Lancaster farming., July 19, 1975, Image 18

&—Lancaster Farming, Saturday. July 19. 1975
1
McHale plowed under by Senate
end hii administration. The result is the the voice of
PennsylvanJs agriculture has not been accurately and
fully heard In the councils of government here in
Harrisburg. In my Judgment, both the Pennsylvania farm
community and the Governor have been UJ-acrved by this
secretary of agriculture. This Is a situation we cannot
permit to continue."
In a talk with Lancaster Perming, Secretary McHale
defended his past actions and reiterated his intentions "to
News from
Your Slate
Representative
By Nick Moehlmann
Io2nd Legislative District
Do you think recodification
of die school code, as it is
now written, gives undue
power to either local school
boards or the state board
and-or state secretary of
education? Do yon think the
many objections raised
during the hearings held
throughout the state will
cause legislators to make
any changes in the present
draft of die recodificadon?
M.S.H.
Lidtz
As it is now written (and
that’s the key phrase), the
School Code Recodification
greatly increases the power
of both the State Board and
the Secretary of Education
in the following areas:
1. All authority over
students will be given to the
State Board. Most of these
powers now reside in the
local board;
2. Increased powers over
curriculum will be given to
the State Board. Under
present law the legislature
dictates the curriculum;
3. The power of the
Secretary of Education will
be enhanced because the
State Board will no longer be
required to approve
regulations promulgated by
the Secretary. Under the bill
as presently written, if the
State Board takes no action
on the proposed regulation,
the regulation will become
effective. Presently, the
failure of the State Board to
approve a proposed
regulation means the
' regulation does not take
effect.
4. The Secretary will have
increased power to witthold
funds for noncompliance
with department regulations
by the school districts.
There will’ be strong at
tempts to amend the present
draft of the bill in these
areas. I certainly hope we
will succeed because I
believe these provisions do
confer undue power on the
State Board and the
Secretary of Education.
Has there been any action
taken on putting a
“dangerous intersection”
sign at the intersection of
Millport Road and Route 501
in Warwick Township,
Lancaster County? What
must be done to convince
PennDOT that such a sign is
needed?
B.J.S.
Lancaster
I talked to Robert Keller,
the District Engineer for
District 8. He told me his
workmen have orders to
install such a sign. He is
expecting this to be done m
the near future. The term
■‘near future” means dif-
ICenbnued trww fast II
ferent things to different
people, but the conversation
indicated that this sign will
be placed.
b the state going to lower
the drinking age? Do yon
think this would be a good or
bad idea?
On July 1,1975, the Penn
sylvania Senate, by a vote of
28-20, passed Senate Bill 710,
which would reduce the
minimum age for the pur
chase and consumption of
beer and wine to nineteen. It
would not affect the
minimum age for the pur
chase and consumption of
hard liquor.
I do not favor this
legislation and I will not vote
for it, but I think we’ll have
to face the probability that
one of these years such
legislation will pass both
chambers of the legislature.
Every year we come closer
to it. When this happens, it
will be up to the Governor to
sign or veto the bill. I cannot
predict how the Governor
will react.
(Rep. Moehlmann wHI be
happy to answer questions
from readers. Please send
any questions or comments
to Rep. Nick Moehlmann, in
care of the Lititz Record-
Express, 22 E. Main St.,
Lititz, PA 17543.)
\l • I
You probably don’t have
to worry about having sopho
phobia It means fear of
learning, and few people who
had it would read this to
learn the meaning of the
word /
D.S.
Lititz
SCHOOL
carry out the Governor'* program," claiming that “the
Shapp adminlatration la the advocate of the people and
here to aerve Pennaylvaniana."
“McHale’a major sin," Governor Shapp was quoted m
aaying in regard to the vote, "was to attempt to turn the
Department of Agriculture away from the apecial in
tereata of agribuatneaa of thla state and toward the in
terests of the little farmer and all the rural people of
Pennsylvania.”
The senators, however, disagreed. “McHale was not a
farmer’s secretary of agriculture,” Senator Snyder said,
‘‘he was a social-welfare secretary and he should have
been paying attention to the land and the people on it.” He
added that *'we had had a number of distinguished and
excellent secretaries of agriculture in the past, but
McHale Just did not measure up.”
Explaining that he had nothing against McHale per
sonally, and that it hurts to vote against a man, Snyder
noted he had voted for McHale’s first term, but did not feel
he could do so again after evaluating his record. “He had
mistaken priorities - the farm wasn’t first,” he continued.
“The social-welfare programs he worked for, which are
fine in their way, were first - and there wasn’t much for
farming.
The majority of farmers contacted in recent weeks
indicated similar dislikings for McHale’s policies as what
were mentioned by senators who spoke and voted against
him. One Centre County dairyman, however, thought
McHale to be one of the best secretaries of agriculture of
all time.
“Some professors at Penn State tried to farm and
couldn’t make it, so why would you want to have then try
to tell you bow to farm and how to become more ef
ficient ?”, the Penns Valley farmer said. He praised
McHale for being a secretary of agriculture who was not
just a mouthpiece for the University.
“He was the first non-Penn State man to be appointed
secretary of agriculture,” the farmer said, “and although
I can’t agree with all he has done, I can see more sense in
his programs than a lot of others. I would sooner see
$30,000 spent for rural development in Pennsylvania than
to have it go as a grant to Penn State for some professor to
study the sex life of a lizard in Africa.”
Senator Clarence F. Manbeck, who represents portions
of Lancaster, Berks, and Lebanon counties, said “as a
person I Idee him, but my constituents asked me to vote
against him.” He criticized McHale’s behavior in office,
citing his constant campaign against U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture Earl Butz as a major dissatisfaction.
Another main objection of his constituents was that
McHale campaigned heavily for farmer’s union. One
thing that was extremely irritating to many of the far
mers that he (Manbeck) represents was McHale’s failure
to appear at many of the functions he was scheduled to
attend.
Two things Manbeck approved McHale for were setting
up a transportation program for rural senior citizens and
the gardening program for suburbanites.
“I feel the secretatary has forgotten about food and
fibre production - the bedrock of our economy,” com
mented Senator Joseph S. Ammerman, spokesman for
parts of four counties in Central Pennsylvania. “I think
the secretary has been unfair in his dealings with ac
tivities at Penn State. In his remarks on the floor of the
Senate, prior to the vote, Ammerman said: “... I submit
to you that it is the experience of my constituents that they
do not get a friendly response and reception on the day-to
day problems of the family farmec-in Pennsylvania. The
present secretary is interested in a number of programs
which are certainly laudable but are within the province
of-other departments and other secretaries. If he aspires
to be Secretary of Welfare, I think he should seek that
appointment from the Governor, but let us have as
Secretary of Agriculture someone whose interests are in
the family farmer in Pennsylvania ... I am sure the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and our foreign service can
well represent us overseas.”
McHale attacked those accusations, telling Lancaster
Farming that “the Pennsylvania Department of
Agriculture rates as one of the best in the country and that
he personally, as well as his staff have worked harder and
longer than previous agriculture departments. “There
are three and a half million people in rural Pennsylvania
without a spokesman,” McHale said, “we started some
new programs for ther benefit and then turned them over
to other agencies. We got things going.”
“I won’t take a back seat to anybody on my Job,” the
controversial agriculture secretary said. “I don’t mind
working, and I stick to the same philosophy day after
day.” In making the remarks, McHale indicated that he
had been approached by money men to sway his opinion
or policies, but that he turned them all away.
In criticizing previous agricultural departments,
McHale mentioned sizable sums of money being wasted,
including instances where checks were sent to Florida for
dog law enforcement.
Senator Snyder, continuing with his remarks, said
“McHale owed it to the ag industry to'stick to the Job the
department was created for. His policies don’t seem to be
advancing the farm and family much. I felt obligated to
speak against him, especially since my district is a
leading agricultural area.”
Senator Ammerman, in his statements against McHale,
noted that he found the newsletter put out by him “not
particularly informative in any matter of importance, but
merely a puff sheet for him. It costs about $55,000 per year
to put out.”
Evaluating the newsletter, and the mailing list for it,
Ammerman said it is one of the most interesting he has
ever examined. “Why are we sending these news letter,
which are out of date a week or so after we receive them in
Pennsylvania, to Iran and Egypt and India and Rome and
Kuhnsville, New York, and to Hubert Humphrey and
Adlai Stevenson and every member of the House and
Senate?”
He also indicated that the Agriculture Department, “in
policy, in this Commonwealth has, for the last four years,
been run by the consultant paid $30,000 per year... If Mr.
Patton is to be the Secretary of Agriculture, then let us
appoint him.”
Bill McLoughlin, Governor Shapp’s legislative
secretary, indicated that the reconfirmation vote could be
considered again early next week, “but I don’t believe
anything will happen.” Late reports from Harrisburg
incicate that even if reconsideration takes place for the
rejected Shapp Cabinet appointees, Secretary McHale is
not likely to receive that privilege.
McLoughlin said the Governor was distressed over the
decision, since “competent and capable people had been
rejected and hopes something can be worked out.” Shapp
would be allowed to resubmit McHale’s name, but it isn’t
certain whether he will.
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