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Show amnumn: nnnimimnnnimnmiiinnnnnT! LETTERS DESERET NEWS nuntmtimmuimitaji nrarm. a an TO THE EDITOR nuaiiitniHiiiiiiiiiiiii!i!iiiiiii!U!iiiiimiminiiin;iioiim(tiimi,iimiinmi!iru!i SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH We Stand For The Constitution Of The United States Ai Having Been Divirely Inspired 14 A EDITORIAL PAGE WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, Parking's How Much Is It Worth To Clean Up The Air? all-o- Any competitive theater in the aiea provides free parking in the evening to attract customers. And all nearby lots charge only 35 cents evening parking and Sunday parking. The gouge keeps the Salt Palace much less than 70 per cent filled in the evening during performances and exhibitions. Also, the gate keepers hovels are truly blights to the beautiful Salt Palace grounds. They look terrible: little wooden shacks at the entrances to the Salt Palace. for a copper pan? That is essentially what the desire for clean air demands, because the consumer ultimately will be asked to foot the bill through higher prices. When production costs rise, prices of an industrys products also must rise. And if those increases are reasonable, Americans must be prepared to accept them as the price for pollution control. Actually, industry already has done much to decrease air poIVution since the 1940s and charged higher prices for its products. Make no mistake about it: Air pollution control is costly. Equipment can cost hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars. One speaker at a recent air pollution conference in San Francisco declared: Every industrial leader should immediately calculate what it would cost to put in air pollution controls and then so inform the public. Let the public decide if the price of clean air is worth it. That goes for Utah industry leaders, too. The first step would be for industrial leaders to announce exact and detailed costs of ending air pollution within their own major industrial operations. The next step would be to fix the approximate price increases for each product. This information should be made available to the public. Chemical engineers at the San Francisco conference, sponsored by the U.S. Commission to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), declared unequivocally that technology is now available to stop air pollution. Public demand, furthermore, is steadilv increasing for a cleanup. In addition, the Utah Air Conservation Committee plans an campaign to curb sulfur dioxide and other emissions. We believe Utahns, like aroused citizens elsewhere, are willing to pay reasonably higher prices for steel, copper, oil, and other products if, by so doing, the environment can be markedly improved. ut --WILLIAM The 1970-7- 1 budget proposed for Salt Lake County makes It clear that some is in order on a short-rang- e basis and some effective government reorganization is needed for the long haul. If the budget were adopted as proposed, the Utah Taxpayers Association maintains, Salt Lake County taxpayers would pay $61.97 per capita, or an average of $24.44 per capita more for their government than persons in the other counties. With 468,000 population, Salt Lake County would expend nearly $30 million in revenue, while the other counties, with a total of 600,000 population, would spend only $22.5 million. For example, Weber County, with 132,000 population and an estimated budget of $5.398, 000 next year, has an average of only $40.89 per capita expenditure. Davis County, with 98,000 residents and a $3,764,000 budget, has $38.41 per capita average. And Utah County, with 130,000 population and an estimated budget of $2,213,000, reflects among the state's lowest per capita expenditures for county government at only $17.25 per resident. If paying more money meant considerably more in services for Salt Lake County residents, there would be much less to quibble about. Bot, as UTA further points out, Salt Lake County residents dont get any more for their money than the best of the other counties. One of the best ways to hold the budget reins is, of course, for residents to show restraint in demanding more services, and likewise for commissioners to resist the temptation of providing more services. But as a survey on local government conducted by the Local Government Modernization Study indicates, taxpayers want to eliminate fewT services and expand upon many. of already existCoupled with some serious ing services, now seems the time for more effort toward consolidation of governmental agencies offering sendees, as well as more effectiveness in the manner in which the services are dispensed. Meanwhile, during the Dec. 15 hearing, commissioners should not only be required to justify any increases in departmental spending, but also to be clearly told that taxpayers intend to have a dollars value for a dollar spent. belt-tighteni- Make The Toys Safe When a toy oven heats up to 600 degrees higher than the item is obviously unsafe for children most home ovens and should be removed from the market. Fortunately that can now be done under provisions of the newly signed Child Protection and Toy Safety Act. The measure was first introduced by Utah's Senator Frank Moss. Among other dangerous toys exhibited during committee hearings on the matter were an electrical toy with such flimsy insulation water could easily leak into the wires, causing an electrical shock: a ping-i- n toy with an inadequately covered plug that could easily fall apart, exposing the terminals: and with a sharp beak a bird projected by a rubber flipper out an that could easily put eye. The toy safety act is by no means jierfect. For one thing, a measure that would have required certain types of toys to be d for safety was dropped from the bill because of difficulties of setting up testing facilities and recruiting personnel on short notice. Such a provision, however, should be included in later legislation when a more orderly transition can formula. be made to a the Meanwhile, Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) has the power to exclude any unsafe article for a limited period, before or during formal proceedings, if he finds its distribution is an imminent hazard to the public health and safety. His ruling is subject to a U.S. Court of Appeals verdict. While the law undoubtedly will cause toymakers to review existing toys from a safety standpoint, nevertheless it's still locking the barn door after the horse is stolen. of selected tvpes of toys to assure their safety is an important next step inaseuring parents that presumably harmless toys will not maim or kill their children. pre-teste- pre-testi- Pre-testin- g BURTON FRANZ 375 I Street Patriotic Protest? These moratoriums should be recognized and dealt with in accordance with what they are trying to bring about. They are using shotgun methods and trying to make the laws for this nation in the streets, creating disunity, hatred, violence and displaying little rationality. Parricipants work for and in behalf of the real enemies of the peace. This mostly youthful segment of our citizenry reminds me of kids having tantrums. Their demonstrations which do not advance and support our country are the outgrowth of dissatisfaction of conditions at home and abroad. Especially do they resent fighting in a losing war such as Vietnam. This is understandable. But ts for protesting those wsrs, they sure 3 re & little late and certainly go about it in the wrong way. Finding all the radical elements and liberals in their ranks is certainly regrettable. Our country is at war and let's not forget that it is fighting for its very existence and for a free world, v iie our enemips are indicting us rapidly and steady. If some demonstrations and actions are in order, let's tell all our lawmakers and government representatives that they should devote more time and energy to the welfare and safety of our nation and less for their constant reelection campaigns and pleasure trips. When those moratoriums are more constructii e, Til support them 100 per cent and so should every S. L.Ai High Noon That smoky city down there in the haze somewhere is Sait Lake City at high noon. Are you satisfied to let the choking of this beautiful valley go on like that? Actually, the viable pollution coming from the smokestacks around Salt Lake Valley is and only a small part of the total pollution generally the most harmless part at that Its the invisible pollution principally car bon monoxide and sulfur dioxide thats the real culprit. Fortunately, these levels are still well below the alert phaje. But this, too, gets worse month by month. Utah has done much talking about controlling air pollution. It has passed some laws and established state pollution control machinery. But Sait Lake City today looks like this. Isnt it time for action? American. -F- Control The Budget Gouge With the prices the shows command and the exhibitions presented in the Salt Palace. I think that charging for parking in the Salt Palace parking lots is an unnecessary gouge when arriving at the Salt Palace. 1969 How much are you willing to pay for clean air? Two cents a gallon more for gasoline? A dime more A THE DRUMMONDS GEOFFREY DRUMMOND good news from the nuclear arms talks with the Soviets in Helsinki is the total absence of bad news. The worst that might have been expected is not happening. While significant agreements to halt the perilous, useless, costly arms race will not come easily or quickly, the prospect would be virtually nil already if the opening round of talks was not moving ahead so smoothly. Nobody in Washington is peddling optimism; almost the opposite. Officials are so determined not to stir up false hopes that the stress is almost wholly on the fact that the present stage of negotiations is preliminary, deals mostly with future agenda and does not come to grips with the hard decisions which lie ahead. True, but what we report is based neither on optimism nor pessimism. We cite the evidence which shows that the United States and the Soviet Union have never launched a negotiation as constructively, as earnestly, as soberly as they nave launched this crucial attempt to contain the nuclear arms race before it becomes uncontainable. Here is why both sides are encourand not aged by what has happened in Helsinki thus far: happened WASHINGTON1 The With the greatest relief, $ach side has found that the other has not come to the conference table with a series of papers which say in effect it must be settled this way or nothing can be accomplished. 1 hard-positio- n The Nixon Administration was criticized by some for not giving the U.S. team a whole bundle of firm negotiating stands which it could lay on the table. Instead the U.S. team has at its disposal alternative proposals to be explored with the Soviets on the whole range of nuclear weapons, and when the American negotiators got to Helsinki they found that this was exactly what the Soviets had been no freeze on what weapons preparing systems should be frozen. 2 There has been no hassle whatever over the agenda. And that is a novelty. When either side does not want to negotiate, but does not want to admit that it doesnt want to negotiate, it belabors the agenda. 3 There have been no propaganda proposals designed to score brownie points with world opinion but not designed to be accepted. That's a novelty. Often the Soviets have begun any kind of nuclear negotiations with the alluring, meaningless proposal to ban the bomb. without meaning to ban the production of the bomb cr permit an inspection or enforcement of the ban. Nothing like that this time. 4 The preliminary talks have been serious, businesslike and amiably There has been no acrimony, no hostility, no rhetorical polemics. 5 Each side has meticulously observed the agreement that everything that was said and done at the meetings would be kept secret That is the only way such negotiations can be effectively conducted; otherwise, the temptation to play to the gallery would be almost irresistible. The press has its own duty to help keep it that. way. There have been no leaks false or accurate. Thats e. good. Even the little things are adding to the promising climate. A few days ago in Helsinki the ambassadors of the Soviet for the Union and the United States first time ever gave a joint social reception. It was to enable the staff of both delegations to get better acquainted personally. And during ail the years we have been in Washington we do not recall any American secretary of state calling the Soviet foreign minister and the Soviet ambassador by their first names. But on appropriate occasions Secretary William Rogers calls Mr. Gromyko, Andrei, and Mr. Dobrynin, Anatole. Breaking The Haynsworfh Story WASHINGTON The news of Judge defeat for the Supreme Haynsworth's Court caused soul searching in newspaper city rooms and television stations t h r o u g h out the country. S e n s i me to attacks made by Vice President on all the media, the libei al Eastern establishAgnew ment press and three TV networks gathered at the home of Averell Harriman in Washington. D.C.. to discuss how to play the story. One network spokesman said that he felt under the circumstances it would be best not to break the news of President Nixon's bigge?t defeat to the American people. "The Silent Majority would feel we were using our power to criticize the President's failure to round up enough votes for his Supreme Court choice." A wire service representative felt that even though the vote had gone against President Nixon it was still news. Its true that we would hare preferred Hayns-wort- h to win just so the heat would have been off us, he said, but Im sure the American people wid realize that we had no ulterior motive in sending out the Slayr.swonh story. A leading new p per editor 'aid, Perhaps we could report the Haynv ui,:th rejection without going into the del. us of iM badly the vote went against him. We could put the story somewhere in the back of the paper where no one would sea it" Another network vice president said. 4 ART BUCHWALD Thats all right for you people. But if we go on the air and say that Havns-wort- h was voted down. Agnew will demand equal time to say we've been coloring the news." A syndicated columnist said. Couldn't we say that Hayn? worth had been rejected by a small vociferous minority of 55 men on Capitol Hill who did not speak for the country? An editor of a news magazine said, The problem as I see it, is that if we all print and report the same story of Haynsworth's defeat we will be accused of with the same voice. Why couldnt some of the media say he won, and some say he lost? In that way we wouldnt be attacked for being a small elite band of opinionmakers who are out to destroy the President. A third network spokesman said, It's a good suggestion but I feel after reexamining our own coverage of the news we could avoid criticism by indicating that something went wrong at the Supreme Court today, but not saying exactly what it was. This tray we would be covering the news, but we would not do anything to annoy the Administration. The president cf a monopoly newspaper chain said. Thats not a bad idea. In that way the White House might be put of having to announce t ie in a r.ews themselves, and then we would be free to print it" A radio executive said, I think we should call Atty. Gen. John Mitchell and a.--k his permission. If he believes we can all report the story without violating the First Amendment, then we should go po-iti- ahead. From then on the members of the liberal Eastern Establishment news media got into a violent argument over whether the Haynsworth defeat was news, or would just be playing into the hands of the enemies of the Nixon Administration. It was finally decided to bring it to a vote. As each man's name was called he stood up and declared his position. The final outcome was that 55 voted to break the story and 45 were opposed. And thats how the American people found out that Judge Clement Haynsworth was not confirmed for Justice Abe Fortas' seat on the United States Court GUeSi CARTOON W. SCHWARZ 971 W. 2nd North Too Much Pride? No Bad News From Arms Talks By ROSCOE and RED Yh?t do the Mormon people really do? Do they live up to the actual teachings of Christ? Or do they live down to an excessively codified, stylized social structure? LDS Conferences come and go. yet people continue to sin. I'm not talking ab ut smoking, drinking or petting. I'm talking about the sin of mans ignorance of his fellowman. Im also talking about the sin of pride. Is it possible that the sin of pride has crept into LDS social patterns in this year of our Lord, 1969? I think so. Mormons are a tiny fraction of the world's humans. What are the LDS people doing about it? Are they content with their heated homes and laden tables in Utah? Utah an isolated pocket in the world, known to few, cared about by even fewer. There are many places right here in North Amerca where the word Utah is unknown. Is the modern Mormon in a state cf small apostasy? Could the modern Mormon pioneer if he had to? Is the modern Mormon ready and willing to tackle the human and intellectual challenges, of our revolution? In Utah (which I recently visited) Im afraid he is not -J- AKE JACKSON Lawrence, Ind More Competition Government, in its fight to maintain open competition, has in several instances lest sight of its goals and in several instances hindered competition. An excellent example of this is the airline industry. The government has cut competition and on several occasions created monopolies by letting the Civil Aeronautics Board dictate the routes tiai each airline may fly. Is there any wonder why the airlines are so heavily subsidized with the government telling these people where they can go? Anything that government has control over in the way cf business sours. ;- If the management of an airline feels that St would be lucrative to fly the same route as another airline so what What could happen besides some open competition for the publics dollars and better service. By restoring control of the airlines to people that are properly trained to run them the airlines just might be able to get off the crutches of public subsidv. --J. PETERSON 1740 Millcreek Cir. The Logic Of War While the world sits stunned by atrocities allegedly committed by soldiers under duress, lets take a look at the ethics of war. What is deemed as patriotism and heroism in one light, is, under another, considered an atrocity. We shuddered at Hitler's slaughter of f million Jews, grieved bitterly when Japan attacked Peart Harbor, approved Trumans decision to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Crow when thousands of tons of bombs are dropped near the Cambodian border, or a North Vietnamese ship is sunk. We brag about the number of enemy dead Is it any less atrocious because the killer does not see his victim? Hie dead are just as dead. Weve sent our boys to Vietnam to fight where friend and foe look alike. One never knows if under the clothing beats the heart of friend or an enemy; if the old fanner in the field is actually a Met Cong, if the old women are shielding ones enemy, or if the very small boy on the bicycle carries a hand grenade. on There were some bars along the highway. CSrhtun tetanew Monitor A week is a million days when trying to outguess the enemy in a war that is no war. killing first or being killed. The man on the ground Is the man who takes the beating in nerve, mind and body. Please let the dead past bury its dead, and let our soldiers live down that past. -E-VaNGELLNE TAPPAN EickneS |