by Ralph Nader WASHINGTON—When Illin- ois Sen. Charles H. Percy recently, he: said some things the national and Illinois Cham- bers of Commerce would have rather not heard. A former big businessman himself, Sen. Percy hit them hard for their “unwarranted and impassioned attacks” on a pending bill to create a Consumer Protection Agency. this bill would give consumers representation before federal regulatory agencies that are supposed to protect our health, safety and pocketbooks. For the first time, lawyers, economists, accountants, scientists, engineers, and others would be pressing from within govern- ment to get real recognition for buyers’ rights, taking the con- sumers case to agencies regula- ting the food, drug, meat and poultry, auto, telephone, banking, utility, housing, and transportation industries. They deserved to be hit. For The Illinois Chamber of Com- Northrop Aircraft and the Boeing Aircraft Co. are currently competing to develop weapons for the automated air war in Southeast Asia. Both Northrop and Boeing are submitting bids to the Defense Department to build remotely-controlled aircraft called ‘‘drones.’”” The drones will be equipped with a television camera which will enable an operator, * ‘ho is located hundreds of miles away on a military base, to operate the craft with complete mobility. The Hugdes Aircraft Co. has been awarded a contract by the United Sta%s Airforce “Task 05 to develop a remotely- controlled television operated missile called ‘The Maverick.” The United States Air Force, in the summer of 1968, dropped two 50-pound canisters of a nerve gas known as “Type VX” on an outpost of North Vietnamese soldiers located in Cambodia. The April issue of EARTH magazine says that “Type VX'' is so powerful that a single drop of the gas on human skin causes vomiting, involuntary defecation, convulsions, paralysis of the central nervous system and finally death—all within 10 minutes. According to the report in EARTH, the only reason the gas was dropped on the enemy troops was to find out if “Type VX" actually killed human beings in the manner it was developed to do by scientists at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal in Denver. The magazine charged that the nerve gas was developed and used in blatant violation of all existing international laws on warfare and in conflict with all morality relating to human decency. One 50-pound canister of “Type VX” is said to contain enough gas to snuff out two-and-a-half million human lives. EARTH said it is impossible to determine how many North Vietnamese soldiers died in the project known as ‘Project Red Cap’. But fythor Gerard Van der Leun writes: “It could be assumed that everything that walked, flew, crawled or lay within the immediate vicinity of the target area was dead several thousand times over within fifteen minutes after the explosive charges shattered the steel casings and a light mist began to fail across the verdant and bomb-scarred landscape of northeastépgh Cambodia”. } sevsssssscscesase An attempt to temporarily ban “‘clearcutting: in National Forests died in a Senate subcommittee this week. Clearcutting is'a practice of the timber industry where by all trees in a given area are cut down. Environmentalists have long been waging a legal battle to replace clearcutting with the practice of “thinning out” forested areas—rather than per- mitting the destruction of all trees. Conservationists insist that clearcutting scars the en- vironment, and that it causes severe erosion. The Senate Public Lands Subcommittee, which had been holding closed hearings on clearcutting earlier this week, an- nounced that the clearcutting bill had been indefintely killed. Subcommittee chairman Frank Church of Idaho explained the committee believed it could not take final action on such an important measure by the end of this year—and thus decided to postpone action until a future date. An organization called ‘Zero Population Growth”, a national group which advocates stablizing the size of the American population, has filed suit against Paramont Pictures to stop the movie studio from releasing a motion picture entitled “Zero Pofalation Growth.” According to the population organization, the Paramont movie, if released, would damage ‘Zero Population Growth’s”’ reputation. The movie reportedly deals with a 30-year ban on having children enforced by the government. ‘Zero Population Growth”, the organization, said it does not advocate an end to having children—but that it merely encourages families to have two children in attempts to reach a stable population. Zeroagopulation Growth said it was opposed to government- forced “gr control—and that it believed in voluntary means only. The suit alleges that the movie, if entitled ‘Zero Population Growth”, would ruin the reputation of the organization of the same name. @céescececscscssen According to a report released by the Audubon Society, oil spills from ocean tankers contribute only two percent of the five billion tons of oil and petroleum spilled into the waters of the world last year. The Society’s report said that most oil damage starts inland, with motor and industrial oils accounting for 68 percent of the total oil put into waters. Storm sewers and rivers are carrying more oil today because refining plants that process oil for reuse cannot handle the waste oil because of the many additives it contains, the report said. A ¥emple University law student has filed a $200 million class aclion law suit against ITT—charging that the company’s “secret arrangement’ with the Republican Party is going to cost ITT shareholders at least that much in profits. John Rafal, who claims to own 125 shares of ITT stock, filed the suit Friday in a Philadelphia federal court. Mr. Rafal claims that because of ‘bad publicity’’ arising from the ITT-Justice Department involvement, all shareholders will lose money. eeco000c00css00 00s Seven Senators are again introducing an amendment on the floor of the Senate in an attempt to bring an end to the Indochina war. The amendment’s chief sponsor, Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska, said the latest anti-war bill would attempt to end the war within 30 days and to cut off all for U.S. bombing except for air support to defend withdrawing American troops. Senators Gravel and Walter Mondale said they hoped to attach the amendment to one of the military bills coming up for a vote on the floor of the Senate soon. merce so distorted Sen. Percy’s senate speech that the senator had to put out a point-by-point rebuttal, noting a few of the facts the chamber ignored: (1) the proposed consumer agency has no authority to regulate or prosecute anybody; (2) it must operate on a tiny yearly budget averaging the equivalent of four or five hours of gross revenue of General Motors; (3) its con- sumer advocacy must stay within the rules of the commis- sions doing the regulating: (4) the agency will be only a fraction of the size of the vast US Department of Cornmerce which is an advocate for busi- ness within the government. The wild Chamber of Com- merce statements are con- tained in a secret propaganda kit sent by the national organ- Commerce around the country. It begins by describing the bill as ‘‘the most serious threat to free enterprise and orderly government ever to be proposed in Congress.” This is news to co-sponsors— Senators Ribicoff, Javits, Percy and the 71 others, Republicans and Democrats, who supported the bill back in 1970. The con- fidential kit further suggests how business groups should protest and how to hold strategy meetings. It advises whom to contact in Congress on a first- name basis. After suggesting the ‘‘stimulation’’ of favorable newspaper editorials, the pro- paganda concludes that ‘‘at- tendance at the suggested meetings by the working press or parties not sympathetic to the problems of the business community is not recommend- ed... Itis urged that you guard against publicity of your actions that might go beyond those who share your concern.” I'm sorry to say this shabby campaign is succeeding. Many business- men, who, of course, haven’t read the bill, are flooding their congressmen and senators with letters and telegrams repro- ducing the US Chamber’s parade of horrors and hyper- bole. Well, if the US Chamber of Commerce really believes Re- publican Charles Percy is try- ing to engineer the destruction of free enterprise, it will believe anything. Why do businesses put up with this nonsense? Isn’t it time for some sensible busi- néssmen to investigate the Chamber of Commerce itself? Sen. Percy has urged Lester W. Brann, president of the Illin- ois Chamber of Commerce, to recognize the real grievances of consumers. He should send Mr. Brann a few of the voluminous Senate hearings on consumer fraud, harmful products and corporate crime. Again and again in these hearings two points are made that honest businessmen should know. First, unless abusive practices are stopped, bad business will drive out better business and undermine quality competition in the market place. Second, monopolistic practices and price-fixing are making a mockery of competitive enter- prise, leading to the domination of the economy by a few giant corporations. Is that in the in- ferest. of most | American business? Will the US Chamber of Com- merce listen? Probably not. For if it did, the functionaries who run that organization would have to do their homework. How easier it is to invent dragons to slay. Then they can go back to their golf games and two-hour lunches. | Letter to the Editor: To the editor: I am submitting an article for use in the Dailas and Mountain- top areas. La Leche League is a service organization devoted to good mothering through breastfeed- ing. Starting in Franklin Park, Ill., five years ago, it now has groups internationally, and, in our area, in Pittston, Wilkes- Barre, Hazleton, and Conyng- ham-Drums. Many mothers from the Back Mountain and Mountaintop areas have attended our meetings and suggested con- tacting your paper about our services. any questions you may have. Sincerely, Mrs. Carolyn Butwin (An article on La Leche appears on Pg. 8 of this issue.) + y Dave Kozemchak Whatzit? You’ve all guessed by now. That was an easy one, right? How about last week? Did you know it was a tea strainer? Ambulance Log NOXEN March 20—Harold Koulp, to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Crew: Dale Clark and Earl Crispell. March 25—Sherry Swire, to Taylor Memorial Hospital. Crew Crispell. HARVEYS LAKE t March 8—Joan Meck, Lehman-Outlet Road to Nanticoke State Hospital. Crew: Rich Williams and Chet Davis. March 8—Daniel Jones, Sunset Terrace to Nesbitt Memorial Hospital. Crew: Chet Davis and Jim Faerber. March 8— Henry Stefanowicz, Loyalville to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital. Crew: Chet Davis and Jim Faerber. March 11—Margaret Gulitus, General Hospital to Lake-Noxen Road. Crew: Chet Davis, John Stenger and Jim Faerber. March 11—Francis Kreidler, Nesbitt Hospital to Ridge Avenue. Crew: Chet Davis, John Stenger and Jim Faerber. March 16--Anna Krasner, Pole 139 to General Hospital. Crew: Chet Davis and Arden Kocher. March 16—Barbra Evan, General Hospital to Pole 71. Crew: Chet Davis and Arden Kocher. March 16—Anna Krasner, General Hospital to Pole 139. Crew: Chet Davis and Arden Kocher. ’ March 22—Anna Beisel, Ridge Avenue to Mercy Hospital. Crew: Chet Davis and Jim Faerber. Crew: Chet Davis and Rich Williams. [For The Record] FOR THE RECORD is a weekly report of all votes of record and the position taken on measures by your Congressman. Daniel J. Flood 11th Congressional District, Pennsylvania Thursday, March 23, 1972 The week's first three record votes came on bills handled under suspension proceudre. Bills may be considered under this procedure on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month. An affirma- tive vote by two-thirds of those voting is required to suspend the rules and pass a bill or resolution. : The REHABILITATION ACT of 1972 (H.R. 8395) authorizes $4 billion during the next three years for grants to state voca- tional rehabilitation offices and for related federal programs. Yeas 327. Nays 0. Passed, Mar. 20. MR. FLOOD DID NOT VOTE. Whether to authorize $50 thousand for U.S. participation in two international organizations dealing with private law (H.R. 11948). Yeas 316. Nays 18. Passed, Mar. 20. MR. FLOOD DID NOT VOTE. Whether to amend the UNIFORM TIME ACT (H.R. 4174). The amendment permits any state with parts in more than one time zone to exempt one part from having to observe daylight saving time. Yeas 333. Nays 7. Passed. MR. FLOOD DID NOT VOTE. H.R. 13120 authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to fix the price of gold at $38 an ounce. Yeas 342. Nays 43. Passed, Mar. 21. : MR. FLOOD VOTED YEA. The NATIONAL SICKLE CELL ANEMIA PREVENTION Act (H.R. 13592) authorizes $105 million during the next three years for screening, treatment, and research programs relating to this blood disease. Yeas 391. Nays 0. Passed, Mar.22 MR. FLOOD VOTED YEA. Whether to appropriate $428 million for the operations during FY 1973 of the House of Representatives, Library of Congress, Government Printing Office, and General Accounting Office (H.R. 13955). Yeas 362. Nays 9. Passed, Mar. 23. MR. FLOOD VOTED YEA. We'll Miss Her It is HIX’s house. us about. We will miss her. catch up with herself. We will miss her. her thing anymore. family about her. A Greenstreet News Co. any more. Rodda. person. 26 March 1972 DORIS R. MALLIN Editor As has been stated here a number of times, a degree of moderation is going to have to be maintained if a balance is to be achieved between industrial and environmental interests in the United States. And that means moderation in language as well as in other phases of the environmental problem. For instance, it does little lasting good to have environ- mentalists run around con- stantly crying wolf every time industry seeks to expand or every time an inadvertent error does actual’ harm to air, water or land. Alarm is a natural reaction, but excesses in damning industry can serve to instead of aiding it; for undue criticism could result in a stubbornness on the part of industry to move as swiftly as reasonably possible toward correcting abuses. The same thing goes for in- dustrialists. If they believe that they are taking an unfair rap about the environment, they may speak in answer. But if the reply is heated beyond the temperate, a no-solution shouting match can result. Thus it is that a risk may have been run as a Pennsylvania industrialist took en- vironmentalists to task the other day. Blaming them for what he says will be shortages of power for heat and light, he said that delays in power plant construc- tion are the result of an “emotional environmental binge.” He added that society is in danger of losing its proper perspective on pollution problems and possible solutions to them ‘‘because of the emotions aroused in a public that is being bombarded daily by exaggerations, distortions, inaccuracies and prophesies of disaster.” Further, he said, pollution laws sponsored by legislators lacking technical background “are not based on good technology and thorough scientific evaluation.” And then: “It has been amazing to me to witness the political reaction that a handful of people can cause through demonstrations and protest marches, which are amplified by widespread dissemination through the public news media.” Well now. Depending upon which technological-scientific source that is read, the public and the public news media generally have a choice between black and gray and white. Black: the nation is doomed because of environmental rapings. White: everything is all right and will remain so. ~ Gray: the environment has been abused, must be healed and unavoidable pollution anticipated and controlled. Take Lake Erie as a case in point. Some reports say the lake is beyond recall. Others point to: the fact that fish still live in it as. evidence of its acceptable level of purity. Still others say that the lake is polluted but that it can be reclaimed short of death. Industry is a necessary part of the American economy. It cannot be closed unless some major restructuring of the economy is accomplished, and we have no idea what direction that might take. But just because it is necessary to economic progress and well being does not give it a stature dominant to environmental safety. And though some environ- mentalists may be proved in the long run as being guilty of wanton wolf crying, it is our belief that the nation should be safe rather than sorry. We had better, therefore, worry too much than too little about the environment while attempting to find a balance that will allow people to prosper and to respire at the same time. ; April 10 Misericordia at 1 p.m. April 11 Lunch will be also be served. April 12 April 15 April 17 p.m. April 21-22
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers