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Show yLg VIEWPOINT jfefgO CLIFF MEMMOTT. Editor WE'RE SMALL TOWN WHEN THERE IS PAID ADVERTISING SCHEDULED .... Tuesday a bulletin from the central office of the Utah State Press Association, which includes the non-metropolitan newspapers of this state, calling attention to the decision deci-sion of the American Trucking Assn., and the Utah Motor Transport Assn., to completely ignore us now that they have some money they want to spend on advertising'. It was only a short time ago when these same BIG OUTFITS came crying to the small town newspaper editors ed-itors to climb on their band wagon and assist them in some of their problems, which, as they put it, "concern those who live outside the big city" . . . Oh, sure, we went to bat for them . . . several hundred inches of F-R-E-E space was devoted to their cause, and great progress was made by them . . . Yes, they were grateful at least they said so, AT THAT TIME! Now comes word that about Jan. 4 the American Trucking Association had purchased radio time on one of the big hook-ups, and were to use the Big Town dailies to carry their message to the people of the nation Which, of course, is their God-given privilege, and none will deny them that right. When approached by a representative of their friends, the Small Town papers, and encouraged to spread their business out and prove their gratefulness, they said,. Oh, No, your rates are too high, we are committed to use the B-I-G papers. Reminds me a little bit of the promise the politician made when he sought your vote just before election You know, the "Baby-Kissing Gent," who, when he was elected immediately forgot the little guy from the sticks and began to play up to the "Big Shot." Once upon a time someone wisely said, "It's a long road without a turn in it." And for my part, I'm g"oing to be a wee bit skeptical when some big outfit comes to the L-I-T-T-L-E gent in the country for a bit of free publicity pub-licity to help him gain his goal! Am I right, or am I just a crab? " v E v THE L.D.S. CHURCH MAKES THEIR STAND OK "CALLING MIIONARlt i CLEAK . , . . I was very happy Tuesday to read a clarification of the position of the general authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on calling and sending out missionaries mis-sionaries at this particular time. , For some time a lot of criticism has been directed toward the church because of the young men who had responded re-sponded to a call to become ministers for their church in going out into the world to teach Christianity and their religious re-ligious philosophy . . . They were accused of going on missions to evade being drafted into the armed services ... A criticism I know was completely unjustified, because most of those young men who have gone on missions had planned this venture for years and were just waiting until they had arrived at the proper age. Never has a people demonstrated more loyalty and patriotism pa-triotism to the United States of America than have the Mormon people . . . History will prove this . . . Since the selective service act was again put into operation in the present emergency, the church authorities have acted on the advice and counsel of heads of the organization . . . Encouragement was given the church to send their envoys abroad with the assertion that "The World Needs Someone To Teach Them The Gospel Of Jesus Christ." Now, when our position as a nation becomes more critical, the church has advised every stake president and every ward bishop not to call a young man on a mission until he has the approval of his local draft board . . . Could anything1 be more fair? In making these comments I am in no way digressing from the established policies of this newspaper to keep it independent religiously. . . I would be just as quick to defend de-fend any other church's position if I recognized a justification justifi-cation for upholding them . . . That I have done many times as an editor. v E v STAMP "CONQUERED" OVER POLIO YOU CAN HELP. TOO! We had a lot of infantile paralysis in this nation last summer. Too much of it. Even one case of polio is too much. Just one kid, robbed of his God-given right to run and walk, and have fun, and grow up in health, is one youngster too many to have polio. But let's face it and realize that last year was the second worst in the recorded history of the disease in the United States. At the same time, let's ponder the following and very hopeful fact: Research into infantile paralysis never has presented a brighter front than it does today. We can thank the March of Dimes for a great deal of our reasons for optimism. During the past 13 years, scientific Investigators have come a long, long way since one Dr. Underwood, an English En-glish physician, noted polio's peculiar symptoms in the 18th century. Scientists now know what causes infantile paralysis: a group of viruses. They didn't know that too many years ago. They now know how to grow the virus in test tubes a truly important step in the search for a vaccine, drug or serum to control the disease. That was achieved only two years ago. Scientists have also reduced tremendously the high fatality rate in bulbar polio, most serious form of the disease. This alone is a notable blessing. Yes, we've had a rough polio year. A lot of kids and grown-ups came down with infantile paralysis. But we can take heart in the knowledge that research is advancing. Someday, you can bet your last dollar that superimposed over the word "polio" will be the word "conquered." The $9,000,000 authorized so far by the March of Dimes ar-ganization ar-ganization for virus research will have had a lot to do with final victory. It's worth bearing in mind when you make your contribution to the 1951 March of Dimes. (Continued on Page Two) ECHO PARK FIGHT REACHES CONGRESS ... ' Senator Arthur V. Watkins (R, Utah) has announced that he will introduce legislation at the opening session of the 82nd Congress to authorize construction of Echo Park and Split Mountain' dams. . In a letter to Interior Secretary Oscar L. Chapman, the Utah senator requested his aid in gaining early ap-1 ap-1 proval of plans for the Upper Colorado River development project. The report on the project is now In the hands of the Interior Secretary and awaits his signature. Sen. Watkins, in ihe diplomatic language of politicians on official business, iold the Secretary to get a move on so that the 90-day period per-iod which the slates concerned will have for review can begin. Certain sources believe that California and perhaps Texas, will ask for an extension of the period as a delaying delay-ing tactic in the construction of the dams. In the same letter, Sen. Watkins took issue with the President's water resources board's recent recommendation that reclamation projects be held in abeyance until all rivers riv-ers of the nation have been surveyed and programmed. The Senator says that "the present national emergency requires that we proceed with all haste to construct these projects which will provide needed electric power for war industries, which will supply much needed water supplies to irrigate the acreage required to take care of the food needs of this nation and other nations we might be called on to support under our foreign commitments, and which will supply the water for expansion of our war industries and to take care of our expanding municipal needs." There is very little that we can add to the Senator's arguments in favor of the project. He is fulfilling his campaign cam-paign promises made in this city that he will do his utmost to promote the necessary legislation authorizing construction of the dams. Congratulations are in order for those men who have fought so diligently at home and in frequent trips lo Washington Wash-ington to inform the general public and the nation's leaders lead-ers of the crying need for the dams if this region Is to reach its maximum development. Bitter words and denunciations have come from both sides of the fence. "Nature lovers" feel that this construction construc-tion in a national monument poses a threat to all national parks and soon there may be no place where the world-weary world-weary can "get away from it all" and exclaim "Ah, Wilderness!" Wilder-ness!" This belief is backed by national women's groups and Influential civic organizations which will do everything within their power to delay or kill passage of the new legislation. leg-islation. This belief is understandable, although we might ask these societies if the National parks were created for the benefit of Americans, or Americans for the parks. Certainly Cer-tainly the welfare of communities and permanent residents should not suffer to provide a means of relaxation for the occasional visitor. Long and heated though the battles over the project have been, they are but preliminary skirmishes to the general gen-eral war which will be waged on the senate floor. Pressure Pres-sure groups will exert their utmost to harry politicians over one of the most controversial issues that has come up for discussion for a long time. Vernal Express. 30 |
