The Times from San Mateo, California • Page 23

Page 20 Friday, Feb. 6, 1959 Let the People Decide Last November, when a proposal for a "fair employment practices" ordinance for San Mateo was advanced by a group of well-meaning citizens, The Times took occasion to editorially comment thereon and said, in part: "If fair employment practice laws are needed, let us, by all means, have them. But this should be up to the people--preferably on the state level. City councils were not constituted for legislating in the broad field of human relationships and they should decline to do so. If the proponents of the FEP law insist upon a decision at a local level, then the council should let that decision be made by the people.

"They may rely upon the people for fairness." Subsequently, last month, The Times again cautioned against hasty action on this measure, particularly since California's new Governor had made it plain that he concurred with The Times' opinion that the issue would be dealt with at the state level. Nothing has since been adduced to change these previously expressed opinions of The Times. The Times would be remiss in its duty to the public, therefore, if it did not now reiterate that the decision on a local FEP law properly belongs to the people. Accordingly, it proposes to the members of the council that they submit the issue to the voters of the city at the municipal election on April 17. The cost of adding such an election to the city ballot would be small, indeed, compared to the expense of a special election if petitions forced a referendum on the council.

This latter action would be the only recourse of the people if the council persisted in ignoring their right to make the decision. As a matter of reason, it would appear that the council should welcome a public vote as a method of escaping the pressure that has been exerted upon the individual councilmen by this highly controversial issue. All those who are genuinely concerned about fairness will readily recognize that public vote is the fairest method of determining what the people of the city believe to be fairness in employment practices. Those who would dispute this lay their own motivations open to question. The situation at the moment is confused.

The city attorney has been charged with the well-nigh impossible task of drafting an ordinance for fair employment practices that will please everyone. Obviously, he cannot prepare a law that will satisfy the widely divergent views of proponents of the law let alone those who are opposed to it. Some members of the council seem to have committed themselves in advance -to voting for this as yet unpromulgated ordinance, however it may read, and this is a completely unjustifiable position. In any case it would be most improper for the council to act upon the measure without first subjecting the final language to public hearings. The method of resolving all this is simple.

It is only necessary to prepare an ordinance that the council is willing to submit to the voters and allow the voters to make the final choice of whether it is needed for the welfare of the city as a whole. Let the people decide. Many Happy Returns Congratulations, or whatever the Norwegian word for it is. to Bernt Morterud and his twiu brother Gulbrand, both born in Odalen, Norway, who were 100 years old-each--the other day. That interesting publication of the Norwegian Information Service, "News of Norway," reports this double centenary simply and with restraint.

For twins to live so long occurs only once in a billion births, the publication reveals. It records that Bernt now lives in Chicago, makes violins as a hobby and is still an avid reader of Norwegian classics. His brother Gulbrand remained in Odalen, Norway. But what about those classic questions demanded of the elderly in most interviews--the effect of liquor or tobacco (or both) on their longevity? Which, if either, the gay blade with the bottle? Is one a pack-a-day man or does he smoke a clay pipe before breakfast, while the other twin abhors the weed? There was no such nonsense in "News of Norway." No sober moral to be drawn, no object lesson on the respective delights or evils of smoking or not smoking, drinking or not drinking. It's better that way.

One of the compensations of old age should be the privilege of saying nothing about one's habits. Let's Explore Your Mind By Slyvanus M. Duvall, Ph.D and Evelyn M. Duvall, Pb.D total persons, they would be far better off themselves, they would be better friends and neighbors, and the world would be a better place. Branding a kid "delinquent" only makes him tougher! It certainly might! Chicago's ex-Sheriff Joseph D.

Lohman, reminds us, "The young offender carries back to his community the brand of an experience that will remain with him permanently. His experience makes him sure of only one thing: that he is somehow different from, and worse than, other youngsters. This opinion is dramatized for him by the whole range of law enforcement, detention, and ju- dical procedures that he has undergone. On his return to the community this new view of himself is reflected not only in the eyes of the adults but also in the eyes of young people his own age." RIGHT LEONARD LYONS TWEEDY Welles Subs For Robeson by Ned Throttle-Happy Cab Driver DREW PEARSON Analysis of Missile Testimony by McElroy WASHINGTON Secretary of Defense Neil McElroy is one of the most likable members of the Eisenhower cabinet. He is also one of the most loyal.

A big businessman who once sold soap to millions, McElroy has always taken time out to help his fellow men. Before he entered the cabinet, he served as chairman of the National Education conference and served well. In the cabinet, he still takes time to help raise money for educational projects. As secretary of defense, however, he has been given a budget to defend, and whether he likes it or not he has to defend it. That is part of loyalty to the team.

That also explains why the public has been given such a confused picture of our defenses. On January 22, for instance, Secretary McElroy informed a press conference that there was "no positive evidence" that Russia will have an operational ICBM before the United States. He gave the impression that our missile position was safe and secure. One week later, January 29, when heckled by senators, the same secretary of defense admitted that the United States did not plan to match missiles with Russia, had no plans for catching up. He was still being loyal to Ike.

But this time he was under oath and hardpressed by senators. Ever since then, the chanceries of West Europe have been analyzing every word McElroy said, Their safety as allies of the United States depends on the strength of the United States and the chanceries of East Europe have also been analyzing McElroy's words, because their ability to bluff, bargain, out-trade the United States depends on the strength of the United States. COLD IMPARTIAL LOOK Since Europe is getting a careful look at the true American defense picture, the American people have a right to the same cold and impartial look. Here are the highlights: The most important Eisenhower moves Secretary McElroy RAY TUCKER was asked by senators to explain were: 1. A cutback in the missile program by $602,000,000 for the coming fiscal year, despite the fact that Russia is ahead.

2. Failure to use more than 25 per cent of the $1,130,000,000 which congress voted the administration for the Minute Man, Polaris, and other vital projects. The argument used by the big, lumbering, very pleasant secretary of defense from Cincinnati, was that we didn't want to put all our eggs in one weapons basket. Admitting that Russia had more ICBM's, he pointed out that we had some other weapons to offset them. He mentioned the following, but at the same time failed to mention the fact that some of them don't yet exist: 1.

The Minute Man This will be an excellent solid-propellant- missile which will not require the cumbersome, time-consuming countdown necessary for liquid-fueled missiles. However, it will not be operational for about five years. Furthermore, this missile was one for which congress appropriated additional money which the administratioji refused to use. Thus, while McElroy was boosting the importance of the Minute Man to the senators, he was curtailing money for developing the Minute Man. 2.

The IRBM or Intermediate Range Missile The secretary of defense said we had IRBM's stationed in England and said this was one reason we didn't need to spend so much on ICBM's, or long-range missiles. However, we have only two dozen IRBM's in England, and at the end of the year will have only about 75. In contrast, Russia is estimated to have 750. 3. The Polaris McElroy cited this missile-firing sub as one reason for not needing more ICBM's.

Yet, the first Polaris will not be ready until late 1960. Meanwhile Russia has 100 missile-firing submarines which can fire missiles from under water for a range of 750 miles. They could lie off the coast and hit Birmingham, Cleveland, Pitts- burgh, other key cities. In contrast the United States has only five missile-firing subs, none are the Polaris type. must fire their missiles, the winged, air- breathing Regulus, from the surface.

Yet the administration declined to use the extra money voted by congress for the Polaris. 4. U. S. Bomberi McElroy argued that our bombers were a deterrent and this was one reason we hadn't pushed ahead with ICBM's.

Russia, however, has bombers too. She has a total of around 18,000 to 20,000 combat planes of all types, while we have only 13,000 of all types. We have more medium-range bombers, Russia probably more long- range bombers. t. Faulty Figures on ICBM'l Finally, the loyal secretary of defense testified that the United States would have a squadron of ICBM's operational in July.

There are 10 ICBM's in a squadron. This, however, was just not true. And both senators and newspapermen covering military matters knew it was not true. They knew we would have a squadron of ICBM's ready only in January 1960, by which time unfortunately one part of their guidance system will be out of date. Later Secretary McElroy was man enough to correct his statement.

He said the squadron of 10 ICBM's would not be ready in July. Another point he overlooked is that the IRBM or medium- range missile which we are now making will be scrapped after 200 are produced. Being liquid- fueled, they are both cumbersome to fire and awkward to hide. Furthermore, so many NATO countries are following the example of the aloof General De Gaulle, that we are having trouble getting bases for them in Europe. That was hie confused and conflicting testimony of the very loyal secretary of defense testimony that was carefully analyzed in Europe and which the American people need to analyze too.

Anti-Trust Laws Undergo Thorough Check False, The so-called "Selfish" person is usually not i i of himself as a total person, but only of seme part of himself. He may be thinking of his stomach, or his sex desires, or of his pride, or his desire for money. If more people thought of themselves as WASHINGTON The antitrust laws are now undergoing a thorough re-examination by congress and the Justice department in a joint effort to make them a more effective weapon against the persistent and alarming increase in the cost of living. As of today, it is generally admitted that these statutes have failed completely in their basic purpose. They were enacted originally in order to prevent monopolies from becoming so strong that they could rig prices without regard to cost factors or the laws of supply and demand.

They were designed to prevent concentrations of power" that threatened to overshadow the government itself. In the days of romantic liberalism at the turn of the century, the antimonopoly movement was ex" pected to save small, independent factories and business ven- turies from destructive competition by titanic "trusts." OBJECTIVES UNREALIZED As numerous congressional studies have shown, none of these idealistic'or bread-and-butter objectives has been realized. Three great and efficiently managed companies control the automobile market, selling about 90 per cent of the cars on the road. Although they do not conspire illegally to fix prices at a certain level, the lack of an effective competition enables them to achieve the same effect. The same situation obtains in almost every key industry -steel, coal, machinery, railroads, aircraft, clothing, food, household goods, paints, glass, etc.

only a few firms dominating each market, they can and do prevent the public from enjoying the benefits of rivalry and competition. Former Attorney-General Herbert Brownell once toyed with the thought of breaking up these economic units, even though they had attained their semi-monopolistic status by legal means. He referred specifically to the automobile industry, but his theory was applicable to other fields. Politico economic pressure forced him to abandon the idea. PRICES STILL RISE The Supreme Court forced the du Font interests to dispose of their holdings in General Motors more than a year ago.

It was a classic and dramatic use of the antitrust weapon against two industrial giants, and was so recognized. But the prices of the two companies' products have continued to rise. The government's legal victory in the courtroom did not save a nickel for the consumers in the market. Victor R. Hansen appears to recognize the inadequacy of the antitrust laws, as interpreted and enforced in the past, to have a helpful, pocketbook effect on As head of the Federal Antitrust division, he plans to invade and attack "those areas of the economy which most significantly affect the cost of living." He will investigate operations from the manufacturing to the retailing of many everyday products.

USE CLAYTON AMENDMENT "Our objectives," he says, "is to insure price flexibility and avoid rigged price rises. The antitrust laws should be another weapon in the administration's over-all effort to control inflation and to insure reasonable price stability." Hansen says that he will have a good chance of success if congress approves a 10 per cent increase in his appropriations. It will enable him to add 20 lawyers to his undermanned antitrust division. He plans other enforcement innovations. He will utilize the Antitrust act to prosecute racketeers, whose shakedowns and sabotage contribute to prices that make it possible for merchants to pay this illegal tribute.

He will resort to the Clayton rather than to the Sherman act to break up or block price- gouging "concentratiins of power" and so-called "administered prices." Under the a amendment, he can prevent a merger in advance, even though there Is no substantial proof that It would stifle competition Orson Welles has been asked to play "Othello" at Stratford- on-Avon, in place of Paul Robeson, who is in a Moscow hospital. The "cold" from which Robeson was reported to be suffering was a heart attack. Welles suggested Mary Scott, Cedric Hardwicke's wife, as his Desdemona Lady Adele Beatty, who told the press she was off to Nassau, is in. Manhattan Benny Goodman is conferring with Gian-Carlo Menotti about playing at Spoleto and in Moscow. A 360,000 carat opal will be sold to a Union square store.

It weighs over 135 Ibs. and is valued at $2 million Victor Borge will do 35 consecutive one- night stands, starting March 10 Judge Samuel Leibowitz testifying on juvenile crime before a senate subcommittee at the Federal building Judge Leibowitz, whose home has been burglarized six times, at last has installed an electric burglar- alarm to protect the house. Satchel Paige was signed for a cowboy role in "The Wonderful Life," the movie produced by Chester Erskine in Durango, Mexico. The famed baseball pitcher never had ridden a horse but learned after one lesson He gave his age as "over 29, because past 29 is the dangerous age." When Paige was told he'd need a copy of his birth certificate to cross into Mexico, Satchel replied "Why? Everybody knows that Satchel Paige was born." KINGFISH FOR DINNER The kingfish served at dinner to the hotel guests in Andros was from a 50-poonder caught by Dag Hammarskjold. He also caught a barracuda Because of Raymond Massey's long career portraying Lincoln, his fellow-actors in "J.B." will give him a "birthday" party Feb.

12 The Book-of-the-Month club's June selections will be Elizabeth Janeway's novel, "The Third Choice," and James Thurber's book about Harold Ross of the New Yorker. Christopher Isherwood, the poet-novelist and author of "I Am a Camera," was discussing the number of writers who have worked with adaptations of his stories. He has collaborated with Aldous Huxley, W. H. Auden, John Van Druten and others.

"It could be," said Isherwood, "that I am the greatest collaborator since Marshall Petain." When Mickey Rooney was asked about the shootings and violence in his newest movie, "The Last Mile," he shrugged "All I can say is that 'Andy Hardy' was never like this." Dolores del Rio may do Tennessee Williams' "Sweet Birth of Youth" in Mexico City South Dakota's house of representatives just killed its senate bill requiring a skull-and-crossbones emblem on all cigarettes. The idea came from one of the brilliant sketches at the Upstairs at the Downstairs. The cast of Lindsay and Grouse's "Tall Story" includes Joyce Beulifant, daughter-in-law of Helen Hayes; Sherry LaFollette, granddaughter of the late senator; Janet Fox, niece of Edna Ferber; Charles Robinson whose father wrote "Sailor Nina Wilcox, niece of Jed Harris; and Robert Elston, who plays the basketball star, is' Georgia Sothern's nephew. Russel Crouse said "In our play we've got relatives of everybody except Aaron Burr." SHED REAL TEARS Anne Bancroft sheds real tears at each second-act curtain of "Two for the Seesaw." She produces the tears, she says, by first humming "Wayfarin' Stranger" to The UJA will iv veal the generosity of Jack Benny, the self-styled scrooge, but guest-of-honor at its inaugural conference meeting in. Miami Beach Feb.

7 There is a threatened strike against "Middle of the Night" because Delbert Mann, directing the film in New York, belongs to the Screen Directors Guild West and not East. The frail Baroness Blixen -who is the distinguished writer, Isak Dinesen attended two Broadway first-nights last Sunday night. She also agreed to speak at the dinner meeting of the National Institute of Arts and Letters. She said she could not eat the usual dinner provided for the members but would stick to her diet of oysters, white grapes and champagne. She weighs 63 pounds At the dinner she had one oyster but took the peas, peach melba and coffee.

Alfred de Liagre the producer, submitted to surgery at the Manhattan Eye and Ear hospital The press agent for "Les a Africaine" is screaming because the sponsors cut "The Mating of the Coconut" ballet from the New York run At Sally Ann Howes' final performance as Liza in "My Fair Lady" last Saturday night, the cast planted a shrunken in her teacup during the Ascot scene. Another surprise was the appearance of her husband, Dick Adler, in the ballroom scene. Leon Henderson, the former price administrator, has become chairman of the board of financial public relations. He was at the Habana-Hilton in Cuba the day Castro arrived. It was Henderson who heard Castro say, in the hotel lobby, "200,000 gringos will die." He repeated it to Itew York "What do you mean, they won't come out?" INSIDE SACRAMENTO Strange Alliances in Fight Over Brown's Tax Program By CASPAR WEINBERGER Governor Brown's $256,000,000 tax program has naturally resulted in strong opposition to each of the separate parts of the big revenue package.

But while the opponents normally strongly oppose each other, there is talk of strange alliances now being formed in Sacramento. Of course the labor unions reacted as sharply to Brown's recommendation for a 3-cent a pack tax on cigarettes and an increase from 2 to 7 cents a gallon tax on beer as they did to Gov. Knight's similar proposals in 1955. The oil industry, if somewhat less vocal, is no less vigorously fighting the governor's recommendation of the so-called severance tax of 2 per cent of the gross value of petroleum products as they are taken from the well. Thus far not much has been heard from the insurance companies from whom it is proposed to require tax payment six months sooner than usual.

However, representatives of corporations and many who fought Prop- position No. 17 are outspoken in their opposition to proposed increases in corporate taxes and against those with higher personal incomes from whom the capital for new businesses must come. RACETRACK OPPOSITION Finally, the race track owners see no reason why they should ask their patrons and stockholders to let the state have an additional 12V4 million dollars a year. Labor, which will of course be joined by the cigarette and beer lobbies in fighting the tax on their products, normally would support the proposed tax increases for corporations and higher bracket individuals, and the oil severance tax. However, at least a few times in the past, labor has found itself joining the oil lobby and various other industry advocates to their mutual advantage.

And herein lies one of the reasons why many who have followed the Sacramento scene closely for years, are reluctant to predict success for Brown's new taxes, despite his top-heavy majorities in both houses of the legislature. The shifting alliances between lobbies representing widely differing groups has long made it difficult to say flatly that certain interest groups will behave as might be expected from their programs or the speeches of their advocates. When legislators agree with each other "to vote for your bill if you'll vote for mine," it is widely denounced as logrolling, or even backscratching. No term has yet been coined for the practice when indulged in by lobbyists, but the effect is usually more far-reaching. LOBBYISTS FIGHT TAXES In 1955 not only the cigarette and beer industries joined labor in fighting the Knight tax proposals of that year, but most business organizations also were persuaded to ally themselves in that fight by the cry, "No ney taxes." Now, it is reported, many usually conservative a a groups and employer organizations, are considering favoring at least the cigarette and beer tax proposals of this administration.

If they do, labor would undoubtedly support the proposed higher corporate and personal income taxation, and the governor's program actually would thus be strengthened by some of his opponents. But it seems more likely that all of these opponents will join in a loose coalition united by the motto "No new taxes while there are reserves left." FAIR LOBBY, TOO Oddly enough such a strategic group could even be joined by the Fair lobby, one of the biggest of all, for their special Fair fund is threatened by the budget. The Fair people could then expect support from all the others for keeping the Fair and Exposition Fund intact. As with his water proposals, the success of Governor Brown's tax program will depend on the kind and strength of the leadership he exerts. He has unrivaled opportunities, in the size of his Democratic majorities in the legislature.

But many of those Democratic members owe, or feel they owe, their election to labor, or other interests. If the governor can. produce the kind of leadership he promised, his tax program will be enacted. Otherwise the fruit of the strange coalitions now being formed may be a demonstration that a group of special interests is far stronger than governor with a million vote majority and an army of nominal legislative supporters. Junior Editors Quiz About- ANIMALS QUESTION: How may times can a kangaroo jump in a mile? ANSWER: Into on how fast the kangaroo to cover the mile, of course.

With his huge hind legs, be is a powerful jumper. He can take little Jumps or he can Jump several times his own size. Kangaroos range in size from two to eight feet, but most of them are about seven feet in height. a 7-foot kangaroo takes jumps only his own size, be could cover the mile in 755 jumps. If he jumps three times his size, he could make it in only 248 jumps.

Be probably couldn't keep op this pace' for very long, but yon can get an idea of bow quickly be can travel when be needs to. FOR YOU TO DO: How many Jumps would it take yon to cover a mile? Measure off 12 feet, then see how many it you to cover it. Start with your feet together and don't take any run. Divide the number of hops into 12 and. you will have the average size of your jumps.

Now divide the size of the hop-two feet, perhaps --into 5,280 feet and you have your answer (The $10 award for today's question goes to eight-year-old Gary Krieger of Council Bluffs, Iowa. Mall your question on a postcard to Violet Moore Biggins, AP Newsfeatures, in care of.