December 14, 1978 Shelton Mason County Journal | ![]() |
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Jour00J:l, pf OPINIOI00.
Choosing the speaker
Those dedicated public servants you elected to tile
Washington State House of Representatives last month have
a problem.
Since you, in all your infinite ignorance, elected 49
Democrats and 49 Republicans, they are faced with the
awesome task of selecting a Speaker of the House on other
than a party basis.
Like little black sheep who have lost their way, they
are wandering aimlessly through fields of alternatives as the
January session draws nearer.
The solution that seems to be drawing the most support
calls for the hiring of an outsider to preside over the
representatives' compound in the marble zoo.
By an outsider, of course, they mean someone who has
been so corrupted by the political process that he will be
acceptable to both parties. Even in the hothouse
atmosphere of Olympia, there is not enough time in a
single session to turn a bright, competent parliamentarian
into a House speaker.
There is also the matter of compensation. It makes no
sense to give taxpayers' money to a genuine outsider when
there are party faithful of both persuasions who are not yet
on the public teat•
Legislative expenses, after all, did not grow from $3.5
million during the 1965-67 biennium to $25.7 million in
1975-77 through the hiring of outsiders. From the tables
down at Tyee, to the place where Dizy dwells, to the dear
old Greenwood bar we know so well, the fraternity comes
first.
What is needed, then, is an outsider who is so far inside
that he will not frighten the assembled Whiffenpoofs with
references to the public interest or statesmanship.
• The choice is so obvious if it were a beer stein it would
wet your nose. The compromise speaker should be a
lobbyist.
What could be fairer? Special interests have bought and
paid for the representatives. Their lobbyists know the
system. And, above all, they are faithful to the party. Both
parties. Like dogs in heat, they put out for all comers.
If the Democrats had been in the majority, John
Bagnariol would have been the speaker. If the Republicans
had prevailed, Duane Berentson would have wielded the
gavel. A look at the list of special-interest contributors to
these two leaders shows a remarkable similarity.
First Associates, the slush fund that Dexter Horton
built, is on both lists. So is Rainier Bank. And Pacific
Bank. And the catch-all WASHBANKPAC.
/Realtors were equally generous, as were the
.,tte dentists'i+dJte builders. ; ..... : ,++
The Washington Jockey Club bet on both horses, and
Weyerhauser and Boeing patted both on the head with
banknotes.
The Fair Competition Council, which is the nom de
obfuscation of the power and gas companies, energized the
campaign kitties of each without regard to sex, race, color,
creed, height, weight, or present condition of servitude.
It is obvious that a representative of one of these
public-spirited organizations should serve as the next
speaker of the House. The sooner he is picked, the better.
As our contribution to good government, we suggest
the following procedure for picking the winner. Lobbyists
and legislators will gather at the Tyee at 6 p.m. At 4 a.m.
the following morning, a vote will be tallied, with each
lobbyist receiving one vote for every round of drinks he has
bought, one vote for every poker hand he has lost, and one
vote for every dollar contributed to Bagnariol and
Berentson. No fuss. No muss. The winner takes all.
Baa, baa, baa.
uMuMMWIlluMulMM
Mack McGinnis'
Comedy0000Comment
uu
A lady says that some time ago she heard her eight-year-old son
discussing a certain political race with one of his buddies. "Right now
it's so close it looks like a throwup," alleged one of the tykes.
(Ashley Cooper in Charlestown, S.C. News and Courier)
Any renter who has run into problems in seeking a
return of a cleaning deposit for an apartment must have
found a hero in Terry Sundkvist.
Sundkvist had plunked down a $50 deposit on renting a
place in Sacramento, California, and then asked for its
return when he moved out, leaving the rental in a neat and
clean condition.
He was told in so many words by the manager to go to
Helen Hunt for it.
Sundkvist, it turns out, was a law student, and, well, he
needed the practice. So he filed suit in small claims court
and won a judgment of $50 plus $200 in punitive damages.
Management of the apartment complex still was unmoved
and unpaying.
Sundkvist continued to take legal steps and the firm
that owned the units and its attorney continued to ignore
them.
Then the owners attempted to sell the property and ran
into a little problem. Sundkvist has clouded the title and
has refused their offer of $10,000 to relinquish his interest.
it seems the once frustrated renter is waiting for the
A gasp of horror
By JOHN GAAR
Well, we've had our ritualistic and delicious gasp of
horror over the cult business in Guyana. It's always
refreshing to find fault. In fact Ambrose Bierce decided
that people attend church to hear their neighbor "roasted
to a nut-brown discomforture."
Soon you can read scholarly explanations about "why
they did it." For those of you unable to wait there are
numerous instant experts who will provide "boned
wisdom for weak teeth."
Some legislator will introduce legislation outlawing cults
- that's as safe as predicting Russia will continue to
produce refugees.
If there be a mystery about the Jim Jones cult it's not
"how could they do it?" but rather, how we can do it.
Understand, every group called "they" is also a group
called "we." And that "we" is you and I. So it's a case of
perspective and who makes the definition.
The We's of this world have an equally horrifying
record. We, as Christians, declared lending money for
interest was usury. We forced the Jews to become our
moneylenders and then reviled them. We also put them into
ghettos because they engaged in such reprehensible acts
which, incidentally, furthered 9ur financial ends.
We, as Christians or !:Moslems or Jews, have declared
holy wars and joyously slaughtered our fellow men whom
we called "they." We've blessed and glorified war and
C__apitol00Dome:
death. We've never learnt such acts only bring suffering.
In his endless dissections of World War II, German
novelist Hans Helmut Kirst described our attitude perfectly.
"Give people a chance to ride rough-shod over other people
or lead them up the garden path, and most of them will, if
it's required or expected of them. If you go one better, and
persuade them that they're doing it for the sake of an ideal
- patriotism, liberty, it doesn't matter what - then they'll
really put their backs into it."
The sardonic science fiction writer Robert Sheckley has
a BEM (bug-eyed monster) named Ze Kraggash lecture us
with a similar view. "I have observed ... that men will give
their bodies to any rogue who asks, and will enslave their
minds to the first voice that commands them to obey. This
is why the vast majority of men cannot keep even their
natural birthright of a mind and body, but choose instead
to rid themselves of those embarrassing emblems of
freedom."
The point is: all of us can and often do become
members of a cult. We don't always pay the same price.
At least one thing can be said for the cult members:
they had a belief for which they were willing to die.
That's a helluva lot more than most of us have. In a
quiet moment, weighing everything, ask yourself what
you'd be willing to die for. I .think you'll find most ,of us
value our existence more than truth, we leave drastic tests
for the fanatics.
Legislators study mandatory auto checks
By ROBERT C. CUMMINGS
The problem of reducing air
pollutants caused by motor
vehicle exhaust emissions
continues to perplex the House
Ecology Committee as the 1979
legislative session draws near.
Committee members have
found it easy enough to draft
strict laws on the subject, but
enforcement is something else.
Consequently, a measure
which would require mandatory
inspection of the exhaust
systems of all vehicles is getting
a comprehensive working over.
An Elusive Target
The goal is to resolve both
problems in a manner which will
satisfy the federal Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA).
The committee has heard
testimony from the state
Department of Transportation on
the amount of federal highway
funds which will be withheld if
the state fails to comply with
the EPA requirements.
restrict the provisions to urban
areas such as Seattle, Tacoma
and Spokane.
There would be provisions
for extending it to other areas if
air pollutants rose above a
specified level.
Application of the act would
be determined by the address
shown on the motor vehicle
license.
Admittedly this method
could be subject to deception,
but many lawmakers are. resigned
to the fact that any method will
pose enforcement problems.
The Future Arrives Early
A glimpse of what can be
expected as routine in the next
legislative session with a 49-49
tie vote in House was provided
at a committee meeting here.
The House Parks and
Recreation Committee had two
bills on its agenda for a meeting
I t has received 111
Renters hero recommendations from the Puget
I Sound Council of Governments © 78 Ht Ittw0s :
for meeting requirements of the
act.
It has been told by the Puget
Sound Air Pollution Control ::::'';'::
Agency and Department of
Ecology of actions taken, or ..... ':::
being prepared, to implement the
act in the central Puget Sound 'iiiiii .................
and Spokane area, and statewide.
And it has received from
representatives of the federal
Environmental Protection
Agency an outline of the actions
which have been taken by other
states to implement the act.
Localization Pondered
While it is presumed all new
• cars are or will be* equipped to
burn unleaded gasoline, some ......
committee members want to
minimize the impact that .....
restrictive legislation might have .... :::,' ......
on the many older models still in
use.
owners to clean tip their act. A proposed amendment to a
mandatory inspection bill now
front Lapeer C'ottnly Press under consideration would
Page 4 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Thursday, December 14, 1978
earlier this month, and the Rules
Committee scheduled the session
for 8:30 a.m.
But Margaret Hurley (D.,
Spokane), who heads the
committee had to attend a
national meeting the preceding
day, so couldn't get to her own
committee in time.
That resulted in just four
members being present - two
Democrats and two Republicans.
And you guessed it, they divided
evenly along party lines.
Not Even a Partisan
Issue
Strangely, neither of the
measures scheduled for action
involves partisan issues.
One would restructure the
Interagency Committee for
Outdoor Recreation, which
originally was created by an
initiative.
The other would instruct the
IAC to give a high priority to
urban parks.
Imagine what may happen
when anything with a slight
aroma of political philosophy
bobs up next session, with all
committees split evenly
politically.
Very few measures may ever
get out of committee to test the
even division of party members
on the floor of the House.
The Parks Committee bills
weren't the only ones to be
stranded for lack' of action,
although political divisions
weren't present elsewhere.
The House Commerce
Committee had twenty-five bills
on its agenda, including six
dealing with liquor, a state
lottery bill, and numerous
regulatory measures.
It looked like it would be a
long day. But the committee
completed all of its business in
less than fifteen minutes.
4
.... . ", ,,, -"+ ' :, .... , ,, .............. d .....
jl.., ,,. ____ II__. I ...... " Y/F';,+'
__, , + (,lbll OUT Till 00055|. /
Editor, The Journal:
I would like to extend my
gratitude to the considerate soul
who disposed of his lunch in
Evergreen Square (including two
glass bottles).
It is a great thing to have a
parking facility right downtown.
It makes for easy access to local
shops. It's .just too bad
abuse it.
My thanks to
considerate soul,
are, for malcmg my
two fiat tires.
P.S. - Hope youn go
at once.
Disparaging
Editor, The Journal:
It was extremely depressing
to read the article about Crystal
Kroum by Steve Patch last week
with all the disparaging remarks
about the care of the patients at
Fir Lane, their age, mental
capacities, and their physical
condition.
I feel sorry about the terrible
experiences that Crystal and her
family have to endure, and I
don't want to minimize her
plight in the least, but I do think
that the article about her could
have been written without
mentioning the other patients, or
the nursing staff unless
something pleasant and
encouraging could have been
said.
I have a mother living out
there who is 85 years old. She
has been out there for a very
long time, and I have nothing
but the highest praise for the
care and understanding she has
received from all who work
there. They are indeed a caring
and compassionate group of
people who are well trained,
overworked, underpaid and for
most of the time, unappreciated.
I thank God for every one of
them. They give me peace of
mind that no one else can, for I
know that when my mother has
a dizzy spell and falls and breaks
a bone or cuts or bruises herself,
that they go into
action and get her
begin a thorough
assess the damage.
care for her,
a hospital if"
her doctor, or whatever
be done with care
Uncaring? No, not
Steve Patch has a
about writing articles
make a name for
may not be the name he
he saddens and
who read his artides.
to learn the art of
facts, and making it
without belittling
The old adage "If you
something nice about
don't say anything at
a pretty good rule
Editor, The Journal:
Your paper
better serve the
community with0
irresponsible, babbling
(give or take a
thirty-year-old Steve
can't even use age as
George
We all die
Editor, The Journal:
How can a reporter who in
writing a story about our young
resident, Crystal Kroum at Fir
Lane, be so uncouth as to refer
to our elderly residents as
"babbling 90 year olds" or "the
bleating of an old woman" or
"the drone of unending wah
walls?"
Does he have no compassion
for our elderly who have through
no fault of their own, suffered
CVA's organic brain syndrome or
a multitude of other ailments
that take their toll of the human
body?
To us who work at Fir Lane
these people are very important
human beings. They deserve the
highest respect, having been hard
working independent people who
have raised families served their
communities and been
productive citizens. We resent
the statements.
Mr. Patch, I hope there is
someone around to care for you
when your body eventually
wears o.ut. And I assure you it
will. We all have one thing in
,• i i
common, "we die."
Oh, yes, one more
are in the process
second bake sale, the
raised $125. The
to be spent on
for our residents who
families. Does this
like callous staff?.
Staff
Co
Editor, The Journal:
1 appreciate the
Journal last week.
me with an opt
express my vie
problems of the
do, however, .wish
the people I live
"bunch of
olds." I hdpe this
confusion that maYl
caused by this
Temporarily
Editor, The Journal:
l've lived in Shelton the past
few years, and Steve Patch's
insensitivity as a reporter never
ceases to amaze me.
I am refering to his comment
in the article on Crystal Kroum
in the December 7 edition of the
Journal. He refers to the older
residents of Fir Lane Terrace as
a "bunch of babbling ninety year
olds."
I have no quarrel with the
young lady, Crystal Kroum, who
is the subject of this article. I'm
quite familiar with
fight for dignity for
people. She is a
woman, and I admire
I am also
oratory about the
that Mr. Patch
am her forensiCS
quoting the last
are temporarily
Patch would
remember tha
"temporarily youalolal 0
Founded 1886 by Grant C. Angle
Mailing Address: Box 430, Shelton, WA 98584
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER .....................
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Member of Washington Newspaper Publishers'
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$10.00 per year in State of Washington $15.00 per yea
Published at 227 West Cota Street, She!ton, MasOn
Washington 98584, weekly. ,
Second.class postage paid at Shelton, Washing