The Delta Democrat-Times from Greenville, Mississippi • Page 4

EDITORIAL PAGE No to 'Sesame Street' It is not hard tc sympathize with off i i a at Mississippi's educational television commission. They know the a political and ideological realities, know that suspicious critics are closely examining everything they do and know that what the legislature gave this year it can take away next year. But when caution gives way to what appears to be panic at the first sign of possible controversy, a logical question arises. Exactly what is ETV supposed to be for? The question must be asked because of the ETV commission's decision not to run ''Sesame Street," an educational show aimed at pre-school children. "Sesame Street" is an extraordinary venture in the use of television to do a serious job of educating young children rather than merely entertaining them, although it educates through a skillful blend of entertainment, psychology, color and sound teaching methods.

Tests have repeatedly shown that the show, sponsored by several a i through the Children's Television Workshop, does a successful job. One lest suggested that children who had watched the show over a six-week period showed 2 2 times as much progress as children who had not. But Mississippi's ETV commission won't be showing it for the time being because of one fatal defect, as measured by Mississippi's political leadership. "Sesame Street" is integrated. Some of its leading cast members are black, including the man who does much of the overt "teaching." The neighborhood of the "street" is a mixed one.

And all that, of course, goes against the Mississippi grain. It doesn't matter that integration in (lie schools is now a reality in Mississippi, and segregation is against the law of the land in virtually every Held, including housing. Commercial television may portray this fact, but a i a i i a slate- controlled venture, may not. Thus we are penalized again, and our children more than adults, by the official determination to pretend that reality doesn't exist. There is no state which more desperately needs every educational tool's can find than Mississippi.

There is no educational show on the market today better prepared than "Sesame Street" to teach pre-school children what many cannot or do not learn in their homes. But "we decided it would be best to postpone it in the early days of ETV because some of the legislators might be offended," an ETV commission spokesman told Democrat- Times Jackson correspondent Ed Williams. Mississippi ETV's officials maintain that "Sesame Street" is not being banned, but only postponed. Nevertheless, it is fairly apparent that those who run from anticipated pressure today are not very likely to show backbone when real pressure is applied. As in the case of the.ETV decision not to show the award-winning documentary, "Hospital," deciding against running "Sesame Street" seems to indicate that Mississippi ETA' will settle for safe mediocrity every time.

If that proves to te the case, there are strong reasons to ask whether the tax money which is being a i a for educational television would not better be rediverted lo the public schools. There, at least, the realities of 1970 cannot be avoided and the needs are immense. Always with justice "The streets of our country are in turmoil. The universities are filled with students rebelling and rioting. Communists are seeking to destroy our country.

Russia is threatening us with her might and the Republic is in danger. Yes, danger from within and without. "We need law and order. Yes, without law and order our nation cannot survive. Elect us and we shall restore law and order." Those are familiar words.

Every reader has read or heard them during the past few years. But the foregoing quotations were not spoken by American candidates for office and they were not meant to describe American streets, life or universities. They are the words of Adolph Hitler shouted in an electioneering speech in Hamburg, Germany in the year of 1932. Hitler was elected and the Germans got law and order and a government mat became the best known, most repressive regime in modern history. Individual German citizens and families lost virtually all of their individual freedom a surrendering their country to Hitler and his Nazis.

Today right here in America there are tens of thousands of otherwise intelligent citizens who are perfectly willing to dilute or eliminate the constitutional rights and freedom of whole groups or races of other Americans such as young students (especially long nairs). the poor, blacks and some minorities. All in the name of "law and of course just as in Hitler's day. Law and order are desirable and necessary in any free society but it must be law and order based upon justice under law. And this means equal justice for all citizens under the law -not just those who happen to agree with our own ideas.

We must not lose sight of the fact that if the rights of one person may be nullified because his ideas are unpopular today, the same thing identically may happen to any of us tomorrow, next month or next year. Tolerance of the viewpoints of others is supposed to be a traditional American virtue but it is becoming increasingly rare in these days of polarization. So many seem to want to fight, to say "do it my way or else." On the other hand there are those who do not want to become involved or show concern in any way-- "leave it alone and maybe it will go away." We remain convinced our problems are never going to "just go away" and that we are going to have to continue to do everything within our power to solve them to work and strive as individual, concerned citizens to help bring about a just society under law. This is the thought we pass on to you during this week in which we see May 1 observed as "Law Day" throughout these United States. (Lexington Advertiser) Only yesterday 5 Years Ago--1965 The board of directors of the Greenville Day Care Center has formally requested over 8200,000 under the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964.

The money would be used to construct and equip an adequate building to be completed by this fall and to operate the center for three years, the center proposal said. The board requested S4.750 monthly for the first two years of existence of the law and $2,375 monthly for the third year for payment of the staff. 15 Years Ago--1955 June 2. 1955, is the deadline for candidates in the Washington County Democratic primary election scheduled for August to file application with the secretary of the Washington County Ix-mocratic Executive Committee. The applications must be made and required fees must be paid prior to the June 2 deadline, Hainon A.

Miller, secretary of the Washington County PROPOSED OIL PIPELINE ACROSS ALASKA the a communal ownersh.p churches now put in the homing make certain this can nevei hi-comc an environmental The stakes in Cambodia Focus, focus, focus on the situation as it develops in Cambodia. Remember that Soulh Vietnam is a stretch of land to the north of which is land, and to the west of which is land, with relief only lo the east, where there is ocean, and to the south. The problem has been to prevent the North Vietnamese from coming down directly into the south across what they call the "demilitarized zone," and that problem was solved several years ago with the im- permeabilization of the frontier. The enemy then did what you and I would do under the circumstances. They stole away to the west, into Laos, and began lo move massively soulh, so as to penetrate South Vietnam from west lo east, along what had come to be known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

We have been bombing the hell out of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and have succeeded in intercepting a great deal of the enemy's traffic, but always a great deal got through- Enough to sustain the North Vietnamese effort. However, formally speaking, the Ho Chi Minh Trail runs out at about the southern border of Laos, which is only about one third the length of South Vietnam. Granted, infiltration extended a little further, into Cambodia proper, and from there, on over into Southern Vietnam. But, by the attrition ot distance and American air power, it had become pretty thin, and the enemy knew that it had to get into South Vietnamese territory via other routes, which is why such a great deal of traffic has come into South Vietnam throughout the course of the war, from the deep south. That is to say, through the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville, a mere 60 miles from South Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Ton after ton of material has been going in virtually unmolested, because the United Stales Government, clinging to the myth of Cambodian neutrality, was reluctant to slop it at the source and blow it lo smithereens. The assumption in Washington has been that in due course the hvo great killer- corridors inlo Soulh Vielnam would be closed. Thai is lo say, lhal Ihe South Vietnamese would in Ihe course succeed in interdicting Ihe Ho Chi Minh Trail. And then, in Ihe soulh, Ihe Soulh Vielnamese would, i a i a i having been duly con- sumated, have moved directly either a) lo persuade the government of Cambodia to close the porl of Sihanoukville lo the sub- verlers; or else, b), Cambodia having refused to cooperate, taken direcl aclion lo close lhal port by ils own mililary power Letters to the editor 'Insidious attacks' To the editor: Can the defenders of constitutional democracy afford to further tolerate or ignore the insidious attacks on the very foundation of our democracy by self- interested refer to the statement of Mr. Robert Farrish, chief of Greenville Housing Authority, to the Greenville Ministerial Association carried in the Democrat-Times of April 28 in, which Mr.

Farrish expressed dissatisfaction with the law requiring a referendum (or election) for city housing projects which subsequently entail bond issues and affect taxes on private property and homesteads. It is a well-known fact that his group together with city administration authored House Bill 82 and persuaded a group of our House delegation to put it in the hopper at their last special session. This bill contained a rider to eliminate the referendum on housing projects in Greenville forever. Why are these two groups so hostile to the referendum, the very foundation of our democracy? A little research will show that each councilman and councilwoman are elected by approximately four percent of the population. Their regular sessions are twice a month from four to supper time, after full time on a private job or business.

During this hour they conduct the multi-million dollar business of the city, make all appointments and with pressure groups try to gain authority to make decisions thai by statute are decided by an election. How can just four percent of the populace choose such an omnipotent body that can do so much in just one hour? And how did they choose such an omnipotent authority as Mr. Farrish to tell the ministers of the Greenville Ministerial Association their Christian duty? If Mr. Farrish is really an authority on Christian a a government, Federal Housing Authority, should succeed fufno oar of us on communal owner- sU IverK, what will be done about the rest' There is a long list of. planters whYafe a $100,000 to $700,000 a year rabridta out of the US.

Treasury to help maTM private ownership of vast land Sngs" sometimes bigger than a barony of medieval Europe. It is being said on the streets, that if Mr. Fa rish was paid only what his office earned his overweight problem would be If the homestead is such a sma thing, why do all the do gooders seek a tax hen on it for bond issues to bring the experts brand of expers have alienated most of the members of the Chamber of Commerce. ThTbrought us the industrial fill acre They gave us Graflex at $150-a-day vocational training. They brought us Trailco with a big promise.

They can bring all the tourists they want, although tourists ran down old Blue (the best possum dog I ever owned), and they zoom past me with their outboards while I am fishing. But when they progress so far as to put a bulldozer blade in a certain poke sallet patch the do gooder get a message from the business end ot a scattergun. StenmsL.Boykm 974 Legion Drive Greenville ON THE RIGHT William Buckley Vietnam poem Whal has happened during Ihe pasl six weeks profoundly allers lhat slralegy. did happen is lhat the Cambodian government of Sihanouk having fallen, the pro-Western government has proved insufficiently strong lo contain the North Vielnamese who, sensing the danger to their entire Indochinese position, reason thai Ihey must move by blitzkrieg to the south, in order lo keep open Ihe lines of infiltration inlo Soulh Vielnam. An incredibly daring thing, what Ihe Norlh Vielnamese have done-sliding Iheir troops down between a half million Americans to Ihe left of them and, slightly to Ihe right, a half million Thais.

It comes down lo Ihis. If Ihe Uniled Stales fails lo give aid lo Ihe Cambodians sufficienl lo defend Ihemselves; or, belter, to the South Vietnamese, sufficient to launch a preemptive offensive against Ihe Norlh Vielnamese, we had belter understand lhat we are accepting Ihe loss of Ihe war. The Soulh Vietnamese border is approximately 500 miles long. The notion that the Soulh Viel- namese can seal off that border wilhoul moving in againsl Ihe sources cf the difficulty, is something like the notion thai we can keep marijuana oul of Ihe United Slates by encouraging cusloms officials lo do Iheir duly. Nobody wants American soldiers lo be shipped into Cambodia.

Bui whal is Ihe argument againsl shipping an American soldier inlo Cambodia if by doing so American casualties in Soulh Vielnam decrease? Granted, there are the symbolic problems, and symbols are important. That is why Ihe argument is in favor of leaving it lo South Vielnamese Iroops lo do lhal par- licular operation. But il should be understood that the logistical responsibilities are clearly our own, even as the Soviet Union accepts the logistical responsibilities of supplying the North Vietnamese Communists who are pouring into Cambodia. What we need to remind ourselves of is this, very simply: that if we cavil over the technicality of Cambodia, we are throwing away everything we have foughl for during Ihe past six costly, bloody, tragic years. To the editor: Will you please print this poem in your paper? This is from a very dear friend, a boy who lived in Lamont, Miss.

He is now stationed in Vietnam. He asked if we would send this poem to Ihe paper. Mrs. Eva Mae Griffin 421N. 6th St.

Greenville "My Friends But Never Me" Vietnam is the last place I thoughl I'd be As I looked to the future a year ago. Sure, they were drafting my friends, but never me, I thought triumphantly, but little did I know It was July 2nd in 1969 I raised my hand and promised to serve my land. And though I didn't like it, I took it in stride, and did my best to develop a pride. For the job I was to do, wherever it be. So here I've been since the 5th of December 1969 doing my job day after day, looking forward to when all this will be over.

As days of the past, a fading memory; but though about the Army I sometimes complain, it has given me values that will always remain. Knowing I've helped to keep America free, I'll appreciate the life she offers me. A life of planning with dreams fresh and new, a life of doing to make those dreams come true And I'll realize that serving is a necessity, If she is to remain "The Land of Opportunity." Pfc. Charles Henry Wright A Iroop 1-10 Cov. 4 Inf.

Div. APO San Francisco 96262 Check tide of filth To the editor: Some time ago, as I was busily preparing an evening meal for my family, I overheard my children whispering and giggling behind the Delta Democrat-Times newspaper. My first thought of course was the funnies but, upon closer observation, I found they were looking at a picture of a young woman clad, needless to say, in a quite revealing bikini. How do you explain to two young boys that the first vulgar picture ever to be found in our home was printed in the public newspaper? like so many other busy people, did not take time to sit down and call or write and convey my thoughts on the matter. ALAS! I've been given a second chance.

Earlier this month, a picture appeared in the Democrat-Times captioned "BREEZY With nothing left to one's imagination, it showed male and female nudes riding on a cable car. I found nothing newsworthy about the picture and felt if you had space left for print, il should have been used for an if em worlh reading by the enlire public. We have many people, over Ihe state and nation, fighting obscenity on the screen, on the magazine stands, and through the mail-For some reason, we've neglected the press. You, with the media of reaching thousands of people each day, should be fighting obscenity, not contribuling lo it. I would like to see this letter in print, (that is, if you don't have another nudie to take preference) because, I know, out of your vast reading audience, there must be a lot of people who agree wilh my thoughts but just haven't taken time to tell you so.

My family and I have lived in Greenville almost Iwo years, and "BREEZY RIDERS" is by no means Ihe firsl material you printed thai I consider indecenl. I hope with God's help and the help of good moral-minded people, it will be the lasl. Mrs. Pat L.Allen 1204 S.Colorado Greenville Democratic Executive Committee, announced. 25 Years Ago--1945 An impressive program Thursday marked the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Greenville Rotary club with Associate Justice Edward F.

McFaddin of the Arkansas Supreme Court as the principal speaker. Eight charter members of the club were honored with special recognition, and special guests were past District Governor Dan Boone of Memphis, and representatives from clubs at Rosed ale, Cleveland, Shaw, Leland, Indianola, Moorhead, Belzoni, Hollandale and Rolling Fork. Bringing an eloquent and inspiring message, Judge McFaddin based his address on the four tenets of Rotary- i a i a service, community service, vocational service and club service. He declared that a great boon to future world peace would be the establishment of a Rotary Club in every town and hamlet over the world. Justice frittered away Mafia case Bella I'a go 4 Tuesday, May 5, 1970 llodding Carter, Publisher Hodding Carter I I I Editor John Gibson, General Manager Delta Democrat Times published Monday through Friday nnd Sunday by: The Times Publishing Greenville, Miss.

30701. Delivery by carrier it.75 per monlh. Moll subscriptions payable in advance lo subscribers living in Washington and adjoining counties not served by dealers and carriers, 3 months six monlhs, one year 115.00. By mall all olher areas within United Stales; three monlhs, six monlhs, J10.00, one year, J20.00. Entered as second class matter at the Post Ottice at Greenville, under Act ot March 8, 18X9.

WASHINGTON--While Vice President Spiro Agnew has been boasting how the Justice Department is controlling crime, the attorney general's staff has just about muffed one of the mosl important Mafia cases on the books. Petty power politics, absenteeism and bickering have all but destroyed a brilliant FBI case against Steve Magaddino, 78, the underworld monarch of upstate New York. A 17-month delay in bringing the nolorious rackels czar, together with nine top Mafia suspects, to trial has been ignored by the national press. But federal and local lawmen, who worked overtime to break the case, are disgusled. The breakdown in proseculion has occurred within the celebrated task force thai was sent lo Buffalo, N.Y., lo investigate organized crime.

For one thing, Attorney General John Mitchell's takeover at the Justice Department brought a flurry of resignations and reshuffling of lawyers. To begin with, U.S. Attorney Andrew Phelan and three of his lieutenants left. H. Kenneth Schroeder was installed in Phelan's place but, at first, was given only a temporary appointment.

Schroeder was hampered, too, by a feud with Joseph Reiter, last in a long line of task force heads who trolled Ihrough the case. All this demoralized the task force, whose lawyers began taking off for long weekends in Washington and elsewhere. The disgusted enforcement officers, connected with the case, began keeping labs on the absenteeism. The crackdown on Magnddlno and his henchmen was ordered in November, 1968, by tough old FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover himself.

FBI agents, assisted by other police, I MERRY-GO-ROUND I I I I Jack Anderson 1 swooped down on the Mafia leaders in upstate New York. Arrested on international racketeering and conspiracy charges were Magaddino, his son Peter, Mafia gambling lord Ben Necoletti and a grim galaxy of other star suspects. Magaddino, whose bad heart was acknowledged even by a government-named specialist, was arraigned in bed three weeks after the arrest. Clearly, he should have been severed from the case in order to get the trial going. When Black Panther Bobby Seale became ill during the Chicago Irial, for example, he was severed from the case, and the court moved quickly ahead with the trial of his codefendants.

Now more than 17 months have passed since the arrests, yet the Justice Department is still using Magaddino's ailments as a cover-up for the mismanagement of Ihe case by its attorneys. Meanwhile, the defendants arc free on bond, and the Mafin is undeterred in its wholesale corruption of America. On Wall Street, cries of panic have been heard above the clatter of the stock tickers, and the echo has produced a hollow sound Inside the White House. Nervous business lenders pnld an urgent call at the White House last week to find out how President Nixon intends to cope with the threatening recession. They found him as optimistic in private, however, as he has been in public.

He claimed that his administration had cooled the economy and called upon responsible leaders to emphasize the point. Even in the secret strategy sessions, the President has expressed confidence in the economy. He has repeated the advice of his chief economist, Paul McCracken, that the time to change economic policy is when it seems to be premature. Clearly, the President believes his timing is right. At a secret meeting with GOP congressional leaders on March 17, Secretary of Labor George Shultz spelled out the Nixon administration philosophy.

"Change a little before it looks like you should," he said, "but also keep your changes within bounds to avoid extreme impacts." The President agreed that "action to improve the economy must occur before a serious downturn starts. We are preparing to act lo avoid it. We remember the lessons of '54, '58 and 'GO." He referred to three recessions which hurt the Republicans at the polls during the Eisenhower years. He blamed those recessions on the tight-money policies of the Federal Reserve Board, which generally has acted to enrich the bankers at the expense of the borrowers. "What really affects the economy is what the Federal Reserve does," said the President.

"They were the culprit in the three recessions," He emphasized the Importance of stimulating housing construction. "Housing starts have an enormous effect on the whole construction area." Shultz mentioned the need for skilled vocational workers, and the President nodded his eager agreement. "My father," he said, "was a carpenter before he was a grocer." He denied thai his policies were causing serious unemploymenl. "It's not true," he said, "lhat we're putting people out of jobs." The average period of unemployment, he pointed out, was only one month. President Nixon-Wall Street notwithstanding--is definitely bullish.

Hiram Fong, the millionaire Chinese Senator from Hawaii, is often found on Ihe side of the special interests. But he made a courageous exception in fighting powerful petroleum firms over Hawaiian oil imports. Fong worked methodically to bring cheaper foreign oil lo Hawaii and lo get a refinery built there instead of in the tumultuous Middle East. Opposing him in the behind-the-scenes lobbying before the U.S. Foreign Trade Zone Board were Sinclair and other mainland oil giants.

The Senator did not win the whole battle to get oil import quotas for Hawaii and, thus, dramatically reduce the island's overpriced gasoline costs. But he did get permission for Hawaii to have Its own refinery and sell fuel oil to the Defense Department and to International ships and planes, It nlso appears the new board decision will open the way to low-pollution, Hawnllan-mnde residual fuel for local Hawaiian utilities. JJ" cffcc 1 is fnr bolh thc IMoral i nnd lhc mid a fool In the door for possible future gasoline.