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Show vr Antiion) Lewis gait foke tribune Saturday Morning Section March Indicate Law Violations 17, 1934 A Page 14 Settle Education Controversies With Constitutional Change Constitutional amendments shouldnt be taken lightly, for their their implications are mistakes difficult to correct. Nevertheless, Utahns should seriously consider altering the states Constitution as it relates to educational law. Utahs Constitutional Revision g; Commission has fashioned an amendment which would, among other others things, clarify the governance of Utahs two school systems, public and higher education. If that proposal survives the special session of the 1984 Utah Legislature later this month, as well it should, Utah voters also will be asked to endorse it. The Utah State Board of Education and the State Board of Regents have buried an old hatchet and developed a cozy, cooperative relationship recently. Their Liaison Committee has successfully drawn up agreements for handling such overlapping programs as vocational education and has created a coalition for improving all publicly funded school Meese Finances new or related educational programs would be determined by the Legislature. In a statesmanlike gesture, the state school board has joined with the regents is endorsing this plan. But it should be noted that the proposal is not universally acceptable. Gov. Scott M. Matheson would leave school governance out of the Constitution, giving the Legislature the latitude to adapt school programs to changing times. Sen. Bill Barton, Valley City, maintains that a single school board, in charge of two or more subboards, would better fill in gaps and eliminate duplication between the two schools systems. He also believes this board would relieve legislators some of the detail of education policy st New York Times Service A number of federal WASHINGTON criminal laws forbid government officials to accept money or other benefits from outsiders in conflict with their public duties. There now are serious grounds to believe Edwin Meese III, President Reagan's nominee for attorney general, may have violated several of those laws. The facts about Meese s curious financial arrangements have been brought to reluctant light in recent weeks. There may still be more surprises, but what is already known laws. engages the conflict-of-intereMeese came to Washington and the White House in January 1981. He was not able to sell his previous home in La Mesa, Calif., for more than a year. For 15 months he failed to make his mortgage payments on the house. The bank, Great American Federal Savings and Loan, in San Diego, did not foreclose. In 1982 the White House personnel director, E. Pendleton James, asked a California friend, Thomas J. Barrack Jr., to help Meese sell the La Mesa house. Barrack, a real estate developer, quickly found a buyer: a business associate of his. Great American arranged a $240,000 mortgage at a favorable interest rate, and Barrack himself contributa loan that he forgave soon ed $70,000 afterward. Barrack was appointed deputy under secretary of interior in December 1982. The chairman of Great American became an alternate delegate to the United Nations, and another officer of the bank was made chairman of the Federal Home Loan Bank Board. and budgeting. In the middle of 1981 Mcese's tax accounBoth alternatives have merit, but tant, John McKean, arranged $60,000 in perneither is as widely accepted nor as sonal loans for him. Shortly thereafter Reagan appointed McKean to the U.S. Postal expedient yet reasonable as the ReviService's board of governors. At his confirsion Commissions plan for putting mation hearing McKean said he had been to rest. recommended for the job by Meese and Mprograms, kindergarten through governance problems ichael Deaver of the White House staff. The governors idea puts public graduate school. When a reporter asked last summer education at the mercy of political As commendable as the boards about the $60,000 McKean loans, Meese reefforts may be, this calm after whim, portending countless battles plied through a White House colleague that g he had made interest payments "in a timely stormy, unproductive and sometimes on Capitol Hill and constant wheel-spinnin- g in and the fashion. That was untrue. The General Accostly turf battles is more the result Office looked into it and found that offices. education counting states of enlightened but temporary leaderhe had paid no interest until the reporter Sen. Bartons proposal would give ship than state law. Despite pledges inquired. The GAO said Meese should have to continue to work harmoniously tothe single board an overwhelmingly reported the unpaid interest as a "gift. In sum, Meese received substantial figether, changes in the two boards broad scope of responsibility. The exmemberships could resurrect old tra layer of bureaucracy created by nancial benefits in loans, gifts and delayed squabbles at any time. subcommittees and their staffs interest payments. And people who gave him those benefits got federal jobs. would frustrate the publics attempts Conflicting constitutional proviThe laws possibly engaged by those facts sions and statutes are largely to to be heard and to control adminisinclude Section 201(g) of the Federal Crimiblame for past school governance trative costs. And we doubt that nal Code, known as the Gratuities Section. It budget-consciolegislaproblems. While the Constitution says that any public official who directly or technically gives the state school tors would quit scrutinizing the nitty indirectly" receives anything of value for himself for or because of any official act board authority for public education gritty of the public education proby him" shall be subject to a performed of school the at all levels, the Legislature has cregram, regardless fine of up to $10,000 and a prison term of up ated the Board of Regents to operate board's role. to two years. college and university programs. Under that section, an Internal Revenue The Revision Commission has Service auditor who accepted free golfing The Constitutional Revision Coma recommendation created carefully trips from the Gulf Oil Co. while in charge of mission would restrict the school that will settle bothersome, counterGulf audit was sentenced to six months in boards power to kindergarten productive conflicts that distract aprison and a $5,000 fine. The U.S. Court of through high school programs and Utahs governing boards from other, Appeals for the 3rd Circuit, upholding his would constitutionally legitimize the more important problems in educaconviction in 1978, said no specific promise Board of Regents. Governance of tion. It deserves the publics support. or act by him was required for conviction. It was enough for the jury to find he was aware that the golf trips had been meant in some way, however vague, to influence his actions. Another relevant section of the Criminal Code is 211, making it a crime to receive any thing of value in consideration of aiding a person to obtain employment under the e combined As an elimination process, the nafirst space-aghero, try's United States," even by referring his name with a recently released Hollywood tion's political primary elections are Sections to an executive department. film about those exploits, to a firm 208 and 209 working well enough for the Demopunish officials who deal w:i:, front-runnecrats, the only major party with a position in Democratmatters in which they have a personal intercandidate choice. And while the field ic party primaries. Now, he joins the est and officials who accept outside payment for performing official duties. dwindles a measure of common discouraged drop-out- s. Whether Meese actually violated any of school days idealism is redeemed. those criminal laws would depend on. among however, to all these deRelated, On the approaches to each sucquestions of intent. But in the velopments is the fact that, at the other things, of some lawyers experienced in ceeding primary, the constant quesopinion Sen. Colorado of Hart outset. Gary tion tends to be: Who will win? For these matters, the facts known would lead a was usually lumped with the Hol-ling- s, prosecutor to investigate with the Democrats this year, the wonder Askews and Cranstons, the unto the an eye possibility of bringing a case. has also centered on when the disknowns, those with little or no chance is also evidence There striking evicouraged would start to drop out. for the nomination. Not only did he dence that Meese may have violated a confound that speculation, Sen. Hart civil statute. The Ethics in Government Act Following Tuesdays several prifederal offihas surged to the lead, with former of 1978 requires maries, the candidate number narto of more loans cials report any outstanding rowed again. Former South Dakota Vice President Walter Mondale, than $10,000 to them or members of their Sen. George McGovern immediately while not only Sen. Glenn but also the families. Meese has belatedly acknowledged called it quits, stricken by a third Rollings, Askews, Cranstons and Mc- that a friend, Edwin Thomas, lent Mrs. Meese $15,000 and that he "inadvertently Governs are gone. place finish in Massachusetts. Three failed" to report it. Thomas, too. is now a days later, Sen. John Glenn closed his Whatever federal official. happens. eventually The for reasons both campaign shop. Sen. is a Hart The kindest way to look at those facts already genuine phewithdrawals convey significant, if be to sav that Edwin Meese is grossly would of one those recurrent ponomenon, not profound, litical wonders who necessarily insensitive to the laws and ethical standards the personify implications. that ought to guide public officials. Can we idealistic, but frequently discounted, conceivably want such a man to be attorney When he entered the 1984 race, concept that effort, resourcefulness general of tiie United States? Do the RepubMr. McGovern was largely written and persistence can overcome the licans m the Serial e want to make such beoff by most observers. It was widely, havior their standard'1 Is there no shame? most daunting odds. reasonably held that with his smashing defeat in 1972, as the Democrat gear-shiftin- well-meanin- g, . The Hart Factor ..." rs n high-rankin- g challenger sent against Richard Nixon. Mr. McGovern lost a political career as well as an election. His subsequent defeat for reelection to the Senate from South Dakota seemed to confirm as much. But while it was early assumed that the McGovern return was largely quixotic, the same conventional wisdom suggested Ohios Sen. Glenn could ride his renown as the coun Debbie Reynolds King Features Syndicate Whenever people make lists of the best Hollywood movies of all time, the Gene nolds Donald O'Connor flick Singm' in the Ram'' is inevitably there as the best musical Kelly-Debhi- e Hey cut forget the songs, that fabulous Kelly dance through the puddles. O' on nor's rubber-leggeperformance, the waekv recreation of the old silent film era and that cute, lovable, rnotmouslv talented Debbie Iu Holds'' think most of us ell m lose with I lehbie She was about 2V she mubl sing, she could 'ante, she could read ,i funny line, she was fresh and sexy and kittenish all at the same time And enormously mm hah'c I $40 million to play football." Mike Rovko There Comes Time When Prevarications Right Chicago Tribune Service years of writing a column. I've never once asked anything of the readers. I don't ask you to give money to worthy causes, help needy families, donate your vital organs for transplants, or take part in any other jourIn 20 nalistic endeavors. d But this one time, I'm asking readers in Illinois to join me in a noble cause. And later, those readers in New York. Pennsylvania. California and other states that will be holding primaries. It's something that will make you feel if enough of you do it -wonderful and will win you national respect and admiration. I'm asking you to lie. Not a big lie. Not a bad lie. Not something that will later cause you to run to your clergyman, psychiatrist or bartender to get your guilt eased. This is a good he. a worthwhile lie. a lie that will put bounce in your step, a giggle in your voice, and make you feel wonderful. Let me explain: Next Tuesday, many of you will be voting in the Illinois Democratic primary. The eyes of the nation will be upon us, as the anchormen love to say. Some of you will come out of your polling woi place and be grabbed by for one of the networks. They will ask you who you voted for and why. Be polite. Talk to them. But lie. Don't give them one honest answer. If you voted for Mondale, say you voted for Hart. If you voted for Hart, say you voted for Mondale. Or mention Jesse Jackson. When they ask you why you voted for Hart, say it is because he is so mature and serious that he reminds you of your grandfather. Or say you voted for Mondale because he reminds you of Johnny Travolta. What wiil this accomplish? You probably know the answer, but 11 tell you anyway. The pollsters will take your answers and feed them to a computer, which will chew on them, digest them, and finally burp a sheet of paper. The networks' high priests of politics will stare at the numbers, then announce: "I project the winner as ..." Even before the polls close and one vote has been counted, the TV anchors will be on the air telling the world how Illinois voted. And one minute after the polls close, before 1 percent of the vote has been counted, they will be on the air "declaring" the winner of the Illinois primary. Then they'll sit there, looking smug and waiting for the results to confirm their infallibility. 1 But if enough of you lie. the entire nation will be treated to one of the finest evenings of television viewing since the tube was un- leashed. There will be chaos in the newsrooms, network executives will try to cut their wrists, and anchormen will have nervous breakdowns before our eyes. Don't doubt that it can be done. I once saw it happen on a smaller scale. A few years ago. I was asked to spend an election night at a Chicago TV station talking about the results. One hour before the polls closed, a meeting was held and one of the polling gurus came in and announced the result of the state's attorneys race. He said: "Bernard Carey has won with 63 percent of the vote. But there is a margin of error, so we are calling it at 57 percent." All the TV newsmen nodded their heads I said: You aren't going to say that on the air, are you?" "Of course." they said. You're nuts." said. "He not only won t get 63 percent or 57 percent, he might lose. The polling guru looked at me as if I was something that had come out from under a rock. And a TV whizbang said: They're never wrong." So before any votes were counted, they went on the air and declared Carey the winner, as did another station. And 1 went on the air and declared that they were all nuts. By midnight, when the real votes had been counted, the polling guru looked suicidal. the TV whizbangs were sweating through tneir pancake makeup, and Carey lost with 49 percent of the vote. "How did you know?" a whibang asked 1 me. I explained that because of Chicago's unique political atmosphere, many Chicagoans would not dream of telling a stranger how they voted in an important local election. They have a deep sense of privacy. They also fear a brick through their window. Many Chicagoans had simply hod to a stranger that day. Unfortunately. Chicago, like the rest of the nation, has now become accustomed to exit polling. Some people probably believe that they are required by law to answer. So it will take a conscious effort in and beyond Chicago to turn the networks' projections on their ears. But it can be done. On Tuesday. Illinois can be the toast of the nation's TV viewers All you have to do is tell a little fih. Then go home, sit back, relax, and watch the anchormen slowly swallow their tongues. James Rral Who can Actually I'd rather grow up to be the guy who can afford to pity someone ilh apologies to Samuul Johnson Because we all lou d her. or that image ol her that grinned out .it us from the screen, we were also sure shi would grow up. marry after Tlu'ic a nice guy. and live happily was no wav Dibble w,is going to boinltie cut a Champ Fights another tortured, tormented, tragic Judy Garland Well, the movies aren't real life And happy endings aren't always in the cript Debbie certainly never became Judy Rut neither has life been a jolly dime down . rain-slicke- streets. I !ntor icwcd I Hbbie the edit r d.n She is now 51 s';ll perk blonde, an ,ittrnl:ve wi man who doc n't look within 10 eats of s; tier age. the lam cr s ;,ui! and agile. tile Uni e idling. III.HIDU' file W.I-- in town to j lug her new gig. a . idco ,pe and ice-ret ord ot a pr igr.un designed especially for 'he somewhat older , , "t woman Debbie sas die s dong just fine I ne id eotafK' and the record aic s lling i ton. la r exercise studio in Ninth Hollywood is a big sucees'. and her nighs bib act ieatuimg hi laiious mimic: of the (labor sjsteis and ked ocs i, tolls otla r IbilUw md got. Her Way Bach She w as wearing a fur coat over a bright green dress and when she'd shed the coat and sat down for the interview, she reached over playfully to poke me in the ribs and remark that perhaps I could afford a few workouts myself "We all have love handles," she said laughing, "get to wot k." If was nice to see how playful she is Had most of us gone thrmgh what she's endured over the last 30 years wed be s (ling in the dark, staring at walls and P at nmg for the cooking sheri y After all. as she admitted, I have i rtetn too uietessiui wnti husbands " One of them was ii.tr t Karl an enormously rich, much older business tycoon By all accounts Karl Was a dreadful man lie's dead now, dead a long time Her first marriage had been to Eddie Fedier How could that go wrong'1 They weie Hollywood's darlings But go wrong it did Not in the quiet, dignified private way some romances die, ' but on the fi Elizabeth ont pages I ay lor took I dler away li "in i her. One day he was there, with Debbie and the kids. The next he was gone, an impressionable young man drawn by the glamour and sexual magnetism of the reigning queerf of Hollywood Two years ago she replated Raquel Welch on Broadway in "Woman of the Year " The critics were not kind. The role had been created by Lauren Bacall, taken over by Ha domiquel, and its portrait of a neering career woman just didn't seem to fit Icbh;e One night she went blank onstage, lost her lines, and ended up in a New York hospi'al. di aine.l and exhausted take-charg- Some careers end like that With a w lumper Not Ixdibie Reynolds' She fought back She isn't at the top yet May be she nc er vail be again But she is wo: king, she is alic, he seems happy, she is making the tug bucks nnee more There are worse endings to ti.iw if .scripts Or to life The laily is a i liamp |
