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Show 'Why don't you get your let me fix own house in order and mine?1 RiiiiiiiiiiiiiniHiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimimiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiKiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiH- - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR DESERET NEWS iiiiii!iiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiii!iiiiii:iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!H!iiiiiiiiiii,ii;iiiiiii SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH It's Called Stealing We Stand For The Constitution Of The United States You are to be commended for your editorial, ' Guaranteed Income, Guaranteed Stagnatino. It is ( was there however the in a start right direction; ' one en or in your article. You stated that Since conservatives and liberals alike have kind words for the negative income ; tax, it cannot be dismissed out of hand. This con- - . servative, and many others, do not have kind words for the negative income tax. When you take from one and give to another, it is called stealing. This same moral law is true whether you are stealing from God, a bank, your neighbor, or taking it to give to foreign aid. The redistribution of wealth is called stealing to those who know it by its proper name. Many of the poor wont work, so they pay no income tax. The wealthy have found loopholes and foundations they can contribute to and control, so they pay no income tax. That leaves the working force to pay the tax bill for the other two As Having Been Divinely Inspired 16 A EDITORIAL PAGE WEDNESDAY, JUNE ' 18, 1969 Court Order Impairs Separation Of Powers If the Constitutional guarantees of separation of powers are to have any validity, then such invasions of Congressional prerogatives as this weeks Supreme Court decision on Representative Adam Clayton Powell are clearly unjustified. In ruling that Powell was unjustifiably denied his seat In the House in March of 1967, the Court : speaking through groups. More tax control means more government control over our lives, and Communism is nothing more than total government. No, the negative income tax isnt the answer, but the Liberty Amend- ment could be. When you say conservatives have kind words for negative income taxes, check your conservative; hes probably a deceptive liberal. Chief Justice Earl Warren declared "The House is without member-electo exclude t who meets the Constitupower any tions requirements for membership. That decision strikes at the very heart of Congress power to enforce standards of conduct among its own members and regu'ate its own affairs. It is, as Utah Representative Laurence Burton commented, a gross intrusion into the internal affairs of a branch of government. Federal Tax Bite Hurts Cities By ROSCOE and GEOFFREY DRUMMOND al The ruling is unprecedented in the Supreme Courts long association with the legislative branch. In fact, as Representative Burton has noted, the high court refused to interfere in Congress refusal to seat Utahs first elected representative, Brigham H. Roberts, because the House was the sole judge of its members. Roberts was denied his seat some 70 years ago because he was a polygamist. Court decisions through the years have reaffirmed that principle. Justice Black even went so far as to say, "Even if Congress has chosen the wrong way to accomplish its aim, that choice is binding. The decision is all the more exasperating because, as Justice Potter Stewart noted in his lone dissenting opinion, Powlast fall made the case moot. ells The court, Justice Stewart opined, should therefore refrain from deciding the novel, difficult and constitutional questions which the case presented at its inception. The decision, however, may not have much effect on American government. long-rang- e - Conditions in the Moreover, President Nixon is scheduled to name another justice to replace Abe Fortas who resigned. court Bhould be Certainly a more conservative-minde- d more hesitant about risking a collision with Congress, which might stir revenge in the form of curtailing the powers of the court through new legislation. Its not that they dont want to. They the money because the federal government takes too much from them and gives back too little. dont have This is why another anguished plea for help comes from the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting here this week and representing every major city in the nation. Its plea is valid. It cant afford to go unheeded. The cities are beginning to drown in a sea of unsolved social, racial and economic problems. They have long been acute, but they are now at the point of being unmanContinued inability to cope with them is causing the urban crisis to mount and is plunging local governments into financial and political bankruptcy. The states and cities are not refusing to tax themselves. They have simply exhausted revenue sources because state government and Washington gobble up so much. Mayor Joseph Alioto of San Francisco About 80 per cent of all taxes collected in the cities goes to the states or to the federal government, yet the cities receive back only about 19 per cent of their funds from the states and only a tiny 3.5 per cent from the federal government. This means that cities are forced to continue to rely largely on the inadequate and unjust property tax. The result is that industry and affluent home owners move to the suburbs, and cities are left with the very poor huddled in their ghettos. The suburbs have the resources to devote about $1,100 per pupil per year to provide good education, while the inner city schools can afford only $500 per pupil per year. San Francisco, for example, needs 13,000 new housing units per year for the next six years. Last year 112 single family homes were built and 111 demolished; a net of 777 apartment units were added. Thats it 778 built to 13,000 needed, and thats typical of most cities. Many are losing ground, not gaining. As sources of revenue have declined, the cost of welfare has gone up and up in put it starkly: The cities, he said, are not looking for a handout but for determined and dynamic national participation in problems that clearly transcend the boundaries of any one city and affect the destiny of the entire country. History finds its momentum in the cities, and it is here that national commitment must concentrate. And this is what is asked of the present Administration in Washington. Certainly the rush of events in our cities is as dangerous as any external threat to our nation and must be given priority equal to any we have internationally. President Nixon agrees. At the Air Force Academy commencement he said: Let us not pose a false choice beour responsibilities tween meeting abroad and meeting the needs of our people at home. We shall meet both oi we shall meet neither. The crisis within our society cannot be put on the bacx burner until we resolve the problem of Vietnam. What the mayors are asking is: When do we begin? Can Business Criticize Government ? Tax Change Needed By SYDNEY J. HARRIS The reorganization of the Tax Revision Committee this week gives Utahns renewed hope for a simplified method of filing and collecting of state income tax. As the Deseret News has consistently pointed out, Utahns, unlike residents of at least 15 other states, have the distasteful annual task of computing separate federal and State tax returns under different formulas. Despite the death in the last Legislature of a proposal that could have achieved such a simplification, there is no reason why difficulties cannot yet be resolved so that taxpayers can be relieved of a burdensome computation task and so that the state isnt deprived of needed revenue. In the coming months, the newly constituted committee examine data compiled by its predecessor group, research new information and make recommendations for Will achieving, if possible, both simplification and equitable taxation. But as the former committee painfully learned, resolving the matter may be neither quick and simple nor equitable. Voters must first decide in the fall of 1970 whether they want a constitutional amendment permitting the state to tie its income tax to the federal income tax laws. And because using the more liberal federal deduction rates would result in less state revenue, some groups must bear tax rate increases to insure needed revenue. Because persons with high income would benefit most from adopting the more liberal federal deductions, an increased tax on their incomes could insure the state against revenue loss from the simplified filing form. In any case, standardization of the state and federal forms and relief from the present situation is long overdue. Olympics And Softball Theres a move afoot to add softball to the Olympic for which, three cheers. games But before the American Softball Assn, starts to count Its Olympic chickens, it should be duly reported that baseball, 100 years in the business and many years of what it lovingly calls the World Series, has failed to crack the Olympic list of team sports. Its true that basketball, another U.S. export, is now a recognized Olympic sport. But the typical American sport of football also has never been included (although soccer football has long been a recognized sport). Softball does have a big plus going for it, however. Unlike many other Olympic sports, it has no professional counterpart despite the fact it is one of the most U.S. games. In fact, ASA officials claim it attracts more fans and players than any other sport in the U.S. widely-playe- cent. How much? They are perilous and getting worse because the cities are simply not doing much about it. Just In San 'very large city. The case-loa- d Francisco increased 135 per cent in 10 years and the cost increased 263 per THE DRUMMONDS ageable. The judge who wrote the original opinion overturned by the Warren court was Warren E. Burger, who succeeds Warren as chief justice later this month. after PITTSBURGH cities are not bad. -T- d The U.S. Olympic Committee already has given its blessto the ASA request. Presumably the International Olyming Committee (IOC) will consider the application at its pic Warsaw meeting next month. If the games are to retain their modem connotation, certainly IOC officials should examine their format occasionally. And, after all, why not add softball? It has always amused me to hear succeed despite their sloppy managesome pompous business official stand up ment. Most of them are penny-wis- e and in public and upbraid the guvment for will alienate their They its massive bureaucracy and its absurd minor employes by instituting some petty spending policies. For I have seen economic reform (dealing with someas enough of private business establishthing as inconsequential to know when a pot ments at first-hanand then squander millions on some foolish scheme that tickles the is calling a kettle black. but which The thesis of these public denunciavanity of the top executive should emulate any underling could tell him is a waste tors is the "guvment but in the cases I of funds. private enterprise have personally In fact, one of the best arguments Lr observed, there is scarcely a shade of difference between capitalism has never been advanced in the two, except that business is designed its favor, for it is too embarrassing to and that is the indisputable mention to make money, and government to provide service. fa i that the system works so well, in the business area, that it can withstand even The bureaucracy in a large and thrivof ing corporation is not to be believed. The the mediocrity and mismanagement to lose money in custodians. its hard Its of level and the is immense, wastage competence not very high. It is only the an expanding economy. The closer one gets to the seat of coressential viability of capitalism that they porate power, the more obvious it keeps some of these firms afloat pound-foolis- pencil-sharpener- d becomes that the system Is supporting these people, rather than the people the system. Many of them havent even had enough savvy to keep their own comwhich accounts panies under control for the appalling number of corporate takeovers and fictitious mergers in the last few years. The corporate bureaucray that its legs are cy gets so amputated before its head begins to know what is going on. This is not meant to be a defense of the indefensible practices in government, which should be more tailored, efficient, it is and responsive to public needs simply to suggest that all bureaucracies are pretty much alike, no matter what their professed philosophy may be. Its just that the idiocies of government become a matter of public record, while the ineptitudes of business are camouflaged by profits that are almost impossible not to make. 1 Justice Douglas And Playboy South Carolinas Senator Thurmond had a tough time on the floor the other afternoon, trying to build his case for the resignation of Justice William O. It was Douglas. not, to speak truth, Sen- the ators most shining it hour, though might have come off better without i n c essant i n terruptions of Senator Kennedy. Yet Thurmond was right: Douglas ought to resign. It is not a matter of one thing, or two things, or three. The activities of this busy jurist are one fuzzy illething after another. Nothing patently But crooked. or covert Nothing gal. Douglas flirts with impropriety with a brand of arrogance all his own. There is, for example, the matter of writer, contribuDouglas, the tor to Playboy magazine. The current (July) issue of Hugh Hefners effulgei intended for sophomores of all ag , carries a lengthy article by the Justice, this one dealing with the sins of the Corps of Engineers. It is Douglas fourth contribution to Playboy in a span of eighteen months. His first article, on invasions of privacy, appeared in December of 1967. A second, on water pollution, appeared in June of 1968. A third, on civil liberties, ran in Playboy for January, 1969. Now this. Viewed on their merits, the articles are unexceptional. There is not an original idea in them, but they are well documented and strongly presented. If any other conservationist or libertarian had written them, one might remark only his astonishment that Playboy should have the extra-curricul- free-lanc- e g JAMES J. KILPATRICK published the pieces. And theres the rub. Hefner didn't buy these essays for their content; he bought them for their byline. And that's what Douglas sold. Now, Playboy isnt obscene. By definitions Douglas helped to write, it sails to the windward of the law. The magazine is a lumpy concoction of nudity, first-rat- e jokes, and Professor writing, Hefners portentous advice to the lovelorn. It makes millions. off-col- mate inquiry to ask what he did to earn the money. Between 1965 and 1967, the Parvin Foundation gave $70,000 to the Center for the Study of Democratic Institutions, an offshoot of the Foundation for the Republic. Douglas is chairman of the Center. It is too much. The Supreme Court is or ought to be the most revered institution in our public life. The nine men who sit on that court have an obligation for propriety beyond the obligations of other men. Those who cant measure up ought to stand down. If that shoe fits and it does let him put it on. Douglas The point is that Playboy simply is no place for an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court to propound his views on public affairs. If such publication is not beneath Douglass dignity, it is beneath the Courts dignity. It is almost immaterial to inquire what Douglas was paid for the artcles. (He wont say; I have asked.) What Hefner bought for his money was some of the respectability of the highest court in the land. That Isnt for sale. The Playboy pieces arent Douglass only contributions to belles lettres. As Senator Paul Fannin of Arizona has disarticle on folk closed, he did a singing for the March issue of Avant-Gardthe latest enterprise of Ralph Ginzburg. Whatever may be said of the Playboy contributions, this exercise for Avant-Gardwas plainly an impropriety: Ginzburg is a notorious pornographer, denounced by five of Douglass colleagues as a panderer. GUEST CARTOON e MiAMINm For Decency's Sake In view of the prevailing conditions of the world today with sexy movies, pornography, glue sniffing g to witness the and drugs, it was capacity audience in the Tabernacle on Wednesday ., evening attending the Decency Rally! I especial-- , ly noted the number of young people, for whom it was primarily intended, also the parents with their children. The context of the essays on What Decency To Me given by three young students was , , clear and to the point, laying the blame, to sune extent, on the older people who had given them the world they had to live in, where it rightfully heart-warmin- belongs. Rep. Lloyd gave a fine talk, straight forward and putting the problem right up to the citizens to ' cooperate in solving. It also reminds us of the marvelous accomplishments of the past few years. The Osmond family was an impressive example of good raising in a fine home, completely un- changed by the environment where they have ap.. peared. , It gave me a good feeling to know that there were still so many people interested in decency"!'- - ' LILLIAN M. JACOBSEN 278 W. 2nd South A Lesson On Boys Marvin Ashton, who some years ago was In the presidency of the Highland Stake and later one of the Presiding Bishopric of the Church of Jesus it Christ of Latter-da- y Saints, said: - I Give boys and girls the attention, appreciation, love and kindness which is so necessary in their1 r lives, and he illustrated his thought by telling a - , story of the father who wanted to read the newspa-per, but was interrupted by his inquisitive son, ' ; demanding attention. The father has a bright idea' ' ' and rips from a magazine, a page on which is a ' of to the take and thinks Ill world, himself, a' map pair of scissors and cut this map up and make a puzzle out of it, and while he is laboriously putting it together, IU have an hour of peaceful bliss reading the news. So he cuts the page in strips and hands to his young son, and the lad sets to work, and the good' dad has only about five minutes of peace. The map ' of the world is all together again piece by piece, and the father asked, how be did it so quickly? And the boy replied, You see, dad, on the other page 1 where the map was, was the picture of a boy. I put the boy together, and the world took care of itself. . And he concluded, If we would take care of the , boys, the world would be all right and would take care of itself. Whether we are dads, mothers or leaders, let us associate with the young people and let them into our councils. t -- S. ROY CHIPMAN ' 2505 Douglas St," jig-saw , . Hails Postal Decision History will no doubt declare in ages to come that the greatest legislation of the Twentieth Century was the measure that took the postal system' out of government and turned it over to businessmen. It is certain that the future cannot hold much worse than the past has been. The next greatest event (speed the day) will come when Social Security is turned over to life insurance companies (under government supervision) similar to the system used in auto liability insurance. Another important facet of our times is related to Russia, China and communism. I strongly advise that we strive to build bridges to them' but keep our powder dry. If in doubt, examine pictures of Russian missile silos and read their avowed goals for world enslavement. I would follow with- out hesitation the advice of Edward Teller and Admiral Rickover concerning the ABM system. ' ' ,r -. ' .. Was the American Revolution justified? Only one out of four supported the cause. The rest housed''"1 British soldiers for a price. Was World War I jusd- - ' fied? Then what of the parade of 15,000 IWWs ' through Manhattan in 1917? How about World War' n? Or Korea? History shows our course was right u ' in every instance despite the noisy sunshine ' patriots. Had it not been for the Fulbrights, McGoverns . and Gores giving comfort to the enemy, Vietnam , would have been ended two years ago. That which is v being done daily by the Cong to Saigon should lead , our actions somewhere between LBJ and General ; LeMay. -H- AROLD C. CHRISTENSEN 3034 Crescent Dr. - Who Will We Blame? - e part-tim- AYLOR TURNER Provo k free-lanc- e Much has been written about Justice executive duties as Douglass president of the Parvin Foundation, yet much remains obscure. He resigned in April from the $12,000 job. It is a legiti . "Amazing, when you think of it . . . $11,365.42 worth of knowledge in you and you don't look a bit different." Wall Street Journel There is a quiet betrayal going on here in Amer- ica. We are ignoring God, country, fellowmen, and ourselves. We are being told there is no God, that God is dead. Where is He buried? We are told that the Bible is obsolete, that it is a fairy tale. When disaster and ruin strike us, who are we going to blame tor our blind apathy? Surely we will blame God for our woes. What do we expect to receive when we deliberately push God and His commandments out the back door? -R- r . , j OLAND MATHER . 715 Laconio Court 4 |