The Daily Leader from Pontiac, Illinois • Page 1

True meaning of Christmas deemphasized, local clergymen say By DAVID HETT Leader Staff Reporter (First in a series.) The true meaning of Christmas is being deem- phasized by many Americans, according to a consensus of five Pontiac clergymen. In interviews conducted by The Leader, three local members of the clergy said they definitely consider that the spiritual side of the Christmas celebration is falling by the wayside. One other sees the celebration going in two directions, and only one believes that the religious significance of Christmas is being reemphasized to any extent, although he says it is coming in new and different forms. -I think very few clergymen would say the spiritual significance of Christmas is not declining," Rev. Robert Searles of the Calvary Baptist Church says.

"The celebration gets more commercialized each year." Rev. Searles notes that the religious significance of Christmas has been strong in the United States in the past and that most people still believe that Christ was born on that day, but adds that now America is "all wrapped up in materialism." Rev. Gordin Chitty of the Pontiac Bible Church brings the problem a little closer to home. "Christ is very much on the outside of the secular things here in Pontiac," he says. "People seem to make a mental assent or allegiance to Christ, but real faith in Christ is missing." Rev.

Chitty says that materialism becomes a god they worship. "People would rather see presents in the manger than the baby," he concludes. Msgr. Joseph O'Dea of St. Mary's Catholic Church agrees that "people are putting less and less emphasis on the spiritual side of the anniversary of the birth of Christ." However, the monsignor does not put the cause down to materialism.

"The reason is something far deeper than that," he says. "We blame materialism a lot, but what we are seeing today is a spiritual evil force that has been unleased upon the world material things are only the instruments that the force of evil uses to attract man." ReV. Glenn loder of the First United Methodist Church also does not place blame on commercialization. "It's up to the individual whether the real meaning of Christmas becomes pushed aside," he says. "I'm not sure if the secular side was out completely that Christmas would then have its full religious meaning." Rev.

loder, however, is not quick to say that the spiritual emphasis of Christmas is declining. He sees it going two ways. "I see people who have the real sense of the true meaning of Christmas and I also see those who are simply observing the secular side," he says. He adds, though, that secular priorities may take precedence for many people at Christmastime and suggests that "people keep things in bal- -ance." The only clergyman to see a renewed emphasis of the spiritual side of Christmas was the Rev. Kenneth Dobson of the United Presbyterian Church.

He says that this fact may not be seen as such, however. Two factors affect the religious significance of the Christmas celebration, he says. One is that interest in anything tends to run in cycles. "For 10 or 15 years, from about 1950 to 1965, the church was riding a crest-- religious interest was at a peak," Rev. Dobson says.

"Now we are in a valley." He adds that interest in religion is slacking off not only during Christmas, but during the entire year. The other factor involved, Rev. Dobson says, is nostalgia. "Everything in the past looks sweeter," he explains, "so it is a natural inclination to say that 'Christmas is not the way it was when I was a a i generations of Americans were interested in "getting the family together," for instance, Rev, Dobson says that the current generation (25-39 years old) has become more fragmented in their approach to the celebration of Christinas. This generation, he says, is "no longer 'thing' oriented.

They are comfort oriented, but not thing oriented. As I see it, this generation is more concerned to recapture the important things." However, he says, the current generation finds it more difficult to identify with each other as a group and this results in fragmentation of celebrations. "We don't have a national celebration of Christmas," Rev. Dobson notes. "People no longer celebrate all the same way.

There is quite a bit of freethinking." There -fs an effort to keep Christmas from becoming as complicated as it has been in (Continued on page 2) 95th Year--No. 84-- 1.6 Pages Pontiac, 111. 61764, Monday, Dec. 23, 1974 15 Cents a Copy Up to $12 billion a year Economists urge tax cuts 2 Days 'til Christmas With Christmas just around the corner, six-year- old George Lane takes his order directly to Santa. Judging from that smile, Santa must be saying "yes." George, a member of the Merry Christmas Court, is the son of Mr.

and Mrs. Wes Lane, 201 S. Main St. -(Leader Photo by B. Sancken.) By TERENCE HUNT Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Tax cuts of up to $12 billion a year have been urged by the congressional Joint Economic Committee to help pump up the economy and head off what the panel called possibly the worst recession in more than 35.

years. At the same time the committee urged Congress to consider enacting a gasoline tax increase to help force a reduction in demand. As an example, Hi said XL tMt of 5Q a jal- lon would cut gas consumption by a 8 per cent or 500,000 barrels a day during the first year. The committee's tax-cut proposal Sunday was joined by other tax cut recommendations from Andrew F. Brimmer, a former member of the Federal Reserve Board, and economist Walter.M.

Heller, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. Brimmer, now dean of the Harvard Business School, proposed a one-time 10 per cent cut in 1974 federal income taxes. Heller, appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," called for a two per cent reduction in income tax rates on earned income up to about $13,200.

The congressional joint committee, warning that unemployment ili hit 7.5 per cent by next summer, said a minimum of $10 billion in tax relief should be enacted immediately, aimed at low and moderate income persons. A voluntary system of wage- price guidelines also was advo- cated by the committee's Democratic majority to give President Ford authority to roll back selected wage and price hikes if he found them clearly inflationary. Both Republicans and Democrats on the committee agreed that without new policies the United States will slip into what could be the worst recession in over 35 years. The committee's report argued that the only way to fight both recession and inflation is to use fiscal and monetary stimulants and intervention in some wage price cases: It proposed that any tax cuts now could be offset later by elimination of the oil depletion allowance and other tax changes. Other major committee recommendations were: rollback of oil prices but an increase in the price of new natural gas.

--A less stringent monetary program than the one being followed by the Federal Reserve Board. --Expansion of federal public service job programs and unemployment compensation. Sen. Edward W. Brooke, R- said on ABC Radio's "Issues and Answers" that "we might have to go into guidelines, possibly into wage and price controls Meanwhile, E.B.

Speer, chairman of U.S. Steel said on CBS' "Face the Nation" that some national objectives need to be reviewed closely. He said safety and environmental requirements have added considerably to the price of autos. "This is inflationary," Speer said, adding the question is "can we pay the price?" He defended U.S. Steel's recent price increases that had drawn criticism from Ford.

He said the increases were non- inflationary because the prices charged by U.S. Steel in most areas are below those of their competition even after the increases. Justice Dept, prob domestic GIA spying Presidential pardon power unconditional, Court rules By MARGARET GENTRY Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) The Supreme Court ruled today that a president may attach a wide range of conditions when he issues pardons or commutes prison sentences. In a 6-3 decision, the court rejected arguments that a president cannot commute a sentence on conditions which are not authorized by law. The decision could have a bearing on the legal battle over former President Richard M.

Nixon's commutation of the sentence of former Teamsters President James R. Hoffa. The decision came in the case of an Army master sergeant convicted of murder and sentenced to death. In 1960, President Dwight D. Eisenhower commuted the sentence to life imprisonment on condition that the man, Maurice Schick, never be eligible for parole.

Life imprisonment without parole was not a sentence prescribed for murder under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Schick's lawyers argued that Eisenhower had no authority to condition the commutation on a punishment not prescribed by law. Writing for the majority, Chief Justice Warren E. Burger noted "that presidents throughout our history as a nation have exercised the power to pardon or commute sentences upon conditions that are not specifically authorized by statute." The court said the president's clemency power "flows from the Constitution alone, not from any legislative enactments." Nixon reduced Hoffa's sentence for jury tampering to make him eligible for parole but required that Hoffa abstain from Teamsters activities until March 1980. The condition Nixon attached to the commutation was not a penalty prescribed by law.

Hoffa is challenging the condition and has indicated his interest in resuming union activities. Joining Burger in the majority Were Justices Potter Stewart, Byron R. White, Harry A. Blackmun, Lewis F. Powell and William H.

Rehnquist. Justices Thurgood Marshall, William 0. Douglas and William J. Brennan dissented. Part of Schick's argument was based on a 1972 Supreme Court decision overturning the death penalty as it had been applied.

He contended that if Eisenhower had not commuted his death sentence on the no-parole condition, he automatically would have escaped execution when the court overturned the death penalty. He then would have received a life sentence and would have been eligible for parole, his lawyers argued. The majority rejected the argument. Auto, timber, textile workers hardest hit by holiday layoffs Weather A WHITE CHRISTMAS, OF COURSE Tonight. mostly cloudy with occasional light snow likely.

Low in the mid or upper 20s. Tuesday cloudy with a chance of snow. High in the mid 30s. Chance of rain 70 per cent tonight and 50 per cent Tuesday. The temperature in Pontiac at 11:30 a.m.

today was 38 degrees. The high yesterday was 37 degrees and the low last night 28 degrees. The river level was 12 inches at the Mill St. dam. By DAVID C.

MARTIN Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department is examining charges that the Central Intelligence Agency engaged in widespread domestic surveillance during the administration of former President Richard M. Nixon, a department spokesman said today. Sen. John Sparkman, D-Ala, who be chairman of the Senate Relations Committee when Congress reconvenese in Janury announced, meanwhile, that his committee also will look into the charges. Acting Atty.

Gen. Laurence H. Silberman "has been in touch with" CIA Director William E. Colby "and the matter is under review," Jusice Department public information director Robert Havel said. Havel said Silberman contacted Colby because of news accounts alleging that the CIA spied on domestic antiwar activists in violation of the agency's charter limiting it to foreign surveillance.

He said Silberman declined further comment on the extent of the department review. Silberman is acting attorney general because Atty. Gen. William B. Saxbe is out of town on Christmas vacation.

President Ford said Sunday he will not tolerate illegal domestic spying by the CIA and that he has been assured that the agency is not involved in such activities now. Responding to questions about a published report that the CIA spied on domestic antiwar groups and individuals during the Nixon administration, Ford said Sunday that CIA Director William E. Colby had told him earlier in the day that "nothing comparable" to the alleged domestic surveillance operation was now going on. Ford told newsmen in Grand Junction, that he told Colby "that under no circumstances would I tolerate any such activity under this administration." The report in the Sunday New York Times also prompted demands for an immediate investigation from former CIA officials and members of Congress. The CIA declined any immediate comment, but sources said Colby was holding a top- level agency meeting today Former CIA director John McCone said the allegations could not "be refuted merely on a denial by the agency.

He urged "an investigation either by the Congress or by President Ford's Foreign Advisory Board." According to the Times article, intelligence files on at least 10,000 American citizens were maintained by a special unit of the CIA that reported directly to Helms. Federal law carefully limits CIA activities to gathering intelligence abroad and leaves domestic surveill- nace to the FBI. Christmas spirit BRANDON, S.D. (AP) A Brandon restaurant owner who loathes the thought of being alone on Christmas is preparing free Christmas Eve meals for anyone who otherwise might have to spend the evening alone. "I hated the thought of being alone on Christmas Eve so I came up with the idea of asking all the lonely people to come to my place for a free meal," said Larry DeThury of Sioux Falls.

DeThury plans to treat whomever shows up at his restaurant Christmas Eve with a choice of turkey or fish -and a healthy portion of companionship. DeThury has given his regular help the night off and plans to. prepare and serve the free Christmas Eve meals himself. But, he said, "If anyone wants to roll up their sleeves and help they will be welcome to do so." DeThury said he is not giving out the free meals for commercial gain, but because he didn't want to spend the evening alone. By NICK TATRO Associated Press Writer Workers in the auto, timber and textile industries are among the hardest hit by holiday season layoffs, according to a sampling by The Associated Press.

Pink slips have come at a time when prices are rising, personal income is declining and there is heavy competition for available jobs. For some, holiday layoffs mean a few extra days vacation without pay. For others the layoffs have been open-ended or permanent. In all, 6 million Americans were jobless, according to go- verment statistics compiled for November. That's more than have been out of work since the nation was emerging from the Great Depression in 1W.

Then 8.1 million were jobless, about 14.6 per cent of that era's smaller work force. The current unemployment rate is 6.5 per cent. Hardest hit has been the auto industry. New car sales are down more than 30 per cent from a year ago and the layoffs, in terms of duration, are the worst in the postwar period. Industrywide, 170,000 of the 690,000 hourly workers were furloughed this month.

By January's end layoffs temporary or indefinite will total about 300,000, or 40 per cent of the hourly work force. At the same time, funds designed to give auto workers 95 per cent of their take-home pay are dwindling fast. Auto companies will not say how many workers have lost these benefits but union spokesmen estimate 1,000 General Motors' workers are being dropped each week. In the Pacific Northwest, the wood products industry has slumped into what some say is a depression. About 11,400 industry workers have been idled in Oregon, another 10,400 in northern California and thousands more in Washington State and elsewhere in the country.

Bill Dean of Random Lengths, a trade publication, said the layoffs were the most widespread in almost two decades. He estimated about GO per cent of the sawmills will close for two weeks during the holidays and another 20 per cent will close for more than a usual three days. The timber industry is tied directly to housing and latest figures show new housing starts dropped to an eight-year low in November. The unemployment rate is 13.7 per cent in the construction industry as a whole with some areas hurt worse than others. In Buffalo, N.Y., for example, the industry's jobless rate is 40 per cent.

In Georgia, state labor officials estimate 200,000 employes in the textile, apparel industries and mobil home industries have been laid off at some time during the holidays. Textile layoffs have also swelled the unemployment rolls in the Carolines, but no precise figures are available. Weekly unemployment insurance claims filed in North Carolina in November nearly quadrupled over the number filed in November 1973. Layoffs have hit many businesses, large and small, including: Xerox, General Electric, Westinghouse, RCA, Union Pacific Railroad, U.S. Steel, Sears Roebuck, Magnavox, Control Data and Nabisco.

IRA begins cease-fire By RONALD THOMSON ssociated Press Writer LONDON (AP) The Irish Republican Army began an ll- day Christmas cease-fire today after a two-hour bombing binge in London and Northern Ireland. One target was former Prime Minister Edward Heath, who was returning from a Christmas concert when the bombers struck his home. Five blasts rocked downtown Belfast in Northern Ireland and another three hit the town of Lurgan, 20 miles to the southwest. Police said there were no casualties. "We think the bombers want- ed to dramatize the last hours before the cease-fire," a police source said.

The IRA's Provisional wing said it was suspending its guerrilla war against Britain from midnight. Sunday until Jan. 2. David O'Connell, reputed to be the chief of the "Proves," told a Dublin newspaper the guerrillas might prolong the cease- fire if the British government made an acceptable peace response. But he said British cities would be devastated if the government did not respond "satisfactorily." The cease-fire is the first major truce called by the IRA in two and a half years.

The Proves' terms for a permanent cease-fire are withdrawal of British troops to their barracks with a pledge of a total pullout from Northern Ireland; freedom for about 1,500 suspected terrorists interned without trial and amnesty for terrorists jailed in the United Kingdom. The British government has refused to negotiate with the guerrillas. Heath, the Conservative party leader, arrived 10 minutes after a small bomb exploded on the second-floor balcony of his rented London house 300 yards from Buckingham Palace. Heath had been conducting a Christmas carol concert in Broadstairs, his home town on the Kent coast. "I had expected to be back here an hour before this happened, but I stayed with friends at Broadstairg for tea," he said.

Heath's political rival, Labor Prime Minister Harold Wilson, sent him a message saying: "This attack will only strengthen our united resolve to bring these thugs to justice." The bomb was thrown from a passing car, and the three or four men believed in it got away after a police chase..