Tucson Citizen from Tucson, Arizona • 26

ailij Gtitizm PAGEV PAGE 26 EDITORIAL TUESDAY JULY II 1972 William A Small Jr Publisher i Paul A McKalip Editor Dale Walton Managing Editor Tony Tselentis Associate Editor George McLeod Editorial Page Editor Lansky behind FDR Mafia outlasts crime in the United States today described part in the nomination of Roosevelt in his recent biography Lansky knew Americans were tired of corrupt machine politics the jaded big-city bosses He also knew that without these bosses Roosevelt had no chance for the nomination Further and most important he knew hatred of Tammany Hall politics in New York Lansky called a pre-convention meeting in Chicago of two delegations from New York One was led by Jimmy Hines who supported Roosevelt the other led by Albert Marinelli a Tammany Hall leader whose delegation supported happy-go-lucky A1 Smith To make sure both leaders received the message Lansky had Frank Costello who gained fame as a rumrunner room with Hines Rooming with Marinelli was Lucky Luciano then the unofficial boss of what was becoming known as the Americanized Mafia White these meetings were taking place Lansky was holding some of his own with regional political bosses such as James Michael Curley Huey Long and sas Tom Pendergast It was no surprise that Hines and Marinelli soon agreed to support Roosevelt and that Curley Long Pendergast and other lesser known political bosses among the Democrats publicly endorsed Roosevelt and the-repeal of Prohibition Roosevelt of course not only was nominated by the Democrats but also went on to easy victory in the presidential election End mumbo jumbo There is one vote Arizonans should have little trouble deciding to cast come November the vote to help legislators to quit wasting their time Because legislative time-wasting is part of the Arizona Constitution a referendum on the November election ballot is required to change it The constitution requires that every legislative bill be read in its entirety before final passage That requirement was supposed to make sure every legislator knew what the bill was all about before voting on it But those good intentions have led to so much mumbo jumbo simply because the law is not necessary bills are thoroughly read and thrashed out in committees and party caucuses before they reach the floor of each house Legislators are quite familiar with them by that time So the legislature the law by having ser eral readers grab sections of a many-paged bill and with a great deal of incoherent garble read through the pages as rapidly as is physically possible Meanwhile bored legislators pull out their knitting good novel or their earmuffs and pass the time till -the idiocy ends a humorous scene were it not for the valuable time wasted Politics of chess The Soviet Union did its political best to make anti-American propaganda out of the antics of US chess champion Bobby Fischer delaying tactics Tor more prize money in the world championship chess match became in the eyes of the Soviets symbolic- of the produced by American capitalism Fischer has since apologized for the delay to his opponent Soviet chess champion Boris Spassky and the match began today But the temperamental refusal to show up until the purse was doubled was denounced by- a Russian newspaper editor as- typical of capitalist ethics ethics Russian -public opinion would he said 'v It is lamentable that Bobby Fischer opted to hold out forjnorepioney while representing his country and that this baused bad feelings among chess-fans officials and the two champions It is easy to believe that no Soviet chess player would get away with Bobby Fisther-type tactics simply because Soviet officialdom exerts considerable control over its individuals The United States exerts no such control over its people and should not But it leaves the occasional Bobby Fischers free to do as they please even to the embarrassment of all of us Tipping the scales A slap on the wrist is a poor substitute for justice Americans increasingly disenchanted with court decisions which seem to coddle the guilty might do well to press for the kind of reforms now taking place across the Atlantic In England the of this own- system of jurisprudence citizens are justifiably concerned about their leniency toward criminals There as here that leniency has been paralleled by a continuing increase in the crime rate Now the English are fed up and Parliament notoriously slow to act on many important issues after eight years of study is set to make some changes OtoTt Cvk-TiM-' ME IN THE BATTLE TO DE(IM WHO TO RIDE Hard hats in court Search for black gold By GEORGE McLEOD tdHwtal Pim Editor Democrats meeting in convention in Miami Beach this week are presenting a picture of confusion and controversy as they attempt to select a presidential candidate This always been the case Dunng most of their past conventions issues at least were clearer and kept out of the courts A check into history for example shows that in 1932 the Chicago convention was an open and shut case New Gov Franklin Roosevelt was going to become the candidate in a year in which it was a cinch that a Democrat also would become president What the delegates angered -by Prohibition frustrated by tired President Herbert Hoover and wary of the soon-to-spread Depression did not know was that candidacy had been assured by none other than Meyer Lansky oije of the most feared men in the nation Lansky a 28-year-old Russian-born Jew had become wealthy and powerful through the rackets illegal booze gambling prostitution and Murder Inc 1 Lansky knew Prohibition was on its way out Lansky knew something else too He was being bled by political bosses for the right to operate in their cities With that in mind in the months preceding the convention Lansky set about to deliver New York Gov Franklin Roosevelt as the presidential nominee of the Democrats- Hank Messick perhaps the -best informed man on organized By ROSCOE DRUMMOND The questions which never quite get answered in the rising talk in Washington that Henry Kissinger may be the next secretary of state are these: Why should President Nixon if reelected want to move the man who has been the prime architect of administration foreign policy to where he possibly do as much for the President as he is doing right where he is? Why should Kissinger want to leave the center of decisionmaking in the White House to head the" State Department where he would have more title and less authority? I see how this can be a very attractive idea either to the Kissinger ly all metropolitan areas across the land Seymour is fighting for high stakes and at a moment when most of the unions based here in New York in many upstate and Long Island counties some of the heaviest building areas are striking some $2 billion worth of construction This is a solid gold strike now back to the old days of demands for increases of $120 to $150 a man per week over a three-year contract Some of the -unions which have token black membership get upwards of $8 to $10 an hour before overtime And their members take home as much as $20000 a year rain-or shine By VICTORRIESEL Unwatched and unfortunately unheralded these politically chaotic days is an unprecedented offensive launched against the New York powerful hard-hat establishment by US attorney for the massive Southern District Whitney North Seymour Jr Seymour has gone into the federal courts to pry open by the local building and construction trades and force them to admit black and other minority workers so they too can earn $200 to $300 a week If Seymour succeeds set -a precedent for action in virtual New Deal Then the purge began Roosevelt nominated by machine politics set up by Lansky now fell into the second half of trap He had to remove the onus that he was a machine candidate To prove his independence after winning the nomination he used his power as New York governor to break Tammany Hall Dapper Jimmy Walker mayor of New York City and a product of Tammany Hall was forced to resign under pressure Hines and Marinelli were deposed as political leaders And as soon as Roosevelt became president he turned his attention to Pendergast Long and Curley Roosevelt ordered the intelligence unit of the IRS into action Pendergast was convicted and imprisoned Long was murdered shortly before he was due to be indicted It took longer to catch up with crafty Curtey but he too was found guilty of a federal crime With no politicians to pay off Lansky was free to consolidate the Americanized Mafia and the Jewish gangs run by Moe Dalitz and others into what was called the- National Crime Syndicate Lansky was and is today recognized as the of the His personal wealth is estimated at $300 million Forty years ago the Demons were nominating a man whose New Deal was to play an unprecedented 13 years in Washington But in the Meyer Lansky the man who helped engineer the nctninaitton survived the New DeaL Today he and the Mafia are still a viable force for evil in the United other man with stature and ability to serve in a denigrated secretaryship of state Men like Dean Acheson and John Foster Dulles do it- The present situation is acutely unsatisfactory to the key congressional committees Kissinger who is the creative source of policy be called to testify because this violates the separation of powers since he is a confidential aide to the President Will Nixon make the change if the election gives him the opportunity? Some are saying that main work has already been accomplished But I doubt if Nixon believes that and therefore will choose to keep his all-purpose aide right at his elbow Copyright 1971 Relief To By PAUL HARVEY Americans on the move are moving out of houses and into apartments Hold everything! Now most states promise tax relief for homeowners Such could tip the advantage the other way again Governors and candidates for governor are promising home-owners lower taxes As is nationwide a wide disparity On a $25000 house be taxed $743 In Philadelphia only $115 in New Orleans pay $763 in Mlnneaolis or St Paul only $188 in Jack- son Miss In most of the big-big cities with their high welfare and oth capers Too big for shoes? Thus local construction union leaders defying their national advice are smashing at the national Pay Board and the Cost of Living Council with their demands for twice and thrice the national wage increase stan- -dards which the rest of the workers must observe strategy called for first taking action against Wood Wire and Metal Lathers Local 46 as far back as May 1968 For the first time in history the union -was held in contempt for violat-ing a civil rights decree The court ruled that back pay would have to be awarded to 75 non-whites who had unsuccessfully sought work in the hiring hall during 1970 The court also ruled that the union must issue a minimum of 250 work permits until the nonwhites comprise 20 per cent of the union What Seymour seeks now is representation proportionate to the population at large fair hiring-hall procedures to ensure that non-whites get an equal share of the work and non-discrimination in admissions to the apprenticeship So he and his staff will spend much of the summer going over the books of union after union preparing for a series of civil trials One by one haul' them tn to count and in a tightly held labor market this is an upheaval Comrmrn President or to Kissinger But it might be useful to look at the arguments which prompt this recurring speculation: Making Kissinger secretary of state would certainly put the State Department back to work which every official in it wants and would thereby improve its sunken morale It would immeasurably improve communications with the' foreign relations committees of Congress and the President because Congress wants to hear firsthand and cross-examine the man who does more than anyone but Nixon to shape administration foreign policy Secretary of kate William Rogers who has served loyally under difficult circumstances wants to step down It win be difficult to find an Arizona Album Eighty-seven years ago in the Old Pueblo TUCSON ARIZONA TERRITORY JULY 11 1885 Picturesque If there are more things in heaven and on earth than we dream of in our philosophy there are also more things in the vicinity of this city than the average Tucsonian dreams of: Gems of wild romantic country in the midst of which the civilizing hand of man has erected monuments of industry and enterprise which will stand for many generations Towards the east the most splendid mountain scenery meets the eye and the atmosphere is so clear that you can distinguish the pine trees from the oaks on the very top of the highest mountains Complied by Yndia Smalley Moore Citizen historical editor from the Arizona Citizen They are worth considering For example Criminal Law Revision Committee has recommended: police no longer be required to warn a suspect that anything he says may be used against him hearsay evidence be admitted wives can testify against their husbands the accused may not remain silent the accused cannot withhold from the prosecution evidence to be introduced later in his defense Would such reforms tip the scales of justice too far in favor of the victims of criminals? Probably not Certainly Americans would welcome similar reforms in our courts as a means of combatting the injustices and inequities that too often result from our present system buy taxpayer asks to come buy or not to er burdens all things considered Cheaper to rent All things include the higher taxes plus upkeep and repairs inside and out and heat water- garbage collection snow shoveling Historically the homeowner was buMing up an equity which offset his upkeep costs But with higher taxes and higher mortgage rates not the advantage it once was Assuming on that $25000 house he pays $150 a month on his mortgage any residual value when he sells the house someday has already been eaten away The Time-Life book on Family Finance cited examples of two 1 brothers Sam and Dan each of whom started out with $3500 One made a down payment on a house The other invested in stocks and rented a place to live After 30 years Sam the renter was way ahead financially One category of worker who has no business buying is the one whose job is likely to move him from place to place at frequent intervals seldom you sell a house under pressure without absorbing a substantial loss This plus the 7 percent the seller pays the realtor makes buying and selling houses with any degree of frequency unduly punitive A compromise In many cities is the (he suburban town house said to provide most advantages of houses plus most conveniences of apartments But gratifying to see New York California New Jer-Bey Minnesota Oregon Washington Colorado and a dozen other states seeking or placing a legal limit on the taxability of private property Now 25 states grant homestead exemptions from all taxes up to $20000 valuation And voters voting next November can and I think will make homeownership good business again Cflpyrlgh 1977.