The Daily Chronicle from Centralia, Washington • Page 8

The Dally Chronicle, Monday, June 17, 1968 Congress Will Feel Impact Of NRA Gun Lobby Counter-Attack WASHINGTON (AP) The National Rifle Association, its aniazing record of blocking strict federal gun controls in jeopardy, has begun its counterattack. And if the gun lobby lives up to its past successes, hundreds of thousands of letters opposing gun control will rain down on Congress by mid-week--just before a House committee considers restrictions on gun sales. The deluge of mail will be in response to a weekend plea by the NRA for its 900,000 members to "express their views without delay to their senators and congressmen." The letter-writing campaign, a favorite gun lobby tactic, is the NRA's answer to the demands for tough gun controls flowing from the assassination of Sen. Robert F. Kennedy with a $30.95 pistol.

In the past--even after President John F. Kennedy was mur- Gun Plea BATTLE CREEK, Mich. (AP) A-plea by a Roman Catholic priest that his parishioners turn in their guns to him so they could be destroyed went unheeded Sunday. The Rev. John Huhn, assistant pastor of St.

Joseph Church asked some 1,000 parishioners lo "turn over their weapons of violence" at two Masses Sunday. But no one complied. Father Huhn said he was disappointed, but added: "Perhaps it was just a general reluctance or fear of wanting to be in volved or to stand up publicly and do something. "My desire in issuing the caV was to make a point. If they respond even in the internal recesses of their hearts, it certainly will not be wasted." The 30-year-old priest, who last December protested the Vietnam war by mailing his draft card to the government said he got the idea for a gun turn-in when a Navy Reserve lieutenant commander handec in his shotgun during a memo rial Mass for Sen.

Robert Kennedy. Richard Hale of Battle Creek walked to the altar last Monday night and gave Father Huhn I2-gauge shotgun 'which he saic he won in sales contest. Hale, general manager of lumber company, said he had a strong belief that the use guns is no way to settle The priest, who intends to de stroy the shotgun, issued a plea for other parishioners to follow Hale's example to bring their guns to the altar durinj the offertory of the two Masses Sunday. He also asked children fo bring in toy guns. But no oni did.

dered with a mail order rifle- he NRA and its allies have successfully smothered proposals regulate gun sales or require registration ot guns. This comes in the face ot overwhelming public support of such legislation. This spring, for example, pollster Louis Harris reported 71 per cent ot Americans favored stricler gun control What is the NRA? How does it operate? Why does it pack so much power? Founded in 1871 by a group of National Guard officers interested in improving their marksmanship, the NRA has grown over the years to an organization with 900,000 members and a net worth of nearly $12 million. It operates from an eight-story glass-and-marbie headquarters building in downtown Washington. Emblazoned in gold letters above the main entrance is the basic NRA credo: "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed," (This is from the second article of the Bill of Rights: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the righl of the people or keep and bear arms shall not be Inside the building, NRA President Harold W.

Glassen puffs on his pipe and proclaims'. "Make no mistake about it- there is a step-by-step move afoot to accomplish the ultimate deprivation of. the American right to keep and bear arms." Glassen, a Lansing, lawyer, gets very annoyed by references to the NRA as a gun lobby. outlawing mail order sale of rifles and shotguns, over-the- counter sales of these guns to out-of-state residents and sales to anyone under 18. The committee meets Thursday to reconsider its rejection of the bill.

Tha NRA's monthly magazine, the American Rifleman, and various special bulletins keep members abreast of the battle against stiff restrictions. Members are supplied with point-by-point interpretations of proposed legislation--interpretations that are often quoted word-for-word in subsequent letters to congressmen. Sen. Joseph Tydings, gives an illustration of how closely the letters follow NRA publications. One NRA Document misspelled his name "tidings," he said, and "I got literally thousands of letters and postcards from my constituents all misspelling my name and all giving the line that was in the propaeanda issued by the NRA." After President Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, scores of gun control bills were introduced passed.

in Congress. None In 1964, 189 gun control bills were proposed in state legislatures and city councils. In its 961 annual report, the NHA noted that "members reacted promptly, firmly and in force. No serious restrictive proposals were enacted." But the present drive for gun controls appears to have'a better chance of succeeding. President Johnson, governors and mayors have joined in the call for strong legislation, and some key members of Congress are shifting their positions.

NHA chief Glassen appears In his letter Saturday, he said "the right of sportsmen in the United States to obtain, own and use firearms for proper lawful purposes is in the greatest jeopardy in the' history of our country." Interviews with a number of congressmen indicated NRA officials are seldom in direct contact with members of the House and Senate. "We have yet to sipend one "All his talk about the gun lobby is baloney," he said in an interview. "We don't tell anyone to write to their congressmen." Last Saturday, a two-page letter signed by Glassen went to all NRA members. "Unless the sportsmen of America clearly express their views without delay to -their senators and congressmen," it said, "individuals will be prohibited from acquiring long guns (rifles and shotguns) in interstate commerce and general firearms registra tion will become a reality." The NHA's ability to generate mail is a major ingredient to its successful fight against tough gun control laws. NRA officials have boasted in the past that they can depend on their mem hers to flood Capitol Hill with up to 500,000 letters within 72 hours.

Veterans of earlier battles over gun control legislation don't doubt NRA's claims. "The first surge of mail after an assassination is always over whelmingly in support of strict gun laws," says one congres- tional aide. "But about a week later the NRA mail takes over and continues for weeks." Much of the new mailwill be aimed at members of the House Judiciary Committee which by a tie vote last week rejected administration-supported legisla- R. King, D-Califi; and Robert L. single dollar on lobbying," Classen said.

"We have never hired a Neither the NRA nor any of its national officers is registered with Congress as a lobbyist. But to keep its members informed of gun control proposals and other bills, it has a "legislative service" with a budget of $131,000 in 1967. In a recent House speech, Rep. Richard. D.

McCarthy said "The NRA does not have to hire lobbyists in the technical sense II has active members right in this chamber." Glassen said he didn't know how many congressmen belonged to NRA, but estimated about '40. Among the more active backers of the NRA'. view are Reps Bob Casey, D-Tex. John D. Dingell, Cecil U.S., Viet Cong Stalemated Despite Long Heavy Fighting DONG HA, Vietnam (AP) -Despite the bloodbath in the demilitarized zone area so far year, neither side has been able to get the upper hand.

Like weary fighters, American and North Vietnamese battalions continue to slug it out in a fight that has a seemingly unlimited number of rounds. "The DMZ has become a pawn of the Paris peace talks," one senior U.S. officer said. He said the Communists are pushing for a major victory Jhat would give their negotiators in Paris leverage to pry concessions out of the United States and later South Vietnam. Looking back across five and a half months of fighting this year, another U.S.

officer saici: "In January I would never have believed they could have kept up the pace or that we would ever suffer so many casualties." The coming months are expected to dwarf the fighting so far this year that the U.S. Command says has cost about 20,000 enemy dead. For all the deaths along the DMZ and recent U.S. reinforce- ments, the enemy is still said to have as many combat troops as the allies, the same ratio Hanoi Was able to maintain last year. Propaganda fed to North Viet-' namese troops clearly shows Hanoi's thinking.

As reported by prisoners the line is: "We must keep up the fight. The outcome ot the talks in Paris depends on how well we do in the battlefield." Intelligence reports say newly arrived troops have been told they are "to complete mopping up operations against the U.S. aggressors who have been defeated for all intents and purposes." U.S. intelligence believes an indication of hew seriously Hanoi's DMZ divisions have been hammered is that in some cases entire replacement regiments have moved into position intact insead of groups of replacements being divided up among several units. Some U.S.

officers blame the partial bombing halt ordered by Washington to get preliminary peace.talks off the ground with increasing the danger to U.S. Unusual 'Jungle Plant 1 Growing At Napavine NAPAVINE Stretching its three foot green leaves in the spring sun in the yard of Herman Lamprecht, Napavine, is perhaps one of-the most out- of place plants growing outdoors in Lewis County. The plant, standing 12 feet high, apparently is indigenous to South America, but seems to be growing fine in the somewhat cooler climate, Mrs. Lamprecht reported they were given the plant about three years ago by a man who was a gardener for a Tacoma dolor. After the first year, the "jungle as the Lemprechts call it, was two feet high.

The next year, it reached four feet in height. Then it began to show its true heritage. Another eight feet was added to the height and large, white clusters of flowers bloomed all over the plant in the third growing season. Mrs. Lamprecht said she didn't know if It's the only one of its kind in Lewis County, she certainly hasn't seen any other plants that resemble their "jungle She admitted she does not know the plant's proper name, troops in the northern line.

"Hell, they get a running start all the way from Hanoi to within 120 miles of the frontier before the bombers can go to work on them," one said. "Sure they are getting plenty of replacements, weapons and all the rest of it through. Our job is a hell of a lot tougher and more dangerous." North Vietnam's potential for seriously mauling a specific U.S. unit is nowhere higher than along the DMZ. Defenses against U.S.

aircraft are greater there and North Vietnamese troops have artillery to back them up, something they don't enjoy in large quantities anywhere else in the In addition, North Vietnam's supply lines are shortest at the DMZ while those of the Marines and other allied forces are long- esl. The U.S. situation is somewhat more serious than it might be because of the comparatively smaller number of helicopters available to keep the Leathernecks mobile. Sikes, all NRA mem- lers. Surveys show half of all louseholds in America have one more firearms and NRA members Casey says millions of persons use weapons "very pea- and pleasureably," says member Casey.

"I don't see why they should be punished jecause of a bunch of deadbcats and nogoods:" FBI statistics show that nearly 00 per cent of the murders in this country are committed with guns. In 1956, the last year for which figures are available, 5,660 persons were murdered ivilh guns. In 1965, there were 5,015 gun murders. Glassen argues that if murderers had no guns they would use some other weapon. "A man bent on homicide will commit homicide," he says.

"The availability of a gun has nothing to do with the overall homicide rate." NRA is not alone in its fight against gun control laws. Among its allies are thousands of gun and sportsmen's clubs and conservation croups across the nation, as well as the gun and ammunition industry and some of Us offspring--the National Shooting Sports Foundation, the Sporting Arms and Institute and the National Reload- ins Manufacturers Association. But some chinks are appearing in the previously solid coalition. On Saturday, three gun manufacturers--Remington, Savage and Winchester-Wester --issued joint statement supporting a ban on mail order sales. The companies suggested, however, that states be allowed to exempt themselves from the ban.

To charges that it opposes all gun control legislation, NRA spokesmen reply that the association supported Sen. Roman Hruska's, amendments to prohibit shipment of firearm! into states which have laws against such gun sales and to bar all interstate sales to persons under 18. But the NRA strongly opposes any registration system or re strictions on rifles and shotguns, Retired military officers abound in NRA Franklin NRA executive vice president, is a former deputy assistant secretary o- the Army. Of the six NRA fielc representatives, four are retiree Army colonels and one is a Marine Corps Reserve major. New Trawl Under Test SEATTLE (AP)-A new traw! being developed here by the Bu reau of Commercial Fisheries will make fishing boats more adaptable by allowing 'the fish erman to drop his net where the fish are.

The new net is called the uni versal trawl and is being teste by Dr. Walter Pereyra who says "we got ourselves a winner." The Jiet is similar to a con ventional trawl with an opening 40 to 50 feet wide. However con ventional nels have openings to 10 feet high while the nev net's is as 'much as five times that height. Besides the larger opening that will allow hauls two to three times as big, the new ne is being tested with cables tha relay depth information to ih' fisherman. The net can be-used either on the bottom like a con ventional trawl or at middli depth and the cables allow thi fisherman to spot fish on a find er and'then set his net at thi proper depth.

Pereyra says the new net wil be useful in developing hak fishery and may also be uset in harvesting ocean perch mon efficiently. At E.F.F. Passbook Dividends Are Paid Quarterly EVERGREEN FIRST FEDERAL Savings Loan Aisoe. 921 Chehallt Avt. Chchallt Branch Offices In.

Morton and Explorer the first U.S satelite, recently passed its Mil year in orbit. The craft ha; logged more than one and om third billion miles. DEPEND Insurance SERVES YOU FIRST This symbol Identifias uses pro. essional, Independent Insur. ance agents.

That means we can select from among several fine proparty and liability companies right Insurance for your home, car, or business. Call us for beyond the call of duty H. C. COFFMAN CCX Ml Marktl Chehalls Phone 748.44*3 News Briefs Ot THOMAS H. ELZEY, son of Mr.

and Mrs. James W. Elzey, Ccntralia, received the Eagle Scout Award Tuesday at a Troop 44 Court of Honor. Tom has been in Scouting for eighf years. He is 16 years old and will be a senior next year at Cenfralia High School.

Chronicle Staff Photo Sampans Load Rockets For Saigon Shelling WASHINGTON (AP) Viet Jong rockets bombarding Sai- jon were brought into South Vietnam from Cambodian storage areas in sampans moving at night along jungle-shrouded waterways, according to U.S. ntelligence sources. When the sampans, each carrying four or five of the weapons, arrive at a designated point in South Vietnam, they are sunk--with the rockets encased in waterproof containers--until Viet Cong are ready to use them. From prisoner interrogation and other sources of information, American intelligence specialists have pieced together a pattern indicating how the North Vietnamese are able to send the weapons deep into Souht Vietnam, to the point where they can be hurled against that country'sv capital and its population. The rockets, mostly 122 milli- meer, come down from 'North Vietnam by truck, passing through the Laotian panhandle, U.S.

officials say, and on into Cambodia where they arc stored near the South Vietnamese border. They are then carried across the' 1 border along any the more than 1,300 square miles of waterways reaching from Cambodia into the Saigon region. Hundreds of sampans are said to operate along these streams for the Viet Cong, carrying rice as well as weapons and other supplies from Cambodia. Moving mostly at night, the boats are hard to spot. Cambodian government, which professes neutrality, repeatedly has denied that its soil is being used as a supply and troop base, by North Vietnam and the Viet Cong.

The waterways running deep now, experts said, because of the rains and this creates favorable conditions for their use as supply routes into South Vietnam. At the time, the Cong raise the sunken boats, take the rockets from their containers and then move them into firing position. Weapons experts of the Army Materiel Command estimate that it takes less than five min- utes to set up a rocket, fire il and then be gone. The rocket is described as "an area weapon," that is there'is no way to aim it agains pinpoint targets. Rather, it is pointed generally at a large tar gel, such as a city or town, aw fired.

The 122 millimeter rocket as sembly comes in three parL and weighs a total of about 214 pounds. U.S. weapons authorities say that a crew of three men cai handle and fire the rocket, bu that as many as five may be in volved in a fire team. The 122 millimeter rocket ha a range of about 6.8 miles ac cording to U.S. calculations One intelligence report reaching here said the 107 millimete rocket, also being fired by th VC, has a range of 26.7 miles Other specifics on this rocke were not immediately available Intensified bombing in th lower part of North Vietnam and Laos is believed to knocking out about one-third the North Vietnamese truck heading South.

With the Vie Cong threatening intensifie shelling of Saigon, U.S. com manders have increased heavil the number of B52 bomber an other air strikes concentratin on the lower and of the Ho Gh Minh trail. Asked why more trucks ar not being knocked out, officer said convoys often duck undo jungle cover along hardened ap proach roads after they ar sighted and American fighte bombers often are able to catc only a fraction of them out the open. Fishing Vessels Siezed SEOUL (AP) Five Sout Korean fishing vessels wer seized by 10 Communist Norl Korean patrol boats near Yong pyong Island in the Yellow Se this morning as South Korea sentinels guarding the centra eastern sector of the Korea front reported killing an arme North Korean intruder. Thailand, a nation about thre fourths the size of Texas, ha 23,000 Buddhist monasteries, th National.Geographic says.

It's time someone took Dad fo the Woodshed! Great guy, Dad. The best ever. Always knows what's good for you, and would do anything- lo make you. happy. That's just it.

How come he doesn't know what's best for him; and how come he won't make himself happy? That hearing problem of his. How can he be so stubborn about refusing to wear a hearing aid? So many rfo wear them millions, billions, zillions and always seem so After all, they're no different from eyeglasses, are they? And who ever pays attention to them? Stubborn, Just plain stub- torn. And. it makes him, and everybody else, unhappy. Maybe if someone took him to 1he wood- $tlei (--Or maybe to us, because so many people come here.

And walk' out smiling.) Twin City Bearing Aid Center 7. Fuil-Tfme Years ln Chchalis MarkerSfroet--Downfown Chehah'j Open 6 Days A Week--Phone Southwest Washington Couple Give Birth LONGVIEW A Longview ouple, both of whom have un- ergone open heart surgery, re believed to be one of the ew couples in the United Stats to have survived open heart urgery and to have produced child following that surgery. Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Grum- ois of 1314 21st Longview, ad open heart surgery in 1067 nd 19B5, respectively.

A boun- ing baby boy, David Riene, was orn March 17 of this year. The ouple had childless for 21 ears of marriage and had yive- up hope of ever having "one our own." the Kelso Recreation Coun- il under the auspices of the Park Board, Bob Hoi- ridge, manager of the Kelso said. Funds for the pro- ram will be furnished by the ecreation council from profits rom fireworks sales and a Shanter Park. Grave Hoax Told MONTESANO The county heriff's office had a momeh- ary scare late last week. David Jones of 702 South West Boulevard called the office to eport he and a friend had been ishing some to 10 miles up he North River and had discovered a newly dug grave.

Deputy Louie Linich, clis- jatched to investigate reported hat what had appeared to have )een a turned nil to be the remains ot some digging of antique bottle -hunt- Low Bidder Listed OLYMPIA An Olympia area contractor is the apparent pw bidder for construction a $1.5 million materials testing aboratory for the State High ways Department in Tumwater. The Andy Johnson and Com jany submitted the apparent bid of $1,521,543 to erec! the structure on Second Ave nue in Tumwater, Flood Study Aired A State and federal agencies will pay three fourths of the cost-of making a study of flood potential aloni the lower East Fork at the Lew is River if Clark County car come up with only $640. After hearing that news from Walter Bergstrom, an enginee for the State Department of Wa ter Resources, the Clark Coun ty. Vancouver Regional Plan ning Commission firmly agree that the study should he. made especially considering the price tag.

Use OK'd KELSO The use of thro school buildings for a city sum mer recreation program wa approved by the Kelso Schoo Board last week, subject to ap proval by the Kelso City Coun cil of liability insurance. The program will be directed WHOUE- SALE SELLING Oscar Newby, Mgr. ARMSTRONG COVERINGS VINYLS, REG. UP TO nc Yd. End of Rolls Remnant's in Vinyl Corlon and Embossed Inlaid Linoleum.

Your Choice This Week Only WHILE THEY LAST Sq. Yd. INSTALLED 5: Floor Preparation Extra 12x12 VINYL ASBESTOS TILE cfn 7.65 TERMS? BET! CASCADE ENTERPRISES, INC. 2 Miles S. of Chehalls on the Jackson Hivvay.

Open Tuet. thru All Day and CATHOLIC INFORMATION YOU MUST BE A MODERN CHRISTIAN "How can Christianity have any significance in the pres. ent day and age? The answer is that there has never been a time when the basic principles of Christian living could have such a profound onfluence on the world, as they could in his modern age. Unfortunately, many who ask the question do not listen to the answer. Equally unfortunate, many individual Chris- hans give much attention to religious ritual, and very little attention to the principles of Christian living.

Throughout His life, Christ emphasized the fact that sincere consideration for one's fellow man is'essential if a person is to be a true follower of Christ, He equated love of neighbor with love of God. He illustrated that principle in a number of ways. The story of the Good Samaritan is one example-the member or.a despised minority who went but of his way to do something charitable for stranger. Christ went so far as to say that we must see Him in everyone we encounter. Consideration and fairness for our neighbor for members of our family, for casual acquaintances, for strangers-consideration and fairness for those we duhko, as well as for those we like-in daily life, in work, in social life, in school, in recreation.

The practice of that ideal would go far to solvine the disruptions family life, if husbands and wives indeed their conduct towards one another-and towards their children -on that standard. It would go far towards solving social problems and eliminating the causes of racial inequality. In short ft is an all-prevading principle of living which is applicable to everyone, in every age-and it is particularly important in this modern day, when the man-els of science and industry have shrunk- time and distance, and have broughreach-of us into contact with many mors neighbors than af any time in the history of man. i favited fo ivrite for free Pamphlet No. 26 entitled Christian Life and the Modem World." If you wish more complete information regarding Catholic beliefs you are also invited to request the free correspondence course on the Cathohc Faith.

No obligation for either or both and no one will call on you. Please send me your FHEB PAMPHLET No no one will call on me. that there Is no Naaia Address city Stite you vrtsh Oit JPREE correspondence course nn th. Cuthollo Faith, check (x) this box KNIGHTS OP COLUMBUS RELIGIOUS INFORMATION BUREAU Post Office Box 293 Seattle, Wosfi. 981T1..