The Lowell Sun from Lowell, Massachusetts • Page 49

Many Pakistan flood victims died needlessly By JACK ANDERSON WASHINGTON On the night of November 12, 1970, a tropicHl hurricane roared out of the Bay of Bengal and smashed into the low lying coast of east Pakistan. No one will ever know for certain haw many cJied that night, but the best estimates range from 300,000 up. It was the worst natural catastrophe of the century, one of the worst in all recorded history We have documentary evidence that most of those victims died needlessly through an incredible combination of inefficiency, procrastination and downright neglect on the part of Pakistani government officials. Detailed recommendations for a complete early warning and survival system, laid down by an American who is regarded as the world's foremost hurricane authority, have been gathering dust in the government files at Karachi for nearly 10 years. Those recommendations were never carried out to any meaningful extent, and the half way measures that were put into effect lailed disastrously on the night of the storm.

This indictment inevitably will be challenged by the Pakistani officials involved. So be it. But the proof lies in a 63 page report submitted in April, 1961, to the government of East Pakistan by Dr. Gordon E. Dunn, who at the time, director of the U.S.

Weather Bureau's hurricane warning center in Miami, Fla. Dr. Dunn retired in 1968 after a long and distinguished career that won him the affectionate title of Mr, Hurricane" to meteorologists around the world. His recommendations made at then Governor Mohammed Azam Khan's official request, are clear and unambiguous. Had they been followed, some 300,000 men, women and children would not have died in the November storm.

Catastrophic hurricanes are an old and tragic story to the millions of Bongalese rice farmers and fishermen crowded into the coastal regions of East Pakistan. Following a scries of hurricanes in October, I960, in which some 15,000 people died, Governor Azam requested the help of the U.S. International Cooperation Administration in devising a protective system that would avert such disasters in the future. THE ICA selected Dr. Dunn to carry out this assienment.

He reviewed existing plans prepared Dr. Dunn says that 90 per cent, perhaps more, of the latest hurricane victims would be alive today if the authorities had taken the elementary precaution of erecting simple earth mounds on Ihe islands and along the low lying coast where families and their livestock could take temporary refuge, out of the reach of the rising waters. Pakistani officials had ample information from previous hurricanes as to the flood levels they could expect under the worst of circumstances. Certainly, there was no shortage of labor, no need foi inhabitants bitants (EDITOR'S NOTE: In amplification of the Praaidnt'8 recent State of the Union mes.sape, the, folio winy question and answer release has been received by The Sunday Sun from Herbert G. Klein, White House.

Director of Communications.) Will the Administration propose a national health Insurance program? A No, nor do we think that this is the answer to the Nation's health problems. We do not see a need to shift the financing of health services for 200 million people to the Federal Government at a first year cost of $77 billion. There are groups of the population that have little, it any, lieallh insurance protection. We will have a program in this area. In our opinion, national health insurance will not solve such problems as shortages in health manpower or the maldistribution of health resources.

It would escalate costs. What docs tho Administration propose to do about providing more financial assistance to medical schools so that they can turn out the medical manpower tho country needs? A The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare has been giving financial assistance to medical schools with tfie aim of providing sufficient adequately trained medical manpower within the constraints of existing legislation and available fluids. Existing legislation expires at the end of (his fiscal year. The Department has under intensive study the proposals we will make for modi lication of that legislation. At the same time we are engaged in the final stages of developing the President's budget request for 1'Y 1972.

Both Uie enabling legislation and the funds avaiiaoic tor impiemen by the Pakistan Meteorolok'ira; Service and, after tatinn must be taken into account in developing two montns ol cn ine spor. smoy, suuiiaueu jj an overall siruieey. pages of detailed recommendations for a warning survival system which, he said, could be completed ill three years at a capital cost of about $1.6 We are examining a series of alternatives and expert to propose a specific strategy in the near future. It has been snlil that the Administration has made a political decision to downgrade health programs. Do you agree wilh this assessment? A Ten cents of every dollar spent by ihe Federal Government this year will go into the health system.

At HEW, Federal outlays for health for 1971 will bu $3.26 billion or 28 per cent higher than in 1969. A comprehensive national neaun nancy is a Tnflinr Administration objective farmers who spent six months of the year sowing of Federal control year's exist, the general court will have estab lished a precedent it will he encouraged to pursue. Therefore, Mure amortizations might become direct slate obligations. The budget could also unleash a massive program for recreational facilities. One provision was that the Slate would take over the assessments against MDC communities on account construction and operation of Metropolitan parks facilities and do same for the Slate recreation areas und.

This results in assessments to all cities and towns outside the MDC for rinks, swimming pools and so forth. THE PRESIDENT IJpr I DEPARTMENT Mmit DEPARTMENT BTOj RESOURCES course, norma! accounting, reporting, and anti difcriminaUon standards will apply. Clin we really trust tbe suites aud localities with all that money? A In end, o.ua'Jly of government depends on the kind of leaders the people elect. That is what democracy is ail about. If state and local lenders maio poor decisions, they can he replaced.

But only if they have the resources to meet problems, eon they fairly be held accountable for Failing lo meet them. We should also remember that Ihe best way to assure responsible gjvemment at the stale This iiev will eniDhasize oreventivc rare and local level is by giving greater responsibility sophisticated earth moving equipment. Most to keep people in good health and provide a basic to slate and local officials. The purpose of this of the Bengal hurricane belt are Tice standard of health care without undue expansion program is to set the slates and localities free, and harvesting their crops and have little or noth Major legislative proposals will provide an free to accomplish great successes which would ing to do for the remaining six months. But no Improved program for low income families, re not otherwise be realized.

eirort was made to organize a mgn giuunu ijiu vimuju ncuim 1 luiuaaiujis buu n. gram. Footnote: the storm first appeared early in November as a low pressure area moving across the Malay Peninsula and out into the Bay of Bengal, On the morning of November 8, a United States weather satellite operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration photographed the great cloud mass some 800 miles south of the Ganges Brahmaputra Estuary. It was still too weak to be called a hurricane, and its further course was as yet uncertain. But the 5.

government, sent a warning bulletin to Pakistan authorities. The menace and the potential target area sistancc Act, as wen as otner programs aesignea to improve the supply and distribution of health care facilities. Why do state and local governments need revenue sharing? A One reason Is due to whal President Nixon calls the "fiscal mismatch." Federal tax receipts, based largely on the Income fax, tend to grow faster than the economy, At the local level, the reverse is true. State and local revenues, based heavily on sales end property taxes, do not keep pace with economic growth, while expenditure requirements for education, health, welfare, and other local services tend lo exceed became increasingly clear on the 9th, 10th, 11th such growth. Revenue sharing allows us to ap and 12th, as the NO A A satellite passed over the Bay on its daily north south orbit.

The information was relayed immediately to both Pakistani and Indian authorities. At the same time, ships far out in the Bav were transmitting news of the cirti m's nrnprpKB in India. There is some question as to how much of their information was passed on closer to the people to Pakistan by Haciio caicuna. because or muiair Pakistani friction, there appears to be HI tie give and take between their weather services. SEVERAL OF THE fast buck artists who have been operating in Saigon have moved to Pnompenh to lake advantage of the military build up in Cambodia.

One con man actually got some leading Cambodians to finance him while he sought to make some profitable deals for V. S. equipment. He moved into a villa and lived luxuriously for several weeks, But his deals fell through and he disappeared, leaving behind several bounced checks. Other fly by night operators have been pretending to have inside connections and supply sources that they don't have.

One wheeler dealer tried to sell the Cambodian army individual backpack radar sels at a time when the Cambodians can't, raise money for the guns and ammunition they need. Meanwhile, the Nixon administration has been so nervous about sending Americans to Cambodia that Ambassador Emory Swank has complained that he is short staffed. The embassy has loss than 15 Americans, no more than are found in most embassies around the world. Swank has asked for more people to help htm analyze Cambodia's economic needs and supervise the economic aid program. ply growing Federal revenues fo growing local needs.

But revenue sharing is more than financial aid. By transferring both money and decisionmaking responsibility to our slates and localities, an important measure of power is being returned How will the be determined? A The sizes of the general revenue sharing fund will be a stated percentage of personal taxable income the base on which Federal individual income taxes are levied. Thus, the revenue sharing fund will grow as Ihe lax base grows. Funds for special revenue sharing will be determined through the regular budget and ep propriations process. In the initial year most, but not all, of such funds will be derived from conversion of some of narrower calegarical grant programs now in existence.

How does general revenue sharing work? A The funds will be distributed from Ihe Federal Treasury fo each of the 50 stales and the District of Columbia, (essentially) based on their share of national population. Within each slate, local governments will participate in revenue sharing according to a prescribed formula. Every, city, county, and township will be included according lo its share of locally raised general revenues, This intra state formula may be superceded by an alternative, locally devised plan, 11 it meets with the approval of the state and its major local governments. In fact, an incentive payment will go to these stales which approve such a distribution procedure. Thus, local co operation and are rewarded.

There will be no program or project restrictions governing the use of these funds, Of SpeclHcally, which departments and agencies will be affected' A The Departments of Stale, Treasury, Defense and Justice will remain as entities. The other departments will be abolished. Intensive studies now taking place will determine the placing of the old departments. The four new departments, Human Resources, Community Development, Natural Resources, and Economic Development will be structured as a result of these studies and the plan made specific upon the President's delivery of the reorganization message to Congress. Legislative action will be required to enact the changes, Can these "Super Departments" be made manageable? A Large organizations which are put together sensibly can be managed sensibly.

The key factor is not haw big the department is, bul how well it is organized. In bolh the public and private sector, there are examples of large but manageable department of DEFENSE department of ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT bcMts flu) lofowinj; elwents: will work In practice LOWELL SUNDAY SUN, JANUARY 31, 1971 State may pay for courthouse By DAVID A. HERN Sun Slate House Bureau STATE HOUSE Gov. Sargent's budget recommendation could rid the taxpayers ot Middlesex County of the cost of the East Cambridge courthouse. This was seen in the governor's proposal that the state assume the assessments for counties paid last year.

Presumably, this would be a stall towards the full assumption of county costs although the Governor wouldn't go that far. It is believed that if the Legislature votes lo send back this year what was assessed for last DEPARTMENT OF. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT kit tufa the liHowisj tlinnntSJ METWNllfM ment. There is notliing mystical about them we know how to make large organizations work. All we have to dn now is to apply this knowledge.

Tlie object in this as in other revolutionary Mianooc niillinpH in Ihiy tneram LI orient similar to the nroblems on the national level this respect; in both cases government has the responsibility to solve problems without the capacity to solve them effectively. To give States and localities that capacity, we want to give them more money and more freedom in spending it. To eive the Federal Government that capacity, sharing conizations. Think of those highly successful we want lo bring together related activities which many business firms liken General Motors or with worldwide operations, work forces in the hundreds of thousands and budgets in the muiti billions. Every day (hey handle complex and complicated tasks in an efficient and effective manner.

The key to their success is an integrated management structure focusing in a single head but spreading out into highly decentralized national operations. Tnese techniques are available to govern Doesn't like calling Agnew big and fat NEW YORK (UPI) Vice President Spiro T. Agnew's wife said Saturday she doesn't mind political criticism of 'her husband so used to but she does object lo cartoonists who picture him as "big and fat." Judy Agnew expressed her views at 3 news conference preceding the 50lh anniversary luncheon of the Women's National Republican Chin at the Waldorf Astoria. "The only thing that bathers me is the' cartoonists who make (Agnew) look big and fat," she said. "He doesn't look like that at all, He's very tall and slender." Mrs.

Agnew said her husband stands 6 foot weights 190 pounds. and has a "32 to 33 inch" waistline. "I think that's pretty good, she said. has already decentralized its operations. Region al Administrators have been installed in tbe 10 Regions who have complete line responsibility from the Secretary overthe entire departmental operation in that region.

And, within the regions, operations have been further decentralized to area offices. So we know we can do it. HEW has been making a start In tins direction. Now we intend to accelerate this process throughout the government. On the one hand you are dispersing power to smaller units of government through revenue sharing.

On the other hand, you are concentrating power in larger departments through your reorganization proposals. How do jou explain this apparent Inconsistency? A Our goal is not to disperse power for the sake of dispersing it, or to concentrate it for the sake of concentrating it. Our goal is to focus power at the place it can be used fo the greatest public advantage. This means that each level of must do what it can do nest, in tne which is most effective. are now fragmented and scattered.

The two programs actually complement each other very nicely. What is it about President Nixon's proposals that make the State of the Union message (it the description, "revolutionary?" A The President's message reflects the. first fundamental change in executive government structure and philosophy since the founding of our Nation. Fro mth ebeginning of our Nation, the direction of power and authority has flowed towards the Federal Government, tor tne iirsc E3 FOll THE STATE, this is a relatively recent struction of additional facilities. Another loglsla program and cities and towns are only begin ning Id feel the impact of assessments.

They are on a formula so it doesn't mailer if there are Facilities in or near a particular community. Eveyone pays. Sargent said, "These activities are now con sidercd as a part of our regular budget procedure and cities and towns should be relieved of these assessments." There was sentiment both ways, among legislators, on this. One representative said it would be a practical solution and would encourage con White House amplifies Nixon's plans in State of Union speech tor expressed concern that it might lead to too much expansion if colleagues didn't have lo fear Ihe ultimate effect on local property rates from voting lor huge recreational bond issues. THE GOVERNOR'S plan fa have the State assume last year's county assessments also was being studied carefully.

The Governor was reluctant to come out flatly for asumption of full county costs on the grounds the State doesn't have tight controls on expenditures even though i'. does control the budget. The Governor's message appeared to recognise that courthouses were more a responsibility of (he Commonwealth than of the real estate tar payers in the cities and towns. There was no mention of the counties that are paying or soon will be paying for substantial additions or replacements for court facilities. However, a portion of the interest and amortization costs is reflected in the 1970 assessment the administration is willing to assume.

Over a period of years, the entire cost would be met Ibis way. If the State reimburses in full every year or lakes over Ihe projects, the cities and towns would be expected to be relieved of further obligations. At the moment, while there are legislators favoring the State asumption of recreational and county costs, there Is no asurance it will come about immediately. The decision hinges primarily dh enactment of the $311 million tax program contained in the nearly $2 billion State budget. If the tax plan flops, aid to municipalities figures to be reduced proportionately.

Sarge, top Dems trying to duck blame for budget Ey LORING SWATM Sun State House Bureau STATE HOUSE The governor and the Democratic leadership in the Legislature did some fancy figure skating this week on Beacoil Hill. Bolh camps were busy skating around staggering budget figures and biting tax figures and doing their best nut lo get off side Df that awesome $2 Dillion Duage.t Blue line. The governor lost the face off, so to speak. He had, under the Constitution, to file his budget message first. It called for a whopping $1,914 billion in expenditures.

The highest budget in Bay Slate history. It called for helt lightening down the line. And it threw to the cities and towns a $140 million life saver and additional "revenue sharing" gift to them of that amount which was supposed to help keep them from facing bankruptcy at the local level. The only good thing really about the Gar ed. Make Government serve people individuals gent budget was thai it didn't cross that $2 and families better.

Make Government more re billisr. blue line on paper, anyway. sponsive to the local community. The decentralization strategy sonr ds nice in theory, but have you any reason to think It Twenty four hours later, the two most powerful men in the legislative branch House Speaker David Hartley and Sen. Pres.

Kevin Harrington took some polite pot shols at Sargent's goals and positioned themselves for some A Yes. One domestic department 11UD dangerous rebounds Now, Hartley is 5 foot 10 and Harrington Is foot 9. They billed themselves I at their joint press conference on the Sargent budget, as the "David and Goliath And they put on quite a political act. 11 However the governor dresses up his new budget," declared a straight faced Bartley, in effect, "it is still a 12 billion plan. He has grossly underestimated the skyrocketing costs of welfare, for next year.

I predict welfare will need at least SI billion all by itself, at the rate it is going." Hartley's point was well taken, it turned out. NEXT DAY, on Friday, Gov. Sargent was obliged the file a deficiency budget to pay extra, unseen bills for die current fiscal year (as distinct from his fiscal 1972 budget filed on Wednesday to cover estimated needs for the next fiscal year). This deficiency budget included 152 million more for welfare. This sum brings to $7BB million the welfare bill for tlds year.

Projecting Ic.dl nf enonrlinn fnr ivplFar into 1972. it Is Besides outlining in his budget message on Wednesday where he wanted money spent, Gov. Sargent also had touched on where he felt the revenue should come from. The taxation side of his message was deliberately generalized, however. He insisted he was waiting for specifics until the Maslcr Tai Plan commission came through with Its final recommendations.

These recommendations, he said, could and would serve as guidelines for liis own revenue raising proposals. At their press conference, Bartley and Harrington very politely insisted the governor should not delay. THEY UNDERSCORED repeatedly that they were confident the governor knew his constitutional obligation to file a timely tax program for them to act on. They could not act til! every detail was time, with the revenue sharing proposal, the flow spelled out in his program what new specific will be heading back toward the states and local ities. In addition, the proposal on government reorganization calls for the first time the designation of Cabinet Deparlments according to their purposes and functions rather than their con slltuencies.

To this extent, the President's proposals are definitely revolutionary. History has had events shaping the destiny of the American people, and PersiMent Nixon has proposed measures which he believes will put people in charge of their own destiny. A changed era calls for changing institutions. That is what the President has called for, and Uial is wliy the message is described by many as a bold and revolutionary approach. Did the President recognize there would be opposition as well as support? A He did.

He told his staff that anything involving major change usually results in major debate. taxes he would propose, to produce wnai new revenue lie said is needed to balance the books. They were sure he would not duck this duty. But behind their gentile tone, this was what they were doing: They were trying to nudge the governor into producing his own tax program wilh all its onerous overtones and Its bite en the taxpayer's pockclbook. i They were trying to prevent him from relying on the tax commission's recommendations lo mitigate the ImpacJ of the inevitable new taxes.

It was a clever political move. And it might work. The Democrats dominate that tax commission. They could delay the final recommendation just long enough lo make the governor move first. He, and not the Democrats, then would have lo Incur the wrath of Ihe taxpayers for imposing new and distasteful taxes..