March 4, 1971 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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r, •
The file folder bulges with its obscene load. On the tab,
in large red letters, is the word VIETNAM; under that, the
smaller, cramped additions: CAMBODIA and LAOS.
Its clippings and charts tell the despicable story that the
majority of Americans, through a combination of
self-imposed and government-encouraged ignorance, refuse to
acknowledge.
It's all there, from the early meddling of Presidents
Eisenhower and Kennedy through the horrendous excesses of
Lyndon Johnson to the deception and duplicity of President
Richard Nixon - all there for any citizen to read; put down
in black and white by newsmen who died to obtain it and
brought to light by a handful of columnists, Senators and
Representatives who risked retaliation from high officials
who understand the effectiveness of appeals to
bumper-sticker mentalities.
0
It's the story of the most powerful nation on earth
spending $110,000,000,000 (to date) to destroy a country
the size of Georgia - and its people - for a variety of reasons
ranging from the initial "'we are stopping the spread of
communism" to the present "we will not be humiliated."
It's the story of the corrupt corps of bandit generals we
have kept in power and have now unleashed on Cambodia
and Laos; a regime so unpopular with its own people it needs
a police force of 200,000 to protect it from the citizenry.
Cambodian Army Major Soeung Kimsea saw at first-hand
the results of this unconscionable intervention in the affairs
of a sovereign nation. He told a reporter, after South
Vietnamese troops helped retake the town of Kompong
Speu: "They took everything - furniture, radios, money.
They even broke open safes. Now the population has more to
fear of the South Vietnamese than of the Viet Cong."
It's the story of the "body count" - not only the
150,000 enemy dead per year, but the quarter-million
civilians killed and wounded each 12 months.
O
A Methodist bishop who traveled to Vietnam to
determine for himself the morality of America's role in that
country, asked a Buddhist monk, "'What can we do to help
your people?" The monk replied, "The thing we need most is
to be saved from your salvation."
It's the story of a Congress so preoccupied with
self-serving and special-interest matters that it handed one
man the authority to make war; then, when it realized its
mistake, found that it is so enmeshed in the web of those
special interests that it is incapable of performing its duty.
It's the story of the massacre at My Lai, where
Vietnamese Bahes-in-arms were slaughtered by young
Americans, and which one officer described as "no big deal,"
after explaining that he and his men killed many civilians in
the village.
"Every aspect of the war is layered over by mistruth,
misinformation, misstatement and silence," wrote Newsman
~.qqicholas V on Hoffmala, "It took a reporter to disclose My
Lai and a room full of generals to conceal it."
; ++ ++ J +
It's a story in which it becomes increasingly clear we
would not be involved if the mounting pile of bodies
contained blue-eyed blondes. But they are just "gooks" and
"slopes" and, as one veteran of My Lai explained to a
newsman, "I figured they were better off dead."
It's the story of a presidential candidate who promised to
end the war and then created an administration dedicated to
cynical manipulation of public opinion through televised"
doublethink. War became peace, escalation became winding
down, saturation bombing became protective reaction,
invasion became limited incursion and failure became success.
The administration said we would not invate Cambodia.
We invaded Cambodia.
The administration said we would not provide air support
for South Vietnamese forces in Cambodia.
We provided air support for South Vietnamese forces in
Cambodia.
The administration said we were not committed to the
defense of the Lon Nol regime in Cambodia.
We were committed to the Lon Nol regime.
The administration said we would not invade Laos.
We invaded Laos.
The administration said we would have no ground
combat troops in Laos.
This week, the folder marked VIETNAM, CAMBODIA
and LAOS was lifted from its spot in the editor's file to
receive another clipping. "U.S. TROOPS GET LAOS OK,"
said the headline. "U.S. combat troops can be sent into Laos
to protect search-and-rescue teams trying to save stranded
American airmen in that embattled country, Nixon
administration spokesmen declared yesterday," the article
began.
"'At the White House, an official called the practice
"protective encirclement' of rescue missions and said they
would not constitute any violation of legislative restrictions
on the use of ground troops and advisers."
"Protective encirclement" - another polished new phrase
from the Pentagon designed to confuse the American people
and circumvent the law of the land - joins the long list of
deceptions.
"'None of this lying and hiding has a jot to do with
military security," Von Hoffman explains for those who are
interested. "The North Vietnamese don't have to read the
New York Times to know they've been clobbered by B-52's.
It's done to conceal graft, stupidity, bad judgment from our
own people; it's done in hopes you can execute policies in
secret that you wouldn't dare to attempt if they were
known."
So the most contemptuous chapter in American history
continues, and the people, at the mercy of an immobilized
Congress and an administration that will not tell them the
truth, accept the simplistic, calculated jingoisms of a Vice
President who says the persons revealing the truth about the
genocide, corruption, stupidity and bad judgment are "agents
of Hanoi."
Nothing will change for the better in Southeast Asia until
the American people accept the truth, horrible as it is.
A striking example of what is deemed of importance by politicians 3,000
miles removed from their districts is illustrated by the following telegram
from Representative Julia Butler Hansen.
During last year's nerve gas fiasco, the Journal received two phone calls
from Mrs. Hansen's public relations man - five months after the initial
announcement that a trainload of 13,000 tons of the deadly substance was
to traverse the length of her Congressional district.
This week we received two (count 'em) two identical telegrams, one of
which is reproduced below.
VOO29(k'# BUA210) HC GOVT PD BU WASHINGTOt ' DEC MAR 2 NFT
HL RY fay PUBLISHER
SH£LTON MASON COUNTY JOURNAL SHELTO I WASH
WASHINGTON-- COI CRESSMAN JULIA BUTLER HAI SEN TUESDAY WAS
HONORED BY FIVE OKLAHOMA INDIAN TRIBES FOR HER " GREAT LEADERSHIP
AND DISTINGUISHED SERVICE* TO AMERICAN INDIANS°
COINCIDE TLY I GOV DAVID HALL OF OgLAHOA YESTERDAY
PROCLOAIMED TH DAY " JULIA BUTLER HAI SE ' DAY" HIS STATE TO
COMMEMORATE MRS HANSENS WORK 0 BEHALF 0 F THE TRIBES.
AT A SPECIAL LUNCHEOI V IN THE HOUSE SPEAKERS DINIIcC ROOM IY¢
THE US CAPITOL MRS HANSEh' WAS PRAISED REPEATEDLY ;'OR HER
WORK AS CHAIRMAN OF THE INTERIOR APPRPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE
BY OFFICIALS OF FiVE INDIAN NATIO ,S IN OgLAHOMAC.
THE FIVE TRIBES MADE MRS HANSEDT AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THEIR
INTER-TR IBAL COU ,C IL.
" YOU ARE TYPICAL OF THE ANCIENT WARRIEES OF THE CHICKASWA
TRIBE" SAID OVERTON JAMESt GOVERNOR OF THE CHICKASAW NATION.
" YOU HAVE NEVER LOST A BATTLE."
W W KEELER CHIEF OF THE KEROKEE NATION AI D PRESIDEI 'T
OF THE PHILLIPS PETROLEUM CO,, TOLD MRS HAI SEN SHE HAD " RARE
IIVSIGHT, tYOUeVE HAD A GRET PARK IN MAKING OUR LIFE BETTER." HE
By: ROBERT C. CUMMINGS
OTHER TRIBAL CHIEFS WITH WORDS Og PRIE XXX PRAISE WERE
W E MCINTOSHt OF THE CREEK NATIONt TULSA AI D HARRY J W BELVIN OF THE
CHOCTAW NATIONt DURANT OKLA. FLOYD HARJOt VICE-CHIEF OF THE
OKLAHOMA SEI'!INOLE, N TIONt PRESENTED THAT TRIBE. +: +
THE INTER-TRIBAL COUNCIL OF THE FIVE NZXXX giVE NATIONS
PRESNTED MRS HANSEN WITH A SPECIAL PLAGUE PAYING TRIBUTE TO HER
FOR " GREAT LEADERSHIP AND DISTI 'GUISHED SERVICE" IN INDIAN
AFFZ IRS.
As the money provided by
bond issues runs out, moves are
underway in the Legislature to
increase or expand the special
taxes which originally were
provided to fund the bond issues.
A Senate bill would add
another ½ cent to the gasoline tax
to fund another bond issue for
the urban arterial fund.
It would increase from 5/8
cent to I 1/18 cents the amount
of motor vehicle taxes earmarked
for urban arterial bond
retirement.
This would fund an additional
$160 million in bonds. All
proceeds from the original $200
million bond issue either have
been exhausted or are committed.
In the House, there is a bill to
extend the gasoline tax to all
pleasure boats, and funnel the
Page 4 Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, March 4, 1971
" WE COUNT ON XXX COUNT YOU ON OUR $IDE " SAID BELVIN.
-HOUSE SPEAKER CARL ALBERT VHO IS FROM OKLAHOMA t SAID
THE HOUSE IS " PROUD" OF MRS HA SENS WORKI " SHE HAS A HEART
AND SHE HAS A MIND."
OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AT THE LUNCHEON WERE OKLAHOMA
SEN PAGE BELCHER AND REPS JOH HAPPY CAMP AND ED EDMODSO t
WHO DESCRIBED MRS HANSEN AS" Olqg OF THE FINEST CHAMPIONS OF THE
AMERICAN INDIAN YOU WILL EVER FIND IN THE PAGES OF HISTORY°m
MRS HANSENt WHOSE SUBCOMMITTEE FUNDS THE BUREAU OF INDIAN
AFFAIRS- ALL INDIAN HEALTH? D EDUCATION WELFARE AND RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS-- SAID SHE WAS GRATEFUL FOR " THE PRIVILECEXXX
PRIVILEDGE OF COMING HERE AND SERVINCo THIS IS THE ONLY REAS01
YOU COME HER -- TO SERVE."
JULIA BUTLER HANSEN MC
+ __
proceeds into tl e outdoor
recreation account.
" At present, only unclaimed
refunds of this tax go into the
recreation fund.
Different Climates
The two proposals face
different climates.
Current anti-tax sentiment
presents a rough road for another
boost in gasoline taxes in a state
which already has the highest tax
in the continental United States,
even though its cities would like
more urban arterial money.
Opposition to more urban arterial
construction from certain
environmental groups is another
factor, but there also is the
argument of more jobs, and
stimulation for the sagging
economy.
The tax on marine fuel is in a
better position, because pleasure
boat operators are in the
minority.
Many don't bother to collect
the refunds. Those who do are
more occupied with the various
bills designed to regulate them,
and a measure which would
require them to be equipped with
holding tanks.
More serious opposition could
come from operators of marine
service stations, who would have
to keep separate books on sales to
commercial craft, exempt from
the tax.
Hot Spot Cools
When the State Patrol asked
for authority .to conduct spot
checks on the highways a couple
of sessions back, it was a hot
issue.
It got through the Legislature
only with extreme difficulty, and
only after safeguards were
included against checking after
dark etc.
Now that the patrol is asking
authority to extend the law to
permit night-time checking, it
hasn't created much of a wave.
The measure already has passed
the House and seems reasonably
sure of passing the Senate.
One of the factors which has
cooled the opposition i.~ its
delaying effect on compulsory
annual motor vehicle inspections;
extremely unpopular, but
required for conformance with
the federal safety act.
Night-time spot checks would
give the state another two years in
which to determine exactly what
will satisfy the feds.
Blank Title, Blank Check
Money is involved in at least
two of tbe 254 bills which have
been introduced by title only.
Editor, The Journal: m e m y
In response to your Letterhum
Box dated February 25, 1971: would like
This is my first letter in regard apologize to
to any worldly situation. I, like shortsi
the rest of the busy people, have takes one
not taken time to be concernedto admit that
with the complex problems of to offer
youth, publicly as
But the letter to the editor by
Margaret Chapman, No. 653838, This
has touched me deeply, humble
I have known of this lady and fine person
her plight for some years, and I something
figured her problems were damn short.
self-inflicted. 1 really felt no God
remorse or sorrow, efforts.
But after reading her letter,
which was very enlightening for
,curse
Editor, The Journal
A quick glance at the "She
started life innocent like your
child and all others" was enough
to give me a summary of the
general content of the story. A
girl goes 'bad', despite the efforts
of 'her family trying to live today
by the known rules yesterday.' It
sounds melodramatic.
The Editor's introduction
indicates the need for a solution
to this father's problem. The
problem is seen without a great
deal of effort in the first
paragraph. It includes
condemnation of teenagers, those
lazy, disrespectful and selfish
creatures with seemingly
insatiable appetites for drugs,
alcohol, sex and communist
philsophies. (CP's, by the way
include all ideas directed at them
during the midst of a losing
argument concerning their
traditional values.)
I wonder if the father ever
asked his girl why she did the
things that the law, through its
protection of her gave her the
opportunity to do? (He may as
well blame the law, he won't
blame himself). An answer might
be found in his introductory
question, "What is the goal of
most of today's teenagers?" The
key word is goal.
Now if I may I will speak of
tw6 types of people. The first are
those mechanical dolls following
rules drilled into them by parents
anxious to show themselves
.capable of sculpturing people able
to perform in a society that made
laws allowing them to enjoy sex,
drugs, and drinking free of
punishment.
The second type of person at
some point or other in his life
stops and asks himself if the game
is really worth playing. Are the
rules he is now playing under
valid, and what is tha nature of
the game itself, anyway?
He asks himself what his goals
are, and can he justify them? He
builds a philosophy of an
approach to life, and at times
circumstances included in 'the
normal crisis occurring in life
make the turn to the "frightening
three" very easy. The difference
can lie in other people.
In a tough situation, knowing
that other people are willin~ to
help
the major
the game."
have this
I hate
father, but
as
They don't
for nothin
"r e b ellion
defiance
realize that
things they
through
and the self
get them
The 'st~
cop-out
arrive.
understa~di
receive c,
for an adet
can lead to
the
problem.
If this
defending
a faulty
blaming
arrive at
any ideas)
problem. He
law permits
run the
otherwise?"
1 wonder
would
daughter tc
boy' after
a little
her drug e~
Come
yourself.
not the law.~
may make na
all do but
by
the problez
In
example
can say.
we are given
the things
wishes
opportunity
wrong.
pay for
learn from
If we
our world,
we will paY.
the
from
punishments
Editor, The Journal
Everyone, please hear my
plea !
If you see an animal lying in
the road that has been hit, please
take time to remove it from the
'road. If you also have the time,
see if you can't find the owner.
Many of you, I am sure, have
pets of your own and would like
someone to take the time to do
this for you.
I had
to me. I
grateful to
me know
I have
left in the
they were
So,
feeling a~
remove the
Editor, The Journal
A lot of us teenagers seem
very upset when our parents ask
us where we've been after a
Saturday night out d~ the town.
I sometimes wonder if any of
us ever stop to think that maybe
they just wanted to know if we
had a good time.
And some parents say they
don't like the music we play.
Have we ever stopped to think
that maybe they can't understand
the words?
The clothes we wear seem to
exist mostly of faded blue jeans
and old shirts. And a lot of
parents don't like it. But maybe
they
something :1
while.
We
parents
seem to
Somehow I'
the last
So
your
yell at yoU,
yourself, trY
They may
love you
Besides jt
you be
Mailing Address: Box 430, Shelton, Wa. 98584
Published at Shelton, Mason CountY,
weekly, except two issues during wee~
Entered as Second-Class Matter at the
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER .............