The La Crosse Tribune from La Crosse, Wisconsin • Page 6

6-La Crosse Tribune, Sunday, March 27, 1977 Opinion Comment Crosse tribune An Independent Newspaper KENNETH 0 Publisher BLANCHARDROBERT Editor GALLAGHER SANDERS HOOK General Manager SANFORD GOLTZ Opinion Page Editor Founded in 1904 Endangered A REPORT yesterday from the Twin Cities should be a great relief to everyone worried about the future of lampsilis higginsi, otherwise known as Higgins eye, a clam placed on the endangered list last June A $280,000 dredging project on the Minnesota River near Savage came to a halt Thursday when half a shell was brought up on the dredge spoil. It was tentatively identified as a Higgins eye. which raised concern that a rare live bed of the clams had been invaded by the dredgers. The Higgins, which has no commercial value, was common at one time in the upper Mississippi and the lower St. Croix and the Minnesota.

Sanford Goltx SO AN EXPERT was flown in from Ohio to study the squashed shell. He said there was a "50-50 that it was a Higgins eye, but it had been dead for a couple of years and probably had been washed down from its original bed. So the dredging resumes, after two days and a cost of $15,000 or more for the delay and the inspection. The Corps of Engineers commendably was following the law NOT A BIG deal. But there are stories elsewhere to curl your hair.

Ever hear of the snail darter? Hardly anyone had, but been found in a 17-mile stretch of a river in the southeast on which a dam project was well under way. A few hundred million dollars is endangered now. And you're familiar, of course, with the furbish lousewort a modest wildflower and also on the endangered list, and there are some growing suddenly learned near a New England power plant half-completed. for protecting whales and approve of clubbing baby seals to death. But isn't there some limit to what we insist on building a fence around just because it grow everywhere? Humans may be next on the endangered list.

Foreign heads of state want a CIA pay raise By ART BUCHWALD WASHINGTON Now that Congress and high government officials have received their pay raises, heads of foreign governments also are demanding a boost in salary After it was revealed that King Hussein as well as other leaders of the Free World were on the CIA payroll, the heads of foreign governments decided to take their pay hike demands to the public "We haven't had a pay raise from the CIA in eight years," one prime minister complained to me "How does the CIA expect to attract able, dedicated leaders if they match the salaries of multinational corporations like Lockheed, Boeing and Gulf Oil guess the reason," I said, "is that if you people got a raise from the CIA be making more money than the President of the United States." "Our expenses are higher Some of us have more than one wife to support We have to send our kids abroad to school. "As heads of state our entertaining bills have gotten out of hand. No leader of a country can afford to live on what the CIA pays him these days, unless his wife has her own charitable foundation "I agree." I said "But there seems to be a great deal of resentment among American taxpayers when they read that a king or a foreign president or a prime minister makes more than they do "THAT IS A shortsighted attitude." the prime minister told me "If the United States pay foreign officials a living wage, not going to attract the type of leaders your country wants to do business with "I know several outstanding politicians who have turned down the highest office of their land because they afford to take the job on what the CIA was offering them losing the best people to Northrop. Texaco and Grumman Aircraft" "I tend to agree with you that most heads of state are underpaid by the CIA." Art Buehwald I said "But I don't see how you can get a pay raise unless you people come up with a code of ethics As it stands now. most Americans believe you foreign leaders are getting away with murder "That's the fault of the American he said bitterly.

play up the few bad apples that get involved in a scandal, and never write about the majority of heads of state who do their jobs diligently and without fanfare Most of us have made great sacrifices to work for the CIA, and all we ask is a decent wage I still believe you get the raise unless you initiate a moral code that the American taxpayer can live with," I told him "What do you suggest?" "I think that when a head of state accepts a position with the CIA he has to reveal his full assets. And then put them into a blind trust." "I'M NOT SURE we want to do that." "President Carter has said he will not support a CIA raise for you people unless there is full disclosure." I warned him else0" will have to accept a limit on outside income "How "You personally accept more than $100,000 from any foreign defense contractor "We ll starve to death." he cried "And finally. Mr Prime Minister, and this is very important: You heads of state can no longer moonlight on the side." "What do you mean by "You work for the CIA and the KGB at the same time. (c) 1977, Los Angeles Times Syndicate Supreme Court candidates are interviewed Callow Judges William Callow and Robert Landry are running for one seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court April 5, in a nonpartisan election. Callow is a Waukesha county judge.

Landry is a circuit judge. Their personal history is similar. Both received law degrees from the University of Wisconsin; both are married and have three children. Callow is 55, Landry 54. Callow was the appointed City of Waukesha attorney, 1948-52, and elected from 1952 to 1960.

He was elected to the county bench in 1961- Landry was elected a county judge in Milwaukee in 1954, after two terms in the state assembly. In 1959 Governor Nelson appointed him to the circuit bench, and he has been elected since then. Both men have presided over a wide range of civil and criminal cases. Both are now primarily involved with felony cases. Landry Read the Constitution He believes in the 12-person jury By ELDON KNOCHE Tribune State Bureau MADISON The State Constitution should be "strictly interpreted" and not warped "to accommodate the cry for social change." Supreme Court candidate William Callow said in an interview with the Tribune.

Callow said his "liberal" opponent, Circuit Judge Robert Landry of Milwaukee, holds society instead of the individual at fault for some crimes. He also said Landry was endorsed by the Wisconsin AFL-GIO because the union's leadership thinks Landry "will be favorable to labor" in his rulings. Here are those and other remarks by Callow edited from a taped interview on March 10: Why should anyone vote for you for Supreme Court justice? A The public endorses my attitude toward the law and the Constitution The Constitution should be strictly interpreted The Milwaukee Journal called for the election of my opponent because it would bring to the court "a supple philosophical majority 1 think supple means bending, vliable. accommodating. The Constitution should be literally constructed by the court and if it is to be tampered with, amended or changed, it should be by the electorate For the Constitution to be interpreted by the court to accommodate the cry for social change does a terrible disservice Do you see a danger in the Supreme Court being too supple now0 A In the decision of negative aids, the majority read the Constitution; the minority philosophized with it.

You mean the minority was saying. this social problem with school aids and do something about it?" A That's right. They said, adjust the Constitution. The social need requires a change What other differences are there between you and Judge Landry0 A a nonpartisan and he is a partisan At every speaking engagement he mentions his activism in the Democratic party. Therefore, when it comes to some endorsements, those who are active in the Democratic Party particularly become active in my campaign.

The AFL-CIO has endorsed Landry A The only reason they give for endorsing him is (reading from the newspaper) "he compiled a strong labor vooing record while in the Legislature The AFL-CIO leadership says the Supreme Court has been biased against working people IS THAT the opposite of what you mean by a strict interpretation of the Constitution? A I speak for what anybody else believes, but the Labor News says the court has been biased against working people and that with the recent liberal appointments and the election of Judge Landry, there will be a court favorable to labor. That disturbs me, because I don't think the court should be favorable to any special interest group. I think the rank and file people agree Are you a member of a political party? A I am not, and I have never been Who has endorsed you? A Labor Council, the Waukesha County Democratic Party, the Waukesha County Bar, Ed Jackamonis, What Tribune readers say Respect for life Seal pups are clubbed to death for profit, dolphins are captured along with tuna for convenience, women and children are napalmed for politics When will it ever end0 All who are against abortion, euthana- sia. capital punishment, war and all other killing what chance do your beliefs have0 For when we have no respect for some forms of life, how long can it be until we have no respect for all life0 S.H. Coleman.

3105 Scarlett La Crosse. Suckered again We the People Smart, or stupid0 A few short months ago. we the people were very, very smart We voted some new people to the La Crosse school board who were going to listen to us After the Washburn School closing, people were pretty soured about not being listened to. Vote for us, listen, was the cry OK. fine; we voted Once again we the people spoke up This time the issue was Longfellow school and Mr McKee So far all I've been able to figure out is: tell us what to do.

you know what all about. If I don't know what it's all about, then I must be stupid However. I am not so stupid that I figured out what this one-man vendetta has cost the taxpayers of La Crosse, nor the aftereffects of this fiasco in our city schools Congratulations! suckered us again John G. Graw, 813 King La Crosse. Segregate them What our school system needs: One sound building like Washburn School.

This could take care of the 2 per cent of the students who care to follow school procedures Why let them take up valuable space in the classroom where most students want to learn0 If every year these students were forced to go to school where they could learn a trade, and try to get along with society, then the tax dollars would be well spent Ninety-eight per cent of our students are well behaved children. There is nothing wrong with our educators, just give them a chance to do a good job. The big problem lies right in our homes. Just a little love and affection would solve a lot of problems Where is this money coming from? Just stop having surveys, studies, and hired consultants. All of our city and county departments are responsible for these deals.

Thousands of dollars have been spent in the last 20 years. How many of these studies have been actually carried out? If the truth were known on Election Day you wouldn't be able to close the polls at 8 p.m.; taxpayers would be voting all night. In my 26 years working with students at the junior high level, the past three years have changed Students are becoming more respectable, and less destructive. This all adds up to one thing. Our educators must be getting through to the students all pull together for a good common cause, giving our children the education they need to become good citizens.

Visit the schools. You are paying the bill. Lawrence G. Kaufmann, 618 Farnam retired building engineer, Lin- cogn Junior High School. D-Waukesha.

speaker of the Assembly, Sen. Dale McKenna, D-Jefferson. The Teamsters have endorsed me for quite different reasons than my opponent has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO. They endorsed me because of my performance as a judge and my concern for people Since I have the endorsement of the Milwaukee Police Association, the Metro Police Brotherhood, the Waukesha County Deputy Sheriffs Association and the support of the president of the state association, I would conclude their premise is I believe in firm and fair justice while my opponent has tended to be less firm in criminal cases. You hold different views on criminals? A We have a different philosophy about accountability.

The liberal believes faults excuse the faults of the individual. I take the position to the contrary: the society is no more than the composite of each individual. Our God-given and constitutionally- given right of freedom also contemplated responsible conduct. Each individual should be held personally accountable for his or her conduct. I find that distinction between the liberal and the moderate independent I consider myself Does that mean tough on criminals0 A I believe anybody who threatens, assaults, sells drugs particularly hard drugs or the people whose conduct hurts somebody else in a serious way are the people that must be committeed to the state prison.

1 have a reputation for committing those who commit that type of crime to prison. Judge Landry has, ac- cordcng to news reports, excused some people from that type of penalty. ON THE OTHER side of the coin. I believe you can only hold someone accountable if you tell them what they are not to do Accordingly, I have spoken to hundreds of high schools throughout this state, to hundreds of social groups and to church groups. I've written a book called "You and the Law" for high school kids, with a half million copies published.

I have a reputation for being an imaginative judge. For example? A I have a program called victim-offender confrontation. The reason burglars and thieves the great recidivists go back to this activity is because they believe it is bad. They believe they do the victim a favor because he rips off the insurance man In cases where I believe a person has the capacity for rehabilitation, I direct the probation department to invite the victim to mieet the person who has stolen the property. The burglar finds out they had no insurance, or a deductible policy; or what he took had sentimental value.

The burglar will tell me later, "Judge, the first time I felt guilt was when I met those nice folks that I ripped off." never had anybody back that I can recall after a victim-offender confrontation. I started a group dynamics program for the rehabilitation of those convicted of drunken driving in Waukesha County. so successful it's now accepted every place in the state. By ELDON KNOCHE Tribune State Bureau MADISON People have faith in the jury system and the idea of the 12-person jury should not be tampered with, according to Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Robert Landry, candidate for the Supreme Court. In an interview with the Tribune.

Landry also said the cost of justice for the average man is out of reach." Landry criticized judges who threaten juveniles with prison but. even after five times in court, the youths are and sent home to Mother or Dad." However, he admitted he sometimes decides not to send a youth to the Lincoln or Wales schools for boys because those places are overcrowded. Following are other comments by Landry. taken from a taped interview March 11: What do you see as the major issues in your campaign? A My real interest is keeping the justice system open to the people. The cost of justice is escalating at an astronomical rate.

To the average man it is almost out of reach. We have made the system more complex and required more input by attorneys which, in turn, is passed right along to the litigant. We just passed a code of civil procedure 142 pages long that requires attorneys to go through complicated, expensive procedures which, of course, are passed onto the client. cumbersome and time consuming. What Roscoe Pound (Harvard law professor) talked about in court reorganization is as applicable now as it was in 1908, or perhaps even more so: that we should keep this justice system simple, clean and available so we get swift justice.

What are your other major issues? A interested in the attack being made currently on the jury system. After 22 years on the bench. convinced the jury system is a fundamental and crucial part of our judicial system For 200 years the (U.S.) Supreme Court reiterated, whenever the jury system was attacked, that the jury referred to in the Constitution is a 12-man, common law jury. Yet in 1970 and 1973 the Supreme Court reversed those pre vious decisions and said no special mystique about 12; there can be six. Eighty-two out of 96 federal districts have already adopted that.

The committee that recommended Wisconsin court reorganization has also recommended there be a six-man jury. IN THE NAME of efficiency and greater expendiency and saving of time and dollars. I'm wary of the word There a dictator in history who hasn't come to power without using the term efficiency Ask any trial lawyer or trial judge with experience and tell you that you do not get anywhere near the diversity with a six-man jury that you do with a 12-man jury. You seem to put a lot of faith in a jury verdict. A The jury system acts as a very vital link between the written law and the We will not people.

The people have faith in the system when it is handled right I recently had a very important case which demonstrated that so conclusively. Sen. James Devitt was charged with perjury before a grand jury After five different judges had disqualified themselves, the (court) clerk came in and said, going to disqualify yourself because I understand going to be announcing for the Supreme Court very I said, a very enticing proposition, but for the last 22 years I have never disqualified myself for political reasons and not going to start I told his attorney they had the right to file against me (ask removal from the case) because Devitt knows that I was in the and session as a Democrat and he is a Republican. no," the attorney said "We think this would be a fine place to try the case." The defendant said, "I think I am not guilty and I want to have the opportunity to prove myself innocent before the election in November." That posed a real problem I had murder, rape and armed robbery cases and here we are with a perjury case coming in at this date. But it goes right to the heart of the democratic process and election and I yielded to his request.

(The trial was held in mid-October.) We drew a jury and after five days a very sad occasion for everybody the jury found the defendant guilty. About 10 days later the electorate voted for his opponent who was the underdog Through this procedure, there was complete credibility in that result. What problems do we have in our justice system? A Crime has increased 132 per cent in Wisconsin; 47.7 per cent of that is attributable to children under 18. not satisfied our justice system is responsive to this challenge. I've looked at the record and see where a child has been charged with criminal offenses and he is five and six and seven times brought into the court and reprimanded and sent horn to Mother or Dad.

THE FIRST TIME a child comes into court the formula is, "I am going to send you to the school for boys (or girls), but not this time. going to give you an opportunity to get yourself straightened out. I can assure you if you come back here again you're going to the school for boys (or The child is really impressed. When the child comes in three months later (the judge says), "Why Johnny, shocked to see you back here. You remember what I told you? going to give you another Well, eyes open up and when it happens a third and fourth and fifth time, he knows the system work.

Have you done this? A tried to avoid it, but sometimes it's a little bit unavoidable. On the second and third times I try to structure it so this disillusionment occur. If wrong, why you send him to the school for boys the second time? A Frankly, the facilities there. The kids know this. Every time I put one in, I know the kid I sent there two months before is going to be squeezed out prematurely.

So the answer? A got to get employment for these 16-to 28-year-olds. the age zone where 80 per cent of the offenses are committed. talking about a social cause for crime? A Yes, definitely. These young people who are footloose develop hostilities, anxiety and a poor image of themselves by being on welfare or having to make it illegally It erodes ego. In my work with children, always emphasized the importance of personal self-esteem.

What do you think of statutes setting specific sentences for specific crimes? A far better to give judges broad discretion than try to advance some kind of stereotype sentence A record. the attitude of the person (and the circumstances of the crime) are things we work into the statute. What makes you qualified to be a Supreme Court justice? A My board experience over 22 years is the kind needed on the court. The primary job of the court is to review the work of the trial judge. I have taught other judges.

Recently I was elected state chairman of the Circuit Court Board of Judges. Today I participated in the state (judicial) administrative committee This afternoon we had a meeting of the State Court Planning Commission. been legislative chairman for the State Board of Judges and the Milwaukee Board of Judges..