PAGE TWO 4 | 186 Joralem st., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11201. general manager .. | editor ..... fereeenenn . advertising ‘manager § EE owners, ‘THE DALLAS POST | ‘A non-partisan, liberal, and progressive newspaper pubtished avery Thursday | morning by Northeastern Newspapers Inc. front 41 Lehman Ave,, Dallas, Pa. 18612. Entered as second class matter at the post office at Dallas, Pa., under the Act of: ~ March 3, 1889. Subscription within county, $5 a year. Out-of-county SubSeriptions. | | $5.50 a year. Call 674:5656 or 674-7676 for subscriptions. | publisher ............. ST hans a | National advertising representatives, American Newspaper Represematives Inc., 5 ET ©... Henry H. Null 4th seh = dus Sale ve Sein vveeees. John L. Allen Cake Mrs. T.M.B. Hicks| Doris Mallin/ for the good of all [0 As has been observed, it is impossible to please all the people all the time, and so it is with the ‘planned sewer system for the Back Mountain. Many residents, most on fixed income, are either flatly | against it or have reservations. Their complaints | center chiefly around the cost to them as home- | for installation and rental. denying that in numerous cases these costs will work a hardship. On the other hand, no system means no progress for the Back Mountain com- munities. Some will say ‘Who needs it?’ The an- . swer is that the millions of human beings to come need it. If each individual land owner continues to put in his version of a sewage disposal system, the good earth will soon become one huge sewer. Years ago life was much simpler mental intervention was concerned. In the good old | days, streams ran clear and clean and each man could afford enough land to take care of his needs. But not anymore. Our streams are horribly filthy, and we must be reminded that water is life. The Back Mountain air is fresh and clean and pure, but at one time so was Los Angeles, New York, and " Chicago. Super highways are clearing wide swaths of greenery from the land, but with all the millions of people now on the face of this earth, it is impos- There is no insofar as govern- : sible to walk to work or to do business by trading with a neighbor as was done 50 years ago. It is a basic law of life that in order for man to survive he must continue to progress. Unfortunately, progress quite often does mean a loss of individual freedom to some, but its many imperfections must not be allowed to overshadow the promoting of the general ; welfare for all. clean-up, fix-up [1 The Back Mountain area has been blessed with landscape which in terms of sheer beauty rivals that of any other part of the United States. Dallas and the surrounding rural communities snuggle against a panorama of matchless splendor; chame- leon-like forests change color with the seasons, lush and glittering streams ripple through fields. Visitors to this com- meadows slope gently into hills, munity often remark on the magnificent scenery, seeing through new eyes what we sometimes take Visitors also see, however, the more brutal marks of our improper care-taking of the land entrusted to us. The gouges of strip mining are always apparent, of course, but less dramatic examples of the mistreatment of our land abound. Empty bottles and cans strewn about the roadsides are evidence of this neglect, as are the massive auto junk yards which disgrace our hillsides. Abandoned shacks, weed-choked lots and discarded appliances add little to the appearance of our com- munity. The first Back Mountain Clean-up Panit-up for granted. Fix-up Campaign will be launched May 1, and we all have an obligation to help. Look around; what do ou see that you can do? poetry corner He walks through his world With slow, trembling steps Rounding each corner with arms reaching wide This hoy of great courage. with unseéing eyes We meet in a classroom Piled high with braille books, He asks many questions of how the world looks His hunger for knowledge is grasping but wise. This boy of great courage, with unseeing eyes He's not to be pitied. admired’s the word He talks of the rainbows, the song of the bird I tell him of moonbeams and sun-burnished skies This boy of great courage, with unseeing eyes I leave him and walk out into the air And marvel at grass with dew much too clear At pure lacev snow-flakes At hazy gray mist I see things dround me With my God-given gift Of sight and awareness I hope will not die My vision devours, my heart fairly cries Would I have such courage. with unseeing eyes? ELINOR ROSEN Clarks Green SERENITY If I can find a loveliness in sunset’'s afterglow Or hear a low. treetops blow sweet sympathy whenever And if. for me, there's splendor in each season's changing scene—~ Have I not wealth of mind and heart, as well ~as soul serene? CHARLOTTE ELLA NEULS FORTY YEARS AGO Work was progressing at such a rapid rate on the Trucksville- Luzerne highway that officials of the Kersteen Construction Company expressed belief that one side of the road would be completed by June 1. Afiveroomcottageat Harveys Lake owned by Clifford Edwards of Courtdale was completely destroyed by fire during an early morning blaze. The rural baseball league opened its season with strength- ed teams. Beaumont and Dallas were scheduled to play the season’s opening game. Two local men, Joe Miller and Ray Harris, were involved in an auto accident at the Junction of Fernbrook, Dallas and Upper Trucksville Road. Miller received severe cuts and Harris was badly shaken. Greta Garbo was starring in “A Woman of Affairs’ at the Marinos Theater in Luzerne. An editorial in the Post chided members of the Dallas School Board for spending time bicker- ing among themselves when “it is time for the little boys to take off the boxing gloves and get down to business.” Married: Alvirda Harrison, Shavertown, to Walter Cooke, Wilkes-Barre. THIRTY YEARS AGO ThePostapplauded aSupreme Court decision which provided that officers and employees of the national and state govern- ments should be taxed, and added that the decision had re- moved all legal obstacles in the way of a long awaited tax reform. Asa Parker Shaver, last of the pioneer Shavers who figured so prominently in the growth of Shavertown, died at the age of 78. Herbert A. Lundy, tax collec- tor for Dallas Township, issued a warning that he would file liens against delinquent prop- erty taxpayers who had not paid by May 1. Joseph H. MacVeigh of Cen- ter Hill Road was nominated president of ithe Wilkes-Barre Rotary Club at a luncheon, and later that same afternoon was made a director of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Com- merce. A large storeroom on Main Street in Dallas occupied by the B & B Hardware Company was leased by the American Stores. A new Acme market was scheduled to open there in May. A three mile concrete link as far as Lutes’ Corners was planned on Route 92 between Dallas and Tunkhannock. Prospects for finishing the new Lehman High School build- ing ahead of time became brighter as warmer tempera- ture permitted increased build- ing activities. Married: Mildred Isaacs, Shavertown, to Philip Cheney, Dallas. TWENTY YEARS AGO Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Lord of Sweet Valley celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. A brilliant sun lit up an azure sky on Easter morning as area Churches were filled to overflowing with worshippers attending the Resurrection services. Members of the Library Club voted to purchase a book each year in honor of the most out- standing citizen of the Back Mountain community. The citizen would be selected by a special committee representing service clubs and churches throughout the area. David Kunkle, son of Mr. and Mrs. Warden Kunkle, was ele- vated to Eagle Scout at services in the Dallas Methodist Church. Shavertown purchased a new fire engine from the Woodbridge (Conn.) Fire Association at a cost of $2,500. The new truck boasted a 1166 gallon booster tank and carried 200 gallons midship mounted. Lehman’s fifth annual Horse Show was scheduled for July 4 on the Lehman School grounds. A parade was among the in- novations planned for the oldest continuous horse show in Lu- zerne. The Dallas Kiwanis Woman's Club held a reading, tea and bake sale at the Shavertown Methodist Church. Proceeds from the affair were to be used for work with under- privileged children. Married: Jean Monk, Dallas, to Tex Wilson, Demunds Road. Died: John Conney Jr., 3, Sweet Valley; Mrs. Eleanor Jones Shannon, Dallas. ~ continued on PAGE 6 THE DALLAS POST, APRIL 17, 1969 the passing by of Brotherhood Week & By ZAY SMITH JR. Brotherhood week passed al- most unnoticed this year. I have some friends who think that should be pointed out in big block letters or perhaps neon. Maybe it should be, but I’m starting to have my doubts. Today it is fashionable to. claim total empathy with every-' thing, to starve along with the’ Biafrans, to feel the wounds: our soldiers feel, to be op- pressed along with the Czecho- slovaks. The idea is that a per- son is somehow better if he can achieve a sort of constant, vi- carious agony. Let us all admit how rotten we are. Let us writhe. It is al- most as if we could morally, cleanse ourselves by showing that we can suffer along with those who have no choice in the matter. A perverse state of nirvana, can be reached in this way if the person making the try has a strong enough martyr com-: plex. Father Groppi, the civil rights advocate from Milwau- kee, nailed himself to a cross long ago and has been hanging there happily ever since. His is: the black man’s cross, and the black man’s pains are his’ pains. This is all very nice, if a little patronizing. But he is de- luding himself if he means what I think he means by that constantly suffering face of his. No man can put himself in’ another’s place for more than a few moments, if at all. We, as humans, aren't equipped to handle that kind of spirit for long. If we were really as sensitive or as aware of our brotherhood as we some- times portray ourselves to be, we would probably go mad. Consider. When we fought, ‘World War II, we convinced, ourselves as best we could that. ‘the Germans and Japanese were monsters. Empathy was rationed for the duration. We pushed back the thought that; off the cuff stuff By BRUCE HOPKINS The Hopkins’ Forum . A Final Word The argument, of course, could go on forever and never be completely resolved. There will never be total agreement, I'm sure. But there are a few things I feel I'd like to say in response to the letter which ap- peared in last week’s Post con- cerning my recent outburst of anger. First of all, I am re- sponding to the letter mainly because it is worthy of re- sponse. I was happy to see a rebuttal written in such an in- telligent, open-minded manner. The letter was an excellent one. Although I don’t know the gentleman who wrote it (at least I don’t think I do), I would very much like to meet him, because from what I know of him through his letter, he is one of the people of the older generation for whom I have a great deal of respect (and you may be surprised to know he isn’t one of few, but one of many). It was to people like Mr. Schilling that my editorial comment of two weeks ago was NOT addressed. However, I am also responding because I want to clarify a few things that Mr. Schilling seemed to have mis- understood about my article. First of all, Mr. Schilling asked why I was angry. He seemed to feel that I didn’t have need to be. In his letter, he said that all references to him, would mean his genera- tion. Unfortunately, this doesn’t work. He cannot speak for his generation; only for himself and a part of his generation. Mr. Schilling agreed that the Bible-reading matter was trivial, and that the students of today need a more varied philosophical education if they are to grow into mature indi- viduals. My anger was pointed at certain members of his gen- eration who obviously don’t agree with him. My anger was aimed at certain individuals, such as our friend the school director, who are hindering in- tellectual growth on the part of the students. Persons who would rather worry about their own image (this is, you know, an election year, and so let's inform the people of what a . nice, moral, religious individual we are) than with what is needed and not needed in the schools. These are the people who think their ideals should be impressed upon everyone else. And I'm still angry at them. Just as Mr. Schilling cannot speak for his generation, I can- not speak wholly for mine. I can only relate my opinion on the matter, and since I am a part of this generation, I think I have a better rapport than some who have been putting it down. True, Mr. Schilling, we are the ‘‘pampered products” of your generation. Your term is an excellent one. True, we are more affluent than any pre- ‘vious generation. And our prob- lems, then, may be similar to those of previous generations, but - they are not the same. There are to many easy means of escape for this generation. It’s not very hard anymore to become a social outcast (to some people anyone wearing bell bottoms is a social out- cast). It’s too easy to knock the Establishment, and get away with it. And some of the knocking is senseless and harm- ful. But some of it isn’t. My point is that there are some members of the Establishment who make matters worse be- cause they categorize, and say that this generation is going to you know where. They don’t listen to anybody whose hair is longer than theirs because he obviously is immature and not worth listening to. Imma- ture, he may be (though not al- ways), but he is often worth listening to. : You felt my reference to HAIR was irrelevant. I men- tioned it, not only for shock value, but also because it is a play by and about the pam- ‘pered products of your genera- tion. It has a lot to say—some of it, granted, may be a bit ex- treme, but most of it has a very important, very urgent point. The extreme method used we will call poetic license. It has a lot to say about what's wrong with your generation. Unfortunately, it doesn’t men- tion the things that are good about your generation, but you can only do so much in two hours. It has a lot to say about this generation too. Some of it. is hidden under a facade of long hair, but we all wear facades. We all put up a front. And as far as CHE being the logical sequel to HAIR, I have my doubts here. CHE received it’s just rewards. It was basic- ally a very dirty play, and I don’t think it had all that much message. HAIR is basically not a filthy play. The nude scene was particularly not ‘very sexy (this isn’t just my opinion, many of the critics said this also). If you go to see HAIR for a cheap (cheap?) thrill, you will be disappointed. Better you should buy a copy of this month’s Playboy magazine (if I may use a product of your generation as an example.) You don’t really know me, Mr. Schilling, but I assure you that I'm not a flower-smelling, pot-smoking Hippie. I never will be. I can think of better ways to expand my mind and cele- brate sensation than by smok- ing pot (and cheaper.) Some of these flower children are im- mature. But let’s not categorize again. They aren’t all imma- ture. But I sympathize with a lot that these kids have to say. They aren't all bad. Freaky friends are sometimes the best friends. You feel that my behavior (and by that I hope you meant the behavior of my generation) influences today’s teenagers. True, it does. But I have more faith in today’s teenagers than you do. The ones who are intel- ligent will be able to see what is good and what is bad about the example they are following. Those that aren’t intelligent will follow somebody else’s bad example if they don’t follow mine. They will be the ex- tremes. If you want to keep them locked up for the rest of their lives, you may prevent them from copying a bad ex- ample. And, speaking of ex- tremes, what is a good ex- ample? A religious fanatic can be as dangerous an an atheist. But perhaps there is another continued on ‘PAGE 3 The Right. To Write To THE POST: Those who hold religious ser- vices in public schools in defiance .of what the highest U. S. Court has declared to be the law are doubtless the same people who attribute the ‘‘de- terioration of the U.S.”’ to some- one else’s disregard for the law. MRS. HAROLD SAFFIAN Goss Manor Dallas an enemy soldier might have a: family, a girl, ambitions. We .dehumanized those we fought. because we were going to have to kill several million of them before we were through. And they did the same thing where we were concerned. Even so, the anxiety was great, on both sides. But think how it - would have been had we been sensitive enough to absorb the full impact of the slaughter. Each of us is trapped in his own skull. Our only connec- ‘tions with the world outside are five faulty senses and a limited intellect. We simply lack the capacity to grasp thei idea that those beings out there ‘who look vaguely like us are: as human as we are. And so it is easy, in fact automatic, for us to tune out whole segments of our population. When we speak of humanity, we aren't really referring to three billion people. That's too far beyond our comprehension. Really, we pick and choose our humanity, and set much of the rest of the world off, as if into a fog. These people make up one vast ‘‘they,”’ a presence we perceive as a great mass,’ out there, away from us. (As an example, what is the image you get when you think of Red China?) A housewife can be devoted to her family, other people like her, those who belong to the Shriners, the neighborhood Rotary, those who enforce the law and make her neighborhood safe. She can come close to identifying with them, and she can perceive a humanity. But as for today’s demonstrating students? They are filthy, sandalled creeps who hold ob- ‘scene signs. Talk to some student, and you may find sympathy for the demonstrators who were belted during the Chicago Convention, a few friends he knows who were arrested for possessing marijuana, the cast of Laugh-In as it fights the censors. But the police? The police are pigs. These are simplified illustra- tions, but they show how we tend to tune people out, rob them of their humanity, and continued on PAGE 10 The Empty Pew By W. JENE MILLER AN OPEN LETTER TO OUR ASTRONAUTS: Word continues to come our way that you received some complaints about reading Scripture on your magnificent Moon-flight. I, for one, am very grateful to you. Your selection of verses was excellent. and in perfect keeping with the Spirit which sent the first message across space: ‘What had God ‘wrought’’—another passage of Scripture. The Creator does not need the approbation of men, but he can and does use it for the transformation of human so- ciety into a redemptive process. He is not limited by the ac- knowledgment of humanity, but he can and does use it to ‘bring men before that Eternal Judgment which compels them to compassion, respect and rec- onciliation. He is not enhanced by the humility of mortals. but he can and does use that humility before Truth to bring forth responsible and creative use of history, freedom and nature which blesses mankind. You who travel the vastness of space have used well the laws of life which man obeys (but does not establish). Your obedience to finitude has been a great service to our nation’s Spirit, as well as its physical properties. Your confidence does not need our approval, but it de- serves the admiration of all of us whom you have served by being true. You did not create the freedom, power. and op- portunity for that courageous trip, but you used them well as a tribute to the nation which expressed them, the hope which impelled them, and the faith which sustains them. Other men, dedicatéd to other understandings of the value of human life, can use the laws of nature to invade outer space, but you have testified to the nobility of your purpose by calling to remembrance that we are a nation ‘‘Under God.” Faith always demands cour- age, whether for a trip to the Moon. or for a life in the Spirit of the Living God. And I can assure you that Atheists do not get nearly so angry at hearing Scripture as some church members get at having to face up to its de- mands. ; May the God who created all life bless vours. Amen. .similar news. ‘like to know you were a grand- ‘how many years ago. mine, ‘track of time? From Well, at least they didn’t get me out of bed at 6 a.m. this ‘time to impart the glad tidings. They waited until a seemly hour, or maybe it was the stork that waited until a seemly hour. It wasn’t exactly a surprise . visit, as the fact that the stork was hovering had been obvious ‘for some little time. Another son of mine, a former ‘editor of the Dallas Post, had called several years ago with “Thought you'd mother,” a jaunty voice from the other end of the line an- nounced. I was standing there on the flagstone’ floor in the kitchen, having practically fallen down the back stairs to answer the ring, guiltless of bathrobe and slippers. Nobody, but nobody, rings me up before seven or after midnight unless in case of dire emergency. It was chilly. The chill was reflected in my voice, which issued in a hoarse croak from a throat which had been tensed to reply to news of battle, murder, or sudden death. ‘“Let’s stop playing games,” the voice said in barely re- pressed fury, “I’ve been a grandmother 20 times, I'm still a grandmother 20 times, and it’s no news to me. Are you drunk?’ ‘“‘Hold up, Nonnie,”” came the reassurance from Lake Packan- ack, “you've lost count as of this morning. The score now stands at 21.” “Cut it out, you're dreaming. Had a tough night?” “No kidding, you've got an- other grandchild. His name is Danny.” “Would you mind filling me in? Where has Mary been con- cealing it all these months?” “Well, you see, it’s like this. We didn’t want to worry any- body...” “It’ll worry you plenty when I get pneumonia. This stone floor is cold, and you can now ring off so I can go back to bed and thaw out.” That was the ceremonious announcement of the twenty- firstgrandchild, goodnessknows Eight, ten? Who can keep I closed the fif®s on the grandchildren, but it appears that the action was premature, not to say downright hasty. Since that time, I've acquired, strictly by remote control, seven more grandchildren, threefromonesecond marriage, four from another. And now here comes a bona fide grandchild, in the same age group as the greatgrands. “Thought you'd like to know,” said the masculine voice from Washington, ‘‘that she’s here. About ten minutes ago. Haven't decided on a name yet.” “Nice of you to polish it off during daylight hours. Last time I listened to that song and dance, it was at six a.m. and I practically froze to death while Bebe burbled. I've got a nice fire in the Franklin stove, I've got a cup of coffee in my hand, so I can listen to statistics. Give.” It’sdisconcerting, that’s what. You start passing around pictures of the greatgrands, and all of a sudden here's a grand, a month younger than the latest great-grand. This poses a very pretty problem. This grand, having arrived on the great-grand schedule, does it rank as a great-grand and rate a sterling silver mug, engrave with name and date and wrapped in pink tissue paper, or does it classify among the grown-up grands, the grands in high school, or the lonesome grand still in the elementary school? Does it get a sterling silver baby spoon with a curled handle to fit a chubby fist, or does it get a mug with which to dribble down its chin? After having received the last bill for a brace of sterling silver mugs, one in masculine block lettering, the other in a more florid and feminine script, it has dawned upon Hix that this thing is adding up. The way it’s going to work out in future is the first great in any family rates a mug, the second a spoon, the third a pair of rubber pants or acarton of disposable dispers. After all, I may carry a blind balance in my check book, a safeguard against emergencies, but not all that much of a balance. As for a mere grand... I'm used to grands. I've tailored small plaid shirts for an army of grands, snow suits ditto, corduroy overalls, coat and helmet and legging sets, all rolling off over the faithful White sewing machine in whole- sale lots. (It’s a treadle job, Pillar To Post By HIX two foot power.) I've even handstitched christ- ening outfits with matching cream flannel coats and bonnets and slips with hand-whipped hems, all of them in the classic christening tradition, the kind ‘where the godmother tries to find the baby in the outfit and the rector lifts the baby by the knees, under the impression ‘that he’s grasping it farther up. (“Watch it, bud,” I've advised one such perturbed man of the cloth, ‘you're getting hold of the wrong end.”’) Guest editorials A column reprinting edi- torialsfromother weekly newspapersintheworld. (An editorial from The Catholic Light, the of- ficial newspaper of the Scranton Diocese of § the Roman Catholic Church, represents that newspaper's point ' of view on the speech here of Dr. Alan F. Guttmacher and its subsequent publicity.) On March 14, 1969, a Scran- ton television station, sup- posedly dedicated to educa- tional TV, presented a panel discussion interview with Dr. * Alton Guttmacher as the prin- cipal participant. The program served as a platform for Dr. Guttmacher, the world presi- dent of Planned Parenthood to give his extremely contro- versial and offensive views not only about contraceptive birth control as would be expected, but also about pre-marital sex: "and there was no one present to refute him or to say that these were controversial ‘iiews not held by| a great many people. In fact, ust the opposite im- pressi as’ &®ted because Dr. Guttmacher is a very force- ful and convincing speaker and he insinuated by his manner and his words that his vie were the only ones for intelji- gent people to, hold. t The way the ‘doctor appeared to write off the Catholic Church as innocuous and outmoded was found particularly offensive. In brief, we feel this man has done a disservice to our community and WVIA-TV helped him. Equal time is not the answer—that would be like the arsonist saying it is all right to have a fireman nearby. We feel the station owes an explanation to the viewing pub- lic that the opinions of Dr. Guttmacher are not shared by a large segment of the popu- lation and that his oblique at- tack on the teaching of the Catholic Church was regret- table. It is to be hoped this station will learn from this incident and not repeat lias consider to be an error ¥in judgment on their part. (The following editorial was delivered on WNEP-TV. We find it hard to rei that one segment of this com- munity is still so backward that it not only won't recognize a legitimate organization but none of its members will pro- vide professional service to it. on a fee basis. We're referring to the obvious ‘boycott that the Lackawanna ~ County Planned Parenthood Organization receives from the Lackawanna County Medical Association. : The organization president, Hamilton Winslow, said they have never been able to get a Lackawanna County doctor go serve in their clinic. Mr. Wirts- low said while no doctor from Lackawanna County will give them a definite refusal, none will serve. The doctors that do serve the Planned Parenthood Center in Scranton all come from outside of Lackawanna County. The County has the doubtful distinction of being one of two areas in the entire country that has adopted this attitude toward the Planned Parenthood Organization. .The state- ment made by Dr. Alan F. Guttmacher, Planned Parenthood. news conference. is very ap propriate. He said . .. ‘fit i so anachronistic. it reminds m of America thirty year ago... We must agree. president of’ > world population. on a Channel 16 a Wi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers