The Mail-Journal, Volume 6, Number 36, Milford, Kosciusko County, 8 October 1969 — Page 9

'JTlic Mail&jjournal j, I PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY The Milford Mail (Est 1888) Syracuse-Wawasee Journal (Eat 1907) 4 Consolidated Into The Mail-Journal Feb. 15, 1962 - ■" —" i DEMOCRATIC < . , ' ARCHIBALD E. BAUMGARTNER, Editor and Publisher DELLA BAUMGARTNER, Business Manager Box 8 Syracuse, Ind., — 46567

Home Fire Prevention

On the average fire strikes more than 1,000 American homes every day and takes approximately 30 lives. Since home fires are caused by a few well known hazards, elimination of these can be a major factor in reducing loss of life and property. National Fire Prevention Week is October 5-11, reminds F. R. Willsey, Purdue university extension safety specialist, and an extremely appropriate time to review steps that eliminate fire hazards. Have heater and furnace checkups now, Willsey advises. Demands on heating systems are always heaviest in the winter. When these are used constantly, any weakness in the equipment or installation can bring trouble. Chimneys also should be examined for cracks and loose bricks. Discard empty paint cans, oily rags and other rubbish that may have accumulated during the summer. Do not leave them piled in the attic or garage where combustion is possible. Remember, too, paint fumes can easily .reach a furnace pilot light. So when painting, be sure to have plenty of ventilation.

A Greater Power

Death tolls in states that were swept by the winds of the hurricane “Camille” continue to mount as more bodies are recovered. Many roads are still closed by obstructions left in the wake of the big wind, and communications are just getting back to normal in some areas. The homeless are even now still temporarily housed. And it will be many months, and possibly years, before some areas gain a semblance of their pre-storm condition. We live in a wonderous age. An age of conveniences unknown as recently as a decade ago. Man has touched the moon. He has photographed Mars. The atom has been split. Polio is no longer the dread disease it once was. High speed travel has been extended from the skies to the rails and highways. Longevity has reached peaks unheard of. Hearts and other vital organs have been taken from one person or animal and placed in the body of another. But there is still a greater power. Some view the ravages of nature, such as Camille, or the floods we have wit-

CAPITOL COMMENTS With SENATOR 1 . VANCE HARTKeM J '' ,ntl ’ ana Government Action Needed To Save Passenger Trains

After listening to top executives of our nation’s major railroads for three consecutive days last week, I am more convinced than ever that positive government action is needed to reverse the trend of declining passenger service. The railroad executives told why they are discontinuing such favorite passenger trains as the James Whitcomb Riley at special hearings by the US Senate’s Surface Transportation Subcommittee.

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EDITORIALS

William B. Johnson, Chairman of the Board of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, expressed the feelings of many railway executives when he told my subcommittee he would like to discontinue virtually all of the railroad’s intercity passenger trains. The railroad executives claim that there are not enough railroad passengers to meet the expenses involved in operating the trains. During last week’s hearings,

Willsey also cautions: Avoid paper or other flammable materials on the stove or near the pilot light. If frying meat catches on fire, cover the pan with a tight metal lid until fire is smothered. Take special care with all electrical appliances. Never buy an appliance unless it has the approval us an authorized testing laboratory. Turn off the iron if you leave, even though you may be gone only a few minutes. Use a flameproof ironing board cover and avoid putting an iron flat on the board. Place metal screens in front of fireplaces and make certain that small children do not play too near the open flames. Arrange articles in the basement a safe distance from heating units. Dispose of combustible waste promptly. If candles are used on the tables, light them just before a meal and put them out when you have finished eating. Do not use candles near curtains or draperies. Keep matches out of the reach of youngsters. •

nessed in many of our river ports? as a warning to man—a reminder of that greater power. They could be right. They are effective reminders of the strength of God’s powers. There is another side of these tragedies that should not be overlooked: At no time other than times of disaster do men and women of all age groups, religions and races gather together in a spirit of mutual cooperation. The pettiness of bigotry and dissent are set aside by all with few exceptions. We lean on one another in unity of purpose which, were it not for the tragedies that bring us together in the first place, would be a thing of true beauty. Perhaps we should all take a long hard look at the aftermath of these tragedies. The clean up and the search for loved ones should be reviewed after the fact and kept alive in our memories and our hearts. Tragedy is the great equalizer. It knows no limits. It touches all of us. How deep and how permanent the impact is up to us. — Hoosier Democrat

we considered a variety of proposals including a bill I introduced which would provide Federal funds to a railroad to make up for any financial loss incurred by a train which the Interstate Commerce Commission refused to permit to be discontinued. Other bills would authorize a study to determine the exact need for passenger service and establish a fleet of streamlined passenger cars, owned by the Department of Transportation and leased to the railroads. Another suggested solution would be for the government to establish a government - owned corporation which would own all railroad equipment, terminals and right of way. Those facilities would be leased to private enterprise operators. Streamlined trains like the Metroliner, which travels bebetween New York and Washington, may someday be running in several heavily populated sections of the country. Stuart Saunders, chairman of the board of the Penn Central Railroad, said the Metroliner still cannot be called a success. But Saunders admitted that the public response to the highspeed train exceeded the expectations of the railroad executives. The same railroad men are saying that the majority of American people no longer want railroad passenger service. I believe that if the passenger service is improved and if some way is found to defray the financial losses, the Nation’s railroad executives could be in for some more surprises. TORS SEALS |1 I FIFTY YEARS Os I HF Kftg ORGANIZED SERVICE VJfl TO THE HANDICAPPED

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Know Your Indiana Law By JOHN J. DILLON Attorney at Law

This is a public service article explaining provisions of

Indiana law in general terms.

The lawyer has at least one opportunity to perform a valuable service to a client which is also personally rewarding. Adoption proceedings allow the lawyer to serve his client and community, with an end result that is both satisfying and rewarding. Adoption procedures are purely statutory and anyone desirous of adopting a child must file a petition with either the probate court or court having probate jurisdiction in the county where the petitioner resides, or in which is located a duly licensed child placing agency or

Special Report from Washington

WASHINGTON — The army was determined to go ahead with the murder charges against the Green Berets until President Nixon finally intervened. Some of the generals were so adamant that they seemed more interested in slapping down the proud Special Forces than in punishing any alleged murderers. The Green Berets, in turn, were convinced that the army was using the murder case to bring them into line and to reduce them to the level of standard army mediocrity. The army offered to conduct the court martial behind closed doors so that the Central Intelligence Agency could give secret testimony. The CIA, however, didn’t trust the civilian attorneys, some •of them big-name lawyers with an eye for the headlines. As a result, the CIA flatly refused to testify at the court martial — a privilege that the law allows the CIA in order to protect our secret spy operations. The President decided, under the circumstances, to drop the case against the Green Berets. SAIGON RUMBLINGS Some South Vietnamese generals are so bitter over what they consider to be American appeasement of the North that there is danger they may attempt a military coup or even order their troops to attack withdrawing Americans. It will be denied, but the Pentagon considers the danger so real that contingency plans have been drafted in case South Vietnamese troops should turn on US troops. The anti-American rumblings have come from as high as Vice

Adoption

governmental agency having custody of the child, or in any county where such child may be found. The petition is first filed with ‘ the court and the court then refers the petition to either the local department of public welfare or a private agency which investigates the prospective parents and then files a recommendation with the court either recommending its approval or disapproval of the adoption. The court, although not bound by the recommendation, generally follows/tire agency’s advice. Adoption is not only available

President Ky, who has warned privately that any attempt to impose a coalition government upon Saigon will lead to a revolt. What’s more, he has threatened to lead the revolt himself if he considers the settlement a sellout to the communists. Meanwhile, President Khieu is quietly placing dedicated anticommunist officers in key positions. Reports have reached the US command that these officers are being chosen for their opposition to a cease-fire, coalition or concessions. MIDDLE EAST PROGRESS The secret four - power conferences on the Middle East have been surprisingly harmonious. The Russians have agreed that the Israelis won’t have to withdraw from occupied Arab lands until the Arabs also make parallel concessions. There has also been general agreement that a peace - keeping force will be sent into the Middle East and that it can’t be withdrawn except by vote of the UN Security " Council. Previously, the Secretary General pulled out the UN peace force at the request of Egypt’s President Nasser. At US insistence, the Russians have also agreed that the terms of a Middle East settlement should be spelled out in writing and that both Arab and Israeli governments should sign it. The big four have agreed, too, that the sovereignty of independent states must be guaranteed. This is another gesture to Israel, whose government the Arabs don’t recognize and seek to wipe off the map. EFFECTIVE LOBBY Sen. Philip Hart of Michigan is still trying to get a bill

to the childless couple who is desirous of acquiring a new heir, but is also a procedure whereby a husband may adopt the children of his wife by a former marriage. Once the adoption has been granted, the adopted child is, in contemplation of law, the same as a natural child for all purposes. The new parent has the legal responsibility to support the child properly during his minority. The adopted child will also inherit, by, through or from his adoptive parents, but a word of warning regarding bequests in the wills of persons other than the adoptive parents. For example, a bequest by an adoptive grandparent of the child if worded as follows: “To my son’s children” could exclude any but natural children. So care in specifically naming the new child in such instrument is important. Sparky My* ocToeas-n g\ FIRE PKVDmQH J

through Congerss to prevent doctors from selling drugs on a highly profitable commercial basis — and still is finding action stalled by the potent lobbyists of the American Medical Association. Hart’s bill has been introduced twice before in Congress and died each time for lack of action. It is now in the hands of the Senate Commerce Committee awaiting formal assignment to the consumer subcommittee headed by Sen. Frank Moss of Utah, with hearings “hoped for” late this year or early next. Sen. Moss is reported to be little interested in holding hearings. The bill has three main provisions: First, it would prohibit any doctor from having any financial interest in any drug store within ten miles of his office. Second, it would prohibit doctors from owning stock in any drug repackaging firm. Earlier Hart investigations revealed doctors were forming companies which would purchase drugs under generic names,, repackage them under their own private brand names, and then sell them at ten times the cost of the original generic drugs. Third, it would prohibit doctors from selling drugs “in the usual course of their business,” with exemptions for doctors in rural areas where drugstores* are remote, in emergency situations, and in special cases where it would be of particular benefit to patients, as when a doctor might sell drugs at cost to the poor and aged. One reason for the prohibition against doctors selling drugs on a regular basis was a finding by Sen. Hart that some doctors made it big business, with pa-

Congressional Comer: John Brodemos Reports From Washington

Military Policy Again

This session of Congress has been remarkable for the intense and wide-ranging debate which has taken place concerning our military policy. This debate has centered on several important questions: How can we avoid the waste of billions of dollars from excessive costs in our military program? Can an SBO billion military budget be justified at a time of serious inflation and unmet social needs here at home? Have we overextended ourselves to the danger of more ventures like the Viet Nam War? Last week the House of Representatives had a chance to do something about t*ese issues when it considered a bill to authorize s2l billion for military research, development and procurement during the current fiscal year. I wish I could report to you that the House made sure that every penny of this s2l billion of your money will be well spent. I wish I could report that the House gave thorough and painstaking consideration to every aspect of this bill. Unfortunately I would be deceiving you if I told you that this were true. For this important bill was rushed through the House in just three days, with virtually no changes in the bill as it was reported by the Armed Services Committee. In the course of debate on the floor of the House, many amendments were offered which would have reduced funds for certain military programs which in recent months have been attacked as being wasteful, excessively costly, or unneeded. All these amendments- were defeated. I spoke in favor of one particular amendment which would have required the Pentagon to set up an orderly system of reporting to Congress on military spending programs. The amendment would have also increased the power of Congress to monitor defense programs by giving the Government Accounting Office, Congress’ watchdog over the Executive agencies, the power to subpena Pentagon records. The purpose of the amendment was to insure that cost overruns could be discovered and solved before too much money is wasted. In my speech I specifically criticized the decision of the army to develop and build an expensive new truck, when Kai-

ser Jeep had offered to build a similar vehicle in South Bend at a savings of $l5O million. The amendment I supported, which had support from both Democrats and Republicans, would have enabled Congress to challenge such questionable decisions. Unfortunately, this Amendment also went down to defeat. But even more distressing to me was the way in which the bill was rushed through the House. The House Armed Services Committee must consider each piece of military legislation before it reaches the floor of the House. In the case of last week’s procurement bill, no copies of the bill were available to Committee members until late in the afternoon of the day before the Committee met to vote on the bill. The Committee completed action on the bill in just six hours. Included in the Committee’s version of the bill was an extra $1 billion for naval shipbuilding — above and beyond the Pentagon’s request. This amount was inserted at the whim of the Committee chairman. Copies of the Committee’s report on the bill were not available to other members until just two days before the bill was debated on the House floor. Time and again during floor debate, discussion was prematurely cut off by the Committee chairman before the Members of Congress had been given a chance to express themselves fully on the bill’s provisions. In contrast to this irresponsible way of dealing with important legislation, the Senate spent more than two months debating the same bill earlier in the session. But at least this year represented an improvement over previous years in dealing with military legislation. In the past, defense bills have been passed with even less debate and in even greater haste. That such a large number of amendments were offered this year is a good indication that military legislation will come under closer Congressional scrutiny in the future. OTHER NOTES The Education Subcommittee which I chaired last Wednesday voted unanimously to give a favorable report to the Drug Abuse Education Act, which the Subcommittee has been considering for several weeks. The bill now goes to the full Comipittee.

By JACK ANDERSON

tients coming to their offices by the hundred to pick up drugs from a nurse or receptionist. The profits on the drugs in some cases may have exceeded the doctor’s income from his medical practice. Hart and his staff are not optimistic they’ll get action this time; the AMA is too bitterly opposed to any restrictions on doctors’ money-making schemes. GOVERNMENT SECRECY Rep. John Moss of California, a hard - hitting foe of government secrecy, will hold hearings on qjiarges by Ralph Nader that the two-year-old Freedom of Information Act is being “undermined by a riptide of bureaucratic ingenuity.” Nader charged that federal regulatory agencies frequently give information to industries they regulate while denying it to the public. His report followed a three-month study by “Nader’s Raiders,” a task force of Nader lieutenants and college students. Rep. Moss himself has been hammering at the wall of bureaucratic secrecy on nonsecurity matters since 1955. He still receives daily complaints about it from the press, ever since he pushed the Freedom of Information Act through Congress in 1966. A phone call from Moss’s office usually gets action at the department or agency withholding legitimate information, but this isn’t always true. The California Congressman, for example, has been trying since July 18 to induce the Social Security Administration to publicize the names and fees of doctors and dentists under the Medicare program. No luck so far.