Editor's notes
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WELL, CHRISTMAS HAS COME
AND GONE and the holiday festivi-
ties are just about over. Isn’t it
amazing, though, that it takes you
three months to prepare for Christ-
mas and then it’s all over in a
flash? Sometimes, it comes and
goes so fast, you almost feel that if
you blinked your eyes, you might
miss all the ‘‘hype.” 3 7
Anyway, it is :
over - the gifts
are unwrapped,
the food is eaten
and now we're
getting ready for
a brand new year
to roll around.
I certainly hope
everyone got MARTIN
everything they asked for and that
everyone had a real nice Christmas.
I would personally like to thank
Santa for being especially nice to
me this year - I didn’t think I stood
half a chance with the jolly old man
this year, but I guess he saw things
differently than I did.
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CHRISTMAS WOULDN’T BE
CHRISTMAS without the last-
minute shoppers. Traffic last
Monday afternoon was almost intol-
Some of the pictures I have seen
in the newspapers and on television
make my heart bleed for these
people. Living in American ‘and
wanting for almost nothing makes it
difficult for us to realize the rest of
the world is not nearly as well off as
we are. And, we don’t even appre-
ciate what we have!
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I MUST APOLOGIZE PUBLICLY
to Florence Scutt. I inadvertently
omitted Florence’s name from last
week’s photo of The Dallas Post
staff and I feel absolutely terrible
about it. I attempted to explain
what happened with that photo in
my column last week.
time we took the photo, but when we
had to reschedule it because of
problems with the first shot, she
was unable to be at our office the
next day. Therefore, when I wrote
the caption for the picture, I really
messed up and left her name out of
the identification.
Florence actually plays a very
important role in the success of The
Dallas Post and there is no excuse
for skipping over her name when
listing staff members. Florence
handles telephone solicitation for us
their Christmas shopping before
Christmas arrived.
summed everything up rather
humorously for us last Monday. She
stopped in to our office to wish the
staff a Merry Christmas and she
proceeded to tell us that she and her
father, Mike, usually leave the store
open until approximately 5 p.m. on
Christmas eve so that they can
accommodate all the last-minute
shoppers.
But, Pooch said, things start to
get a little hairy after 4 p.m. when
the real late shoppers come in and
are not very sure of what they want
or why ‘they are even shopping at
that point. The funniest thing she
finds, though, is that all the men
who come into the store at the last
minute have a wife who is exactly
her (Pooch’s) size and anything that
fits her will fit their wives.
Thus, Pooch is convinced - half
the women in the Back Mountain
are built exactly like she is.
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CHRISTMAS IS A FUN. TIME,
though, when family members visit
from far-away lands. My brother,
Larry, and his fiancee, Camille,
came in from New Jersey and,
although New Jersey really isn’t a
far-away land it does seem far
away at times. We all sat around
the table during the evening, play-
ing a game.
I thorougly enjoyed myself, but it
did seem rather strange, sitting at a
table and playing a game with my
brother. After all, I can’t remember
the last time my brother and I had
so much time for each other. But,
then again, isn’t that what Christ-
mas (and: any holiday, for that
matter) is all about? Sitting down
and sharing some of your fime with
those you care about. It was a
different kind of Christmas for me
because it’s been a long time since I
offered my brother that kind of
time, but it taught me that time is
probably the most valuable gift we
can give anyone.
SPEAKING OF ‘TIME, all the
news reports of the starving people
in Ethiopia are breaking my heart.
I can’t imagine anything worse than
being so hungry that you have no
energy whatsoever.
on the other end explaining some of
the policies of The Dallas Post to
you.
What she does for us is very
important: and I, by no means,
should be forgiven for skipping over
her in a staff photo. I am terribly
sorry, Florence, but it really was an
honest mistake.
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ALSO, MY APOLOGIES to mem-
bers of both the canine and feline
families for mixing the two in my
column last week when relaying the
Christmas‘story of the family whose
cat needed an operation. Again,
very honestly, I tagged the kitten as
a member of the canine family.
Now, ¢’mon, I know cats are not
canines, but rather felines. How-
ever, in the midst of a rush, I
confused the two.
Anyway, a wonderful gentleman
by the name of George Brutko (who
just happens to be married to our
circulation manager, Jean Brutko)
called me and brought this unforgiv-
able error to my attention. George
just wanted to be sure that I was
aware of the. difference between
canines and felines. And, for that
George, I thank you!
George also brought to my atten-
tion that the caption under our full-
color front page photograph last
week listed those shown in the photo
as members of Cub Scout Troop 281
when they are actually members of
Cub Scout Pack 281. Again, George,
my apologies - there are no excuses
for such stupidity!
As ‘a result of George bringing
these two errors to my attention, I
would like to make a deal with, not
only him, but every reader of The
Dallas Post. :
I am inviting each and every one
of you to eall me (675-5211) anytime
you find an error in The Dallas Post
so that you can bring these errors to
my attention. However, the other
part of the deal is that every time
you either see a photo, read a story
or notice anything in our paper that
you like, you have to call me and
tell me that, also.
Now, that’s a fair deal. If you
don’t like something, by all means,
pick up the telephone and let me
know. But, when you do like some-
thing, kindly do the same. I will be
forever grateful to all of you.
Only yesterday
graph from actress Joan Fontaine,
blue.
Edward Hartman.
Dallas.
Mountain Drive.
Dallas Community Ambulance.
Steele to John Wicht.
he was invited
cans 97c.
surgery.
chuck roast 26¢
By EDWIN FEULNER
Washington continues to be rife
with speculation about David Stock-
J. Stephen Buckley
Dotty Martin
Publisher
Editor
Betty Bean
Mike Danowski
Charlot Denmon
Joe Gula
Marvin Lewis
Jean Brutko
Peggy Poynton
Circulation Director
paid in advance.
under the act of March 3, 1889.
time.
man’s “black book,”” which contains
recommendations for controlling the
growth of the public purse.
News reports indicate that many
of the recommended $34 billion in
cuts and economies were drawn
from outside sources: the Grace
Commission Report, government
waste-watcher Donald Lambro’s
excellent new book, ‘Washington:
City of Scandals,” and The Heritage
Foundation’s new guide to govern-
ment, “Mandate for Leadership II:
Contining the Conservative Revolu-
tion.”
Despite the evidence, some in
Washington continue to whine that
there is little to cut, after ‘‘entitle-
ments”’ debt payments, and other
long-term government obligations
are fctored in. That, of course, is
pure hogwash. There is plenty to
cut. So much, that if the Reagan
administration really wanted to be
gutsy, it could place a balanced
budget on the table, and force Con-
gress’ hand.
Not sometime in the future, mind
you, with new revenues produced by
economic growth. Not by raising
taxes again (which in the long run
will hurt the economy and reduce
revenues). Not with hocus-pocus.
And not even under the cocked gun
of a balanced-budget amendment.
Instead, when President Reagan
presents his fiscal 1986 budget to the
Congress, he could throw down the
gauntlet and present the wise men
of Washington with a budget that is
balanced to the dollar.
Can you imagine the indignant
squirming on Capitol Hill, when all
of the balanced-budget phonies from
the campaign trail are called upon
to stand and-be counted on the
issue?
That obviously delightful prospect
aside, if President Reagan were to
present Congress with a balanced-
budget proposal - rather than try to
chip away at bloated government
programs - he would be ‘doing more
than declaring war on ways past.
He would be precipitating perhaps
the most fundamental national
debate on the size and proper role of
the federal government since the
New Deal.
Where would the cuts come from?
In “City of Scandals” investiga-
tive reporter Lambro found, for
example, that some of America’s
wealthiest communities - including
Palm ‘Springs, California, Green-
wich, Connecticut and*Aspen, Colo-
rado - are getting federal handouts:
In all, he identified $200 billion that
could be cut from the federal pork
barrel without touching programs
for the needy or weakening national
defense.
The Heritage Foundation, too, has
offered a plan to trim $119 billion
from the federal deficit without
cutting the level of services to the
poor or hurting U.S. defenses.
‘Mandate for Leadership,” in
addition, outlines a long-term strat-
egy for shifting dozens of programs
from Washington to the states, com-
munities, churches and synagogues
where they rightly belong.
To his credit, former President
Carter had the right idea when he
proposed ‘‘zero-based’’ budgeting
for the federal government. That's
advice President Reagan should
follow - and zero-base the billions of
dollars in subsidies, handouts,
transfer payments, and redundant
and unnecesary programs needed to
present House Speaker Thomas P.
“Tip’”’ O’Neill with a balanced
budget.
_ (Edwin Feulner is president of
The Heritage Foundation, a Wash-
ington-based public policy research
institute.)
Vietnam veterans and their fami-
lies are reminded that January 2 is
the last day tu file claims under the
recently announced lawsuit agree-
ment against the manufacturers of
Agent Orange.
Rep. George C. Hasay noted that
a tentative agreement settlement
was reached last May 7 between
seven chemical companies and
attorneys for Vietnam veterans.
“The settlement created a $180
millon trust fund to benefit veter-
ans and their families who suffer
from the adverse health effects of
exposure to Agent Orange,” Hasay
said.
The lawmaker who’ represents
counties urged those who may be
eligible and have not filed claims to
call the toll-free Vietnam Veterans
of American hotline at 1-800-645-
1355.
Vietnam veterans may also obtain
copies of the claim forms needed to
file plus a booklet explaining the
litigation and claim form by writing
to the Vietnam Veterans of Amer-
ica, Box 3499A, Washington, D.C.
20010.
Hasay noted that the Jan. 2 dead-
line applies to veterans with present
or past disabilities. For disabilities
that first appear after Jan. 2, veter-
ans may file within four months of
the development of the disabilities.
LIBRARY N EWS
By NANCY KOZEMCHAK
Library Correspondent
The ‘‘Adopt A Book” program at
the Back Mountain Memorial
Library is in full swing and we now
have three books donated this way.
The latest addition has bg
donated by Charlotte Oley. I{™#
‘‘StillWatch’’ by Mary Higgins
Clark and it is her most recen
novel. “ 5
The books adopted under this plan
are given to the library and paid for
by the person adopting them. These
books can be adopted as memorials,
birthday or anniversary dates, or
any special occasion. The book
receives a special book plate and
will be placed on a special shelf in
the library. You may purchase the
book and donate it or give the
money. is
The Campbell Soup Company
label collection is going very well.
We have received many labels and
the containers are available in the
main library and the children’s
department.
New Book Club books at the
library: “The Landower Legacy”
by Victoria Holt is a novel of
romantic suspense which evokes
late Victorian England - its man-
ners, dress, and gossip; its funerals
and masked balls; its fortune hunt-
ers; its rigid morality and furtive
sinning. The Landower brothers try
to save their vast holdings with a
legacy of hatred and death.
“Ride A Pale Horse” by Helen
MacInnes is the story of Kare
Cornell, bright, attractive staf
reporter for the Washington Specta-*
tor, a respected current affairs
magazine; and her assignment to
cover an international peace con-
vention in Czechoslovakia. It is a
gripping novel of suspense involving
political assassination, blackmail,
forgery, violence and murder.
“The Rest Of Us” by Stephen
Birmingham tells the story of the
rise of America’s Eastern European
jews; who, between 1882 and 1915
thronged into New York Harbor to
escape the savage pogroms of czar-
ist Russia, and who stayed to pros-
per in the New World. To the
‘uptown’ German Jews, this horde
was an ambarrassment and a phi-
lanthropic burden.
“Role of Honor”’ by John Gardner
is the story of the most ingenious
and deadly mission James Bond has
ever undertaken in his illustrious
career. For whatever M and Bond
know, in private, the world intellig-
ence agencies
i N
highest bidder. This is a deadly
tension thriller,
Can you afford to subscribe to all
the magazines you'd like to read? If
your answer is no, here’s your
chance to enjoy them all - and at no
cost. The library has many maga-
zines on a wide range of subjects
which can be signed out and taken
home to read at your leisure.
The staff at the library: Bill,
Nancy, Marilyn, Charlotte, Patricia,
want to convey sincere wishes for a
prosperous and happy new year.
STATE CAPITOL
ROUNDUP
Here is a summary of important
events that occurred on Capitol Hill
last week from: Rep. Frank Coslett,
120th Legislative District.
Sy
a
iE.
government, a reduced rate of infla~
tion and economic recovery in the
Commonwealth are three important
reasons for a projected state reve-
nue surplus of about $188 million at
the end of the current fiscal year.
That is'the assessment of Gov. Dick
Thornburgh who announced the
anticipated surplus this week and
recommended tax cuts for 1985-86 as
proposal to create a so-called
“rainy day fund” with an unspeci-
fied portion of the surplus. The fund
would be used to provide the state
and taxpayers with a cushion in the
event of future economic downturns
said. The General Assembly begins
work on the 1985-86 state budget in
February. :
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citizens in Pennsylvania will
become eligible to participate in the
state’s prescription drug subsidy
program under legislation signed by
sure increases the income eligibility
:
¥
|
requirements necessary to qualify
for the Pharmaceutical Assistance
Contract for the Elderly (PACE)
program. Beginning April 1, PACE
eligibility limits will increase from
$9,000 for a single person to $12,000
and from $12,000 to $15,000 for a
couple. Under the guidelines of the
program, participants pay the first
$4 of each prescription an the bal-
ance of the cost is paid from state
lottery funds. Another bill signed by
the governor creates a $10 million
in meeting safety standards and in
remodeling facilities for handi-