The Lowell Sun from Lowell, Massachusetts • Page 28

THE LOWELL SUN business November 18, 1970 Page 28J Beware of the perilous product By MILTON MOSKOWITZ If you're fond of horror stories, send $1.75 to the Government Printing Office in Washington, and get a copy of the final report of the National Commission on Product Safety. Issued earlier this year after two years of investigation, the report constitutes one of the most searing indictments ever maile of American industry. The Commission, which was appointed hy President Lyndon B. Johnson, examined the hazards we are exposed to from the use of consumer products. Some of its Mood curdling findings are these 1.

20 million Americans injured each year in the home "as a result of incidents connected with consumer products." Some 110,000 persons are permanently disabled. 30,000 are killed. 2. "The exposure of consumers to unreasonable consumer product hazards is excessive by any standard of measurement." 3. The following are products which showed a high incidence of hazards: Architectural glass, color TV sets, fireworks, floor furnaces, glass bottles, high rise bicycles, hot water vaporizers, household chemicals infant furniture, ladders, power tools, protective headgear, rotary lawn mowers, toys, unvented gas heaters and wringer washers.

THIS IS NOT TO SAY that every product in those categories is potentially dangerous but the Commission found that "only a few of the largest manufacturers" have coherent safety engineering programs." It found also that industry wide stand ards are next to useless. Take architectural glass, for example. persons walked through glass doors last year. If the doors had been safety glazed, most of the serious injuries would not have occurred. Only one state Washington requires safety glass in residential construction.

Or lake high rise bicycles, which have now taken over more than 70 per cent of the market, The Cornell Aeronautical Laboratory found tiiat the shorter wheelbase and smaller wheel size increased the hazard potential. These models were also found to account for a disproportionate share of bike accidents. Yet. the Commission reports that the manufacturers introduced this bike without paying much attention to "human engineering, possible misuse or crash studies." Some 140,000 persons were injured last year from the use of power mowers but the Commission found that one quarter of the 216 models it examined did not comply with the industry's own standards, which are themselves insufficient to protect consumers. The industry admitted to the Commission that ils standards were inadequate and that "there is no check on compliance" and "no penalty for noncompliance." CAN YOU GO TO COURT to sue manufacturer for a product related injury? The Commission points out that such an action is beyond the means of most citizens, with Ihe result that most injuries to consumers go uncompensated.

"Small wonder," says the Commission, "that some manufacturers do not even respond to letters claiming compensation for injuries: They know that more than two thirds will never pursue the claim." So what can be done? In the absence of any possible protection from the courts or the manufacturers, the Commission recommended federal regulation as the only alternative. It asked Congress to enact a Consumer Product Safety Act, and it urged the establishment of a Consumer Product Safety Commission. It also suggested that the President appoint a Consumer Safety Advocate to represent consumer interests. The Commission turned in its final report last June. Action so far: Zero.

Resume Mohawk bargaining UTICA, N. Y. (UPI) Mohawk Airlines and striking pilots return to the bargaining table together today for the first time in six days. "As long as we're meeting, there's hope," a company spokesman said. Capt.

Robert Lewis of the Air Line Pilots Association said the union was "looking forward to a productive session." Company and union officials met separately Tuesday with C. Robert Roddley of the National Mediation Board. Only non financial issues, such as fringe benefits and working conditions remained unsolved. The firm's 396 pilots, who currently earn between 510,000 and $35,000 annually, walked off their jobs at 12:01 a. m.

last Thursday, forcing the suspension of all Mohawk 400 daily flights and the layoff of 2,500 other airline employees. Bay State unemployment up BOSTON fUPI) Unemployment in Massachusetts during October rose to 6.3 per cent, an increase of two tenths of one per cent. The state Division of Employment Security said Tuesday the 138,400 jobless workers in October, however, was actually 1,100 fewer than were out of work in September. The rate is seasonally adjusted. Six of the state's eight major urban t.rs remained above the 6 per cent level, making them officially "dislressed areas," the agency said.

They were Fall River, New Bedford, Brockton, Lowell, the Lawrence Haverhill and Springfield Chicopee Holyoke areas. Boston and Worcester remained below 5 per cent. Exact city by city figures were unavailable, the division said. Industrial production way down By BILL NEIK1RK Associated Press Wrllcr WASHINGTON (AP) The worst monthly drop in industrial production in mare than a decade has dimmed Nixon administration hopes that Ihe economy is snapping back and moving toward recovery. Seasonally adjusted figures released Tuesday show the industrial production index in October fell 2.3 per cent, the most since August 1959 wlien there was a nationwide steel strike.

The index is down 5.3 per cent from October, 1869. Half of October's percentage decline was blamed on the auto workers' strike against General Motors' and its depressing effect on industrial output. Tentative agreement has since been reached but GM is stilt struggling to resume production. But, strike or no strike, the drop in the important economic indicator still would have been large, the Federal Reserve Board said. Tight import quota opponents move to rewrite trade act By JIM ADAMS Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) Opponents of tighter import quotas mounted an offensive today to rewrite the proposed Trade Act of 1970 on the House floor in spite of leadership's take it or leave it ruling.

Rep. Charles A. Vanik, DOhio, said free irade Forces could muster 150 votes to kill a rule under which the bill must be vated up or down without change. But that would be far short of the required majority if anywhere near all the 131 House members show up for today's important debate. And the bill's floor manager, Ways and Means Chairman Wilbur Mills, has indicated he will pull it off the floor rather than open il to what he says could be wholesale, hastily voted revision.

THE bill would shrink allowable imports of textiles, footwear, apparel and other items, freeze the present executive ordered oil import' quotas into law and set up a formula for imposing automatic quotas on other products, subject to presidential vela. A House vote on the bill which the State Department opposes as invi'ine passible "trade war" retaliation abroad is expected Thursday. Passage is expected. It then goes to the Senate. Mills contends the bill emphasizes negotiation with foreign importers and sets quotas only on low priced foreign goods that, directly threaten competing U.S.

industries. But Rep. Sam M. Gibbons, Fla charged the bill is a conglomeration of quotas for congressmen representing districts with industries that want to curb foreign competition, "This is put together as a very careful package," Gibbons said, "to get the textile votes, ihe footwear votes, the furskin otes, the glycerine votes and put them all in the same boat and tell them not to reck Those are some specific items on which foreign import quotas would be cut to 1967 69 levels import cuts up to anc tnird trie present imports in some cases, according to trade sources. The new quotas could he increased a maximum 5 per cent a year.

THE bill also would keep the present quofa system for oil imports, prohibiting transition to a less restrictive tariff system on foreign oil. And it would also set up a formula for imposing automatic quotas on other products deemed injurious to U.S. markets, although the President could refuse to set such quotas "in the national interest." Federal Reserve Board member Andrew F. Brimmer has estimated the quotas by 1975 would cost U.S. consumers $3.7 billion a year in higher prices for textiles and footwear.

The Commerce Department, which supports the bill, contests Brimmer's figure. Stanley Nehmer, deputy assistant secretary of Commerce, said today Brimmer's solution for the economic problems ol the textile industry adjustment assistance would cost much more. Nehmer. in remarks for the National Association of Wool Manufacturers, said Brimmer's projections fail to fake into account that some imports will be exempted from the proposed controls. By A.

F. MAHAN Associated Press Writer DETROIT (AP) One major hurdle to a return to production by General Motors Corp, a contract agreement al a key body stamping plant has been cleared. But the chances of get ling the wheels moving again by Dec. I Lpcar slim. A highly placed GM source conceded this and Said full production may be as far away as Dec.

15 or later. GM has been closed by a nationwide strike which has idled 394,000 workers for nine weeks, A NEW national contract, which eventually would raise the average production workers' annual wage to between and 13,000, has been agreed upon and Is being submitted to ratification. Through Tuesday, all 26 union locals that had voted on the pact had expressed overwhelming approval. But all 155 GM UAW bargaining units were authorized to continue striking until they have new local agreements U) supplement the national contract, and 57 plants are still without such settlements. GM lists 54 key plants as vital lo a resumption of full operations, but sources say there IT WAS the third straight monthly decline in the index, a disappointment to administration officials who have been frying to carry out a strategy of gradual economic recovery.

A spokesman for President Nixon's Council of Economic Advisers said the decline was a "negative" development but not surpiising in view of the auio strike. But the Federal Reserve; Soard said it blamed "further curtailments in output of con Big season for scallops Lester Eldridge clambers on doclt at Mada Icet Harbor in Nantucke Island as William Maddin steers deeply laden scallop boat. Bushel bags of scallops are piled up on dock as island enjoys a bonanza season. The daily limit is six bushels to a license holder. Scollop fever hits Nontuckef os bonanza season opens By DON GUV Associated Press Writer NANTUCKET (AP) Scallop ever has hit this onetime whaling island, and il looks like a bonanza season.

The lasty, jet propelled shellfish arc bringing $13 to $13.50 a gallon wholesale. Descendants of the whalers are malting four hour, not four year, voyages and catching their limit of six bushels before noon. Women's liberation came to Nantucket and other coastal towns years ago so far as scalloping is concerned. A wife aboard a scallop boat also is entitled to a catch of six bushels daily. "Many husbands and wives take vacations in the scallop season and make a pretty tidy living," says shellfish warden Allen Holdgate.

A bushel catch yields about a gallon, but don't slarl muliplyiug six limes and won dering when the next steamer leaves for Nantucket. "Every bushel has to be shucked out; a bushel takes abuut an hour, and if you don't are two facilities which are essential lo starting up in any volume. One, a Fisher Body Division plant at Willow Springs, 111., near Chicago, reached tentative settlement late Tuesday. The second, a Fisher plant in Mansfield, Ohio, is still without an agreement. Both plants produce body stampings for all GM automotive divisions.

OF the other 5Z key plants, nine are without agreements. So are nine of 24 car and truck assembly plants. The UAW international has ordered all locals to complete ratification votes hy Friday. The UAW has said it will report on the ratification vote by Saturday, If the contract is adopted it will take effect next Monday. Subtracting Thanksgiving and two Sundays and Saturdays remaining in the month leaves only five working days in November.

GM has estimated it will take up to two to, get the far flung corxralion hack to full production after everyone is ready lo return to work, which could push the start up dale back to Dec. 15. do it yourself the going rate is about $3 a bushel," Holdgate says. YOU also need to invest about in small boat, motor and six or seven dredges, and have the fortitude to withstand cold spray and biting winds. You have to be a resident six months to be eligible for a license, which costs $5.

There are about 200 license holders. Charley Davis, one of three buyers on the island, says, "A hard worker could clear up to SB.OOD before the season ends in March." Stormy weather, ice and the depletion of scallop beds all limit the possible catch. Davis says the scallops this year appear to be firm and not a bit "slunky." "Slunky" is a Nantucket word meaning "soft and flabby." Scallops start to get "slunky" when they are more 2 years old. The best scallops at this season are about Vh. years old, having started as "seed" in the spring of 1969.

Most scalloping is done in the shallow waters of Nantucket and Madaket harbors. Stolen bonds figure in gambling casino BALTIMORE, Md. (AP) A Baltimore real estate speculator, Joseph Schwartz, became involved in a West Indies gambling casino scheme in which some stolen bonds figured, a U.S. District Court was told Tuesday in the opening of trial of five men charged with transportation of stolen bonds. Paul R.

Kramer, deputy U.S. attorney, Said Schwartz got into the scheme after he lost on a gambling junket to England. THE CASE INVOLVED an alleged operation which resulted in the illegal transportation of about $600,000 worth of securities stolen from New York investment houses two years ago. Federal Judge Edward S. Northrop said he would issue a bench warrant for one defendant, Joseph A.

Lamattina, 40, of Boston, who again failed to appear for trial. Proceedings had been delayed Monday when Lamattina, also known as Joe Black, failed to appear. An attorney said colli days Major hurdle cleared in General Motors progress he felt his client was on his way lo Baltimore. Appearing were the other four defendants: Carlo Mastrototoro, 50, of Worcester, Alfred M. Sarno, 52, of Revere, John A.

Hirschfeld, 41, of Beverly and Jack Mace, 65, of New York. One of the defendants originally indicted in the case Daniel F. Mondavano, 41, of Boston, pleaded guilty last Friday, and another, Robert L. Cardillo, got a separate trial. KRAMER IN opening statements Tuesday charged that Mace furnished the bonds that were brought to Baltimore for cashing.

Arrangements were made with Mondavano to collect the money from Schwartz and Stuart Harris, a young associate, Kramer said. The prosecutor identified the defendants as belonging to the Esquire Sports Club, a Boston business firm which arranged gambling junkets and also was a business front for illegal operations. Kramer said Mondavano was simply a runner for Vincent Teresa, convicted earlier, and that Mace, also known as Jacob Maislich, furnished the bonds from his fencing operations which handled stolen goods in New York. The hot securities were part of a $1.1 million theft from three New York brokerage firms between February and May of 1968, Teresa originally got a 20 year sentence in the case, but it was reduced to five years and he is expected to be a key government witness. Hearing scheduled over Epicure restaurant assets LOWELL A hearing is scheduled to be held next week in Boston District Court concerning the assets of the bankrupt Epicure Restaurant of Kyvos Enterprises, Inc.

A pelition has been filed at the court calling for leave lo sell assets at public or private sale of the restaurant located at 75 Central Street which closed its doors several weeks ago. The assets include, the real estate, land and building, along with personal properly consisting of furniture, fixtures, inventory oj food and liquor. Any objections to the allowance of the petition specifying the grounds of objections must be tiled at the U.S. Post Office and Cowl house in Boston on or before the morning of Nov. 27.

sumcr durable goods other than antes, business and defense equipment and industrial materials." Since early in the year, Nixon administration economists have predicted the economy would pick up in the fall. In recent weeks, some have said the upturn is already at hand. Although not. considered the broadest measure of the economy's performance, industrial production is a key indicator in gauging output. In October, the index fell to 152.3 the 1957 59 average, the hast period for which it is figured.

It was Ihe lowest index figure since January 1968. September's index stood at 166.1, Industries produced more Lelevisiuii sets in October but output of most other hosschold goods declined, the board said. "Production of industrial, commercial, and freight and passenger equipment was reduced further," it said. "Among materials, output of steel, consfruclinn materials, paper and soinB chemical and rubber products was down." Maynard firm petitions FTC for adjustment aid WASHINGTON BUREAU FROM THE SUN'S WASHINGTON Tiie Federal Trade Commission yesterday agreed to investigate a petition for adjustment assistance filed by a Maynard manufacturer of electronic equipment. H.

H. Scull, Inc. of Maynard had petitioned the FTC for adjustment assistance as a result of increased quantities of products, competitive with those manufactured by the firm, being imported as a result of concessions granted under trade agreements. The FTC agreed yesterday to investigate the firm's petition and determine whether, as a result in major pari concessions granted under trade agreement, articles Jike ur directly competitive with the loudspeakers, audio frequency electric amplifiers, radio receivers, and radio phonograph combinations of Ihe kind produced by H. H.

Scott are being imported intD tile United States in such increased quantities as to cause, or threaten to cause, serious injury to Ihe firm. Firms declared eligible for adjustment assistance receive certain federal benefits under the Trade Expansion Act of 39(52. Most recently several Massachusetts shoe manufacturers have applied for adjustment assistance benefits, Four general types of successful money managers By RICHARD PUTNAM PRATT Sun Special Correspondent It's generally conceded that the purse is apt to generate more family quarrels than either a husband's roving eye or Ids wife's bum house There is something about money and the handling of it that can strike many a spark in even the most peaceable of households. The young and optimistic lend to think that the solution lies in more loot. The more experienced have already learned that nirvana is always one step ahead of tha paymaster.

Living comfortably within one's income is an art that takes time to acquire, But a good start according to otic counselor who has helped hundreds through financial muddles is a money handling system thaL suits the personalities of those who use it. HE THINKS THERE are four general types of successful money managers; The President This guy handles the household like a corporation. He is an advocate of the father knows best school ol home money management. He invokes the 19th century prerogative and handles all the money himself. He deposits the paycheck in his checking account, writes checks for major household expenditures, and hands out grocery money to his wife in weekly lumps.

He avoids arguments over money by refusing to discuss money. He considers himself fair, but he is also intractable. The Bookkeeper In his household, financial democracy prevails. Everybody but the family cat has a bank account, The bookkeeper has his own master account in which he deposits his pay check. He then writes a check So cover groceries and household expenses and deposits it in his wife's checking account.

He issues similar drafts for each child's allowance. Checks for major expenditures such as mortgage payments, insurance premiums and the like are written on the master account. Only the pettiest of petly cash goes unrecorded. The Coward The coward simply abdicates all financial responsibility, turning all money matters over to his wile. By accepting this arrangement, the wife then assumes the role of president (see above.

She collects the pay check, pays the bills, keeps track of the checking account, computes and pays Ihe income taxes and doles out lunch money and allowances as required. TIIE COMPROMISER The compromiser attempts to combine elements from the three foregoing classifications. In doing so, he man ages to muddle through, but just barely. He keeps a checking account, bul deposits only a part of each pay check, keeping a suable amount of cash in his pocket. Both he and his wife write checks against the account, with an occasional overdraft.

She asked him for cash when she needs it. If he has it, he gives it to her, "Who handles the money, and how, is not the most important point," according to our adviser. "What is important is thai either the husband or the wife assume responsibility and that both understand ami accept the arrangement. A joint checking account is like the family car; hoth partners cafi drive it, bul it's up to one to keep the lank full and make sure that it's serviced, licensed and insured.".