The Bridgeport Telegram from Bridgeport, Connecticut • Page 16

The Bridgeport Telegram I AUGUST 13, ll THnnni, pjbfaJM. POST PttL 1 THaipert KM. wmw AMKkjtrt After the Elections Once there was a time when Congress would adjourn not later than T-abor Day while the members of the House spent the next two mcnths electioneering and a third of the Senate whose seats were at. stake did likewise. Then for another couple of months, they relaxed or, iF they were lawyers or other professionals, earned a.

few extra dollars, and then resumed the grind after the holidays. Those were-happy days. What with inflation, civil rights, rampant crime, violence on the campus, welfare demands, pollution, to name some of the outstanding issues of the day, Congress is a year-round job. Senate Democratic Leader Mike Mansfield has just emphasized this fact with his announcement, of a post-election session of Congress. The House recessed yesterday September 9 for a summer vacation after all, every member of the House can use Ihose three weeks to repair his political fences this fall.

Every seat is The U3.M tUC Ih JyfiJay Pdl THE ASSOCIATED FKESS dlwafchM. SKond-clai: at stake. By September, primaries will be decided and members will know who their opponents will be, and be able to judge how much effort they wLll have to make to win. The Senate will continue sitting, The first break in sight for the upper house is a two-week recess beginning October IS. Tliat will give the 3i members of the Senate whose terms expire in January next a little more than two weeks to electioneer.

Among them are the Senate Democratic leadership Mansfield himself, his Whip, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, secretary of the Senate Democratic Conference. All three are running for re-election in November. Much important legislation will be put off until election, too.

The reason, to avoid putting congressmen on record with politically embarrassing votes on the war and other vital issues. Politicians, ahove all else, must survive to serve. Nixon Warns of "Disaster" In a report to Congress, President Richard M. Nixon called for massive changes in government, industry, and private life in order to reverse man's desecration of his environment. In the message, along with the first annua! report of his Council on Environmental Quality, the President said: "Unless we arrest the depredations that have been inflicted so carciesyly an our natural systems which exist in an intricate set of balances we face the prospect of ecological disaster." The report stated that prices should reflect a product's pollution and waste costs, taxes should discourage unplanned suburban sprawl, and women should be offered many acceptable roles other than rearing children to limit population growth.

Other recommendations' were more specific and understandable. For water cleanup, the Council said, phosphates should be removed from detergents, localities should bill homes and indus tries for their wastes, and government should control thermal pollution and industrial dumping of mercury and other poisonous wastes. The report called for "a demonstration, in one river basin of the most advanced concepts of water quality management." To arrest air pollution, the Council called for accelerated programs to develop a low-emission car engine by 1975 and said an inexpensive anti-pollution device should be prepared for used cars. It also called for the development of mass transit systems to help reduce both dependency on the private car, and with it, air pollution. Transportation, it said, primarily the automobile, causes 42 per cent of the nation's air pollution.

The cost of this and many other advantageous proposals, will cost billions, the report said. No one can estimate the costs but it is certain that the budget for environmental programs will begin to 23 Senators Lease Cars The automobile manufacture s' old but' little publicized practice of leasing luxury cars to favored legislators at greatly reduced rates, now appears to involve nearly a quarter of the U.S-Senate's membership. After a series of inlei views the United Press International identified 11 senators and 16 representatives who confirmed that they were taking advantage of the special offer by the Ford Motor Company and the Chrysler Corporation. After the results of the survey were made public, other members of Congress Joined the list. Of 12 senators, five said they drive Chryslers.

But a Chrysler official said his company has 17 cars on lease to senators. The inquiry showed that 23 senators are leasing either top-line Chryslers or Lincoln Continentals for hetween $750 and $900 a year. One senator leases a plush Mercury Marquis for $600 a year. The rates are far less than the cost of comparable commercial leases and usually include insurance and major maintenance. Chrysler and Ford said the identities of their favored confidential information.

A Ford official said a Lincoln Continental was charged to the House-Senate Committee on Immigration and Nationality. That committee exists on paper but has not met in years, has no office or budget, and has no Senate members. One member of the House told interviewers he was turning in his Continental, lest any question be asked. Others said they saw nothing wrong in such an arrangement and there were those who said that under no circumstances would they participate in such a deal. On an official basis, all auto makers lease luxury models to ranking executive branch officials, cabinet and sub-cabinet officers and the White House, They lease and 'sell at discounts thousands of cars to the General Services Administration.

These cars are used by the work-a-day bureaucrats who carry on the government's business. Accuracy of Census Cities across the country are amazed at the large population drops reported in the 1970 census. So much so, that some have been able to get more favorable recounts and others are making their own rechecks to build a base to request a new count. For instance, Bethel Park. in the Pittsburgh area, was credited with 17,019 residents in the first report of the 197fj census.

After residents complained, the U.S. Census Bureau revised the figure to 32,788. Four Congressmen from western Pennsylvania demanded recounts as other areas made similar com-plaints. Alexandria, expecting a big rise based on an actual count of the city's 45.000 households, was disappointed when preliminary census figures gave a population of 108,841. Crews of city employes and volunteers are making an actual count of residents in the hope of discovering how many may have been miEsed by Census takers, These examples can be multiplied across the country.

The impression is growing that, because this was the fiTSt largely mall census, many persons were overlooked or jiilt didn't return their foirr.s. It ia important to the cities to get accurate counts if they feel they were hoodwinked, because state and federal grants can be cut with lower populations, In these tight money times, this could play hob with city finances and services. Paragraphically Speaking floor of the Federal Building in Austin, Texas, is still Johnson territory. During the Johnson Administration, it was where he did his work when he was at his ranch. It is still watched over by hidden television cameras and Secret Service agents.

Tt alfords the former President the privacy he necdE for his writing. The director of the Franklin Institute's Fels Planetarium in Philadelphia is selling deeds to planets and stars at prices like $2,000 for the Andromeda galaxy and for the Milky Way. It is a harmless money raising gambit. Who knows, the deeds may be worth their price in the distance future in space travel. But only if the Institute can prove own right to sell.

Good Gains Made Abroad By Leon Dennen UNITED NATIONS, N.Y. A sheet of President Richard M. Nixon's policy of "negotiation instead or confrontation" will reveal substantial political dividends in some of (he world's? critical i pragmatic approach international affairs, it is increasingly clear, has already set in motion the wheels of diplomacy not 1 in the Middle East but a Europe and even in South LEON east Asia. American Russian negotiations oa the limitation of strategic nuclear weapons, though complex and slow, are also showing some signs- of progress. Seasoned diplomats in United Nations are not anticipating a speedy miracle settlement of the Mideast crisis.

But, In their view, (he Nixen Administration scored a nclnble advance in winning (he agreement ot Egypt, Jordan and Israel to negotiate a cease-fire. The President thus avoided the danger of an Kasl-Wesl confrontation. Tie alsn deprived (he Russians fertile immediate future at least of an excuse for further expand-ing their military presence in (he Middle East and dir. Mediterranean. Even Kixon't nnmlr-that the new diplomatic lorn in the Mideast is due in large measure to tho President's realistic and yet lirm policy.

But it also reflects the victory of the "moderates" in the Kremlin who (eared that the Mideast might become Russia's Vietnam. The Kremlin -leaders also realized belatedly their policy of "controlled chaos" was only playing into (he hands of the Arab extremists and terrorists who, encouraged, armed and financed by Red China, were a greater threat to their Egyptian client. President Nasser, than Id Israel. The were indeed skating on (bin ice after it became known ihat. at least Iwo Egyptian planes shot down by Israeli aircraft were flown by Soviet pilots.

With (he Chinese again making threatening noises on Russia's border In the Far East, Soviet strategists have no stomach for becoming embroiled in a confrontation with the United States and NATO in (he Middle East. In Europe, the Nixon administration is encouraging, however cautiously, West German Chancellor Willy Ilrandt's negotiations with the Communists which have led to the draft nDnaggression treaty with Moscow. Here the pitfalls are only too obvious. No one in Wash- twecn capitalist and Communist states as the most premising svay or continuing the "revolutionary struggle" under Thus Russia's plan for a European Security system is sr-en ns basically an attempt to turn West Germany inio a pro-Soviet buffer stale by undermining its economic independence and its defense capacity. This would gu a long way in furthering Moscow's ambition to destroy NATO.

Such concern was voiced recently by a group of West German parliamentarians in a conversation with (his wrl-(cr, "Brandt is giving away German bargaining posit inns without gctllng anything In return from Moscow," a prominent member of the Bundestag warned. Nevertheless, American and German opponents of Brandt's "OstDpolitik" see a hopeful diplomatic breakthrough in the cold war in the mere, fart that the Russians arc willing negotiate a Irea-(y wilh the West Germans. Even in Vietnam the Kremlin leaders seem to be having second thoughts, Tire Soviet leaders' never relished the idea nf Red China dominating Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos after the withdrawal nf American troops from Ihe area. To prevent a Chinese take-over, Moscow is now willing to re-consider the idea of an international conference on Indochina. Dictionary BIKINI A bathing suit that has no sleeves, no neck, no midriff, no back and the less said about the rest, of it, the better.

If ECONOMY MESSAGE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE Inside Report Too Much to Bear By Rowland Evans and Robert Novak LAKE OF OZAKKS, reason why Health, Education and Welfare (HEW) officials from Secretary Elliot Sichardson on down were swarming all over this week's national Governors conference was. a new threat to President Richard M. Nixon's welfare reform: rising; opposition from kev Republican governors. Nixon Administration officials, anticipating an early release of the reform bill from long hibernation in the Senate Finance Committee, became aware of the vehemence of opposition from governors shortly before the conference assembled here. Indeed, until recently, most govctnois themselves were not overly concerned.

What happened was Nixon men perceived a Rca-neither the Nixon Adminis- can maneuver undercutting lihiuu uui nepuDiican governors previously had added up all the figures. Their unplea sant finding the welfare reform bill, as formed in Con gress, will increase welfare costs ot Northern Industrialized states a politically unendurable burden for governors deeply scarred hy past lax increases. The result is deep political irony. Mr. Nixon's only major Piece of social welfare legislation could prove catastrophic for governors all of them Republicans in populous Northern states now carrying the heaviest tax and welfare burdens.

On the other hand, the bill provides some budget relief for Southern and border state governors, most of them While Republican governors played golf and rode luxury yachts on Lake Oiark (his week, their aides and HEW technicians were Iryine, le work their way out of the mess. But (o undo what has been done so far will not he easy. And if left undone, Mr, Nixon will face Ihe spectacle ot his own party's governors in active opposition to his (op priority legislative proposal. Until, now, Nixon Administration strategists had regarded Republican fnes of Ihe bill principally conservative Senators on the Finance Committee and Governor Honald Reagan af California as ideologically opposed to family-assistance cash payments as a "guaranteed annual wage." Particularly suspicious Capital Fare Bobby Seale of Ihe Black Panther Parly, was sprung last week from a California jail on $50,000 bond. His 1GSS conviction for voluntary a n-slaughier in the slaying of nn Oakland policeman was overturned last May by ihe State Court of Appeals and he'll get Newton's ambivalent sla-lus thus would seem tn make him a poor bet lo lead his troops against tho American and South Vietnamese enemy.

He could find it difficult (o order an assault on Ihe Saigon hoosegow from a California urtroom. But Mr. Nixon on the Renubli: party's right wing. In truth, most Republican governors like the family assistance principle. What Ihev don't like ahnul the hill has little to do wilh everything to do with and cents.

Critics of (he re-Inrm hill include higliiy iibci-al Republican Governors John Love of Colorado. Daniel Evans, of Washington, William Milllken of Michigan. Even conservative Reagan phrased his opposition in fiscal terms when (alk-ing to Mr. Nixon in Caiif-nrnia twn weeks ago. Medical provisions of the bill alone, Reagan told the President, would cost his stale S20 million extra annually.

When Mr, Nixon expressed doubt, Reagan got quick confirmation from Caspar Weinberger, (he new Federal budget chief. The fact that such worries extend beyond Reagan was not fully impressed on the Administration until last week when Evans, one of the party's most articulate liberals, surfaced in opposition. Having toLed up the to find that the bill adds S40 million in annual state spending. Evans" wrote a sharp letter to Secretary and all his fallow gover- Open Republican opposition increased as the governors rnnfrr-r-nce convened. On NRC's "Meet the Press," tile bill was sharply attacked by moderate Governor Norbert Viet Cong Liberation mate the program would enlarge Nebraska's welfare rolls by J00 per cent).

Blunt-spoken Governor Richard Oeilvie. a staunch NImmi loyalist, arnved hrrr tn warn that new welfare vr, i.l;i',nni Ihrcaten "to bankrupt us in Illinous." Only parly loyally hat preienfrd sharper I-bursts. Undeniably, furlher escalation In the high cost of welfare is what really bothers Republican governors here far more than Irritation ihat neither Mr. Nixon nor Vice President Spiro Agnew Is attending i governors Ey Andi'ew Tully lack of Islslon with (he While House, than pahi caused by continued cutbacks In Federal highway funds. Tile Administration is deeply concerned.

When HEW received Evan's letter, Under Secretary John G. Veneman telephoned the Governor In express hope that differences would be reconciled. Furthermore. Veneman made the point that the Administration could not afford losing support from a liberal Governor il hurl been counting on. The face of welfare rcfurm couid he at stake.

With fai-left ideologues' and economic the program (or rca sors of thrir own, tuiicentrat opposition of most oi the nnr.on's governors cnuld be just too much for the reform il to beai. Reports from law enforcement intelligence sources claim tha more than 500 assorted black and white militants have signed up with Huey New ton's army to help liberate "the Communist Viet Cong from the imperialistic perse cution of the United States and South Vietnam governments. Newton, a ca-foundcr wilh sometime llleraleur, F.I. riiidge Cleaver, and (led this inhospitable cnuntry. (Indeed as (his is read he may already have done so.) In short, (he Newton probably can take care of himself, although he appears to be suffering from a case of acute romantic narcissism in pledging to dispatch troops to ihe distant battlefields.

Washington may be cursed with a death wiih, hut some old fashioned cop probably would try to prevent Ihe of Newton's What is hard to understand is the peculiar neuroses nf Newlbn'i volunteers. Soma Burning masoclusm must have possessed them tn thus set them up as his tame patsies. II is feckless Id recall that these sprouts have made a fetish of their opposition lo all wars and all killing. In passes for their minds, the Communist side of a war is a special package or goads. Besides, they cheer Newton when he demands Ihat Ihcy go oul and kill a few enps.

for practice. Rut some do havB a kind of rudimentary intelligence and yet Ihey apparently have given no (bought lo what 1b ey have. Id them-nelves In for. Even ihey Welfare Economics Dependency Ratio By Louis Casscls One way or another directly through private p-port or indirectly Ihrough funds which Ihe government takes in through taxa(ion and dispenses Ihrough aid programs the' working age population picks up the tab (or the maintenance of the non-working population. If the working age population grows fuster ihan Ihe non-working population, Ihe dependency ratio declines, which reduces the burden el support carried by people fri (heir productive years.

But when the npn-worklng age groups grow larger relative to (he working age group, the dependency ratio rises and (here Is increased financial pressure of those who draw paychecks, if you've got 'hat clear in your mind, you're ready for tile bad news revealed by a study conducted for the Senate's Special Committee on Aging. During the past generation, there has been a sharp rise in the dependency ratio. And the trend is still upward. As recently ns 1950, Ihcro were (wo people in the so-called productive ap.es of 18 through 64 tor evory one child under IS. Because of a big jump, in the child population, resulting from high birlh rales in the 19 45-1060 era, the ratio is now about three to 'Iwo, instead of unrealistic the dividing between non productive and productive years.

More and: more young people Hre going-to into, r. armed services, or otherwise, remaining out ot the civilian lahor force, beyond IS. Connecticut Yankee The recommendation il iinni-rti- tfi Ihe direct primal it be to an open primary, and, furthermore, to an open primary which is all the way open, su that any of party en-inllmrnl or none, can have yte righl to in every primary racr. nn matter what (he parly involved. We have pr.sscd this summer, as the rest of our voting lifetime, in the status of nn independent, mil registered ns a member of either party.

ns the 1970 Connecticut picture was shaping up, we had had some instinct tn gel ourselves into Ihe action by registering with one party nr Ihe other, we might never have been able to decide for ourselves which primary was the one we tvnntcd In be able to cast vote in. The chances are we couldn't have mndc up our mind which wc cared ahum most, who got (he Republican nomination for the Senate or who got the Democratic nomination, and Ihat wc would have ended up where wc lmve actually Maybe you've never heard of the "dependency ratio." But if you're a middle ije, middle income American, it's time you got acquainted with it. It's putting a financial squeeze on you. Dependency ratio is a term used hy economists to denote the relationship between the number of people of working age, and the number who are too young or too old to work. Meanwhile, the number nf nan productive persons also is growing at Ihe olher end of ihe age scale, In 1940, there were II people aged 65 or older for every 100 In Hie productive IS-Rt age bracket.

Today, the ratio is 17 over 85 Tor every 100 in the 18-64 group. And it is becoming increasingly doubtful that 65 Is a realistic age Id mark the beginning of retirement. In recent years, nearly half of- all Mi a men starting lo receive Social Security benefits have been under tho. age of 05. If this: Ircnd towaid earlier retirement continues, there'll soon be 2S nou productive older people for every 10(1 in the age population.

Taking- both trends togelhor the increasingly number of young people who haven't started In work and the increasingly number of older people who haven't stopped the United States seems to he heading toward a one to one dependency ratio. That means that for every person of working age (whether or not actually employed), there'll be one who Is With growing and rising industrial produc-llvily, (hat may be an economically feasible and socially, desirable' Certainly, life prospect does not call for rushing Into rash'1 "remedies" such as discouraging college attendance or postponing the age of eligibility or Social Security benefits. But it's a long term factor which, needs, to be pandeceji -t count in both iiLiil sonal planning, For An Open Primary Alan Olmstead If, as an aftermath to this year's nominating experience, the next Connecticut legislature switches away from the convention process to the direct primary, we have a certain recommendation to make, based on our experience this i th.m venlcitccs and discomfort nf war, logic would seem lo demand thai they ponder the hardship of pledging feally lo Hanoi, especially under military disipline. After all, these are kids who have grown accustomed to the perverse joys that accrue from dissent, often or a violent nature. Their big kicks come-from defying authority.

Yr.t they seem impatient to serve under a government lo which the word dissent is spelled treason. Should they make it to Vietnam, they will discover that orders, especially Communist orders, are positively orders. When their cam-manding officer (ells them tn charge, his fiat will nnt be subiect to a round discussion. nji. par-- been without any voice In either choice.

Thinking of the kind of pvi-mnry Ihat would satisfy our personal instincts, as we have felt Ihem this summer, it would be a system which would permit us to vote at least once on both sides of the paliliral fence. As these two primaries dnvn shaped up, our early was that (he good state of Connecticut needed to be saved from certain possi-hilitics In both of them, and that (he only guaranteed way nf saving the state from Ihcsa possibilities would be to shoot Ihom down at the primary level, and nnt let them get to (he ballots in Novemher, particularly in a potential three way race which might end up offering the voters nf the state not even one healthy, positive choice. In such situation, I Independent voters ought tn be allowed to come (a (he aid of tho political parties, lust lo play the highest chance ot a final contcsl between (he best potential candidates Instead nf one belween Ihe worst. Timely Thoughts "But you. lake coura; Do not let your hands he weak, for your work shall hn If Chron.

15:7. Hard work is the best In-vcs(mont a man can make, M. Schwab, Amer-lean Industrialist. "If iniquity is in your put It far away, and let not wickedness dwell In your tents." Job II: H..