Democrat and Chronicle from Rochester, New York • Page 101

NOW 3 Letters ROCHESTER, N. SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1970 Issue of the Week Reform Seniority System Headach Waste mhJ -A THE OPPORTUNITY Is at hand for our city and county legislators to come up with a comprehensive program for solid waste disposal. Certainly we all want to see the Emerson Street dump closed, but not by creating the same conditions elsewhere. Let's have no 20-year stop-gap solutions. It is urgent that we find a THE U.S.

HOUSE early In 1971 will consider modifying its obsolete method of selecting committee chairmen by seniority. Innumerable instances point to committee chairmen as bottlenecks In legislation, keeping Congress needlessly insensitive to the needs of the nation. Such reform by the House would create moral pressure on the Senate to do likewise. At least two reasons make this reform imperative: 1. The Important posts of committee chairmen should be filled from considerations of merit and ability.

Sixty-five is the common mandatory age for retirement throughout industry, yet many committee chairmen are older. To grant chairmanships solely on the basis of seniority is too often, to entrench relative inability in key positions. 2. The South is traditionally a one-party area from which some representatives (and senators) are repeatedly re-elected almost automatically. The result Is that, solely by seniority, 11 of the present 23 House chairmen are from the South.

This Is patently disproportionate. It would be far more democratic to have each committee made up of members from the various sections of the nation roughly in the same proportion that each section is represented in the total House membership, then let each committee's members elect their own chairman from among their own membership, presumably on the basis of ability regardless of age. Admittedly, other procedural reforms are also needed, but this reform would be a basic step in the right direction. I urge your readers to inform their representative, Frank Horton or Barbar Conable, House of Representatives. CARLOS DE ZAFRA 16 Boulevard Pkwy.

ON PALMER ROAD in Churchville, In the Town of Riga, there is one of the loveliest spots in the area. It bas been created by Raymond Volk, who spent years developing in his backyard a picnic paradise where thousands of his friends have enjoyed the lawns and meadows, the swimming hole and still pools for the young and the old who waded in the dammed-up creek, then watched the sunset while they barbecue their steaks. This one man-made paradise on a live stream running Into Black Creek is now threatened by those who would make it and the surrounding fine countryside into a landfill. I hope all those who love nature's unspoiled beauty and especially Ray's little retreat will rise in protest. There must be alternatives.

There are already ugly areas In the vicinity far removed from established homes and might be no more ugly if used as a dump. There are dangerous quarries which might be refilled and returned to usefulness. There are ugly barren gullies in nearby Pennsylvania where coal mining has destroyed the once green valleys and which could be refilled to usefulness by using the railroads to haul our trash and give them much needed tonnage and revenue. It is sad to think that those who must still love their country and still care what kind of scenery their children will inherit would consider destroying a huge area of this already desecrated region. But of course there are those who would kill a mockingbird.

GEORGE A. CASWELL, 123 Rye Road. permanent solution. We must find a way to recycle our refuse. There are valuable resources which we are simply throwing away because we haven't the foresight to find a practical method of refuse disposal that would make it possible to reclaim them.

Melvin Bernarde In his book, "Our Precarious Habitat," describes several methods that have been tried and the cities where they are in use. It would 6eem worthwhile to investigate some of these before making a decision as to what the Rochester area is to do. No one wants a landfill in his backyard, of course. But rather than toss the issue back and forth like a hot potato, why not engage someone like the firm In New York which goes about finding logical locations for needed facilities? This Is done with a series of overlay maps which show where the least inconvenience will result, where the ground conditions are proper so that water supplies are not fouled, etc. Yes, this costs money.

But people who can afford cigarettes, alcohol, TV sets and all the other luxuries are going to have a hard time explaining why they cannot afford to dispose sensibly of their own refuse! MRS. F. G. WEBSTER, 206 Baycrest Drive. 'Heh, heh, heh they actually think I'm about to quit! Well, so long daddy and give my best to More Views On Runoffs, Volunteers, Youth, Europe Reader Opinion AFTER the election of James Buckley to the Senate, many legislators have asked for legislation to mandate a runoff election when the winning candidate for an office receives less than 50 per cent of the total votes cast.

It should be noted that Buckley received 39 per cent, Ottinger received 37 per cent and Goodell recived 24 per cent of the total votes cast. Those who favor such legislation contend that a runoff election between the two top candidates would Insure that the final victor would have to be elected by at least 51 per cent of the voters. This philosophy is based on the belief that an elected official should be the choice of a majority of the voters in the district which he represents. AT FIRST GLANCE, there is a tendency to endorse runoff elections, but further investigation illustrates many shortcomings: (1) The history of special elections indicates that only a fraction of the qualified voters go to the polls. (2) The expense as a result of conducting a runoff election would total millions of dollars.

(3) The cost to candidates of financing an additional campaign during a runoff election woud be enormous. If we assume that the number of voters participating In a special election would be far below the number who voted in the general election, there is no justification for a runoff election. In fact, the victor in the special runoff election would probably receive fewer actual votes than he received in the general election which necessitated the runoff. I will, therefore, oppose legislation mandating runoff elections. SEN.

JAMES E. POWERS, 17 Evergreen Drive. 'Plea for Love Answered' MONDAY MORNING, Dec. 14, our telephone began to ring in response to the letter, which you kindly highlighted, entitled "Help an Inner-City Child." We have now been contacted by 10 couples who have started a procedure to become big sisters and brothers to children in need of love. Several months ago, you printed a letter from our office concerning the sad plight of hundreds of lonely elderly people.

Due to your help, there are 36 shut-ins now receiving mail and some visits and caUs from people who care. People do respond when they know about the need. Many thanks for your constant concern for people. IONE DAWSON, Director, Voluntary Action Center, 70 N. Water St.

readers to send Christmas cards to military men In Vietnam during the holiday season. In a time when the average soldier has little contact with the American society except for Stars and Stripes, and its-ensuing tales of riots, unrest, and malcontents in the United States, It is comforting there are people dedicated not to either the righteousness or the invalidity of the cause but rather to the health, welfare, and morale of the Americans within the cause. Richard P. Wales, United States Army, Long My, Republic of Vietnam 'Arch Merrill Inspiring' MEN MAKE contributions to their communities In a number of ways. Society comes, hopefully, to recognize this unselfish service and to give such a man honor in some particular public fashion.

The man who deserves this public acclaim for a job well done is Arch Merrill. Ever since I was a small boy I have read his "local history" column, and his books, with the deb'ght and pleasure of one who is partaking of a mystery. I was Introduced to all those pioneers who had made our city, our towns and our county great. The history of the Genesee Country and Western New York was vividly told every Sunday in his column. NOW THAT HE IS RETIRED, and deservedly so, as part of our county's bicentennial year, there should be a testimonial dinner to this man and the love of local history which he transferred to others.

In my case, I am trying to extend that same love to another generation. I am presently writing a local history column for my town's newspaper. We are also trying to start a historical society. The present is pregnant with the past and contains the seeds of the future. To know where we come from is to help find a guide to our future.

Arch Merrill has been my inspiration. DOMENICK WHITE, Acting President, Gates Historical Society She's Still Waiting HAVE YOU tried to get a doctor to make a house call lately? Someone says, "Call the Exchange." You make the call and are referred to the Monroe County Medical Society. The Medical Society gives the name of a doctor to call. The female voice on the other end says "The doctor is not taking any new patients." You call back to the Society and get another doctor to call. Again a voice answers, "The doctor's office is closed today." BACK AGAIN ONCE MORE to the Society for still another doctor to call.

This time a kindly masculine voice answers giving you a ray of hope. But alas, he is sick himself and only seeing a few patients in his office. You call the Society once more. This time there's a switch. She takes your name, address, age and phone number and says, "A doctor will call you shortly." That was three days ago.

You are still waiting for the call, in which time, your condition has worsened. You finally recall that old saying, "Don't call him, he'll call you." MRS. HELEN E. PLAIN, 605 Edgemere Drive itself proves to be much more informative than a textbook. What use is it to be able to speak a second language if one knows absolutely nothing about the people who speak this language? Friends like Berthold and Jurgen prove however to be more than "friends" and "information resources." Those planning on taking part In these programs wiH find themselves ambassadors for our country.

Let's give them a country to be proud to represent PETER J. CHUDOBA, 125 Hampden Road EDITOR'S NOTE: The writer is studying in the University of Regensburg in Germany with the foreign studies program of Midwestern University, Wichita Falls, Texas. 'We Pay for Snow' HOW DOES the city go about plowing a dead end street? I'll tell you. The street in front of the last house doesn't get plowed at all. In fact, that's where they leave the snow, piled up in front of our house.

Yet we have to pay for snow plowing. I pay taxes for having it left here in front of my home. This has been going on for the last three years. Delco has plowed that street, and has done a wonderful job of it. But we still had to pay for snow plowing.

My neighbors and I sent in a petition but the public works commissioner said we would have to pay anyway. The contractor was paid to do a job he didn't do. Do you think this is fair? ARTHUR WEBBER, 295 Adirondack St. 'Enforce Speed Limits' I FREQUENTLY TRAVEL turnpikes where trucks and buses are limited to speeds 10 mph below those posted as legal for passenger car, and yet I have been tailgated and passed by these vehicles. The police are evidently permissive regarding the operation of trucks and buses on the highways, otherwise this condition would not exist.

I suggest stricter enforcement of speed limits pertaining to these monsters be initiated, as a means of reducing fatalities on the highways. There is another area to be explored, namely the design of the large trucks so prevalent. There is no attempt at streamlining, and these monsters push a pressure wave ahead of themselves that can result in a light passenger car being forced out of control. I imagine these problems could be corrected but It would probably mean one or two cubic feet less capacity and this is intolerable to the trucking industry. JOSEPH ENGELS, Victor 'Operation Morale Great' MY APPRECIATION to Operation Morale for the thoroughly excellent service it renders military men in Vietnam during the holiday season.

While I am the only member of my unit from the Rochester area, I am sure that the rest of the members of Rochester will join in thanking this fine contribution. For those of you unfamiliar with the organization, Operation Morale is a volunteer effort that provides packages and solicits the small society Vandal Law Needs Change AS ONE OF the main sponsors of the new parental responsibility law, I agree with your editorial of Dec. 17 captioned "Repair Work Needed on Vandal However, I feel that your readers should know the history of the legislation as well as an explanation of what took place in the 1970 legislative session. For the last eight years, I have been Introducing legislation to make parents responsible for the malicious vandalism of their children. In past years my bill did not give parents the right to "escape liability" by showing that they were diligent in supervising their childrens' activities.

I felt that despite the fact that a parent was diligent, If a child was guilty of a malicious act, the parent should be liable. As between a diligent parent and the innocent victim, I believe the equities lie with the victim and that the parents should be liable. For many years we were unable to get my type of legislation out of Committee. In 1970 a compromise was reached calling for this provision protecting the parents, which unfortunately weakened the law. But without such compromise the legislation would not have been signed into law.

Now that we have taken the first step, and certainly the law which we reacted is basically sound, it is my intention to file an amendment to remove the "escape clause" and eliminate the built-in defense. I would like to close this letter by again referring to your editorial. I agree with you in your interpretation of the statute that the present law is "unnecessarily I have hopes that we can amend this bill during the 1971 session of the Legislature. S. WILLIAM ROSENBERG, Assemblyman, 132nd District 'Syamped with Cars' I READ WITH Interest Homer W.

King's column on my "Superhighway-Superhoax" (Dec. 5). You may be interested to know that of the letters and telegrams I've received about the book, only one takes me to task, and not well at all. The "pro" mail sure does dominate. Groups are asking me to visit their cormpunities and sp6sk You may be Interested to know that Robert Moses hit the ceiling when he read "Superhighway-Superhoax." He said I was as talented with a hatchet as Carry Nation.

The House voted on the 1970 highway bill the day before Thanksgiving As you probably know, Congress runs this city and has ordered additional and destructive highways to entangle around our national monuments. The pollution in Washington is already so bad that one scientist described the Washington monument as a giant alka-seltzer with the granite fizzing away from the action of pollutants. SINCE 1956 WE HAVE SPENT $196 billion In federal, state and local taxes on highway construction, while at the same time we spent $33 billion on other forms of transportation, including the Coast Guard. Yet the highway boys cry "more highways to provide balanced transportation" The 1970 highway bill will emerge with extended life for the trust fund, pouring still billions more into highways when some legislators question our priorities. Rochester is no different from any other city In the U.S.

swamped with autos, parking lots, fumes, visual intrusion with cars parked all over the streets, to say nothing of deaths caused by them. (MRS.) HELEN LEAVITT, Washington, D.C. EDITOR'S NOTE: Mrs. Leavitt, who was Helen Buechl before her marriage, spent the first 21 of her 38 years at Beverly Heights near Dewey Avenue and Stone Road in Rochester. 'Many Foods Are Vital1 FIRST, CEREALS come under attack, now bread! Since when is one item of food supposed to supply a well-balanced diet? Perhaps the "experts" should go back to grammar school health class and learn that breads and cereals supply Vitamin complex requirements; fruits and vegetables the other vitamins; meat, fish and dairy products, proteins; and all those "goodies" we love so much the carbohydrates and fats.

I do not expect to get everything my body needs from one item of food. I like variety, and I am training my children to like different foods. We will continue to eat shredded wheat or oatmeal along with the other items without fear about hidden hunger. BARBARA J. BUTENHOF, 399 Cobbs Hill Drive 'Youth Group Inspires THIS LETTER Is to call attention to the work of the Genesee Street Children's Project, an outgrowth of the Rochester Free School, These young people, sparked by DeCourcy Squire, a member of the Flower City Conspiracy, Marion Entress and Dennis Serrianl volunteer their time and energy to a day care program, for children, aged 3-5! This program is now operating on Tuesday and Thursday from 9-12 a.m.

in a room donated by the Calvary Baptist Church, 175 Genesee St. This will be a 5 half-days per week program beginning Jan. 17. On Thursdays, the group also sponsors an after school program from 3-5 p.m. at the Church.

And on Saturdays, It has taken children to points of interest In the county a dairy farm, Mendon Ponds Park, Lollipop Farm, etc. During the winter the Saturday program will be scheduled only once a month with sledding, skating and a Christmas party planned. All of the children in these programs live in the Genesee Street area. I am impressed by these young people, their enthusiasm, their plans, their abilities and their willingness to find a way through red tape and lack of money to offer a service to the Genesee Street area. They are sure that the possibility for real change in a community happens when people become a part of the community.

They, believe that more meaningful education comes about through life's experiences and that grass roots neighborhood children's projects can provide some of these experiences. Projects such as this need to be encouraged and supported. LILLIAN ROEMER, 75 Dorothy Ave. 'Europeans Look to Us TAKING part in this European program has proved to be an enriching experience not only in the opportunities to take courses in another country, but also to be exposed to the opinions of other people concerning America, and how they themselves Uve by comparison. Europeans look to us and expect more from us because we are Americans.

I wish more of you could have been here when the bombing reports hit the Viennese newspapers. What has happened to Rochester is now general knowledge In Europe, knowledge which only adds to the disillusionment here about us. What does Rochester now have to say for herself? I SPEND MUCH TIME talking with the Germans, which THE olLY am WotMnjlan Star Syndics! IfM I.