OCR Text |
Show ir ir .inii 'T wn ijii wUws. atiM .wj.iiw 'Pcase-ca- n imiitiimtiiiiininimtmiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimtimiiiiiimiuimimmmiiimR have some back ?' DESERET NEWS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH We Stand For The Constitution Of The United States As Having Been Divinely Inspired 20 A EDITORIAL PAGE WEDNESDAY, APRIL Bound By Debt 16, 1969 Can't Afford Another Pueblo Affair U.S. When ships or planes intrude into another nations territorial waters or air space, they must expect to take their chances. But when a ship or plane is seized or shot down in International waters or space, such action is by law an act of war. Shooting down of a U.S. reconnaissance plane, a Super Connie," by North Korea this week has been branded by Vice" Admiral John Colwell, deputy chief of naval operations, as a clearcut case of international piracy and a breach of international law. first thing that should be established is whether or not the plane ever intruded into North Korean air space, as the North Koreans have charged. Pentagon sources declare it maintained a distance of at least 50 nautical miles from North Korean territory. Considering the fate of the intelligence ship Pueblo, its hard to conceive that the planes navigator would be so errant as to let the pilot stray over unfriendly territory. Even so, Americans still remember how the U.S. State Department first denied that the Pueblo had intruded into North Korean waters, later admitted it might have, and still later withdrew that admission. Whatever the finding, the American people should be told the truth. So should the rest of the world. If the U.S. is in the wrong, lets admit it. If not, lets put the heat on the North Koreans through the United Nations, the World Court, and every other means short of war. President Nixons first real crisis in office and how he reacts to the plane incident could well set the tone for answering such international incidents. In a presidential campaign statement last year he declared the U.S. should not let The itself be pushed around by fourth-rat- e powers. Unless the U.S. reacts to those small slights, you are bound to encourage bigger slights and you are going to have more Pueblos, he commented. This will be his test of that statement. The North Korean Communists seem convinced the U.S. will tolerate considerable harassment in our anxiety to avoid another Far East war. Indeed, if our answer is no more than a strongly-worde- d diplomatic protest, the chances of continued and increasing harassment may grow greater. Why The Round T rip? President Nixons efforts to tidy up the national budget with $4 billion in additional cuts and to share federal revenue with states and cities are commendable in their attempt to restore fiscal integrity at all levels of government Furthermore, the projected $5.8 billion budget surplus y If it actually materializes gives some hope to Americans that the surtax, imposed last year, may be removed after another year. The federal tax sharing plan hopefully can help alleviate the financial plight of many cities and states, notably New York City, which has increased taxes almost to the point of taxpayer rebellion. But it also raises the question: Why the round trip of tax money to Washington and back home again, with all its implications of federal strings and tacked-o- n administrative costs? Wouldnt it be simpler to pare down the huge federal tax take and allow the states and cities to increase their taxes proportax-wear- tionately? Apparently government economists have been steeped for too many years in the federal taxing business to recognize a simple solution to the problem. More Belt Tightening The long and difficult British fight against inflation should teach Americans the need for strict and consistent government fiscal integrity if we are to avoid similar economic difficulties. After already enduring a long and harsh bout tightening that included devaluation of the pound, Britons have been warned they must sacrifice still further to improve their nations trade performance and stabilize the economy. Despite what was considered stringent austerity, imports last year sent the nation's foreign payments account plunging to a deficit of nearly $1.5 billion. (The deficit averaged $87.2 million during the first two months this year, or more than $1 billion on an annual basis.) Furthermore, the budget, which was Britains toughest in peacetime history and siphoned off nearly one billion pounds, cr $2.4 billion in purchasing power, instead brought a 2.5 per cent increase in consumer spending. It was expected that new taxes would cause a one per cent drop. The increased austerity, requested by Chancellor of the Exchequer Roy Jenkins this week, will increase corporation taxes from 42'o per cent to 45 per cent; boost the tax on gasoline from 52 to 54 cents a gallon, and impose heavy taxes on television advertising revenue, as well as provide a number of concessions, such as easing of taxes on land improvements to exempt small holders, to help improve the governments popu- It's Fad : Communism On Decline DRUMMOND - When President WASHINGTON Nixon talks about the need to unfreeze of the cold war, of our old concepts East versus West, the best example is what has happened to the Communist world since NATO was bom. The NATO foreign ministers, meeting in Washington, were somewhat surprised to hear the President appeal to them to free themselves of old concepts concerning the Communist threat since they were first to do so. They were gratified Mr. Nixon was doing the same. The Communist world is far different today than it was even a decade ago. Here are some of the things which lie behind what the President was saying: There is no longer any world Communist movement with unified direction. There is only an assortment of diverse national Communist movements and they are becoming more separated all the time. The two power centers of communism, Moscow and Peking, are more hostile to each other and more at odds with each other than either is at odds with the United States. Communist theory Is under serious questioning in nearly every Communist country. Even the ruling bureaucracy in Communist regimes Is caught up in grave doubt that Marxism is an effective way to run the economy. National disagreements within the West are minor compared with the lacerating divisions within todays Communist world. Although realizing the threat to their governments popularity, both Mr. Jenkins and Prime Minister Wilson, whose Labour Government normally tends to be liberal and socialistic, are convinced that consistent sacrifice may yet defeat Inflation. That being the case, Americana could begin cinching their belts now and perhaps avoid some of Britains hardships. E. Drummond G. Drummond The greatest breach is between Moscow and Peking. g condemns the Soviet Mao Union as a bureaucratic, bourgeois, capitalistic society and says so in the most offensive words his writers can think up. The Soviets condemn Mao for plunging China into meaningless and mystical orgies, called cultural revolution, which have nothing to do with what the Russians consider communism. It would be near the truth to say that Russia Is becoming a strong, industrialized nation because it is departing from communism and that China is becoming an unworkable chaotic society because Mao is trying to practice communism. Mao may have persuaded himself, but he hasn't persuaded the Chinese people that the Communist way of life Li what they want or Is any way to run a counTse-tun- How deep do these Communist splits go? There is no one better qualified to answer that question than Milovan former vice president of Yugoslavia who served two prison terms after his ideological break with Tito and who now sees communism as the new class of exploiters. Here are some of Djilas arresting ideas: ' The incongruity between theory and life (in Communist societies) has so deepened that today all the more significant creative spirits of Eastern Europe and of the Western European Communist parties are either revisionists (that is, open to democratic ideas) or alienated from the party bureaucracy and its dogmas. The recent occupation of Czechoslovakia completed the transformation of Soviet Russia from the world ideological power into a world imperialist power. Dji-la- s, try. Many different kinds of communism are now emerging and they are not very alluring. This doesnt dissolve the Communist threat but It greatly reduces it The Danger Of False Analogies By SYDNEY One of the first lessons that students in logic learn is how to detect the trick of false analogy." This means comparing things that seem to be alike, but really dont bear much relationship. Politicians are enormously fond of this facile technique. Not long ago, for instance, Senator Everett Dirksen of Illinois pointed out that when George Washington was President in 1792, there was only about one person paid to work for the government for every 5,000 of population. Today, he contrasted, our civilian one perwork force is almost 3 million son for every 66 population. This is supposed to prove" that we have far too many persons on government payrolls. Now, we may have, and perhaps we do, but the statistics of George Washington's administration have nothing to do it is a false analogy big with the case The wonderful thing WASHINGTON about our neighborhood in Washington, D.C., is that the people rally around when someone is in trouble. For example, one of our neighbors is McPherson, who happens to own a Silver Shadow Rolls-Royc- It was his posses-- s proudest i o n, but in McPhersons de- Buchwald fense, it must be said that he never lorded it over the rest of us. Occasionally he might have brought up the Rolls in conversation, but hed always turn it into a joke such as, I had a heck of a time parking the chariot this morning; or, My clock stopped in the Roils last night, and I had no idea if the motor was mnning or not. There was nothing offensive in these remarks, but there was no question that the Rolls symbolized everything McPherson had worked for all his life. . i V' V J Moss Junkets I see where Senator Frank E. Moss of Utah is off on another junket. The paper carried an item the other day showing he has taken at least 26 foreign junkets during his 11 years in the Senate. No doubt this is some kind of a record. Moss latest foray into the overseas world of rest and relaxation has taken him to St. Croix, Virgin Islands. Ah, the life of the junior senator from g Utah, taking as many and as junkets as possible. One point he irfade In his news release In The News on March 20 (Page was also of interest. He said that his junket was financed by foundations. How, I ask you, can Moss now vote with a clear, objective yes or no when it comes to the taxing of these foundations which have beep subsidizing his foreign jaunts of late? --MICHAEL LEAVITT far-flun- B-1- Ave. 1215-3r- d h Hits Court Dedsions My patience grows weary of the decisions of this Supreme Court as they lead this nation down the road to atheism and anarchy. For example, suppose a school district needs a new superintendent. Suppose an atheist or Communist (whom 99 per cent of the people dislike) applies for the job. Then suppose the school board refuses to hire him because of his religion or lack of it He could demand the job, claiming they were discriminating against him because of his religion. If they hired someone else, he could probably appeal his case until it reached the Supreme Court and finally get the job along with full retroactive dont really need to anfend the Constitution a nondenominational prayer in public places (H. J. Res. 79). We dont a Bricker amendment to say that treaty law We to have J. HARRIS enough to drive a team of horses through, as a moments thought will tell us. As little as a century ago, most Americans were still about 90 per cent their own they produced goods, lived in sparse rural areas, and used the excess to barter at trading posts or among their community neighbors. It was even more so in 1792. Today, in vivid contrast, we are only If that, about 10 per cent and we depend on others for 90 per cent of our goods and services and protection. Obviously, the role of government instate and local as well as federal creases at a geometric ratio as population goes up, as work becomes more specialized, as people group together in larger and larger communities. For instance, a village needs only a police force, because everybody knows everybody else. When the town increases its size by tenfold, and then by a hundredfold, the police force required does not merely go up in proportion to the rise in population, it infor a city creases at a far higher rate demands much more and different police services than a hamlet. small Mind you, I an not arguing that our public payrolls are not padded; so are most payrolls, at every level. I am simply suggesting that the historical analogy (so dear to politicians like Dirksen) is irrelevant and positively misleading In terms of modern needs. Only 14,000 men were killed on both sides in the American Revolution but I dont hear the patriotic senator complaining about the wasteful" proportion of our men killed in Vietnam, as compared to Washingtons time. say because McPheson broke Into tears. Oh, the shame of it. Whoever thought that one day Id be driving a Volks- ART BUCHWALD Phersons carrying the casserole. Several neighbors were already there. The minister of the church had also arrived, and when we walked into the living room, he was talking to McPherson: The Lord gtvetli and the Lord taketh away. You have to understand there are even on overload conditions, that no one knows anything about. The mysteries of steering mechanisms are beyond the comprehension of mortal man, but you must believe that there is some master plan beyond all this, and in the long run it will all be for the good. McPherson, his eyes red, just stared off into space. I went up to him and touched his shoulder. I know how you feel," I said symRolls-Royce- s, wagen? The minister took McPhersons hand. Try to imagine that your Silver Shadow e has gone off on a trip. Your is now in that beautiful, great garage in the sky. And dont forget, youre not losing a car, youre gaining a new steering lever mechanism. All day long the neighbors came to the house to pay their condolences. By evening McPherson was able to function again and the first upbeat thing he said was, Well, I gues3 there are always taxis. Rolls-Royc- GUEST CARTOON pathetically. McPherson turned on me. What do you mean, you know how I feel? None of you knows how I feel. How can I face my While there were a few neighbors who friends my business associates, my golf were bored by McPhersons talk about partners? All my life I dreamed that his Silver Shadow, most of the rest of us someday I'd have a Silver Shadow, and attitude about it now theyre taking it away from me." had a I said, it isnt Tnen last week the roof fell in. It was Look, McPherson, was calling the same as having a Chevy or a Ford or announced that in all its Silver Shadows and Bentley T a Chrysler recalled, but all of us have lived through a similar experience. Bemodels because of a possible faulty setlieve me, in time no one will remember screw in the steering lever. The first person all of us thought of they recalled your was McPherson. We tried to phone, but Nolan, another neighbor who was sitthe line was busy. So my wife said, In a ting in the living room, said, Would you tragedy tike this, theyll need food," and like to borrow my Volkswagen while she started to make a casserole. your Rolls is in the shop? That morning we went over to Mo I; was obviously the wrong thing to Rolls-Royc- t; pay. The Man Who Lost Everything of belt- larity. Soviet Russia has turned into the most conservative force on earth, while forced to conceal this truth by means of an increasingly unrestrained revolutionary, internationalist and socialist phraseology. No Communist party can any longer remain In Ideological unity with the Soviet Russian bureaucracy without its consciousness and conscience being sullied by betrayal of Its nation and the cause." And all of these doubts and contradictions and conflicts within the Communist world are increasing. THE DRUMMONDS By ROSCOE and GEOFFREY The high cost of government can be reduced by the realization that mass efforts and programs to aid us and discipline the other guy cannot help if part of the problem rests with our attitude and character weaknesses. Most of the legislation sponsored to shape up the other guys seems like a fine thing until someone expects us to abide by the terms of the movement. To expect the government to build and control local social or material improvements through deficit spending can bind the hands and freedom of the government to operate just as surely as an individual is bound by private debts and obligations. One reason that current politicians are slow to accomplish political promises is because most of the governing bodies, including the federal gover ment, have become so bound by previous debts and obligations through wanton spending in the past that the present and future are almost void of freedom in movement except as directed by the creditors. Therefore, to expect and demand immediate relief through mor? deficit spending by the various governing bodies increases the inability of such bodies to serve other than monetary obligations of the past. To suppose that we can live off the interest of what we owe is bound to catch up until there will be no freedom left. If, as individuals as well as political groups, we resolve to live within our means and respect the law of the harvest by expecting to reap only what has been sown and cultivated, then a realistic approach to the future can be accomplished upon a sound foundation of hope and security. --MERRILL H. GLENN JR. 264 N. State, Apt No. 9 need does not supersede the Constitution. We don't need nor want any federal funds for any safe streets act (which funds with the forthcoming federal control would likely evolve Into a federal secret police). All we need is a wise, loyal, patriotic, pro-state- s Su- rights, preme Court. We cant fast amend the Constitution enough to maintain our freedom, our rights, our religion, our national sovereignty, and our local police, if we let these justices continue to interpret as they have. Please, Immediately, either impeach them for destroying the meaning of the Constitution and start over again with the President and Senate exercising far greater caution whom they select or. else deny them all appellate jurisdiction (Art 3, Sec. 2) letting them sit high and dry so they can meditate for a while on their abuses of our Constitution. YMAN -L- KUNZ Montpelier, Idaho Set Budget Example The easy way to deal with Inflation is to declare a determination to stop it, but when institutions are faced with the need to economize and dont, the common political response is to simply The obvious hope is that cut the uncuttable. someone will say it can't be done and then put up the money. As of now, education in Utah has reached this plateau and no quantum of speechmaking can change the facts. Why dont the educators set the proper example in economy and take their leadership seriously? Some 89 per cent of the school budget is spent on teacher salaries and employe benefits. Schools spend 69 per cent of all taxes collected at the county and state level, plus all federal funds for education. For the sake of economic survival, someone must change past trends. Why not education? Others will have to follow. Even Congress may relent -H- AROLD E. BERGESON Cornish Pueblo In Perspective Satirist Art Buchwald put the Pueblo problem straight in a recent column. Questions he hinted at are: Why wasn't the Pueblo armed, considering the dangers and importance of its mission? Or if not, why wasn't ic escorted or ship or airplane help available quickly? Why werent there plans ready for scuttling the ship or destroying secret records? Above all, why did they ask Commander Bucher the questions when high brass ave the orders and only they knew the answers? It was disclosed that guns had been Installed on he Pueblo but with orders not even to uncover iherrf. Whoever made that inept decision should be imown, even if It was the president. Events of the last two decades havp established clearly that the only safety in dealing with the Communists is to carry a big stick and use it if attacked. This keep covered decision perverts Teddy Roosevelts successful talk softly and carry t big stick" Into talk softly and carry a big stick of candy, lest you provoke the enemy." Who gave that order? fool-pro- ufA$r e Rolls-Royc- Leave It Te This Big Four? . I; Chicegs Daily Nwt , --COMER CASEMAN East Mill Creek ' |