The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • 6

July 15, 1972 6 LETTERS to the EDITOR What Iowa Papers Are Saving An Independent GRDM COWtH. Chairman of the Board Opening the Democratic Presidential Candidate George McGovern perforce missed television prime time with his acceptance speech, and when it came at last it was mercifully short and moving. McGovern touched all the bases, and wound up with a plea for America to "come home" echoing the emotional appeal with that refrain in the seconding speech by the Rev. Walter Fauntroy. the District of Columbia's black non-voting delegate in the national House of Representatives.

McGovern included the obligatory personal attack on President Nixon for both foreign and domestic policies. Also a graceful nod to McGovern's beaten rivals for the nomination, including a tribute to Gov. George Wallace of Alabama for his "courage" and "boundless will" and the Wallace appeal to the "depths of discontent" in America. McGovern restated his own familiar policies, in briefer compass than in the party platform or his own early position papers, and with a new emphasis on moderation in defense cuts. His call in the speech in Friday's small-hours was for a militarily strong America, never second-rate, with defenses "alert and fully sufficient to meet any danger." Actually this is no contradiction to his earlier call for a $30 billion cut in defense spending.

A $518 billion budget would still leave America with of if he ITITfflTO ir.fton sJ'jj I 1 "Notice, gentlemen, it specifically says CONGRESS, not the Supreme Court Gun Control Says Briton No New Politics on V.P. Democratic presidential nominee George McGovern let it be known Thursday afternoon that his choice for running mate was Thomas Eagleton, U.S. senator from Missouri. Delegates dutifully ratified the choice several hours later. McGovern, who stressed the "new politics" in his drive for the nomination, thus reverted to the old political practice of hand-picking the party's vice-presidential choice.

Ten of the nation's 37 presidents served previously as vice-president. Eight men elected as vice-president found themselves holding the nation's highest office upon the death of the chief executive. But political conventions continue to treat the nomination of vice-president as an afterthought and willingly rubber-stamp one man's selection. McGovern, to be sure, stressed his conviction that Eagleton was fully qualified to take over the presidency should the need arise. That had to be taken on faith by most of the delegates.

Eagleton, a freshman in the Senate, is little known outside his home state. Near-Total Works Well, By Sir John Waldrnn rpHE British policeman goes unarmed. I How is he able to carry out his duty? ask American observers. Ry his traditional and close association with members of the public who would abhor to see their policemen armed; by his complete lack of enthusiasm to fight the criminal in this manner; and by his fear that the innocent bystander would be the ultimate sufferer in the shooting war that would inevitably follow. This is not to say that there is no danger.

Robbery with violence is the crime that gives the greatest concern to Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police. The use of firearms by criminals is growing in London: 665 Sir John Waldron ivas formerly commissioner of police at Scotland Yard. recorded cases in 1971 compared with 419 in 1968. The unarmed policeman faces the wrong end of a firearm some 20 times a year, but this, to his great credit, rarely deters him. Nevertheless it is recognized that on occasions defensive weapons must be carried by police and they are available for issue to officers engaged in the pursuit of criminals known to be armed; as escort to a variety of persons ranging from royalty to prisoners; and in the protection of valuables.

Progressively Tightened In four years, however, only one shot has been fired in earnest and that into the air. The basic police instruction, the doctrine of minimum force, is followed. It will be the criminal who has to fire first. Incidentally, the official police forces in the United Kingdom are the only civil authority with arms at their disposal, which precludes private police forces and security organizations. This situation reflects the severity of firearms legislation in the United Kingdom compared with that in America.

Possession of firearms was first controlled in 1920, and the degree of control has been progressively tightened. The object of the legislation is to restrict to the absolute minimum the numbers of privately owned firearms and to prevent them falling into the hands of criminals. Nobody is allowed to possess a weapon unless he obtains an authorizing certificate from the chief officer of police of Darts and Laurels From Broadlawns lo the Editor: On July 6, a ceremonial groundbreaking took place on the campus of Broad-lawns Hospital to initiate the construction of its Model Family Practice Clinic. It was attended and addressed by U.S. Senator Jack Miller, U.S.

Representative John Kyi, Gov. Robert Ray, Mayor Richard Olson, and Dean John Eckstein of the College of Medicine, University of Iowa. Representatives of some 19 agencies were present this distinguished gathering. It was a festive and happy occasion demonstrating the capacity of federal, state, county and city agencies to work effectively for the public good. On July 7, in The Register, Michael Snrkin took this occasion to note that work was being started on the clinic and then proceeded to editorialize and question the propriety of the undertaking.

If he, or any other reporter, would have had the courtesy or curiosity to attend the ceremonies, he might have been led to a quite different point of view and he might have done a proper job of reporting. Once again, the paper has chosen to ignore events in terms of their true context and, instead, elected to play the role of "hatchet-man" and to intimate self-serving motives on the part of dedicated public servants. This pattern is no longer new. I can only attribute this to ignorance or malice and, in either case, it hardly does credit to the "fourth estate" nor proper service to the citizens of this community. Sidney L.

Sands, M.D., director of Medical Education, Broadlawns Polk County Hospital, Des Moines 50314. To Ihe Editor: Having expressed my critical concern for Mr. Sorkin's "non-reporting" of our groundbreaking ceremony for our new Model Family Practice Clinic, let me now thank you for the editorial concerning us which appeared in The Tribune on July 8. This did take a more helpful, positive position regarding what we are doing for health care delivery and medical education If by any chance Broadlawns gets mentioned in the news (not the editorial page), there is usually some critical remark, an innuendo, and generally, omission of any possible reference to what might be worthy of commendation. At any event, to give credit where such is due, my thanks to the.

editorial page staff for a few kind words. Sidney L. Sands. EDITOR'S NOTE: We don't think there was any "hatchet-man" approach in the news reporting, but xoe are happy to print Dr. Sands's comments.

Sees Distortion in Thimmesch View lo tin Editor: In a July 10 column, Nick Thimmesch accuses Senator George McGovern of "comparing U.S. bombing in Indochina with Hitler's efforts to exterminate the Jews in the Mr. Thimmesch then proceeds to explain that World War II cannot be equated with the Vietnam war. In the July 7 issue of Life magazine, Senator McGovern says that "under circumstances like World War II, I would certainly ask Congress to declare war." He also states that he has "a horror of needless waste of human life. I know they are not comparable, but Vietnam horrifies me in the same way as Hitler's incineration of the Jews." Can there be anyone who does not find the deaths of innocent civilians a "horrifying" facet of the war in Vietnam, or any other war? I feel that the distortion is not Senator McGovern's view of history, but rather Mr.

Thimmesch's view of Senator McGovern. Stephen E. Finken, 220 Lincoln Bondurant, la. Praises Democratic Fund Telethon 'lo the Editor: The divisive Democrats rallied their forces in a universal appeal for funds to meet a $9 million deficit by staging a 23-hour telethon. This direct appeal to every person throughout the United States is a new and wholesome approach to fund-raising in contrast to huge, esoteric donations from corporations and financiers of private enterprise.

The telethon is to be commended, not because of its expediency so much as its honest method of raising money. By such means, Mr. Average American can feel he is contributing, however meager his donation, to the party of his choice, and thereby is an activating link in keeping alive the two-party system. Lenore Doty McLain, 926 N. Court, Ot-tumwa, la.

TT still life TOO IS'empaper Dviti Km inF.iSIK. PrtpdrnX and Puhlithrr KrWFTH tfDOMLD. rfllo' Eottftn Hrw. Manaiwf Editor LkVtT Sort). Editorial Pofr Editor I.OIU H.

NORHI5. flawneu Menfr Campaign enormous armed strength, a great deal it still in nuclear overkill capacity. The World War II bomber pilot is not now and never has been a non-violent resister. He just wants "sufficiency" and puts it at a more modest and sensible level than does President Nixon, who uses the same slogan sometimes. McGovern's strong stand on defense of Israel's right to exist is an exception to his general policy of fewer overseas commitments and his plan to pull out of Vietnam completely, but it is not a new one for him.

He pressed the Administration to sell Phantom jet warplanes to Israel in 1970 when the Administration was holding them back. McGovern devoted much of his acceptance speech to "justice and jobs for all" within the United States. The jobs would be mainly private enterprise, but with federal stimulation or back-up jobs private employers did not come through. For those unable to work, he promised "income sufficient to assure a decent life" this time with no embarrassing dollar figures. Government inflation controls would be more favorable to labor, said, and extensive but this time unspecified tax reform would be reeded, and national health insurance.

It is a sweeping program, but not an impossible one. McGovern did avoid the customary practice of naming a running mate from wing of the party to give it representation on the ticket. Eagleton shares McGovern's philosophy, and the party's presidential nominee made no compromise with his convictions in naming him. McGovern also disdained the idea of geographical appeal in putting together his ticket. The only "balance" Eagleton brings to the ticket is his Roman Catholic religion.

Winds of change have swept the Democratic Party. The delegates at Miami Beach were probably more fairly selected and more accurately represented groups in the electorate than any convention in U.S. political history. But the tradition of treating the vice-presidency as a minor office and denying delegates a real say in the choice dies hard. Thomas Eagleton appears to be an able person and might well have been the choice of the convention in an open contest.

The political process would have been the healthier for it had he been chosen that way. missible for another parole officer to conduct this hearing. This is a questionable suggestion. A co-worker of the officer who initiated parole revocation proceedings would not be apt to rap the knuckles of a fellow, officer and tell him his action was unwarranted. A hearing is most likely to be conducted in a fair manner if the hearing officer has no connection, direct or indirect, with any of the parties.

The Supreme Court said it was leaving open the question of whether the parolee "is entitled to the assistance of retained counsel or to appointed counsel if he is indigent." We believe the state of Iowa should permit attorneys to be present at parole revocation hearings and should authorize appointment of attorneys for indigents. A lawyer can help make certain that rights are protected and that all relevant information is brought out. The most troubling aspect of the high court ruling is its approval for delaying the actual revocation hearing until after the parolee has been returned to prison. The court said a hearing two months after the parolee has been sent back is not unreasonable. The validity of a parole officer's effort to revoke parole thus doesn't have to be finally determined until weeks after a man has been forced to lose his job and separate from his family.

Justice William Douglas in a partial dissent declared that a parolee "is en-, titled to the freedom granted a parolee until the results of the hearing are known and the parole board or other authorized state agency acts." This seems to us more in accord with concepts of fair procedure than first sending a man back to prison and then deciding if he should be there. to Feuding They are such good yarns that they have kept the language of that remote period alive, and Icelanders still read them in the original. English-speakers generally have to have Chaucer and even the King James Bible translated into a more modern English. Readers of the gore-drenched sagas were able to take in stride the petty wranglings of Bobby Fischer and the echo from the Russian Chess Federation. With time come changes in the connotation of a family name, such as Rockefeller, or Gandhi.

Champaign-Vrbana (111.) Courier. Just think they recognize pickles for a whole week, but mothers for only one day. Belleville (Wis.) Recorder. lacrame is the hobby for the have-kwils. Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Excerpts from editorial comment in newspapers throughout the state. Urges Medal for Karl King (Fori Dodge Messenger) A Presidential Medal of Freedom has been recommended for Fort Dodge's late and great Karl L. King. Selection of honorees will be made by President Richard Nixon and a number of letters endorsing the nomination have already been sent to him. There should be hundreds more.

Dr. King died March 31, 1971, and the award would be a posthumous one recognizing his great contributions to the world of music. As one of his former band members (Loran L. Olson of Iowa City) pointed out in the nomination, King's music encompasses a cross section of America and is played by bands around the world. A humble man who never actively sought honors, he nevertheless won wide and lasting recognition through his great talents and hard work.

Dr. King loved his country and seized every opportunity to express that love and gratitude for the unparalleled blessings that he and other Americans enjoyed. Even in his years of failing health and weakness, he made it a special point to lead and direct his band at patriotic functions such as Flag Day programs, Veterans Day and Memorial Day parades. The award for which Dr. King has been nominated is the nation's highest for a civilian, instituted by President John F.

Kennedy to honor those who contribute significantly to the quality of American life. The Medal of Freedom would be an appropriate, richly deserved honor for the late Karl L. King. Helmet Requirement For Cyclists (Oelwein Register) Our news pages last week delivered tragic news of an Oelwein youth killed when the motorcycle he was driving collided with a pickup truck on Highway 150 south. The youth died from massive head injuries.

He was not wearing a protective headgear at the time of the accident. Iowa is one of six states not requiring cycle riders to wear protective helmets. The state's safety commissioner, Michael Sellers, has pushed for the law and urged the state to adopt the headgear, one of the federal government's 18 guidelines designed to help states keep highway money. If the state of Iowa, which has been drawing some nationwide attention on the reduction of traffic fatalities, is really interested in saving people's lives on the highways then there's no sensible excuse to delay the law of making cycle helmets mandatory. Helmets will do the same for cyclists that safety hells do in automobiles.

They're designed to cut down injuries and in some cases, reduce death lo injury. It should be a stale law that cycle riders are required to wear helmets. Says Carnival Games Were Real Education (Iowa Falls Citizen) Attorney General Richard Turner's opinion that the countless litlle "games" that are so much a part of county and state fairs and street carnivals are gambling leaves us with mixed emotions. We're all for uniform enforcement of the law and are pretty much against gambling no matter if it is in the form of betting on the horse races, gin rummy at the lodge hall, numbers rackets or a crap game in the alley. But when the Attorney General outlaws the midway games he's striking at the heart of something pretty basic to the American culture.

Of course, those games are gambling. For generations, Americans have been learning their lessons about gambling at the hands of the "carnies." Back in our "school' days you could "wise up" for just a few cents. Today, it may cost a dollar or two before the greenhorn at the gaming stand comes to realize that he's being taken for a sucker. But is that so bad? Richard Turner, you're going to deprive an entire generation of Americans of one facet of their education. Should Pick the Auditor's Auditor? (Cedar Rapids Gaielle) Who audits the.

state auditor when the state auditor is out busy auditing? That question arose at a recent meeting of the state executive council. It was answered by State Auditor Smith himself. He chose a certified public accountant to audit his office. Secretary of State Synhorst questioned the propriety of the auditor's selecting his own auditor. But the council went along, okaying Smith's selection.

It should be said for Smith that the auditor's office usually went unaudited like the insurance salesman with no insurance coverage before he took office. So it was Smith who started having his office audited, which seems to us to be quite proper, But to avoid any misunderstanding or suspicion of an interest-conflict, Smith would be wise to take the next step by withdrawing as a participant in the matter of determining who should audit hia office. Fairness in Revoking Parole the area in which he resides. The legislation is divided into two parts, la) firearms that is, handguns and rifles, and (b) shotguns. An applicant must produce a good reason for acquiring a firearm, such as active membership of a club approved for target shooting, or for sporting purposes on land considered suitable by the police.

He must provide adequate security for the weapon. He must be of good character. And there is a proviso concerning persons who have served terms of imprisonment. "Protection" No Reason It is significant that Ihe protection of person or property is not regarded as a valid reason. The certificate appliies to one specific weapon, and any additional firearms have to be applied for separately.

The age requirement is 17. By contrast, the law relating to shotguns, which was introduced in 1968, is little more than a registration system with a few inquiries made. Police are obliged to grant certificates to people of good character without let or hindrance. No details are recorded and no age limit applies. There are about 10,000 firearm certificates in London and 20,000 shotgun certificates.

Offenses committed by holders are few. No one could claim that the severity of this legislation is fully effective. It does, however, limit the number of firearms in circulation. Safe to Walk London Streets The most popular weapon is the sawed-plf shotgun, acquired with little difficulty and often used by bank robbers to fire into the ceiling to frighten staff and customers. About 20 men in London today are prepared to kill for a price.

The British public, even in this permissive age, are basically law-abiding, and one can still walk the streets of London at all hours of the day and night without fear. With the close police-public relationship there will never be need, it is hoped, to arm the British policeman. Some American authorities would undoubtedly like to copy the British pat-torn, but as long as the ownership of firearms is considered the inherent constitutional right of every American, state and city police forces are in a hopelessly vulnerable position. Who is prepared to make the first move? Christian Scienca Monitor News Servica intent. Each eligible family, they say, was furnished a list, but was told it could rent anywhere as far as 25 miles from their slum homes.

Some 33 out of 92 family heads reported that they had met some form of racial discrimination. This proportion is Roy Wilkins is executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. to be expected. There should, of course, be differences between 1932 and 1972 in the intensity and solidity of anti-Negro feelings. Blacks have a right to expect that things are not as bad as they were 40 years ago, but to expect that all will be love is unrealistic.

This explains the uneasiness of thoughtful blacks over the fact that these families, 85 per cent of whom are black, all settled in black or near-black neighborhoods. Today in South Africa, all non-white people must live outside the cities, and a 10 p.m. city curfew is in effect. Is the government of the United States quietly attempting to herd Negro Americans into certain areas? Is racial segregation in housing now a secret government policy? The NAACP annual convention in Detroit emphasized housing as a continuing critical need in the on-going crusade for equal opportunity. The Kansas City experiment suggests that government subsidies (carefully watched) may be one of the ways out of the racial turmoil that shoulders just below the surface of the black-white confrontations, ogen or subtle, in our cities.

Blacks Hopeful But Uneasy In New Rent Subsidy Plan The U.S. Supreme Court has found Iowa's parole revocation procedures to be deficient and has ruled that parolees have a constitutional right to a hearing when action is taken to revoke their paroles. Most states provide some sort of hearing in parole revocation cases. Iowa law is silent on the subject. The practice has been for the Board of Parole to revoke paroles on the declaration of the supervising parole officer that parole rules were violated.

Only after the parole is revoked and the man sent back to prison is a hearing of sorts provided by the board on its next visit to the institution. The Supreme Court declared that before a parolee can be sent back to prison there must be the equivalent of a preliminary hearing to determine whether there is probable cause or reasonable grounds to believe that the parolee has violated parole conditions. This hearing must be conducted by someone other than the supervising parole officer. The court said the parolee 's entitled to speak and present information in his own behalf and to confront and cross-examine witnesses, unless the hearing officer determines there is risk of harm in disclosing an informant's identity. The high court said the preliminary hearing has to be followed by a revocation hearing by the Board of Parole if probable cause to revoke the parole is found.

At the revocation hearing, the parolee can contest the state's facts as well as argue that the violation does not warrant revocation. The Supreme Court left the door open as to the choice of hearing officer at the preliminary hearing, except that it barred use of the parolee's parole officer. The high court said It would be per They're Used Iceland has only abotit 210.000 people in the whole country, not all of them chess fans. So no wonder Bobby Fischer with his dreams of gold resisted having his match with Boris Spassky there, and no wonder Iceland's Chess Federation had trouble meeting his successive demands. But to Iceland the match Is big stuff, and to Iceland's tourism industry the delays had their good side.

Iceland has spectacular scenery, a real live offshore volcano, many hot springs and geysers (the word "geysir" is Icelandic) and some great fishing, recreational as well as professional. Spassky went salmon fishing during the delay. Iceland is the saga country, where blood feuding was once the major national sport, and its splendid saga literature is largely devoted to grim factual accounts of the blood feuds of Viking davs. By Roy Wilkins ONE of the "Big Three" needs of the Negro community (the other two are employment and better schools) has been housing to fit the requirements of families. It does little good to place a e-bedroom family into a one-bedroom house.

Bad or inadequate I housing produces crime, racial antagonism and other evils. It was this fact which led the feder- al government to a small but highly suc cessful plan of providing direct rental subsidies to some 200 families in Kansas City. This selection of their own homes costs an average of $1,500 a family. Homes are rented in substantial but older districts. Renovation, often minor, sometimes major, is needed.

New multi-unit housing projects built at $25,000 per unit for this market frequently are poorly planned. Minimum maintenance is given. Crime and vandalism are rampant. Noise is constant and filth is ever-present. The recent demolishing of the relatively new Pruitt-Igoe housing project in St.

Louis illustrates the vulnerability of multi-unit projects to vandalism and crime. One aspect is certain to arouse the suspicions of the black community. Most of the 200 families moved into all-black or changing neighborhoods. Were they there not to "disturb" predominantly ivhite areas? The promoters deny tiro ROY WILKINS.