OCR Text |
Show Pace TIIE UTAH STATESMAN 2 Friday, April 4, 1958 THE UTAH STATESMAN "A Weekly Newspaper Devoted to Good Government" HARRY B. MILLER, Publisher H. V. WRIGHT, Editor Phone EM Entered as 2nd Class matter at the Post Office at Salt Lake City, Utah, under the act of March 3, 1879 Subscription rate $1.00 per year Published weekly at 421 Church Street, Salt Lake City, Utah 421 Church Street NATIONAL EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION 1958 Friday, April 4, 1958 Vol. 12; No. 14 governor's Report By George D. Clyde Communities in every part of the state are showing increasing concern over the presence in their midst of a shocking amount of More pornographic material-- in simpler language, just plain smut. and more magazines are violating the tenets of good taste and material-th- at is usually decency with vile pictures and printed placed on sale in easy reach of our impressionable young people. Many people have called or written my office, complaining of the situation, and asking that something be done. I am wholeheartedly in sympathy with the good citizens who are complaining, and I definitely agree that something should and must be done. However, I do not think it is a matter for action on the state governmental level. Let me tell you why, and suggest what I think is the most effective avenue of action open to decent citizens. First of all, let us look at Utah law on this subject. Section of the Revised Utah Statutes provides in part as follows: Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who wilfully and lewdly, either: ADMIRAL KICKOVER IS SENATOR WATKINS GUEST The "father of the atomic submarine," Rear Admiral H. G. Kickover, will be interviewed by Utahs Senior Senator Arthur latters regular weekly report to the Intermountain Area. The program is scheduled for television release V. Watkins on the is-go- -2 atomic-submarin- W uJU uJ WASHINGTON Industry lead ers hope that the McClellan rackets investigating committee will broaden its legislative recommendations in the future in an effort to protect the nation against the basic evils of union monopoly. limited, to three principal ends: The periodic election of officers, the use of secret ballots in union elections and other vital union decisions, and a limitataion on the right of internationals to place local unions in trusteeship or tions are barred by law from doing so? 4. Curb activities of middlemen in disputes. Admittedly there is some activity of this kind, but it is so small and trivial in comparison with other union evils that it would seem the committee could use its time .with greater profit Industry feels that real union in investigating more important democracy would end the evils of compulsory unionism, under things. 5. Clarify the no mans land" which an employee is required to in relations. join and pay money to a union in order to work. This is permitted There is widespread feeling that Act and by all the committees recommendation by the but 18 of the states. Employees does not go to the heart of the must be given the right to decide problem. It merely proposes that for themselves whether or not to a state be authorized to assert jurisdiction over a labor dispute if join a union. the National Labor Relations Regulation of the political ac- Board declines jurisdiction. tivities of unions would be reThe basic problem is the prequired under real union democ- emption of states rights by the racy. Why should union dues paid Federal Government as the result hy a member of one political par- of Supreme Court decisions. It is ty be used toward the election to felt that power to handle their public office of a member of an- own problems must be vested in other political party. Why should the states and must not be deunions be permitted to make po- nied them except by act of Conlitical contributions when corpora gress in specific instances. super-visoryshi- There was encouragement in the announcement by Chairman McClellan that the committee would continue its investigation and would have more rec ommendations later. It was recognized that the reports submitted to the Senate this week were only tentative and in complete. In general, the legisla tive recommendations up to a certain point were regarded as desirable. But the general feeling in Washington was that they barely scratched the surface of what is desperately needed. Here is the situation, as seen by industrial relations experts in Washington, with respect to the committees proposals for legisla tion to: 1. Regulate and control pen sions, health and welfare funds. The committee mistakenly says that there is almost complete unanimity in labor, and management circles that union and management pension, health and welfare funds should be subjected to some federal regulations and (D-Ark- .) in the same chapter provides as follows: Section Every person who is authorized or enjoined to arrest any person for a violation of subdivision (3) of the next preceding section is equally authorized and enjoined to seize any obscene or indecent writing, paper, book, picture, print, design, figure or device, found in possession or under the control of the person so arrested, and to deliver the same to the magistrate before whom the person so arrested is required to be taken. This appears clear and definite except that there have been no cases go to the Utah Supreme Court to obtain a legal definition of what is obscene, lewd, lascivious, filthy, indecent, disgusting, impure, or which manifestly tends to corrupt the morals of youth. In spite of the lack of legal definition, however, I think that much of the material currently offered on the newsstands obviously fits into one or more of these categories. The question is, what can we do about it? control." The immediate responsibility rests on the local community As a matter of fact, industry and its law enforcement agencies. The state can and would only vigorously opposes federal regustep in if a local enforcement agency was obviously and deliber- lation of such funds, on the ground that additional growth of ately refusing to perform its clear duty. bureaucracy for this To my mind, however, the most effective approach, even on the federal It feels is unnecessary. the local level, may not be one of law enforcement. It would be purpose that any regulation necessary unfortunate, I believe, to set lip boards of censorship to pass on should be at the state level. Be what the community may read or see or discuss. Censorship is sides, there has been no evidence of evils in administrafraught with dangers, and too often results in suppressing much produced tion of company funds and hence and perhaps failing to suppress much that is bad. that no legislation applicable to com Far more effective is community opinion. If the parents of pany funds is needed. any community will check on what is being offered for sale to 2. Regulate and control union their children, and make their feelings clearly known to the mer- funds. Since the brief hearings that some $10 million chants selling objectionable material, they should get results. disclosed funds have been either in union Merchants may shrug off individual protests but they quickly stolen, embezzled or misused," it respond to a dear expression of community sentiment. For busi- is obvious that some action is desirable to protect the finances ness reasons, if for no other, they have to. Filing of acIf such neighborhood and community appeal is not success- of union members. statements curate financial by ful, local law enforcement officers may be called in and asked to unions is recommended by the act. I doubt, however, if this will be necessary if the parents do committee to prevent wholesale their own job effectively. What the overwhelming majority of a misappropriation and misuse of funds." community wants, it will get and I am sure that the overwhelm- union 3. Insure union democracy. ing majority of Utahns wants wholesome literature not porno- The committee said that legisla-iographic smut. should be directed though not 76-39- io n 76-39- -1 (3) Imports, writes, composes, stereotypes, prints, designs, copies, draws, paints, or otherwise prepares, publishes, sells, offers for sale, displays, exhibits by machine or otherwise or distributes any writing, paper, book, picture, drawing, magazine, pamphlet, lasciviprint, design, figure or other thing which is obscene, lewd, ous, filthy, indecent, disgusting, or impure, or which manifestly tends to corrupt the morals of youth; or who introduces into a family, school, or place of education or any other place, or buys, procures, receives, or has in his possession any such writing, paper, book, picture, drawing, magazine, pamphlet , print, design, figure, device, or other things either for the purpose of selling, exhibiting, loaning, or circulation or with the intent to introduce the same into a family, school, or place of education, or any other place ; or. tele-vision-rad- at 1:30 pjn. Sunday over KTVT (NBC) . Channel 4) in Salt Lake City and over many radio stations throughout the state. Admiral Rickover will discuss advances in the e program as well as some of his ideas of the importance and the need for improvement of our educational processes. labor-manageme- p. labor-manageme- Taft-Hartle- nt nt y the BELL RINGERS Jfc, Ql.'S. Wttfc ? od, n VOLUNTARY HEALTH AOENCY STRENGTH RINGS THE BELLI 4 |