Idaho State Journal from Pocatello, Idaho • Page 4

IDAHO Page 4 Section A JOURNAL BUZZ OF A APRIL 18, 1973 Signed ore Ihe opinions ol iheir wrilers; unsigned editoriali are the Journal's views. A Little Helps a Lot THE BURG IN LOVE WITH A WONPEtfFUL We can't think of another that would alleviate as much misery is the money distributed through the Pocatollo Ministerial Association's transient aid fund. THE FUND PROVIDES a helping band for families stranded her by harsh circumstances, i money for food, shelter or gasoline. It lias been a administered, last year through the Salvation Army, and most recently through the ministerial association, is accurate to say the transient aid Kind kept a few people from going hungry or without shelter, even though meals might consist of a ham- burger and drink, and shelter might be a hotel room at $1 per night, SO IT IS a shame the fund Is broke. It receives only $1,950 a year from United Campaigns, and depends on contributions to make up the balance of the $3,500 which is regard, ed as essential, Rev.

Gerald Hoffman says the transient aid fund is in a financial crisis right now. Unless there are several hundred dollars In' contributions soon, it may be suspended. If you or your church, club or other organiza. tion wish to help, contact Rev. Hoffman, Don't Bust Our Dikes Running along the hills above Pocatello, almost hidden by the grasses growing on thorn, are bands of raised earth which con- stllutc an Important flood control system.

THE REASON Ihese dikes are overgrown with grasses and blend into the a i tsthat they are nearly 40 years old. However, they serve an Important purpose--which could be disrupted if their value is ignored. Before they were built, starting about 1935, the hills both to the east and west of the city used to since heavy rains into the residential districts. So serious did the sit. nation become that a major engineering and construction project was undertaken.

The engineering department at what is now Idaho State University worked out the plans and the actual building of the dikes was done by the Civilian Conservation Corps, For a time, the protection of Ihe dikes was regarded as a civic necessity. Ttie county had an ordinance (no doubt still on the books) which prohibited disturbing the terrace lines. AS OTHERS SEE Existing homes were, of course exempt. The county even seized and sold livestock found trespassing, and the city gave up plans to lease its part of the land to a dairy when the cows started chewing up Ihe land-holding grasses, TODAY, AFTER years of being no more than a scenic backdrop for 1'ocalello, Ihe hills are being invaded by home builders. Dozers and scrapers are cutting new roads into the steep slopes.

Houses are going up which will not have any value for stopping heavy runoffs-- a shingle roof doesn't slow down the water. Further, the roads themselves can be sluice-ways for drainage. But most important, there is the possibility that the valuable terraces might be cut through, threatening a return ol flooding in the city. We call this matter to the attention ofthe city council and county commission, because theirs is the responsibility lo keep our dikes from being busted. Time for Sheepmen Wide criticism is being voiced by livestock operators in the western states over the executive ban of poison bait in controlling range predators, particularly coyotes.

The sheep- man is suffering the greatest loss from predators because of ttie indefensible factor of the sheep as an animal. Spring lambs are choice morsels for coyotes. A calf from a range cow is susceptible to raid by roving bands of coyotes tat not so much as a lamb. The Utah Legislature passed a resolution this year asking that the bans be lifted. President Nixon and the Environmental Protection Agency have been requested to lift the ban on certain coyote poisons which have little effect on other wildlife.

"Preilation by coyotes has caused substantial losses of sheep ajid forced many sheepmenoutof (lie livestock business. It is now threatening the entire sheep industry," staled ttie resolution. Widespread criticism has been generated over (tie ban initiated by Sec. of Interior Morton ayear ago, Dr. Lee Talbot of the federal Environmental Council seeks permanent Ingisla.

tlon banning poisoning of predators on the ranges. A full review of the order is urgent. The criticism of its effects is so great that there must be loss far beyond anticipation. "These damn coyotes are eating me out of house and home," drawls sheepman Charles Pentz of Morgan, Utali, who says lie has lost well over 200 stieep in the year since a federal ban on predator poisoning took effect. Though mutton accounts for only 1.5 per cent of the moat consumed in the United Slates, coyotes have been linked to Uglier meat prices and sometimes to future famine.

Conservationists say sheepmen are pulling the wool over the public's eyes and strongly support the poisoning ban and continued research on range ecology. Government agencies, federal anci state, have beencaiight in the middle and are generally trying to help stockmen with other forms of predator control and encouraging bounty hunting, research and statistic-keeping. Rosco C. Rich, president of the Idaho Wool Growers Association, abhores the ban, "We can lure a helicopter for $95 per hour. How much expense and loss must the sheepman suffer to please these environmentalists? It's a mailer of that's what I was told in Washington.

The environmentally-motivated public has more votes than a few sheep- men still left in the business," he emphasizes. "One purebred slieep raiser in western Idaho reported losing 40 per cent of his lambs to coyotes," liicli says. Rich gets disgusted when environmentalists claim sheep raisers should accept a certain percentage of loss to coyotes for the privilege of grazing on public lands. "You don't ask a banker to give a certain amount away, and you don't ask a storeowner to accept shoplifting, so you can't ask a sheepman to give acertainpercentage of his sheep to coyotes." He concludes. The Montana Livestock Department reports GO per cent of the siieep growers in Montana's 19 largest sheep-producing counties have gone out of business in the last 12 years.

The department says the sheepmen who have called it quits reported predator problems as the major reason for their decisions. Lorry Bourret, assistant Wyoming agricultural commissioner says sheepmen in Ms state are moving into cattle. Many efforts to increase stieep production for many years are being lost to predators. Dr. Daniel S.

Dennis, Roosevelt, Utah veterinarian, says losses to predators in his area are as high as 10 per cent-an intolerable margin. The sheep industry in the west must be saved and it appears that this may be the fate of tliis vital arm of the livestock industry unless the public flexes its muscles in their behalf. In liis section of Southern Idaho, sympathy with the sheep- man is strong. We see Hie industry close at hand, know of its importance from past understanding and knowledge. We bo- lieve the sheepmen when they reveal these drastic inroads made by the predators niru'ng wild sans any effective control.

The layman sees the cause and effect on the western scene. It is time now tor a review of the federal order. Time for the shoeptnan to have his inning before it is loo late. South Idaho Press, Burley. TODAY IN HISTORY Bird Feed Costs Only Cent a Day By HAL BOYLE NEW YORK (AP) Things a columnist might never know if he didn't open his mail: If you are having trouble balancing your budget, you might keep a bird for a pet instead of a dog, a cat- or a mistress.

It costs only a penny a day to feed. Some 1,010,000 U.S. families do have pet birds- about 26 million of them. Was Abraham Lincoln the model of humility lie is sometimes pictured as having been? Not according to John Hay, a White House secretary, who said in a letter to William H. Herndon, Lincoln biographer and onetime law partner: "It is absurd to call him a modest man.

No groat man was ever modest." Hay wrote that it was Lincoln's "intellectual arrogance and unconscious assumption of authority" that made enemies of some members of his Cabinet. In the beginning of the automobile age, most cars were painted black. Today only three per cent are. What the trade calls "earth tones" are popular now. Quotable notables: "Many jewels make women either incredibly fat or incredibly lean." Playwright Sir James Barrie.

It's criminal: Crime is prevalent in modern business offices for a good reason- less than 20 per cent of all office burglaries are solved. Wet statistic: A dry martini addict will hardly oven want lo dip his toe in the Atlantic ocean when he learns this: it contains 82 quintillion, 171 quadrillion, 572 trillion, 17-1 million, 450 thousand and 100 gallons of water- Rive or take a drop or two. Hard to explain: The average man can grip or band squeeze with a strength measured at 81 pounds, the average woman only 48 pounds. But which sex is usually able to put Ihe squeeze on the other in a showdown? Household help: Most experts agree thai if you are trying to reduce your grocery bills you should always avoid supermarket shopping when you're hungry. You almost inevitably overbuy.

By ING QUOTE FOR TODAY "The uncertain glory of an April Day." Shakespeare: (Two Gentlemen of Verona) 1595. THOUGHTS WHILE SITTING Ing gels an interesting publication. "Lincoln Lore," which is issued by the Lincoln National Life Foundation and published each month by the Lincoln National Life Insurance Fort Wayne, Ind. 46801. The most recent bulletin deals with a description of a book on the subject mailer of the historical research of George Livermore (1809-1865).

Livermore was a Massachusetts antiquarian and book collector and the subject of his research as "Opinions of the Founders of the Republic on Negroes as Slaves, as Citizens, and as Soldiers." Livermore's "Historical Research" as tie called the published version is of special interest to Lincoln students because Lincolnapparent- ly read it al a critical time. Charles Sumner, the Republican senator from Massachusetts presented Lincoln with a copy in November of 19G2 and the pamphlet is thought by some to have influenced Lincoln's decision made between the issuance of the Preliminary Proclamation on Sept. 22, 1862. and the official promulgation of the Proclamation on Jan. 1, 18G3 to include a paragraph endorsing the use of former slaves as soldiers in Ihe Union A The bulletin says thalfreenegroesservedalongwilli white troops In the Revolutionary War and 180,000, Negroes served in the Civil War with the Northern troops.

More than 35,000 died of disease or hostile action in the Civil War on the side of the north. The Livermore book goes into detail as to the attitudes of the country's Founding Fathers as to slavery, Washington, Jefferson, Franklin and the principal leaders having opposed slavery. WE HAPPENED TO PICK UP a clipping the other day which announced thai Herbert L. Matthews was retiring from the New York Times. Now were in Cuba when Balisla was the dictator and Castro was the revolutionary was going to bring democratic government to Cuba.

Bolh Matthews and Ing were attending an Inter American Press Association meeting and Matthews was a prominent figure at the meeting as was it was said he was indirect contact wiih Castro and had been for sometime. At the time all of us in the IAPA were rooting for Castro as he was supposedtobe the great freedom fighter, Later Castro developed lo be nothing more than of Communism. He eliminated the Free Press in Cuba, exiled Journalists and even today holds some 40 journalists under terrible prison conditions. Matthews has stayed loyal to Castro over the years, and on his retirement still held his job with The Times, which grants its writers the freedom to express their views. Any way here is the latest clipping we have read concerning Matthews: "The not-so-retiring Herbert L.

Matthews has retired. But his feelings about Fidel haven't changed. After a three- week visit In Cuba last September, he wrote a piece for Ills paper captioned, "Cuba's Revolution on the Plus Side. Herb doesn't hem or haw. He just insists tnat "the economic situation has improved since 1970" and that "the revolution and Castro's position in it seem stronger than ever.

His'cabient ministers, (brother Raul, etc.) seem relaxed, sure of themselves and happy." "Conceding that Castro's not giving Cubans the consumer goods and prosperity they'd like Matthews insists Castro's giving them a great deal else they never bad: "Honesty in government, excellent educational, medical and social service for every citizen, and almost full 'Though the reporter concludes 'this is not the Cuba of be apparently has remained the Matthews of 1959." Today is Wednesday, April 18, the 108th day of 1973. There are 257 days left ui the year. Today's highlight in history: Ihe city, In 1942, in World War an air squadron led by Lt. Gen. James Doolitlle took off from On this date in 1775, Paul Re- the aircraft carrier Hornet and U.S.

vere made his famous from Boston to warn: British are coming." On this date: In 1847, UJJ forces under Gen. Winfield Scott captured Cerro Gordo Hill, the first point of resistance on Scott's march on Mexico City. In 190C, San Francisco was hit by an earthquake. The qfJake alW fires destroyed half was 76. ride attacked Tokyo and other Japa- The nese cities.

In 1945, war correspondent i Pyle was killed during fighting on an island off Okinawa, In 1940, the League of Nations officially wont out of existence. InlOo-J, physicist Albert Einstein tiled in Princeton, N.J. He WE WONDER HOW MANY who read the Sunday Journal noted in ttie obitary column that Guy E. Sturgeon, 99, who died in a nursing home in Pocalello Saturday, was the eldest of the three surviving Spanish-American war veterans left in Idaho. It came as a shock to us for we recall a great deal about the Spanish War veterans in Pocatello.

We are probably one of Ihe lew living today who, as a school child, stood at Center and Cleveland avenue (Main stree) to greet the members of the Pocalello company when it returned from the Philippines. A triumphal Arch had been erected at the street intersection and school children had been sent into the hills to collect bouquets of wild flowers the day before the troops arrived to throw in their path as they marched down (lie street. Spanish War veterans participated actively in parades and patriotic events and their charter (Santa Ana Chapter) hangs in the Bannock County Memorial building. Pocatello's contingent of volunteers also included a band. It was under the command of Capi.

Worthington, if we remember correctly, who lived in the 300 block on South Arthur and flew the flag on a large slaff in front of his home. The Spanish War soldier found the going lough as Ihe country was not prepared for war. In Mr. Sturgeon's obituary it was reported that after the blowing up of ttie Battle ship Maine in Havana harbor he enlisted in the Navy and served on the USS Saturn. He was buried in the cemetery at Twin Falls.

We have read official investigations have never proven the Battleship Maine was blown up, but the yellow press of that era raised, sucti a hue and cry that it gave the expanianionists an excuse to call for war. As he recall Admiral Dewey's flagship is now tied to the docks in the river al Philadelphia where tourists may inspect it. It looks mighty small when compared with the modern battlewagons. Time marches on WHEN WE WERE IN JAMAICA recently we were surprised to read in the Kingstonnewspaper that canned goods from China had appeared on the shelves of the food markets there. We recall that oneitem, corned beet was selling 12 cents a can cheaper than the products already on display there.

We also read in the London Times: "As it stands the new trade bill for which President Nixon is seeking Congressional approval looks sound and sensible. II gives the impression of being even-handed, in that the powers the President is seeking would enable him to take protective measures as well as to reduce trade barriers." Of course, the foreigner wants the elimination of tariffs. Now here in the West where we grow cattle, sheep, sugar beets and a variety of agricultural products we need protection, in our opinion. We noted in Jamaica that the butler in our hotel came from New Zealand, but as Jamaica grows coconuts, all kinds of tropical i coffee, and spices there is an exchange of products. Jamaica rum also Is poputae and the various types of rum drinks are the most popular in the tropics.

As far as Imports are concerned we face a tough situation in our country. The facts are we don't want to work very hard in our country any more, and so industry goes to those countries where the population must work to eat and where they don't liave to pay so much. At one time we boasted the best craftsmen. Do we still have the best? We certainly will have lo come to some sort of a definite stand about Imports as they certainly will be cheaper and if they are belter, we will be In a bail shape economically if they take over our markets. We are not an economist and our reasoning may be haywire.

IDAHO STATE JOURNAL Published daily except Salurday end continuing with the Idaho Sunday journal eve.y Sunday by Idaho State Journal, Inc 305 iouln Arthur. Pursuant to Chapter 54.. 1933 Session, laws of Idaho Friday it hereby designated the day of week on whkh weekly legal 1 notices will be published. 9 Second class postage paid al Pocatello, Idaho 83201 Subscription rate by carrier is $2.50 per monlh. by mail 3 $8.25.

6 mo. S16.50, 1 yr. S30.00. Mail subscriptions must be paid in advance. Copyright 1 9 7 3 Im Anydei Tirres Syn INTERPRETIVE REPORT Behind Nixon's Toughness WASHINGTON, D.C.

It might as well have been a declaration ol war. Attorney General Richard Kleindienst told Congress President Nixon's executive privilege is unlimited. Congress could impeach President Nixon if it thought otherwise. In a real sense Kieindienst's bold assertions were a declaration of political war. The President has gone.to the country on the issue of his executive authority, of which executive privilege is only a part.

The executive privilege a has to do with letting White House aides testily in Congress on higher-up connections with the Watergate raid on Democratic National Headquarters last year. But the whole issue of executive authority is much broader than that. If Nixon has his way it will become the primary national issue in the congressional election next year. Do you want astrongandeffective chief executive, or do you want a weak president hamstrung by a dominant Congress? HARDLY HAS this issue been presented so sharply and over such awiderange. The President's right to conduct military operations without direct congressional authorization, his right to hold up the spending of money Congress authorized, his right to control international trade, his right to manage the economy all these issues are bound up in the general question of presidential authority, Kleindienst, the President's chief legal adviser, repeatedly implied that the matter of executive authority is only limited by public opinion and me election returns, This is true Nixom'an pragmatism and a fairly accurate assessment of what the realities are, If the President has public supporthe can be strong.

He can do those things Congress wilt not do, or not do what Congress demands that he do. But that assessment leaves out of account that the appearance of arbitrary action tends to defeat itself, and it was Kieindienst's arbitrary tone which evoked loose talk about Nixonian dictatorship, Subtlety and indirection and the mystique of great leadership are lacking in thisheadson collision between the Presidentand Congress. NOW I'VE SAID IT They are lacking, for one reason, because ibe passionate devotion such leadership requires is denied to Nixon. He is neither a De Gaulle nor a Roosevelt rising above petty partisanship and niggling parliamentary strife to personify the wishes of the people. But it is possible that some people surrounding Nixon may mistakenly think so.

THEY DRAW THE conclusion that Nixon victories over Ihe congressional a i on sustaining his vetoes of two spending bills represent a triumph of the popular will. This exaggerates the emotional impact of such action in establishing Nixon's pnpular leadership. The popular will is not so evident in the bombing in Cambodia, nor the impoundmentot funds, nor the executive-dictated Watergate silence. Nor is it yet evident in Nixon's request that Congress hand over to him urgently needed authority to cut, raise or cancel tariffs and set import limits. The unlimited authority he asks in this field illustrates the limitation of his power.

He cannot act by executive authority as do the other great trading nations of the world because the tariff and import control authority resides in Congress. He must go to a Congress he has alienated to grant him the power he needs. Getting the Watergate affair mixed into this struggle over presidential power has created an unnecessary complication. Everything Nixon is doing is saturated with what Senator Barry Goldwater has called "the smell of Watergate." But the executive privilege of silence invoked in that case is not the same as the presidential authority to do what is right and necessary on tariffs, in Cambodia and Ihe impoundment of funds. Yet all these issues have beencontaminatedby the odorous wrappings of Watergate.

All are made a part of the ominous consequences of "one man rule." Getting rid of the fishy smell will have to be a necessary preliminary to public acceptance of the larger implications of Nixon's exercise of executive authority. Otherwise he will not be able to retain the full public confidence he needs to back up his extraordinary expansion of the presidential powers. Energy Crisis Is Here BY GENE SHUMATE The signs are there to read. Our next crisis-more real and far-reaching than draft dodgers, inflation, food shortage and Watergate-is a shortage of oil and gasoline. It seems inevitable that wilhin five years, we of America will be paying a dollar a gallon for gasoline for our cars and there will be rationing.

There have already been isolated in. stances around the country of service stations being rationed by their suppliers. If there isa legitimate shortage now, think what the sum. mer driving months will produce. Sen.

James McClure, in a television interview in Boise tins winter, said that the en. ergy crisis isn't 10 years away; it's here now. Within 10 years, there will be an imbalance of payments of $20 billion to the Arab countries, and this is an impossible situation, he said. The anti-pollution crusade tocleanup the internal combustion engine is a failure. "When they sold us this bill of goods," the senator said, "they told us emission controls on cars would Increase fuel consumption six per cent.

Now, they a i lo 12 percent, and In reality, It's closer to 25 per cent. But, what's worse, there are many indications that the emission controls have Increased pollu. tlon and not decreased Alaskan oil could decrease our dependency on the Mideast by aboul ten per cnet, but we're still years away from It. The oil there doesn't do us any good until we get It here, and that's a problem. Environmental.

ists and politicians have combined forces and that's a tough combination to beat. Environmentalists so far have blocked construction of a pipeline through Alaska -with a legitimate challenge to an existing law. Congress could change the law, but Midwesterners and Easterners now see the chance to bypass Alaska and get the pipeline through Canada, which would mate Ihe oil more accessible to the Midwest and East. So Congress mil hesitate, stall and compromise the months away (If we go through Canada, again we're putting ourselves in the position of relying upon the approval of a foreign nation as to whether we move or stop. Sucti a risk doesn'l soundprac- lical to me.) What can be done about the crisis? Several things, I suppose.

We could; limit size of automobile engines; allow unlimited coal mining; limit automobile ownership to one per household; ration gasoline. But all these ai- ternatives are critical. That's what makes the situation a crisis. I do have one other suggestion. We should designate all population centers of over one million as wilderness areas, with no motors permitted.

That should take care of something. The way things are going, I can see a radical change in used car advertisinc; in the years lo come. Instead clean lew mileage," we will see, "1947 Stude. gets 20 miles to the galloti.".