September 20, 1973 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Your friendly, neighborhood editorial writer has been
accused of being preoccupied with Watergate.
The plea is: guilty.
Never in the history of our country has a scribbler with
access to a printing press been given such a wide range of
crime in the executive branch of the government on which to
comment. Each day brings new revelations from Richard
Nixon's White House General Store, that free enterprise
emporium where everything has a price tag.
This week's knee-slapper is from grain traders at the
Chicago Board of Trade who report that the Russians are
reselling the wheat purchased last year from five American
grain exporters at $1.80 a bushel for the going rate of $5 a
bushel. The exporters, you will remember, received inside
information from the administration and $300 million in
American taxpayers' money during their tidy experiment in
free enterprise.
First Richard Nixon's American friends made their
millions at the expense of the taxpaying suckers and wheat
ranchers and now his new-found Russian friends are ripping
off their profit, while the American housewife pays more for
a loaf of bread.
God bless the silent majority. As long as they remain
silent and pony up the money, the king can stay in his
counting house counting out the money.
But, we digress. This editorial was to be strictly
non-Watergate, it was to feature items proving that not all
news is bad these days. For your reading pleasure, we offer the
following uplifters:
A committe of Aldermen of Sheiton, Connecticut, has
approved an appropriation of $50 to St. Joseph's Roman
Catholic Church for a special novena (nine days of prayer)
urging God to hold up rainstorms for one year so the city's
public works department can catch up with its many drainage
problems.
A Baltimore judge, Charles D. Harris, sentenced a
defendent to marriage instead of an i I-month jail term for
possession of LSD and marijuana, claiming "Marriage might
have a good effect" on Kim McNabb, 19. He said he would
waive the sentence if the girl would wed Thomas Satterfield,
24, who was her codefendant and was also facing 11 months.
Tom agreed.
The town of Greenhorn, Oregon, has a population of five.
The Department of Sanitation is a privy outside the
sheepherder's tent used by Marshall Miller. The American flag
flies above the privy, the only municipally-owned building in
town. When the town received $4.31 as its share of Oregon
liquor receipts, the residents bought a fifth of liquor and
called a town meeting.
Sherifffs deputies in Titusville, Florida, expended no
sweat in impounding nine Greyhound buses a judge had
ordered held as security in a law suit. "It's easy to seize a
bus," Ernie Eichelberger of the Brevard County Sheriff's
Department. "You don't have to hunt for them. They can't
hide and you know where they're going to be. You just read
the hedule."
Hi-Rise Campsite, Inc. has announced plans to construct
a 20-story campground in downtown New Orleans. "This will
be unique," said Wesley Hurley of Hi-Rise. "It is designed
for today's different brand of camping. People don't want
the woodsy bit now; they want to camp in comfort near the
city.'" Plans for the $4-million project call for eight lower
floors of parking and 12 upper stories, with 240 individual
sites equipped with utility hookups for campers and carpeted
with artificial turf.
In Pennsylvania, tile House of Representatives initially
approved and then rejected an amendment to outlaw
premarital and extramarital sex" also malicious mischief "in
caves."
1
The Vice President and Mrs. Agnew
cordially invile you to their
home for dinnerona date
which is convenient for you. I
,
Vice President
I
of the United States
of America
By ROBERT C. CUMMINGS
A lot of activity went on
during the nine-day mini-session
which could be described
accurately as fire drill legislation.
A lot of measures received
public exposure by passing one
house only to bog down in the
other. It was a multi-purpose
maneuver. It gave legislators,
especially members of the
Democratic majorities in each
house, a chance to assume a hero
role in their respective legislative
districts. It also set the stage for
future action in the special session
scheduled for next January.
More important, it kept the
legislators occupied while the
leadership was busy hammering
out agreements on the major bills
which required immediate
attention.
Self-protection
But by allowing bills passed
by one house to be shelved in the
other, the leadership protected
the Legislature as a whole from
public criticism for enacting too
much "'junk legislation." You
might say the leaders protected
the law-makers from themselves.
One of the pitfalls the
leadership feared most was a
public accusation of legislating
solely for the sake of legislating.
But to accomplish what they
had to do, the leaders still had to
keep their own members happy
They knew they would be under
only one house, there was a
variety. It wasn't the reason the
House spent a full seven hours in
debate one day to slash $17.9
million out of the appropriation
bill after it had passed the Senate.
But it nevertheless could
qualify for fire drill classification.
The leaders knew that the
Governor would ink out most of
the cuts with his veto pen, if the
Senate or a conference committee
didn't do it first.
The purpose of this maneuver
amendments was held for still
another reason. The first was to
give the proposals publicity and
public exposure for possible
action i¢ January. They were
permitted to die after passing one
house as a matter of practicality.
The Consitution specifies that
all proposed constitutional
amendments passed by the
Legislature must be submitted to
the voters at "the next general
election."
much pressure from the rank and was to give everybody in the The next general election is
file with pet bills, and a revolt " House a chance to go on record as November 6, this year. It would
within their own ranks would to how he felt on certain be next to impossible to get three
have been disastrous, appropriation items.
or four proposed amendments on
But if they let bills go through Governor Dan Evans called it the November 6 ballot at this late
one house with the knowledge "political puffery." It drove a date and still meet the legal
they wouldn't go any farther, sizeable wedge into the
nobody would get hurt. it harmonious relationship which requirements for explanation and
wouldn't matter what Democrats the Governor has enjoyed with arguments in the Voters'
in one house thought of the majority leadership since last Pamphlet.
Democratic leaders in the other. January. One additional proposal could
While this was the motivation The drill on a number of be handled, but that was the
behind many bills which passed p r o p o s e d c o n s t i t u t i o n a I limit.
Editor, The Journal: much love to
Let's tell it as it is: "hogwash!" You
When Mrs. Crutcher came to license because it
me last May and asked me to tell a welfare license. Is
the commissioners that it would going to pay for hir0d]
be okay to have a home for the I don't believe
retarded next door, I told her, strength to cook,
and will stick to it, that to think for six normal
of putting six to twelve retarded six to twelve
children in that small space was Love, love, love,
too much. I still feel that if dollar signs show.
normal children need a space to ones I have served
play, oh how much more the been free, except
retarded ones do. Yes, there is 2/3 children we had and
of an acre there; BUT, the house for $30 a month.
takes up most of it. The beautiful You can
fence she talks about would only won't last. I
help them to be caged in like little try to sell out for a
animals. That, 1 cannot see. and move on to a new
1 t a 1 k e d w i t h o n e the same thing as
commissioner at the Mason We on this
County Fair and asked him about you try to make
it. He admitted to me that he did do have the
not think there was enough room. something that's
I then asked him why they would assure you we will
pass it, and he told me they had Do you believe
been led to believe all the love?" I don't. It'saJ
neighbors were for it. heart isn't all that
As a citizen of long standing twisted things to
in this community, I believe to make you
people can and will tell you that rest of us sound
my objections have nothing to do Christian way, then
with the children being retarded, your motive.
Mrs. Crutcher - for three As I said we
years i was Youth Activity One other of
chairman for the V.F.W. We objected when
happen to sponsor a retarded it and were given
child at Rainier School at and were led to
Buckley. All I was expected to do were the ONLY
was to write and find out what Where do you
she needed. Then send a package objected until the
to two to her. Instead, I chose to Remember the
spend my own money on gas to that awaits people.
go up there and see her and bring the truth. My opint,
her things. I made a point to do are not an or
this a couple times a year. Not want people
only did ! try to see thai she was If the state
well taken care of, but her little for up to twelve
roommates also. They DO provide also question our
a playground and special things question the
for the children. Who are you being so lax. Why
trying to kid? men? Where are
To t h e people of this stand up for their
community - my time has been be counted. 1 will
freely given whenever I could, that lwould not
Not only with the retarded, but as child of mine or mY
a den mother for seven years and put in a place with
a room mother for one teacher or to play than
another while my six children take a chance on
were in school. I have always not want their little
done the best i could. ! was also conscience. ! know
awarded a paid up membership in also know that it
the P.T.A. Don't ask me what ! minute for a life
did to deserve it; it was a nmch time for
complete surprise to me. ! also So whatever
help in Sunday School and church neighbors are, we
work and can quote a few verses together believing
from the Bible, too. safer place. ;~
To anyone who can talk of so Mrs.
IIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
Mailing Address: Box 430, Shelton, Wa. 98584
Published at 227 West Cota Street, Shelton, MasoO
Washington 98584, weekly.
Second-class postage paid at Shelton,
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $5.50 per year in
in advance -- Outside Mason County
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER .....................
IlIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
i,
i, :i
Percy Lewis needed some wood to rebuild a church in
Issaquena County, Massachusetts, and a neighbor offered to
sell him two shacks for $50 each. Lewis was going to tear
them down and use the lumber. But the spring floods
wrecked his own home. The Department of Housing and
Urban Development is now paying $100 a month so that Mr.
Lewis and his family can live in the $50 shacks.
~~~~~mHH~~i~~~~~~~~u~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~m~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~m~~~~~~~~~~~~~HIll~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mack McGinnis'
~H~~~~~~~u~i~~~~uHiIi~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No one can say the present administration in Washington doesn't listen
to the people. They have the tapes to prove it.
(James Dent in Charleston Gazette)
Anyone who can afford the interest these days doesn't need the loan.
(Arnold Glasow in Chicago Tribune)
Cad Sheffield dedicates the following to Gelett Burgess: "I'd love to see
a purple cow, i'd murderously pursue it; i'd cut it into roasts and steaks
and broil or barbecue it."
(Herb Caen in San Francisco Chronicle)
An &year-old girl was playing hospital with her friends recently. The
t, ' ''
sign over the patient s room mad: "In Tents of Care."
(Minneapolis Tribune)
Mother: "He's just going through a phase." Father: "If he isn't careful
I'm going to put him across my knee and give him a phase-lifting."
(Troy Gordon in Tulsa World)
Your home town is the place where people wonder how you ever got as
far as you have.
(Omah~ World-Herald)
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, September
By JOHN COGLEY
Just what led to America's overwhelming
preoccupation with security? When did we first start
putting it at the very top of our priority lists? When
did we begin to use the word itself as a shibboleth
capable of silencing critics, canceling out even the
most pressing of other claims, and excusing just
about every moral outrage imaginable?
Does it go back to the shock of Pearl Harbor?
Was it originally based on a genuine concern about
Soviet intentions during the early postwar years?
Were we led into the trap by the calculated
fear-mongering of Joe McCarthy and his cohorts? Is
it perhaps deeply rooted in the psyche of a rich
people who feel threatened in a world of poor
people?
Whatever it was that got us into it, as time went
on the American obsession with security became a
kind of prison. We acted as if we had no choice but
to continue pouring our wealth into more and more
armaments and kept increasing the stockpiles of
'nuclear weapons even after they surpassed the
number necessary to kill every man, woman, and
child on earth several times over. Year after year,
the defense budget, supposedly insuring our
security, was raised to new heights, with scarcely a
murmur or protest from Congress or the electorate.
But by the next year we inevitably discovered that
we were not really secure after all and needed even
more protection.
This at home. Abroad, against our professed
national purposes, we felt obliged to build up the
armies and strengthen the hand of dictators, turning
the phrase "the free world" into a bitter
international joke. We did not hesitate to take
terrible chances with the future of mankind in
testing ever more horrendous weapons and deadly
gases in order to be prepared for every imaginable
possibility. We coid-bloodedly practiced
brinkmanship in our foreign policy, flirting
periodically with the possibility of big wars. We sent
our young men off to die in small ones. We felt
20, 1973
justified in putting even drastic domestic needs in a
poor second place, allowing the nation's cities to rot
and massive social discontent to fester throughout
the land. We alienated our friends and punished
ourselves - all to appease the great god Security.
Not least of all, we betrayed our own ideals. The
image of America as an open society was blurred,
and in time was almost obliterated. Our agents
abroad, skulking around the world in search of plots,
carried on as if they had been exempted from the
moral strictures that bind ordinary mortals - after
all they served the goal of national security, didn't
they? At home, bugging and wiretapping, espionage
and counterespionage were gradually accepted as a
harsh necessity in a world where no one, in the last
analysis, could reasonably trust anyone else. Secret
covenants secretly arrived at became standing
operating procedure in Washington. The security
officer, trained in the use of the latest detecting
gadgets and spying techniques, became a fixture not
only in government but in private enterprise.
Even the most confident members of the
"intelligence community," as the amorphous new
fraternity came to be known, admitted that
achieving total security was an impossible goal. But
nothing less would do, total security was what we
sought. Every new sacrifice the nation was called
upon to make was deemed reasonable as long as it
could be tied to national security - and usually it
could. Every manner of behavior - lies, deceit,
trickery, entrapment, and espionage - was
permissible provided only that it was put in the
service of this new absolute.
Ironically, the elaborate measures we took
merely seemed to increase our insecurities.~ The
more effective the weapons of mass destruction
became, for example, the more neurotic reason
Ihere was to worry about whether they were deadly
enough. The more skilled our spies became, the
more reason there was to worry about whether their
expertise in the black arts might lag behind the
enemy's. The abstract goal of total security, like
every other infinity, was pursued at the cost of an
almost infinite anxiety.
With government setting the example, the-
obsession spread to private life. In time, it created
its own necessity: spying led to counterspying,
counterspying to more intensive spying; protective
intelligence-gathering led to aggressive
intelligence-gathering; secrecy called for retaliatory
secrecy; distrust engendered distrust; deceit gave rise
to more deceit.
It was inevitable perhaps that in time domestic
politics should be invaded tbYhe the same
preoccupations that enthralled government.
Finally the warlike metaphors that were long used
toflescribe our electoral contests were transmuted
into literal terms. Trying to find out an opponent's
plans had always been part of party politics, but
there had also been definite moral limits on how far
the search could go. In the new atmosphere the
official intelligence apparatus was readily adapted to
partisan politics - and along with it that
all-embracing, totally permissive rationale: security
is at stake. The special morality, or amorality, that
was long identified with international espionage ,was
taken up. Every excess of skulduggery was quietly
justified, again in the name of security but this time
the security of an Administration, not of the nation
itself.
The Watergate burglars, who operated in this
spirit, were schooled in C.I.A. techniques. They
blithely transferred not only the skills but the ethics
of the conventional "intelligence community" to
the task at hand.
And the parallel did not end there. As was true
on the international scene, so in the Watergate case:
The security-seekers had wildly overestimated their
own vulnerability and extravagantly exaggerated the
"enemy's" capacities. Again, as a result of the
drastic measures taken to insure security, basic
insecurities expanded. The manager of the
headquarters of the Committee to Reelect the
President, for example, testified that after the
Watergale arrests his concern increased
tremendously. "I was °afraid
retaliations."
There are many possible
Watergate, and probably all of them
the total picture. Ambition, and
of power exercised almost
played a part. Contempt for the
democratic process was
("Everybody believes in democraCY
tbe White House," Thomas Cronin
desire to come upon information tlaa
for blackmailing or smearing
may have been important. But
American obsession with
significant.
The unwillingness to take
unknown, to trust the outcome
according to the old rules,
It was really no wonder, then,
mentality that controlled
decision the nation made during
reached into our internal
The "common defense"
preamble to the Constitution as onO
of government, and practically no
that it has an important place
stand in lonely splendor, nor
special primacy of place. It is
of government. It has to be
goals - forming a more
domestic t ranquillity,
welfare, and securing the
a preoccupation with any one of
overriding it either cancels out
diminishes the claims of the otherS,
trouble.
As with any other addiction,
for more and more security
abruptly. It took over grad,
became a national sickness.
has served as a kind of
be paid in order to appease it has