August 14, 1969 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Editorials:
Shabby treatment
The treatment being gwen its number one employee by
the Mason General Hospital board of commissioners is
indefensible.
It has been eight days since a woman employee of the
hospital complained to Shelton police that she had been
assaulted by Cal Hopper, hospital administrator. During those
eight days rumors about Hopper, most of them ugly, have
circulated throughout the county.
The commissioners' reaction to this unsubstantiated
charge, for which the supposed victim did not sign an official
complaint, was to relieve their top man of his duties through
the subterfuge of a premature vacation and then clam up.
This leaves Hopper in the unenviable position of being
dissected and slandered by gossip-mongers with not one word
of defense (or accusation) from the men who hired him to
run the county's new hospital.
The public's knowledge of Hopper, until a week ago,
was of an efficient, affable, top-notch hospital man who had
been hired by the Mason General board to supervise the
construction of, and then administer, that institution
following a successful tenure in the same capacity at Shelton
General Hospital. There had never been any indication from
commission members that he was anything other than that.
If the administrator has suddenly turned into a monster,
the public, which owns the hospital, is entitled to a bill of
particulars from the cotnnaission. If he has not, he deserves
the strong backing and moral support of that body and the
community.
The view of the commission, as expressed by its
chairman, that the board can do nolhing until its meeting
next Wednesday, is unbelievable. It has already relieved
Hopper of his duties and whether that condition is temporary
or permanent makes no difference so far as Hopper's
reputation is concerned.
The damage is being done now. The cold-blooded
approach of the commission, as though it wcrc dealing with a
balky computer rather than a human being, is inexcusable.
We simply cannot understand how three good men, all
of whom have given selflessly of their time on hospital work
and other civic endeavors, can be handling this matter st)
ineptly.
If the commissioners think they are performing a public
service by protecting the reputation of the hospital through
the sacrifice of an expendable employee, they are wrong.
Institutions heal quickly; humans have to live with their
reputations the rest of their lives.
Letter box:
i i ii
Unfinished road
, Please be informed of the
"project' on Spring Road. This
so-called t)rojcct is an installation
of an 8 or ten inch diameter
pipeline from the athletic field
site to Johns Prairie Road, a
distance of one-half mile or less.
"/'he laying of this pipe would
normally take a competent
contractor approximately IO days
time to complete the' project
without closing the public
thoroughfare (Spring Road.) As it
so .happens, this road has been
closed for two months and still is
at the time of this writing (August
12, 1969), depriving the
taxpaying public of the se of its
property.
I have tried on three different
occasions to contact the City of
Sheton public officials by
telephone to register my
complaint in regard to this
matter. ! did not make contact
with any official, due to reasons
beyond my control. They were
not available for various reasons.
What is a person to do to get
action from our public servants?
To keep our roads open? File suit
against the city and the
contractor and thereby cost the
taxpayer more money?
Or to remember certain
individuals at the polls during
voting time?
An irate detourist,
E. P. Bartolat
A different view
Editor, The Journal:
I feel that people who are not
personally familiar with Holden
Village deserve to hear another
view of this unique retreat.
The first time I was there was
for a work-fun week and since
then my husband and I have spent
a week's vacation there. Such a
short week! We hiked, read,
played ping-pong, volleyball,
bowled, attended a few lectures,
went to the movies, or just did
nothing.
Two of my favorite memories
are of late night deer watching
and also midnight dips in the
outdoor Jacuzzi pool. It's
marvelous to soak in that warm
water and contemplate the
beautiful starry heavens and
watch the moon make its way
across the sky. I think it is a good
place, very much a place to rest.
OR with such a variety of
activities, how could anyone be
bored or not have a thoroughly
delightful time?
We plan to return often, every
summer, if possible. If only 1
could express the wonder of
Holden with its majestic ring of
mountains, paths through deep
forest, the absolute quiet.
Mary Ellen Fuller
New name needed
Editor, The Journal:
1 see in your paper of July 3
you speak of the Binns-Swiger
Road. The road, one mile east and
two miles south, was made the
two miles by Fred Rose and Mr.
Binns, so should be called the
Rose and Binns and Swiger Road.
Fred Rose and the Binns came
from Michigan. Swiger came later
from Virginia.
Fred Rose said when he and his
mother and brothers moved here
there was only a trail there. They
used to have to just use pack
horses.
Archie" Binns' dad and uncle
came out. They used to know
each other in Michigan.
Fred Rose said he worked on
the road so hard he couldn't
hardly get home. He lived on one
side, Binns lived on the other side.
They had to plow, cut trees and
blast stumps.
Ernie Swiger came later from
Virginia. Earl Leggett and his
sister were out there. If you don't
believe it, ask Earl.
1 think it should be put in your
records as Binns-Rose-Swiger
Road. Swiger and Fred Rose are
dead.
There are two Mrs. Fred Roses
here, so' don't get us mixed up.
The other one is Rev. Mac's
daughter at Kamilche. 1 am not a
relation.
Mrs. Fred Rose
FOunded 1886 by Grant C. Angle
Mailing Address: Box 430, Shelton, Wash. 98584 Phone 426-4412
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, August 14,
i g
€>. ,a=.
"1 don't understand how anybody can stay in the crowded city on weekends."
Capitol dome:
Evans to ask for state control of garbage
By: ROBERT C. CUMMINGS
While moving to implement the
solid waste management act of
1969 through the State
Department of Health, Gay. Dan
Evans also is preparing changes in
the act to be submitted to the
special session next January.
As now written, the law
provides for a statewide program
of planning ,for rball disposal,
but leave,-local, goenment tn
control of actual operations.
The governor plans to have it
changed so the state may set
minimum standards, with which
local governments will be required
to comply.
Though stronger than the
existing law, it is still far less
stringent than the original bill
which the governor submitted to
the regular session. It was close to
a complete state takeover, but
was watered down before it
passed theHouse.
Better Chance Next Time
The reason the act is being
implemented as far as possible by
the Department of Health ifi that
the law actually calls for its
administration by the Department
of Enviromental Quality, a
department which the Legislature
neglected to create.
The governor has a good
chance of getting this department
in the special session. The bill
passed the Itouse last time, but
happened to land in the same
Senate committee as his
highly-controversial Department
of Transportation bill, and at
about the same time.
With the transportation bill m
there, the committee chairman
didn't call another meeting. The
measure will receive more careful
stewardship when it arrives in the
Senate next time.
The solid waste management
act passed bereft of any
appropriation, but the governor
has under study the feasibility of
an appropriation for grants-in-aid
to counties and cities, to assist
them in management planning for
garbage disposal.
Partisanship Rears Head
Despite the fact they are
labeled "non-partisan," it has
been virtually impossible to keep
partisanship out of city elections
in the larger cities; especially
Seattle. Even when none of the
candidates for an office had ever
worn official party labels, they
quickly were identified as either
Republican or Democrat through
the people supporting them.
This year the party labels are
official. Five of the leading
candidates for mayor of Seattle
either hold or have held public
offices as either Republican or
Democrats.
Actively Partisan
On the Republican side are
Secy. of State Lud Kramer and
former State Rep. Mort Frayn,
former Republican state chairman
as well as a former Speaker of the
House.
On the Democratic side are two
incumbent Democratic senators,
Fred Dare and Wes Uhlman, and
Councilman Sam Smith, who
served several terms in the House
of Representatives as a Democrat.
In Tacoma, Mayor A. L.
Rasmussen, seeking re-election,
spent many years in the
Legislature as a Democrat One
of his opponents, Patrick M.
Steele, served in the House as a
Republican.
No move appears on the
horizon, however, to alter the
myth of nonpartisanship, though
there were partisan city elections
in some third-class cities as late as
1932.
No Way to Go But Up
The Toll Bridge Authority
didn't have any choice except to
raise ferry rates. The law doesn't
permit the ferry system to
operate as a deficit.
Gasoline tax money may be
used only to service bonded
indebtedness, but this restriction
is only in the law; not the
consitution, and could be changed
by majority vote of the
Legislature.
As the Puget Sound area gains
legislative representation through
redistricting, a change in this law
may be attempted, in an effort to
ward off future boosts in ferry
fares.
Highway "Trains" Eyed
Governor Evans hasn't
indicated any intention of
becoming involved in the dispute
over the Highway Commission
issuing nine trucking firms special
90-day "trial" permits to operate
l O0-foot-long vehicles on
Interstate Highway 5.
But he hasn't made any effort
to conceal his concern over the
act. He thinks there are enough
problems on the freeways already,
without adding to them.
Besides "the problem on city
streets getting to and from
freeways, the governor is
concerned over the four-lane
sections of the freeway which
have just two lanes each way.
Though all of the highway
commissioners are Evans
appointees, it could be they aren't
too concerned over the governor's
concern. They've had differences
with him before.
They could be concerned over
the displeasure of the Automobile
Club of Washington, however,
which helped oppose successfully
the governor's effort to strip the
commission of some of its powers
last session.
Some of the press wasn't too
happy over the way the
commission's action was taken,
either, without notice and after
all newsmen had left the meeting.
With rising interest rates, public
officials trying to float bond
issues are having a tough time
writing bond issue resolutions.
If they don't include a ceiling
on the interest rate, they have a
tough time getting voter approval.
If they do include a ceiling, they
face the possibility of being
unable to sell the bonds.
Let's talk books:
i i
American dream in the 40"s youth* in revolt
By LLOYD A. COOK
Mrs. Bridge. By Evan S.
Connell, Viking, 1959.
Mr. Bridge. By Evan S. Connell,
Knopf, 1969.
In 1959 Evan Connell wrote
"Mrs. Bridge," and a few months
ago published "Mr. Bridge." The
latter, a Kansas City lawyer, died
near the end of the first novel so
that to re-create him now is a
kind of memorial.
If you were an adult in the
1930-40's, on the make yourself,
you have met the Bridges. Walter
came from a poor family, as he
was wont to remind India, his
wife, and the three children. He
worked hard, got a law degree,
and then made a lot of money.
On his last Christmas eve, he
stuffed 10 shares of a utility stock
into envelopes for family
members - and 10 for the Negro
cook - hung them on the tree. In
the morning he was thanked and
the shares were passed to him for
safe keeping. His great pleasure
was to sit in the vault at his bank
and go over his assets.
Mr. Bridge was a no-nonsense,
take charge man, at home and in
the office, tie was a good man, a
man of principle. He would not
1969
laugh at dirty jokes, did not wear
odd clothes, •and never gambled.
Poor people were not good risks
in his business, and law breakers -
sex offenders in particular
should be jailed. Negroes were
alright in their plae; Jews he had
doubts about. Pres. Hoover did
his best but Roosevelt, there was
a man who, with his left-wing
advisers, was out to wreck the
country.
B's children were a puzzle to
him. He was firm with them, firm
and fair. He lectured them but
could not talk with them. Doug,
the eldest, soon headed for World
War !I, was openly hostile.
Carolyn was snappish and
ill-mannered, and Ruth was an
"unknown," a problem. He loved
the kids and he loved his wife,
though how to tell her this he
could not imagine. As a rule he
bought her something she did
not need and did not want, such
as a new Lincoln stationwagon.
His rapport with India, or lack
of it, is seen in an incident. They
are at church on an Easter
Sunday. The place is jammed, the
day is muggy, and she begins to
feel sick. When she said that she
was going to faint, he replied:
"No, not here. Wait until we get
outside." She said: "All right, I'll
try," thinking that he was going
to escort her out. But, apparently
not, for he did not get up. She
realized that he meant for her to
wait until church was over.
India is a gentle, wellbred,
flighty person. She lived in a fine
house in a fine area. She belonged
to the country club and gave to
charities. She was, as she remarks,
"busy, busy, busy," too busy to
read a book except self-help
manuals. She had made the
European tour with Mr. B and
loved to show friends her
snapshots. She was adept at
bridge, window shopped a lot,
and liked to bowl.
Here are, in sum, two true to
life characters, as true to their
times as anyone in "Mainstreet"
or in "Babbitt." They are persons,
one might say, who have
everything. They are living out a
part of the American Dream.
Work hard, squirrel along, invest,
have a family, retire at 60, build a
cottage on the lake. Get a speed
boat for the kids, a cruiser for
yourself and friends. Unless, of
course, the stock market should
take a tumble!
These are the people, the
Bridges, that our children are now
warning us against. They have,
somehow, mucked things up, and
LIFE has passed them by. What
went wrong with their dream,
what has happened to the nation?
I sense some difference in the
author's mood in the two novels.
He is kinder to Mrs. B more
tolerant of her futsy ways, less
critical of her non-ideas. With Mr.
B. his cool appraisal, his caustic
humor, show some personal
rancor. Perhaps the date, 1969, is
significant. The WASP person is
much under attack at present,
which means that the times (and
Mr. Connell) have changed. What
these changes portend, what lies
ahead in the future, is a most
speculative matter.
I think the Bridge children are
the key to what the author is
aiming at, what he intends to say
about life then and today. Now
that the kids are grown up, each a
very different individual, I feel
that Mr. Connell should go for
extra innings in his hit series.
There should be at least one more
book which would tell us what
happened to these troubled
youngsters, these potential
revblutionaires.
The Flapdoodler:
The lucky kids
have to go home
By STEVE ERICKSON
(NEWS ITEM - A 10-year-old girl
beaten in a wooded area last week told
forced at gunpoint to ride past her own
floorboards of her assailant's car.)
We arrived at the playground and the
straight for the monkey bars, which seemed
arm-over-armed his way to the top and
the daylights out of dad with his daredevil
Shayla sprawled across two hertz
pretended to sleep.
Dad sat under a tree with large, protra--
watching.
The playround was full of kids, some
they'd stopped by on their way home from
others looking like they'd just fled reform
between. Strange.
(The girl told police she was walking tl
stand near her home when a car drove up
interesection, and stopped. A man with
opened a car door and told her to get in. She
he pointed a gun at me," the girl said. She got
Shayla and KetCh left the monkey b,as
the swings. On the way, Keith drew himsel
water from a leaky fountain. Shayla tested th{
The swings were in use, all three of
waited. Pretty soon a blonde girl with ,,tombOY
her forehead leaped from one swing and
wading pool. Shayla glommed onto the swing
her a push.
Keith had to wait a while, but finally
little lad went to visit the rest room
aboard his swing and got his push.
The third swing was occupied by a
girl whose stencil read "waif."
(The girl told detectives the man
her, and she hit him in the face. The man
freckled youngster hard on the left side
five-foot tall, 75-pound girl's skull was
places around the cheekbone.)
Waif was joined a few minutes later
looked a lot like her. They sat on each other'S
that way, a neat trick.
"It's called "spider," she explained.
Keith and Shayla tried it. Pretty
sets of dad-propelled spiders swinging
"We're twins," Waif suddenly disclose(
strand of unattended hair with her hand.
fragile little girl, made the more elfin
war-orphan dress somebody had hung
shoulders.
• Her brother's T-shirt, too, had seen
Not to mention his pants. They might have
Can't Bust Em's, but whatever they
them in several places. His shoes were just a
the rest of the ensemble.
"We're eight," the boy said, grinning.
and a trifle larger than the twin. Malnutrition
word to use.
(The girl said she thought she had seen
before, although she didn't remember where
provided detectives with a facial descriptior
was the basis of a composite picture.
believe the composite picture is accurate
scared when she looked at it.")
O
"You kids here alone?" here.
"Yes," the little girl said. "We ate lunch
"What?"
"Morn had to do some shoppin[ and
dropped us off here to play. We ate
That meant the twins had been
or before. My atch told me that had been
Shadows in the playground were len
l recalled that this particular
buffer area between a "good"
"not-quite-so-good" area, frequently
the sleazy type gent who gives adults
even noticed by children, until it's too latel
I glanced around. I didn't see
exceedingly seedy, but if there were
anywhere near, the twins had bullseyes
Pretty soon it was time to go.
For the twins, it was a little more spider,
while, maybe a turn on the merry-go-re
the teeter-totter or the wading pool.
Or whatever. "
Shayla was frowning, as she
leaving playgrounds before she's readY. 1 t t0'
twins.
"They're lucky," she complained. ,qlteY
here."