The Morning News from Wilmington, Delaware • 34

A reply from 'Sir Herbert' Page 34 key successful trip such apprehensions. And he backed his assurances in various ways. In Romania, for example, he announced extension of credit facilities to that country; in Hungary, there was an agreement to start talks for settling postwar claims, with a hint that Wash-i would not be excessively insistent on its claims; and in Yugoslavia, Mr. Rogers noted, with a deep satisfaction, that "there is no country in world where things are going better U.S. policy." He described U.S.-Yu-g 1 a relations as a model of cooperation between states with different social systems.

The Yugoslavs, the memory of the various special favors fresh in their mind, are aware of and thankful for it. Most diplomatic journeys of this type oversold as to their degree of importance and level of success. This one wasn't. But it was a useful, successful, much-needed trip nevertheless. television Without TV, would there have been a Roller Derby? But the rostrum is not the place to be.

around one of the banners. Better at this convention, lurk around Ab-bie Hoffman. Your voice might not it, but your face will. He's beginning to rival O'Brien, just through interviews. Eventually he might become TV's "Dear Abbie." Wilmington, Delaware, Friday, July 14, Rogers' low Secretary of State William P.

Rogers' visits to Hungary, Romania and Yugoslavia were in the nature of a demonstration to the Soviet Union that detente with it was not to be accomplished at the expense of writing off U.S. interests in Eastern Europe. The countries visited each with a different level of communism and ties 4o Moscow also needed the Yugoslavia and Romania have long defied Soviet efforts to reimpose its influence on them. Hungary, currently a close Soviet ally, has gone Ball bounces The life span of a baseball manager -may be longer than that of a kamikaze ilot, but its career duration has its limits. Baseball has its Walter Alstons and -its Leo Durochers, men who have managed long enough to think about tenure nd retirement, but it is a game with managers whose experience is more -like that of Frank Lucchesi.

I Frank Lucchesi has just been fired as khe manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, leaving the club in a scene as jarful as any windup of Canio's lament Jri "Pagliacci." It was the inexorable Jille of baseball: The Phillies were losing at an alarming rate; the rationale is; the same as that with armies; it is impossible to fire the troops so the gen-Serai must go. The Lucchesi tears were not alone, inhere were those who cried for him. No matter what the caliber of his managerial abilities he is an immensely likeable man. The fact that he has spent so many years in the Philadelphia Tiaseball organization says something for his baseball sense. As in all baseball arguments, the de-Ij a over the importance of a manager are never resolved.

Joe McCarthy and Casey Stengel managed the New York Yankees during some of liteir great years, but with the talents of those teams some baseball aficionados prgue that a couple of Humpty-Dump-ties could have managed the teams With the same results. At the other end of the scale is the Walter Alston-Leo Durocher school. This holds that some managers can get performances that approach the excellent out of mediocre material. One man with this reputation is Gene Mauch, who Spent seven-and-a-half years with the Phillies, and is now with the Montreal Expos, a team with a record that rivals the Phillies. Frank Lucchesi spent two-and-a-half-years as manager of the Phillies.

That's about par for their course. Since 1900 they've had 29 managers. Robert R. M. Carpenter, the Phillies' owner, in giving his departing manager the word, said that he would continue in the organization as a special scout.

Then he added, somewhat ominously, that he hoped Lucchesi would be offered another managerial job. Despite Mr. Lucchesi's experience it can be assumed that there are young American boys about dreaming of becoming baseball managers. It makes one wonder whatever happened to flagpole sitters. 1972 Eighteen is to be the capacity.

During the renovation the number had dropped to four boys. With the report supplied by Mrs. du Pont I sponsored and voted for a grant-in-aid to Boys Home, for $25,000. She and I have dis- cussed this subject at length and I have no feud with her on this or any other subject. Mr.

and Mrs. du Pont's efforts to help the boys of Delaware are to be applauded and I hope their efforts will help to fill the great need that exists today. If I can help you at any time, please let me know. By REP. HERBERT A.

LESHER Chairman, House Appropriations Committee Legislating morals is still futility letters to the news H. B. 522, now signed into law by Gov. Russell W. Peterson, is just another futile attempt, to legislate a code of morality.

If anything, this law will hinder justice by squandering police man-hours on censorship details and by further clogging the courts with complex and expensive litigation. True, pornographic films and literature may be forced underground but that will only increase the demand. Hard-core pornography is highly repetitious. Prolonged exposure to such material soon results in extreme boredom. But intermittent exposure, flavored by the spice of illegality, may well give it a totally unmerited allure.

The recommendations of the Committee on Economic Development for criminal justice reforms will probably reap more scorn than praise but they are a step in the right direction. Perhaps the committee's main fault is that it doesn't go far enough. No law designed to curtail morally offensive behavior should be subject to the criminal code unless coercion or misrepresentation exists. In a sense, such laws are discriminatory since what may be morally offensive to one may be morally acceptable to another. Provisions could be made so that anyone whose ethics have been outraged could seek redress through civil action.

This would place the costs of such suits where it belongs: on the parties involved. As I see it, pornography and alcoholic beverages fall into much the same class they appeal to the immature and insecure. But I think it's just as stupid to waste tax dollars trying to ban this junk as it is to buy-it. The benefits of revising the criminal code in this manner are obvious. Of prime importance is that many police officers would be freed to patrol the streets and highways is there a more effective crime deterrent than the simple presence of a policeman? Also, the courts, with the calendar considerably lightened, would not have to resort to plea bargaining or inadequate presentence investigation.

It would be well to remember that murderers, rapists, thieves and muggers exist because society objects to giving them something for nothing while pornographers, bookies, prostitutes and their ilk exist because a sizable segment of society craves the special services they render. And, since the dawn of history, where the demand exists, a vendor has always been available to supply the product, either le- gaily or illegally. If morality could be effectively legislated, most of the problems that plague our society could be solved by a mandate for brotherly love. If it is reasonable to penalize pornographers for dealing in smut, is it not also reasonable to penalize bigots and racists for disseminating their vicious and just as obnoxious brands of prejudice and hatred? The harmful effects smut may have on children, even when very young, is purely speculative. His parents' attitude toward sex-will probably play a much more important part in his sexual habits as an adult than the smut he sees.

When law enforcement agencies have been perfected to the point where crimes of violence have been reduced to an absolute minimum, it may be proper to investigate the practicality of protecting individuals from themselves. Meanwhile, I'm selfish enough to ask that our legal machinery concern itself more with protecting my life and limb than my neighbor's morality. CHARLES ZIMMERMAN Kaulkland Heights Fischer acts like baby Bobby Fischer is acting like a baby. I just learned to play chess and I would like to play Boris Spassky. PAT WAHL Age 6 Wilmington Labor struggle recalled The elected officials who bring unions and what they represent to disrepute have nullified all the millions of ordinary workers' sacrifices.

They have betrayed the principles instituted by groups of laboring men to seek an improvement in their lot. Many still living remember vividly the labor struggle, having experienced the dignifying of human labor. Another authority, given to the working man as a gift from the Divine Guidance, is complete awareness. I plead that we honor those who have sacrificed by not corrupting and destroying these wonderful gifts. EDWARD E.

WERESZENSKI Elsmcre The Morning News Charles t. Chairman ol th, fennf; Rithard P. Sorter, Preidui and hedentl, Wdlur, C.cnv. Vice Pr.sid.nl and Manager; John Jr Donald fcondt Martina Editor, fied.rick W. Hattmonn, M.tropolllOII Editor; Horry f.

Thtmal, trlihr An1ndfBm.Utfjw..pop., pblhd very Morning brcpt SwfJoy Nnwt-Journnl Co. Wilimrnih.n, Pl. another opinion This is a reply jrom Rep. Herbert A. Lesher to a recent column attacking him by Bill Frank.

Rep. lesher, whom Mr. Frank addressed as 'Sir rejers to the columnist as 'Knave Bill Your column of July 10 contains less fact than you could put under your little fingernail. I would have been gald to help you if you had called me. In the column you asked me to "challenge" you, so I will try to help now as some of your readers may be interested: As you know, each year the state makes grant-in aid gifts to nonstate agencies that render community service in special ways.

These grants-in-aid have been running about $600,000 per year, the largest of over $389,000 going to the fire companies of the state. One of the responsibilities of the House Appropriations Committee is to prepare, introduce and shepherd the grant-in-aid bills through the legislature each year. Another responsibility is to check to be sure the gifts are spent as intended. None of the grants are in an automatic repeat status although many have been issued for several years. Last year one of the gifts was for $50,000 to the Boys Home of Delaware.

The request for the last several years was made in person by Russell Fiske, director, who appeared before the legislature to tell why. Each year he hoped money would not be needed the next year. The grants to the Boys Home have been: $5,000 in 1967, $5,000 in 1968, $21,250 in 1969, none in 1970, $50,000 in 1971 and $50,000 in 1972. This year Mr.Fiske requested a grant for a new home for boys Diamond State Youth, which is keeping 20 boys sent there by the state Division of Social Services and the Family Court. After receiving financial information and program review a grant was initiated for $25,000, which passed the General Assembly.

No request was received this year from Boys Home, and further checks indicated no report on last year's grant was sent to the state as required by law. Hence no grant in-aid was prepared. The situation which had been dormant was suddenly brought to the legislature's attention by Rep. Daniel E. Weiss and Mrs.

William Henry du Pont. On the next to the last day of the legislature a report was received from Mrs. du Pont regarding Boys Home, and its program for the coming year. It indicated last year's $50,000 was spent for renovating the home. Fourteen boys are in the home now.

But seriously, just what does the platform mean? It's a question I've been asking for years and rarely get an honest answer. Yesterday I strolled among the delegates, not only from Delaware but other states, asking, "What is it about the platform that fascinates you?" Usually I got blank stares in return. Once in a while, I got, "Words just words to kill time until we name a president and vice president." It is true, however, that over the years, there have been really and truly burning issues. For example, the slavery issue in various forms and editions. Later, the women's rights issue, the Prohibition question, the controversy over the income tax, civil rights and now some of the residual phases of civil rights such as school busing.

But can you imagine spending time on the rights of homosexuals? Or community schools Or even abortion? One final thought: Before a man is accepted by a national convention as the candidate for president, he should raise his right hand and swear by all that's holy he will seek to implement not only the letter but the spirit of a party's platform. In a way, this is why George Wallace is more honest than most politicians. You know exactly where he stands, even though you couldn't accept him because you know where he stands. through the tragic experience of an unsuccessful rebellion against Moscow and continues to cherish the hope of having greater independence even within the Communist bloc than it now has. The leaders of Yugoslavia and Romania have not minced any words in describing how they feel about the prospect of being left at the mercy of a Soviet Union whose ascendancy in their part of the world may acquire legitimacy and permanency through American acquiescence or diplomatic deal.

Yugoslav Foreign Minister Mirko Tepavac expressed a widely held East European attitude when he said Friday that "there is no genuine peace between the great without the peace of the small being guaranteed." He also said, "We don't expect the whole world to be put in order by the great and strong only. So big and strong they are not after all." Mr. Rogers' mission aimed at allay Conventions on By now, as some party has said, it is perfectly clear that the last place for television exposure at a political convention is the rostrum. It's okay, if you're Larry O'Brien with a gavel, Bella Abzug with a hat or just about any speaker from New York or California, but failing that, the preferred way to get on the tube is to be on the convention floor. Just stand around.

Chances are you'll be interviewed. Perhaps it's not politics, but it's show biz. The Democratic National Convention from Miami sounds like all national political conventions since televised conventions came of age in 1952: a sound of a voice dominating the background, from the rostrum, patently, and in the foreground a TV floor man interviewing a delegate from downstate Illinois on his opinion on how he thought the Illinois delegation would vote on the proposal being voiced by the speaker on the rostrum. There was a moment that ranged from pathos to bathos on NBC Tuesday morning. It was during one of the fights within the Illinois delegation.

Among the speakers to back the minority position was Shirley Maclaine of Hollywood and the California delegation. Another speaker for the minority position had just been introduced. She was a lovely girl, prettier than Shirley Maclaine, really. In the 30 words or so she got to speak from the rostrum she showed a melodious voice and some presence, but there was the inevitable interruption for an interview from the floor. In the momentary break, an angry voice could be heard on the NBC intercom asking, "You are going to get Shirley Maclaine, aren't you?" and the answer went unheard.

The interview was really not as interesting as the interrupted minority speaker, no matter what she said. It was just one of those interviews that did not come off. The paradox is that there are not more political conventions on television than there are. After all, what was professional football before television? $500,000 for this particular junket. This is for hotel rooms, food, entertainment and transportation.

Think what that would or could do for the war chest of the Democratic Party back home. And just what did the Delaware delegation of 40 official representatives accomplish? They came here divided and will return home divided on the issue of who should be the presidential candidate. Just that and nothing else. The long weary battle over the platform meant nothing, absolutely nothing to the delegates here, except for a few such as Jim Sills. In fact, the adopted platform, as all platforms, means nothing really to the Democratic Party just as the Republican platform will mean nothing to the GOP rank and file.

However, just to bend backwards in fairness, I will make an exception. Perhaps the one important feature of the platform squabble was the rejection of the George Wallace ideology. And believe you me, that's stretching a point in the interests of fairness. You folks back home, sitting in front of your television set. heard and saw speakers spew out those millions of cliches this past week.

You ought to be here in the press gallery of the convention hall. Imagine, please, 3,000 people, more or less, milling around, sleeping in their seats, talking, yakking or day dreaming ing up the the for with it are Lurk still, make Lj fJl L. inr There must be a better way to run convention fVsfl Mil but not paying one iota of attention to the speakers. Oh yes, they paid attention to Wallace as he appeared in his wheel chair. And they gave some attention to Askew and a few others, but by and large, I saw speaker after speaker approach the podium and they might as well have shouted their beautifully rounded phrases to the raging sea, for all the good it did.

The security measures in convention hall and vicinity have also been part of this drama of the ultra-absurd. Legitimate newsmen have had to wait in corridors and in long lines for credentials. But long-haired, bare-footed, scantily-dressed weirdos have been able to get all kinds of credentials to wander the floor of the convention. The peak of the absurd came Tuesday night, when for no good reason, all exit gates and doors of the convention hall were closed. No one could leave, Why? Not a cop on duty was able to explain.

I saw and heard of people frantically dashing from gate to gate, seeking to get out but learned they were locked in. As you have probably learned by this time Tuesday night's platform session ended Wednesday morning at about 6:30. Jim Sills asked a very sensible question that will never get a sensible answer here: "Why don't they start the work sessions in the afternoons? Why wait until 7 or 8 at, MIAMI DEAC1I There must be and should be a better and more businesslike method for running a major political party's convention. What we have been witnessing here this past week all adds up to an excellent example of the drama of the ultra-absurd. Except for the selection of a man to run for president and one for vice president, the convention has been more absurd than any one major political convention I've ever attended.

And it's not because these people here are Democrats. I can assure you the forthcoming Republican convention will be just as absurd if not more so. It's not only been hard on nerves, bodies and emotions but on the pocketbook. I've figured, for example, that the Delaware delegation alone has spent from $300,000 to close to 1 nA mA.A i lu Li 1i.