The Galveston Daily News from Galveston, Texas • Page 10

10-A El'i' JUtil Friday Morning, May 25,1979 Jack Anderson U.S. P.S. 213400 FOUNDED IN 1M8 TEXAS' OLDEST NEWSPAPER Dedicated to the Growth and Progress of Galveston and Galveston County MANAGEMENT TEAM LESDAUGHTRY Editor and Pubfeher ANN BORDELON Managing Editor RCHARD FOGALEY City Editor WADE J. PARKER Business Manager MARSHALL DURHAM Advertising Director RONALD B.SCHULTZ Retail Advertising Manager DAVID LYONS Classified Advertising Manager BILLY TUMA Circulation Manager ROBERT LEYVA Mai Room Foreman DALE THOMPSON Production Manager BILL COCHRANE Composing Room Foreman CECIL DILL Press Room Foreman Published every morning by Newspepera, 852S Teichman P.O. Box 628, Galveston.

Texas 77553. Second Class Postage Paid at Texas. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use or republcation of al the local news of spontaneous origin printed this newspaper. SUBSCRIPTION RATES BY CARRIER. $4.50 per month, BY MAIL, S54.00 per year in U.S., £108 Outside U.S.

Readers era encouraged to submit their statements or op'nbris on tocnl matters for publcation on this page. Letters to the editor, also are always welcome. PHONE 744-3811 Lucky move saves congressmens' lives I In A Vl WASHINGTON The assassination of Rep. Leo Ryan, who was gunned down by the Rev. Jim Jones's religious fanatics at a jungle airstrip in Guyana last year, might reasonably have been a lesson to State Department personnel responsible for the safeguarding of world-traveling Members of Congress.

But Foggy Bottom's bureaucrats were slow to learn the lesson. Several congressmen almost met the same fate as Ryan's last December in the steamy, Guyana-like jungles of Burma. Mere chance, say our sources, prevented their massacre at the hands of cold- blooded killers every bit as dangerous as the lunatic members of Jones's People's Temple. It should be remembered that Ryan's death and the 900 murder-suicides that followed it at the cult's Jonestown commune hours later was sparked by a congressional investigation of the People's Temple. The congressman's concern for his former San Francisco area constituents and the families they had left behind led him to make the investigative journey to Guyana that resulted in his murder.

Although State Department representatives in Guyana did warn Ryan and his party that there were risks involved in his trip to Jonestown, precious little was done to ensure his safety once he insisted on proceeding despite the warnings. Months later, when the lesson of Jonestown should have been digested by State Department security experts, several members of the House Select Committee on Narcotics left on a trip to the so-called Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia the area of Burma, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam that is the center of opium and heroin traffic in that part of the world. This was no junket. The congressmen were going to a dangerous, uncomfortable corner of the globe to investigate the traffic in hard drugs, much of which winds up in the United States. They wanted to find out more about the men who control the world's richest narcotics market.

In an earlier column, we identified from intelligence documents the international kingpin of dope peddling a Burmese mercenary leader named Chang Chi-fu. Chang's fellow narcotics traffickers had been exposed by the Narcotics Committee, and the revelations had threatened to interfere with their billion- dollar dope operations. As ruthless as they are wealthy, the heroin merchants decided to eliminate congressional pressure on the local governments to crack down on their lucrative trade. The method was to be simple and direct, sources informed our associates Jack Mitchell and Dale Van Atta: A small army of mercenaries was prepared to kill the congressional visitors in Burma. The House delegation, which included Reps.

Lester Wolff, Stephen Neal, Henry Hyde, and Robert Dornan, was to be gunned down as they were flying by helicopter over the burmese jungles. Any survivors were to be dispatched by heavily armed ground troops from the dope merchants army of mercenary bandits. According to confidential sources, only a lucky, last-minute change in the schedule saved the congressmen's lives. They left Burma without knowing that it had almost become their last resting place. Months later they learned about the well-laid plot against their lives.

Footnote: A State Department spokesman told us he could not prepare a statement by the time we went to press. WASHINGTON WHIRL Federal Judge John Sirica, the judicial nemesis of the Watergate conspirators, was treated to a private, sneak preview of 'Blind Ambition," the television mini-series on Watergate being shown this week. "Maximum John" enjoyed what he saw of the "factional" documentary, which is based on memoirs by Watergate songbird John Dean and his wife Maureen. The private screening was held in a suite at (where else?) the Watergate hotel. The Central Intelligence Agency by law must keep Congress informed of its activities, but the spooks don't trust the legislators with their secrets.

Each morning, CIA couriers deliver a four- column, newspaper-format intelligence wrap-up to key Members of Congress. It is called the National Intelligence Daily. At the end of the day, the spy agency's couriers return to Capitol Hill and retrieve the hush-hush report. So far, however, the CIA has been unable to gain control of congressional Xerox machines. Beauty has made a small dent in the beastly federal deficit.

The House Beauty Shop, which serves congresswomen, congressmen's wives and female staff members, showed a modest profit last year. Its 14 beauticians and three manicurists performed 29,250 coiffures and manicures for a net income of $8,404. The shop turned over $1,582.05 to the Treasury. It probably won't set a trend, but two United States Senators have given their campaign contributors rebates. Sam Nunn, D- found himself with a $152,000 surplus after his campaign bills were paid last year; William Armstrong, had $100,000 left over.

Nunn has rebated $3,604.92 to his contributors about 22 cents on the dollar. The several hundred dollars Armstrong has paid back works out to something like six to 10 cents on the dollar. Copyright 1979 United Feature Syndicate, Inc. Looking Backward By SALLY REEDY 25 YEARS AGO May 25, 1954-The Galveston Daily News has received international reknown for its April Fool's Day story of an nonexistent store at 25th and Broadway selling coffee at 33 cents a pound. A clipping of an editorial "Tickling Them in Texas" from the Manchester Guardian in England was received here Monday from Harris Kempner who is now in Liverpool.

T.F. Fischer Jr. was elected president of the Ball High Tornetle Booster Club. Other new officers elected are: W.T. Day, vice-president; J.A.

Mendle, treasurer and Mrs. H.J. Obey, secretary. A.R. Schwartz reported that the Jaycee regional meeting will be held in Galveston in August and Doyle Graham reported that 800 delegates will attend the Texas Mortgage Banker convention.

The 42nd anniversary of organized women's work in the Presbyterian churches will be observed with a tea from 3 to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the First Presbyterian Church. The program will include piano selections by Miss Juanita Brown and vocal numbers by a trio composed of Mrs. M.J. Mezzino, Mrs.

William Powell and Miss Brown. Mrs. Paul Nash is in charge of arrangements. Anita Marie Menotti, valedictorian of Dominican High School received a medal and a scholarship to the University of Houston and Marie Covington, salutatorian, was presented a medal and a scholarship to St. Thomas University.

Patricia Fredrickson was selected the most all- around student. The Fletcher Harris Agency is pleased to announce that they have made arrangements for free parking in the 1st National Bank parking lot, 22nd street and Strand. 50YEARSAGO May 25, 1929-Slowly but surely the old order passeth. First the old Garten Verein went and now it is our sad duty to sound the knell of M.M.M., child of the Kotton Karnival Kids. Last night, at Gaido's on the beach, the society of M.M.M.

met for the last time. R.M. Tevis opened the meeting and turned it over to A.L. Perkins, who served as toastmaster. Those members who spoke were: Ben Inselman, Lee Kempner, Ed Salzman, Walter Eggers, Edwin Wagner and J.P.

Almeras. Mr. Peter Erhard was presented a silver cocktail shaker. Four parcels of morphine and thirty bottles of whiskey were seized by customs officers at the Princess Hotel on Tremont Street. There was good trout fishing during the week in Galveston.

One of the Baker boys said he caught thirty-six Tuesday. Irvin Apfel, Ellis Swann and W.W. Short caught 73 flounder. Mr. and Mrs.

A. Pergola entertained with a reception Thursday in honor of the wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. W.J. Shiselli.

The Silver Bell, located at Beach and 36th street, will open tonight at 7 o'clock by owner A.L. Guisti. Galveston can really be proud of this beautiful soda fountain. Following rumors that they have been circulating in the court house, County Attorney Owen D. Barker filed suits seeking injunctions prohibiting gambling at Hollywood and Piccadily Clubs.

The Union of Protestant Sunday Schools will hold a picnic at League City today. Officials for the recreational program are: Robert Henry, Ned Kemp, Ben Henry and Harold Geibler. Prizes will be awarded by T. J. Smith.

Viewpoints Commentary, Editorials Jim Aylward Tranqnilizer habit comes on strong Write Us! Readers are encouraged to write the Galveston Daily news concerning any topic, preferably of a local nature. Letters should not exceed 300 words in length. Opinions, letters which respond to an issue in an enligntening way, should not exceed 500 words and must be signed. Address letters to P.O. Box 628, Galveston, 77553.

The tranquilizer habit may well be the most insidious habit of the '70s. Valium is now the most frequently prescribed drug in the United States. Many people take it illegally. Others have become dependent on it by following their doctor's orders, which usually prescribe four tablets a day white, yellows or blues. Four blues a day could take your blues away, but it can also cause some problems.

Now Leland Ahern of Altoona, Iowa, has started a program that he calls Valium Anonymous. Patterned after Alcoholics Anonymous, it attempts to help tranquilizer types to kick the habit. Ahern knows how difficult it can be. He says that quitting Valium can result in "horrible withdrawal symptoms," including insomnia, agitation, nervousness, nausea, vomiting and, in some rare cases, hallucinations. In fact, Ahern says that kicking Valium for him was "many, many times worse" than his battle with alcohol, which he won more than 30 years ago.

Valium Anonymous helps people to get free of tranquilizers by using the techniques Ahern learned in Alcoholic Anonymous. He says that it always works, and so far he has helped about 100 Valium dependents to live a more natural life. He hopes that his idea will spread across the country and that others will start their own Valium Anonymous groups. For further information on this, you can write to Ahern at Box 155, Altoona, Iowa 50009. Marquis Childs New Mexico scene of nuclear power-Indian issue SANTA FE, N.M.

The heated debate over nuclear power takes a special and intense form here in this state. New Mexico, which claims to be the uranium capital of the world, has counted on its rich deposits for revenue to raise standards of education and health that are not too high. As nuclear power reactors have spread, the uranium lode has been a magnet for corporate development. It happens, however, that the massive deposit is in the reservation of the Navajos and Pueblos. The richest concentration is on Mount Taylor, which is sacred to both Indian tribes.

On Mount Taylor, the Gulf Oil Corp. is carrying out an extensive mining operation. The nearby town of Grants, which also boasts that it is the uranium capital of the world, was the scene recently of a demonstration between pro-nuclear and anti-nuclear forces. Energy Day was celebrated with an elaborate parade with many floats, and Sen. Harrison Schmitt, was the featured speaker at a rally that followed.

The theme, sounded in a variety of ways, was that Grants, the state and the nation need nuclear power. One float showed the positive aspects of nuclear energy "fuel, weapons, agriculture." It had a smooth professional look. The anti-nuclear demonstration took place 25 miles away in the area sacred to the Indian tribes. Those who took part were frank to say that it was far more amateurish, with hand- lettered signs, but it was also, they claimed, more spontaneous. Many of the demonstrators were college students from Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Whatever demonstrations both pro and con may accomplish, the heart of the matter is a lawsuit filed by the Navajos and an environmental group known as Friends of the Earth. The suit demands that detailed environmental statements be required for all new mining operations on the reservation. The Energy Association of Taxpayers, which sponsored the pro demonstration in Grants, says that the suit, if successful, could hold up all mining operations for 15 years. Schmitt has responsed by announcing that he is having possible legislation studied to determine whether uranium mining and milling can be exempted from national and regional impact statements. This would allow local assessments to continue, although their weight would be considerably less than that of the national requirements that are backed by passionate environmentalists.

Feeling is reported to be high among the Navajos. They are said to believe they are being exploited by corporations bent on the rich rewards of uranium as it has advanced rapidly in price with the spread of power reactors. This is an extraordinary confrontation the Navajo, still a part of the ancient beliefs of his tribe, vs. the most advanced technology developed by men of science. It is curiously unreal, as though it were a work of imagination posing such opposites.

Uranium has been a source of political strife in New Mexico several times before, with the debate arising in the legislature over the amount of tax to be applied on uranium ore taken out of the state. Corporate lawyer-lobbyists have pushed their case for a low tax in the capitol. They have not always prevailed, as clever legislative tacticians succeeded in upping the tax, one of New Mexico's few sources of revenue. One display at Mount Taylor was put on by advocates of solar power. New Mexico would seem to be a first-class laboratory for such power.

Except for the winter months, a brilliant sun prevails in most of the state, and perfection of solar units with storage of power could go a long way toward supplying the state's needs. There is concern here over the energy crisis. A series of documentaries with a popular appeal, called "The Energy Store," ran recently on PBS stations and caused considerable comment. They showed ways to conserve energy in home construction and use and in dealing with the automobile's insatiable appetite for gasoline. Three Mile Island is a long way from New Mexico's towering snowcapped mountains, the pine covered slopes and the silent valleys.

Yet the repercussions of that nuclear accident can be heard here as well as over the entire world. The dispute over how much radiation was released at Three Mile Island only serves to feed a deep-seated fear regarding a force that, in the popular view, is as mysterious as the light of the sun. This may be an irrational fear in a world that is desperately short of energy, but it is nonetheless pervasive and persistent. It can hardly be resolved by a voice of authority, whether out of the Carter administration or the National Academy of Sciences. At Grants, the wind blows du.st across the town from open piles of uranium tailings.

And this, in the view of anti-nuclear demonstrators, is as great a peril to human lungs as a radiation leak from a reactor or, if you listen to their impassioned protest, a greater risk. 1979. Untied Failure Syndicate, Inc. THE RIGHTS OF TENANTS Did you know that 52 million Americans rent their living spaces? That's one-quarter of the population. For the most part, landlords are fair, but what happens when there are problems? The answers are in a new Avon book called "The Rights of Tenants," by Richard E.

Blumberg and James R. Grow. The rights of both tenants and landlords are covered in question-and-answer form. The book tells what clauses a tenant should beware of in a lease, how a tenant may move out before the lease expires, when you can withhold rent, when you can sublet, how you can fight eviction, etc. The book is $1.95 in paperback.

MOM, DAD, AND DIRTY DISHES Cleveland State University Prof. John Robinson says that working and non-working women now spend less time on household chores and child care than they did in the mid-'60s. Comparing recent statistics with decade-old figures, the professor says that men now spend slightly more time on housework. The key word there is ALWAYS PUT OFF UNTIL TOMORROW After a long five-year delay, the Minnesota Chapter of the Procrastinators Club of America has finally been founded. However, club leaders Ann and Martin Ray say that the election of club officials has been put off indefinitely.

There's plenty of time. THE NEW BUTTON FOR YOUR TOOTH The battle against tooth decay is going on. Today the DOONESBURY National Institute of Dental Research reports that a new cavity fighting device has been developed. It's a tiny wafer than contains a fluid. The wafer, smaller than a button, is glued to one tooth by your dentist, and it emits a protective fluid for about six months.

Is THAT what Dr. Cook meant when he told me to button up my Up? IT'S NEWS TO ME! The Food and Drug Administration is currently testing a new kind of contact lens that can be worn 24 hours a day. Like today's "soft" contacts, the new lenses are also soft, but they're made from a permeable plastic that allows the eye to breathe. They're costly though between $400 and $600 a pair. The FDA plans to make the new lenses available to cataract patients almost immediately and to the general public in another year.

SEEING THOUGH HUD'S BIG FRONT DOORS The Department of Housing and Urban Development decided some time back that they needed better security. According to the Secret Service, HUD Secretary Patricia Harris was the least-protected member of the president's Cabinet. So HUD ordered some "security doors" that were 9 feet tall, with glass a half-inch thick. According to reports, they spent more than $4,000 just on paperwork ordering the doors. Then they paid $1,000 for gold lettering and turned in a total bill of $58,000 for the new "security" entrance.

The massive new doors at HUD are neither guarded nor locked. OieRB BAM I'M 201XEK. HARRIS, SUBBING KK MARK. ON "PROFILES ON PftRAVe-? ANDfM TALKING TO 'PLAY- 8W' PH0I06RAPHER AMP RECRUITER, MR. I'M SORE A LOT OF HOU WI RECONCILE YOUR UNE OF WORK.

FOR IN5WCZ, HW UiOULP WU FEEL IF YOUR SIB TER OR. PAUGHTER TURNED UP IN WML, FIRST'OF ALL, MR. HARRIS, YOU SHOUL0 KNOia THAT WE Eft. USE PAUGHTEZS OR SI5IERS IN ANY OF OUR PHOTO YOUDONT? YOUMEAH, THEY'RE ALL MODELS? LA5T THING WE USMTODOI5 MAKE OUR. READERS UNCOMFOKT-.