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Show Xprgpr-yp'lH- Ax Must Chop All Useless U.S. Agencies - irif ri'nriiTMii rnn 'if' Tiif virii If anything is certain about the incoming Reagan administration, it is that it will make a determined effort to cut federal spending in programs. There are two schools of thought on how this can be achieved. The Washington establishlong-terment legislators, high-levbureaucrats and lobbyists would like to see cuts that would not disturb their own interests. Thats why they dont like to think about anything as radical as abolishing entire programs or agencies. Instead, they focus on that misbegotten document called the federal budget, especially the big money that flows in and out of Social Security and other trust funds. A recent spate of articles and editorials has attacked the entitlements programs, claiming that adjusting Social Security and other el James J. Treires is the chief economist for the d Fond for Peace, a private, noninstitution. research profit Washinston-base- increases is payments upward for the cause, rather than an effect, of inflation. The federal finaglers see cutting pensions and other payments below the full increase as a way to reduce the deficit without disturbing the Washington status quo. The second approach to cutting spending is radical surgery. It calls for abolishing every federal program or agency that has failed in its mission. There are plenty of them, and they survive for two main reasons: They provide money to powerful special-intere- st groups, and they have a noble purpose to which their supporters cling despite overwhelming evidence that the program has been ineffective. It is painful to put the following agencies on a hit list. Each was intended to do something that badly needs doing. But each has failed miserably. Following are some of the agencies that should be shut down: Arms Control and Disarmament Agency. As one who believes that the arms race is the gravest threat to our survival, I am convinced that a strong effort to effect agreements is vital. But it is indisputable that the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency has had little effect on the arms race; in fact, arms expenditures have grown rapidly throughout its existence. Through presidential neglect and relentless Pentagon pressure, the agency over the years has become a toothless show dog, a peace-talkin- g cover for administrations that pour increasing billions into the Pentagon for weapons systems that are always two steps ahead of the negotiators for the strategic arms limitations talks. Economic Development Administration. Th first law enacted by the Kennedy administration set up the area redevelopment program, now run by the Economic Development Administration. Its purpose was to create new employment in economically distressed areas by providing loans, grants and training to encourage new industry. Now, 20 years and billions of dollars later, most of the country is distressed enough to qualify for its aid, the pattern of area unemployment hasnt changed significantly, and some agency money has been used to help such insecure firms as Kmart and the Readers Digest Association. This is hardly what the agencys founders uad in mind. Council on Wage and Price Stability. The council was set up in late 1978 to moderate inflation. As the General Accounting Office noted recently, in the two years before the agency was established, the annual inflation rate was 7.5 percent; in the two following years, it was more than 13 percent, the highest rate in our peacetime history. Congressional Budget Office. This office and the budget committees in both houses were created in 1974 to reduce federal deficits, improve congressional expertise in budget matters and have the budget drawn up on time by giving the legislators three extra months to finish it. They have scored zero on all counts. Deficits have been at record levels, the main output of the Congressional Budget Office has been turbid econometric reports whose main effect is employment for economists, and Congress still passes continuing resolutions because it cant even meet its new deadline. Small Business Administration. This agency was intended to improve the relative position of small enterprises. During its years of operation, economic concentration has proceeded at record rates, assisted by tax laws that reward mergers and ensure that any new, successful small business will quickly be set upon by y corporate conglomerators. Office of Comprehensive Employment Development. This office was established by one of the last bills that President Nixon signed in 1973, the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. CETA was supposed to be a short-terantirecession program to help find productive jobs for unskilled, disadvantaged workers. Unlike public works projects of New Deal days, CETA didnt build anything. It just provided salaries for state and local government employees who were supposed to leam good work habits and then go out into the private sector and find jobs. The main reason the program survives to this day is that it shovels federal money out to powerful state and local politicians, who administer the funds that they cant bear to let go. As for how many CETA graduates found permanent work because of the program, nobody seems to know. What all these programs have in common is obvious: They dont work. Abolishing them outright vould have the virtue of shocking the public into renewed awareness of our problems and of generating an urgent quest for new, effective approaches. (Copyright) cost-of-livi- ruir- - The Salt Lake Tribune. Wednesday, January 21, 1981 A 1 7 William Saf ire Iran Acts Before Cop With Rubber Hose Arrives New York Times Service By James J. Treires The Los Angeles Times igm barbarians and kidnappers. WASHINGTON After dominating the news on the weekend of our election, a nation led by kidnappers is staging another spectacular on the week of a new presi- dents inauguration. The common denominator in both humiliations is the fact of a deadline. In the week before election, the deadline of Nov. 4 was working for the Iranians: they knew that their richest ransom would come if they could deliver an election victory along with the hostages. But the terrorists set their price too high, and their moment of greatest leverage passed. Ire mediately, another deadline was introduced, which pressured the Iranians rather than the Americans: the onset of an administration prepared to retaliate against the Iranian act of war. To drive that point home. Presidentelect Reagan publicly branded the Iranians The purpose with the soft words put forward for months by the Carter negotiators, was to introduce a note of fear from our side. That was fair play, since the Iranian position was based on fear of what they would do to the Americans they held captive. of the insult, which contrasted Tough-Gu- y Play NIce-Gutough-gu- y The Americans then played nice-guin the negotiation, the way cops try to induce a criminal to cooperate: Im your buddy, have a cigarette, deal with me, because I can save you from that tough cop with a rubber hose in his hand. At this writing, the deal seems to be working. The main reason we are getting our people back is that we have a deadline working for us, backed up by the threat of force. In addition to the threat of force there was the threat of inattention. The Reagan men hinted that they were prepared to break off negotiations, declare our Foreign Service officers prisoners of war, and stop the handwringing. With the Iranian action downgraded, a deadline would then have been set for the return of the hostages. If no reasonable Iranian proposal had been made by cost-of-livi- that deadline, a series of punishments would have begun, culminating, if needed, in a military operation. But that would have cost lives wasnt the Carter method, which seems to be ending happily, much to be preferred? No. This is not a happy ending. The United States has paid a kidnapper nation ransom for the return of its citizens (we'll find out the full cost later) and set a precedent that encourages terrorists, and endangers innocents, everywhere. Economic pressure; the threat of force; the that should have been setting of deadlines our policy from the start. This weekend, the Carter men are claiming that international ostracism, the need for the seized assets, and the war with Iraq were the reasons the Iranians felt the need to deal. Thats all tangential: the central reason is that they were rightly worried about the tough cop with the rubber hose taking over in a couple of days. Time to Examine Need Tliis is not the moment to discuss the question of the degree to which the next administration is obligated to carry out commitments made under duress by President Carter. After the emotional binge is over next week, there will be time enough to examine the need to protect Americans overseas by setting some sort of example. For now, let us look to the establishment of the equivalent of a British Royal Commission to investigate and assess blame for the Huyser mission that helped the terrorists come to power; for the failure to protect our embassy after fair warning ; for the paralysis of policy after the hostage seizure; cold feet that led to the for the failure of the rescue mission, shamefully whitewashed by a report of military establishmentarians ; and for the political decision to pay ransom, perhaps in the form of holding creditors harmless. Won't Discuss Arms Curbs Next, let us repay the Soviet Union for its propaganda attempt to prevent the hostage release. An appropriate diplomatic response would be to tell Ambassador Dobrynin to talk to the Percycats in the Senate about SALT, because the new administration is not about to discuss arms control with those who encourage terrorists. Finally, let us not celebrate our disgrace, or encourage Carter to make some grandstand show of wallowing in our national humiliation. We should welcome the hostages with solemnity, not hoopla; they deserve our salute and a chance to sue for re; arations. Perhaps it is fitting to inaugurate a new leader in the media fireworks surrounding one cause for the departure of his predecessor. Like the fabled phoenix of Arabia, a new American eagle must regenerate itself out of the ashes of the old. d no-fau-lt last-minu- (Copyright) non-defen- The Public Forum Tribune Readers Opinions About that Shooting? The citizens of Salt Lake City needs some answers to the stabbing of Officer Bruce Maxfield and shooting death of Raymond Turman Jan. 11. How, if Turmans hands were handcuffed behind his back could he have stabbed Officer Maxfield in the side? If Turman was continuing towards Officer Maxfield with the knife still in his hands, how is it possible for the bullet to strike the assailant in the chest instead of his back? How was it possible for Turman to get the knife? Why did Turman need bail money? He was on parole. When a person is on parole and picked up for any offense such as burglary they arms-reducti- bottom-line-onl- m If my trial is over In time, I expect to take a long, hard look at those Cabinet appointees. Forum Rules Public Forum letters must be submitted exclusively to The Tribune and bear writers 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 writer's true name. All letters are subject to condensation. Mail to the Public Forum, The Salt Lake Tribune, Box 867, Salt Lake City, Utah. 84110. I hope he scares Russia as much as he scares me! Joan Beck Are Todays Elephant Men Any Better Off? Not Much Chicago Tribune John Merrick, the grossly deformed Suppose central character of the movie and play The Elephant Man lived here and now instead of 19th Century England. Would he still be shunned and treated like an ugly freak by those who couldnt see his humanity because of his distorted face? The answer is far from a resounding of course not. What Merrick had n was a gene-little-know- tic disorder called riTiibr0SiS- - Miss Beck have the same disease today. There is no cure. And the social and vocational rejection many victims encounter may hurt more than the complex medical problems they must endure. A former college teacher talks matte about the problems we uglies have in getting jobs and promotions. A young woman in her 20s wonders if anyone will ever love me. The mother of a fights for public understanding and research as essential to her sons future. With Aid of Victim Perhaps this column can help pull elephant-ma- n disease out of this cruel closet, with the aid of one of its victims, Frances Zapatka, the former teacher. Neurofinromatosis is marked chiefly by skin discolorations and the uncontrollable growth of tumors on the nerves just under the skin sometimes masses of little tumors, sometimes large ones. Tumors can also appear on the auditory nerves, causing deafness; on the optic nerves, causing blindness, and on the spinal cord and in the brain where they can be fatal. Sometimes the bones enlarge and become misshapen and the spine develops a severe curvature. Plastic surgery can now usually prevent the severe disfigurement of a John Merrick, although the tumors often return and surgery sometimes seems to make them grow even faster. Zapatka has already had 130 operations and of course" faces more. She says tumors are growing in the area of her upper palate, spreading and lifting the bone beside her eyes. Its painful, she acknowledges, but the pain is not constant. Neurofibromatosis is one of the most common of all hereditary diseases and is caused by a single, abnormal, dominant gene. chance in each pregnancy So theres a 50-5- i that a baby will inherit the disorder if even one parent has it. But symptoms vary greatly and occasionally dont start until middle age, after a parent has already unwittingly passed the disease on to a new generation. It cant be detected by biochemical testing or prenatally. Some cases appear to be new, spontaneous mutations, for which doctors have no explanation. My mother had four children before she discovered she had neurofibromatosis, She still has only minor Zapatka says. symptoms. But Frances, the oldest offspring, began developing signs of the disease shortly after birth when tumors started to grow around her nose and along the smile lines of my cheeks, and her eyelids began to droop. The diagnosis was made when she was 2 years old. She was treated first with radium and chemical injections, which were ineffective, and had the first of those 130 operations when she was 8. Much Milder Symptoms A younger sister has much milder symptumors. toms, little more than tiny acne-lik-e Otherwise she is very attractive, as I probably would have been, Frances comments. Three younger brothers have apparently beaten the genetic odds. Tumors or not, Napatka has had an energetic and productive life. After her father deserted the family when she was 11, Frances took over considerable responsibility for her younger brothers and sister while her mother went to work. Frances worked her way through college and graduate school and taught for 15 years at the elementary, high school and junior college level, often taking tough classes no one else would handle. But when her medical problems increased and medical bills became almost as large as her income, she was forced on disability. In part because of The Elephant Man, neurofibromatosis victims and families are beginning to go public about the disease. Theyve set up a National Neurofibromatosis New Foundation, Inc. (340 East 80th St., 21-York, N.Y. 10021) to encourage research, help families and spread understanding. It takes a while to leam to cope with the Most people public, Zapatka has found. experience uneasiness on meeting those with the form of neurofibromatosis I have. Some may be frightened. Some may consider it (us) obscene, leprous or contagious. Some see only our disfigurement. Others get to know us and enjoy us as persons. Thats some progress since the days of John Mernck. But its not enough. (Copyright) cannot be bailed out of jail because they are held on a P.V. hold (parole violation). Before the investigation is closed, I feel that these and any other questions should be answered in fairness to the citizens of Salt Lake City. ANN C. KLINE Not Always Right After hearing Governor Mathesons Indicators of Prognostication (which sounds like a pregnancy test) and reviewing liis recommendation to create the post of Earthquake Safety Officer, I wonder if he will also hire someone to watch for the Second Coming? I agree with his statement about the Moral Majority not always being right. After all, he was elected to a second term as governor. RILEY E. YORKE Murray Theyre Not Easterners Dan Freed perpetuates the Sagebrush Rebellion Big Lie (Forum, Jan. 11) and I would like to offer a few facts. Since Mr. Freed has served two years as chairman of the BLMs Salt Lake District Grazing Advisory Board and is currently the livestock representative on the Multiple Use Advisory Board, he cannot deny that local land users can and do participate actively in BLM policy. (While these and other BLM advisory boards seek public input how much public participation is there in state lands decisions?) Further study of the Salt Lake District BLM offices reveals the following facts. Frank Snell, district manager, is an Oregon native, Oregon State University graduate in forestry and has spent virtually all his life working in the west. Jack Peterson, Bear River Resource Area manager, was born in that resource area and is a USU graduate. Lavell Decker, Pony Express Resource Area manager, was born in Arizona and also graduated from Utah State University. Cliff Yardley, district chief of resources, was born in Beaver, Utah, and graduated from USU. Frank Olsen district ranger specialist is from the Spanish Fork area and is a graduate of BYU. (This list is by no means complete and is typical of Utah if not of all western BLM personnel). Insensitive, ignorant, eastern army of occupation? Hardly! These neighbors and native westerners are responsible for the grazing EIS process, range improvements, management, travel, and recreation plans, and resource analysis and development. Through advisory boards similar to those attended by Mr. Freed, and through public comment programs, they administer the public lands to reflect western values and answer western concerns in balance with the national public good. Furthermore, the overwhelming majority of public lands legislation from the U.S. Congress has passed with western support. Western dominated committees have introduced amended and supported virtually all public land legislation including even the disputed Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976. Certainly there is room for improvement, but the current system offers satisfactory methods to address complaints and concerns. Is public land policy dictated by insensitive eastern bureaucrats? Are local managers oppressive aliens from another planet? Does the Audubon Society advocate eastern domination of a colonial west? The answer to each question is an emphatic no! We challenge Mr. Freed, Sen. Hatch, and other members of the Sagebrush Robbery to quit snowing the public and simply respect the facts. Their conspiracy to take the public domain continues to be fueled by so much SageBaloney. JIM PISSOT Utah Audubon Society Wants Smog Test The smog in Salt Lake City and other large metropolitan areas seems to be a rather obvious health hazard during times of temperature inversion. Most older cars tend to emit more than the recommended amount of pollutants. I feel that in order to cut back on some of the exhaust in the air, the state should make it mandatory to have an emissions check during state inspection. Most service stations already have the equipment to do an emissions check and will do it for a minimal fee. During a thorough tune-u- p the emissions are checked, but this does not mean every car has been inspected for emissions within the past year. Some states with smog problems already have instituted such a program. I know an emission check will not cure all the smog problems, but it will help. DIANE J. PEARSON The Way It Was Here are the briefs of The Salt Lake Tribune from 100, 50 and 25 years ago: January Two Salt Lake County deputy sheriffs a man for burglary early Friday, then went in search of the crime. The suspects misfortune was brought about by his car getting stuck in the mud, the mistake of the driver of an auto wrecker, and the helpfulness of the two deputies. The unlikely chain of events began when Deputies Dick Pearce and Robert Jack saw the car stalled in the mud. Inside was a man asleep. They offered him a lift to the Magna sheriff's office. Meanwhile, a wrecker appeared on the scene, driven by James A. Pierce He had been summoned by a passing motorist at the request of the suspect. Mr. Pierce made a routine inventory of the cars contents. He drove to Magna where the driver of the stalled car waited with police. In one hand Mr. and two Pierce held a money bag with checks. In the other a loaded pistol, both of which he found in the car. The deputies placed the suspect under arrest and went in search of the crane. They found it at the Oasis Club near the stalled car. arrested January 21, 1881 CITY JOTTINGS A runaway occurred yesterday morning, making things lively on the street. The team was soon brought to a halt by a horseman who overtook it before any damage occurred. The gentlemen of the Alta relief committee are working industriously, but have not succeeded in obtaining sufficient means to defray the burial expenses of the victims and to relieve those who are in distress. They will call on our citizens again today. Let the contributions be liberal. January 21, 1931 Men students at the University of Utah do not aspire to operatic fame, it developed Tuesday when Professor Thomas Giles announced that women would delineate the male roles in Hansel and Gretel, which is to be presented in March. The men who did turn out for this activity were not qualified to sing the leading roles, declared Professor Giles. We have decided to allow women to appear in these parts. 21, 1956 |