San Antonio Express from San Antonio, Texas • Page 8

Tuesday, August 12, 1969 Page 8-A £an Antonio (Sxpress EDITORIALS (Tlw editorials below represent the views ond opinions ot the Express. The signed columns, cartoons, articles and letters to the editor on this page represent the personal views of the authors. They may ogree or they may conflict with the views of the Express. They ore presented in an effort to offer varied viewpoints on the Issues of the day.) Summer Recess Offers Hot Topics Before the Elections The Congress will take a summer recess shortly and with it the Nixon proposal to overhaul welfare to make it stimulate those on the rolls to get off. With a price tag, initially, of about $4 billion a year, the proposal seeks to strike at some of the causes rather than the results of poverty.

The sweeping proposal was unsurprising since its outlines have been in the making for several years. If the Congress accepts it in principle, funding will be the hard part in a year when tax laws are also being overhauled and a hard-line fight is on to head off inflation and major labor contracts are going up sharply. There is also a campaign aiming at the 1970 congressional elections sponsored by the AFL-CJO to raise the federal minimum wage. Thus the inflation-wage-tax picture will present a political tug-of-war of considerable significance. The Treasury Department claims the proposed tax overhaul takes too much off the income side.

AFL-CIO leaders say the Jail Beatings oo Frequent There has to be a system or facility that can be reasonably safe for prisoners in the city-county jail. Repeated violence and, finally, a slaying in the jail is mute proof that the system work. Prisoners are put in jail on orders of a court, there to serve a sentence or to await action by the court on their cases. In either instance, they are under the authority of the court and in care of the sheriff. Prisoners as numerous as at the Rexar jail usually includes some mean ones and it may be advisable to enlist help to anticipate and isolate the dangerously-disturbed ones.

Psychiatric sendee is routine in some of the better systems in the country. In any case, the reported beatings have become too frequent to ignore, Initially, surprise checks on prisoners a good close-up look at of discourage beatings. Routine supervision of prisoners is just, barely better than none at all. President was remiss in failing to include in his welfare thinking a proposal to hike the minimum wage. They chided him for saying some people would rather be on welfare than work, suggesting the difference between welfare and wages for non-skill jobs is too small.

That is political huckstering. in most cases, though we know a few jobs in which that is a painful they are jobs not covered by minimum wage laws. Labor contracts by major unions have a pronounced impact on the whole economic picture: An airline gave 37 per cent increase on a three- year settlement, longshoremen won 30 per cent, congressmen gave themselves a 43 per cent raise and cost- of-living went up at a jaunty 7 per cent clip. Pressure will be on the Congress to write its program within available income, pressing for early changes of money outlays overseas to urgent domestic programs so that total government spending can be kept under tight control. The price-wage spiral is real and it is inflationary unless there is corresponding productivity.

If inflation is to be cooled and the family income made to go there has to be a solid mix of tax cuts, spending cuts and a reasonable trend in pace-setting labor contracts. V) ater Safety: Peril Is Real in DAVID LAWRENCE 'THAT'S m-ttlMWmi C. L. SULZBERGER New Book Points Up U.S. Multile Easl Involvement Drowning continues to take a heavy toll of boaters in Texas, often because state safety laws are disregarded.

Most recent example was at Canyon Lake when 10 persons were crowded aboard a 12-foot boat with only one life preserver. When the boat capsized a six-year-old girl drowned. The boater is, of course, responsible for the operation and condition of his boat. However, laws governing boating are on the books and should be enforced with the same intensity as highway regulations. County-level lawmen should devote more attention to water safety and not depend on state agencies for enforcement.

By C. L. SULZBERGER (C) NEW YORK TIMES NEWS SERVICH is an open secret that Washington has been up to the elbows in Middle Eastern plots and counterplots but the degree of involvement and specific details are now for the first time exposed in a book just published in London. This is called Game of by Miles Copeland, a American management consultant, at one time employed by the State Department, who helped in organ iz- ing the Central Intelligence Agency. COPELAND, a excellent Arabist, has spent years in the Middle East where he has impressive contacts, starting with President Nasser.

United States activities in that area he describes the following. Under Major (later Colonel) Stephen the U. S. sponsored the 1949 coup d'etat of Husni Zaim in Syria which began the ceaseless putsches that have since marked that political life and produced increasing Soviet control. AMERICAN specialists promoted a Billy to mobilize Islam against communism and sent wildeyed Iraqi holy on a tour of Arab countries.

Copeland concludes: project did no Kermit (Kim) Roosevelt, a Cl A Middle East expert, was 1 a to Secretary' of Stade John Foster Dulles to supervise in August 1953, physically ousting the Mossadegh government of Iran and restoring the Shah. most fascinating revelations concern the Nasser revolution in Egypt. According to him Washington decided in 1952 that was the place to an attempt produce forward-looking, pro-American Arab governments. THAT FEBRUARY Roosevelt tried to organize a under the umbrella of King Farouk. In months before Nasser's met representatives conspiracy.

The plan to change things under Farouk was dropped. American officials and representatives reached The Plan By DAVID LAWRENCE Nixon has recommended to Congress a program of legislation which he calls the it may be more aptly described as a in government. For what is recognized and realistically dealt with is this simple there are millions of poor people who work but do not make enough to take care of their families, and there are many millions who find jobs and would need more income even if they got work. THE AMERICAN people have always had a humanitarian instinct. A consciousness of widespread and lack of opportunity began to be apparent 35 years ago when the of Pres- i Franklin D.

Roosevelt was launched in the midst of a grave depression. Since then, as economic conditions have improved, a residue of projects have to some extent continued the and Progress i a i agencies of the Nixon realizes that the situation cannot be allowed to drift haphazardly and that a new approach is needed, So he urges that programs be started which will insure a basic annual income to the poverty- stricken. The poor w'ho do work also will be given federal help up to a point. To administer these numerous cases, all of w'hich require individual attention, the federal government will share revenues with the states. ESTIMATES VARY, but it is calculated that more than 22 million persons could be directly benefited by the policy.

It is surprising that, as unemployment has decreased in recent years, welfare lists have risen. President Nixon calLs the present welfare system colossal Some of his comments are: breaks up homes. family is denied welfare payments if a father is present. Soliloquy a father is unable to find a job at all. make the children eligible for welfare, he leaves the children are denied the authority, the discipline and the love that come with having a father in the BUT HOW WILL progress be made? First, Congress has to pass laws authorizing the appropriation of the necessary funds.

It will be costly, but on a long-range basis the United States government can collect much of the money needed. Second, the tax system is being overhauled and eventually will be more productive of revenue than ever before. Third, the Vietnam War, in its present proportions, will not last much longer and some of those i 11 i will become available for domestic use. Also, there is an incentive to be provided the citizen to enc a his search for employment. In the end some of the money earned will provide additional tax receipts.

MOTHERS WHO want to work are to be assisted, under the new' plan, by the setting up of care w'hich will offer than custodial for young children. All these humanitarian projects will need the cooperative help of volunteers in the local communities. It is essential that the Nixon program, when adopted in its present or modified form, become known in detail to the millions of persons who will WHAT AM 1 OFFERED FOR THE OF A SEASON THE HONDURAS EL SALVADOR SOCCER MATCHES? be affected by the a made. FIRST OF ALL, even though many millions of persons listened on television and radio to the speech, and i 11 i read newspaper accounts of what is being proposed, the story will not. get through in understandable detail to the people affected.

What is required is a simple means of explanation so that all the low-income and jobless individuals will get the story and learn especially about the job training which will be available. Maybe it would be a good idea to put on a little bulletin board that can be attached to the front of mail boxes some of the details about where to go to find out more about the different projects. The broad purpose is, as Nixon says, to help people off welfare rolls and on to THE PRESIDENT, in sug gesting that, large sums be allocated to the states to play a big part in the operation of the whole program, emphasizes that much of the work can be better done by local supervi- skm. The greatest need will be efficiency in operation a a system of information distribution w'hich will tell the low- income groups how they can be helped and also how they can best help themselves. private understanding that the preconditions for democratic government did not exist and 1 exist for many year in Egypt.

In July Nasser seized power (with no American assistance) and right-hand man, Mi a immediately informed Ambassador Jefferson Caffery that Nasser wanted with Washington. COPEIAND A Caffery arranged with Nasser the loan to the Egyptian government of perhaps the leading practitioner of 1 a and propagandas the Western world, Paul a former expert for the OSS (forerunner of the CIA). Nasser asked for 1 i i American military to $40 million. Copeland observes: I will show later on, it was the State delay in granting this comparatively small amount which caused Nasser to turn to the the result that he got many times over the $40 million which he originally asked from IN AUGUST 1953 Roosevelt was sent on a secret mission (says Copeland) to try and end the impasse between Egypt and i a i on Suez base negotiations. In November 1954 two U.

S. colonels, Albert a and Wilbur Eveland, discussed an arms deal with Nasser internal security A tentative military; agreement was announced in January 1955 but by September, when Washington had done nothing, Nasser sent a personal warning to Roosevelt that he was about to make an arms accord with Russia. Roosevelt and Copeland flew to Cairo. WHEN THEY FOUND they 1 change Nasser's mind, Roosevelt suggested Cairo should announce that the weapons were coming from idea being that this wouldn't sound so heretical since the Czechs w-ere also a major source of arms for the Even so Washington kept attempting to restore good relations. Copeland writes: 1962, before supplying the Israelis with Hawk anti-aircraft missiles, President Kennedy the matter with Nasser by explaining it to him and getting him to agree that, under the circumstances of the moment, we could not do EVERYBODY KNOWS the ensuing story, marked by continuing war ot the Middle East and a steady growth of Soviet influence.

As Nasser once ruefully confessed to Copeland: genius of you Americans is that you never made clear- cut stupid moves, only complicated stupid moves which make us wonder at the possibility that there may be something to them we are (This newspopor welcomes letters from its readers. They should be short, not over 300 words, and they must be signed However, only reader initials will be used If the request is made Unsigned letters will not be published. The paper reserves the right to edit ony letter for length, good foste or legal reasons. Letter writers must include their proper address and telephone will not be the correct Identity of the writer can be established Jail Situation Protested Dear Sir: Michael R. Perkins, the young man beaten to death in the Bexar Countv jail last Saturday, cannot be allowed to have died in vain.

His brutal death, and the beatings and sexual abuse he and another inmate had been repeatedly subjected to, underscores a situation w'hich runs unchecked in this institution. Just last week, we read of a 17-year-old boy who had been severely beaten while in the jail as a federal prisoner. The experiences of a close friend of mine while a prisoner in the Bexar County jail last November illustrate how and is kept in the jail. The first night in, after lights out, he was gang-raped for a period of several hours. The next day, after refusing a homosexual advance in the dayroom, he was administered a severe beating.

That evening, he was placed into a mattress cover, urinated on, kicked and stomped, and was about to be set on fire, when some of the prisoners decided he had had enough, and put a stop to the abuse. When I saw him on visitors day a week later, his face bore vivid testimony to his maltreatment. After his release, when I asked wrhy he had not filed a complaint, his answer was that are dead. While the actions of those wrho took part, and daily are taking part, in the beatings and gang-rapes of fellow prisoners are despicible, they must not become the scapegoats for those who bear the full burden of guilt in jail abuses. The direct responsibility for what happens in the jail falls upon Sheriff Bill Hauck A sheriff is in a rather unique position of authority, excercising absolute control over the jail, and answering to no one between elections.

In addition to the sheriff and his staff, blame must be placed at the feet of the judges and attorneys, who of the situation and are silent. Finally, we citizens, w'ho seem to reflect the attitude that whatever happens to men in prison is their just desert, share in the guilt. It rnay be well to reflect that many of the men being held in the Bexar County jail have not been convicted of any crime. Unable to make bail, they are aw'aiting trial, where they may be found innocent of charges. This apparently was the case w'ith young Michael Perkins.

Daily, human beings are being subjected to the mast bestial treatment in our jail. Sherrif Hauck has shown no ability to cope w'ith this intolerable situation. Something has to be done. To this end I would ask all concerned people to attend a meeting Wednesday at 8 p.m. at the office of the American Friends Service Committee, 109 W.

Durango St. Tom Flow er He Didn't Write That Letter Dear Sir: The July 5 Express-News had at the top of Its column a letter signed by William T. Scott Jr. The headline was Majority Since I am not sure that I understand what Mr. William T.

Scott Jr. was trying to say, I take no issue with his letter. I do, however, after having been asked by many of my friends if I wrote the letter 1 feel that I should identify myself as the man who write the letter. My name is William T. Scott without the Junior.

I reside at 710 Sonnet. I am a member of the San Antonio Association of Life Underwriters. I-ast Spring I filed as a candidate for City Council but 1 did not actively campaign due to severe illness. All the foregoing is an attempt to identify myself to my friends and acquaintances as the man who write that letter. William T.

Scott Question for Ted's liaekers Dear Sir: In reply to the many letters from Kennedy supporters w'ho have berated me and Charles Densford for Teddy, I would like to refer them to the current issues of Time and Life magazines, as well as Drew column in the Tuesday, Aug. 5, edition of the Express. These articles discussed the many unanswered questions relative to the unfortunate incident that prompted my letters, and frankly used the blunt ends of the nails when they crucified To quote Pearson: he is in debate, while he is drumming up crucial votes on a roll call, while he is arguing in committee, how many senators will resist the picture of the pretty blonde, abandoned, w'ith her face up, gasping for breath, while their colleague from Massachusetts failed to summon help? Try reading a few factual reports of this incident, Kennedy followers. See if you can find satisfactory answers to list of unanswered questions in the light of logic and a code of behavior that would have been followed by the average substantial citizen. If you can, then I can merely state that you are following the oft-used quotation, confuse me with facts, my made John M.

Clark Jr. Fallen Hero' Dear Sir: It seems to be open season on Densford and Clark in the letter column and all because they dared to write the truth about Sen. Edward Kennedy. Of course you blame the Kennedy supporters for blindly defending tlieir fallen are a lot of Nixon supporters suffering from the same kind of blindness. Chester Delter Useless Investigation Dear Sir: Regarding Mr.

Homer H. Hyde's suggestion for our president to confine searches for intelligent life to the planet earth, may I comment? Such investigation could be useless in a specific area or areas as all vestiges of intelligence are obviously Hyde-ing, if not actually missing. Rebecca Guerrero DUN AGIN peaceful settlement? great! So much for a math and Pete news on the Paris.