The Ogden Standard-Examiner from Ogden, Utah • 2

1 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR (iten tanbarb-Bcamtor 2A OGDEN UTAH SATURDAY EVENING NOVEMBER 5 1977 EDITORIALS Utahns: Think Pray Now for Snow Dangerous Change wisely charges the City Council as being a making and makes the city manager responsible for administration The A number of items at this election time need closer scrutiny than the mayor of Ogden is providing in his a city election is public comments t0 or disapprove the Proposition No I is a 5: a 1 cJa 5 tae dangerous change from the they represent philosophy of the council present the people can and mayor being true repre- make t13 judgement on the sentatives of the people It whole city council every two would give rise to political years- Thus if the People empire building to benefit a want they can few Set it every two years The voters should demand If proposition No 1 passes that their elected represen- theoretically the people of tatives be answerable to wanting a them every two years for change of would 1 the actions or inac- have t0 through two elec- tions Four years is too long tl0ns over a Period of eight for the public to wait to turn years t0 2et Is out of office inefficient that makinS government members of that body and more responsive to the staggering terms makes it People? even more difficult because this proposition it provides hold-over memb- a member of the Ogden ers Six years would be re- Council because I felt quired to make a sweeping then as now the proposition change of the Mayor and for incumbents Council if the need arose and special interest groups The council-manager who influence the incum-form of government which kents but for the we now have is by far the because it makes most efficient and represen- efected officials less respon-tative for a city our size It is sve the people The effort i pi) free of political patronage or and expense of an election is payoffs and it will remain aot kalf as important as let-1 strong if we as voters sup- ting the people have fre- port the good men and wo- duf nt opportunities to pass men who present them- Judgement on policies and selves as candidates for Performances of the candi-office datfs A complete change of the a congressman is given whole council and mayor at 0 years to help run a na-a given election would not should a city coun hamper the ability of the C1lnian or mayor need four city to provide services The yeaijs to run a city? city manager and depart- 1 ee compelled to urge ment heads carry the re- support of the salary in-sponsibilities of day to day creases only to delude the activity of the city not the into mayor or city council thinking Ogden City is pay- Keep the government almost minimum wage more responsive to the to its unskilled offi-people by voting NO on pro- claJ and thereby avert position No I another expensive federal On Proposition No 2 the investigation and report public should know that the in fairness to those mayor and council memb- wko think Ira not funny I ers are receiving expense hut then the current account payment each council salary is not funny month The council memb- either Please support Pro-ers are paid S75 and the 2- POWER OF FAITH No 23 Jesus Charges Peter When Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi he asked his disciples what the people there had said about his identity They replied that some called him Elijah some John the Baptist some Jeremiah and others called him one of the other prophets He saith unto them But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said Thou art the Christ the Son of the living God" (Matthew 1615-16) Jesus answered and said unto him Blessed art thou Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And I say also unto thee That thou art Peter and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in (Matthew Product Safety Agency Ignores Warnings on Upholstery Hazards depth of one foot equal to 325850 gallons A report released Friday by the US Geological Survey shows that the average American family currently uses 172 gallons of water around the home each DAY! 62780 gallons for each dwelling over the span of a year The Geological Survey said that the consumption was up six gallons from 1970 and had increased by five gallons a day since 1975 A tub bath takes 30 to 40 gallons a shower 20 to 30 Flushing the toilet usually consumes four to six gallons A load of laundry requires 8 to 10 gallons Turning on the tap to get the water warm for washing or shaving or to flush waste into the garbage disposal takes about two gallons a minute A leaky faucet can waste 10 gallons an hour Watering the lawn takes gallons and gallons So of course does raising crops in a field or orchard And industries consume thousands upon thousands of gallons of water precious stuff especially here in the arid West Forecasters insist that the snowstorms will begin any day now and that have a heavy winter with plenty of precipitation We hope right If not in for big trouble should the drought continue through 1978 The ex-president is the because he put himself there by disgracing the proud office to which he was twice elected He should stay there Dicing with Death In 1975 bowing to pressure from motorcyclists Congress decided to stop penalizing states without helmet-use laws through the withholding federal highway funds Since then according to the American Motorcyclist Association 23 states have amended their laws to premit helmetless riding (Three other states either never had or never enforced helmet laws) The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has been conducting a study in Kansas one of the 23 states which eliminated its helmet requirement Preliminary data from Kansas show that since repeal of the law: The number of head injuries suffered by motorcyclists has increased 70 per cent The chances of head injuries are 81 per cent greater for motorcyclists not wearing a helmet than for those wearing a helmet The severeity of head injuries is 56 per cent greater for helmetless motorcyclists than for those wearing a helmet at the time of injury The death rate for those not wearing a helmet is 310 per cent greater than the death rate for those wearing a helmet at the time of accident Motorcyclists asked for the to risk their lives got it and exactly what doing Now is the time for Utah residents to think snow Praying will help too We want to spoil the enjoyment of these lovely Fall days with their blue or only partly cloudy skies The rainstorms had with only a sprinkle of snow on the higher peaks have been welcome But come only few and far between However there had better be a change soon or be in worse trouble next spring than we were in the drought year of 1977 Utah got through the summer and fall of with a minimum of discomfort despite the scanty supply of water thanks to all-out cooperation of householders industries and agriculturists Prudent management of resources helped mightily But what about 1978? Only Mother Nature has the answer And not talking yet We do know a few things The in the reservoirs along the Ogden-Weber rivers system is mighty slim PineView Reservoir for example had 33070 acre feet when measured Wednesday less than one-third of its designed capacity of 110150 acre feet In water measurement terms one acre foot covers an acre of land to a Last Viet Victim It was only appropriate that full military honors should have been paid today to 1st Lt Bennie Lamar Fryer last victim of the Vietnam War Lt Fryer a native of Logan and the son of Dr and Mrs Lamar Fryer lost his life Dec 28 1972 when the Bo2 he was navigating on a raid over Hanoi was shot down His body was returned to the US only a few weeks ago To our knowledge the Air Force lieutenant was the last Utahn whose fate in Vietnam was considered unknown although he long ago was presumed to have perished There are other men who are still suffering from serious wounds suffered in the conflict and scores of others will carry scars the rest of their lives But the funeral in Dewey ville today for Lt Fryer had a special significance in reminding our state and its residents of the spureme price paid by so many young Americans more than 50000 of them in the ill-fated often-criticized Vietnam War Stay on Shelf Charles Colson former White House counsel who spent seven months in jail for his role in the Watergate coverup is lamenting the fact that Richard Nixon is still the The former president Colson insisted this week in an Oklahoma speech would be utilized because of his knowledge about the workings of foreign policy in China and the Soviet We disagree at his table for Baker apprached the Hoffa table next morning The imprisoned union leader was surrounded by a dozen of the meanest looking cons in the prison They drifted away as Baker settled beside Hoffa The two men both brought down from the pinnacles of power sat eyeball to eyeball over a prison Breakfast They had met only once previously Hoffa began got a lot of mutual He warned that Baker once a top aide to Lyndon Johnson represented NOTHING TO LOSE There are least 150 here said Hoffa who w-ill be confined for the rest of their lives They have nothing more to lose They would love the publicity of By JACK ANDERSON WASHINGTON Across America homes are going up in flames while a government agency fiddles The federal Nero is the Consumer Product Safety Commission which has ignored fire hazard warnings for four years The Commerce Department has tried since 1973 to get the commission to adopt safety standards for flammable upholstered furniture like to say the commission is killing a Commerce official told our reporter Valerie Strauss the fact is that safety standards could save up to 1500 people a In a recent memo Commerce officials warned tersely: furniture is the first item ignited in 106000 fires They added that per cent of the injured victims Furniture industry officials have met with the safety commission at least 28 times meanwhile arguing that it would cost $1 billion to make upholstery less flammable Government calculations indicate it would cost closer to $127 million The commission continued to stall this year until Commerce official Howard Tip-ton fired off a private letter to Chairman John Byington urging him to with the formal rulemaking TOO COMPLICATED In September the commission finally voted that a mandatory standard for upholstered furniture was needed But Byington voted against the standard arguing it was too complicated and imposed too large a burden on small businesses It is an unwritten doctrine of government that an unwanted decision will go away if it is studied long enough The commission after four years of dawdling has now ordered another study Footnote A spokesman said the commission had waited for the furniture makers to act voluntarily but is now weighing the impact of mandatory safety regulations The staff hopes to have recommendations ready by next April he said Meanwhile Sen Wendell Ford D-Ky has scolded Byington for failing to act against hazardous home insulation Many people are turning to cellulose insulation for their homes in response to President plea to conserve energy But although the cellulose material can catch fire unless it is treated with a proper amount of flame retardant the commission is not expected to act for another year HOFFA'S STORY On Bobby first night in prison he heard a voice calling: The irrepressible former Senate aide once a confidante of the high and mighty arrived at Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary on Jan 14 1971 to begin a tax evasion sentence The voice in the night whispered this message: Hoffa said to meet him tomorrow morning in the northwest corner you he told Baker want everyone to know my Hoffa added It was obvious that he had as much clout in the prison as he did in the Teamsters Union His blessing therefore was a protective mantle got to watch your ass in this was parting advice Baker believes Hoffa may have saved his life The incident will lead off the book Baker is writing about his controversial career in and out of government He intends to call it of the Footnote The crack investigative reporter Lester Velie reports that Hoffa had a stormy relationship wit 1 the Mafia In his new book Jimmy Hoffa Had to Velie claims Hoffa was first condemned to death by the Mafia at age 19 As Velie recounts it Hoffa used the Purple Gang a Mafia rival to protect his embryonic Teamsters organization Furious the Mafia held a and ordered a contract on young Hoffa But the quickwitted labor organizer convinced the Mafia bosses that they would be better off dealing with him that dealing him out He maintained close ties with the Mafia but usually managed to outrage them In 1966 angry Mafia men let Hoffa off again after another But in 1975 Velie said the Mafia held another trial and carried out the death sentence BOYD BOWS OUT We recently reported that Robert Boyd chief administrative law judge for the National Transportation Safety Board operates his private business affairs out of his government office Immediately after the column appeared the board began an investigation of the allegations Some of the charges have already been verified Transportation officials will submit the findings to the Civil Service Commission Meanwhile Boyd has voluntarily stepped down as chief judge but will remain an associate judge pending the outcome of the investigation Alex Hurtado Former Councilman Church Support? Ogden It was recently brought to my attention that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is allegedly supporting one of the local candidates for the office of mayor Can the assumption be made that each church member will have carefully examined the issues at hand before supporting the choice of candidates? I think that would be an erroneous assumption Most likely there will be a healthy percentage of voters at the polls checking names without even knowing what they stand for This seems to me a frightening and potentially dangerous situation We are fortunate to live in a country where we have several options to choose from and the right to think and act as individuals The actions of any church in supporting a political candidate would not only tend to stifle the desire to carefully examine the issues being presented but would present an unfair (and in this case overwhelming) opposition to the rival candidate I would hope that each citizen represented at the polls in November will-be voting for his choice of mayor only after thoroughly considering the issues not because he or she was told to do so by the church We have the ability and the right to think and act independently each do so Lynn Champagne Hurrah for Court Ogden Hurrah for Utah Supreme Court Justice Albert Ellett! This man dared to speak out against pornography and other such filth and those who try to uphold it! I was so pleased with the article on the front page of the Ogden Standard-Examiner on Saturday Oct 29 under the heading High Court Ruling Backs Utah Pornography If any of you missed it worth digging back through your papers to find it How great it is to know that there are some judges and people holding public offices who are trying to act according to the will of the majority of the people It was refreshing to read an article such as this Congratulations to the writer Peter Gillins to the Standard for printing it and a big hearty round of applause to Judge Ellett have more of the samel LaRue Stot mayor and assistant mayor receive S175 each This money is provided for out of their pocket expense and is not classified as salary This may help to clarify the issues Bart Wolthuis Former Mayor of Ogden Civic Pride Ogden As I read the letters to the editor Nov 3 I became very concerned about our appreciation to the leaders of Ogden I have been greatful for all the unselfish service in this city and all the civic pride that induces candidates to get involved in government As for Bob DeBoer I believe any informed citizen know where he stands on pornography He has been against it from the very first and also led the fight for closing the Adult Book Store Although some leaders dragged their feet on this issue it DeBoer When the club that was located at the Old Mill was harassing the citizens of that area DeBoer was for closing it and led the fight while some leaders dragged their feet on this issue As for separation of church and state this was taken out of context of a speech that DeBoer gave He stated that a person in public office should seek his God in counsel in decisions that guide the community Now when is this a negative attribute to have religious scruples in public office? It bother me one bit to know Mr DeBoer prays about decisions he has to make in leading this community I thought it was nation under God with Liberty and Justice for Ronald Taysom Trojan Horse Meet this Trojan Horse better known as proposition No 1 on city ballot Proposition one calls for staggered elections For what purpose? Proponents say it will: give the incumbents more time to learn their job and gain valuable experience and will cut costs of political campaigns I cannot disagree with either point! However is what we the people get in exchange a good deal for us I think not I have found that if people like what your doing they can re-elect you and let you gain more experience It save the people campaign expenses as those expenses are paid by the candidate his family and friends and special interest groups The Ogden City Charter Utah Inventor Will Market Hydrogen Powered Vehicles Km program to date has emphasized slowing down using less conserving curtailing scientists engaged in hydrogen research are excited about its limitless potential The hydrogen buses now in operation in Utah generate no pollution The air coming out of a hydrogen vehicle is cleaner than the air going in The only byproduct is water vapor And these buses promise to carry passengers profitably at 25 cents The city of Riverside Calif is next in line for hydrogen buses on regular runs Why buses first? Because not every gas station has hydrogen fuel yet COMPLETELY SAFE The Energy Research and Development Administration has affirmed the safety factor You can run a hose from the exhaust pipe into the closed passenger compartment safely So the only in the outlook for this particular fuel is availability Gasification of coal is a practical and economical source of hydrogen Billings is convinced that hydrogen pumps will appear at service stations as did gasoline 50 years ago necessarily gradually Government could expedite this evolution but nothing can hold back the dawn Innovative imaginative Americans will do what they have to do And of the several optional energy forms hydrogen presently seems to offer the most advantages for the most purposes with the least investment By PAUL HARVEY I must preface this with a personal note because I am going to be talking up something in which I have a vested personal interest hydrogen power I am an investor albeit a small one in a Utah company which is operating buses and will soon market automobiles using WATER in the gas tank I am similarly excited about the potential for several other energy options but on this one put my money where my mouth is and only fair that you know that Roger Billings of Billings Energy Corp in Provo has converted 21 passenger buses to run on water The hydrogen and oxygen in the H20 are separated electrically FLICK A SWITCH And the company is presently modifying 10 subcompact cars with dual fuel systems hydrogen or gasoline at the flick of a switch And these cars will be sold to the general public for the kind of road testiiie which must be the final test of anything this innovative From what is learned from these first 10 cars another hundred will be built late next year And not all A hydrogen-powered ho is iiov in operation first phase of a hydrogen-powered village The modern farmhouse is completely powered by hydrogen Also the lawn garden and farm implement- burn pollution-free hycao6en While the only energy.