nothing the mayors or anyone else says is going to deter the hard-cor- e gun lovers to whom weapons are like mothers milk. But other people frightened by rising crime rates and tempted to buy a gun to protect themselves, should study the councils findings. Jn the case of handguns in the home, the best defense is no And leave the bribing to us. defense. widely-circulate- gut-feelin- G g d - act presidential. no manual on the subject. Acting like a president can embrace a whole range of phony Theres postures, from behaving with a double-breaste- d stuffiness to being solemn as a jackass as he holds court for a partys strongest candidate. Maximum turnout at the polls, however, is the best protection against that possi- M.I.A. Terms Unfulfilled For scores of Americans the Vietnam War will never end until they-knofor certain what happened to the men they sent away to that remorseful killing ground. And thats why President Fords response to a meager list of confirmed dead, sent recently by North Vietnam, was Chicago Daily News Gerald Ford probahlv WASHINGTON thinks it's an awful drag to be told he has to pation without party registration, making the ballot susceptible to The cross over crossing over. in can prompt turn, opportunity, the other at eliminating attempts bility. This year, there is some confusion write-i- n about candidates. The not allow does any writing primary in. No space exists on the ballot for it, names written in will not be counted. Write-i- n campaigns, and one is being organized this year in Utah, have effect only on the final, November ballot. The primary has an essential, vital purpose. Thats why so much trouble is taken to make it simple and convenient sample ballot printed in advance, neighborhood polling places established. But if its ignored, forgotten or passed by, the entire election process fails to work as intended. The mechanics of getting the best qualified persons elected to public office in Utah are neither difficult nor complex. They only require a little extra personal effort. Tuesday is one of the days when thats necessary. It shouldnt be overlooked. Ligor An Awful Drag To Act Part Page 22 Primary Cant Perform Vital Job Unless Utah Voters Participate If viewed as a mechanism, Utahs general election process has several interested parts, designed for meshing together. Each is as important as the other, all requiring full voter participation to achieve maximum success. The process gets in motion with the mass meetings, during which 'eligible voters are supposed to consider the various candidates for office and also choose delegates to county and statewide political conventions. Events have now moved past the convention stage. One of the particularly significant gears must now be brought into play. Still narrowing the field to candidate pairings for the final election, Utah holds its primary election Tuesday. This essentially concludes the selection of party nominees, although, in school board voting, there are candidates to be too. designated, The primary is everv bit as crucial as the final balloting next November. It should advance to the general election those candidates a majority of voters, aligned with one party or the other, most prefer. But it cant fulfill that purpose accurately if voter turnout is small. Utah primary law permits partici Peter parade of bishops, rab- black magistrates and ministers, women gums and other petitioners into the Oval Office. It can involve assuming a forced paternal dignity when a television interviewer wants to know if Susan, Jack, Steve and Mike ever influenced his judgment or decisions in family councils. Ford probably felt like saying, "Id just like to see those loudmouth kids try it," but that would hardly be a presidential response in a society that fancies itself respectful of the young adults right to sound off. So he replied, somewhat feebly and unconvincingly, that as a matter of fact, they have on occasions changed his mind. No supporting evidence was solicited or volunteered. Natural or Cultivated? No one has vouchsafed whether acting presidential is a natural gift, like the ability to hit a curve ball or sing with La Scala, or a cultivated talent, like staying in the pocket to throw a pass instead of scrambling for your life. Without rules or guidelines you have to make up your own. In the stricture to "be presidential, however, there is an echo of that widely damned imperial note. It is a summons to pretentiousbe kingly or be kicked out. Ford might ness have been better advised to organize a softball game on the south lawn, a la Jimmy Carter, than to hold a news conference, on a beastly hot day, to show that hes on top of his job. Carter's Plain Folks Pitch in his own ceaseless quest for identity Carter, with plain folks fishermen, farmers or enemies or a stiff formality has consistently e and assiduously sought to act like an average citizen, wading into fish ponds up to his waist to clean it out, swinging at a softball with the intensity of a workaholic w ho has allotted himself a couple of hours to be a playaholic, and rooting among the peanuts to stress his propensities. Hasn't Been Condemned It seems to have worked wonders for the Georgian. He hasnt been condemned for being gauche, for posturing, for displaying an folksiness. A case exaggerated down-hom- e hasn't been made that his reportory of guises just isnt presidential. When he removed his coat and tossed it on the stage floor in a Brooklyn College hall the other day, it wasnt seen as much more than a sensible response to the heat. The lifestyle of Ford, a former athlete, strangely runs to a stodgy dignity, except when hes on the golf or tennis courts, and even then he's no Ilie Nastase. He should be able to handle the business of acting presidential with the same ease. And yet, until now, he seems to have forced himself into awkward positions. Help From Abroad Lately, though, with some unexpected help from abroad, Ford has begun to seem more comfortable in the Oval Otfice. In recent days, he has had to deal with a murderous act by the minions of North Koreas Kim with an unsatisfactory missing-in-actioreport from Hanoi which he labeled unsatisfactory with a flinty firmness, with a defection by a Soviet pilot delivering a MIG25 into Japanese hands, with Henry Kissingers efforts to initiate shuttle diplomacy into southern Africa and with the death of the ineffable Mao Tse-tunthe last of the romantic Communist revolutionaries. Traditional Response None of these developments, except the North Korean murder of two American officers, required anything more than a verbal response. In the case of North Korea, the President dispatched an armada of planes and ships in a show of force, the traditional riposte of a big power to the attempted tyranny of a weak one. It was as though the Communist leaders had put their heads together and said, How can we The President help Ford be presidential? owes them no thanks for acts of man and God, but his reactions to them were suitable for the manual that somebody might be moved to write one of these days. (Copyright) bis, "Tin Mire we have a little more time . . . The Public Forum Give Voters Guidance Editor, Tribune: The voters of Utah are not receiving the guidance they deserve. There is scheduled for submission to the voters of the state at the November, 1976, general election, a proposal for a method of voter recall of public officers. It is a initiative measure. Such a measure is a form of popular legislation authorized by the state constitution and, once approved by the voters, is of the same dignity as a statute enacted by the legislature. The trouble with the recall proposal is that it is designed to modify very significantly the system for removal of public officers established by the state constitution. For example, the constitution provides for removal of a governor by impeachment process. That covers the ground. The only way some other method could be provided would be by constitutional amendment. It would be very helpful were the attorney general to give voters of the state some guidance on this matter. I have afforded him a full statement of the constitutional and policy defects of the initiative proposal but have had no response. In this context I was astounded to see him quoted in the press as saying I would vote in favor of the recall referendum because it's better to have this recall bill than none at all. How could he, the chief law officer of the state, responsibly say this in the face of the vulnerability of the measure to the most serious constitutional questions? A first-yea- r law student should know better than that. Of course, any lawyer is fallible and can be off the mark on a given matter. All I need add student of here is that I speak as a long-tim- e state and federal constitutional law and that I have heard not a single word of challenge on the merits to the constitutional and policy objections I have made to the recall proposal. JEFFERSON B. FORDHAM Vote for Carter Editor, Tribune. The issue of a government health insurance plan intrigues me. I remember approximately five yeqrs ago when my wife and I were newlyweds and trying to make ends meet with my meager income while Enforcement Assistance Planning Council as as the travel advance voucher which indicated his mode of travel was to be by automobile rather than by air. The appropriate officials of the state and of the Wasatch Regional Front Council were contacted by Mr. Springmeyers staff requesting advance approval of his travel by car to the conference ; however, neither the state nor Wasatch Front would act on the request, for at that time, a contract for the establishment of a legal relationship between Region XII and Wasatch Front was still in the negotiation stage, and the state declined to act on the request, indicating that all such ministerial matters were to be handled exclusively by Wasatch Front. Since Mr. Springmeyer opted to drive with Mr. Huber instead of flying, he was advanced the arbitrary sum of $94.74 for mileage in lieu of airfare and the sum of $45 for one and a half days per diem, for a total of $139.74. Mr. Springmeyer is legally entitled to claim final reimbursement for his attendance at the two-da- y conference in the amount of $82.56 mileage (1,032 miles at $.08 per mile) and two and a half days per diem in the amount of $75.00, for a total of $157.56. He was advanced and accepted the lesser sum of $139.74 for his a sum that did not in fact travel expenses cover his actual expenses. As the assigned legal counsel for the Region XII Law Enforcement Planning Council during 1975, I can vouch for Mr. Springmeyers administrative competence and personal integrity in all matters relating to the operation of well his office. RALPH D. CROCKETT Deputy Salt Lake County Attorney He Helped Editor, Tribune: I would like to thank the gentleman who helped and drove me home on Sept. 13. I was riding my bike on 13th East and skidded on the gravel. I really appreciate his kindness in taking time to help me. I wish there were more people in the world like him. I have a few cuts and bruises, but thanks to him Im ' okay. JANICE McCONKEY Chance to Help Forum Rules Public Forum letters must be submitted exclusively to The Tribune and bear writer's full name, signature and address. Names must be printed on political letters but may be withheld for good reasons on others. Writers are limited to one letter every 10 days. Preference will be given to short, typewritten (double spaced) letters permitting use of the writers true name. All letters are subject to condensation. Mail to the Public I orum. The Salt Lake Tribune, Box 867, Salt Lake City. Utah, 84110. trying to get through school. My religion taught against birth control, so it wasnt long before my wife was pregnant. Unfortunately, we couldn't afford health insurance, ami because wc lived in California at the time the hospital wouldn't accept my wife as a patient until we paid them $850 in cash in advance. Of course, I didnt have that kind of money, so my only alternative was to join the military where they have a form of socialized medicine. Im sure many other young people joined the service because of its free medical benefits. I don't believe in socialism, but it is better than no medical services at all just because a person happens to be poor. Jimmy Carter scares me when he talks about trimming the defense budget, but because the Democratic platform endorses a national health program, Im inclined to vote for him for that reason alone. STFRLING B. DAY Mountain Home AFB, Idaho Accepted the Iser Editor, Tribune: Recently The Tribune published three lengthy articles regarding the trip of Robert L. Springmeyer, Jr. to an executive committee meeting in Denver. In talking with several people who read those articles, they conveyed to me their feelings that Mr. Springmeyers acceptance of $94 74 as a travel advance for the Denver conference was inconsistent with his stand against the current abuses of the countys travel policies. For this reason, I feel this issue must be clarified for your readers. The subject trip was approved by the executive committee of the Region XII Law Editor, Tribune: On Sept. 25 thousands of Salt Lake County residents are being asked to for Retarded participate in the 1976 Hike-Bik- e Citizens, either by riding bikes or walking the 25 mile course which will consist of 19 laps around the main drive of Liberty Park. Mayor Wilson and the city commission as well as the Salt Lake Police Dept, are cooperating in this effort by closing the park to automobile traffic on that day. The Salt Lake Jaycees have agreed to help in this effort. We want the community to know that we are grateful for their support. It is heartening that so many peopLe are concerned about the 17, (KM) mentally retarded people who are our fellow citizens in this county. Most of all, we want to assure the community that 100 of the money raised by this Hike-Bikwill stay right here in Utah to help Utah's retarded. This is entirely a volunteer eifort and we thought you'd like to e know. MIKE FISHER '76 Chairman, Hike-Bik- e above-averag- n Orbiting Paragraphs Congressman Sludgepump is proud that he has never been afraid to be inconsistent, often in the course of a single paragraph. Motorists remember: Summer theaters are closing for the year. Don't run over the actors. Statesmen take what they call working vacations." For the average wife, this means cleaning the fish. Staydval Today |
