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Rock Valley Bee from Rock Valley, Iowa • Page 15

Publication:
Rock Valley Beei
Location:
Rock Valley, Iowa
Issue Date:
Page:
15
Extracted Article Text (OCR)

Bedell Asks Kissinger To Stay Out Of Grain Affairs Rock Valley Bee, October 15,1975 Section Page Fifteen In a letter mailed to Secretary of State Henry Kissinger last week, Iowa Congressman Berkley Bedell asked him to "stop meddling in the sale of American grain to foreign countries and leave this matter up to the Department of Agriculture, which is responsible for the farm policies of the nation." Referring to the continued embargo by the Administration on further grain sales to the Soviet Union, Bedell said the state department should stay out of American farm policy. Bedell told the secretary that "this cavalier tampering with our agricultural export trade must stop. It is unfair to the farmers of America. And beyond that, it has serious implications for our domestic economy and our balance of trade," he wrote Kissinger. Bedell said the Soviet Union has recently purchased 27.5 million bushels of wheat and 9.9 million bushels of corn from Argentina, and one million bushels of soybeans from Brazil.

"This represents an esti- Capitol by Don Reid DEMOCRATS New Hampshire may have the first primary in the country, sbut the political eyes of the nation are focusing on Iowa. There are two reasons for this. First, eight of the Democratic presidential hopefuls are slated to appear at the Iowa Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner in Ames on October 25. It's being billed as a "presidential extravaganza" and will have all the earmarkings of a presidential convention. Well almost.

The second reason there is so much interest being shown in Iowa is that Iowa's precinct caucuses set for January 19 will be the first in the nation. Tom Whitney, the Democratic chairman for Iowa, has announced the results of a straw poll conducted last September 22 at the Democratic precinct caucuses. With 5,762 votes cast, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter received 9.9 percent of the vote. Sargent Shriver, the 1972 vice-presidential nominee, was a close second with 8.7 percent, followed by Indiana Senator Birch Bayh with 8.1, former Vice President Hubert Humphrey with 7.2, Washington Senator Henry Jackson 6.5, Arizona Congressman Morris Udall 6.2 and former Oklahoma Senator Fred Harris 5.7 percent. A third of those participating in the poll, 1,924, were uncommitted.

The various presidential candidates will each have a booth at the Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner where they can woo Iowa Democrats. The eight presidential hopefuls scheduled to appear at the dinner are: Bayh, Carter, Harris, Jackson, Shriver, Udall and former North Carolina Governor Terry Sanford who only polled 1.0 straw poll and Pennsylvania Governor Shapp with .81 percent. South Dakota Senator George McGovern, the Democratic presidential nominee in 1972, will keynote the dinner with an address on the nature of the presidency. TURNER Richard C. Turner is going to go down in Iowa annals as one of the most famous, certainly one of the most controversial attorney generals the state has ever had.

The voters obviously have rated his performance rather highly. One reason for his fame is annual sessions. They have brought a proliferation of new laws, some hastily written. It is up to the attorney general to decide what the law says. The sheer number of new statutes keep him in the spotlight.

Turner thinks it is not his job to put into a law what was intended, he just points out what is actually in it. This does not always make him popular with the disappointed authors or other affected persons. Another reason for Turner's place in history is his flair for writing opinions. Some of them are classics, proving that "legalese" is not necessarily dull and stodgy. Turner is full of good humor.

Take for example his most recent opinion as to whether the Iowa National Guard could enter into an agreement with the Hyperion Country Club north of Des Moines for use of the club's tennis courts in exchange for help from the guardsmen in bringing in tons of dirt tojill in the area where the court's are to be constructed. Turner told the guard that he didn't see why the proposed lease agreement needed approval by the state council mated loss of $342 million in export sales for American agriculture," he said. He said that American agriculture is losing opportunities for future trade advantages because of the embargo. "Can the American farmer, be expected to have confidence in the word and wisdom of this Administration when our customers begin to look elsewhere for their commodity imports?" he asked Kissinger. He concluded the letter with an appeal to immediately lift the embargo.

For faster results use the WANT ADS. approval from him for that matter. "However," Turner continued, "somehow I'm always ready, willing and able to stand the heat in the kitchen, stop and buck, handle the hot potatoes and furnish a broad shoulder for my friends." The attorney general said he would appreciate it though if the guard would provide "your gallant department of justice" a small corner in one of their hangers in which to keep Turner's airplane which he has dubbed the "bamboo canoe." Turner and Governor Robert Ray have had a running battle over funds for a new airplane for the attorney general. The matter is now in the courts. MURRAY State Senator John Murray of Ames has become the first candidate to announce for a major office in Iowa.

Murray, Ames attorney, said he will seek the Republican nomination for fifth district congressman in the 1976 elections. The seat is presently held by Democrat Tom Harkin of Ames. Murray is the son of William G. Murray, widely known farm expert and twice a Republican gubernatorial candidate. The younger Murray is a former executive assistant to Gov.

Robert Ray and is in his second term as state senator from Story County. In a prepared statement, Murray said, "During my visits to all 25 counties in the district recently, I have heard growing discontent over the failure of the Democratic-controlled Congress to come up with an energy pro gram, to work with the President in fighting inflation, to develop a sound agricultural policy, and to spend within Watching Washington The grain embargo leaves me wondering about the freedom of agriculture in our country. It seems that if we farmers aren't getting pressure from the unions, we're getting it from individuals like Mr. Kissinger. I get the feeling that soon the U.S.

farmer will be in the same boat as the U.S.S.R. farmer-everything dictated to him. Aren't our representatives in Congress standing up for us? I am in complete sympathy with your feelings in this matter. The Executive Branch has the legal authority to negotiate such matters, and like many representatives from rural areas, 1 am trying to do all I can to convince the President and Secretary Kissinger to change their policies. One segment of our population such as the longshoremen cannot dictate foreign policy.

It is wrong to give in to pressure from a single group at the expense of the farmer on the question of a continuing embargo on Soviet grain sales. I strongly feel that the meddling by Mr. Kissinger must stop. It is unfair to the farmers of America as well as carrying serious implications for our domestic economy and balance of trade. I wrote a letter to Mr.

Kissinger on October 6 stating these thoughts. In the letter, I pointed out that the recent purchases by the Soviet Union of 27.5 million bushels of wheat and 9.9 million bushels of corn from Argentina and one million bushels of soybeans from Brazil represented an estimated loss of $342 million in export sales for American agriculture. We simply cannot allow this to continue. Because of the embargo, the farmer is losing opportunities for future trade advantages. The Department of Agriculture figures show that 1975 crops will be able to exceed domestic and export needs, so I don't buy the argument that we haven't sufficient supply.

I believe that the Administration needs to restore confidence in the American farmer that it is looking out for their best interests. A first step would be to stop meddling in their affairs. It is my sincere hope that the administration will lift the embargo after release of the October crop forecast, and I shall continue to represent the viewes of Northwest Iowa farm people by every means at my disposal until the embargo is lifted. oOoOoOo (If you would like to see your questions answered in this. space, please write Congressman Berkley Bedell, 503 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

20515.) City Receives FIS Brant City Clerk Bill Van Maanen reported last week that the City of Rock Valley has received another allocation from the federal revenue sharing program. Amount of the grant for this quarter was Van Maanen said that the latest grant brings the total the city has received under the program to over $160, 000. The city' first allocation from the program received in December 1972. "At our last meeting the board disagreed with my suggestion, except you, Dobkins. can't stand yes-men, so you're fired too!".

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About Rock Valley Bee Archive

Pages Available:
5,596
Years Available:
1897-1975