The Eugene Guard from Eugene, Oregon • Page 10

The Inside Story? icHPct atactic LAOS MWfrl MNI tMa Ralph McGill All Ghana Keenly Aware Of Great Volta River Dam AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER ALTON F. BAKER, Publisher, 1927 1961 ACCRA, Ghana It is 60 miles from Accra to Akosombo where the Volta River is being dammed. When completed the power it will generate and the impact it will The Register-Guard's policy is the complete and impartial publication in its news pages of all news and statements on news. On this page, the editors of the Register-Guard offer their opinion on events of the day and matters of importance to the community, endeavoring to be candid but fair and helpful in the development of constructive community policy. A newspaper is a CITIZEN OF ITS COMMUNITY.

Published every evening and Sunday morning by the Guard Publishing Co. ALTON F. BAKER JR. Editor and Publisher EDWIN M. BAKER General Manager RICHARD A.

BAKER Managing Editor ROBERT B. FRAZIER Associate Editor A. H. CURREY Associate Editor have on transportation and industry will al-m literally catapult a small nation into in-d serialization. EUGENE, OREGON, FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 1963 10A In Africa this dam is a big story economic and McGill versity of Utah, guided us from a high point above where the power plant will be built.

The gorge of the Volta is deep. Enormous gashes have been cut deep into the rock. The coffer dam is in place and water is being pumped out so that the floor may be fixed for the tremendous rush of filling the dam. They must get this done before the rains begin in June. The Volta, after dredging, is 200 feet deep in places and the dam will tower almost 400 feet between the mountains to which its wings are attached.

The exposed geological formations were wonderful and fearful to see. A young British geologist said tests had shown the rocks to be pre-Cambrian and to have an age of more than 300 million years. There was, he said, evidence of the most violent foldings and thrust-ings of rocks when the continent was being formed. Looking at the exposed sections one could see rocks in curves and in upward and downward thrusts. It was impressive evidence of an agony of creation.

In 1965 the first turbines will turn. In 1966 the power which will revolutionize this West Coast nation will be in full production. Political power grows with economic power. Distributed, 1963, by The HaU Syndicate, Inc. The way lay pleasantly through small villages and the or "brush." It was mostly tall coarse grass and small vividly green bushes with, here and there, palms, paw paw and flame trees.

It was summer and the dry scaon, and much of the higher grass was dry and brown, while shorter, tougher growth held a touch of green. The range is free and cattle herders in some areas had set the dried grass afire. Where it still burned the advance was slow because of the still green grasses hidden by the taller growth. At the edges of these fires were hundreds of graceful small white herons. Insects fled before the fire and the herons, with great efficiency, gobbled them up.

The birds spread themselves about the rim of the fires in almost military fashion. It was evident that this was a trick learned long ago. In northeast Ghana the Red and White Volta Rivers merge and flow southward for about 300 miles, where there is a merger with the Black Volta. From there on it is simply the Volta. The big river flows between hills, small and large.

They are dotted with palms and various flowering trees. Some of the scenery is magnificent. All Ghana is conscious of the gigantic dam and its meaning. It is the one great dream coming true. The cost is about $196 million; Ghana has financed it by borrowing.

The United States government and private U.S. firms have lent 52.5 per cent. The World Bank is lending 14.1 per cent and the United Kingdom four per cent. Ghana is carrying 29.4 per cent. If all Letters In the Editor's Mailbag voters through the processes of the initiative or the referendum, the state shall be divided into Eastern and Western Oregon and the vote of either section can nullify the vote of the other.

Crazy, isn't it? PAUL W. BLAZER Rt. 3, Box 406 Letters intended for the Editor's Mailbag must be signed with the correct name and address of the writer. No anonymous letters will be published. Letters of less than 300 words in length will be given preference as will those in which the writer confines his letter to one topic.

to produce lovely music from even a very inferior violin. Just as the mature artist can improvise and often improve his points, while the beginner needs very good supplies, so does the mature performing artist improvise and improve on his surroundings while the young ones need all the help they can get. Who can deny that even Mc-Arthur Court became a magical place the night Helen Hayes and Maurice Evans appeared there? NORMA EUBANKS 10 W. 29th Ave. Baha'i Case 'Better, Cheaper' Power Eastern Oregon legislators have renewed their demands that the Legislature be reapportioned to give Eastern Oregon a number of legislators which its relatively sparse population docs not warrant.

Under the present system Eastern Oregon legislators wield an influence far out of proportion to either their own numbers or the number of their constiu-cnts. They do this in much the way Southern senators and congressmen wield an unusually heavy influence in Congress. That ought to be good enough, with-' out their asking for even greater representation, and thus even greater control over the legislative process. Our Preference The latest sweatshirt craze, we read, is based on the nation's 50-mile hiking kick. Caricatures of Beethoven and Bach are out.

The new sweatshirts feature the President's initials and cartoon sketches of swollen, aching feet. Ourselves, we'll wait for the Salinger model one with enough girth to permit comfortable lounging. If it has to have an emblem on it, let it be that of swivel chair, tilted back, with comfortable shoes extended at desk top level. For Independents Anybody who can get a roomful of 250 friends may, under present Oregon law, run for office any office. To accomplish this, he runs by the direction of a nominating convention.

The House elections committee wants to make this more difficult, suggesting approval of a bill which would raise the number of persons at the convention to 1,000. The bill should pass. The nominating convention system has rarely been used, because almost nobody thought of it. Now, however, it has been rediscovered, and the House committee fears it will be abused by assorted self-starters who like to see their names on ballots. There is room in the Oregon system for the truly independent candidate, the candidate beholden to neither party.

However, the cause of good government would not be served if the ballots were cluttered up with the names of many persons who arc not, in truth, real candidates. Any person with serious intentions and any backing at all will have no difficulty in getting 1,000 persons to nominate him. The bill in question would preserve the possibility that an independent could run. But it would also discourage the frivolous candidate. WESTFIR (To the Editor) Just read "Other Editors' Views" of March 4, "For Drivers and Deer." A few years ago motorists saw, hit, and got hurt from deer at night.

Now you seldom see anv nn marls nr in the brush. goes well the proceeds from the Tne gamc commission certainly sale of power and the produc- (houcht of a better and cheaper munity, stated that the "Baha'i World Faith is a religion of peace. It shuns all things political. In fact one of its basic tenets is strict observance of the laws of all just governments. A Baha'i would be unfaithful to his religion if he worked against his country's interests or engaged in any subversive act." Mr.

Kavclin also said that, "Baha'is live in 258 countries, territories and dependencies throughout the world and strive to contribute to the welfare and peace of their countries." Baha'is all over the world were stunned and grieved over this case, especially to find that a person would be put to death for practicing his religion. The Baha'i International Community based its appeal to the United Nations on Articles 11, IV and VII of the Convention ot Genocide, to which the Moroccan government is a signatory There were special prayer meetings held all over the world for the prisoners in Morocco A further report was sent nut late in January that the Moroccan Supreme Court decided to re-examine the case against the condemned men We arc very fortunate in our own country to be able to practice freedom of religion and incidents like this point out the. hope that eventually the world at large will have this same religious freedom. MRS. NORMAN IVES JR.

Baha'i World Faith Information Center 1458 Alder Street tion of aluminum will retire the debt in 30 years. Thousands of idea than the Dutch either-scx hunting. GENE ROE Box 394 Divide the State EUGENE (To the Editor) Since some people are saying that the proposed constitution for the state of Oregon is a work of art, the suggestion that we would be better off with a one-house legislature might seem out of order. However, when the state legislators were working for board and room and the secretary's salary it occurred to me that a one-house legislature would be a good solution to legislative pay without any cost to the taxpayers, assuming that quality could be substituted for inefficiency and improvements EUGENE (To the Editor) Recently the Baha'is of Eugene were informed by their National Headquarters in Wilmctte, 111., of the appeal that was being made to the United Nations for help in stopping the persecution of their fellow Baha'is in Morocco. The case was concluded on Dec.

17 and three of the Baha'i defendants were sentenced to death, five others were sentenced to life imprisonment and another faces a term of 14 years imprisonment at hard labor. The Moroccan Government claimed that the defendants were conspiring against the government by winning converts to the Baha'i World Faith among the Moslem populace. The charges also included the accusation that the Baha'is were part of a political plot lo overthrow the government, and that they attacked Islam. (Morocco is a Moslem church state.) There was a telegram sent to the United Nations Secretary-General Thant, urging that there be an exploration of the case. H.

B. Kavclin, chairman of the Baha'i International Com Ghanaians, including school children, have visited the site, and hundreds more come each week. Kaiser Engineers and Constructors, are doing the job in association with an Italian firm. A second U. S.

company is a sub-contractor. The site is deep in the bush and there was but a small village of four or five thatched mud huts to be disturbed. The Kaiser company moved diplomatically. The village head man was stubborn, pointing out that he had some 10 or so fetish altars stra Speak up, Mark Gov. Mark Hatfield recently accused the Joint Ways and Means Committee of using a "meat cleaver" on his proposed state budget.

From the reaction, one would have thought the governor had uttered a bad word. The reaction indicated that the governor was out of order in criticizing a legislative committee. Yet legislative committees have had a jolly old winter criticizing the governor and, specifically, his budget requests. Legislators should be disabused of any idea that only legislators can criticize and that legislators ought to be above criticism. They, too, are elected officials, as is the governor.

The difference is that the governor is elected by voters in all parts of the state. He is there partly as a foil for legislators, who represent relatively small constituencies. This legislative attitude was not invented in this session. About three years ago Freeman Holmer, the director of finance, ran up against it in a painful way. At a meeting of the Emergency Board, Holmer heard his program, and the governor's, criticized heavily.

Legislative comment was by no means gentle. Eventually asked for comment, Holmer reviewed some legislative decisions, which, he said, were examples of "legislative irresponsibility." Upon that, Sen. Francis Zieglcr demanded an apology, contending that the Legislature had been grievously insulted by Holmer's charge. The charge, of course, was not greatly different from the charges the emergency board had been leveling all morning. It is true that in Oregon "the governor proposes and the Legislature disposes." Nonetheless, the governor should not be put in the position of playing second fiddle.

He ought to speak up. That's what he was elected for. Probably Hatfield ought to speak up more than he does. He should not be expected to sit calmly by and take a lot of guff from the Legislature, without snapping back himself. New Tack As every newspaperman knows, the easiest, most effective way to promote a change in the weather is to write something about conditions prevailing at the moment he sits down to his typewriter.

Before his words can be put in print, it's an odds-on bet that they'll be outdated by unforeseeable meteorological change. For example, a week or so ago an editorial was prepared for this page suggesting how seriously Emerald Empire residents should pray for rain and for snow in the mountains. The message was that our area needs a lot of precipitation before the advent of summer if the unhappy chance of drought, tindcr-dry forests, dry wells and parched croplands is to bo averted. Ten minutes before the Register-Guard presses began to roll out the paper carrying that editorial, it began to rain. And it rained fairly hard for the next couple of days.

Yet, it didn't rain enough. Nor did It snow enough in the mountains which arc the watersheds from which our area's streams must be fed throughout the summer months ahead. So now, rather than elicit further prayers for rain and snow, we're going to be more devious. It should be enough, knowing the perverse regard weather forces have for newsmen's problems, simply to comment on the lovely spring weather we're having. Isn't it grand? Don't we all hope that these warm, dry days will continue with us? Wouldn't it be awful if it started raining in the valleys and snowing in the higher elevations despite the forecast that we'll have another bright, dry weekend? 'Don't Extend Power' SPRINGFIELD (To the Editor) In answer to your editorial about HB 1202 in Friday's paper, I would like to give you my feelings and the feelings of quite a few I have talked to.

We are for the concept of wilderness and primitive areas where motorized vehicles are not allowed and believe that the tegically located. A deal was in state government could begin made. The head man removed laws pertaining to this should tile legislature. If a lobby-ridden, buck-pass be enforced, but just because we're against 11 1202 doesn't ing two-house legislature is reasonable in this modern era of communications, let us entertain a proposal that when a measure is submitted to the the altars at a price ot five Ghanian pounds and a case of whisky each. Hence, there is no curse on the dam and.

as a matter of fact, the accident rale has been quite low. Richard White, an eager young engineer from the Uni- Discrimination Here? Case History Told Carmichael periods on three occasions Can anyone seriously be- lieve that a white man with mean we re law breakers. What we are opposed to is the idea of giving the Forest Service the power to close any area to motorized travel just on a whim of some official. If you had read the bill you would have seen that the way the law is written it doesn't only put teeth in the old laws, but it also makes it possible to close other areas to motorized travel. Go ahead and pass a law that gives the Forest Service the right to bring violators of the wilderness and primitive areas into the county or state courts, but why give them the right to close other areas? ANDREW L.

18465 McKenzie Hwy. Fair Enough Presses 1 EUGENE (To the Editor) January 20 a Negro, Sam Reynolds, some 20 years a resident of Eugene, was refused admission to a public bar. The reasons given him by the two women in charge at the time were that they were in doubt whether he was 21 and they were not satisfied with his identification. Believing he was barred because of his race, and knowing the Oregon law against discrimination, he protested. In the process, testimony indicated, he became loud and disorderly and was arrested for disorderly conduct.

Feb. 20 he was tried before Judge Barber in municipal court and found guilty. Meanwhile, Russell Peyton, investigator for the Civil Rights Division of the State Bureau of Labor, had also conducted an investigation. I noted that there was a Register-Guard reporter at the trial, but no report has appeared in your columns. I believe this case has significant social implication.

I do not question the integrity of the court or the legality nf Judge Barber's decision, but 1 wish to comment on the case ai.d the premise on which the decision rested. In his comments Judge Barber stated there was no discrimination in Eugene, and that Mr. Reynolds' belief that his exclusion was discriminatory was a result of over-scnsi-tivity. On the statement that there is no discrimination in Eugene. 1 say categorically that the court is badly uninformed.

I speak as a member of the board of directors of the Lane County Fellowship for Civic Unity for 12 years, a member of the Oregon Stale Advisory Committee of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, from knowledge of many evidences of such acts, and a recipient of anonmous harassment on this issue by telephone for extended when my comments in support of minority rights had appeared in your columns. That the exclusion from the bar on this occasion was not an aet of discrimination was said by the court and the city attorney to be proved by the fact that other Negroes were there. This is quite unconvincing. The argument is like saying a man cannot be accused of stealing if it is shown that he passed up three well-protected wallets even though he lifted a fourth which was more accessible. The evidence shows there was not a consistent policy of overt discrimination Such behavior would be in open violation of Oregon law and would bring swift consequences.

But the evidence does not justify the conclusion that discrimination did not enter in Most discrimination must take subtler forms "I am sorry, but we have no positions open at present." "The clerk must have failed to make your reservation, and now all our motel units are filled." In the present case the testimony suggests that the manager and her assistant were unusually cautious about Mr. Reynolds' being under age Identification that was judscd sufficient by both Judjjc Barber and the state investigator was rejected by them. An official Air Force identification card bearing photographs, finecr-prmts. signature, description, and age or date of birth, and which was plastic coated, was rejected on the claim that a crack in Ihe 1 1 1 ccnstitutcd mutilation nf the card Why were they j.r anxious In conclude that this veteran of the I S. Air Force.

26 years old. 6 feel 6 inches tall, with the type of identification described above, had not yet reached his majority? The State Liquor Control Commission doe? not issue identif nation cards for persons nu these characteristics and this identification would have been turned away? There was testimony that the defendant behaved in a noisy manner so as to disturb the peace, although there seems to have been no violence or threat of damage to persons or property And he repeatedly offered lo leave if the manager would put her reasons for excluding him in writing. Granted she was not. compelled by law to do so. if she had been confident of her justification in excluding him Ihis simple courtesy would have ended the matter without further disturbance The incident bears all ton many similarities to those for which we criticize the South.

The Negro is denied a simple human or civil right. If he accepts the rebuff quietly, the discriminatory practice remains. It he protests he is arrested, the provocation is forgotten, and the discriminatory practice still remains Judge Barber attributed Mr. Reyonlds' reaction to this instance to ovcrsensitivity. Such sensitivity is a well-recognized trait To whatever extent it cxisls, it must be recognized as not a deliberate or malicious thing, but a state of mind built inlo the Negro race by 300 years of oppression at the hands of hite men I am convinced that in the eyes of every Negro Mr.

Rev-nolds was only attempting in secure a richt which was being unjustly denied, and his con-Mction is another exercise or while authority to keep the Nccro "in his plate." To look only cAcrt acts, and to disregard the social and psychological context in which the acts occur, is to miss their entire meaning and significance. This is the weakness of law when literally applied JOEL V. BF.RREMAN "SO Crest Br. The comment is sure lo come, comment to the effect that William Grcn-fell, the former state senator, "got off easy" after conviction of leaving the scene of an accident. The Portland Democrat, who ran for county commissioner last fall, was fined $250 and put on probation for two years.

Maximum penalty would have been a $5,000 fine and five years in prison. There will be those who comment derisively that it sure helps to be a big shot. However, a calmer appraisal of the facts suggests that the sentence is not at all out of line. Last year 62 persons in Oregon were convicted of this offense. The average fine was $50, the average jail sentence nine days.

Only two persons are now in the penitentiary for this reason. Moreover, Grcnfell lost heavily, indeed, because of the accident. Had it not been for that, he would certainly have won election as commissioner. Now it is unlikely that he'll ever be active in politics again. A flashy political career has been ended.

We must remember, too, that the object of our system of punishments is the reformation of the offender, not the extracting of vengeance for society, nor, especially, the cutting of big shots down to size. Auditorium EUGENE (To the Editor) It would be very nice to have an auditorium for our professional caliber performing artists. How much better it would be it our performing artists were to earn the auditorium, and donate it to our desperatcly-in-nced university; thus assuring us of a continuing supply o( performing artists. Such a generous deed would influence an innumerable number of people. It would also have the effect of assuring the university that the townspeople arc firmly on their side in their endeavor to give our youngsters the very best in education.

As an example of the need for good equipment during the formative years in the lite of an artist, let us suppose that Larry Mavcs had been forced by circumstance to use only a very inferior instrument, hich made only very poor tones, no matter how many hours he might practice to try to attain good ones. It may have become so discouraging that he might not have become a musician. What a loss that could have been to the many students who have had the privilege of study, nig under such a talented teacher, and to the people of the community who could have been denied the joy ot hearing him perform. I am sure that now, with his background in music, and his experience with many instruments, that he would able PERFECT COLOR FoR MOM IT Matches both op HER iATToos MTMHKH Of thk aksociailu rutins The, Associated PTtis la entitled exclusively to the for republl-rillon of all the local ntni printed In this newspaper cm blr Of rut. Ainu bureau Of CinCULAllONS Services Intted Preaa Internationa) Viewpoint WILLIAM WASMANN, DON.N L.

BONHA.M, Newi idttot City Editor B. White in "The Elements of Style." Columbus didn't just sail, he sailed west, and the new world took shape from this simple, and we now think sensible, design. ROSS O. JOHNSON Adertlsln Director JARL tLGLC Circulation Manage! ROBLRt K. RLR1SCH W.

8 JOHNSTON JR. Auditor ARM STROMMER rroducUoa.