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Show rlobart Kowcn fcy i lit L'uit iautti i i iubuv Boldness Paying Off for Japanese The Washington Post WASHINGTON About 15 years ago, a British scientific journal published the first . article that anyone can remember about an exciting new ideaAutomobile engines, the article reported, could be made out of ' ceramic material in- stead of metal. Such thermal-e- t, light-weigh- ceram- - fficient v ic engines would Jwjk yM ' have stunning advan- )wen tages, especially a 30 percent reduction in fuel consumption. And the engine itself would practically never wear out. No one in the no one in ' Britain-consideGieat this more than a article pipe dream. But-y- ou guessed on ceramic engines came to the attention of the Japanese government and Japanese businessmen who carefully scan all technical literature published everywhere. The potential for ceramics was only one phase of $460 million in R&D money the Japanese government committed for a exploration of new industrial materials, bionew function eletechnology, and ments in electronics. So it happened that a few weeks ago on a visit to Japan to study how these new high-tec- h programs are coming along, Commerce Under Secretary Lionel H. Olmer drove the worlds first car with a ceramic engine on the grounds of the KYOCERA Corp. (Kyoto Ceramics). "Its an experimental model and it idles sort of rough--bit works, thats the main point, Olmer told me. West-certai- nly red ut KYOCERA already is commercially producing ceramic components for diesel engines. And Olmer says in a report on his trip, It is anticipated that ceramic turbine blades-w- ill be usable in ships and aircraft, eventually. The experimental ceramic engine is a good example of why Olmer argues that American manufacturers trying to compete with Japan are dealing with "a moving target. Merely slapping quotas on Japanese cars for a fourth year (as Tokyo, under pressure from U.S. Trade Ambassador Bill Brock, has just agieed to do) is a pitiful Band-Ai- d for Detroit, which simply seems unable to meet Japans creative challenge. parts-includ-- ing Olmer says in his excellent report--- a public document available from the Commerce Department-th- at Japan concentrates on high technology because there is a bigger bang to the buck: Success in high-tec- h makes all Japanese industries more competitive. Any company, especially one m Great God knows something is re needed to stir the country out of an economic have pursued the idea of a quagmire-cou- ld ceramic automotive engine. But it was a Britain-whe- Japanese company that pressed ahead, its instinct for innovation importantly supported by government direction and money. But Olmer makes the point that it would be a mistake to attribute these successes just The truth is to governmental that entrepreneurial skills of private management, the dedication of a labor force, and just plain common sense are also key factors. Two examples Olmer cites: Originally, an American company devel x'atwiuat 4 lUiUai t iJ, I.HM rtlD Drawn and Quartered oped a kind of crane to lift airplane fuselages off the assembly line, twirl them in midair, while the assembly crew carefully listens for rattles. Thats what the Japanese do-a- nd American makers dont-- in assembling fighter aircraft Predictable results. Japanese-made don't rattle. 5 A recent time and motion study in the United States shows that, typically, about 75 percent of a workers time is spent looking for the right tools and parts, and only 25 percent at the actual assigned task. The Japanese have reversed these percentages-tri-pli- ng actual work time-b- y providing each worker with a simple plywood cart m which he neatly stores all of his tools and parts He doesnt go off the shift until that is done pKSTlC What are the lessons here? The West has scoffed at the Japanese as imitators of Western technology. But Olmer quotes Edison's definition of genius-- 99 percent perspiration and one percent inspiration-t- o suggest that Japans special creativity is incremental improvement, which is just as important as "a blinding flash of insight. The reality is that the Japanese have become either preeminent or equally eminent in many fields, including ceramics, carbon fibers, robotics, computers, and machine tools. To a substantial degree, Japan has benefited from a transfer of technology from the West, and often has been more alert to the potential of an invention than the irventors. spoon-feedin- Now, some of the transfers must go in the reverse direction. Just how this is to be worked out will have an important bearing on the economic development of the noncommunist world for the rest of the century. (Copyright) Mike Royko Candidate Eyeing Different Trough Chicago CHICAGO Its Sun-Tim- He rare that we find a candidate for alderman who has enough vision to come up with an entirely idea. original would provide free dance lessons for his constituents. Now, think back. When was the last time your alderman even mentioned a pig farm, catfish pond or dance lessons? Never, Ill bet, the dullards. Most of them! campaign by talking! about streetlights, potholes, garbage fyA. collection, street cleaning, rats, a new firehouse and such. Not that some Chicago aldermen Kmko don't have interest- ing ideas. Some are quite creative. Especially when nobody is keeping an eye on them. Its just that we seldom hear about their creativity until after they have been caught, indicted and put on trial. But most of the time, they just sit around wagging their wallets, panting, salivating and waiting for Fast Eddie Vrdolyak, Mayor Money or Charlie Sleaze to throw them an alderman-yumm- Now, though, we have an aldermanic candidate who is a man of great vision and is making three of the most unusual campaign promises that Ive ever heard. He is Willie Ray Jr., 33, who is running for alderman of the 20th Ward on the South Side. He doesnt have much of a chance against incumbent Alderman Clifford Kelley, but that doesnt meaMr. Rays proposals should be overlooked. Mr. Rays remarkable program includes the following three points: He would establish a pig farm for the 20th Ward. He would establish a 20th Ward catfish pond. But Mr. Ray has given these subjects considerable thought, and I recently discussed them with him. Yes, I would like to establish a ward pig farm, he said. Right there in the 20th Ward? Wouldnt that create quite a stink? No, not in the ward. You see, my parents have a farm near Yazoo, Miss., and they really don't farm it much, except to sell some sweet potatoes and food for themselves. So I got to thinking about that. And what I'd like to do, after Im elected, is go to the businessmen and the ministers and other leaders in this community, and maybe get a business loan from the federal government, and start raising hogs down there in Yazoo. But how would a pig farm in Yazoo, Miss., benefit the people in the 20th Ward in Chicago? Do you intend to hand little piggies to the voters, the way precinct captains sometimes gratuities? give out chickens and cash No, but the hog farm would be operated to benefit the people of the ward. What wed do is slaughter the hogs down there. Then wed ship the meat up here. And wed find a vacant building that could be used as sort of a meat market. Then we could sell the meat to people in the ward at maybe a lower price than they get in the regular stores. And because it would be set up as a nonthe hog farm and the profit operation meat company the proceeds would be used to provide improvements for people in the ward. And you might even expand into the football market producing pigskins, as they are called. I don't know about that," said Mr. Ray, but it's something to think about. What about the catfish ponds? The same as the hog farm. There is a growing market for catfish. And there is enough room on the farm they have 300 acres to raise catfish. We could raise the catfish, then catch them and ship them to Chicago, too, and sell them the way we sell the hog meat. And we don't have to stop there, either. We could raise sweet peas and cabbages and sweet potatoes, too. As for the dance lessons, Mr. Ray said he is fond of dancing, so he would ask people in the ward to contribute money into an aldermans dance lesson fund. Then young people in the ward could receive instructions on hew to leap about properly. Mr. Ray concedes that his ideas are unusual, but he says they are better than those offered by most aldermanic candidates. Im not interested in a few city patronage jobs and things like that. Thats not the way you improve the economy in your ward. A hog farm and catfish ponds would provide far greater benefits. I agree with Mr. Ray, and if I lived in the 20th Ward, I definitely would vote for him. As Ive always said: A catfish in the hand is worth two tree trimmers in the bush. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of the present aldermen steal his idea and begin planning pig farms for their wards. Most of them have enough experience. For years, theyve been pushing their own snouts into the trough. (Copyright) VXAyuPt?) The STRIKES ov K... YOO CM I CQMf gKHS Federal studies show that on any given weekend night, about one out of every 10 drivers on the road is intoxicated. In addition, about half of all fatal accidents involve alcohol. In 1981, more than 25,000 people were killed, half a million were maimed, and there was more than $24 billion in property damage as a result of drunken driving Most people know the facts; we have heard them over and over again. But, people still drive while intoxicated and end up taking lives. The crime should be treated as a murder. People should open their eyes right now, not wait until a relative or a close friend has died or had a tragic incident with a drunken driver. DAVID HATCH Orem Discriminates The Tribune is guilty of sexism by discriminating against women in its coverage "He's empty. Must have ter's innovative and brilliant kidney and heart programs. Id like to speak from an unpublicized "everyday" patient's point of view. was in a driving accident last July and spent nearly three months (flat on my back) at the University Medical Center. From the moment I entered the emergency room until the day I departed, the hospital staff provided me with outstanding service and care. Not only did the orthopedic and plastic surgeons do extraordinary reconstructive work on my leg, but, with their warmth, concern, and sparkling wit. they helped turn what could have been a horrifying nightmare into an uplifting experience I'd especially like to thank Drs. Aaron Hofmann, Larry Leonard, Steve Chamber-lai- n and John Hunter, who, along with the wonderful nursing staff on 6th South, com I DONALD P. HARTMANN The Way It Was foot-prin- hi? utilities bill." events. Men's college basketball accounted for the lions' share of this coverage (59 percent), with high school mens' wrestling and mens basketball accounting for 26 percent and 11 percent, respectively. Women's athletics, high school and college combined, accounted for less than 1 percent of the sports coverage, at most some three column inches. It is unlikely that this ratio of less than 1 to 100 fairly represents either the participation of high school and college women and men in athletics, or the proportion of womens and mens athletic events scheduled during this past weekend. Surely, The Tribune can represent women's sports participation more equitably. Its readers and women athletes deserve better. eoy, pip Here are the briefs of The Salt Lake Tribune from 100. 50 and 25 years ago. Feb. 19, 1883 A few of the citizens of our usually peaceful neighborhood were electrified Friday morning by the discovery of a number of on gigantic and hitherto unknown the surface of the recently fallen snow. From the fact that the prints commence abruptly in the midst of the street of one of our blinks, and after vanous erratic wanderings, vanish in another as abruptly as they began, we are forced to the conclusion that the unknown authors of the mysterious tracks were supplied with means of aerial transportation ..It is noticeable that the smaller prints, probably those of the hen, show the longer impress of spur, indicating ihat she is the warrior of the family. W'e have just learned that a prominent pAid of high school and college athletic events. On Feb. 13. The Tribune devoted 413 column inches to high school and college sports Fine Medical Center Recent events have brought much attention to the University of Utah Medical Cen- NOW (un 9 Tribune Readers Opinions prise the most dedicated, cheerful, competent and caring group of professionals one can find anywhere. I am confident and proud to know, as all residents of Utah should be, that any sick or injured person will receive the absolute best care from any of these individuals as well as the entire University of Utah Medical Center staff. Although I certainly am glad to be out of the hospital now, I feel very fortunate to have been taken to such an excellent institution and would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Medical Center, to which we must all give our undivided and enthusiastic support. JUDY ZEHR UP tree-trimm- The Public Forum Should Be Murder TO Rooeue i f pu. asulu i Ger intoX tWAS rRAYlNO " anp nt thcwht . it geologist of the city has examined the prints with care, and much disgusted with our hypothesis, pronounces them the tracks of a pair of Feb. 19, 1933 Guiseppc Zangara, the man who tried to kill President-elec- t Roosevelt, is a "psychopathic personality," one of those whose pet schemes and morbid emotions run in conflict with the established order of society," a sanity commission reported tonight. The report, issued while two of the persons Zangara wounded were still in critical condition, did not state definitely whether he was sane Feb. 19, 1958 Utah property owners paid out a record 67'i million dollars in property taxes during s 1957, with nearly of the tax revenue going to public schools snow-shoer- i IV'I'v-'s.vP4 A; ' & :ui s 'I, i . two-third- - iw SHARON SMARON WHO?' I A i a. |